Loading ...Today, Cujo, Jeremy, Joey & RD discuss various topics around the NHL including Alex Semin, Minnesota’s free agency splash, the Rick Nash trade saga and others. We begin with Semin..
Cujo: Semin’s a gamble, but I think Detroit will be his destination.
Jeremy: Semin reminds me a lot of former King Alex Frolov. Tons of talent, minimal commitment. Obviously Semin is more talented than Frolov but same idea.
Joey: For someone that supposedly has his heart in Russia, he sure hasn’t left North America yet.
RD: It’s a shame because he has a bunch of talent. Someone compared him to Kovalev earlier.
Cujo: I personally think it’s Detroit or bust, Detroit wanted Suter and Parise, BAD, Semin was plan B. Semin would be a good addition for Detroit, they are a little weak at LW. Filppula/Cleary/Miller are the best they have, Semin would easily make the top line, if not 2nd.
Joey: Even if he stays enigmatic in Detroit, he’ll still score more than enigmatic Jiri Hudler did.
Jeremy: I agree, I think Detroit is probable. And I think there’s still the chance he goes to the KHL too.
Cujo: Yeah, that’s always an option.
RD: Sounds like he wants a guaranteed contract, which KHL doesn’t have. Whatever Semin gets…I’d think it would have to be a one year “prove it” deal.
Joey: There’s the hiccup, he wants a longer deal, which I understand, but who wants to do that?
RD: At some point he just has to take what’s offered.
Jeremy: Think NJ considers him to replace Parise maybe or is his lack of commitment on D his death knell?
Cujo: But NJ would be another good destination.
RD: I don’t know if he’d fit in with their team philosophy, then again Kovy bought into it.
Jeremy: That’s my main question but you never know.
Joey: Best part is the Caps 2C was always a weak spot and now they get Ribeiro and won’t bring Semin back.
Cujo: That was a brilliant pickup by Washington. Ribeiro has had attitude issues in the past, but the work ethic is there.
Joey: Well I mean with an actual good center on line 2 w/Semin he’d get 35 minimum easy but now the world may never know *tootsie roll commercial reference*
Jeremy: I could see Semin someplace like Toronto even but no indication they have any interest.
Joey: Wash will continue to regret trying to play that way, shouldn’t have overhauled philosophy after losing to MTL.
Cujo: But people look for the quick fix.
RD: Yeah but it destroyed their offensive creativity. I understand you can’t be one dimensional and you have to evolve but not that radically.
Jeremy: Interested to see what Oates does with that team.
Joey: I think he’ll open it back up, maybe not run and gun but more go get ‘em for sure. Focus on forecheck to generate puck possession.
RD: Mike Green being healthy will help also.
Jeremy: Green might be the most overrated player in hockey IMO.
Cujo: Mike Green is a bad D-man, despite his point total.
RD: I don’t think he’s overrated as a lot of people don’t think he’s elite but he’ll help start the rush and give that offensive punch.
Jeremy: Not a complete player in any sense. His hype has died down last couple years, and for good reason.
RD: Oh no not at all, I mean in terms of getting the O started. His defense sucks. He won’t be an all-star but he’ll help.
Cujo: If Mike Green could work on his D, it would be for the best. He has a habit of taking the man, and at VERY inopportune times.
RD: Going back a few minutes.. Detroit’s been pretty quiet on the whole. I didn’t think they’d get Parise but thought they had a shot at Suter.
Cujo: They didn’t get any better that is for sure. I thought for sure Detroit would get Suter.
Jeremy: Yeah I thought Suter was a foregone conclusion for them, but good move for Minny. Makes them a playoff team.
RD: With all the prospects they have coming up that’s going to be a real good team for years to come.
Cujo: I cannot believe Minnesota got both of them.
Joey: If I only had one little beef with the whole thing, if Parise was down to Minny or NJ and Suter was down to Wings or Minny, why not call a team like the Pens and others who were out and give them the chance to move on.
RD: Because teams like the Flyers wanted to believe they were still in it!
Joey: If they knew earlier they were out you get more pickings available than Fedotenko/Gervais.
RD: True, although I think they lost on Carle because of the extra years not money.
Jeremy: How much of that do you put on players and how much on their agents?
RD: Well it seemed like those two wanted to play together. But I could see agents withholding info just to drive the price up a bit or not being completely honest.
Joey: Could go half and half, take the Pens for example, sent their offers in on Sunday and don’t hear anything till Wednesday.
RD: Not that it had a ton to do with money since Flyers reportedly offered ZP $110m.
Jeremy: Exactly, that’s what I meant. Players have multiple factors to consider. Agents have just one – $$$$.
Cujo: Wings sent some insane offer to Suter, like 13 years, $110 mill or so.
Joey: Pens rumor was 12/96 to Parise. Considering the NHL landscape currently, it takes some stones to spurn the Pens and Wings. I know it’s a business but I understand how pissed Poile was. Suter never said anything about wanting to play at home, then boom suddenly that’s the reason.
RD: Wonder how his decision affects Weber’s. Probably has second thoughts about staying there.
Jeremy: Interesting to see what happens in Nashville now.
Cujo: Weber is crying himself to sleep at night. By the sounds of it, Weber will probably want out.
Joey: No hurry to sign a deal now, he’s out and Poile will trade him at the deadline.
Jeremy: And you know the big spenders are licking their chops at prospect of Weber, too.
Cujo: Well, we all know that Detroit will be a big player on that guy.
RD: So will the Flyers, but all 30 teams will want to sign him.
Jeremy: Yep, Detroit and Philly were the first two teams I thought of.
Joey: Another dead year in ANA and I’ll bet the bidding gets huge for Perry/Getzlaf next summer.
RD: With Anaheim it puzzles me why they’re shopping Ryan when he’s signed to a pretty good deal thru 2015.
Cujo: Apparently, they know something 29 others don’t
Jeremy: Anaheim to me is a team with no real perspective on themselves. Too many weaknesses to contend. Need a full on rebuild there.
RD: They’re too top heavy but a team that needs to rebuild is CGY. It’s like they purposely go into the season aiming for 8th.
Cujo: They seem to be content keeping all they have.
Jeremy: Agree. And I’ll give them the benefit of one more year, but I think SJ is close to rebuild land
Joey: Clowe, Stalock, Marleau, 1st for Nash.
Cujo: I can’t see SJ offering that.
RD: I don’t think it would take that much. Clowe/Demers/1st/prospect.
Joey: There we go that’s what I was going for.
Jeremy: I don’t think that’s enough for Nash honestly. Either of those offers.
RD: Marleau I could see in a separate deal.
Cujo: Apparently nobody has made a good offer; Nash hasn’t been contacted with one on, or off, his list.
RD: I honestly wonder if Nash gets traded at all this year.
Joey: If a deal can’t be made, can Howson/Nash kiss and make up for at least another year?
RD: They might have to just for the good of the team.
Cujo: Nash will definitely lose the C IF he sticks around.
Jeremy: Still have a feeling he ends up a Ranger but maybe not before the season starts.
RD: If I had to bet I’d say NYR or SJ.
Cujo: I think it’s NYR, or SJS as well.
Jeremy: If NYR slow a bit out of the gate, it’ll expedite the process.
Cujo: Depends on how bad the Rangers want him, and until they met Howson’s price tag, no deal.
Joey: Howson is doing the right thing BUT if he waits too long he’ll regret it but he hasn’t reached that point yet IMO
RD: I have no idea what Howson’s price tag is. I don’t blame him for asking for Skinner though.
Cujo: Yeah, unfortunately, it made Carolina stop talks completely.
Joey: Well I call that weeding out the non-serious teams. If mentioning Skinner makes you say ‘we’re out ‘ instead of ‘well let me counter with this’ then you really don’t want Nash.
RD: I agree Joey. But if they weren’t on Nash’s list it doesn’t matter.
Jeremy: At some point he has to expand that list.
Cujo: People keep saying Nash has to expand the list. Here’s the thing, Howson has been shopping to everyone and not one deal, has made him even go to Nash. IMO, Howson has waited too long, the deals won’t get much better.
Joey: I don’t think he’s gone on too long until about maybe 2 weeks before camp starts.
Cujo: To me, the list doesn’t even matter at this point. Until an offer comes along from anyone that sounds good, it doesn’t come into play.
Jeremy: I think he’s right in not wanting to get ripped off too.
Joey: There is a lack of thought in Nash’s list IMO. It’s all good/great teams that don’t even need you and don’t want to mortgage the farm to acquire you.
Cujo: The CBJ don’t want to get ripped off, but Nash doesn’t want to end up in the same situation, so it’s kinda rough.
RD: I heard Ottawa put together a pretty good offer but they’re not on his list.
Joey: Eventually Nash has to decide if he wants out that bad or not I think.
Cujo: That’s the key… that has nothing to do with Nash’s list. On or off the list, if Howson doesn’t even attempt to go to Nash, then it wasn’t good enough.
Joey: Maybe, maybe not, he could use one offer to spur another team to one-up it before going to Nash.
RD: Yeah didn’t you see Moneyball?
Jeremy: What about Luongo? Florida? Toronto?
Cujo: Luongo sounds like Florida or bust. Toronto is an option, but, what do they have to offer? VAN won’t let him go for peanuts.
Jeremy: Yeah that’s the big issue. He’s probably a better fit there too.
RD: Vancouver. Too many NTC/NMCs… all these guys we’re discussing, same thing in common.
Joey: Man though Lu/Markstrom could be pretty boss for FLA.
RD: Plus, would FLA even need him? They have Markstrom just about ready. Theo traded?
Cujo: Theo has a NMC.
RD: See!!
Jeremy: Yeah but with Markstrom, why do they want Luongo for that long?
RD: That’s my point. Unless they put Theo in the deal for Luongo.
Cujo: But Vancouver is a great team, Theo/Schneider tandem?
RD: I just think he stays in VAN. Sucks for Eddie Lack though.
Jeremy: Yeah Lack is ready.
Joey: How about that Jeremy Smith guy in Milwaukee?
RD: How about that Jeremy Smith guy in Crimespree?
(Everyone laughs)
Jeremy: Do we think the season starts on time this fall?
RD: Yes.. No reason to believe that, just a hunch. Neither side wants a repeat.
Cujo: Yeah, they can’t be that stupid again.
Joey: I think so. It might come down to the wire, there might be tough negotiations but they will start on time I think.
Jeremy: I agree. Don’t think either side is dumb enough for another work stoppage and Fehr has said they can start on time if still in negotiations.
Joey: System isn’t broken anymore, sure it could use some tweaks that each side wants but it’s not war. Unless the players really want to get Bettman back for ’05.
RD: No major overhaul needed like last time.
Joey: As long as it’s not bitterness driving the players, it will be fine.