Monday Caps Clips

Agreed. We all need to remember this when the game is here in DC and the same rules apply. However, I imagine the likelihood of the opponent being the Penguins is somewhere around none. But assuming it’s a team close enough to make the travel not too inconvenient and expensive, those seats will easily be filled by the opponent’s fanbase (Flyers, Devils, Rangers, Islanders, even Hurricanes).

I guess, but it’s hard to project that out. Looking at the scoring totals, either there’s a lot less talent coming through the Q or it’s getting more defensive; the leading scorers have dropped from ~160 points in a 60-ish game season to ~100 points in the same number of games. Crosby and Radulov absolutely tore that league apart in their final seasons there, but obviously one was better than the other.

My understanding was that Staal’s draft position was based on his domination at the WJC, playing against the other top prospects. If Coutrier does the same, I could see it cementing the #1 spot, but I find myself very hard-pressed to pass on a player that’s been playing well against men in a very difficult position since he was 16 years old.

That’s what I keep thinking, too. Yes, it’s Detroit, so people will always kind of consider them contenders…but they weren’t really a contender last year, either, and I don’t see how they’ve improved over that. They signed a guy past his prime in Modano and that’s about it. And if they want to sign Mitchell they’ll have to drop some salary.

Whatever. Wysh is smoking something good if he thinks the Wings offer a better shot at the Cup than the Caps, Sharks or even Canucks.

s Detroit closer to winning a Stanley Cup, right now, than the Caps? Frankly, I don’t see it. Detroit is a formidable club, but they aren’t a part of any Stanley Cup conversation that doesn’t include the Caps as well. At least from my chair.

Nor Vancouver, who looks like the other contender for Mitchell’s services. Detroit was unbelievably dominant from the end of the lockout to the ’09 season, a contender last season (they lost a lot of games to injuries in the top of the lineup) and likely a contender again this season. After that, they drop off significantly, so says I. But that period of being the clear-cut best team in the league colors views of the present squad, methinks.

Further, I think that Puck Daddy is significantly overrating Brad Stuart; I certainly don’t see him as clearly better than Willie Mitchell, especially on the PK or for the tough zone starts.

Right now, Detroit is at best the 2nd best team in the Central Division. There are scenarios where I can see them 4th. They won’t be as good as last year, and Nashville/St. Louis are better than 09/10.

Mr. B seems pretty well convinced Mitchell is going to Detroit and I just keep asking “Why? and with what caps space?” This seems to be some sort of self-feeding delusion by Wings fans that some bloggers have mis-read as “Willie Mitchell is likely to go to Detroit.” My money is San Jose or the Caps.

That line about winning v. ice time also gave me pause. I’m inclined, though, to agree with PD that the Caps take a pass here. What say you?

The other little nugget that struck me from the article:

“a base of $1 or $1.5 million on a one-year deal plus bonuses,

That’s a more reasonable reflection of the potential downside of Mitchell than the 2 – 2.5M that went around last week. If he gets another concussion, he’s pretty much done.

It also brings the Sharks and the Red Wings further on to the playing field, of course.

The biggest winner is Willie Mitchell, who all of a sudden finds himself the talk of Free Agency at the moment, and playing off 4 teams against each other for his services.

Ouch!

Certianly Matt Bradley did.

Nov 20, 2009 is my best guess based on the earliest and frequentest rink usage.

Same. The nature of the series is such that there’s never going to be a consensus, not matter what team is being discussed.

I’m still not comprehending Jack Edwards’ choice of Cam Neely over Phil Esposito though.

…That floors me. You’ve gotta be freakin’ kiddin’.

The biggest hole in the methodology is small sample size and score effects; Backstrom hasn’t spent much time away from AO at even strength and when he did, it was a lot of games against weak opponents that the Caps put away early, then sat back and got outshot.

And when they do play in the same game, most of Backstrom’s ES time away from Ovechkin comes at the end of penalty kills.

I should have refreshed the thread because you explained it much better. I knew it was a flawed and small sample size he used but I don’t have the math skill to break down that kind of analysis.

I think he may have undervalued Nick a smidge, but I think the point of the article was largely accurate; AO is a preeminent talent and that other players benefit more from playing with him than he benefits from playing with them. As such, there’s some inflation in Nick’s numbers, even the advanced ones, because of how much time he gets on the ice with AO.

I don’t think I value Backis as much as other folks do; I think he’s an all-star caliber center, but barring a really lucky season he’s not going to collect a Hart or Ross. Or rather I should say; I don’t value him as much next year as most folks. His contract makes him a lot more valuable because he is as good as he is and he’s cost-certain for slightly under market value now. That market value is almost certain to rise over the course of his contract and he’s been extremely durable during his career.

In that comparison, his only real competition is Richards, who’s a defensive stud and locked in even cheaper than Nick. I’d rather have Datsyuk, Crosby, Zetterberg or possibly Toews for next year; Crosby has even more offensive ability than Nick, while Dats, Toews and Z are utterly extraordinary in their two-way games. The last three take on the other team’s best competition on a nightly basis and generally leave it in the dust head-to-head, so while their offensive numbers aren’t jaw-dropping, they’re incredibly effective players. Really though, I’m splitting hairs with the last three; the only guy I think is head-and-shoulders better than Backstrom is Crosby.

I think the NHLPA will win.

I think it should, but I’m not confident that it will.

Me too. And I’m glad I’m not the only one.

There are too many things that just stick out in that contract as being prima facie unreasonable if they’re not intended to circumvent the salary cap.

The six-year tail at the end that has Ilya Kovalchuk making half-a-million dollars a year. Thecontract goes until he’s forty-four. The fact that only one forward has played in the NHL over the age of forty-two. The astronomical term of the thing. The fact that none of the other deals approved by the NHL (Luongo, Hossa, Zetterberg) pay less than a million a year at the end. The fact that there’s no NMC in those final six years, which means that even if he wants to play those tail years, there’s no way Kovalchuk will be playing them in a Devils’ sweater (he’ll either be playing in the minors, or he’ll retire and play in Russia for way more money).

The NHLPA’s argument was likely something along the lines of “it’s not disallowed, so it must be allowed,” that the Luongo/Hossa/Zetterberg contracts also tail off at the end and were allowed, and that this was a freely-negotiated contract. None of that seems persuasive to me because of the above facts, and the CBA gives the NHL broad leeway in determining what constitutes “circumvention.”

I would love to have a transcript of the arbitration hearing, though.

Guess not.

is their average age 3040 yet?

But seriously, their avg Age was listed on CapGeek as 30.59 without Salei, who is 35 (and will be 36 in November)

He doesn’t actually do that much for their cap – he’s only $550K against it.

Heh. Construction, coaching the Phantoms.. more or less the same.

If Craig Berube can do it..

Heh. If I’m Stortini, I respond with, “Hey, very good! I didn’t know you could read.”

But Ott does have a subtle side.

In a recent game against the Oilers, rookie Zack Stortini came into the faceoff circle and Ott pulled Stortini’s shoulder pad forward to get a better view of the name on the back of the jersey.
 

“I was just trying to find out who he was,” Ott joked.

I love that gimmick so, so much.

Haven’t you heard? The French love the Red Sox almost as much as they love Jerry Lewis.

Probably the only real effect is a greater cap hit for the Devils to absorb, but every little bit helps.

I don’t care that he stays in NJ. I just wanted the contract voided. Bigger cap hit needed to hit the dollars he wants, more trouble for NJ to get under the cap.

And the fines will be entertaining. I hope.

Who filed the grievance? NJD after it was rejected?

Kovalchuk remains UFA. Confirmed by sources.

Nick K ^

Firmly resisting the urge to post something like “”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/cayrRZmxUJ8/SO5m4NLUuI/AAAAAAAABLw/cW5dOxGUFD8/s400/sucker.gif" target="new">NHL Contradicts Reports on Kovy Ruling, Contract Upheld".

But…but…I liked having that crown! It was so shiny :( Stupid Devils fans.

I think they have a valid point. The Hossa contract also clearly circumvents the cap. Obviously, the Kovalchuk deal does so to a greater extent, but there’s nothing to show why the league drew the line here.

That said, while I think the decision is unfair to an extent, it’s still the best decision for the future of the NHL.

My guess is that Kovalchuk resigns for the same deal with the last two years cut off.

I think Red Wings fans have retired that trophy.

Now, Joudrey…