NHL Offseason: All 10 weeks of it

[cinch]

Oh my God...

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=169528&hubname=

PRONGER ASKS FOR TRADE

The Edmonton Oilers are in the midst of what could be a severe shakeup to their roster just days after their Game 7 Stanley Cup Final loss.

NHL sources indicate that Oilers' defenceman Chris Pronger has requested a trade from the club based on "personal, family considerations."

The St. Louis Blues traded Pronger to Edmonton last August for defencemen Eric Brewer, Doug Lynch and Jeff Woywitka. The veteran defenceman is entering the second year of a five-year contract worth $6.25 million US per year.

In 80 games with the Oilers this season, Pronger scored 12 goals and 56 points and was a Conn Smythe Trophy candidate through Edmonton's postseason run.

...

More to follow.

[Asher]

[notyoueither]

Bit funny that he hasn't discussed it with the GM yet.

"I think they're more rumblings than anything," Oilers GM Kevin Lowe responded Friday evening. "I'm pretty focused on the draft right now I don't want to get too much into player personnel stuff."

When asked if Pronger had asked to be traded, Lowe responded: "He hasn't' asked me. I'll just leave it at that."

"We just got over a seven-game series in the Stanley Cup finals and there seems to be a lot of discussion about this and I'm not sure where it's coming from," added Lowe. "Let's put it this way. Why would we want to trade Chris Pronger?"

"One thing I've learned in my five or six years as a manager is that stuff tends to out of right field for whatever reasons. It can be agendas, hidden agendas, certain motivations, so nothing surprises me."

[trickey]

The Vancouver Canucks and Florida Panthers have completed a multi-player trade involving Roberto Luongo and Todd Bertuzzi, sources have told TSN.

Netminder Luongo is part of a package that is going to Vancouver in exchange for a package that includes Bertuzzi.

Luongo is a restricted free agent, and the Panthers have been unable to work out a long-term deal. The Miami Herald reported on Tuesday that Panthers general manager Mike Keenan said that the team would explore all options when it came to Luongo.

Luongo had a 2.97 goals-against average and .914 save percentage last season. The Panthers finished 11th in the Eastern Conference and have not made the playoffs during Luongo's five seasons with the team.

"There have been lots of inquires but we haven't got to that point yet," Keenan said earlier on Friday when asked about entertaining serious offers.



"There are a lot of rumours out there certainly. And we're trying to resolve some of our player issues and we'll see what unfolds in the next little while."

Bertuzzi had 25 goals and 71 points last season, following his suspension for attacking Colorado's Steve Moore near the end of the 2004 regular season.

Berfore news of the impending deal broke, Nonis made no bones about the fact that he was shopping.

"He's in the same spot as everyone else, but the media loves to focus on one player," said Nonis of Bertuzzi. "We have a group of players that as a group underachieved which means the majority of those players are available."

Bertuzzi's best season was 2002-2003, when he scored 46 goals and 51 assists.

Details to follow

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=169536&hubname=nhl

Well, I really didn't see that one comming. I guess it makes sense though, Bertuzzi wanted out and the Canucks have been dying for a goaltender for a while. So much for that fella they traded for from Buffalo a while ago whose name escapes me at the moment.

[notyoueither]

Awesome!

Theodore, Kipper, and Luongo in the same division. We only play them 24 times. No worries!



Can we change this scheduling yet?

[cinch]

No kidding!

Pronger better be staying now...

[asleepathewheel]

Pronger's wife is from StL and apparently stayed there during the season. Pronger also apparently felt smothered there, I guess he liked the relative anonymity of living in a baseball town.

[Asher]

Originally posted by notyoueither
Awesome!

Theodore, Kipper, and Luongo in the same division. We only play them 24 times. No worries!



Can we change this scheduling yet?

The Northwest Division is where it's at. No other division is as remotely competitive.

We are blessed by the hockey gods.

[notyoueither]

Not so blessed when you miss the playoffs when you'd make it in any other division in the league.

Vancouver this year. Who next year?

[Asher]

Edmonton. Duh.

They'll have no one on the team.

[notyoueither]

Your comeuppance is going to be soooo sweet.

[cinch]

So... What're the chances Lowe deals Pronger tomorrow? I say it's not likely. If Pronger's to be traded, it'll be for concrete assets, not prospects. I don't think any GM could survive Pronger for a draft pick and change.

But who knows? We'll see.

This whole 'off-season speculation' thing just got a whole lot less whimsical...

[Hot Mustard]

I'm anxious to see what Nonis can get for Cloutier.

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by cinch
So... What're the chances Lowe deals Pronger tomorrow? I say it's not likely. If Pronger's to be traded, it'll be for concrete assets, not prospects. I don't think any GM could survive Pronger for a draft pick and change.

But who knows? We'll see.

This whole 'off-season speculation' thing just got a whole lot less whimsical...

He's not moving tomorrow.

If he moves, which seems likely by reports, Lowe will want to give Ottawa, Buffalo and others a good chance to decide what a player who plays 30 minutes a game and drove an 8th place team to the 7th game of the finals is worth to them. Oh, and who has a contract that has a bit to go.

Here's a hint, it'll be a lot.

Top four D and first line winger at a minimum.

And if he doesn't want to play. Oh, well, but then he don't get paid either.

[Asher]

Pronger is overrated, and any GM worth his salt will probably recognize that. If it was him alone that could bring an 8th seed to game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals, you'd think he'd have done that a lot in St. Louis when he was paired with better defencemen.

You're kidding yourself if you think you'll get a first line winger and a top four D for him. He's old and overrated. Maybe an old first line winger and an old top four D for him...

Hell, if I were a GM I would value a player like Dion Phaneuf way more than a player like Pronger, if only for the value proposition.