RKMBs Forums .::Robegories::. Sports and Wrestling CROSSCHECK 8.23.05 - Staying home for less?

Teemu Selanne is returning to Anaheim for $1 million for one year. Brian Burke wants him back longer. Selanne once commanded six times his current salary, and won the first Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy for scoring the most goals in a season. Since then, he has been slowed by a knee injury which he had surgery on last September. It takes year to recover, so that puts Selanne right on track for a comeback season, which should be helped by some of the rule changes, having Sergei Fedorov at center, and having both Scott Niedermayer and Sandis Ozolinsh on the blue line. Once again, the Ducks should have one of the most feared powerplays in the NHL, adding Peter Sykora to the unit. And Selanne comes back at a significant discount.

Some players are taking less to stay home. Mike Modano did in Dallas. Steve Yzerman is returning to Detroit instead of retiring. Chris Chelios is joining Yzerman. Joe Thornton took less than he could have made on the open market next year (assuming the cap doesn't shrink) to stay long term with Boston. Vincent Lecavalier did the same in Tampa Bay, although now it could take a miracle to bring back both Brad Richards and Marin St. Louis to the 2004 Stanley Cup Champion Lightning. I'm guessing they keep Richards and deal St. Louis. Although, with the new cap system in place, both could decide to take less to keep the team together.

As this long (so long, thank God it's finally about to end) off-season ends, I wonder if, next summer, more players will take less to stay home, return home, or join a possible champion. I expect many veteran players to do just that. The younger free agents though, and they'll get as young as 25 in the coming years, may not be as smart. It will be up to the teams to figure out how to keep or purchase the necessary talent they need, and still build the supporting cast it takes to win the Stanley Cup.

hockey is a really popular sport.

Me too. Stevie Y deserves to go out in style (Stanley Cup in hand).

First major trade this off-season. Dany Heatley felt a need for a fresh start, and asked to be traded. The Thrashers honored his request, sending him to Ottawa for Marian Hossa and Greg deVries. Hossa signed a three year deal averaging $6 million. Heatley signed a three year deal averaging $4.5 million. deVries still has two years left at around $2.2 million.

This is a great trade for both teams. Heatley gives a different kind of scoring presence to Ottawa, a team desperately seeking a power forward. I don't know if Heatley quite fits the mold, but he's a lot closer to what Jagr was in the late 90s than Hossa is. However, that's not to sell Hossa short. The guy can light it up at any given moment. He is fast as hell, and that adds a dimension to Atlanta. A powerplay sporting Hossa, Ilya Kovalchuk, and Marc Savard is down right frightening. The Thrashers also get a player in Hossa who has the experience to make the playoffs. deVries knows how to win in the playoffs, having won the Stanley Cup with Colorado in 2001.

I'm wondering if the Red Wings will be pulling off a similar sign and trade with either Pavel Datsyuk or Henrik Zetterberg. Both negotiations are not going well right now. Dumb kids.

I heard this morning that Datsyuk's agent said he wouldn't play for another team in the NHL but that maybe he might pay in an International league...

His agent is just talking smack. If the Wings can sing Datsyuk, than he is obligated to honor the NHL contract, no matter where he would end up playing. If Datyuk really wants to stay with the Red Wings, and he really wants to win, than he's going to gave to sing for less than he thinks his value is so they can put this team together. Whatever he signs for will be a significant raise over what he was making before. I don't understand why he doesn't just sign a two year deal for less, and just wait to see what the the market and the team is like when his contract expires. That way, he becomes unrestricted at the end of the deal, which gives him more leverage in the long run.

Big news out of Tampa Bay. Martin St. Louis has signed a six year $31.5 million (5.25 million/year) contract. I don't know when Brad Richards' contract expires, but at least for this season, the Lightning have their three big guns sighed, along with Fredrik Modin and Ruslan Fedotinko. I don't know who will fill out the top six forwards at this point. With Graham and Burke in goal, and Sydor, Kubina, and Boyle on defense, this team is looking good as it attempts another Stanley Cup run. Still it would have been nice to have Khabibulin between the pipes again.

Who is Martin St.Louis, Brad Richards, Fredrik Modin, Rusian Fedotinko, and Stanley Cup.......are they important?

More important than Martin Brodeur.

Dave Andreychuk signed a two year contract to remain with Tampa Bay. The lightning could not afford to lose their 42 year old captain. He's the guy who molded their talented youngesters into Stanley Cup champions. Having him and his 20 goals around for another two years will help prepare Lacavelier, St. Louis, and Richards for their responsibilities as leaders of the team when he retires.

In Carolina, Rod Brind'Amour has finally officially been named captain. What's interesting is that the team will have three assistant captains. I didn't think that a team could have more than two, but I guess it can. Joining him will be Glen Wesley, Kevyn Adams, and newcomer Cory Stillman, who had 81 points while playing for the Stanley Cup champion Lightning in '03-'04.

I hope I'll be able to talk about Mark Messier returning to the Oilers in the coming days, but as much as I would love for that to happen, it might be just a pipe dream. I think the 44 year old center still has at least one more season in him. He can still put up 40 points in a season, and if his ice time is reduced, he'll have a lot more energy at the end of the season and into the playoffs.

Time will tell.