A player's guide to NHL free agency

Every decent 2011 free agent: the group photo.

Free agency officially begins today, with hundreds of players available to the highest bidder. Some will strike it rich, while others may be left without a job when the dust settles. But at the very least, most will get a phone call or two from NHL general managers looking to improve their rosters.

The chance to be an unrestricted free agent is no doubt an exhilarating experience for NHL players. But it can also be confusing, and in an era where many players will only get to have the experience once in their careers the risk of committing a unfortunate faux pas is high.

I want to help avoid that. So for those who are new to the process, or who could simply use a refresher, here's a player's guide to the do's and don'ts of NHL free agency.

DO: Feel a sense of pride when a media preview includes you on a list of the most intriguing names available in this year's free agency crop.
DO NOT: Feel any less proud just because they have you tied for second place with "everyone not named Brad Richards".

DO: Instruct your agent to refuse to discuss your status with any team before free agency officially begins at 12:00 ET on July 1, as it's only ethical that you carefully follow all league rules regarding tampering.
DO NOT: Suffer any cognitive dissonance when your agent faxes you a completed 10-page contract to sign at 12:03.

DO: Tell the team you eventually sign a long term deal with that "I'm looking forward to spending the next several years of my career in your wonderful city."
DO NOT: Be surprised by the awkward silence that follows when you say that to the front office from Phoenix.

DO: Tell any local media who interview you that signing with a team where you have a chance to win is far more important to you than money.
DO NOT: Roll your eyes and mime a shovelling motion while you say that, if the reporter is standing in front of you instead of on the phone.

DO: Say something to express your interest when Brian Burke calls to offer you a contract with the Maple Leafs.
DO NOT: Go with "Cool, I'd love having every spring off!"

DO: Listen courteously to any general manager you speak to on the phone and carefully consider the offer he is presenting to you.
DO NOT: Forget to make sure you can recognize the area code for Winnipeg on your call display before instituting that last rule.

DO: Be aware that if you are a restricted free agent, teams can still sign you to an offer sheet and will no doubt be lining up for the chance to land a player as young and talented as you are.
DO NOT: Be rude when explaining to the phone company customer service rep that there's obviously something wrong with your phone, since it hasn't rung once all July.

DO: Start having visions of a massive payday and a celebrity lifestyle when your agent calls to tell you he's negotiated a long-term deal with New York.
DO NOT: Get so excited that you don't notice that his cough immediately afterwards sounded kind of like the word "Islanders".

DO: Accept that every team rates players differently, and some general managers just won't be interested in your services even if you'd really like to sign with them.
DO NOT: Drunk-dial Mike Gillis in the middle of night and tearfully sing "Didn't we almost have it all" into his voicemail.

DO: Feel free to sign a contract before free agency begins with a team that has traded for your rights if they're willing to meet your demands for a nine-year, $51 million contract.
DO NOT: Turn to the GM after signing that contract and say "By the way, if there's any money left over you should really try to acquire some top-tier centers".

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DownGoesBrown/~3/Qghfi01FSnE/players-guide-to-nhl-free-agency.html

Dionne, MarcelMarcel Dionne Donald Don Clark Doug Everett Doug Palazzari Doug Woog

Rangers Sign Brian Boyle To 3 Year Deal

Source: Wikipedia

The New York Rangers knocked another RFA off the list of those to be re-signed by getting Brian Boyle under contract for another three years with a cap hit of $1.7M per year.

I have to say I'm not all that surprised at the cap hit, although I was hoping that Sather could get Boyle signed for a cap hit less than $1.5M per year. I think if it were a two year deal that the Rangers could've gotten that deal, but I would guess that the extra $200k per year was to get Boyle signed for the third year.

It's a risk for the Rangers in my opinion because prior to this past season Boyle had never scored more than 4 goals in a single NHL season. He did finish last season with 21 goals and 35 points but down the stretch in the final 23 games he had a measly one goal and two assists. So we''ll have to wait and see whether over the length of the three year contract we're going to see the "old" Brian Boyle OR the "new" Brian Boyle.

It's also a slight risk for Boyle because if he continues to improve at the rate he did last season (which I feel is unlikely) then in the open market in another year or two he could get well over $2M. However, if I'm Boyle, this is a deal that I can certainly live with. We can only hope that Brian Boyle can match the year he had last season.

Next on Sather's agenda will be to get Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan under contract. If no agreement can be made in the next week or so then the parties will head to arbitration.

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Agree or Disagree with what was said? Use the comments link below...let your voice be heard!

Source: http://puckcentral.blogspot.com/2011/07/rangers-sign-brian-boyle-to-3-year-deal.html

Hull, BobbyBobby Hull Hull, BrettBrett Hull Hutton, BouseBouse Hutton Hyland, HarryHarry Hyland Irvin, DickDick Irvin

Winnipeg Jets Morning Papers

Winnipeg Jets: Jets Announce Hockey Operations & Training Staff. Winnipeg Free Press:� The Jets are jazzed.� As are the people of Winnipeg.� You can just sense it.� There has been something in the air this summer, that has taken ‘Friendly Manitoba’ to an entirely new stratosphere. Winnipeg Sun:� Jets’ Little now a big fish.� I [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IllegalCurve/~3/0Wnbvnst7Lg/

Anthony Tony Conroy Apps, SylSyl Apps Armstrong, GeorgeGeorge Armstrong Arniel, ScottScott Arniel Art Berglund

Winnipeg Jets Centre Ice Logo Application Video

Watch the video showing what was on the MTS Centre jumbotron after the break

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IllegalCurve/~3/JkybYWFMLnU/

Hall, GlennGlenn Hall Hall, JoeJoe Hall Harold Hal Trumble Harvey, DougDoug Harvey Hawerchuk, DaleDale Hawerchuk

Puck Headlines: Questions, debates linger after Belak death

Here are your Puck Headlines: a glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media.

? Yearbook porn alert! Former FAN 590 radio reporter Howard Berger has a collection of cool scans from his memorabilia collection on his blog. Man, there was a time when buying the team yearbook at the first game of the season was an annual rite for us; anyone here collect them? [Berger, via reader "ushaped"]

? The Canadian Press confirms that Wade Belak hanged himself. Also, he had started training for "Battle of the Blades" for next season. [CP]

? JVR's contract shall light the way for Jamie Benn's contract extension with the Dallas Stars. [Defending Big D]

? Speaking the Stars, Chuck Greenberg is saying the right things about bidding for the team, saying the winning ownership group will be "the one who wants it the most, the one who has the most belief in the future of the franchise." [D Mag, thanks to Kate K. for the link]

? "Here is the bottom line: Evegni Malkin has this season to get back on track. Time expires after the 2011-12 campaign." [Black and Blue and Gold]

? Anze Kopitar is super excited for next season: "For the past two seasons we were eliminated in first round. Now we must take this huge step forward and go past round one."�[Jewels From The Crown]

? Move over Sean Avery: Brad Richards is taking on NYC Fashion Week. [NY Rangers Blog]

? Why is everybody always pickin' on Alex Semin? [Japers' Rink]

? Alex Ovechkin will make a special announcement at the Washington Capitals' practice facility next week. Any guesses? [Alex Ovetjkin]

? President Obama may have moved his speech for the Republican debate, but now it may cause the cancellation of USA Warriors hockey game against Congressional staffers. [RMNB]

? How to improve NHL Network. Easy: Like, 110 percent more TURCO POWER. [Hoffman]

? "Here the Senators stand like so many NHL teams trying to survive the end of an era without skidding into irrelevance." [Ottawa Sun]

? On Marc Savard, concussions and remembering his legacy. [The Hockey Writers]

? What Savard's absence means for the Boston Bruins. Retirement would be good for the team; not so much for Savard's bank account. [SCOC]

? Tyson Nash vs. the NHLPA on player health outreach. [The Star]

? Avs blogger Tapeleg with a personal story about battling depression. [Jerseys and Hockey Love]

? Mark Spector on those calling for a fighting ban. [Sportsnet]

? Kent Wilson on enforcers and depression: "Calls for a stringent anti-fighting stance based on recent tragedies is probably putting the cart before the horse. However, the counter assertion that this summer's events are merely coincidental and not indicative of any causal relationship between fighting for a living in the NHL and psychological pathology strikes me as callous and myopic as well. Nothing is certain at this time, but the heart-wrenching casualties of the 2011 off-season demand we take the issue seriously going forward." [HOTH]

? Al Cimaglia on the NHL's drug problems: "In my view it is not a tragic coincidence there was a drug related death and apparently two suicides this summer which claimed the lives of young men who played in the NHL. I'm not sure what specific actions need to be taken but this is not the time for anyone to bury their head in the sand." [Hockey Independent]

? Steve Lepore suggests that the NHL's TV partners get together for a preseason special about this tragic summer: "My suggestion is as follows. CBC or TSN, in conjunction with VERSUS or the NHL Network in the states, should hold a two-hour (or one-hour, to accommodate TV) roundtable discussion on these issues ? formatted similarly to the one on race from a couple of years ago ? that gets out a message that these topics won't be swept under the rug for another season. Involve people from the league, commentators, players, medical experts, whomever. Just get into an open, frank talk about what's happened over the summer and what can be done to turn this around." [Puck The Media]

? If you like the blog and its editor, please cast your vote for him in the Rising Stars in Media award category at the Untitled Sports Media Awards Project. If you like the blog but hate its editor, we'd still say cast the vote. If you hate both the blog and its editor, we're not sure what you're doing here. [USMAP]

? Los Angeles Kings blog declares war on the Anaheim Ducks through an inglorious use of NHL social media. [Surly and Scribe]

? Finally, James Wisniewski visits a Cincinnati Reds game and manages to go the entire day surrounded by bats without making a fellatio reference.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Puck-Headlines-Questions-debates-linger-after-?urn=nhl-wp11613

Howe, SydSyd Howe Howell, HarryHarry Howell Hubert Hub Nelson Hugh Muzz Murray Hull, BobbyBobby Hull

Winnipeg Jets Announce Broadcast Agreement with TSN

This afternoon True North Sports & Entertainment, announced their 10-year agreement with Bell Media to broadcast Winnipeg Jets on the new “TSN Jets” TV channel and Sports Radio 1290 for radio. Specific details of the agree had been leaked for some time, making the press conference was a formality. Here are the major points of [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IllegalCurve/~3/eDckntkMHUY/

Hugh Muzz Murray Hull, BobbyBobby Hull Hull, BrettBrett Hull Hutton, BouseBouse Hutton Hyland, HarryHarry Hyland

How to buy out a player: The NHL's handy form

Yashin always wore a turtle-neck. Or, as
hockey players call it, a Carcillo-neck.

It's the second week of August, which means there's not much news on the NHL transaction page these days. The blockbuster trades have already been made, free agency has slowed to a crawl, and most teams seem satisfied to wait out the rest of the offseason without making any significant moves.

But there is one exception: With arbitration hearings now wrapped up, some teams now have a second opportunity to buy out unwanted players. This year's buyout periods have already claimed players such as Chris Drury and Colin White. But while fans have become used to the annual news of offseason buyouts, few know the behind-the-scenes process for making them happen.

As it turns out, it's not all that complicated. All a general manager has to do is fill out a simple one-page form, and luckily my spies at the league office were able to provide me with a copy.

***

Dear NHL general manager,

Congratulations on your decision to buy out a player. This process provides an excellent opportunity to correct your past mistakes, or at the very least spread the cap hit out into future seasons when, let's be honest, it will be some other guy's problem.

Please complete the form below and submit it to the league office. Note that the buyout will not be official until the league has approved it, so please refrain from setting the content of the player's locker on fire until then.

Player's first name: _________________
Player's last name: _________________
Player's nickname that you call him publicly: _________________
Player's nicknames that you call him under your breath every time he touches the puck:
_________________
_________________
_________________ (use the back of the application form if you need more room)

The player's current annual cap hit: $ ____________

Wow?. Really?
( ) Sigh
( ) Next question please.

How did a scrub like this end up making that much?
( ) He was actually pretty good, years ago.
( ) He was actually supposed to be pretty good, years ago.
( ) He was actually one of the top-rated players in NHL08 according to my kids, although to be honest we probably should have sent some scouts to watch him or something.
( ) Let's just say he was an unrestricted free agent, a defenceman, and had an agent who knew Brian Burke's cell phone number

As per the CBA, the cap hit from any buyout is spread over twice the length of the remaining contract. How many years will this be in your case?
( ) Two years, since the player had one year left on his contract.
( ) Four years, since the player had two years left on his contract.
( ) Eight years, since we are the New York Islanders and we stopped caring in 1993.

There are complicated rules around a team's eligibility for the secondary buyout period. If you are attempting to buy out a player you have just traded for (cough, Lebda) have you familiarized yourself with those rules to confirm that it's allowed?
( ) Yes.
( ) No.
( ) Sorry, could you read them to me? I gouged at my own eyes once I saw what I'd have to pay Shea Weber this season.

Before buying out this player, did you explore the option of trading him to one of the other 29 teams?
( ) No, do not anticipate he would draw any interest and didn't want to waste anyone's time.
( ) Yes, and I really enjoyed hearing 29 other general managers laugh at me and hang up.
( ) Am the general manager of the San Jose Sharks or Minnesota Wild; did not realize we were allowed to trade with teams other than each other

Has the player been informed of your decision to buy him out?
( ) Yes, informed him by phone.
( ) Yes, informed him by fax.
( ) Yes, informed him by drawing a big middle finger on the front page of his contract, wrapping it around a brick and throwing it through his front window.
( ) No, but assuming that once he sees the impromptu fan parade in front of his house he'll figure it out.
( ) Asked a cop to deliver it to his Hollywood home a few nights ago; come to think of it, should find out how that turned out.

Finally, what will you tell the media when they he ask what you plan to do with all the cap space you'll be saving on this move?
( ) Invest it in securing our young star players to reasonable long-term deals.
( ) Spend it carefully on various moves to improve our organizational depth.
( ) Hold onto it to make sure we have room for additional transactions during the season.

And what are you really going to do?
( ) Immediately use it to give an even worse contract to some other player.

Thanks for completing the form. And we look forward to seeing you again next year.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DownGoesBrown/~3/X-1IU0cR2Ho/nhl-buy-outs.html

Hay, GeorgeGeorge Hay Henry Boucha Herbert Herb Brooks Hern, RileyRiley Hern Hextall, BryanBryan Hextall