NHL Offseason notes:

[Blaxicab]

I figured I'd start this thread for hockey fans who want to know of anything going down this off season. Off the NHL website, here are the free agents who have signed with teams:

July 8Josef Boumedienne, Trent Whitfield (http://www.washingtoncaps.com/news/index.cfm?cont_id=248656)Washington CapitalsWashington CapitalsJuly 7Wade Flaherty (http://www.canucks.com/subpage.asp?sectionID=453)Vancouver CanucksNashville PredatorsJuly 7Johnathan Aitken (http://www.canucks.com/subpage.asp?sectionID=453)Vancouver CanucksChicago BlackhawksJuly 7Lee Goren (http://www.canucks.com/subpage.asp?sectionID=453)Vancouver CanucksFlorida PanthersJuly 7Ty Conklin (http://nhl.com/onthefly/news/2004/07/215612.html)Edmonton OilersEdmonton OilersJuly 7Ian Moran (http://nhl.com/onthefly/news/2004/07/215604.html)Boston BruinsBoston BruinsJuly 7Raymond Giroux (http://nhl.com/onthefly/news/2004/07/215602.html)Minnesota WildNew Jersey DevilsJuly 7Mark Hartigan (http://nhl.com/onthefly/news/2004/07/215594.html)Columbus Blue JacketsColumbus Blue JacketsJuly 6Kirby Law (http://www.wild.com/team/009/288/)Minnesota WildPhiladelphia FlyersJuly 6Craig Conroy (http://nhl.com/onthefly/news/2004/07/215582.html)Los Angeles KingsCalgary FlamesJuly 6Sean O'Donnell (http://www.phoenixcoyotes.com/news/press_release_details.php?op=details&ID=3572)Phoenix CoyotesBoston BruinsJuly 6Eric Weinrich (http://nhl.com/onthefly/news/2004/07/215558.html)St. Louis BluesSt. Louis BluesJuly 6Dominik Hasek (http://nhl.com/onthefly/news/2004/07/215548.html)Ottawa SenatorsDetroit Red WingsJuly 5Eric Cairns (http://nhl.com/onthefly/news/2004/07/215532.html)Florida PanthersNew York IslandersJuly 5Boyd Devereaux (http://nhl.com/onthefly/news/2004/07/215526.html)Phoenix CoyotesDetroit Red WingsJuly 3Mike Knuble (http://nhl.com/onthefly/news/2004/07/215518.html)Philadelphia FlyersBoston BruinsJuly 3Turner Stevenson (http://nhl.com/onthefly/news/2004/07/215518.html)Philadelphia FlyersNew Jersey DevilsJuly 3Darren Langdon (http://nhl.com/onthefly/news/2004/07/215508.html)New Jersey DevilsMontreal CanadiensJuly 2Jamie McLennan (http://nhl.com/onthefly/news/2004/07/215496.html)Florida PanthersNew York RangersJuly 2Darcy Verot (http://nhl.com/onthefly/news/2004/07/215494.html)Washington CapitalsWashington CapitalsJuly 2Chris Simon (http://nhl.com/onthefly/news/2004/07/215478.html)Calgary FlamesCalgary FlamesJuly 2Byron Ritchie (http://nhl.com/onthefly/news/2004/07/215478.html)Calgary FlamesFlorida PanthersJuly 2Ian Laperriere (http://www.coloradoavalanche.com/news/currentdetails.asp?ID=225)Colorado AvalancheLos Angeles KingsJuly 2Antti Laaksonen (http://www.coloradoavalanche.com/news/currentdetails.asp?ID=225)Colorado AvalancheMinnesota WildJuly 2Curtis Brown (http://www.chicagoblackhawks.com/team/index.cfm?cont_id=248220&right_include=toc_press_releases.cfm&right_cont_type_id=&right_cont_id=)Chicago BlackhawksSan Jose SharksJuly 2Matthew Barnaby (http://www.chicagoblackhawks.com/team/index.cfm?cont_id=248220&right_include=toc_press_releases.cfm&right_cont_type_id=&right_cont_id=)Chicago BlackhawksColorado AvalancheJuly 1John Madden, Jay Pandolfo (http://nhl.com/onthefly/news/2004/07/215458.html)New Jersey DevilsNew Jersey DevilsJuly 1Jaroslav Modry (http://www.atlantathrashers.com/View.aspx?CID01=0cb29df1-804d-4a18-894f-a07dea412456)Atlanta ThrashersLos Angeles KingsJuly 1Brent Johnson (http://www.nhl.com/onthefly/news/2004/07/215454.html)Phoenix CoyotesPhoenix CoyotesJuly 1Glen Wesley (http://carolinahurricanes.com/news/news.asp?articleid=1254)Carolina HurricanesCarolina HurricanesJuly 1Aaron Downey (http://nhl.com/onthefly/news/2004/07/215440.html)Dallas StarsDallas StarsJuly 1Mark Smith (http://www.sjsharks.com/sharks/news/20040630-1088639640.htm)San Jose SharksSan Jose SharksJuly 1Chris Gratton, Karlis Skrastins,
Peter Worrell (http://nhl.com/onthefly/news/2004/07/215428.html)Colorado AvalancheColorado AvalancheJuly 1Kris Draper (http://www.detroitredwings.com/detail/detail.asp?id=%7BF125ED94%2DF9B5%2D4D14%2DADB6%2D3 F79FDAD777D%7D)Detroit Red WingsDetroit Red WingsJuly 1Luc Robitaille, Stephane Quintal (http://nhl.com/onthefly/news/2004/06/215406.html)Los Angeles KingsLos Angeles KingsJuly 1Alexander Khavanov (http://nhl.com/onthefly/news/2004/06/215374.html)St. Louis BluesSt. Louis BluesJuly 1Jonathan Girard (http://nhl.com/onthefly/news/2004/06/215378.html)Boston BruinsBoston BruinsJuly 1Jeff O'Neill (http://carolinahurricanes.com/news/news.asp?articleid=1252)Carolina HurricanesCarolina Hurricanes

[tattered]

u the man dude.....ur a lil behind u dont have Hasek being signed by the Senators...

im happy the flyers picked up Mike Knuble and Turner Stevenson

[Begbie]

Brian Rolston just signed with the Wild, which is a good pick-up. Rolston apparently was interested in playing for Lemaire.

[Tinkledrinker13]

Brian Rolston just signed with the Wild, which is a good pick-up. Rolston apparently was interested in playing for Lemaire.

He played for Lemaire when he coached the devils.... and stevenson will be a good pick up for the flyers.. i just wish the Devils would go out and get someone for a second line.. IF langenbruener and Friesen suck another team just has to worry about gomez and elais...as philly showed int he playoffs

[Blaxicab]

Joe Thorton signed with the Swedish Elite Leauge yesterday. So if there is a work stoppage, he will be playing over there.

I was actually just reading the Hockey News before, and one interesting thing is, that the Stanley Cup's ratings have consistently gotten lower in the United States over the past few years. If there is a strike, hockey will really have no fans in the US anymore. The NHL is always looking for ways to appeal to a new audience, yet if this happens, then there would be no way to gain any appeal.

[Begbie]

Well, how does everyone feel about the NHL schedule next year? That's if there is a next year.

My Isles have 16 back to back games next year ( I think heard Detroit has like 22). I believe almost all of those games are also 3 games in 4 nights and that's what I don't like. I mean, I love watching alot of hockey, but I know the players apparently hate it.

[Tinkledrinker13]

i disagree... i think we should be playing more games per week but against teams in ur divison. i like the idea that they want to cut games out of the schedule. if i was running the league i would have it where u play 10 games out of conference and the rest of the 55 games in conference (id low the games to 65). id then have like lil rivalry tournments set up every week
NJ vs Flyers on monday
Flyers vs NJ on tuesday
NJ Vs NYR on thursday
NYR VS NJ on Friday
and the the ISles on sunday and monday...

the reason the playoffs are great in hockey is because they build up such a hatred for each other from seeing each other so much.. by scheduling like this u keep the intensity and hatred going all season, while also still being able to see games like NJ vs Det... or NYI vs COL... cuz its fun to see those games to.. to build interest u need to build intense games, u do that by building up a huge rivalry.. and that comes from hating another team.. think about the early 90s with DET and COL.. the rivalry existed cuz of the hatred.. and it got great response from the fans and media.. ok im done.. wrote enough

[Hoagie]

But teams in weak divisions would have a huge advantage in terms of getting home ice advantage and being able to rest people for the playoffs.

[Tinkledrinker13]

But teams in weak divisions would have a huge advantage in terms of getting home ice advantage and being able to rest people for the playoffs.

True, for example u would probably say tampa, since they play in a weak divison, but with more games within the divison the games would be more than 2 points, because of the shorter schedule it would be like 4 points... so if a team like atlanta can beat a team in its divison (southeast) it would be able to jump up a couple points.. its hard to do this,.. its just my way of creating interest in the game...

and for the weak division teams get spanked by say tampa, that is gonna happen no matter what...