love the puck

Sunday, August 07, 2005

Earn your money

A really nice perk of the current off-season is that GM's are actually forced to be smart and earn their money. No longer can a sub-par GM use dollars to smack around a smaller market. Now they have to craft a solid team, make an honest, lucrative offer, and convince a player that the team he is coming too is going to be a good one. Kevin Lowe is a good GM. Whoever earns a check in Washington, (sorry George McPhee) is not deserving of a job. I'm not claiming that it is an easy job, and maybe (actually it's very likely) that guys like Ferguson and McPhee are holding out for next years free agent crop, but it does feel like this is not the time to sit idle. I think it would be an impossiblity to be in a position like this and not have a plan for the future.

So who's looking good since the free agent frenzy?

Pittsburgh is making a lot of noise and for the first time in years they'll have a team that can compete. No longer will they be the brunt of AHL related jokes. Palffy is not a favourite player of mine, but he is proven to be a solid scorer. Gonchar is not a favourite of mine either, but he can move the puck and no one will deny his ability to quaterback a powerplay. And Ric Jackman will go in the corners enough for both of them. Maybe they'll move Tarnstrom and get another rugged blue liner.

Edmonton is looking pretty good, but I think people are making a little bit too much of getting Peca and Pronger. I think they're both excellent players, but their goalie is Ty Conklin, and other than Smyth there aren't really too many consistent contributers. I like Moreau, Torres and I think that Edmonton has all the pieces going in the right direction. They'll make some noise this year, but not parade type noise. At least the battle of Alberta will be taken up a notch or six this year.

Philadelphia made a great move in getting Forsberg dollar for dollar for Roenick. But still they put a lot of money into Therien and Hatcher, who I think are just really big posts. Rathje is a good player, but he's not a big time minute muncher like a Pronger, Niedermayer, Hannan or even Brian Leetch. I think Philly will finish second or third in the East, but I don't know if they can hang with Tampa Bay, even though Tampa Bay has a MASSIVE question mark in goal now.

Calgary added some depth up front which they needed, and even though I hate Tony Amonte, he'll probably score twenty for the Flames. McCarty is a Darryl Sutter type player, which bodes well for the team and for McCarty because he loves the bang and crash style hockey. They locked up Iggy and they still have Donovan, Langkow and a player I think could break out this year, Steven Reinprecht. Plus their blue line is perfect and their goalie is Mikka.

As a side note, I think the Boston Bruins overpaid everyone they signed.

The Chicago Blackhawks made some impressive moves adding Aucoin, Khabibulin and Lapointe, but I just don't think that's enough pieces of the puzzle. They're on the right track though.

Columbus needed defense badly and picked up Adam Foote and Brian Berard. And yet no one mentioned anything about it. They have a underrated goalie in Denis, a great scoring line, and now a solid defense. I slate them 6th or 7th in the West, and depending on some young guys playing well, maybe even higher.

There is a buzz all about as the league has reached the end of it's first full week of constant activity. Angry words have been forgotten, and people are getting really excited about hockey again. When there are more qualifying offers signed, I'll see whose teams are looking the sharpest. Feel free to leave a comment with questions, ideas and criticisms.

Posted by Jon at 7:28 PM | | e-mail me