For one season, the Winnipeg Jets will play in the Southeast Division. But their return to the NHL means serious realignment is coming to the league next season.
“There will be. I can guarantee you. It will be more dramatic,” an NHL executive told Sporting News on Saturday. “It will be realignment of the whole league. It will be a different format. I think it’ll please a lot of people.”
There are currently three Western Conference teams -- Detroit, Nashville and Columbus -- that would like to move East, and a restructuring of the NHL may satisfy that demand.
“The fact remains that there are three teams that should be in the East that are in the West,” the executive said. “The only way you can make everybody happy is by restructuring the whole thing. That’s what they’re working on.”
Detroit and Columbus play in cities located in the Eastern time zone and Nashville in the Central, so a move would theoretically increase TV ratings, as well help build geographic rivalries and cut down on travel costs.
The leading plan calls for the league to be divided into four divisions -- two with eight teams and two with seven teams. The NHL currently has six divisions -- the Northeast, Atlantic, Southeast, Central, Northwest and Pacific.
The plan is expected to be finalized during December's Board of Governors meeting.
“I’m just happy we’re discussing it. Maybe there’s a way for Detroit and Columbus to get in the East,” said Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson. “I’m glad we’re all open to it. We’ll see where it all goes.”
Howson said the Blue Jackets plan a proposal that would place Columbus in the Eastern Conference. He said he hopes the league would be open to the idea of 16 teams in one conference and 14 in the other.
_________________ Pittsburgh Penguins - 2008-09 Stanley Cup Champions!!!!!! Let's Go Mets!!!!
Happy 40th - Ogden's Nut Gone Flake 5/24/68
Hail Atlantis!!!!
The Flyers are still working on the Stamkos situation. It seems tough and unlikely that Tampa can get him to a long-term deal, so who knows what will happen. The Flyers are not done (they may be re-signing Leino) and going after (if they can't get Stamkos) 3 or 4 other guys and getting one of them to fill the void left by Carter/Richards.
_________________ "I want to rush for 1,000 or 1,500 yards, whichever comes first."
-ex- New Orleans Saint RB George Rogers
The Pens didn't make a qualifying offer to Tyler Kennedy....hope they know what they're doing. Shero was afraid of arbitration, but they could want away if not liking the outcome.
They're pretty thin on wing (obviously) and I would have hoped to keep 2 out of 3 of Kennedy,/Dupuis/Rupp. I think Jagr is too much of a risk at his age being out of the league for so long....let the Wings have him, Modano worked out so well for them last year.
_________________ Pittsburgh Penguins - 2008-09 Stanley Cup Champions!!!!!! Let's Go Mets!!!!
Happy 40th - Ogden's Nut Gone Flake 5/24/68
Hail Atlantis!!!!
At the right place, taking a flyer on Jagr makes sense. But at the right price. The Kennedy thing surprised me, but it doesn't sound like the two sides are horribly at odds. Certainly they sound like they're closer than Talbot - he wants a five year deal, and I just don't see that happening with the Pens. Dupuis and Rupp are decent bets to return, if they're not locked in at their asking price.
I still can't believe TB is considering moving Stamkos. It would make more sense to try to move someone else to clear space to make him a better offer.
I'm off on Friday, so I can watch the developments without worrying about a phone call coming in to interrupt. Plus, it's time to work on getting my new recording rig set up.
Alan
_________________ Alan
"Just because I imagined it doesn't make it any less true." - Homer Simpson
The AP is reporting that Matthew Hulsizer has withdrawn from negotiations to buy the Coyotes. The NHL says there are more buyers interested, but none have been identified publicly.
Alan
_________________ Alan
"Just because I imagined it doesn't make it any less true." - Homer Simpson
What a joke....this soap opera is going to continue on another year. Quebec and Seattle have potential ownership groups, but no building. Milwaukee and Kansas City have buildings but no ownership group. I suppose Glendale can keep coughing up $25 mil every summer.
I can listen to my XM radio in my office....so channel 92 will be on all day Friday.
The Hall of Fame announcement is later today too.
_________________ Pittsburgh Penguins - 2008-09 Stanley Cup Champions!!!!!! Let's Go Mets!!!!
Happy 40th - Ogden's Nut Gone Flake 5/24/68
Hail Atlantis!!!!
Hockey's exclusive club found out who its four newest members would be Tuesday, as the Hockey Hall of Fame announced that its 2011 class would include Ed Belfour, Doug Gilmour, Mark Howe and Joe Nieuwendyk.
Belfour, affectionately known as Eddie the Eagle, has the third most wins for a goaltender in NHL history to go along with two Vezina trophies and a Stanley Cup Championship in 1999 with the Dallas Stars. In 963 career games with Chicago, San Jose, Dallas, Toronto and Florida, Belfour won 484 games to go along with 76 career shutouts. He was also a member of the gold medal-winning Canada team at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Prior to his professional career, Belfour won an NCAA national championship with the University of North Dakota in 1987.
One of Belfour's teammates on the 1999 Stanley Cup champions is fellow inductee Joe Nieuwendyk, who won the Conn Smyth Trophy as the postseason MVP with Dallas that year. Nieuwendyk holds one of the more unique distinctions in NHL history as one of just four players to win a Stanley Cup with three different teams -- and he did it in three different decades, winning in 1989 with Calgary, 1999 with Dallas and 2003 with New Jersey. A four-time all-star and a member of Canada's 2002 gold medal-winning Olympic team, Nieuwendyk won the Calder Trophy as the League's top rookie in 1988. A player who was able to both score and pass, he finished with 564 goals and 562 assists in his NHL career.
Nieuwendyk did manage to one-up his fellow inductee and one-time teammate Belfour in that he doesn't just have one former teammates whom he won a Cup with entering the Hall this year. He has two, having played with Gilmour as a member of the 1989 Calgary Flames. Gilmour, who won the Hart Trophy as the League's MVP in 1993 following a 127-point season for Toronto, tallied 450 goals and 964 assists over a 20-season career with St. Louis, Calgary, Toronto, New Jersey, Chicago, Buffalo and Montreal.
Rounding out the class is Howe, who had 742 points over a 16-year NHL career. That came after six seasons in the WHA, where he tallied 504 points and famously played alongside his brother Marty and his father, Gordie. Undaunted by his legendary father's enormous shoes, Howe carved out a career that was impressive all its own, garnering him four All-Star Game appearances once he joined the NHL.
The four will be formally inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto on Nov. 14, 2011.
_________________ Pittsburgh Penguins - 2008-09 Stanley Cup Champions!!!!!! Let's Go Mets!!!!
Happy 40th - Ogden's Nut Gone Flake 5/24/68
Hail Atlantis!!!!
Vancouver has traded defenseman Christian Erhoff's rights to the Islanders for a fourth-round pick. Erhoff will become an unrestricted free agent on Friday if the Isles don't sign him.
ESPN is reporting that the Penguins have offered Jaromir Jagr a one-year deal and expect to hear tom'w if he will accept it. GM Ray Shero is quoted in the Post-Gazette as saying "Tomorrow is decision day." Expect fairly quick movement with Tyler Kennedy after the Jagr decision is done.
Alan
_________________ Alan
"Just because I imagined it doesn't make it any less true." - Homer Simpson
Vancouver has traded defenseman Christian Erhoff's rights to the Islanders for a fourth-round pick. Erhoff will become an unrestricted free agent on Friday if the Isles don't sign him.
They apparently offered him the same 5 yr/$23 mil that Vancouver gave Bieksa. Could be a good indicator if free agents would really want to play on the island or not.
_________________ Pittsburgh Penguins - 2008-09 Stanley Cup Champions!!!!!! Let's Go Mets!!!!
Happy 40th - Ogden's Nut Gone Flake 5/24/68
Hail Atlantis!!!!
The big one, overall, is that Paul Kariya retired at 36. The article's too long to post here, so here's the link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/h ... le2080412/. Kariya is very critical of the NHL and how they treat head shots, and it's pretty scary to read about what his doctor told him about his brain function during his concussions.
The Rangers bought out the final year of Chris Drury's deal.
The Canadiens traded the rights to James Wisniewski to Columbus for a seventh round pick that becomes a fifth rounder if Columbus signs him.
Colorado signed David Jones to a one-year deal.
Dallas re-signed Brad Lukowich to a one-year two-way deal.
Carolina signed Chad LaRose to a two-year, $3.4M contract.
Buffalo signed Nathan Gerbe to a three-year contract and avoids arbitration with him.
Alan
_________________ Alan
"Just because I imagined it doesn't make it any less true." - Homer Simpson
Forgot this one earlier - TB signed Dwayne Roloson to a one-year $3M contract according to NHL Radio on XM. They also signed Adam Hall to a one-year deal.
Vancouver signed Maxim Lapierre and Andrew Alberts to two-year deals.
And the Christian Erhoff era in Long Island is over. He's been traded to Buffalo for a different fourth-round pick than they sent to Vancouver. Long will we see him in our mind's eye, sailing down the ice in blue and orange, diving to bloc...oh wait, he didn't even show up in LI. Ah well. It's that time of year.
RDS reported that the Penguins traded the rights to Max Talbot to the Maple Leafs for an undisclosed return. The only problem is Talbot's agent says it ain't so.
But in exciting news, reported in the Post-Gazette's Empty Netters blog, Wikipedia is reporting that Jagr is a Penguin again:
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The blog writer suggests waiting for a more credible source.
Alan
_________________ Alan
"Just because I imagined it doesn't make it any less true." - Homer Simpson
The Penguins have signed a right winger to a one-year deal...but it's not Jagr, it's Arron Asham. $775k.
Jagr's agent said he will announce his decision tom'w. His agent said he has three offers - the Pens, Detroit and Montreal.
There is a report that Las Vegas bookmakers have set an over/under of 7 for the number of teams that will acquire and subsequently trade the rights to Christian Erhoff between now and noon Friday.
Alan
_________________ Alan
"Just because I imagined it doesn't make it any less true." - Homer Simpson
The Penguins have signed a right winger to a one-year deal...but it's not Jagr, it's Arron Asham. $775k.
I like this....it was important to keep our leading playoff goal scorer from last year. Probably means Rupp isn't coming back....(he apparently turned down a 2 year offer yesterday.)
Jagr is still a drama clown....hope he finally got off his plane. Just focus on resigning Kennedy and go from there.
_________________ Pittsburgh Penguins - 2008-09 Stanley Cup Champions!!!!!! Let's Go Mets!!!!
Happy 40th - Ogden's Nut Gone Flake 5/24/68
Hail Atlantis!!!!
Edmonton signed Ladislav Smid to a two-year deal and placed Sheldon Souray on waivers for the purpose of buying him out. That's been a long time coming.
St. Louis signed T.J. Oshie to a one-year deal for $2.35M.
Alan
_________________ Alan
"Just because I imagined it doesn't make it any less true." - Homer Simpson
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