2007 Free-Agent Frenzy Live-Blogging Event Part 5

WE'RE BACK FOR THE FINAL INSTALLEMENT OF THIS WONDERFULLY SUCCESSFUL FREE-AGENT FRENZY LIVE-BLOGGING EVENT, PART 5!
Thanks to the lovely Bethany for filling in for me yesterday!

Also live-blogging:
We Want it Bad

DID I MISS SOMETHING?
If I did or if you just want to talk hockey, email me at bbrblog@gmail.com

I'm back, let's get Part 5 of this live-blog under way!
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Alright everyone, open up your emails and send me your team's lineup as you would put it right now, I'm very interested to see how teams will look next year, especially the ones that lost ig.
All and any submissions will be posted. Once again, my email: bbrblog@gmail.com
We do need something to on this red-dead day!
Keeps those emails coming!
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11:00 AM Folks, I'm going to go offline for a few hours, I just got an urgent appointment I've got to attend and Sherry is going to fill in for me.
See you all later!

10:43 AM Here's my projected Habs lineup for next year, since it appears the emails have stopped and I'm bored again:

Forwards:
Latendresse-Koivu-Kovalev
Higgins-Plekanec-Kostitsyn
Lahti-Smolinski-Ryder
Kostopoulos-Grabovski-Lapierre

Spares: Begin, Murray

Defence:
Markov-Komisarek
Hamrlik-Bouillon
O'Byrne-Streit

Spares: Dandenault, Biron

Goalies:
Huet
Halak
10:41 AM Paul Kukla has found yet another interesting article, did you 'Nucks fans know that Matthias Ohlund underwent offseason surgery, and Roberto Luongo didn't even know about it?!

“I was surprised to hear Ohlund got operated on after the season,” Roberto Luongo said. “What was it? A sports hernia? I didn’t even know he was hurt. That shows you how tough he is.”
Ohlund, modest to a fault, explained Wednesday in an interview from Sweden that his condition wasn’t a dire one and didn’t require treatment on a regular basis.
“The injury wasn’t a big deal,” Ohlund insisted. “It was bugging me at times, it was more of an achy feeling, but it didn’t really bother me in games once I got warmed up. I could have probably gone on for another year, but we thought it was a good time now to get it done and get it over with.”

10:40 AM Reader Beding-Bedan sent in a question in which I don't have the answer to...at least entirely.
What happens if a team goes over the cap? I know that you get fined, but there's gotta be more.

10:28 AM Ok, ok, one more update in before eggs and toast from Johnny Jackal:
I definitely see some ways to change around the dynamic of the team.

Goalies : Huet (Starter), Halak (Backup for the time being)

D-Men : Hamrlik-Streit
Markov-Komisarek
Dandenault-Bouillon

Bouillon wasn't half bad last year. He was probably still carrying his
injured knee. With all the rest and proper conditioning. He still a pretty
good d-man. As for Dandenault, well, he's are worse defenseman. I wonder how
it faired in Detroit. Because in Montreal, he's terrible in his zone and has
alot of stupid penalties.

Back-ups : O'Byrne, Côté

4 Lines : Kovalev-Koivu-Ryder
Higgins-Plekanec-Kostitsyn
Latendresse-Smolinski-Grabovsk

i
Kostopoulos-Lapierre-Begin

Back-ups: Ferland, Chipchura

That's how I see it. Very dissapointing we did'nt do diddly squat but we'll
see how the young kids will react. Showing promise or not, it's what we'll
be watching.

10:24 AM Gonna go grab some breakfast, be back in a flash!

10:19 AM There is speculation out of Philadelphia and fans that the Flyers may not be done tinkering with their roster and are considering giving an offer sheet to Tomas Vanek to play alongside newly signed Daniel Briere.
Not so sure what I make of this, probably bogus rumours, and if it were true, doubt the Flyers could make it happen because Vanek would be expensive, and they don't have any more front-loaded contracts to throw around anymore.

10:16 Roy sends in the following on Johnny Unitis's Habs lineup, and agrees with me about Janne Lahti:
Habs reader Johnny Unitis sent in a prediction for the Habs lineup. There is a player missing from that list. Janne Lahti is a forward brought over from Finland. Hes a big guy and apparently has a mean streak and a good scoring touch. TSN has him listed at a 200 pounder. He has a one way contract so he will be in the lineup. Maybe our Captain had a say in this. LOL cheers

I pointed that out as well, Lahti might turn out to be a pleasent surprise for us Habs fans.

10:10 AM So, Jovo's been reportedly asked to waive his no trade clause, and the first rumour that pops up is that the Islanders are interested.
Newsday broke the rumour, and oh man, if Jovanovski's got anything in that brain of his, no way he waives his no-trade clause to go to the Islanders and their *ahem* terrific GM and arena *ahem* Garth Snow.
Oh, and according to the same article, Bryan Berard and Andy Sutton would be on Snow's radar to replace the departed Tom Poti.

Snow's delay in signing veteran defensive help suggests there's hope yet for a Jovanovski deal even if it's a longshot. If Jovanovski, who recently built a house in Phoenix, decides against moving his family, the Islanders might shift their focus to a veteran free agent such as former Islander Bryan Berard or Andy Sutton as a potential replacement for the departed Tom Poti.

10:07 AM Robert sends in our first email of the day on Souray and the Rangers:
The New York Post also mentioned the Rangers as one of the teams persuing Souray.
Now, it seems to be a very unlikely fit cap-wise, and while we really need a defenseman who actually shoots from the point on the power play, I'm not sure we need a guy who was -28 on our blue line. But, keep one thing in mind when it comes to Souray and the Rangers. Souray is represented by Paul Theofanous, who is very close to Rangers GM Glen Sather. So close, in fact, that he was fired by Michael Nylander for independently agreeing to terms with Sather on a 3-year contract for Nylander at $3.75 million per year. So, it is not out of the question that Slats and Theofanous could work something out, especially if other teams won't meet Souray's demands.

Very interesting piece of information right there Robert, I had no idea Theofanus and Sather were close...but so are Lamoriello and Souray, he played there before, he started his career off there and certainly wouldn't mind returning to his co-pizza man buddy, Martin Brodeur.

10:02 AM Come on guys, my inbox is lonely, let's get some emails in!

9:57 AM It appears, according to the FAN 590 in Toronto, that the Flames have targeted former Panthers goalie Alex Auld, offering him a 1-year 600K contract to tie Miikka Kiprusoff's shoes.
And, judging on last season's numbers, I'd definitely rather have Jamie McLennan backing up Kipper...Auld needs to further develop, and I'm not sure 10-15 games a year for him behind a goaltending wall is the way to go.

9:50 AM The New York Post is reporting that Souray's list of teams bidding for him includes the Edmonton Oilers, San Jose Sharks and the New Jersey Devils (and if reports out of waffledave's source are correct, and the Team 990's PJ Stock, then he'll be a Devil in no time.
I'm assuming he'll get less than what the Canadiens offered him to play with New Jersey. Who really knew he'd still be available on the 5th day of free-agency?

9:48 AM Does Slava Kozlov's re-signing with Atlanta mean that the Thrashers should explore signing Marian Hossa or Kari Lehtonen to contract extensions?

9:38 AM Habs reader Johnny Unitis sends in these lines:
Hey there!!

Here goes:

Nets:
starter: Huet back-up: Halak
They will keep Price in Hamilton to get a
full season under his belt.

Defense:

Markov - Komisarek
Hamrlik - Streit
Dandenault - Bouillon

Back ups: Biron, O-byrne, Gorges, Cote...

Forwards:

Kostitsin - Koivu - Kovalev ... the KKK line... ouch... lol
Higgins - Plekanec - Ryder ... I liked the little chemisty Higgins and Plek
shared late last season
Latendresse - Smolinski - Kostopoulos
Begin - Chipchura - Lapierre ... sparkplug line

Call-ups: Grabovski , Locke, Ferland etc...

Mind you ith Ryder rumours all over the place and and other rumours as of
late, can change this picture a little bit... or alot!

I'd love to see Ryder go though for a more complete player. Can't argue his
30 goals a season though!

Later!


Johnny!
Gotta admit, those are some good lines right there...I also like how you haven't done like Carbonneau AT ALL last year and mixed up your lines very well.
I have to admit, I'm surprised that according to you, Mikhail Grabovski won't make the team but Steve Begin will be an everyday player.
As much as I adore the sugar-coating my fellow French Canadian fans do for this guy, he's not a good hockey player at all.
He was terrible on both ends of the ice last year, with only the occasionnal heroic blocked shot or crushing hit being able to fit on his resume cleanly.
I find it's best that line be more sparkplugged if you add a fast goal-scorer starting his career off, playing alongside two rookies.
An all rookie/sophomore (lapierre) sparkplug line!
And where's our dear Lahti?
I agree Ryder should be dealt in order to acquire the scoring centre we need most, but then again, is it worth sacrificing 30 goals? potentially 40 or 50?
And watch this guy flourish on some other squad while our centre doesn't turn out to be as good as we wanted?

9:33 AM Faithful reader Katy sends in her Canes lineup:

So here's how I am thinking we will see the lineup this year for the
Canes. There haven't been huge changes, but enough that it will be mixed
up a bit. It will probably differ a bit from this, but this is my best
guess

Forwards:
Whitney - Brind'amour - Williams
Cole - Staal - Stillman
Ladd - Hamilton - Walker
Adams - LaRose - Letowski

Defense:
Commodore - Gleason
Wesley - Wallin
Kaberle - Hutchinson
Seidenberg - Hedican

Goalies:
Ward
Grahame
Leighton

I can't say that we are looking to shabby at all. Our core players are
all still here and after a year with the Cup hangover the Canes are
going to be ready to be contenders again.


- Katy

Katy, you guys have a team that is FULL of depth, and if anyone's realized, that is key when competing for the Stanley Cup or winnig the Conference.
When you got those players that can step in, like Dennis Seidenberg or Bret Hedican, you're in good hands, but on other teams like Montreal, we had to rely on some dud named Janne Niinimaa for most of the season and on offence, we lacked depth so badly, that Bob Gainey had to call up some minor-league scrubs like Jonathan Ferland (2 years ago), Duncan Milroy, and after a few games, bam, sent down.
Oh and let's not forget Jean-Phillipe Cote from 2 years ago Habs fans, or when Bob Gainey made the bold move or acquiring Patrick Traverse in the pre-season from the Sharks (blech)