When do you think the Nash situation will have resolved itself?

If I am CBJ ownership, I want this resolved this weekend. Every team in the NHL has or will start rolling out their ticket plans and marketing for next season. We are all in the business of selling hope and you can’t sell hope to your fans and your sponsors when your roster is in flux. At some point Howson’s boss(es) are going to lose patience and tell him to just get it done.

Nash only has a handful of teams he’s willing to be traded to, so there’s only so many offers CBJ can even be considering. If that org has any clue, they will get a deal done soon and begin selling October.

Which team do you think has made the best moves so far this offseason?

It’s hard to judge which moves will work out and which moves will get people fired before the puck has dropped, but I like what Dallas has done on paper at least. They’ve recently added Jaromir Jagr (54 pts), Ray Whitney (77 pts), and Derek Roy (45 pts) to a core of young stars like Loui Eriksson, Jamie Benn, & Alex Goligoski.

These veterans should fit in nicely with their young guys who play more of an East/West, overload-type system. Plus they added stay-at-home bruiser Aaron Rome on the cheap (3 years at $1.5m per). I know some members of the media were scratching their heads at the trades of long-time Stars Mike Ribeiro and Steve Ott, but Derek Roy (who they got for Ott) is a younger version of Ribs, plus they probably would have lost him to free agency next summer anyway.

It’s good to see the Stars open the checkbook a bit this summer now that their ownership situation is settled. Dallas is a very important media market to the NHL and their success is vital to the overall financial health of the league.

Do you think the Rangers should sign Doan, or his he too old? Do you think he stays in Phoenix?

I’ve said it before, but I think Doan would fit in well from an x’s and o’s/system perspective, but I am not sure from a personality perspective. That wouldn’t keep me from trying to sign him, but it makes me wonder if a guy who lives on a ranch in the Southwest even wants to come to the Big Apple.  Whether or not he stays in Phoenix likely comes down to the team’s future in Glendale.

By now you are probably aware Arizona conservatives want no part of that lease and they are trying to dismantle it. Darren Dreger of TSN claims that Doan’s decision will likely come after July 9th. The reason this date is significant is because it’s the day petitions are due to bring Glendale’s lease agreement with Greg Jamison (the presumptive owner) to a public vote.

What doesn’t make sense to me is that vote won’t take place until November. If I were a betting man, I’d probably put money on him returning to Phoenix. The delay is likely due to Doan trying to figure out the contract length. Perhaps this vote is what’s holding that up.

What are the chances the Rangers make a trade for Shea Weber or Jay Bouwmeester?

David Poile was extremely upset that Ryan Suter walked. I don’t think I have heard a GM sound that disappointed during a free agency press conference before. This goes back to my point about selling hope, which is crucial for small market teams.

I imagine Poile will do just about anything to make sure Weber is the poster boy for the Predators and I doubt he’ll be traded or offer-sheeted this summer. If they fail to bring in any talent this year, maybe Weber looks for a trade down the road, but I’m sure he’ll be wearing yellow in October.

Bouwmeester was always known as a defensemen who was suspect in his own zone, but could put up points. He hasn’t cracked 5 goals or 30 points since he signed an expensive contract ($6.7m per) three years ago with the Flames. He’s had a rough go of it in Calgary and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get traded before his deal expires (in 2 years), but I want no part of him. Rangers fans barely show MDZ patience and he’s twice the player J-Bo is for a sixth of the cost.

Will Columbus fold without Nash?

No, but what on earth will Aaron Portzline tweet about?

Share: 

More About: