Join the HTR Mail List
Gomez likely to sign with Sharks.
Unrestricted free agent Scott Gomez has travelled with the San Jose Sharks to Calgary, but he has still not signed a contract with the team.
The Sharks open their season against the Flames on Sunday night, while Gomez is scheduled for more testing.
Subban contract dispute enters a new phase
The contact dispute enters a new phase with the season opener and the early season results will have a bearing on the talks. Tomas Kaberle has moved into the top four on defence and if he can do the job and the Canadiens win a few games, Bergevin has bought some time and the pressure will be on Subban.
If the Canadiens stumble out of the gate, Subban is the winner and there will be pressure on the Canadiens to get a deal done. It’s one thing for a bunch of younger fans who didn’t pay for their tickets to Friday’s scrimmage at the Bell Centre to chant: “We want P.K.!” It will be another matter if the high rollers who buy season tickets take up Subban’s cause.
Bobby Ryan told that he’s not going anywhere this year
After being dogged by trade rumors the last few years — who wouldn’t want a player who’s scored 31 or more goals in each of the past four seasons? — Ryan has received a vote of confidence from Ducks General Manager Bob Murray that the team is not looking to deal him this year.
“Non-issue,” Murray said in a text message when camp opened Sunday.
“It’s nice that it’s all been resolved and that I can come into camp and worry about other things, and once the games get going I’ll have taken my mind completely off of it,” Ryan said.
In the off-season, Ryan expressed some frustration about dealing with the cloud of career uncertainty. He strengthened his game playing in Sweden during the lockout, learning some of the language and improving his penalty-killing skills.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-ducks-bobby-ryan-20130119,0,4609352.story
#leafs GM Dave Nonis: “There’s definitely a chance we’ll see Tim Connolly back here again.”
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) January 18, 2013
January 18 Maple Leafs Trade Rumor and News Post
With all of the trade talk surrounding the Leafs and all of the transactions that they have done this week I thought that it would be fun to create a thread where all fans could get together to post on the newest rumors and moves that the Leafs could be about to make. Topics such as Luongo, Connoly and others are all open to discussion.
Tim Connoly has now been assigned to the Marlies. You would have to think that Nonis will try to move him and retain contract.
— hockeytraderumors (@hockeytraderumo) January 18, 2013
Could Ducks be looking to bring in Gomez?
Scott Gomez, a 12-year veteran with 686 career points and two Stanley Cups on his resume, is now officially on the market and the Ducks have only Ryan Getzlaf and Saku Koivuas proven NHL centers.
Might seem like a perfect match to make, right? Perhaps, if it was the 2005-06 Gomez or even the 2009-10 version.
But the 33-year-old veteran is coming off two horrific seasons with Montreal, which will end his tumultuous time in La Belle Province by buying him out of his large contract after he cleared waivers Thursday.
Blues snap up Redden
It didn’t take long for the blues to scoop up Wade Redden. It seems that he has signed a 1 year deal worth 800,000.hockeytraderumors.com
— hockeytraderumors (@hockeytraderumo) January 18, 2013
Hearing Rielly and Frattin will be the Leafs cuts today to get to 23-man roster. Practice starts at 11:30 so we’ll know for sure then.
— James Mirtle (@mirtle) January 18, 2013
Maple Leafs, Canucks unlikely to agree on deal for Roberto Luongo
“I’m not going to give up youth for older players,” Nonis told ESPN. “We would trade a young player for a young player. But we’re not going to trade a bunch of young players or first-round picks for short-term gain. You can’t build a club that way.”
Bozak is 26 and after 2½ years in the National Hockey League is still trending upwards. He had 47 points last season and led Toronto centres with an average ice time of 18:50. Bozak’s value to Nonis can be measured on the transaction wire this week: the GM traded Maple Leaf centre Lombardi and waived the overpaid, overrated Connolly.
#Subban : Don Meehan just told me that there’s no progress AND that there’s no meeting/discussion planned with #Habs.
— Patrick Caisse (@PatrickCaisse) January 17, 2013
Red Wings won’t pursue defenseman Wade Redden, but could look at Cody Franson
The Red Wings continue to search for help on defense, but it won’t include Wade Redden. They could instead take a look at Toronto’s Cody Franson.
Wade Redden, Scott Gomez bought out; who wants them?
Both players would’ve just stayed home and collected their paychecks had the NHL and NHLPA not agreed to activate the buyout rule before the offseason, which was the initial plan. The change in course allows for an early fresh start for everyone involved, and that’s a good thing.
Redden is likely to pick a new team on Friday, TSN.ca’s Darren Dreger reported. Clubs “kicking the tires,” according to TSN.ca’s Bob McKenzie: the Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers. The Anaheim Ducks and Carolina Hurricanes are considering Gomez, according to McKenzie.
Both can still apparently contribute, previous ridiculous contracts aside. Redden, an offensive defenseman, was productive in the AHL, where the Rangers stashed him to avoid his salary cap hit. Gomez’s offensive abilities cratered after the Canadiens acquired him (from the Rangers, not coincidentally) in 2009, but he still could play in the bottom six.
Do not be at all shocked if both the Oilers and Jets take a run at Wade Redden. hockeytraderumors.com
— hockeytraderumors (@hockeytraderumo) January 18, 2013
Remaining Top Unrestricted Free agents
With the NHL season set to open this weekend (about time) there are still several players who are Unrestricted Free agents that are out there who could help many teams out. Players such as Arnott and Huselius could still provide a veteran presence to any team.
Check out our list of the available remaining UFA’s.
Toronto taking advantage of CBA
Nazem Kadri‘s lesson in how the NHL’s new labour agreement could affect his career came early Thursday morning when he arrived at the Air Canada Centre for an open practice the Toronto Maple Leafs held for their fans.
One minute he looked and veteran teammate Tim Connolly was in his seat in the dressing room.
Next minute he was gone.
Luongo to Leafs losing steam with Toronto making roster room for Kadri after putting Connolly on waivers and expecting more from Bozak.
— Ben Kuzma (@benkuzma) January 17, 2013
LEAFS’ CONNOLLY EXPECTED TO BE PLACED ON WAIVERS
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Tim Connolly was not on the ice at practice on Thursday and it’s expected the veteran forward will be placed on waivers.
Maple Leafs Rumour: Team Interested In Bernier, Is He An Upgrade On Scrivens And Reimer?
The rumour that the Toronto Maple Leafs have an interest in trading for the Los Angeles Kings’ goalie Jonathan Bernier apparently will not die despite it being a terrible idea to move assets for the 24 year old. In the summer, Andi Petrillo passed along a HockeyyInsiderr (not the funny one, at least not intentionally so) rumour that the Maple Leafs made an offer to Jonathan Bernier which didn’t really make any sense because that’s not how trades work. Chemmy’s conclusion that it was likely a move to put a little bit of pressure on the Roberto Luongo trade negotiations with the Vancouver Canucks seemed right.
More recently, one of the last rumours to come out of the Brian Burke Era was that he was done negotiating with the Kings:
Sadly, it seems to have come back under new GM Dave Nonis. Although, you have to think that this is once again a bargaining tactic just like Gillis saying that he’ be happy starting the season with two starters and multiple holes in his lineup is just posturing.
Obviously, my reaction tilted towards abject panic that the Leafs might be about to part with some useful assets for a Bernier because he’s not an upgrade on what the Leafs currently have. There was some dissent on Twitter about that as they either felt he was an upgrade (he’s not) or felt it was better to pay less for Bernier than Luongo. I think it’s better to trade for a really good goalie than a bad goalie even if one costs $4M more and is signed through to the next Mayan Apocalypse. Especially for a team that can afford almost any possible cap penalty under the “Luongo Rule” moreso when the salary cap will continue to increase as evidenced by the massive outpouring of attention that training camps have received.
