I agree. Bernie used to poke fun at himself a lot during his slumps -- and he had a few pretty significant ones in his HHOF career -- such as showing off his his graying hair and announcing "Hey, it's gotten so bad, I think some of 'em are turning black again!"

Bernie could joke about it. Pelle could joke about it. What's wrong with Bryzgalov joking about the "support" he got in Winnipeg, especially after a Flyers win? It's totally harmless and actually can be a GOOD way to loosen up some of the tension.

The whole Bryz-bashing thing -- and not just him, it's the same with many other targets-- has taken on such a mean-spirited and callow nature to it, that it reflects worse on those who take constant pot shots or lower themselves to "you won't believe what he said NOW" kind of sensationalism.

It's hockey, for crying out loud. Everyone knows Bryzgalov is struggling on the ice, including the player himself. But it isn't life or death.
- bmeltzer

Impossible, carter sucks remember?
- funmaster18

so 1 game in 50 and carter is amazing now?

JVR's extension will be seen as a steal
- Duran76

I am sure it has been discussed, but did JVR ever have a solid game last night. Not just the last play of the 3rd on the tying goal, but it looked to me like he had his jump and drive to the net back.

VERY encouraging. If we can start to get the goaltending sorted out, with the improvements to D, I like this team's chances to take a crack at NYR and BOS..

Given that:

1) Pronger cap hit lives forever as he was over 35;
2) Pronger's actual salary will continue to get lower each year as there was, IIRC, quite a bit of frontloading;
3) It is highly unlikely that he will play again; and
4) There will be teams that will struggle with the cap floor.

If Pronger is traded does his current cap hit go with him or is it adjusted based on his remaining actual salary?

In other words, would there be a benefit to a team near the cap floor to pay a retired player $1.5M per year that gives them a $4M cap hit?

Would the league allow that or void the trade either due to the inability of the player to play or under the concept that it circumvents the spirit of the collective bargaining agreement?

Could be worth a pick and better than waiting through each summer to put him on LTIR.

I am sure it has been discussed, but did JVR ever have a solid game last night. Not just the last play of the 3rd on the tying goal, but it looked to me like he had his jump and drive to the net back.

VERY encouraging. If we can start to get the goaltending sorted out, with the improvements to D, I like this team's chances to take a crack at NYR and BOS..
- Hextall271

Boston is struggling right now

Given that:

1) Pronger cap hit lives forever as he was over 35;
2) Pronger's actual salary will continue to get lower each year as there was, IIRC, quite a bit of frontloading;
3) It is highly unlikely that he will play again; and
4) There will be teams that will struggle with the cap floor.

If Pronger is traded does his current cap hit go with him or is it adjusted based on his remaining actual salary?

In other words, would there be a benefit to a team near the cap floor to pay a retired player $1.5M per year that gives them a $4M cap hit?

Would the league allow that or void the trade either due to the inability of the player to play or under the concept that it circumvents the spirit of the collective bargaining agreement?

Could be worth a pick.

- GeorgeBailey

to be honest i dont think he would retire i see a marc savard type situation goin on here

- Philly1980

i honestly believe there is some power behind this

This may be way Leight as I heard it yesterday.
But it was very upsetting so forgive me if its already been talked about.

Al Morganti was on the XM radio NHL show and Boomer Gordon asked him, jokingly,
if there was a day that went by that didn't have a JVR being traded rumor.

Morganti replied that he seriously believed that JVR will be traded, if not now then certainly in the off season.

His reasoning was that the rookies have played so much better then expected, making JVR somehow expendable.

It really made me ill thinking about it, as Morganti seems to be somewhat in the know on these things.

JVR is a guy who can alter the game when he is on. Like Giroux.

And we all saw how G can have cold streaks.
JVR is the perfect player to carry the team (in the future) when Giroux has one of these cold streaks.

I hate the thought they have given up on him and that he will be traded.
- Marc D

I don't really think Morganti is all that dialed in any more. And I wouldn't worry. As others have pointed out today, he has a cap-friendly deal. Certainly they may look at trading him in his last year on this deal. But what would be the point of losing him now?

i honestly believe there is some power behind this
- Crimsoninja

Three wolves, four goals against, I'm seeing the pattern. Get this man a shirt with negative one wolves!

I agree. Bernie used to poke fun at himself a lot during his slumps -- and he had a few pretty significant ones in his HHOF career -- such as showing off his his graying hair and announcing "Hey, it's gotten so bad, I think some of 'em are turning black again!"

Bernie could joke about it. Pelle could joke about it. What's wrong with Bryzgalov joking about the "support" he got in Winnipeg, especially after a Flyers win? It's totally harmless and actually can be a GOOD way to loosen up some of the tension.

The whole Bryz-bashing thing -- and not just him, it's the same with many other targets-- has taken on such a mean-spirited and callow nature to it, that it reflects worse on those who take constant pot shots or lower themselves to "you won't believe what he said NOW" kind of sensationalism.

It's hockey, for crying out loud. Everyone knows Bryzgalov is struggling on the ice, including the player himself. But it isn't life or death.
- bmeltzer

This is completely the truth Bill. I betcha part of the issue is the negativity directed towards Bryz. It's a game, and if he can get back to enjoying it more, it will certainly help.

Given that:

1) Pronger cap hit lives forever as he was over 35;
2) Pronger's actual salary will continue to get lower each year as there was, IIRC, quite a bit of frontloading;
3) It is highly unlikely that he will play again; and
4) There will be teams that will struggle with the cap floor.

If Pronger is traded does his current cap hit go with him or is it adjusted based on his remaining actual salary?
- GeorgeBailey

Cap hit is even across the deal, only that actual monetary output changes...

In other words, would there be a benefit to a team near the cap floor to pay a retired player $1.5M per year that gives them a $4M cap hit?

Would the league allow that or void the trade either due to the inability of the player to play or under the concept that it circumvents the spirit of the collective bargaining agreement?

Could be worth a pick and better than waiting through each summer to put him on LTIR.

- GeorgeBailey

Just a guess, but circumvents.

I agree. Bernie used to poke fun at himself a lot during his slumps -- and he had a few pretty significant ones in his HHOF career -- such as showing off his his graying hair and announcing "Hey, it's gotten so bad, I think some of 'em are turning black again!"

Bernie could joke about it. Pelle could joke about it. What's wrong with Bryzgalov joking about the "support" he got in Winnipeg, especially after a Flyers win? It's totally harmless and actually can be a GOOD way to loosen up some of the tension.

The whole Bryz-bashing thing -- and not just him, it's the same with many other targets-- has taken on such a mean-spirited and callow nature to it, that it reflects worse on those who take constant pot shots or lower themselves to "you won't believe what he said NOW" kind of sensationalism.

It's hockey, for crying out loud. Everyone knows Bryzgalov is struggling on the ice, including the player himself. But it isn't life or death.
- bmeltzer

Too much to tweet to Barkann...but if anyone has his email addy...

Yea if u wanna bash Bryz thats your opinion it doesnt mean your right or wrong... its just seems like everyone is doing and then you have the positive supporter... its just interesting to see, you see the leighton bashers and i see no one support that guy im not sayin leighton is better then Bryz its just interesting to see

Yea if u wanna bash Bryz thats your opinion it doesnt mean your right or wrong... its just seems like everyone is doing and then you have the positive supporter... its just interesting to see, you see the leighton bashers and i see no one support that guy im not sayin leighton is better then Bryz its just interesting to see
- Slammed81

Mean Spirited is the key term, in the media and in here. It is the mean spirited nature of the criticism that really gets by back up. In here it comes off as petty and immature, also reeks of laziness. In the media it is flat out unprofessional.

Cap hit is even across the deal, only that actual monetary output changes...

Just a guess, but circumvents.
- bodiva88

Actually, there's examples of players on over 35 deals who were basically retired being traded. Vladimir Malakhov was traded from NJ to San Jose, along with a first rounder for a bag of pucks.

Actually, there's examples of players on over 35 deals who were basically retired being traded. Vladimir Malakhov was traded from NJ to San Jose, along with a first rounder for a bag of pucks.
- Jsaquella

And a lot of hew and cry about it. I'm not sure it gets done again. The reaction to other earlier deals made the original Kovalchuk contract a nonstarter as far as the league was concerned, as though the precedent hurt, rather than supporting, the deal. I can see the Malakhov deal having the same chilling effect on future such deals.

Mean Spirited is the key term, in the media and in here. It is the mean spirited nature of the criticism that really gets by back up. In here it comes off as petty and immature, also reeks of laziness. In the media it is flat out unprofessional.
- MBFlyerfan

the media is unreal its alot of things.. in here i can deal with but if the media keeps feeding the uneducated its only gonna get worse... goaltending in this town is almost impossible cause its so easy to point it out and easy to call out the goalie in this town cause its been that way for 20 years...lazy for sure

I agree. Bernie used to poke fun at himself a lot during his slumps -- and he had a few pretty significant ones in his HHOF career -- such as showing off his his graying hair and announcing "Hey, it's gotten so bad, I think some of 'em are turning black again!"

Bernie could joke about it. Pelle could joke about it. What's wrong with Bryzgalov joking about the "support" he got in Winnipeg, especially after a Flyers win? It's totally harmless and actually can be a GOOD way to loosen up some of the tension.

The whole Bryz-bashing thing -- and not just him, it's the same with many other targets-- has taken on such a mean-spirited and callow nature to it, that it reflects worse on those who take constant pot shots or lower themselves to "you won't believe what he said NOW" kind of sensationalism.

It's hockey, for crying out loud. Everyone knows Bryzgalov is struggling on the ice, including the player himself. But it isn't life or death.
- bmeltzer

the atmosphere in that building is amazing

loved the two fans behind the glass flipping the bird to Simmonds after he scored the tying goal, they were so bitter looking
- Marc D

And one woman in a Jets jersey appeared to be clapping. Wha?

And a lot of hew and cry about it. I'm not sure it gets done again. The reaction to other earlier deals made the original Kovalchuk contract a nonstarter as far as the league was concerned, as though the precedent hurt, rather than supporting, the deal.
- bodiva88

There have been moves that were allowed to just get to the cap floor, though. There's also been deals where a guy gets traded with a pick for future considerations.

Just have to look at it that cap room is an asset. If a team makes a legal trade, then it's hard for me to see how the NHL could step in. Can they start nixing bad deals, as well, that don;t have cap implications...to me it's a bit of a slippery slope.

There have been moves that were allowed to just get to the cap floor, though. There's also been deals where a guy gets traded with a pick for future considerations.

Just have to look at it that cap room is an asset. If a team makes a legal trade, then it's hard for me to see how the NHL could step in. Can they start nixing bad deals, as well, that don;t have cap implications...to me it's a bit of a slippery slope.
- Jsaquella

yea with the Cap floor if the Bryz experiment just didnt work here down the road it may be possible for a trade.... alot of trades were made this offseason to get to the cap floor or overpaying for players in FA

And one woman in a Jets jersey appeared to be clapping. Wha?
- MrBuzzcut

She clapped for all goals for both teams. Conflicted...

There have been moves that were allowed to just get to the cap floor, though. There's also been deals where a guy gets traded with a pick for future considerations.

Just have to look at it that cap room is an asset. If a team makes a legal trade, then it's hard for me to see how the NHL could step in. Can they start nixing bad deals, as well, that don;t have cap implications...to me it's a bit of a slippery slope.
- Jsaquella

If they involve the Coyotes they do (have).

And this IS the NHL. Consistency in anything is not a strong suit.

yea with the Cap floor if the Bryz experiment just didnt work here down the road it may be possible for a trade.... alot of trades were made this offseason to get to the cap floor or overpaying for players in FA
- Slammed81

To me, that's not even something to worry about now. That's like being concerned about Briere's salary in 3 years. In June of 2010, did anyone think that both Carter and Richards would be gone? Not even two years later the face of the tam radically changed.