Panthers Also Add Kris Versteeg Via Trade With Philly

The Florida Panthers sure are active today and general manager Dave Tallon is not ready to call it a day until he reaches that salary floor and/or adds every single player he had in Chicago on his team in Florida. The Panthers swung a trade with Philadelphia that brings winger Kris Versteeg to Florida in exchange for a second round pick in either 2012 or 2013 (Florida chooses which one) and a third rounder in 2012.

Versteeg, 25, is entering the final year of a deal that will see him earn $3,083,333. He is eligible for restricted free agency next summer.

Aside from being yet another guy that Tallon had in the Stanley Cup mix over in Chicago, Versteeg is a nice 20-goal, 40-50 point producer who should help provide some scoring depth for Florida. Though he was still an offensive asset splitting time between Toronto and Philadelphia last year, he didn't seem to be as comfortable and accountable as he was as a member of the Blackhawks. Perhaps reuniting with Tallon and playing for a team that seems to be going the same way Chicago did will provide Versteeg a nice change of scenery.

NHL Trade Breakdown: 2.9.2011

The NHL trade deadline is fast approaching, set to go in effect at 3 p.m. eastern time on Monday, February 28. With just about two and half weeks remaining, it's time for teams to decide whether they are buyers or sellers and for general manager to start negotiations in hopes of building for the playoffs or giving themselves a better shot for next season.

A good numbers of deals went down today, signaling that perhaps the ball is rolling from here on out for these trades to take place. Lets take a look of some of these deals and break down how they affect the teams involved.

Toronto Maple Leafs trade defenseman Francois Beauchemin to the Anaheim Ducks for forward Joffrey Lupul, defensive prospect Jake Gardiner and a conditional 2013 fourth round pick:

Over the last few years, the Toronto Maple Leafs have constantly been a rumor mill for trades, especially involving defensemen. It seems impossible for Tomas Kaberle to avoid this at every twist and turn of his season from a yearly basis. This year, however, he was not alone on the trade block. Francois Beauchemin had long been considered available to any team willing to offer general manager Brian Burke something of substance.

It seems that Anaheim was able to cough up something to his liking. By sending Joffrey Lupul, former first rounder (17th overall in 2008) Jake Gardiner and a conditional fourth round pick in 2013 to Toronto, the Ducks were able to bring a familiar face back to The Honda Center. Beauchemin, 30, spent four seasons with the Ducks and has a Stanley Cup to his credit from playing on their 2007 championship team. And that familiarity to the Ducks, as well as a renewed sense of motivation for playing on a championship contender, could make this a worthwhile acquisiton for the Ducks. It also doesn't hurt that the Ducks managed to shed about half a million bucks in cap space in the process.

But it doesn't come without risk. Beauchemin has largely been a disappointment for the Maple Leafs this year and carries a hefty $3.8 million cap hit this year and next for what has thus far been subpar play. Lupul may not be a gamebreaker, but he is a decent contributor with 25-goal, 50-point potential when healthy that should fill Toronto's need of scoring more goals. And the Leafs gave up an intriguing 20-year old defensive prospect that could have grown into a key asset on Anaheim's blue line along with the likes of Cam Fowler. For a player that has been struggling like Beauchemin, that's not necessarily the greatest gamble.

If Beauchemin truly takes this deal as a reason to step up his game and play with a renewed energy to his game, he can be a nice veteran pickup for a team currently holding onto a seventh-seed playoff position out West by just one point. But if he plays just as he did in Toronto, the Ducks would have been better off holding onto Gardiner and monitoring his progress.

Boynton Given One Game Suspension For Throat-Slash Gesture

The NHL preseason has just begun, and so has the handing down of punishments by the league office. On Thursday, Chicago Blackhawks' defenseman Nick Boynton was given a one game suspension by the league for making a throat-slashing gesture toward Tampa Bay Lightning forward Blair Jones during a preseason game on Wednesday. The gesture made by Boynton occured after the two engaged in a pretty heavy round of fisticuffs.

As can be seen in the video, Jones went right for Boynton after the defenseman checked one of his Lightning teammates straight to the ice. They grappled for a bit and then Boynton unleashed a few rights. But once Jones could get himself loose, he dropped Boynton with a left-handed bomb to take the victory. Boynton appeared to have a bit of a bloody mouth and the need to save some face by waving his hand in front of his throat and saying what appears to be, "I'm unfriending you on Facebook later." Or something like that - I never did learn how to read lips.

While I want to say this is an overreaction by the league, I'll actually support it. Nothing good ever comes from slashing someone's throat, and I can't imagine this is the image the NHL wants put forth to its fans. However, it's apparently still not as bad as using the term "sloppy seconds" in a pregame interview.

Boyton may continue to play in the remaining games on Chicago's exhibition schedule. He will sit out the team's regular season opener at the Colorado Avalanche on Oct. 7.

Teams That Can Benefit Most From Adding Antti Niemi

It’s not common for a player to go from Stanley Cup Champion to unrestricted free agent in the fashion that 26-year old Finnish goaltender Antti Niemi did. Though he sought a salary believed to be in the range of $3-4 million a season on a long-term deal with the Chicago Blackhawks, he also filed for salary arbitration and accepted the possibility of making less. Unfortunately for him, General Manager Stan Bowman did not accept the very fair offer of $2.75 million given to Niemi by the arbitrator because of the ‘Hawks’ tight salary cap situation. Instead, they signed Marty Turco to a one year, $1.3 million deal and sent Niemi to the unrestricted free agent market one year earlier than he otherwise would have been eligible.

Now it is time to see if the offseason spent playing hardball by Niemi and his agent, Bill Zito, will result in a more fruitful situation for the 42-regular season game NHL “veteran.” Although no exact list of interested teams has come to light, let’s take a look at some teams that could most benefit from adding Niemi into their goaltending corp.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Over the years, the Columbus Blue Jackets have worked hard to get out of the basement and actually become a playoff contender. Two years ago, they realized that goal by making the postseason for the first time in the franchise’s 10–year history. The team’s ability to get there was due, in large part, to the play of then-rookie goaltender Steve Mason, who received the Calder Memorial Trophy for his phenomenal play throughout the season.

Unfortunately, Mason’s sophomore season included a slump and he didn’t play near to the level of his first year in the league. As a result, the Blue Jackets went back to the outside looking in on the playoff picture. Some doubt now exists over Mason’s ability to backstop this club into a perennial contender.

Of course, there is hope that he can find his game next season. That would truly be the best case scenario for Columbus, since his rookie play was far better than anything Niemi will offer. But if Mason’s career goes the way of Andrew Raycroft, it’ll be hard to hand over the keys to the car to him too much longer. The Blue Jackets may need to seek a more consistent net presence, which will be not Mathieu Garon either.

Niemi would provide an upgrade from what Mason offered a season ago and would be a suitable replacement. The Blue Jackets likely wouldn’t get rid of Mason and would figure out a way to work Niemi’s playing time around spotting Mason 20-25 games through the season, as well. It would just leave Garon as the odd man out. And his $1.2 million salary can either be dealt or very easily buried in the AHL, where he would spend a season in Syracuse before becoming an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch disagrees with this notion, and feels that Columbus is pretty well set with Mason and Garon. But as Bruce Ciskie of Fanhouse points out, it all depends on the confidence the Blue Jackets have in Mason. After last year, you have to wonder …

It’s Official: Blackhawks Walk Away From Niemi Award, Sign Turco To One Year Deal

 

The Chicago Blackhawks had until Monday afternoon to determine if they would accept Antti Niemi’s $2.75 million arbitration award, or step away from him and seek a cheaper replacement in between the pipes. Reports surfaced late Sunday evening from WGN and relayed by The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta that Chicago may have signed former-Dallas Star Marty Turco to a one year deal at $1.75 million. Pagnotta later shot down these reports as inaccurate. But they weren’t far off the mark.

It was officially announced on Monday that the Blackhawks did indeed ink Turco to a one year contract, though it was for an even better $1.3 million. Chicago subsequently stepped away from Niemi’s award and the 26-year old is now free to join any of the other 29 teams in the NHL as an unrestricted free agent. He becomes the eighth member of the Stanley Cup Champion Blackhawks team to depart this summer.

“We exhausted all of our options to make this work,” Blackhawks General Manager Stan Bowman said in reference to Niemi on a conference call Monday. “This is the direction that made the most sense. You have to have flexibility within your roster and this was the best way to defend the Cup.”

Bowman is now ready to shift his attention toward Cristobal Huet and the $5.625 million he is set to earn in each of the next two seasons. Bowman is perfectly happy with a combination of Turco and the $800,000 Corey Crawford, who will combine to earn less than the $2.75 million Niemi would have made alone had Chicago accepted his award. Therefore, there is no reason to keep Huet around and getting his salary off the books is essential to become cap compliant. According to CapGeek, the Blackhawks would go from being about $2.7 million over the $59.4 million maximum allowable payroll to $3,121,744 under it.

The option of waiving Huet and placing him in the minors has existed for a while. Additionally, there is some talk that Bowman may try to work with some teams in the KHL to take him off their hands. Either way, it’s safe to say he will not be suiting up in Chicago next season, while the new duo of Turco and Crawford are set to sport the crease for the defending Stanley Cup Champions.

Turco To Chicago On A One Year Deal?

 

UPDATE (Aug. 1, 11:58 pm): David Pagnotta is now tweeting that he's been told the WGN report is inaccurate. He did not elaborate in what way - if it's a completely false rumor or if the terms are not correct. Either way, we'll have to way to see how this plays out.

ORIGINAL: The Chicago Blackhawks need to make a decision on whether to accept Antti Niemi’s salary arbitration award of $2.75 million for next season. According to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, the organization may have already made up its mind.

Pagnotta tweeted late Sunday evening that reports out of Chicago are saying the Blackhawks have signed Marty Turco to a one year deal worth $1.75 million. There is no official confirmation of this deal, however WGN has mentioned his signing and that an announcement will be made tomorrow.

If these reports are true, that would seem to indicate the Blackhawks are prepared to walk away from Niemi’s award. The award handed down yesterday afternoon was a fair one, but General Manager Stan Bowman would still have difficulty getting under the salary cap if he accepted. Without Niemi’s contract, Chicago’s payroll stands at more than $400,000 over the $59.4 million maximum allowable payroll in the NHL. Niemi’s deal would bring that up to about $3.15 million over the cap. Turco’s speculated deal leaves it at a still complicated, but somewhat more manageable, $2.15 million over the cap.

Niemi's exit could end up revolving around a sign-and-trade scenario so that the Blackhawks don't lose out completely from his departure. If they choose to just step away, then Niemi will be free to sign with any other team.

When the Dallas Stars decided to head in a more youthful direction, Turco was one of the first long-tenured players from the team to be cast off. But the 34-year old, nine-year veteran has put together an incredible resume in the NHL and still stands as one of the better starting options around the league when he’s on his game. If he truly is replacing Niemi, Turco will be a steady substitute with more proven ability in the No. 1 position and plenty of postseason experience to help Chicago defend the Stanley Cup.

In 53 games last season – his fewest since his sophomore campaign, Turco went 22-20-11 with a .913 save percentage, 2.72 goals against average and four shutouts. The $1.75 million wage represents a sharp $3.65 million decline from the $5.4 million he earned last year.

Niemi Awarded $2.75 Million Salary, 'Hawks Have 48 Hours To Decide

 

The most anticipated salary arbitration hearing this summer involved the Chicago Blackhawks and their Stanley Cup winning rookie netminder, Antti Niemi. Sporting the crease for Chicago’s first hockey championship since 1961 gave the 26-year old Finnish goalie enough leverage to seek a healthy raise from the $826,875 he earned last season. Blackhawks General Manager Stan Bowman, who is dealing with heavy salary cap constraints, was hesitant to pay starter-level money to a young goalie with still limited playing experience in the NHL and occasional flaws during the postseason run.

Both sides presented their cases before an arbitrator on Thursday. Niemi reportedly sought a $4 million salary for next year and Bowman looked to pay out closer to $1.5 million, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com. Forty-eight hours later, it was announced that the arbitrator met them in the middle and awarded Niemi a $2.75 million salary for the 2010-11 campaign.

Bowman stated in a conference call Thursday evening that the size of the award would play a large role in determining Niemi’s future with the club. The entire offseason has been spent dumping salary in order to become cap compliant. Approximately two months shy of the start of the regular season, CapGeek has the Blackhawks still over $400,000 above the $59.4 million maximum allowable payroll. Accepting this award would move the team’s payroll to about $3.15 million above the salary cap.

A $2.75 million salary for Niemi is far more reasonable than the $4 million he was seeking, but it can still be viewed as a bit too rich for Chicago's blood right now. One thing is for certain with this award, however. The decision Bowman must now make it based entirely on money, not merit. Even with just 42 regular season games of NHL experience and some poor showings in the playoffs, the impact a Stanley Cup can have on a goaltender is immeasurable and the several times Niemi did come up big for the Blackhawks cannot be overlooked. A sub-$3 million wage is fair.

But Bowman must still weight the benefits of continuing to dump talent in order to retain another. He's had to make fiscally responsible moves all summer, and adding Niemi back into the fold will force him to let go of even more high-priced talent. Plus, he'll just have to deal with this problem again next summer when Niemi can become an unrestricted free agent. The Blackhawks should have more cap flexibility by then. However, they will also need to sign defenseman Brent Seabrook to a new contract based on his pending restricted free agency status.

If Bowman comes to the conclusion that he can't afford to accept the award, he can either deal off Niemi in a trade to acquire some assets for the loss or step away completely and allow Niemi to explore his own options as an unrestricted free agent. Bowman has 48 hours to make his decision.

If he elects to let Niemi go and does not obtain a viable goaltender via the trade route, he can look toward the free agent market for a replacement. Marty Turco and Jose Theodore are the likeliest remaining candidates that could immediately step in to a starter role with Chicago and probably do so at a cheaper price tag than Niemi. The Blackhawks could also choose to ride out Cristobal Huet, who earns $5.625 million in each of the next two seasons, and seek a minimum salary backup to complete the 1-2 punch.

Burying Huet's contract in the minors has long been an option, as well. And it would allow the Blackhawks to keep Niemi and possess about $2.5 million in cap space left over. But there has been no indication of the Blackhawks being ready to head down that road and Huet's spot on the roster is still intact to this point.

Blackhawks Match Hjalmarsson Offer

 

Unprepared to let a 23-year old defensive juggernaut out of the organization, the Chicago Blackhawks made the risky financial committment to match San Jose's offer for Niklas Hjalmarsson and bring the young Swede back into the fold on a four-year, $14 million deal.

"We're going to match the offer and we're going to get the paperwork done today," Blackhawks General Manager Stan Bowman told Brian Hedger of NHL.com. "... We've been meeting over the last couple days. Niklas was a big part of our success last year and he's a big part of our core that's going to be together for a long time."

The contract represents a $3.5 million annual cap hit to a Blackhawks organization that has worked feverishly this summer to cut player expenses in order to become cap compliant. Since Hjalmarsson's actual salary will be equal to the cap it, this new deal also calls for a $2.834 million raise from the $666,000 he earned last season.

The Blackhawks, who now sit $113,410 under the salary cap according to CapGeek, were not really prepared for this type of expense. After dealing off the likes of Dustin Byfuglien, Kris Versteeg and Andrew Ladd, they figured to have enough space to re-sign the likes of goaltender Antti Niemi and Hjalmarsson. The Sharks tender for the restricted free agent left Chicago in a dilemma: match the offer and end up right back in a challenging financial situation, or let the Sharks have him and receive first and third round draft picks as compensations.

On Monday, the decision was made to retain Hjalmarsson's services. In doing so, the Blackhawks will bring back the team's best shot blocker and a top overall defensive presence. But this move may have also signaled the end of Niemi's tenure in Chicago.

Sharks Tender First Offer Sheet Of Summer To D Hjalmarsson

It was just a matter of time before some team went after another's restricted free agent, and the San Jose Sharks decided to take the leap. On Friday, they tendered Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson an offer sheet worth $14 million over four years. That comes out to an average annual cap hit of $3.5 million, which means that the Sharks would owe Chicago first and third round draft picks in 2011 if the Blackhawks choose not to match. They have seven days to make that decision.
A main priority for Chicago this summer was to cut a ton of salary, which was accomplished through various deals that bid adieu to the likes of Dustin Byfuglien, Kris Versteeg and Andrew Ladd. But the whole point of those salary dumps was to be cap compliant and to have the financial flexibility to re-sign key restricted free agents, including goaltender Antti Niemi and Hjalmarsson.

While it would seem like a no brainer for the Blackhawks to match San Jose's offer and retain the 23-year old shock-blocking specialist who was incredibly valuable during the 2010 Stanley Cup run, it's obviously not that simple. Even with all the moves they've made, the Blackhawks still sit just $3.613 million under the 2010-11 cap figure of $59.4 million. And that's not counting Niemi, who has filed for salary arbitration and is believed to be seeking in the neighborhood of $4 million per season. Matching would bring Chicago right underneath that cap figure and make it almost impossible to bring Niemi back into the fold. Or, it would just make demoting Cristobal Huet an absolute necessity. Still, the Blackhawks need to fill out the remainder of their roster, which requires three more forwards, two more defenseman (Hjalmarsson would make it one) and a backup goalie (if Huet is taken out of the equation.)

General Manager Stan Bowman would probably love nothing more than to retain Hjalmarsson. But the economics just don't seem to make it possible. And if he's left choosing between keeping Hjalmarsson and re-signing Niemi, the latter is almost guaranteed to win out. Chances are, he takes the first and third rounders next summer and seeks other blue line options.

The Sharks aren't in desperate need of another defenseman, but would like a top four guy to replace the retired Rob Blake. General Manager Doug Wilson is fond of what the Sharks witnessed from Hjalmarsson in the playoffs and is willing to sacrifice the draft picks in return compensation to bring him on board

"We feel Niklas is a top-three defenceman in the National Hockey League," Wilson said. "We saw his abilities firsthand in the playoffs last season and he was an important piece of a Stanley Cup-winning team. He is a solid player that would be a good fit on our team now and in the future."

He won't necessarily fill in where Blake left off offensively, but Hjalmarsson can chip in here and there in the scoring department. His true worth, however, is in the defensive zone. There, he is tremendous at shutting down opponents and laying his body on the line to get in front of pucks. And at such a young age, Hjarlmarsson has the potential to be a big part of San Jose's defensive corp for a very long time. If Wilson can land him, it would be a big pickup well worth the picks.

Blackhawks Deal Another One: Ladd Moved To Atlanta

 

Apparently trading away Dustin Byfuglien, Brent Sopel, Ben Eager, Akim Aliu, Colin Fraser, Kris Versteeg and Bill Sweatt was not enough to get the Chicago Blackhawks into comfortable positioning underneath the salary cap. They needed to deal another guy. And that other guy is 24-year old left wing Andrew Ladd, who was dealt to the Atlanta Thrashers amidst all the free agency madness on July 1 for a second round draft pick in 2011 and 22-year defenseman Ivan Vishnevskiy.

Ladd will now re-unite with Byfuglien, Sopel, Eager and Aliu in Atlanta after those four were dealt to the Thrashers for a package including Marty Reasoner, Jeremy Morin, Joey Crabb, and the 2010 first and second round draft picks acquired in the Ilya Kovalchuk trade with New Jersey. Ladd is a restricted free agent who was extended a qualifying offer valued at $1.65 million by the Blackhawks on Sunday afternoon. He had the ability to seek higher compensation by filing for arbitration.

How much he would receive via arbitration is unknown, though we could still find out if he elects to go down that road with Atlanta, which one would have to figure as unlikely given the fact that the Thrashers traded for him. But in all of these deals, General Manager Stan Bowman has successfully shed about $5,333,333 in actual salary and $5,594,999 in cap space without even factoring in the cost of re-signing the restricted free agents (of course, this math depends on who you factor in as likely to actually play for Chicago next season from the return deals - I went with Viktor Stalberg and Vishnevskiy actually making the roster.)

This type of wheeling and dealing is necessitated by the fact that performance bonuses to a few of the Blackhawks players as a result of their Stanley Cup Championship actually drops the team's cap number lower than other teams next season. And with Antti Niemi needing a new deal with no hometown discount anticipated, costs largely accumulated during Dale Tallon's reign as GM needed to be cut loose.

Ladd now moved back to the Southeast Division, where he started his career as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes and won a Stanley Cup with them back in 2006. He has top six forward ability, but inconsistency generally reduces him to a checking line forward role. He can score, though, and did so with a career-high 17 goals last season. He is also a presence on the defensive side of the puck, using his size and physicality to guard his own zone.

Versteeg Next 'Hawk Off The Books, Dealt To Toronto

 

The Chicago Blackhawks are still looking to clear salary cap space, and took another $3,083,333 off the books for next season and the year after by dealing Kris Versteeg to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Along with Versteeg, the Maple Leafs will obtain the rights to forward Bill Sweatt in exchange for forwards Viktor Stalberg, Chris DiDomenico and Philippe Paradis.

In comparison, the Maple Leafs gave up virtually nothing for a solid 24-year old scorer - something GM Brian Burke has been yearning for this offseason and didn't even have to give up defenseman Tomas Kaberle to get in this deal. Last season, Versteeg netted 20 goals and posted 44 points in 79 regular season games. In the playoffs, he added six goals and eight assists as part of the Blackhawk's Stanley Cup winning team.

Philly Seeking Nabokov's Rights, Chicago Gets Ladd's Qualifying Offer In On Time

 

~ The Philadelphia Flyers do not currently have a No. 1 goaltender and weren't able to draft one over the weekend (not that anybody they would have selected on Friday or Saturday would have filled the spot right away, anyway.) However, after the draft was completed, General Manager Paul Holmgren reportedly struck a tentative deal with San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson for the negotiation rights to goaltender Evgeni Nabokov. The deal hinges on the Flyers' ability to reach an agreement with Nabokov before free agency on July 1. If that is done, then Philly will fork over a seventh round draft pick to San Jose in 2011.

The likelihood of this trade actually going through are slim, however. TSN has reported that Nabokov informed the Flyers that he would like to test the market. And according to CSNPhilly, Wilson even mentioned that complications do exist for the Flyers to actually complete a deal with Nabokov, which the site speculated could include the 35-year old's entire career having been spent on the West Coast. But neither genral manager involved here elaborated on the issue all that much.

The Flyers are familiar with the process of trading for negotiation rights and sometimes it works out for them, i.e., Kimmo Timonen and Scott Hartnell. But other times it does not, such as what just went down with Dan Hamhuis. And while the team does stand a strong chance at getting Nabokov, the fact that he only needs to wait four days to find out his value over the entire market (and maybe even the KHL) doesn't make it look good on the Flyers' end to get this thing done before noon on Thursday.

~ Former Chicago Blackhawks and current Florida Panthers general manager Dale Tallon is not so great with tendering qualifying offers in time to restricted free agents. Stan Bowman isn't so bad, though. On Sunday, he beat the Monday deadline for Andrew Ladd's qualifying offer at a price of $1.65 million.

Ladd will likely want more in a new contract that than and he should have no problem doing so if he chooses to seek salary arbitration. The 24-year old former Carolina Hurricanes first round pick scored a career-high 17 goals last season and added 21 assists for 38 points. He added three goals and three assists in 19 playoff games en route to a Stanley Cup Championship with Chicago.

News From Around The Crease

 

~ TSN's Darren Dreger is reporting that the Toronto Maple Leafs have received at least five offers for defenseman Tomas Kaberle. As they stand, none are good enough for General Manager Brian Burke to accept. But some finagling between the draft on Friday and the middle of July, when Kaberle's no trade clause is back in effect, could entice Burke to pull the trigger.

It is believed Burke is looking for a first round pick in a deal, but that is not necessarily a deal breaker. More importantly, Burke wants a scoring threat that can be plugged right into the lineup. While it's likely Kaberle will end up being traded, it is still possible that the Maple Leafs could retain his services and sign him to an extension.

~ The Phoenix Coyotes would like to build upon their shocking turnaround last season and have already made moves to bring back some key components, such as defenseman Keith Aucion, left wing Taylor Pyatt and left wing Scottie Upshall. General Manager Don Maloney focused his attention on mid-season acquisition Wojtek Wolski on Thusday, signing the 24-year old winger to a two-year, $7.6 million contract. The deal will pay Wolski $3.8 million per season - a raise from the $3.1 million he earned last year.

Wolski was acquired by the Coyotes from the Colorado Avalanche at the trade deadline this past March. The Avs received Peter Mueller and Kevin Porter in the deal. In 18 regular season games following the trade, Wolski netted six goals and a point-per-game pace, while adding five points in seven postseason games against the Detroit Red Wings. He totaled 23 goals and 65 points last year between the Avalanche and Coyotes.

Dustin Byfuglien Dealt To Thrashers

 

UPDATE (x2): The trade to send Dustin Byfuglien to Atlanta is now official, according to TSN. And as Bob McKenzie mentioned, the holdup was simply a matter up Atlanta going over the 50-contract limit.

The trade is now a nine-player deal sending packaging Brent Sopel, Ben Eager and Akim Aliu with Byfuglien to the Thrashers in exchange for Marty Reasoner, Jeremy Morin, Joey Crabb and the first (24th overall) and second (54th overall) round picks acquired from the New Jersey Devils in the Ilya Kovalchuk trade.

In order to meet the NHL limit on maximum contracts, the Thrashers sent forward Brent Sterling, defenseman Michael Vernace and a 7th round pick in this weekend's draft to the San Jose Sharks for future considerations.

UPDATE: TSN's Bob McKenzie is reporting that a holdup in this pending trade might not be the fact that the NHL Awards Ceremony was tonight, but that the Thrashers will have too many contracts.

It is my understanding Chi-Atl trade hold up is indeed because Atl would have 51 contracts with trade. Atl has to move a contract first. - Bob McKenzie

McKenzie also mentions that they could just remove Aliu from the deal for now. Either way, he doesn't expect the trade to become official until Thursday or Friday.

ORIGINAL: The cost-cutting has begun for the Chicago Blackhawks. Just hours before the NHL Awards Ceremony, TSN announced that Chicago was sending playoff standout Dustin Byfuglien to the Atlanta Thrashers in a six-player deal that would, in part, net the 2010 Stanley Cup Champions the 24th overall selection in Friday's draft - originally acquired by the Thrashers from New Jersey in the Ilya Kovalchuk trade. The Blackhawks will also receive the 54th overall pick in the draft (also obtained in a swap of second rounders with New Jersey in the Kovalchuk trade), 33-year old center Marty Reasoner and 19-year old prospect Jeremy Morin, who scored 47 goals and 83 points last year with the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League. In addition to Byfuglien, Atlanta gets defenseman Brent Sopel, depth forward Ben Eager and 21-year old right wing prospect Akim Aliu. According to TSN, the deal is not official just yet:

"The only hold-up on trade call appears to be tied to waiting for league personnel to land in Los Angeles. After that, the trade should be made official."

The big chip here is obviously Byfuglien, who established himself all of the last season and especially during the playoffs as a gritty big-sized forward proficient at getting to the front of the net for a screen or to put the puck in off his own stick. This move is, unfortunately, a salary dump for Chicago, who one would have to imagine would otherwise love to keep such a key piece to their championship drive if it wasn't for the fact that they were sitting right up against the salary cap. The 24th overall pick is decent compensation, but not nearly a replacement for the big guy.

For the Thrashers, this was a steal of trade. They acquire some salary here, but they can afford it much better than Chicago. And with the addition of Byfuglien, Atlanta keeps building up pieces to move past the Kovalchuk era of their franchise. He should pay immediate dividends as a much-needed big body to provide physical play. He's not a pure offensive threat, but will still be a leading scorer for the team as the roster stands now.

And The Winner Of The James Norris Memorial Trophy Is ...

Duncan Keith, Chicago Blackhawks

James Norris Memorial Trophy (Best All-Around Defenseman)

Finalists:

Drew Doughty – Los Angeles Kings

Mike Green – Washington Capitals

Duncan Keith – Chicago Blackhawks

Prediction – Duncan Keith

Winner – Duncan Keith

EA Sports Leaks Jonathan Toews As NHL 11 Cover Athlete

Whether EA Sports actually wants you to know about it or not, the cover boy for the next installment of the company's NHL series will be Chicago Blackhawks captain and 2010 Conn Smythe recipient, Jonathan Toews. They inadvertently leaked the news on a no-longer-accessible page on the EA Sports Web site with an image of Toews associated with the NHL 11 video game. The fine folks at OperationSports.com have maintained the image for all to see.

While Toews is a worthy candidate for the honor of being sported on the most celebrated hockey video game on the market, it's an interesting call for EA Sports to select two players from the same team in consecutive years. Patrick Kane was on the cover of NHL 10. Unlike the Madden curse, appearing on a cover in the NHL series worked out pretty well for Kane. Maybe Toews can bring that level of luck next season for a second straight Stanley Cup.

Yahoo! Sports Puck Daddy has enlightened us on some of the new features for NHL 11:

What EA did officially release Monday was the trailer for "NHL 11" that promises not only refined game physics, but also user-controlled goal celebrations, disallowed goals (interesting), and a new faceoff engine.

A few weeks ago, EA Sports also announced that NHL 11 will be the first game in the franchise to include teams in the Canadian Hockey League. The teams and legitimate rosters of those in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Western Hockey League and Ontario Hockey League will all be represented in the game. A full list of features as a result of this four-year agreement between EA and the CHL include:

• Ability to play with all 60 teams that make up the CHL
• Names and Likenesses of players that are on the rosters of a CHL team
• Mastercard Memorial Cup
• CHL new RBK Edge Jersey design in NHL 11
• WHL, OHL and QMJHL logos and league structures

The CHL teams and players will also have usability within several of the game's modes, including Season Mode, Be A Pro, Be A GM, Tournament Mode and Playoff Mode.

A release date for NHL 11 has not been officially announced. However, Amazon.com has the game up for pre-order with an expected release date of September 7.

Impossible Contracts Lie Ahead For NHL GMs

Teams have already begun the process of evaluating their rosters to determine what changes need to be made by the time the puck drops on the 2010-11 season. The time for upgrading talent will come at the end of June via the draft and at the start of free agency on July 1. But the most immediate part of the process for NHL general managers is to determine what dead weight should be shed from their respective organizations. Who needs to be let go, and how should they be discarded?

The most difficult situations for general managers to deal with when it comes to needing roster and cap relief is when the particular player they are looking to unload comes along with an inconvenient contract. Players who haven’t performed up to expectations and have large contracts will likely go unclaimed through the waiver process and are going to be tough sells to other general managers through the trade route. Though the latter is not impossible – just as Glen Sather about Scott Gomez.

The buyout process is another option for general managers, and the two-week window where that is allowable began today. According to TSN, the Edmonton Oilers, Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens are each expected to explore that avenue with one or more of their players. But for players with a lot of money still owed, and several years accompanying it, buyouts can become a bigger burden to an organization. Teams will still owe a player two-thirds of the remaining money left on his contract (or one-third for those 26 years of age and younger) over double the amount of time left on the deal. And that’s not ideal for teams who want to spend as much as possible on players that will actually suit up for the team.

Then there’s this new revelation that hasn’t really been put into practice about simply demoting a player to the minors so that they don’t play for the NHL club and their salary doesn’t count against the cap. In theory, that sounds tremendous. But I don’t really think that method has been adopted by many teams thus far. And that’s probably out of respect for the player.

A few players around the league carry with them impossible contracts. They cannot be easily waived or traded, nor does it make financial sense overall or for the cap to pursue a buyout. Instead, teams seem stuck with these deals unless the general manager can get really creative or find a sucker somewhere amongst the other 29 squads.

Kane's Sudden Score Clinches Blackhawks First Cup In 49 Years

Patrick Kane knew that 49 years had gone by since the last time the Chicago Blackhawks hoisted the Stanley Cup. He also might have been the only one that knew that streak was over. After taking a pass from Brian Campbell and moving the puck down the boards, Kane snapped a bad angle shot from the bottom of the faceoff circle and then skated around the net in celebration. There was no red light. No arena noise. No epic victory call from play-by-play voice Mike “Doc” Emrick. There was no reaction – except from the man responsible for bringing Mullet Mania to the Chicago. Kane’s shot went right through the legs of Philadelphia Flyers starter Michael Leighton and then disappeared underneath the bottom portion of the goal just four minutes and six seconds into the overtime session. A quick review by the officials and numerous replays for the fans made everybody realize what Kane knew right away – the Chicago Blackhawks were Stanley Cup Champions for the first time since 1961.

“I knew it went in right away,” Kane said. “What a feeling. I can’t believe it. We just won the Stanley Cup.”

Kane’s less-than-dramatic finish to the Stanley Cup Finals almost wasn’t necessary. For much of the third period, the Blackhawks carried a 3-2 lead acquired during the second stanza. But a late goal with 3:59 remaining in regulation by Scott Hartnell, who directed a deflection from Marian Hossa’s stick past Antti Niemi for his second score of the game, enabled to Flyers to prolong their improbable run into an overtime session.

But that’s where the resilience of these comeback Flyers ended. Kane made sure there would be no Game 7. He made sure there wouldn’t be another comeback. He made sure that Chicago would live up their hype and secure a championship the city and its fans sorely needed.

And it makes sense that Kane would be the guy to clinch the Stanley Cup for the Blackhawks. Sure, it could have been Hossa, who was just the third athlete in any of the four major American sports to appear in the finals in three consecutive years for three different teams. It also could have been Dustin Byfuglien, who was such a dominating force for most of the first three series and the final two games of the finals. But Kane, along with Conn Smythe Trophy recipient Jonathan Toews, were tasked with being the new blood of the organization.

Selected third (Toews) and first (Kane) overall in consecutive NHL Entry Drafts back in 2006 and 2007, respectively, these two young kids were the building blocks for a new generation in Chicago Blackhawks hockey. Long gone were the days of missing the playoffs and disappointing fans with high ticket prices and lacking home game broadcasts. This was a new era for Blackhawks hockey – one geared toward including the fans and making them proud to root for an organization poised for success. With Toews and Kane leading the way, this organization would be become a champion … eventually. Little did they know eventually would come this soon.

This was truly a team effort, though. Toews and Kane were integral pieces and there’s little doubt that Chicago would be heading toward 50 years without Lord Stanley had it not been for those two. But so many other players were key in this championship victory.

Niemi stepped into that unenviable role of rookie goalie in the NHL playoffs, and he shined. He wasn’t unbeatable, but he kept his team in games and made the big save when necessary. Byfuglien was a big, physical presence for the Blackhawks and netted a playoff-leading five game-winners. Hossa didn’t put up huge numbers, but he provided the invaluable experience of having played in the Stanley Cup Finals before. Patrick Sharp did contribute big in the stats department with 22 points, which ranks fifth among playoffs leaders. On defense, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook combined for a strong defensive pairing, while Niklas Hjalmarsson got himself noticed with a plus-9 rating and solid shot-blocking prowess.

Then there’s behind the bench, where Joel Quenneville guided his team efficiently through six-game series victories over Nashville and Vancouver, a four-game sweep past the No. 1 ranked San Jose Sharks, and then a six-game win over the Flyers. His decision to switch up lines in Game 5 by putting Kane, Toews and Byfuglien on separate units opened up the game and allowed Byfuglien specifically to get back on track and almost single-handedly pull his team within one win of the Cup.

For their efforts, the Flyers definitely deserve recognition here. They weren’t the Broad Street Bullies, but they had plenty of grit and spirit to their game. Entering the postseason as the No. 7 should have been a huge disadvantage. But they were not a typical seven seed and outplayed their ranking. The Flyers overpowered the New Jersey Devils, came back in miraculous fashion from a 3-0 deficit against the Boston Bruins and pretty much dismantled the No. 8 Montreal Canadiens without any problem. For a seventh seed to even get to the Stanley Cup Finals is impressive. To keep it as close as the Flyers did with the Blackhawks was even more so. But it all ended for them at home on one of the oddest Cup-clinching goals in league history.

I’m sure no Blackhawks fan will actually mind the anticlimactic way in which Game 6 ended. Nor will they mind that the championship soon to be paraded around their city in a few short days was actually captured by their beloved team on the road, in Philadelphia. After 49 years, you take it any way you can get it. And that abrupt goal might actually be a fitting conclusion to an entire postseason that provided plenty of surprises along the way.

Welcome ... Now Get Out Of My Crease!

Welcome one and all to the newest home for hockey news and opinion, provided by yours truly! With the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals nearing its finale and a long summer of drafting, free agent signing and trading up ahead, it's bound to be a good time. Look no further than this blog to be your one stop shop for all the going-ons in the NHL and around the hockey world.

Make sure to check back here after the Stanley Cup Finals conclude and either the Chicago Blackhawks or Philadelphia Flyers are crowned the new champions. It will be then that this blog is officially born!

In the meantime, the e-mail address is getoutofmysports@gmail.com. Don't hesistate to drop me a line now and in the future. Until then, enjoy the games and place your bets on whether the third time is the charm for Marian Hossa.

Now Get Out Of My Crease!