Sun 1 Jul 2007
[JULY 2]
CAL RE-SIGNS ROBYN REGEHR 5-YEARS AT $20-MILLION
CAL SIGNS OWEN NOLAN 1-YEAR AT $1.75-MILLION
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LAK SIGNS KYLE CALDER 2-YEARS AT $2.75-MILLION
LAK SIGNS MICHAL HANDZUS 4-YEARS AT $4-MILLION A SEASON
LAK SIGNS LADISLAV NAGY 1-YEAR AT $3.75-MILLION
LAK SIGNS TOM PREISSING 4-YEARS AT $2.75-MILLION A SEASON
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MIN SIGNS STEVE KELLY 1-YEAR, NO FINANCIAL TERMS DISCLOSED
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ANA SIGNS TODD BERTUZZI 2-YEARS AT $4-MILLION A SEASON
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MTL SIGNS BRYAN SMOLINSKI 1-YEAR AT $2-MILLION
MTL SIGNS ROMAN HAMRLIK 4-YEARS AT $22-MILLION
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NAS SIGNS RADEK BONK 2-YEAR CONTRACT, FINANCIAL TERMS NOT DISCLOSED
NAS SIGNS GREG DE VRIES 2-YEAR CONTRACT, FINANCIAL TERMS NOT DISCLOSED
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ATL SIGNS KEN KLEE TERMS TO FOLLOW…
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CHI SIGNS ROBERT LANG 2-YEARS, FINANCIAL TERMS NOT DISCLOSED
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WAS SIGNS MICHAEL NYLANDER 4-YEARS AT $19.5-MILLION
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NYR RE-SIGNS JASON STRUDWICK TERMS NOT DISCLOSED
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VAN RE-SIGNS LUKAS KRAJICEK 2-YEARS AT $1.1-MILLION A SEASON
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CBJ SIGNS SHELDON BROOKBANK 1-YEAR, FINANCIAL TERMS NOT DISCLOSED
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TOR RE-SIGNS BATES BATTAGLIA 2-YEARS AT $650,000 A SEASON
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PIT SIGNS PETR SYKORA 2-YEARS, FINANCIAL TERMS NOT DISCLOSED
PIT SIGNS DARRYL SYDOR 2-YEARS AT $5-MILLION
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DEVILS SIGNINGS MADE JUNE 1:
NJD RE-SIGNS JOHNNY ODUYA TERMS NOT DISCLOSED
PATRICIA SAYS: Whoop-dee-friggen-do. I’m scared.
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THE NEW YORK RANGERS HAVE SIGNED SCOTT GOMEZ TO A $51.5-MILLION, 7-YEAR CONTRACT
NYR SIGNS CHRIS DRURY 5-YEARS AT $7-MILLION A SEASON
PATRICIA SAYS: What a slap in the face to each and every Devils fan alike. Granted, most of us kind of didn’t want Gomez on the team anymore after his crap-tastic regular season, but his not-so-crap-tastic playoffs kind of sweetened that bitter taste left in our mouthes. I’m sure Ranger fans are thinking they have screwed us once again, but may I remind you kind folk, there is the tale of a Mr. Robert Holik.
Alas, I will not lie — the Rangers got a heckuva lot better today and the Devils look like black and red swiss cheese right now. Ouch.
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THE DETROIT RED WINGS HAVE SIGNED DEFENSEMAN BRIAN RAFALSKI TO A FIVE YEAR, $30-MILLION CONTRACT.
PATRICIA SAYS: Well now, doesn’t this suck? Now I’m kind of kicking myself in the butt for pleading Rafalski to leave the team all season long. Oops.
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FOR FREE AGENT SIGNINGS MADE JULY 1ST, CLICK MORE…
STL SIGNS PAUL KARIYA 3-YEAR CONTRACT, FINANCIAL TERMS NOT DISCLOSED
STL RE-SIGNS BARRET JACKMAN 1-YEAR, FINANCIAL TERMS NOT DISCLOSED
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COL SIGNS RYAN SMYTH 5-YEARS AT $31.25-MILLION
COL SIGNS SCOTT HANNAN 4-YEARS AT $18-MILLION
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NAS SIGNS JED ORTMEYER 2-YEARS AT $1.5-MILLION
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DAL RE-SIGNS SERGEI ZUBOV 1-YEAR AT $5.35 MILLION
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NYI SIGNS JON SIM 3-YEARS AT $1-MILLION A SEASON
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PIT SIGNS DANY SABOURIN 2-YEARS AT $1.025-MILLION
PIT RE-SIGNS RYAN WHITNEY 6-YEARS AT $4-MILLION A SEASON
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ANA SCOTT NIEDERMAYER WILL NOT ANNOUNCE HIS RETIREMENT, TSN.CA REPORTS.
ANA SIGNS MATHIEU SCHNEIDER 2-YEARS AT $5.5-MILLION AND $5.75-MILLION A SEASON
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WAS SIGNS VIKTOR KOZLOV 2-YEARS AT $5-MILLION
WAS SIGNS TOM POTI 4-YEARS AT $3.5-MILLION A SEASON
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TOR SIGNS JASON BLAKE 5-YEARS AT $20-MILLION
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and 
THE EDMONTON OILERS HAVE TRADED JOFFREY LUPUL AND JASON SMITH TO THE PHILADELPHIA FLYERS IN EXCHANGE FOR GEOFF SANDERSON, JONI PITKANEN, AND A 2009 THIRD ROUND PICK
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EDM SIGNS DICK TARNSTROM 1-YEAR, FINANCIAL TERMS TO FOLLOW…
EDN SIGNS DENIS GREBESHKOV 1-YEAR, FINANCIAL TERMS TO FOLLOW…
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PHI SIGNS DANIEL BRIERE 8-YEARS, $10-MILLION, $6.5-MILLION A SEASON
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ATL SIGNS ERIC PERRIN 2-YEARS AT $1.5-MILLION
ATL SIGNS TODD WHITE 4-YEARS AT $2.375-MILLION A SEASON
ATL RE-SIGNS PASCAL DUPUIS 1-YEAR AT $880,000
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TB SIGNS MICHEL OUELLET 2-YEARS, FINANCIAL TERMS NOT DISCLOSED
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CAR SIGNS JEFF HAMILTON 2-YEARS AT $800,000 A SEASON
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FLA SIGNS RADEK DVORAK 2-YEARS, FINANCIAL TERMS NOT DISCLOSED
FLA SIGNS RICHARD ZEDNIK 2-YEARS AT $1.5-MILLION, $1.75 MILLION A SEASON
FLA SIGNS BRETT McLEAN 3-YEARS AT $1.7-MILLION A SEASON
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BOS SIGNS SHAWN THORNTON TERMS NOT DISCLOSED
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CHI SIGNS YANNIC PERREAULT 1-YEAR AT $1.5-MILLION
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CAL SIGNS CORY SARICH 5-YEARS AT $3.6-MILLION A SEASON
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SJ RE-SIGNS JOE THORNTON 3-YEARS AT $7.2-MILLION A SEASON
July 1st, 2007 at 11:55 am
Joe really turned out a contract and a half, eh? lol I think that the Devils will inevitably lose Gomer…but Rafalski should be a main priority - we can’t afford to lose any more strength on the blue line.
July 1st, 2007 at 2:42 pm
Let the feeding frenzy begin, I’m jumping all over the web to keep tabs on news to see who is going where and what is going on with Gomer, and Rafi, I’ll be here alot, thanks for keeping us in the loop.
July 1st, 2007 at 2:45 pm
briere to philly? damn they are gonna stack up on the free agency market..
July 1st, 2007 at 2:53 pm
Briere 8 yrs 52 mil, with a no move clause? wow.
July 1st, 2007 at 3:18 pm
I can’t believe this, it was all but assured he would sign back in NJ. Although I can admit, the final years of that deal will be a cap burden. Brian was my favorite player, the player who’s number I always wore on my ice hockey jerseys.
I am deeply saddened by this, and it still has not sunk in. All I can say is best of luck Brian. I will always appreciate what you did for the Devils and fans, always handling yourself in a classy manner, what you meant to me, and I hope you have a fantastic career.
#28 Will be missed.
July 1st, 2007 at 3:19 pm
bye bye brian…..
July 1st, 2007 at 3:29 pm
i hope lou’s got something up his sleeves
July 1st, 2007 at 4:17 pm
This better be followed up shortly by the signing of Souray by the Devils. That is the only justification I can come up with.
I’m really disappointed - all the nonsense about how what he really wanted was to stay in Jersey and to make that possible…well, look how well that turned out.
Oh, and how nice of Nieds to do Anaheim the favor of giving them advance notice on his status in the upcoming season. Would’ve been nice of him to do the same for us back in the day.
July 1st, 2007 at 4:20 pm
Well, losing Rafalski kind of blows, but he’s really not worth that much, so I guess it’s not such a bad thing. Maybe now we can overpay for Gomez.
July 1st, 2007 at 5:24 pm
Rafalski got a 6-year deal. He’s 34. Is he going to be worth $5M a year when he’s 39 or 40, and huffing around the Western Conference? Say what you want about the tight packing of the Atlantic Division, but the Devils really have a relatively light travel schedule. Now go from Detroit to Nashville to LA-LA-land to
Vancouver in a month. I give Rafalski’s knees about 3 years…..unless he proves to the Red Wings that he can’t handle the puck on the point on THEIR power play either. Yes, it isn’t great to lose your #1 defenseman, but the sad fact is that Rafalski is a weak #1. C’mon back Souray! Or any of the other 5 or 6 reasonable (and younger) blueliners out there.
July 1st, 2007 at 5:31 pm
Hal, what’s your source on six years? Everywhere I’ve heard and read states five years.
July 1st, 2007 at 6:02 pm
Oh My God, I’m in complete shock, after all that talk about not wanting to leave and that this is HIS Team and now He leaves, oh I’m bummed He was one of My Favorites, I’m still going to wear My #28 jersey but it won’t be the same. Im still not recovered from Nieder leaving now Raffi, now there will be enough money to overpay Gomer.
July 1st, 2007 at 6:09 pm
Gomez is a piece of crap that just slapped all of us Devils fans right in the face, of all Teams to go to I hoped that it would not be Rangers or Flyers, I figured He would go to the highest bidder, I just didn’t think that He would flip us the bird while doing it.
July 1st, 2007 at 6:10 pm
the rangers? oh my god what a trader. he better hope cam aint playin against him next season cause wow will he get cracked.
July 1st, 2007 at 6:11 pm
Bring back Sheldon.
July 1st, 2007 at 6:22 pm
I just read somewhere that Lou never even made Rafalski an offer to stay, what’s up with that? what does He have up His sleeve.
July 1st, 2007 at 6:41 pm
you devils fans are all losers ah hah got u again now your new building will be empty like the old one. #23 broadway blue sheri stop with the whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
July 1st, 2007 at 6:43 pm
the only thing more pathetic than devils fans are islanders fans. LETS GO RANGERS, GOMEZ IN ALL ALONE ON BRODEUR, HE SCORES RANGERS WIN, HOW SWEET IT IS
July 1st, 2007 at 7:19 pm
The Rangers can have His over priced butt the laugh will be on them when reality hits that they paid that much money for an 8 goal scorer with a bad groin, and to Wes if Your going to attempt to insult Me, at least spell My name the right way.
July 1st, 2007 at 7:21 pm
so johnny is staying.. that still doesn’t help much, we need a top line D-man
July 1st, 2007 at 7:27 pm
Wait… wait… do you hear that?
That’s the Devils falling down to the bottom of the Eastern Conference next season.
What the heck is Lou doing!?! We better get someone decent. Today sucks!
Bye bye Raffi
July 1st, 2007 at 7:27 pm
Wes, were you watching any Devils games at all last season? You just paid 51.5 million to a guy who scored 13 goals last year. Have fun.
July 1st, 2007 at 7:33 pm
I would love to see Big Arnott back, He’s a good size center that knows the system, and is in the best shape of His life.
July 1st, 2007 at 7:57 pm
How come all of the Teams around us are getting better and the best that Lou can come up with is Johnny O no offense to Him He’s not bad, but He is not Rafalski, and certainly does not strike fear in the oposition.
July 1st, 2007 at 8:13 pm
The Rangers just spent all of this money and all of the Ranger fans remember when they had Bure, Lindros, etc. THEY SUCKED. But back to reality the only fight they put up is who will wear Number 23. Drury or Gomez( Who by he way will screw them somewhere down the line)
As we all know DEVILS RULE winning or losing and the RANGERS SUCK when always LOSING.
July 1st, 2007 at 9:51 pm
Patricia — it’s POOMEZ forever. I’m picturing a nice shit-stained Ranger$ Jer$ey.
July 1st, 2007 at 9:52 pm
Wait… the Ranger$ have a 50M cap… and they’re spending $13.5 on 2 players???
BWAHAHAHAHA.
July 1st, 2007 at 10:11 pm
the rangers have seemed to have lucked out this postseason but, in all honesty, if scott gomez were a clutch player, lou would have rolled out the money for him. elias, for example, is a “money player” and that’s why he was signed. lou is a smart GM. i don’t agree with all his moves but he does have a method for his madness. sad to see 28 and 23 go but none of them were worth the dough they were exchanged for. looking forward to NJ’s future deals…
July 1st, 2007 at 10:41 pm
This is bad news for the Devils. Not only did we lose our top center and top defenseman, but of the 3 premier centers in the UFA pool, all 3 went to the Rangers and Flyers. As much as I love Sarge, if Brylin is centering one of our top two lines next season, the Devils are in deep deep trouble.
Who’s out there for the Devils to bring in as a top-2 center? Is there anyone else in the system to step in as a number 2?
We can only hope that Lou manages to bring back Souray– one of the few remaining UFAs who will actually be an upgrade on D.
July 1st, 2007 at 11:33 pm
Actually , wes, it will be “Gomez in all alone. He has room to shoot, and he passes. Another missed scoring opportunity for the Rangers.”
Not that big of a loss in my opinion.
However, I am rather bummed about Rafalski leaving.
July 2nd, 2007 at 1:09 am
As one of the many who speak the word “In Lou We Trust” I am a bit, no…a lot down tonight. I might shoot him an email for a little bit of today because I am DYING to see what scheme they have. However, I am going to write him at some point that the fan’s should be appreciated more in many ways. However, that is for another day. Today is a day of limbo and confusion. The point of the matter is this: The Devils are great in working with their farm system, but when you have no one in the system to replace a gifted playmaking center.. it’s hard to rely on what you don’t have.
So Mr. Zachary Parise, today is a wake up call. Today you became the number one center for the New Jersey Devils. We hope and should expect a couple of FA winger’s to help your previous slot on the second line. As of today the second line is Langs, Zajac and Brylin. (I assume for today.) Hopefully Souray and Guerin/Bertuzzi will sign with us. However, until then it’s on YOU. The steal of the 2003 draft and one of the best five young player’s in hockey. It is now your time.
The day has ended and will it be remembered as a day of infamy or just a scare? I leave today with three comments.
1. You can develop and be proud of your farm system all you want, but at some point you must pay a player and in a couple of year’s this contract will be chump change for Gomez. The going rate is now 6-7 mil a year for a top tier player. The cap will keep on rising meaning more room every year to make these contract’s today even more affordable. Unless you buck up in this day and age especially when it’s harder to trade, you will be left in the dark or at best tonight: LIMBO. Is it also wise to go into a draft and FA period with NO head coach?
2. People can bust on the Rangers all they want and the year’s they did not make the playoff’s, but at some point you get thing’s right. They got two top tier center’s who have complete games, the rookie of the year in Marc Staal next year and the STEAL of the draft this year in Cherepanov. At some point you get it right. Oh by the way, Hartford is a good farm system: Ryan Callahan will show you that. They are still the Rangers, but they have improved. As did the Flyers, but their goaltending is average at best. Biron is NOT what he used to be or what he was billed to have been. That being said, they have improved. They still have skilled young forwards in their system (Potulny, Downie, VanRiemsdyk and Giroux).
3. Martin Brodeur, the best goalie we probably will ever have…arguably EVER, has about five year’s left in him and today is not the day to rebuild and we should keep key pieces around him. We must take advantage of this special time.
So here is to tomorrow for that is all we have right now and the world is not lost. We will at least win 25 games next year. However if anyone thinks we are a better team today, your are blind. Tomorrow is another day for celebration, despair, surprise or relief.
YET THIS IS ABOUT TODAY!
I wish Mr. Vanderbeek, Lou and our entire management team a good night sleep after a hard day of work on the golf course. Sunday IS a day of work for some people ya know?
VivaSaintMartin30
**DevilsRule.com
July 2nd, 2007 at 6:10 am
I have wondered if we are going to see a double-take skip across the Hudson, as the Devils bid on Michael Nylander — and unless he takes a paycut, he is no longer a Ranger.
He has five or six kids and apparently, he wouldn’t have to move the family…he is a sharp-shooter and Lou can get him.
What a ride this weekend…should be good for the rivalry.
The Dark Ranger Strikes!!!!! KA-POWWWWW, Jersey.
tdr
July 2nd, 2007 at 6:19 am
Rafalski’s deal was 5 years, not 6 — was blindsided by a day of interesting (but not necessarily bad) news. I captured all of my thoughts on the Gomez issue over at SnowManOnFire.com, basically he didn’t want to leave his buddies here so he moved across the river. I give his groin about 3 games on the Garden ice. And when he’s not first-line center, the whining will start, but this time the papers will notice, and Renney and the front office will be in his hockey pants faster than you can say “Lou who”.
July 2nd, 2007 at 6:49 am
I’m really lost on this year. Gomer goes, ok I actually know someone who knows him and he was saying he was gone last year. So this was expected. But to the Rangers, come on. Then the Rangers get Drury, how in the hell do they have so much cap room?
Next is Rafalski. I’m glad he’s gone. Ask yourselves this question is Brian Rafalski really worth $6 mil a season? Hell no. He’s turns the puck over, gets beat by forwards, and can’t take the body as well as he used to.
With all said and done, Lou makes business decisions sometimes over Hockey decisions. As evident with Molginy leaving back in 01, the breaking up of the A line, and resigning Malakov and Mogilny a few years back. The Devils need a big name scorer. They need to put more into the offensive side of the game because even the players are beginning to question the huge emphasis on D. If they Devils could get a guy like Joe Thornton, someone that can score a ton of goals and attract fans, we’ll be ok.
I hope Lou can make smart hockey decisions, pick up another defenseman that can run the point on the pp, (Martin isn’t that great) and pick up a few offensive powers to help out Parise.
July 2nd, 2007 at 7:40 am
The Dark Ranger, it’s heavily rumored that Nylander will sign with Edmonton, if he hasn’t already.
July 2nd, 2007 at 10:03 am
Why hasen’t Souray been picked up by anyone yet?
July 2nd, 2007 at 10:56 am
Patricia…I saw hints of that last night. Edmonton to get far away from the embarrassment of overplaying his hand. Nylander’s agent should be ashamed as there was a contract available four-weeks ago and if they had agreed to the 3 mill’ish per year, the Rangers would never have been able to power-play the free agent free-for-all.
NJDevil - you and the north Turnpike must all have a hangover, as Lucky Louie has more faith in his system than he does the player. Time will show he may be right in the long run, but now with franchises signing players for five years plus(seven for Gomez…the NY Ranger, ouch) (seven for Briere…the Flyer), but if he’s wrong — the rebuilding process will be painful. By the way, I never liked Lou — even with the Cups, he has an inferiority complex to NYC.
tdr
July 2nd, 2007 at 10:57 am
Thank you Lou, no more tight against the cap with stupid signings. Maybe this trade deadline we can actually be a player!
Not spending the money this year will help when some of those big dog UFA’s and RFA’s hit the market next year and teams that spent it now won’t be able to make a pitch.
Hmmm, Heatley,Spezza,Phaneuf,Regehr,Micheal-Liles,Marleau,Ovechkin,Boyle,Hossa and Crosby to name a few….. there’s still hope! I do think Lou will sign a d-man or 2 possibly Stuart or Souray but more likely a guy like Preissing, Sopel or Hamrlik with a couple of forwards like Comrie, Guerin, Handzus, Zubrus or Bertuzzi.
Keep the faith Devils fans, every team has a down time maybe this is it… but then again maybe this is the beginning of something better!
DEVILS FAN IN THE HEART OF LEAF LAND!
July 2nd, 2007 at 12:47 pm
How about the youngsters? Anyone in the waiting?
July 2nd, 2007 at 1:06 pm
No one immediately available, Kelly.
July 2nd, 2007 at 1:55 pm
So one Scott left:
Clemenson. I never thought I’d see the day.
July 2nd, 2007 at 2:58 pm
Oh I forgot, get rid of Sarge. He did his role, but we need a better second line winger. We need more of an offensive minded player.
I wouldn’t be too surprised if Louie makes a deal for a big name center, a #1 center. And then keeps the Lang, Parise, Zajac line together. That line produced last year, breaking them up wouldn’t hurt, but I could see doing other things.
Want to see a lot of David Clarkson this year. Reminds me of a Wendel Clark type player. Gets into fights, but can put the puck in the back of net….a lot.
July 2nd, 2007 at 6:03 pm
Lou said He was going to stay put and I guess He was serious, all the rest of the teams are really moving some players, good for Klee, I kind of liked Him it took Me a while to warm up to Him. Lou is supposed to be working on Luk talks, like I said before I could care less about losing Poomez, but Raffi still stings a little, but at least We only see Hockey Town once or twice a yr.I have been to other blog sites and the Ranger fans are calling The Dev’s and their fans a joke because they have Gomer but they are the ones paying Him and His wonky groin 10 mil next season, so what does that amount to 1 mil a goal? and The Dev’s are a joke?
July 2nd, 2007 at 6:17 pm
Ugh. I can’t wait for a move by the Devils to be posted. The suspense is killing me!
Of course, nothing shouldn’t surprise me at all.
July 2nd, 2007 at 6:32 pm
Did anyone catch the MSG site with Gomez all smiles in an interview wearing a Rangers jersey? sickening, Get em Cam. Thanks for all of the great player movement updates.
July 2nd, 2007 at 7:18 pm
Colin:
Something tells me that if the Devils have the money and interest in signing Sidney Crosby in a few years, the league folds the day before free agency begins.
July 2nd, 2007 at 7:21 pm
I’m hoping Lundqvist approaches Sather and asks for 5-7 mil. It’d be great to see the Rangers go after other teams’ talent only to lose their promising goalie to greed. Weekes would start. HA!
July 3rd, 2007 at 1:05 pm
Sorry Patricia, but B-rad Lukowich’s replacement may have just been signed to NJ.
Seriously, as a depth (or a #4 role) signing, I think Rachunek will be OK.
July 3rd, 2007 at 3:52 pm
Ummmmm, Aaron, Weekes is not returning as of the end of the season - he declared himself a free agent after Lundqvist’s season and the rookie Montoya had a good few outings…Lundqvist loves the nightlife and he won’t leave for the boonies any time soon.
July 4th, 2007 at 3:33 am
hey Pat,
What happened to day 3 of ur Free agent tracker?
I’ve always relied on ur website.
WIl u still update for the rest of hte off-season?
thanks
July 4th, 2007 at 11:19 am
I decided to stop after Day 2. Darren is out of town so it’s only me with the workload, I’ll update with Devils signings and/or trades but otherwise I think I covered most of the ground anyway.
July 5th, 2007 at 3:31 pm
It’d be great to see the Rangers go after other teams’ talent only to lose their promising goalie to greed. Weekes would start. HA! - posted by Aaron - Ummm hey Aaron, guess who the backup goalie for Marty is? That’s right! HA!