All Entries Tagged With: "free agency"
Boston Bruins Offseason Notebook: B’s Increase Depth With Addition Of Veteran Defenseman Garnet Exelby
On Wednesday afternoon the Boston Bruins increased their organizational depth, adding former Atlanta Thrashers’ defenseman Garnet Exelby. The two sides agreed to a new one-year, two-way contract worth a total of $600,000 at the NHL level and $130,000 for American Hockey League service. The Craik, Saskatchewan native was originally drafted by the Thrashers in the [...]
Boston Bruins Offseason Notebook: Khokhlachev Inks One-Year Deal In KHL, B’s Sign Christian Hanson
Alexander Khokhlachev was once projected as an early first round pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. His rare combination of offensive skill and tremendous defensive zone prowess have often drawn comparisons to Detroit Red Wings’ superstar pivot Pavel Datsyuk. However, teams were weary of taking Khokhlachev early in the draft simply due to the [...]
Backchecking: The Islanders Begin Offseason But What Do The Fans Think?
Most days that I read comments and assessments from Islander fans I end up just slapping my shaking forehead and saying out loud. “oh holy hell….” I mean seriously, is there nothing that Garth Snow can do to make Islander fans happy? Does it really matter if they are or they are not? The short [...]
Boston Bruins Offseason Notebook: Corvo, Zanon Depart On Day One Of Free Agency
While the Boston Bruins remained quiet on the July 1 opening of unrestricted free agency, three former members of the Black and Gold squad opted to sign elsewhere on Sunday. First up was defenseman Joe Corvo, who inked a new one-year pact worth a total of $2 million dollars with the Carolina Hurricanes. The 35-year-old [...]
Hockey’s Christmas: 10 Predictions For 2012 Free Agency
In many ways, July 1 and the opening of unrestricted free agency is much like Christmas for hockey fans. Puck heads wake up early and rush to their living rooms early in the morning. But instead of checking underneath a Christmas tree, they’ll make a beeline straight towards the nearest computer. As the clock strikes [...]
Hockey Independent Offseason Predictions: Where Will Zach Parise Sign?
Members of the Hockey Independent crew have come together again for another series of offseason articles for your reading pleasure. The contributing authors to today’s piece will be Cris Cohen (New York Rangers), Seth Levin (New Jersey Devils), Alex Muscat (Detroit Red Wings) and myself, Benjamin Woodward (Boston Bruins). Each of us have taken on [...]
Boston Bruins Postseason Report Cards: Part IV: Extra Skaters/Call-Ups
Throughout the month of May, I will be providing you all with a four-part Boston Bruins’ postseason review, grading the performances of each and every player that donned the eight-spoked “B” during the 2011-’12 campaign. The schedule looks like this: Part I –> Top Six Forwards Part II –> Bottom Six Forwards Part III –> [...]
Life Without Tim Thomas: Bruins Confirm “Strong Possibility” That Reigning Vezina Winner Will Sit Out Next Season
When reports began to emanate on Thursday that Boston Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas was toying with the idea of taking a season off, many — including myself — simply shrugged it off in the belief that it was pure speculation on the part of the media. However, the tide took a major turn on Friday [...]
Boston Bruins Postseason Report Cards: Part II: The Bottom Six
Throughout the month of May, I will be providing you all with a four-part Boston Bruins’ postseason review, grading the performances of each and every player that donned the eight-spoked “B” during the 2011-’12 campaign. The schedule looks like this: Part I –> Top Six Forwards Part II –> Bottom Six Forwards Part III –> [...]
Slumping Bruins Left To Ponder: What Is Going Wrong?
On Sunday afternoon, the Boston Bruins once again failed to get things going in the right direction again, as they fell 2-0 to the Minnesota Wild on a Hockey Day In America marquee matinee contest. The loss continues what has been an exceedingly tough month of hockey for the defending champs, as their February record [...]
Bruins Happy To Have Boychuk Back In The Fold
On Tuesday afternoon, reports began to circulate that the Boston Bruins had come to terms on a contract extension with defenseman Johnny Boychuk. Those reports were later proven correct when B’s GM Peter Chiarelli revealed the details of the contract to the Boston media just prior to the team’s game against the Rangers at TD [...]
Fast Five: Predictions For the NHL’s Second Half
As we hit the all-star break this weekend with the Fantasy Draft kicking things off this evening at 8 P.M., the 2011-’12 NHL season has officially reached it’s mid-point. There have been many surprises — and equally as many disappointments — across the league this season on both an individual and team basis. In anticipation [...]
A LOOK AT THE ISLANDERS DEFENSE: Part 2 of Series
Last week we looked at the Isles offense and asked if the makeup of the lines would lead to enough scoring to make playoffs hopes a reality. This week we look deep at the bigger and more porous issue of the last few years…The defense. Late last season, I was told that the Islanders would [...]
Lombardi and Robitaille on LA Kings pursuit of Brad Richards
When Kings GM Dean Lombardi speaks, he almost always makes sense. People may not like what he has to say at times, but he pretty much tells it as it is. Several years ago when some questioned his signing of Dan Cloutier to an extension before he was fully healthy, Lombardi explained that it was [...]
Backchecking: Radek Martinek — Long Island Legend?
First and foremost — I wish Radek Martinek the best of luck. He is a solid player and brought many positives to the game. He played in the Islanders system for years, on some difficult teams, and gave it his all every shift. If on the ice — the Jackets are getting a good player. [...]
NY ISLANDERS FREE AGENCY: Reality Bites, Or Does It?
The warning signs were there even before Ehrhoff’s rights were traded to the Islanders. Then the Capitals re-signed Brooks Laich for a whopping 6-year, $27 million deal. Buffalo got Ehrhoff later for 10 years. 10 years, folks. Then others resigned before free agency even started. Despite words of being aggressive, many of the those [...]
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Backchecking: 10 Years and $40 Million Later….
Just a day after being acquired from the Islanders, Christian Ehrhoff signs with the Buffalo Sabers. Is Christian Ehrhoff worth a 10 year commitment to a hockey team like the Islanders? I dare say not. And as I had mentioned yesterday after being disappointed that the Islanders could not get the top tier defender under [...]
The Summer of Burke
As the National Hockey League Entry Draft draws closer, many in Leafs Nation have begun to speculate if general manager Brian Burke will pursue an external asset in the form of a number-one center. The need for such an asset has been abundantly clear since Mats Sundin fled for a certain team that shall not be named. Many have auditioned [...]
Gustavsson: The Forgotten Man
With goaltender James Reimer signed on for another three years in Toronto, the fate of Jonas Gustavsson’s National Hockey League career hangs in the balance. As the opening day of free agency inches ever closer, general manager Brian Burke will soon have to decide whether to retain Gustavsson as the team’s back-up goaltender. If Burke opts [...]
