CrashingTheGoalie

by Ron Spence
If the eyes are the windows to the soul, then NHL Home Pages are the windows to the teams.
We can gain insights into many teams’ attitudes – and wallet thicknesses – by viewing their Home Pages.
The nucks’ Home Page uses the NHL’s generic format: game info, profiles, articles, and ads.
The look that’s aimed [...]

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by Ron Spence
Many ‘nucks fans are becoming expert capologists. 
They know how much each player is earning, his cap hit, and how much space Vancouver has – or doesn’t have – before they are over the Cap.
Vancouver’s highest cap hit is Roberto at $6,750,000.
The Islanders’ top cap hit is Rick DiPietro at $4,500,000, their second is [...]

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by Ron Spence
We’re told that Roberto should have his contract extended over the next couple of weeks.
How much should/will the Canucks pay Luongo?
Do they undermine the bank and pay him as much as Henrik Lundqvist? The Rangers’ netminder has been making an average of $6,875,000 per season?
Do they try and pay him what other goalies [...]

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by Ron Spence
“Assistant general manager Jim Nill said the Wings would try to sit down with Lidstrom during training camp to begin talking about a new contract,” wrote the Free Press.
I’d like to know what they’ll talk about.
This year’s salary cap is $56.8 million, and if it falls 15% – as they claim it might do [...]

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by Ron Spence
I have mixed feelings about Mats returning to the ‘nucks.
Last season, I was a combination of annoyed, frustrated, hopeful, and in the end – sad.
Because of these mixed feelings, I thought I would do an apple to apple comparison with another veteran – New Jersey’s Brendan Shanahan.
To try and find some context for [...]

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Hockey has a new world order – it involves salary maximums merged with talent.
Some GMs – like Bob Gainey – haven’t really figured it out yet.
Others such as Ken Holland, Mike Gillis and Doug Wilson have.
The Detroit GM articulates the new world order below:
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“People want to know, ‘What are you doing? What are you [...]

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“The era of free agency, which symbolically began with Curt Flood’s legal battle against the reserve clause and literally started with Messersmith/McNally ruling, has seen it all — monumental successes (Dave Winfield, Yankees) and failures (Mike Hampton, Rockies) alike.”
cont.

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Sporting News TODAY published an excellent article on NHL arbitration.
Larry Bertuzzi – who represents NHL management – discussed his strategies before, and during arbitration.

It would be interesting to know which issues and facts will be discussed during Kyle Wellwood’s arbitration hearing.
If Wellwood is awarded a high salary, Mike Gillis might just let him go. 

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What’s it like playing in the uncertain hockey environment of Phoenix?
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Jim Gintonio of the Arizona Republic talked to Scottie Upshall:
“It’s like hearing yourself in trade rumors — it’s almost like your whole team is going to get traded,” Upshall said.
“For us, we love where we are … We want to make it work.”
Still, the bottom [...]

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by Ron Spence
In ESPN’s ranking of major league sports franchises, the Leafs were ranked below the Detroit Lions (As you will remember, during the 2008 season, the Lions were winless (0-16), becoming the first team in NFL history to lose 16 games in a single season.).
 
The top 10 and bottom 10 overall
TOP 10
1. Los Angeles [...]

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