One of us! One of us! One of us!
Andrei Markov (or Andrey, as his citizenship card says) is now a Canadian citizen. Un vrai Canadien!
He claims he’d still play for the Russian team, but I think the lure of actually winning might convince him to change his mind!
Olé, Olé Olé Olé!
(I don’t know why, but this is such a happy story to me!)
Jacques Martin has announced that the Habs will have a captain this year after going without one since Saku Koivu left after '08-09.
Markov turned down the job last year. Other candidates include Cammalleri, Gionta, and Gomez, and maybe Gill or Hamrlik in the mix.
Looks like the Flyers’ Simon Gagne is on his way to Tampa in exchange for defenseman Matt Walker and a fourth-round pick in 2011.
I want either Gorges or Cammalleri for captain. I’d accept Gill, but I don’t know if the Habs are really thinking to keep him long-term.
St. Louis, Lecavalier, Stamkos, Gagné, Hedman, even Ellis as goalie and with Guy Boucher behind the bench and Yserman upstairs…Tampa is going to be a seriously tough team to beat next year.
Kovalchukhas signed the most ridiculous contract in the history of time: 17 years, $100 million with the Devils.
Is it September yet?
What about Markov? He was injured for a long while, but he really seemed like the QB to a strong powerplay when he was healthy.
I suppose he’s still a possibility (he might not have turned it down, so much as told that they would wait a year). I like Markov, but I think I’d like to see a captain that’s a little more outspoken than he is. That’s just personal preference, though. He’s an amazing player and I hope he can stay healthy this year!
So Kovalchuk gets enough money to pay off the national debt by staying with New Jersey. Guess he can help them do another first round exit again! At least this way NBC can continue to show only East Coast plus Chicago/Detroit for their Sunday game.
I’m still amazed at how the Lightening were able to steal Simon Gagne. Tampa gives up a defenseman and a 4th round pick. With the improvements to the Thrashers, Panthers, and Lightening. the Southeast will be more interesting than watching Washington run away with the division.
Well, speaking as a Sens fan, I think you should make Carey Price your new captain. He doesn’t have enough pressure on his shoulders yet. 
Carey Price can be my captain any day…uh, wait, what? Captain of the team?! Oh…um…never mind!
Kovalchuk has signed an absurd contract with the Devils that will expire when he is 44. The NHL has got to crack down on these cap-evading deals. Kovalchuk is due to be paid $750 000 in 2021-22 and $550 000 in the last 5 years of the deal. Of course, Kovalchuk will long since had retired by that point; the only reason for the last six years of the contract is to significantly lower the cap hit.
Why the CBA made the cap hit the average salary over the entire contract rather than the salary paid in each year I’ll never understand. It was patently obvious from beginning that the cap could be circumvented in this way.
:eek:
Apparently I have more pull with the NHL than I thought: NHL rejects Kovalchuk contract for salary cap circumvension.
[Nelson Muntz]Ha!Ha![/NM]
Deservedly so. I’ll admit that the Red Wings have been bad about this if not being the team that really started it, but at least their contracts are more realistic about the player actually playing until the end of his contract. The Kovalchuk deal is ridiculously blatant.
Plus I don’t like Kovalchuk signing with New Jersey anyways. He doesn’t turn them into anything close to a cup contender. The devils win on Marty Brodeur. That’s it. Adding one talented offensive player doesn’t change that. Most teams in the league can at least slow him down enough to keep him from being a game changer on his own. I’m not saying he doesn’t improve the team. They’re certainly a better team with him that without. I just don’t think it really does anything for either of their cup chances. Without players to take the offensive pressure off Kovalchuk, and a back up to give Brodeur a rest every thirty games or so, the Devils are pretty much where they were last season: a playoff speedbump.
Here’s a copy of the Kovalchuk contract, so we can all see what the NHL’s objections were (courtesy of downgoesbrown.com)
In the crazy world of NHL goaltenders, will Tim Thomas or Cristobal Huet regains a starting job this season? Is Philadelphia really going into the season with Michael Leighton? Will Vokoun stay in Florida all season? Can Roberto Luongo going to rebound? Who will pick up Marty Turco?
My predictions:
Huet: No
Thomas: Shared with Rask, but not starter. Think Price-Halak.
Philly: Yes, but he’ll be injured by Christmas and they’ll be looking for someone else.
Vokoun: No.
Luongo: Lots of rebounds. Most will end up in the net behind him.
Turco: Philly, once Leighton is injured.
I speak from zero expertise, but this was fun!
Henrik Zetterberg married Swedish TV personality Emma Andersson on Friday.
Some video of the swimming party, featuring Swedish narration and some ugly, ugly swimsuits.
Could Turco really end up with the Blackhawks if Niemi wins arbitration and his salary would be more than the Hawks could sign Turco for? Where would Niemi then go?
And Tampa Bay has signed Dominic Moore to a two year deal. Good for him, though I still seriously wish the Habs could have done the same (looking at the quoted salary he got, I’m surprised they couldn’t!)
As I said before, Tampa’s looking to be a tough team to beat this year.
Tampa’s got all kinds of money to burn, though…14 million in cap space per nhlnumbers.com. Montreal only has a little under 5 mil, and Price is still unsigned, plus ideally you’d like to have a little bit of flexibility to do something in-season if need be.
Good for Dominic, though, and I’m glad he got that kind of money and term. I wish him well, except when Tampa is playing Montreal.
ETA: I noted in the linked article that Julien Brisebois, Yzerman’s assistant GM used to hold a similar post with the Habs. Looks like a good chunk of any success Tampa may have in the next few years will have a Montreal stamp on it.