WHAT WAS THE BEST NHL OFFSEASON MOVE?
Read Fanhouse, make your picks for best & worst
Although I have no experience in ownership hassles, I wrote a column for AOL on Jim Balsillie, Gary Bettman and the Coyotes. My Fanhouse colleagues and I also had some fun making our picks for the best and worst offseason moves in the NHL. You’re invited to list yours in PB Comments. Franchises potentially moving or not do not count.
28 Responses to WHAT WAS THE BEST NHL OFFSEASON MOVE?
Read Fanhouse, make your picks for best & worst
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jimfromstjames says:
Worst Offseason Move…NYI not Re-signing Christopher Botta!!!!!!!!!!
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Alex says:
seriously. i never understood why the NHL wouldn’t want Jim and his deep pockets.. or another Team in Canada (i would have preferred they went back to Winnipeg though)…. the only thing that i don’t like is if the team does go to Jim now, this will make the NHL look extremely weak and allow the Players Association to rally to change the CBA (LOCKOUT COMING IF THAT HAPPENS)
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islesfan999 says:
Best offseason move – Islanders signing an enforcer. Wait we did not sign one.
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Iron Islander77 says:
Yeah but imagine all the Hockey Advertising on the worlds best selling phones.
I agree with what CB is saying about Bettman working with Jimmy B and finding a middle ground- but unfortunately things have gone to the point of damaging the league if the Yotes go to Hamilton. My prediction is that Bettman wins this round, but when the next team tanks (sadly it may be the Islanders) Jimmy B will try a more legit appraoch and finally complete his quest. Wang hasn’t said much about the option of selling the islanders but the writing is on the wall. He only bought the team for the real estate – which is his main game. And that’s fine with me if it keeps our team here and possibly improves their future. But if the TOH blows this deal, I bet Wang sells. -
Bob Bassen says:
Agree with you, CB on the Gomez trade. Still makes me shake my head that Gainey could make that trade…wow. Wow!
I would have like to see the Islanders sign Mike Rupp but other than that I am ok with things so far. Let’s face it…the Phoenix Saga could be just a warm-up if the TOH corruption continues. Just can’t expect the Isles to go crazy signing and spending with a possible relocation pending.
Go Isles!
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Don't Mind The Haters says:
Best Move: NYR Gaborik – The guys a Sniper! Will double the goals JT gets (no offence to JT).
Worst Move: TBL Ohlund (7 years)- The guy has been on the decline for the past 2 years. Sometimes he’s effective. The other, he’s taking stupid penalties late in the game and having players like Patty Kane blow by him during an elimination game.
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#7 thats the worst signing of the year. He is lucky if he plays 20 games…
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Erik says:
best offseason move: not overpaying for anyone, just for the thrill of signing a big-time free agent.
Worst move: not buying out the final year of Jon Sim’s contract.
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kevin27NYI says:
gomez trade was terrible.
best was pronger. philly is awsome right now -
Mike L says:
I like the Pronger deal only because the Flyers were able to sign him just before he turned 35 which means they dont have to worry about the his cap hit if he retires early. I also like the Hossa deal because the contract is so front loaded that a buyout should be very affordable towards the end.
I obviously hate the Gomez trade. WTF was Gainey thinking. I’m also not to fond of the Gionta signing either. But I’m going to say the moves I hate the most is by Brian Burke and his acquiring of every defenseman he could get his hands on. Yeah he’s got good depth, but he either sits his young guys or scratches some decent veteran defensemen.
I’m on the fence about Gaborik and Kotalik. Those guys are real boom or bust considering they had to part with guys like Zherdev and Antropov to get them.
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4195mary says:
Bowmeester, Regher, and Phanouf. Reminds me a little of Aucoin, K.Jonsson, and Hamrlik, but the Flames 3some is even better. J-Bow is the best pick-up. Worst pick-up: toss up between Gomez and Gionta. Not sure who is overrated, and overpaid more.
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Blizzard says: Best move, drafting Tavares……worst move, dumping the team sponsored blog.
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MJS says:
That was a disappointing article about Balsillie. He would be a terrible owner based on his utter contempt for the league he is trying to join. His two previous attempts to buy a team failed because of his own wrongdoing. Even the Coyotes bankruptcy wreaks of collusion between him and Jerry Moyes. The fight between Balsillie and Bettman is based on Balsillie’s refusal to follow the rules and the way he takes it personally when he fails to buy the team. The league is being the grown up here; Balsillie is nothing but a rich screaming child. He would be the Sean Avery of the NHL ownership. None of the criminals that have been owners ever acted towards the league as Balsillie has. He has already manifested a desire to do anything but follow league rules. If he succeeds based on that, why would he ever stop?
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DocDuke says:
Best move: any team that didn’t go crazy and over spend. What the hell happened this summer? did everybody lose their minds? I’m glad the Isles didn’t make any drastic signings. Let the team grow!!!
Worst move: every move Bob Gainey made. He is the worst GM in the league. Signing the players he did will not get him any further then they did last year…fool.
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Joe says:
Best move was coming in dead last to get first pick.
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Keeping our youth..we are a very fast team and getting much better . If we stay heathly
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isles316 says:
Goaltending not the problem for the Islanders? Are you kidding? They were last and second to last in goalie stats. They will win 6 to 8 games I think just on goaltending alone.
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Nyichamp39 says:
Worst: bob “mad man” gainey signing short-statured, one-season wonder Brian Gionta for 5 mil. Terrible.
Best: Jay Bo to Calgary. Their D is stacked. Could be the best in the West, if not the entire league.
Honorable mention: the Islanders standing strong and not over-paying or trading for older or declining talent. (Rangers and Gaborik, Philly and Pronger, Montreal and Gomez etc.)
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doc says:
NYIchamp39:
I agree 100% with you on all accounts.
DOC
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mike g says:
best move: Toronto pick up Beauchemin and Komisarek.
worst move: The flyers give up Lupal, and essentialy 3 1st round picks. I like Proger but come on man.
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Best move…Drafting Taveres…Worst move …Signing Gaborik. Rangers will just be a middle of the road team AGAIN!!! Avery is Still a punk!
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Tavares says:
The goaltenders we had last year sucked. Snow did a great job in that department this year.
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Strummer's Army says:
1) Islanders allowing Vet and all-star Chris Botta walk away TWICE.
2) Montreal’s idiot trade with the Rangers for Gomez. Way to give up a ton of good players for one mediocre one and save the Rangers butts in the salary cap.
3) Isles not doing what they promised to do in adding size and toughness.
4) Positive is the Leafs doing exactly what Burke said in becoming bigger and tougher. Not to mention scoring all those top college UFA’s late last season.
5) Pending how long he plays the Pronger trade should work out for both Ana and Philly.
6) Negative Philly making their goaltending situation worse with Ray Emery.
7) Negative Isles bringing back the same horrible DEFENSE yet again.
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Brian G says:
Best Moves by a team: I hate to say it, the Rangers – Gaborik, Prospal, Higgins, Kotalik bring a different dimension which the islanders need….its called scoring goals
Worst moves by a team:
Philly no upgrade in goal, seems like a downgrade with Emery & BoucherMontreal – what was Gainey thinking – let’s build the smallest team in the league….Gomez,Gionta, & Camelleri.
That is too much money to spend on the Smurfs.Worst overall move – Wang and the Islanders cheaping out on every aspect of the organization – Not many free agent signings, cutting the jobs of people in Radio & this blog and i’m sure other parts of the front office.
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Best Off-Season Move: Snow drafting John Tavares
Worst Off-Season Move: Some of Snow’s other draft manuevers
I really don’t care what other teams did this summer. I’m giving Snow a FA pass until next summer. I think he wants a shot at #1 again and if it happens it’ll be great for the franchise. John Tavares and Taylor Hall could be our version of Sidney Crosby and Evgeny Malkin. Either way, next summer it’s time to start stocking the team with some outside talent to supplement the talent already in the organization.
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art says:
If the LH gets done it will be the best deal in Islander history. If the deal falls thru the Isles are history!!!
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Les says:
i 100% agree with post 18, you must be a blind mubnk to not see the islanders goaltending was one of the worst in the league. mcdonald and yann denis? gimme a break, thats the equivelent of loral and frekin hardy
Worst offseason moves – NYI. NOTHING done.
Goaltending wasn’t the problem last season, scoring was. And terrible D. Nothing new added in either area and Guerin’s goals are gone. No real enforcer so Witt, Sutton when healthy will be in the box more. This will be ugly. Too much to ask of these kids.
Wang and Dey have sucked the fun and energy out of me for this season. I can’t even blame Snow too much as he’s just doing what Wang says – don’t spend.