Takes and trash talk from both ALL sides of the NHL's most obscure PATHETIC* rivalry

* Thanks, Kevin Lowe!

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Sometimes, less is more


Jeff Finger. $3.5 million. These two things should never go together...*

But on this day, just about anything could happen. Sharks fans might be disappointed that they missed out on Brian Campbell (ridiculous $7.1 million price tag) and Wade Redden (being paid $6.5 million until he's 37 years old by the always stupid New York Rangers), but honestly, the money that's flying around has been mind numbing.

Bad players are getting paid; good players get ransom money. I wrote glowingly about Brian Rolston, but christ, at $5 million a year he better score 120 goals for the Devils over the course of that contract (not going to happen).

Redden was my choice for the Sharks, but he would have been an albatross considering the multitude of young talent on San Jose's roster.

Maybe, after being spurned by Campbell and Redden, the Sharks can stumble onto a guy who might be nearly as good for MUCH more value (like, say, Ron Hainsey).

  • The Stars let Niklas Hagman go to Toronto on a $3 million per year contract. Hagman has some skill, but the Stars might as well save their money on a player who can raise their ceiling...not just keep the team at the same level.
  • It should be interesting to see where Todd Bertuzzi lands. He's almost been a jinx the last two years: the Red Wings won a Cup the year after he left and the Ducks won a Cup the year before he came.
I'd say there's more to it than that, but then again, Bertuzzi's kind of a piece of shit.

  • Could Khabibulin and his hysterical face-twitch (and hilarious contract) be making his way to Los Angeles? If the hockey gods have a sense of humor, then I say yes.
The Kings would be much better off taking a gamble on Ray Emery. And not just because I'd have the opportunity to make insect eating jokes.

* - Jeff Finger is so anonymously mediocre, I'm not even certain that's actually him. God, the Maple Lea(ves) are fucked.

11 comments:

Earl Sleek said...

* - Jeff Finger is so anonymously mediocre, I'm not even certain that's actually him. God, the Maple Lea(ves) are fucked.

Heh. It would be great if Toronto announced tomorrow that they had actually signed a guy they assumed was Jeff Finger.

"Don't blame me, I'm just an interim GM."

Anonymous said...

WTF??? So why the fuck did us the fans lose an entire season of hockey? For this bull shit? Has all the GMs lost their minds? Campbell for 7 mil? That's Lidstrom money.

Hagman for 3mil per yr? WTF??

The Rolston deal is just as inexplicable. A guy that has never been a #1 guy. His one redeeming quality is a big shot. 5 mil. pshh.

And the kings would be dumb to take on that bloated Khabi contract.

Alexander Dubcek said...

And the kings would be dumb to take on that bloated Khabi contract.

Looks like it won't happen at this point, but it'd depend on what else is a part of the deal. If they don't also get a high draft pick and/or some good young asset(s) along with Khabibulin, it's a dumb deal. If they give up anything of value (more than, say, one of the 53 thirteenth-round picks Lombardi has stockpiled), it's a dumb deal.

But if they give up a low draft pick or a non-prospect prospect (like the guys they sent to Philly for Gauthier), and get a high pick back, well, it's still a lot money, but it's not mine. The Kings don't need the cap relief this year, and there's something to be said for using that to their advantage.

Anonymous said...

I don't want Emery or Khabibulin for the Kings. I'm happy going into next season with LaBarbera and Ersburg, Ersburg and Bernier the following season when I think the Kings will actually be good again. Lombardi said the goalie issue would be resolved from within, but we all know about GMs and thier double speak, especially Lombardi. "You're our guy Lubo, we're not going to trade you."

Earl Sleek said...

the following season when I think the Kings will actually be good again.

Just for my reference, when was the consensus for Kings fans on the last time they were good? The first two months out of the lockout, or was it even before that?

RudyKelly said...

2000-2001.

Mike in OC said...

Hossa goes to Detroit for 1 year deal. What a fuckin sell-out to get a cup.


Now I really hate Detroit.

Doogie2K said...

So wait, if he signs a $15-billion deal for 27 years, he's a sell-out for money, but he signs in Detroit for relatively cheap, and he's a sell-out for the Cup?

I'm impressed, I must say.

Earl Sleek said...

Good call, Doogie.

Hossa's apparently a sell-out for (a) not being a stud defenseman, and (b) not signing immediately with the Sharks.

BTW, if you believe some of the AOL-chatter I've been getting in my inbox, the latest is that Sean Avery is headed to the Lone Star State.

Should be fun BoC fodder, I'm thinking.

Earl Sleek said...

Heh. It would be great if Toronto announced tomorrow that they had actually signed a guy they assumed was Jeff Finger.

I know I wrote this in jest, but it's a funnier comment after you read this Five Hole Fanatics post.

Maybe they did screw it up.

Mike in OC said...

Ingmar that made beer come out my nose I laughed so hard.

Thanks.