Entries with the tag: free+agents

A $21 Million Shopping Trip Should Be More Fun Than This

by Alanah McGinley on 06/28/08 at 01:42 PM
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It’s difficult to gauge the exact dollar amount available in the Vancouver Canucks’ bank come July 1st.  I’ve read estimates from less-than-$20-M to $21.6 M.  My own addition comes out to $21.1 M, only very slightly off the calculations by nhlnumbers.com.

Whatever the exact amount (and incidentally, I’m less-inclined than before to make fun of hiring a “capologist”) it’s a healthy amount of free agent spending money.

But for those Canucks fans out there still dreaming of Marian Hossa, I daresay it’s not going to be nearly enough.

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Renewing the Vows in Vegas

by Alanah McGinley on 05/16/08 at 11:42 AM
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Will Vigneault be fired in Vegas? The poll (below) indicates that most fans think so. But while I’m not a fan of the coach, I tend to agree (at least in part) with Iain MacIntyre via the National Post, who feels Viggy will get more time.

So, ask yourself: Would the GM include his coach in critical strategy sessions to finalize the Canucks’ entry-draft list, identify free-agent targets and generally plan for next season, then punt him? You know, so Vigneault could take his Jack Adams Trophy and the Canucks’ top-secret plans to another team?

Gillis is unconventional, but not mad.

Chances are the delay in clarifying Vigneault’s status is not due to the possible termination of his contract, but the possible extension of it. Vigneault has a year remaining and obviously would prefer not to be a lame duck, since the most recent one of those - Quenneville - will be pulling shotgun pellets from his rump for weeks.

Firing the Jack Adams-carrying coach is simply much riskier for Gillis than keeping him on another season.

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Window Shopping the NHL for 2008-09

by Alanah McGinley on 05/12/08 at 02:47 PM
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For those of us whose favorite teams are currently hanging on golf courses, beaches or making out with with B-list celebrities in front of tabloid reporters, the fun of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is a bit muted.  But rather than wallow in bitterness, we can always start planning for next year.  So I took a look at NHL Numbers and their developing list of free agents—RFAs and UFAs—coming to the market this summer, and did some window shopping. 

The list is below, but a note of caution from NHL Numbers:

“This is an incomplete list of free agents. Players who did not spend any time on the NHL club’s active roster are not included. Also, some RFA’s may actually be Group 6 UFA’s (I will update ASAP).”

Check their site for the latest updates. Meanwhile, here’s the mostly-current list of players, alphabetized by team, so take a gander and see if there’s anyone you’d like to kidnap for your team next season:

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