NHL Offseason Thread -- Vancouver Edition (NHL Offseason / NHL Golf Tourney)

[Lord Avalon]

NHL creates committee to evaluate size, configuration of goalie equipment

TORONTO -- The NHL and its players' union have formed a group to examine the size and configuration of goalie equipment. They will meet June 11 in Toronto.

The NHL representatives include Doug Risebrough of the Minnesota Wild, Garth Snow of the New York Islanders, Jim Rutherford of the Carolina Hurricanes and Brett Hull of the Dallas Stars.

Three goalies and two skaters will represent the players -- Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils, Rick DiPietro of the New York Islanders, Ryan Miller of the Buffalo Sabres, Dany Heatley of the Ottawa Senators and Mike Cammalleri of the Los Angeles Kings.

There is a belief among some in the hockey world that reducing the size of goalie equipment would increase scoring.

The idea to have a group examine the issue came about at the general managers' meetings in Naples, Fla., in February, where there was unanimous consent to do something about the size of goalie equipment.

If the group decides changes to the rules governing goaltender equipment are warranted, and will not jeopardize the safety of the goalies, their recommendations will be forwarded to the NHL's competition committee for consideration.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=3374365

[Asher]

Leafs fire Maurice

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=237026&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_nhl

MAPLE LEAFS FIRE HEAD COACH PAUL MAURICE

The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired coach Paul Maurice, sources tell TSN.

Maurice had one year remaining on his original three-year contract.

The native of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario was hired by dismissed Leafs GM John Ferguson Jr. Ferguson has since been replaced by interim GM Cliff Fletcher, who had been non-committal about Maurice's future with the club.

"There will be discussions, but you can be sure of one thing," Fletcher told the Canadian Press. "The person coming in is going to be a strong hockey person and he's going to have very definite opinions of his own."

At the end of the season, Maurice addressed the rumours that he could be let go.

"It's a rumour," he told the Canadian Press at the time. "It's going to be out there from now until the time the next general manager is hired.

"It'll be talked about and contemplated. Things that went well will be talked about occasionally and the things that didn't go well will be talked about repeatedly, and then a new guy will come in and take a look at the hockey club that is and make a decision on where he things we should go."

Maurice, 41, originally joined the Maple Leafs orginization June 24, 2005 as head coach of Toronto's AHL affiliate the Toronto Marlies. He was promoted to the Maple Leafs on May 12, 2006 following Pat Quinn's dismissal.

In two season with Toronto, Maurice compiled a 76-65-22 record, missing the playoffs both years. The Leafs have now missed the playoffs for the third year in a row, something that hasn't happened since 1928.

Assistant coach Randy Ladouceur has also been let go.

The Maple Leafs have called a news conference for later today. Maurice will meet the media Thursday morning at 10:30am et/7:30 am pt at ACC.

[Kontiki]

I can't believe it took that long. Well, it is Toronto, so I guess I can believe it, but it sure shouldn't have.

[Ninot]

I wonder where he'll go. He's too good of a coach to stay out of a job for long.

[snoopy369]

Blackhawks reverse yet another idiotic decision from the Wirtz era...

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/hockey/blackhawks/cs-080506-chicago-blackhawks-pat-foley,0,2518163.story

Team President John McDonough brought Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita and Tony Esposito back to the Blackhawks. He cut a deal to air every Hawks game on television next year, with WGN-Ch. 9 covering 20 of them, and switched the team's radio rights to WGN-AM 720 as well.

In the all-out blitz to win back the fans, there was "one last big piece of fruit out there" for McDonough, as one local broadcast executive put it.

Bring back Pat Foley, a fan favorite who was fired two years ago.

Consider that fruit picked because the Hawks soon will announce Foley's return to their television booth, where he will join analyst Ed Olcyck, sources said Tuesday.

The Bulls are going in the wrong direction and the Blackhawks in the right - and yet more evidence of this, with the Bulls rearranging TV broadcast for the worse, and the 'Hawks for the better

[Ninot]

Blackhawks my favourite Central division team

[Ming]

The shift to WGN for the radio coverage is huge. Last year, they had to PAY a radio station to cover the games. This year, they actually sold the broadcasting rights... really a step in the right direction.

And bringing back Foley for TV will make all those home games that they will FINALLY broadcast worth watching even more.

Combine these factors with the fact they have some really good young talent, and the Hawks are indeed on the rise.

[Asher]

Olcyck is also good.

[Ming]

Yeah... he is at that. But Foley was the VOICE of the Black Hawks. I couldn't believe when they fired him. It seems like now, they realize just how STUPID it was

[-Jrabbit]

What's amazing is that McDonough convinced them to swallow their pride and do the right thing. He's doing a great job of making Rocky Wirtz a hero. Of course, as was noted, a lot of these changes are in the "low-hanging fruit" category. But in the past, they would never have gotten done.

Now if they could just make the playoffs...

[Asher]

http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080507.wspthabs7/GSStory/GlobeSportsHockey/home

Quebec publisher demands Habs spin more French tunes

Canadian Press

May 7, 2008 at 12:20 PM EDT

MONTREAL — A prominent Quebec publisher is calling on the government to force the Montreal Canadiens to spin more French-language tunes for the Bell Centre crowd.

Michel Brule, publisher of Les Editions des Intouchables, says he was shocked the team's DJ played only one French song during Game 7 of the Habs first-round series against the Boston Bruins.

Brule stood on a Montreal street corner and circulated a petition demanding the Quebec and Canadian governments set a quota for how much francophone music is played in the arena.

The petition calls on politicians to create content rules similar to CRTC regulations and demands French-language songs make up at least 65 per cent of the tunes that echo through the Bell Centre.

Brule says many people warmed to his idea and he collected 200 signatures in two hours.

He says the Canadiens organization has "no respect" for francophones in Montreal, the second-largest French-speaking city in the world.

No wonder I like the habs. I encourage they continue to show the French no respect. Perhaps they could just ban the language at the game?

[Ninot]

French language radio don't play that much french music, why would the Habs?

[Asher]

Apparently the Leafs asked permission to speak to Nonis...

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
I thought you said Edmonton was a talentless team Asher?

All of a sudden Vancouver wants to steal players from them?

Wow glad to see you hate Vancouver more then Edmonton?

Wow Ben-- nice rant but how it had anything at all to do with Asher posting an article about something the new Vancouber GM did as an AGENT-- escapes me

Oh and in case you missed it-- what happened ie Edmonton thought the player was signed with them and then the player signed with Washington-- The OIL felt screwed by the agent who seems to blame the player.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Asher


They disappear in intense games. Kristian Huselius -- who I'm 99% sure is leaving as a free agent from Calgary -- is a far more cost effective solution, and slightly less flimsy in the playoffs, but still not a player I'd like to have on my team in the playoffs:

Huselius: 0.600 points per game, -4

IMO, there's not a huge market for the Sedins except if another team needs two second liners.

If I were Sutter, I'd find more guys who can come through in the playoffs. Nolan was a fantastic acquisition, I'd like to see more along those lines. I think most GMs are aware of how less valuable players are who disappear in big games, and as such they won't be highly sought after in the off-season (where they typically want someone game-changing).
.

If Huselieus is back I think they would be lynching Sutter-- Two years of him "no-showing" in the playoffs are enough- He'll land somewhere though-- In local newspaper polls the fans also wanted to most turf Anders Erickson and IIRC Alex Tanguay. I wouldn't mind seeing Erickson gone but I still see potential for Tanguay even if he is a bit too soft on the puck and doesn't shoot often enough (besides he has at least one more year on a contract with a no-trade)

Nolan was a good pick-up. I was worried early because he seemed snake bit scoring wise but he is a tough playoff type of guy

To me the Flames still lack both the playmaking centre and a big physical presence up front. Langkow is a great second line centre but not a top flight first yound type guy. Likewise Conroy is a great third line centre-- a good checker and digger. I don't know what will be available that they can acquire

All I know is that thie is Sutter's team-- he will deserve credit for success and the blame for failure-- His recent record (last two years)

-- a middling playoff team that does not meet expectations
- two coaches have not been able to attain much consistency from the team

-- One disasterous performance (detroit series would have lasted 5 games with the Flames losing by 3-4 goals in all 4 losses except for Kipper being exceptional)

-- One decent playof performance-- The team played well in large portions of the series and some non-stellar play from Kipper probably cost them

-- has locked up his core of players Kipper, Iggy, Phaneuf and Regehr for years (Langkow signed yet?)

--Nolan looks like a good acquisition

-- The Farm is pretty bare with no one obvious in the wings-- I actually wondered where Prust was this year-- he was a good energy guy two years ago


Is it a terrible record? -- of course not. Does he seem to be some amazing genius-- NO to that either. You can only revel in the credit for acquiring Kipper and having one amazing playoff run for so long.

But the core is solid and with decent additinal players should be enough for the playoffs most years. Could it be elite? Sure-- you probably need Kipper at his top form or to have Phaneuf and say Lomabdi both jump to stratospheic levels of play or acquire a couple of guys that really exceed expectations

CALGARY - The Calgary Flames filed out the doors of the Pengrowth Saddledome on Friday and some of them for the last time.

The backbone of the team - captain Jarome Iginla, goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff and defencemen Dion Phaneuf and Robyn Regehr - are all under long-term contracts for the next five seasons and Kiprusoff and Phaneuf another year beyond that.

A veteran team with a veteran coach expected to do better than finishing seventh in the Western Conference and losing in the first round of playoffs, even though it was a hard-fought, seven-game series with San Jose.

Changes are in the offing for Calgary's supporting cast.

Head coach Mike Keenan has two years left on his contract and will be back next season.

"We've got some of the great pieces you need to have a championship team in place," he said Friday.

His relationship with Kiprusoff is up in the air after pulling the Vezina Trophy winner twice in Calgary's seven-game series and the second time in Game 7.

Kiprusoff didn't speak to the media Friday and Keenan said he would meet with Calgary's starter and all players under contract in a few days.

"Do I want to speak to him? Yes, but I want to speak to all of them," Keenan said. "Is he unhappy? I'm sure he is because every one of our players in there today are unhappy with the results."

General manager Darryl Sutter, who coached the team to the Stanley Cup final in 2004, did not second-guess Keenan's decision to give Kiprusoff the hook.

"He's an elite coach and there's only a handful of them," Sutter said. "He's our coach absolutely."

Of the players scheduled for free agency this summer, winger Kristian Huselius, centre Daymond Langkow, winger Owen Nolan and goaltender Curtis Joseph are the notable names, although Sutter is negotiating with Langkow to re-sign Calgary's No. 3 scorer.

Calgary had a payroll of just under US$50 million this season. Finding room under a salary cap projected to be between $53 million and $56 million next season to sign free agents isn't Sutter's biggest challenge.

"The tough decisions are the guys who aren't earning what they're making," Sutter pointed out.

Winger Alex Tanguay, who by his own admission did not have a good season, tempts Sutter to dump his $5.3 million salary for a cheaper second-line winger.

The trade rumours that dogged Tanguay until the trade deadline Feb. 26, will likely resurface heading into the NHL draft in June.

"I've got to find a way to get my game back in order," Tanguay said. "Get my timing and my confidence back."

Phaneuf, Regehr and Cory Sarich are the mainstays on the back end. Sutter said he wouldn't mind getting younger still on the blue-line, which could spell the farewell of either Anders Eriksson, Adrian Aucoin or Rhett Warrener.

Huselius was the Flames No. 2 scorer behind Iginla the past two regular seasons yet scored zero goals in both Calgary's first-round playoff ousters.

It wouldn't be a surprise to see the Swede gone. He was occasionally unhappy with the amount of minutes he played some nights and when asked if he would play for Keenan again, Huselius replied: "It depends where that situation is going to be at. We'll see about that one."

Joseph, who turns 41 next week, chose to start the resurrection of his NHL career with the Flames and was a high-end backup for Kiprusoff after joining the team in January.

But Sutter is unsure the former all-star would be satisfied with not much more than 15 starts behind Kiprusoff next season.

Nolan, 36, provided veteran leadership, grit and a few timely goals, particularly in the playoffs. Sutter made no secret of wanting Nolan back if he could afford him and if the winger wants to keep playing.

"I'm going to take the summer and see what's going to happen, whether I continue to play," Nolan said. "Calgary is an option."

Phaneuf, a Norris Trophy candidate, continued to develop into one of the NHL's top defencemen with his hard-hitting brand of hockey and a slapshot that generated much-needed offence for his team.

It was a banner season for Iginla, who followed up a 50-goal season with an inspiring playoff performance.

"To get to 50 goals was fun," Iginla said. "As a group of players and an organization, we can be proud of making (the playoffs) four years in a row.

"But saying that, we do have to find a way to take our team from making the playoffs to that next level of being a more powerful team."

The Flames were the model of inconsistency and that cost them the division title and home-ice advantage in the post-season.

"Everyone has talked about it until they're blue in the face here,' Sarich said. "It's consistency and that comes on an individual level to make sure you're prepared every night. I think we had a few too many nights where we didn't have all 20 guys going and that hurts.

"There's definitely good leadership in our room although that can be improved upon. You can't have the same guys talking all the time."

While Sutter and Keenan spoke positively about the future Friday, the players were still wondering what if?

"It's painful," Aucoin said. "Any level of sports, it's one of those sayings that kicks you in the butt. Do I think we could have won? Of course.

"The last few days, you think once it's over you sit back relax and sleep but it hasn't been that easy."

Others headed for unrestricted free agency include winger Craig Conroy, forward Eric Godard, defenceman David Hale, defensive forward Stephane Yelle, defenceman Jim Vandermeer, forward Mark Smith and winger Eric Nystrom.

Of that bunch
-- Conroy-- could see him back as a third-liner
-- Godard-- fighter only-- was a waste of a roster spotmost nights
-- Yelle-- despite his GREAT first game in the playoffs and the fact that he still seems dogged and determined, the guy looks old a lot

Hale-- a useful depth defenceman-- If he comes cheap why not keep him

Van der Meer-- no superstar but the almes should try to keep him

Smith-- adds nothing--fights sometimes
Nystrom-- love his high energy-- keep if possible

Langkow-- keep-- like his play a lot
Nolan -ditto
Huselius --dump

Warrener-- It pains me but dump-- He was a good player 2-3 years ago but he has slumped into an oft-imjured number 5 or 6 dman-- Since he's not a huge impact player why eat the salary when he's hurt so much-- Cheaper and younger

Erickson-- dump
Aucoin-- keep or dump-- depends on teh market for defencemen and what else is available