Equally Obnoxious Hockey Trash Talk Thread, eh?

[jtkratzer]

I missed that, surprised it wasn't on the ESPN NHL headlines. Good, he deserves it. It was blatant and I'm surprised it's only one game.

 

[arturo7]

Blues payed on of their worst games of the season last night. Thank FSM it was against the Ducks, we still came away with two points.

 

[DangerRoss]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3rHe3X5IKk&feature=related&noredirect=1]Kyle Brodziak's Hit On Anze Kopitar (December 8 2011) - YouTube[/ame]

Proof that the new rules are turning hockey into push puck! Clean hit. Kopitar is just a p^ssy.

 

[jpc]

Kyle Brodziak's Hit On Anze Kopitar (December 8 2011) - YouTube

Proof that the new rules are turning hockey into push puck! Clean hit. Kopitar is just a p^ssy.

That's not a penalty. It's unfortunate that Kopitar went down awkwardly, but the hit was from the side and clean.

 

[StittsvilleJames]

That's not a penalty. It's unfortunate that Kopitar went down awkwardly, but the hit was from the side and clean.

That was an absolutely horrendous call. And to give him a 5 and a game? bah.

I hate what is happening to this league. It used to be a man's game. Now guys go down way too easy, get a call, and lo and behold, they're better enough to play without a missed shift. Where's the pride?

Bettman might as well just cut the blade off everyone's sticks and call it ringette...

 

[arturo7]

Soccer on ice.

 

[emjay]

Big change in ownership of the Leafs is coming. Jointly bought by Canada's two biggest telecoms, from the Ontario Teacher Pension Plan.

Hopefully this means a greater organizational focus on winning (a pension plan doesn't really care if people hate what they do), and absolutely unprecedented coverage in all forms of media.

 

[StittsvilleJames]

Big change in ownership of the Leafs is coming. Jointly bought by Canada's two biggest telecoms, from the Ontario Teacher Pension Plan.

Hopefully this means a greater organizational focus on winning (a pension plan doesn't really care if people hate what they do), and absolutely unprecedented coverage in all forms of media.

Exactly what is a new owner supposed to do for the "greater organizational focus on winning"? This is a hard cap league, they can't spend more than they already do. Maybe the players will play better if they get free cable and cell phone bills?

 

[arturo7]

and absolutely unprecedented coverage in all forms of media.

Great, more yammering by ex-jocks with nice hair.

 

[paulster2626]

Big change in ownership of the Leafs is coming. Jointly bought by Canada's two biggest telecoms, from the Ontario Teacher Pension Plan.

Hopefully this means a greater organizational focus on winning (a pension plan doesn't really care if people hate what they do), and absolutely unprecedented coverage in all forms of media.

Exactly what is a new owner supposed to do for the "greater organizational focus on winning"? This is a hard cap league, they can't spend more than they already do. Maybe the players will play better if they get free cable and cell phone bills?

Maybe he figures they'll hire a management team that consists of 4 guys who could all be full-time GMs, and have the most expensive front office in the NHL.
Then they could hire a coaching staff, and make that one of the highest paid in the NHL and AHL.
Then, they could use their deep pockets to bury contracts in the minors like Jeff Finger and his $3.5M salary, and also to take chances on players like Lombardi and Phaneuf.
After that's done, they could build a training and practice facility that is the best in the league, and call it something like the Mastercard Centre for Hockey Excellence.
While all of this is going on, they could also start to take scouting seriously, and be one of the top hockey teams in the world when it comes to scouting staff size and salary.
The new ownership group might also be on board with spending the dough to hire who is arguably the best goalie coach in the league, which will help in landing free agents like Jonas Gustavsson and convincing other players like JS Giguere to waive their no-trade clauses.
Then, they could stop spending to the cap floor all the time and finally pony up the extra $16M to spend to the cap limit.

Maybe that will finally bring a cup to Toronto.

 

[StittsvilleJames]

Maybe he figures they'll hire a management team that consists of 4 guys who could all be full-time GMs, and have the most expensive front office in the NHL.
Then they could hire a coaching staff, and make that one of the highest paid in the NHL and AHL.
Then, they could use their deep pockets to bury contracts in the minors like Jeff Finger and his $3.5M salary, and also to take chances on players like Lombardi and Phaneuf.
After that's done, they could build a training and practice facility that is the best in the league, and call it something like the Mastercard Centre for Hockey Excellence.
While all of this is going on, they could also start to take scouting seriously, and be one of the top hockey teams in the world when it comes to scouting staff size and salary.
The new ownership group might also be on board with spending the dough to hire who is arguably the best goalie coach in the league, which will help in landing free agents like Jonas Gustavsson and convincing other players like JS Giguere to waive their no-trade clauses.
Then, they could stop spending to the cap floor all the time and finally pony up the extra $16M to spend to the cap limit.

Maybe that will finally bring a cup to Toronto.

LOL

Maybe Burke would fire Wilson and hire someone competent if only he had unlimited texting and free NFL Sunday Ticket?



The Teachers were a long way from the Ballard days...

 

[paulster2626]

Great, more yammering by ex-jocks with nice hair.

Word on the street is that they'd be looking at things like being able to watch live games on your mobile device, which would actually be one of the best things ever.

They'll charge you to watch the game, then you'll eat up your data plan, and they'll charge you for that, too. The seemingly endless ways to convince Leafs fans to part with our money are kind of beautiful in their elegance.

 

[arturo7]

I want to watch games in 3D on my coffee table.

 

[punkrockdave]

I want to watch games in 3D on my coffee table.

That would be pretty cool. Should be a good tonight. Good luck to your boys. Cheers

 

[StittsvilleJames]

Is it just me, or is Jim Hughson the biggest Canucks homer going? I can't believe how slanted he is doing a national game!

It's ok to be a fan, but he could at least try to keep it in check on the air...

 

[emjay]

Maybe he figures they'll hire a management team that consists of 4 guys who could all be full-time GMs, and have the most expensive front office in the NHL.
Then they could hire a coaching staff, and make that one of the highest paid in the NHL and AHL.
Then, they could use their deep pockets to bury contracts in the minors like Jeff Finger and his $3.5M salary, and also to take chances on players like Lombardi and Phaneuf.
After that's done, they could build a training and practice facility that is the best in the league, and call it something like the Mastercard Centre for Hockey Excellence.
While all of this is going on, they could also start to take scouting seriously, and be one of the top hockey teams in the world when it comes to scouting staff size and salary.
The new ownership group might also be on board with spending the dough to hire who is arguably the best goalie coach in the league, which will help in landing free agents like Jonas Gustavsson and convincing other players like JS Giguere to waive their no-trade clauses.
Then, they could stop spending to the cap floor all the time and finally pony up the extra $16M to spend to the cap limit.

Maybe that will finally bring a cup to Toronto.

This made me chuckle. And it's a more than valid point. It's also a good example of how owners can certainly play a strong role in improving a team, even IF salaries are already at the cap. I'm just hoping the new ownership can take it further.

 

[paulster2626]

Is it just me, or is Jim Hughson the biggest Canucks homer going? I can't believe how slanted he is doing a national game!

It's ok to be a fan, but he could at least try to keep it in check on the air...

It's not you. He's terrible. To top it off, he also hates the leafs along with his bed buddy Glenn healy, so Leaf fans get the benefit of listening to two haters every Saturday on hnic. Next week will be a real gem with the Canucks playing the Leafs, but lucky me ill be at the game so I won't have to listen to their bull**** analysis.

The solution for this whole mess is to unplug the center speaker - then you just get the sounds of the game. Waaaay better.

 

[Northjerzyg]

Rangers vs panthers, big eastern conference game. Nice goal by richards, thanx philly......

 

[jtkratzer]

Rangers vs panthers, big eastern conference game. Nice goal by richards, thanx philly......

Mike Richards (from Philly) went to LA, not the Rags. Brad Richards, the one on the Rangers, came from Dallas.

 

[paulster2626]

Rangers vs panthers, big eastern conference game. Nice goal by richards, thanx philly......

Mike Richards (from Philly) went to LA, not the Rags. Brad Richards, the one on the Rangers, came from Dallas.

Whoops!

Rule #1 of the trash-talk: Make sure you know what you're talking about.

Richards was a free-agent signing, and he chose the path of greatest dollars. Hopefully this signing is still working out for the Rangers in 2020 when he still has that $6.7M cap hit and is 40 years old.

Question for you guys though: When's the last time the Rags/Philly had a trade, anyway? They HATE each other - this is like Toronto/Ottawa trading, never happens for whatever reason. The only thing that comes to mind is that whole Nordiques/Flyers/Rangers Lindros fiasco.

 

[emjay]

Hopefully this signing is still working out for the Rangers in 2020 when he still has that $6.7M cap hit and is 40 years old.

???

Contracts like this that are likely for greater than the duration of a player's career are actually just a way of *reducing* the cap hit, especially for wealthier teams like the Rangers. In the later years they can buy out his contract, and that portion of his salary will no longer affect the cap. The reason a team would consider doing this is obvious - it's an alternative to paying a higher upfront salary, where ALL of it goes towards the cap. It allows them to pay him an equivalent overall amount, while taking up less of the team's cap space, both annually and overall.

 

[paulster2626]

???

Contracts like this that are likely for greater than the duration of a player's career are actually just a way of *reducing* the cap hit, especially for wealthier teams like the Rangers. In the later years they can buy out his contract, and that portion of his salary will no longer affect the cap. The reason a team would consider doing this is obvious - it's an alternative to paying a higher upfront salary, where ALL of it goes towards the cap. It allows them to pay him an equivalent overall amount, while taking up less of the team's cap space, both annually and overall.

???

I think you're referring to the last years that teams tack on that only pay a million bucks or so to reduce the cap hit. Buyouts most certainly affect the salary cap.
If they buy him out in summertime 2017 (when he's 37):
Cap hits:
2017 - $6.0M
2018 - $6.0M
2019 - $6.0M
2020 - $0.3M
2021 - $0.3M
2022 - $0.3M

Odds are he won't bother playing though, since he only makes $1.0M for the last 3 years with no more signing bonuses so it's probably a moot point. It's his choice though, as he's got a NMC.

They've definitely got him until he's 36 though - he gets paid $7M for the 2016-17 season. This year he's pocketing $12M, crazy...

 

[emjay]

Errr... just went to double-check, and from what I'm reading, buyouts only affect the cap hit if the player is signed at 35 or older. Otherwise, it's like any other non-active player.

If buyouts somehow (and I can't seem to find anything that agrees with you) did count towards the cap, then a rich team like the Rangers would just pay a bit more to send the player to the minors instead...

 

[emjay]

Also, it appears that, even if a player is paid different amounts each year, the cap hit is equal to the *average* annual salary of the player according to his contract (ie, total salary over the life of the contract, divided by the number of years).

 

[Riopel]

When I'll be 35 and in the down of is career the will trade him for an upcomming and youth player... with the only team in the NHL history to thnik it was a good plan to trade rookies for Gomez salary, and that day I'll have my head in my two hands crying of shame!

The Rangers GM is genious to find a way to hypnotize Habs GM to take is problematic player...

 

[paulster2626]

Errr... just went to double-check, and from what I'm reading, buyouts only affect the cap hit if the player is signed at 35 or older. Otherwise, it's like any other non-active player.

If buyouts somehow (and I can't seem to find anything that agrees with you) did count towards the cap, then a rich team like the Rangers would just pay a bit more to send the player to the minors instead...

Also, it appears that, even if a player is paid different amounts each year, the cap hit is equal to the *average* annual salary of the player according to his contract (ie, total salary over the life of the contract, divided by the number of years).

Here's how it works. You're right about cap-hit, simply take total salary and divide by number of years. So a 6 year deal paying 6,6,6,2,2,2 would have a cap hit of 4M/year.

Buyouts are different and a little more complicated. We're still dealing with the actual amount of money that a team has to pay:
-For players under the age of 26, a buyout costs the team one-third of remaining contract value.
-For players 26 or older, a buyout costs two-thirds of remaining contract value.

But there's also the issue of how it is going to impact their salary cap:
-On a buyout, the team takes a cap hit for a percentage of the buyout value (according to a very complex formula) spread over twice the length of the remaining contract years.

The "very complex formula" is where it gets weird. Depending on certain circumstances, teams can actually get a credit to their cap in certain years. But basically a buyout just allows you to spread the cap hit over an extended period of time at a bit of a discount.

Just for comparison, we can look at Brad Richards' contract and see what benefit (if any) a buyout would have in the last 4 years of his contract.

As it stands, meaning they just pay him his money and he plays out the entire contract:
Money paid to player: $60M over 9 years, cap hit $6.67M, ends in 2020.

If they bought him out in 2017:
Money paid to player: $52M over 12 years, cap hit is $6.67M until 2017, then it drops to $6.0M for 3 years, then drops to $333k for 3 more years (all ends in 2023).

Anyway my whole point is that buyouts aren't really a viable option to get out of a ****ty contract. You can't just buy a player out (at any age) and be consequence-free. The best thing to do is to not sign players to them in the first place. Did you know the Islanders will have Yashin on the books for a $2.2M cap hit until 2014? Crazy!

 

[DangerRoss]

All I have to say is there is some cheese in the fridge to go with your salary cap wine. The only number that matters in the end is wins and the Wild are smoking the league in that category. First team to 20 wins!!! And they are 20th out of 30 for highest salaries!!!

 

[wildwest450]

All I have to say is there is some cheese in the fridge to go with your salary cap wine. The only number that matters in the end is wins and the Wild are smoking the league in that category. First team to 20 wins!!! And they are 20th out of 30 for highest salaries!!!

Yes, but you're two to three games up on most teams, and it's a long season.


_

 

[paulster2626]

All I have to say is there is some cheese in the fridge to go with your salary cap wine. The only number that matters in the end is wins and the Wild are smoking the league in that category. First team to 20 wins!!! And they are 20th out of 30 for highest salaries!!!

Nope - still nobody cares about the Minnesota Snooze-fests! I never even see them on the highlight shows. Do they really exist? I think it's a glitch on the NHL.com website.

 

[Homercidal]

I gotta give credit to the Wild for one thing at least:


They finally got rid of the horrific jerseys that plagued them for a few years. NOw they have mildly ugly jerseys.