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The Sharks keep dealing and there goes Rivet

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 18:01:00 -0400

I thought the Sharks did a nice job getting Rob Blake and Dan Boyle, which is why I don't understand this transaction:

After acquiring Rob Blake and Dan Boyle, the San Jose Sharks traded away defenseman Craig Rivet to the Buffalo Sabres.

The Sharks sent Rivet and a seventh-round selection in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft to the Sabres in exchange for second-round selections in the 2009 and 2010 drafts.

Here's the story from TSN

Happy 4th and some news

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:44:00 -0400

Happy 4th of July and there is some news. It looks like Jaromir Jagr is heading to Russia and of more interest to the Stars, TSN is reporting that Dan Boyle has agreed to waive his no-trade clause so he can be shipped to San Jose.

The Boyle trade isn't a done deal yet, but according to TSN: "In return for the 31-year old veteran defenseman, it is believed Tampa will receive a package that will include 23-year old defenseman Matt Carle, a first round draft pick, a prospect and a 4th round pick. Sources say defenseman Brad Lukowich is also part of the deal going to San Jose."

Blake a Shark

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 22:23:00 -0400

As I get back into the swing of things tonight, I see that the Sharks have signed defenseman Rob Blake to a one-year, $5 million deal. One prominent hockey writer really likes this move. You can read his opinion here.

Some more of today's signings

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:59:00 -0400

Here are some more of today's notable signings.

New York Rangers sign UFA forward Markus Naslund to a two-year, $8 million contract and UFA defenseman Dmitri Kalinin to a one-year contract.

Pittsburgh Penguins sign UFA forward Miroslav Satan (1-year, $3.5 million).

Montreal Canadiens sign UFA forward Georges Laraque to a three-year, $4.5 million contract.

And the Canucks signed defenseman Nolan Baumgartner, one of the Stars' free agents. Terms were not disclosed.

Miettinen to Minnesota

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:57:00 -0400

Annti Miettinen is headed to Minnesota. It's $7 million over three years. Here are details from Michael Russo of the Minnesota Star Tribune.

Sean Avery top ten

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:43:00 -0400

I said earlier you can't judge Sean Avery by a few highlights or a few incidents, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't check them out. Here's a collection of top ten Sean Avery moments from TSN:

Stars signings

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:36:00 -0400

The Stars have signed some players, including Francis Wathier, to two-way contracts. Here's the press release.

The Dallas Stars announced today that the club has signed left wing Francis Wathier and defensemen Maxime Fortunus and Garrett Stafford each to two-year, two-way contracts through the 2009-10 season. The Stars also inked free agent right wing Landon Wilson to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2008-09 campaign.

Wathier, 23, skated in 15 games with the Iowa Stars last season, recording two goals and three assists for five points with 17 penalty minutes. He missed 60 games during the 2007-08 season due to a shoulder injury, but served as an alternate captain for the club and was honored as Iowa�s American Specialty/AHL Man of the Year for his outstanding contributions to the Des Moines community.

The St. Isidore, Ontario, native was a member of the Idaho Steelheads club that won the 2007 ECHL Kelly Cup championship. He also skated in 57 games with Iowa in 2006-07, netting 14 goals and three assists for 17 points. He added four assists and 25 penalty minutes in 12 AHL Calder Cup Playoff games with Iowa in 2007.

Chosen by Dallas in the sixth round (No. 185 overall) in the 2003 Entry Draft, Wathier helped the Gatineau Olympiques to consecutive President�s Cup titles as QMJHL champions in 2002-03 and 2003-04, and he participated in the Memorial Cup both of those seasons.

Fortunus, 24, skated in 65 games for the AHL Manitoba Moose last season, recording eight goals and 13 assists for 21 points. He added an assist in six Calder Cup Playoff games with Manitoba this past spring.

A native of La Prairie, Quebec, Fortunus has been with Manitoba since 2005-06 and previously was a member of the Houston Aeros from 2003-05. In 238 career games at the AHL level, he has collected 13 goals and 43 assists for 56 points with 134 penalty minutes. In 33 career AHL Playoff games, he has registered six points (1 goal, 5 assists) and 24 PIM.

The 6-1, 190-pound defenseman excelled for Baie-Comeau in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 1999-2004, posting 148 points (40 goals, 108 assists) and 277 PIM in 285 games with the Drakkar. In 34 QMJHL playoff games, he notched 13 points (4 goals, 9 assists) and 16 PIM.

Stafford, 28, skated in 69 games with the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins during the 2007-08 season, collecting 44 points (11 goals, 33 assists) and 36 penalty minutes. He went scoreless in two NHL games with the Detroit Red Wings, making his NHL debut on Feb. 23, 2008 vs. Vancouver.

The Los Angeles native had a stellar four-year career at the University of New Hampshire, earning 14 goals and 67 assists for 81 points in 134 games from 1999-2003. The 6-0, 195-pound defenseman was named to the Hockey East Second All-Star Team in 2002 and to the league�s All-Tournament Team in 2003. He was then selected to the AHL All-Rookie Team and the AHL Second All-Star Team in 2004 while with Cleveland.

Wilson, 33, has played the last four seasons in Europe, including the 2006-07 and 2007-08 campaigns with HC Lugano in the Swiss Elite League. In 30 games with Lugano last season, Wilson collected 20 points (13 goals, 7 assists) and 67 penalty minutes, and the previous season, he notched 31 points (20 goals, 11 assists) and 67 PIM.

Originally selected by Toronto in the first round (No. 19 overall) in the 1993 Entry Draft, Wilson has skated in 348 career NHL games with Colorado, Boston, Phoenix and Pittsburgh, recording 51 goals and 60 assists for 111 points with 331 penalty minutes. He has also appeared in 13 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, earning a goal and an assist.

The 6-2, 215-pound right wing is the son of Stars� Associate Coach Rick Wilson, and like his father, attended the University of North Dakota. In 66 games with the Fighting Sioux in 1993-94 and 1994-95, Wilson posted 25 goals and 31 assists for 56 points with 288 penalty minutes.

Free agent stuff

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:28:00 -0400

Since I got distracted by the Sean Avery stuff, here are a few key free agent signings of the day from the TSN tracker:

Columbus Blue Jackets sign UFA winger Kristian Huselius (4-year, $4.75 million/year)

New York Islanders sign UFA forward Doug Weight (1-year, $1.75 million)

Pittsburgh Penguins sign UFA defenceman Brooks Orpik to a six-year, $22.5 million contract

Atlanta Thrashers sign UFA defenceman Ron Hainsey to a five-year, $22.5 million contract

Ottawa Senators sign UFA Forward Jarkko Ruutu to a three-year, $3.9 million contract

Pittsburgh signs Evgeni Malkin to a five year contract extension worth $43.5 million

The Avery signing

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:46:00 -0400

So what to make of the Sean Avery signing. Let me start with Avery the player. I like him. I don't judge him by what I see on some highlight show or on YouTube. That's a small piece of the overall puzzle. I judge him by what I've seen the past year-and-a-half or so when I've watched him play with the Rangers. Each and every time I have watched him play I have always been impressed with the way he plays the game. He's all over the place. He's got skill. He's responsible in his own end.

The antics? It depends on whom the Rangers are playing. Avery is one of those guys you hate when he is on the other team, but love when he is on your team. It's like Steve Ott. Stars' fans love Ott, but fans on the other side aren't so enamored. That's life in sports fandom. Rangers' fans loved Avery. I think Stars fans will come around to him to as well, especially if he helps this team win. And I think he will do that. He's a hard-working guy who can play.

The money - an average of $3.875 million - seems to be a lot for a 15-20 goal scorer, but there's more to all this than just scoring goals. The numbers he can produce in that department ain't bad. But he does a lot more. He can play center or wing. He can play power play and penalty kill. He can go up against top players and shut them down. He can play with your top players and fit right in. You see him with Jaromir Jagr and he looks like he belongs.

Chemistry issues? I doubt it. Players may not like him when he's on the other side, but once he's on your side things change. That's just life. Matthew Barnaby talked about that when he joined the Stars. He used to point out that they guys you used to drive nuts the most were the ones that were the most welcoming. If anyone has an issue with Avery, he'll get over it.

My only concern is that cap hit of $3.875 million. That pushes the Stars right up to limit if Fabian Brunnstrom ends up on the roster. I don't know if Brunnstrom will be on the roster, but I get the feeling the Stars expect him to be a player. I hope he is and I hope he is an impact player. I get a kick out of how some people wonder if he will hit all his performance bonuses. I hope he does. That means he had a good season. Why root for him to not hit his bonuses? I say let's see him have a Calder-type season and get paid $2 million-plus.

Anyway, back to the cap. They are up against it right now. Not much room for acquisitions and not much room to cover injuries if they start to run. But it's early July and there is still time to deal with that. Time will tell. Perhaps they can make a trade to improve the team and cut costs. Spending more doesn't mean better. But in this case I think putting the money into Avery is worth the temporary cap issues.

Overall, I like the move. I think Avery is a good player who brings a lot to the table. He'll make the Stars are tougher team to play against. They have a lot of skill players and he'll help Brenden Morrow and Steve Ott in the grit and toughness department. He can add some offense. He brings some personality to the team too. Brett Hull mentioned this in the BaD Radio interview. The Stars don't have a lot of that right now, and Avery will spice things up in that department. I agree with Hull - that's not a bad thing.

Stars sign Crombeen

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:33:00 -0400

The Stars have signed B.J. Crombeen to a two-way deal that will pay him $550,000 at the NHL level.