NHL Free Agency Thread

[Garet Jax]

Originally posted by: brikis98
i love this... its like a fantasy draft, except real. lots of fun, and should be interesting to see the kind of teams we end up with

bruins made offers to thornton & samsonov... i'm personally getting sick of thornton and would rather they dump him, but sammy, if he stays healthy, is a keeper.

i also can't wait to see bergeron and raycroft this coming year... those two were some amazing young players.

Bruins fan wanting Thornton gone == anything but a Bruins fan

Thornton is the best thing that happened to Boston since Bourque

 

[Insane3D]

Originally posted by: rh71
Boston Bruins: Acquired left wing Brad Isbister from the Edmonton Oilers for a fourth-round pick in the 2006 draft.

Hmmm...don't know much about Isbister...I'll have to check that out. O'Connel has been making references to a pending "huge trade"...

 

[Insane3D]

Originally posted by: Rudee
Florida Panters land Gary Roberts and Joe Nieuwendyk. That'll improve their team bigtime.

Agreed. That is almost a perfect team for them. It's such a young fragile team, a couple of solid veterans like Roberts and Neuwy should help them improve and possibly reach the playoffs. Roberts can still go psycho and lay some nasty hits..

IMO.

 

[Insane3D]

Originally posted by: Garet Jax

Originally posted by: brikis98
i love this... its like a fantasy draft, except real. lots of fun, and should be interesting to see the kind of teams we end up with

bruins made offers to thornton & samsonov... i'm personally getting sick of thornton and would rather they dump him, but sammy, if he stays healthy, is a keeper.

i also can't wait to see bergeron and raycroft this coming year... those two were some amazing young players.

Bruins fan wanting Thornton gone == anything but a Bruins fan

Thornton is the best thing that happened to Boston since Bourque

I'll have to disagree there. You're right Thornton has been a good thing for the B's, but he still has yet to do anything in the playoffs, and his comments really turned off a lot of die hard B's fans like myself.

Listening to him moan about the greedy owners not giving him all he wants, he goes over and takes some guy's job overseas, and talks about how it's so cool he actually had to carry his own equipment and take buses to games, all for $300K ish...

Poor guy...:roll:

 

[Rudee]

Originally posted by: Insane3D

Originally posted by: Rudee
Florida Panters land Gary Roberts and Joe Nieuwendyk. That'll improve their team bigtime.

Agreed. That is almost a perfect team for them. It's such a young fragile team, a couple of solid veterans like Roberts and Neuwy should help them improve and possibly reach the playoffs. Roberts can still go psycho and lay some nasty hits..

IMO.

Yeah, for sure. Roberts and Nieuwendyk are one heck of a one-two punch for any team. This may go down as one of the best free agent pickups by a single team this season.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: Insane3D

Originally posted by: Garet Jax

Originally posted by: brikis98
i love this... its like a fantasy draft, except real. lots of fun, and should be interesting to see the kind of teams we end up with

bruins made offers to thornton & samsonov... i'm personally getting sick of thornton and would rather they dump him, but sammy, if he stays healthy, is a keeper.

i also can't wait to see bergeron and raycroft this coming year... those two were some amazing young players.

Bruins fan wanting Thornton gone == anything but a Bruins fan

Thornton is the best thing that happened to Boston since Bourque

I'll have to disagree there. You're right Thornton has been a good thing for the B's, but he still has yet to do anything in the playoffs, and his comments really turned off a lot of die hard B's fans like myself.

Listening to him moan about the greedy owners not giving him all he wants, he goes over and takes some guy's job overseas, and talks about how it's so cool he actually had to carry his own equipment and take buses to games, all for $300K ish...

Poor guy...:roll:

Thornton has lots of talent/potential, but for the longest time has been really really underacheiving. occasionally, you see a glimpse of brilliance where he all out dominates... but the vast majority of the time, he's just average.

and for the money he wants... average just won't do. not to mention his total lack of playoff performance.

and please, please, don't ever compare thornton to borque

 

[Garet Jax]

Originally posted by: Insane3D

Originally posted by: Garet Jax

Originally posted by: brikis98
i love this... its like a fantasy draft, except real. lots of fun, and should be interesting to see the kind of teams we end up with

bruins made offers to thornton & samsonov... i'm personally getting sick of thornton and would rather they dump him, but sammy, if he stays healthy, is a keeper.

i also can't wait to see bergeron and raycroft this coming year... those two were some amazing young players.

Bruins fan wanting Thornton gone == anything but a Bruins fan

Thornton is the best thing that happened to Boston since Bourque

I'll have to disagree there. You're right Thornton has been a good thing for the B's, but he still has yet to do anything in the playoffs, and his comments really turned off a lot of die hard B's fans like myself.

Listening to him moan about the greedy owners not giving him all he wants, he goes over and takes some guy's job overseas, and talks about how it's so cool he actually had to carry his own equipment and take buses to games, all for $300K ish...

Poor guy...:roll:

Terrell Owens has one of the worst mouths on him of anyone I have ever seen. Doesn't mean he is not a phenominal player (probably top 3 WR in the league).

Thornton has said some things that have turned people against him. I'll give you that, but it doesn't change how he plays the game. He is one of the most gifted centers currently playing the game. He is also got lots of years left. I still think the Bruins are a better team with him that with almost anyone they will get in a trade for him.

Comparing him to Bourque was probably wrong since Bourque was always very classy, but Thornton is still the best player to play for the BB since Bourque.

 

[Insane3D]

I also think that losing Murray and Knuble will cut his production even more....

 

[Garet Jax]

Originally posted by: Insane3D
I also think that losing Murray and Knuble will cut his production even more....

True, but Murray and Knuble were producing because of Thornton not the other way around. Without Thornton, Knuble is probably a second line winger on most teams and Murray is a second line winger on a few. The three of them had Chemistry together.

 

[Garet Jax]

Originally posted by: Garet Jax

Originally posted by: Insane3D
I also think that losing Murray and Knuble will cut his production even more....

True, but Murray and Knuble were producing because of Thornton not the other way around. Without Thornton, Knuble is probably a second line winger on most teams and Murray is a second line winger on a few. The three of them had Chemistry together.

Regardless, Thornton would be top line center on almost every team in the league.

 

[Insane3D]

Originally posted by: Garet Jax

Terrell Owens has one of the worst mouths on him of anyone I have ever seen. Doesn't mean he is not a phenominal player (probably top 3 WR in the league).

Thornton has said some things that have turned people against him. I'll give you that, but it doesn't change how he plays the game. He is one of the most gifted centers currently playing the game. He is also got lots of years left. I still think the Bruins are a better team with him that with almost anyone they will get in a trade for him.

Comparing him to Bourque was probably wrong since Bourque was always very classy, but Thornton is still the best player to play for the BB since Bourque.

He can be dominating...yes. A lot of the time though he seems like he can't be bothered. I also agree the Bruins would be worse without him...no question.

It's all a moot point anyhow, he will probably just take his qualifying offer and be gone next year when he becoms a UFA.

 

[cherrytwist]

Originally posted by: Insane3D

Originally posted by: Rudee
Florida Panters land Gary Roberts and Joe Nieuwendyk. That'll improve their team bigtime.

Agreed. That is almost a perfect team for them. It's such a young fragile team, a couple of solid veterans like Roberts and Neuwy should help them improve and possibly reach the playoffs. Roberts can still go psycho and lay some nasty hits..

IMO.

Rumor has it that they are going after Pronger, too.

Also, a rumor involving Thornton to Detroit for Datsyuk has has been floating around.....

 

[Insane3D]

Originally posted by: Garet Jax

Originally posted by: Garet Jax

Originally posted by: Insane3D
I also think that losing Murray and Knuble will cut his production even more....

True, but Murray and Knuble were producing because of Thornton not the other way around. Without Thornton, Knuble is probably a second line winger on most teams and Murray is a second line winger on a few. The three of them had Chemistry together.

Regardless, Thornton would be top line center on almost every team in the league.

Again, I'm not disagreeing, when he wants to, he can dominate. The problem is he doesn't do that consistently. This doesn't change the fact that I would still be fine with seeing him gone, it's going to happen anyhow next year, so might as well get something for him.

 

[Insane3D]

Originally posted by: cherrytwist


Rumor has it that they are going after Pronger, too.

Also, a rumor involving Thornton to Detroit for Datsyuk has has been floating around.....

Hmmm...I don't think I'd like that trade. Datsyuk is talented as all hell, but I'm not sure he'd do as well in the eastern conference on a team like the B's.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: Garet Jax

Originally posted by: Insane3D

Originally posted by: Garet Jax

Originally posted by: brikis98
i love this... its like a fantasy draft, except real. lots of fun, and should be interesting to see the kind of teams we end up with

bruins made offers to thornton & samsonov... i'm personally getting sick of thornton and would rather they dump him, but sammy, if he stays healthy, is a keeper.

i also can't wait to see bergeron and raycroft this coming year... those two were some amazing young players.

Bruins fan wanting Thornton gone == anything but a Bruins fan

Thornton is the best thing that happened to Boston since Bourque

I'll have to disagree there. You're right Thornton has been a good thing for the B's, but he still has yet to do anything in the playoffs, and his comments really turned off a lot of die hard B's fans like myself.

Listening to him moan about the greedy owners not giving him all he wants, he goes over and takes some guy's job overseas, and talks about how it's so cool he actually had to carry his own equipment and take buses to games, all for $300K ish...

Poor guy...:roll:

Terrell Owens has one of the worst mouths on him of anyone I have ever seen. Doesn't mean he is not a phenominal player (probably top 3 WR in the league).

Thornton has said some things that have turned people against him. I'll give you that, but it doesn't change how he plays the game. He is one of the most gifted centers currently playing the game. He is also got lots of years left. I still think the Bruins are a better team with him that with almost anyone they will get in a trade for him.

Comparing him to Bourque was probably wrong since Bourque was always very classy, but Thornton is still the best player to play for the BB since Bourque.

Did you forget about a guy named Cam Neely? Before he got hurt, he was a goal scoring machine and way more effective than thornton.

And how about oates? easily one of the best setup men in the game.

Aside from that, I still argue that Thornton, at least up to now, has not been getting it done. He hasn't been there when the bruins needed him most and he hasn't been consistent. He also got his face wrecked by lindros, what a fight that was

And I think the bruins could pick up several talented players in exchange for thornton. without murray and knuble, amongst others, we could use a few good players over one occasionally great player. or, the B's might finally decide to spend some money, and actually pick up another superstar (i wouldn't be upset w/ forseburg or the like ).

 

[Insane3D]

GM Mike O'Connell, who returned from Saturday's draft in Ottawa to put in a full day at the office yesterday, said the Bruins have a target list of free agents they would like to sign today. Whether the B's can get those players to sign remains to be seen.
``I really don't know how it's going to play out,'' O'Connell said. ``All I can say is we're ready. There's a big list of available guys out there. We're ready to roll.
``Am I optimistic we can get the guys we want? I don't know. It's a whole new market.''
O'Connell was also still at work on what he termed Saturday as a potential ``huge'' trade.
``I think it will happen or be dead by (today),'' he said.

 

[Garet Jax]

Originally posted by: Insane3D

Originally posted by: cherrytwist


Rumor has it that they are going after Pronger, too.

Also, a rumor involving Thornton to Detroit for Datsyuk has has been floating around.....

Hmmm...I don't think I'd like that trade. Datsyuk is talented as all hell, but I'm not sure he'd do as well in the eastern conference on a team like the B's.

Agreed. Datsyuk is unbelievable, but he has had even better line mates and therefore has not been subjected to the constant pressure. Risky trade with a huge downside and a marginal upside.

 

[Garet Jax]

Originally posted by: brikis98

Did you forget about a guy named Cam Neely? Before he got hurt, he was a goal scoring machine and way more effective than thornton.

And how about oates? easily one of the best setup men in the game.

Aside from that, I still argue that Thornton, at least up to now, has not been getting it done. He hasn't been there when the bruins needed him most and he hasn't been consistent. He also got his face wrecked by lindros, what a fight that was

And I think the bruins could pick up several talented players in exchange for thornton. without murray and knuble, amongst others, we could use a few good players over one occasionally great player. or, the B's might finally decide to spend some money, and actually pick up another superstar (i wouldn't be upset w/ forseburg or the like ).

Both great players, but not in Thornton's league. Thornton can be a superstar.

I think you're being too hard on Thornton because of what he said. His numbers are probably very similar to Sundin's, Sakic's and Forsberg's (it's been a long time since I thought about Hockey so I don't know for sure). But Toronto and Colorado have had better goalies and better defencemen during that same period. So I don't think Boston's woes are Thornton's fault.

If they can get value for the trade, then I think it is the best move since I think Joe has "checked out" of boston already.

 

[Insane3D]

I actually think the B's will be particularly active today. They have been setting themselves up for just this situation the past few years, and they are in a good position to snag a bunch of good players....

 

[classy]

All I know is I was very disappointed in reading that Jagr might not come back. Mario and him have been my favorite players for more than a decade and it just bothers me that a lockout may be the reason I may never see dude play in the NHL again. Forsberg is also up in the air, I hope they can recover the game and get back back like it was during the late 80's and early 90's but it doesn't look good.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: Garet Jax

Originally posted by: brikis98

Did you forget about a guy named Cam Neely? Before he got hurt, he was a goal scoring machine and way more effective than thornton.

And how about oates? easily one of the best setup men in the game.

Aside from that, I still argue that Thornton, at least up to now, has not been getting it done. He hasn't been there when the bruins needed him most and he hasn't been consistent. He also got his face wrecked by lindros, what a fight that was

And I think the bruins could pick up several talented players in exchange for thornton. without murray and knuble, amongst others, we could use a few good players over one occasionally great player. or, the B's might finally decide to spend some money, and actually pick up another superstar (i wouldn't be upset w/ forseburg or the like ).

Both great players, but not in Thornton's league. Thornton can be a superstar.

I think you're being too hard on Thornton because of what he said. His numbers are probably very similar to Sundin's, Sakic's and Forsberg's (it's been a long time since I thought about Hockey so I don't know for sure). But Toronto and Colorado have had better goalies and better defencemen during that same period. So I don't think Boston's woes are Thornton's fault.

I'm sorry, but you are totally wrong. Take a look at the stats:

Thornton
Neely
Oates
Forsberg
Sundin
Sakic

Thornton is not even close the caliber of the other players. Start with Neely who suffered heavily from injury: three 50+ goal seasons, including an unbelievable 50 goals in 49 games in 93-94. Then you have Adam Oates, who has broken 100 points four times, and has had unbelieveable assist numbers almost every year.

Look at Forsberg, who has spent his entire career injured but still has 741 points in 580 games, including two seasons over 100 points, and 2 over 90. Mats Sundin has 1089 points in 1086 games and has been extremly consistent every year. And Sakic? Can you say MVP? Can you say scoring title? Can you say 1402 points in 1155 games? Five 100+ point seasons?

And what has Thornton done? 421 points in 509 games. One 100 point season (say thank you to Guerin and Murray), and no other seasons where he breaks 80 points. And don't even get me started on playoff numbers. 18 points in 35 games for Thornton, compared to over or close to a point per game for everyone else.

Now, of course it's not all goals and assists. But Thornton isn't a good leader either. He lacks class. He lacks leadership by example. He lacks production when the B's need it.

He is NOT a bad player. And maybe he will come into his own, finally. But IMO, this is not the guy to build a franchise around. Maybe he'll prove me wrong in the future, but he def. hasn't yet.

 

[Aquaman]

Originally posted by: Insane3D

Originally posted by: rh71
Boston Bruins: Acquired left wing Brad Isbister from the Edmonton Oilers for a fourth-round pick in the 2006 draft.

Hmmm...don't know much about Isbister...I'll have to check that out. O'Connel has been making references to a pending "huge trade"...

He is supposed to be a Bertuzzi type power forward........ but like bert....... he still has to find his game.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

Not much happening......... the latest:

St. Louis Blues - Signed unrestricted free agent Aaron Downey.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[SSP]

I'm sad to see Joe and Gary sign with the Panthers, but i wish them the best of luck. 2 VERY classy players and 2 great leaders. The panthers wont be disappointed.

Well... the season is getting closer and closer... time to update my sig.

 

[classy]

Originally posted by: brikis98

Originally posted by: Garet Jax

Originally posted by: brikis98

Did you forget about a guy named Cam Neely? Before he got hurt, he was a goal scoring machine and way more effective than thornton.

And how about oates? easily one of the best setup men in the game.

Aside from that, I still argue that Thornton, at least up to now, has not been getting it done. He hasn't been there when the bruins needed him most and he hasn't been consistent. He also got his face wrecked by lindros, what a fight that was

And I think the bruins could pick up several talented players in exchange for thornton. without murray and knuble, amongst others, we could use a few good players over one occasionally great player. or, the B's might finally decide to spend some money, and actually pick up another superstar (i wouldn't be upset w/ forseburg or the like ).

Both great players, but not in Thornton's league. Thornton can be a superstar.

I think you're being too hard on Thornton because of what he said. His numbers are probably very similar to Sundin's, Sakic's and Forsberg's (it's been a long time since I thought about Hockey so I don't know for sure). But Toronto and Colorado have had better goalies and better defencemen during that same period. So I don't think Boston's woes are Thornton's fault.

I'm sorry, but you are totally wrong. Take a look at the stats:

Thornton
Neely
Oates
Forsberg
Sundin
Sakic

Thornton is not even close the caliber of the other players. Start with Neely who suffered heavily from injury: three 50+ goal seasons, including an unbelievable 50 goals in 49 games in 93-94. Then you have Adam Oates, who has broken 100 points four times, and has had unbelieveable assist numbers almost every year.

Look at Forsberg, who has spent his entire career injured but still has 741 points in 580 games, including two seasons over 100 points, and 2 over 90. Mats Sundin has 1089 points in 1086 games and has been extremly consistent every year. And Sakic? Can you say MVP? Can you say scoring title? Can you say 1402 points in 1155 games? Five 100+ point seasons?

And what has Thornton done? 421 points in 509 games. One 100 point season (say thank you to Guerin and Murray), and no other seasons where he breaks 80 points. And don't even get me started on playoff numbers. 18 points in 35 games for Thornton, compared to over or close to a point per game for everyone else.

Now, of course it's not all goals and assists. But Thornton isn't a good leader either. He lacks class. He lacks leadership by example. He lacks production when the B's need it.

He is NOT a bad player. And maybe he will come into his own, finally. But IMO, this is not the guy to build a franchise around. Maybe he'll prove me wrong in the future, but he def. hasn't yet.

If you'll allow me to chime in. For starters Cam Neely was a tremendous player and Sakic is one of the games greats. Oates is also one of the great players. With that being said JT does have the potential to be better than all 3. All 3 of those guys are different players, but JT does possess a unique style different from those 3. Joe is more in the mold of a Shanahan, but a better passer. He is also still quite young and you can't really compare raw numbers either. The guys who are scoring 70 pts or better I believe while not a shoe in, would have probably scored 100 pts or more if scoring was still like it was in Neelys day. He's got a long ways to go, but comparing a 26 year old to 3 HOFers and not just 3 good players, but 3 great players a little tough.