chippa13

The way things are looking, the losses of Axelsson and Yelle are definitely hurting the B's. The penalty killing has been horrible and their defensive coverage has been spotty, at best.

Hunwick is having a very shaky start to the season and Morris isn't looking too much sharper. I wouldn't be surprised if Boychuck gets the nod on Saturday instead of Hunwick.

Yeah, but that's next year, and let's not forget Backstrom and Semin are both UFA's at the end of the year as well. That's going to take up atleast Theodore's and Nylander's cap space. You shouldn't score 5-6 goals in a game and narrowly win or lose. IMO, 6 goals tonight wasn't AS bad as the 4 against the Leafs, simply because of who's in the Flyers line-up. Plus, that one goal was giftwrapped and hand delivered from Varlamov to Richards. If this team had a better D-corps, they could steamroll most teams simply because of their offense. I really want this team to be good, but I think in the end their D-corps and goaltending are going to let them down. Semin and Backstrom are RFAs not UFAs. Also, Semin is making $4.6 mil this year, I think he will probably get a bump to about $6. Backstrom will also get a bump to about $6. Backstroms cap hit is already $2.4 (rookie deal + Bonuses), so it adds $3.6 mil to him and $1.4 mil to Semin (again, just guessing figures on my part, may be more, may be less). So that's $5 mil additional cap space, and you lose $4.5 with Theo and $4.875 with Nylander. Pothier is $2.5 mil and a UFA also. The cap space will be there, but I just don't get encouraged about the caps in free agency. Poti, Pothier, Nylander, Theo, all decent players don't get me wrong but do you look at those signings and say THAT'S the player to get us over the hump and to the cup? I don't. Then you look at the Flyers who brought in Pronger, that's a bold move. May screw them over because of the contract extension being in effect after his 35th birthday, but the caps have been screwed by the cap 2 years running now, at least the flyers will be screwed with a real chance of winning it all With the projection of a drop in the salary cap, I doubt that the Caps will have so much money tied up between Ovechkin, Semin, and Backstrom. GM's have (hopefully) learned from Tampa's mistake.

Clearly. Leafs may not have played fantastic after the alfredsson goal but that was also stupid, Michalek was clearly diving as he was out a few shifts later, a small cut shouldn't stop you from taking a penalty shot. What he did was smart, however it was kinda greasy. Alfredsoon scored a nice goal but the high stick should have been waved off. I didn't see the play but you should know that a player can't resume play while bleeding.

Well, here is the language. It seems that the average does go into effect in the current year in a slightly confusing way but the team can "tag" amounts from expiring contracts that it has for the current season. I suppose factors like Savard being in the last year of his deal creates space for Lucic's extension.

I believe that you have to stay under at all points during the season. These negotiations could have been the impetus for Sobotka starting the season in Providence.

Good that they've got him signed but I wonder what it does to their cap situation. They were already pretty snug this year and I assume that this extension will up his average salary cap hit.

Absolutely a third pairing guy. He just never panned out as a true defenseman.

Not bad for a power play specialist.

Probably couldn't get a sweet KHL deal.

I don't believe there was any intent on the play. That is the danger of making a late cut-back on a guy lined up for a hit.

Obviously they didn't think so or they wouldn't have made the deal. It will be interesting to see what the B's do with those picks. There was scuttlebutt in the area last week that they may use them to make a play for Kovalchuk. Not sure how much water that holds.

It's hard to hate Scott Walker when the guy he suckered is now his teammate. It's like, "Come on, guys, nail that Walker guy. He's got it coming for, well, for suckering that guy he, ummmmmmmm, he just fed at the point?"

Thornton lit him up but I'll give Alberts credit for taking his medicine like a man.

I don't think he saw much of the preseason but he has looked ok in games 1 and 2. There's a touch of rust in there but he seems to be skating well.

After watching the WJC, the announcers made him sound like this year's Norris winner. He could be a good player in the years to come but there is no way that he would come close to filling Markov's skates this year.

Just more spoiled Russians who think a NHL roster spot is a right and not an earned privilege.

Savard is in the final year of his deal with Boston so that will be interesting in how they deal with it. I foresee the B's either going the whole season with Savard and going for the Cup or wheeling Savard plus a pick or two (perhaps a couple of the picks they just got for Kessel) at the deadline and plucking a signed centerman from a bubble team.

Spot on with Finger. He is a serviceable 3rd pairing guy but the Leafs "Lapointed" him. They took a serviceable guy and tried to make him out to be a star. Shades of the B's overpaying Martin Lapointe, pick up a support player who had a decent year and treat him like a top guy. Big mistake that you spend years regretting, moreso in the cap age. As for someone recommending the Leafs wheel Finger for a 2nd rounder, that won't happen. Overpaid 5/6 defensemen don't yield more than a 3rd/4th rounder tops.

Bumping against the cap the way the B's are, it is extremely unlikely that they will take any roster players in exchange for Kessel. The Leafs will have to find another sucker for their spare parts. Sidenote: it was quite humorous to hear the TSN guys gushing over Finger in the preseason game against Boston.

Since I'm spending more time talking about the B's in other teams' threads, I figured it was about time the B's had one of their own.

The decision for Boston really came down to Krejci and Kessel. Krejci has a more rounded game and is a point producing center. Add that to the fact that Savard may well be moving on after this season and Krejci becomes all the more valuable and a more immediate need to get pen to paper. Plus, they figured Kessel would be the tougher of the two negotiations and that proved to be true. There was a slim hope that Kessel would come in for Krejci money or just a hair above but that didn't happen. Consider also that Marco Sturm is returning this season, Recchi was signed to a one year deal, and Lucic has improved in the offensive zone. That should provide some of the goals lost by the departure of Kessel. As for Kessel's lockerroom reputation, nobody cares as long as you're scoring goals.

If Boston were to keep Kessel then they would have some hard personnel decisions to make. Let's remember, Kessel isn't another version of Glen Murray. He has the speed and ability to create offense as well as finish it. Give him a decent NHL centerman and Phil is going to produce. Kessel in Toronto could be the catalyst for another version of the Pittsburgh model. Bring a bunch of young talent together and some adequate defense and see what grows in 2-3 years.

Burke was unhappy with the TSN boys when they hit him up for info on the negotiations with Boston. Everyone and their brother already knows Phil will likely be wearing a new logo when he plays this year. As for "well placed sources", that is sportswriter code for "I need a quote to make me look like an insider so I'm making this one up". As for the Leafs, I have been impressed with what I have seen from Kadri in 2 games thus far. I'm interested to see how he does against a real NHL roster.

I think that was in direct response to the hit from behind on Carcillo that went uncalled or answered for. Was Asham's cheap, sure, but it was in response to the officials not doing their job and creating frustration. Had Rogers gotten the gate for the hit from behind then it is likely Asham doesn't hit the ice looking for that hit.