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More Day One FA Thought$

July 1, 2008   ·     ·   Jump to comments

Aw shoot I might as well provide some analysis too, especially since it’s so much fun to dissect 234235 moves all at once.

So far Day One’s biggest winner (or risk-taker) is the Blackhawk$.  They made a splash both in goal with Cristobal Huet and on defense with Brian Campbell.  That’s almost a combined $13 million in salary cap space for the next four years but for a team that finally showed signs of life last year for the first time since the days of Jeremy Roenick talking to Patrick Roy’s plugged-up ears, they were moves that had to be made.  Huet’s nothing great but a clear upgrade over Nikolai Khabibulin (now surely the world’s most expensive minor leaguer) who seemingly lost his way after signing a big deal with the Blackhawks post-lockout and post-Stanley Cup win in Tampa Bay.  And Campbell gives a huge boost to a young, improving defense.  With goaltending and defense upgraded and a young, feisty offense things look even brighter in the Windy City.

It’s hard to say any team’s a loser after the first seven hours of UFA but Colorado sure got shafted, losing out on the Huet sweepstakes and watching Jose Theodore walk to Washington to take his place.  They couldn’t even get an Alex Auld or a Patrick Lalime-type, so they were forced to go to the local five-and-ten to pick up Andrew Raycroft, who was so bad last season the Leafs signed a 503-year old Curtis Joseph to replace him in Toronto.  Raycroft will now become Peter Budaj’s backup…yeesh.  But the off-season is young, Colorado could still talk Roy out of retirement, seeing as if they’ve already loaded up on ex-Avs Cup winners in the last few months. 

I really shouldn’t make fun of the Avs bringing back the old gang though, after all Lou Lamoriello’s only UFA moves seem to involve ex-Devils.  But hopefully Rolston and Holik turn out better than Alexander Mogilny and Vladimir Malakhov did two offseasons ago.  As far as other local teams, the Rangers are still in limbo waiting to find out where Jaromir Jagr, Brendan Shanahan, etc wind up.  They retained Michael Roszival and signed Aaron Voros, a potential Sean Avery ‘replacement’, only without any semblance of offensive game or a similar level of nuttiness.  And the Islanders are still, well the Islanders.

I’ve never been a Brad Stuart fan – at all.  But Detroit’s the one team that can pay him $15 million over 4 years and probably get away with it.  After all, with Lidstrom, Rafalski and Kronwall there he can fly under the radar completely.

And even with all this action, still no word on the destinations of Marian Hossa, Mats Sundin, Wade Redden or a cast of a thousand other UFA’s.  But stay tuned, the night is young!

UPDATE: And Redden goes to…the Rangers at a reported 6 years and $39 million.  Ouch.  Aside from the fact that Redden’s pretty much stunk for the last year plus, are they going to have any money left for forwards?!

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  1. A Life Once Lost » More Day One FA Thought$ on July 2nd, 2008 10:37 pm

    [...] More Day One FA Thought$ …since it’s so much fun to dissect 234235 moves all at once. … next four years but for a team that finally showed signs of life last year for [...]

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  2. More Day One FA Thought$ on July 5th, 2008 5:52 am

    [...] More Day One FA Thought$ UFA moves seem to involve ex-Devils.  But hopefully Rolston and Holik turn out better than Alexander Mogilny and Vladimir Malakhov did… [...]

    Reply – Quote

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