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Mon Jul 06, 2009 1:41 pm EDT

Puck Headlines: Hawks aggressive with RFAs; Coyotes trouble?

By Greg Wyshynski

Here are your Puck Headlines: A glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media.

• Huzzah! The Detroit Red Wings have signed RFA Ville Leino(notes) to a two-year deal at $1.6 million per season, $800,000 per season according to Pierre LeBrun. His dollars-to-points ratio could be absolutely sick depending on where he fits in the Wings' lineup next season. [ESPN]

• The NHL didn't take any action on the Chicago Blackhawks and their restricted free agent paperwork goof, but the NHLPA is still looking into things. So it's with that in mind that Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune reports that Ben Eager(notes), Troy Brouwer(notes) and Colin Fraser(notes) are due to re-sign with the team later today ... with Kris Versteeg(notes), Cam Barker(notes) and Aaron Johnson(notes) still out there in limbo. [Tribune, via Second City Hockey]

• Two interesting bits on the ongoing Phoenix Coyotes saga. The first is that Jerry Reinsdorf's bid to buy the franchise features "little to no cash" in comparison to Jim Balsillie's all-cash bid that would have moved the team to Hamilton. Reinsdorf, who isn't commenting, appears to base his bid on the reworking of debts owed by the team. Never really a good sign when the potential owner of a franchise uses the same schemes we do to finagle free beer from our buddies in the upper deck. [Phoenix Business Journal, via Sporting News]

• Meanwhile, the "no cash" bid news is leaked in curious synchronicity with the news that Coyotes sorta-owner Jerry Moyes is raising hell over the Reinsdorf bid and the fact that he'll receive somewhere between jack and squat if the offer is approved. [Hamilton Spectator]

• Razor with some delightfully catty comments about the free agent frenzy. Add another name to the baffling "Mattius Ohlund was a poor signing for Tampa" proclaimation. [Razor With An Edge]

• Alexander Ovechkin(notes) is an official ambassador for the 2014 Winter Games in Russia. What a battle brewing between the Russian stars and the NHL ... [RT]

• Recommended reading: David Staples' methodical examination of the Dany Heatley(notes) trade news and the leaking of the Edmonton Oilers' package in the media. [Cult of Hockey]

• The World Jewish Ice Hockey Championships featuring coach Jeff Beukeboom. Notable for being a very good human interest story, and for being the first article about Jews and hockey in the last 15 years that doesn't mention Jeff Halpern(notes). [Globe & Mail]

• Really good thoughts from George James Malik on the salary cap going down, the redistribution of talent and whether fans are going to ever see ticket price relief when these conditions change. [Snapshots]

• Predicting what the New York Islanders might look like in 2010-11, with a top line featuring John Tavares and Kyle Okposo(notes). [Lighthouse Hockey]

• Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke may not just be after goaltender Jonas "The Monster" Gustavsson but also his Swedish teammate centre Rickard Wallin(notes). [Toronto Sun]

• Looking back at the trades made by Washington Capitals GM George McPhee in an effort to see what might be headed down the pike for the Caps this summer. [Japers Rink]

• Why the Philadelphia Flyers should make a bid for Todd Bertuzzi(notes). Yes please. [Flyers Goal Scored By]

• TO Sports laments the loss of Rick Nash(notes) from the Leafs' crosshairs and lists the potential free agents in 2010: Ilya Kovalchuk(notes), Patrick Marleau(notes), Alexander Frolov(notes), Marc Savard(notes), Marek Svatos(notes), Milan Hejduk(notes), defensemen Chris Pronger(notes), Nik Lidstrom, Dan Hamhuis(notes) and goaltenders Roberto Luongo(notes), Pekka Rinne(notes), Jonas Hiller(notes). [TO Sports]

• Attempting to figure out the center situation for the New York Rangers after the Scott Gomez(notes) trade. [Scotty Hockey]

• Ryan Kennedy pens a "don't know what you got 'till it's gone" piece about some of the players who recently left their teams, including Nikolai Khabibulin(notes), Ian Laperriere(notes), Hal Gill(notes) and Kyle Quincey(notes). Hate to say it, but John Madden(notes) might have to be added to that list for the Devils, too; maligned as he was later in his career. [The Hockey News]

• Kyle Quincey: On vacation, out of cell range, blissfully unaware he was traded to the Colorado Avalanche. [Denver Post]

• Chemmy reveals his sneaky underhanded path to the NHL Draft. [PPP]

• Tom Gulitti believe some teams lost their damn minds during free agency: "If projections that the poor economy will cause the salary cap to dip from $56.8 million to as low as $50 million for 2010-11 prove accurate, some of the big contracts signed in the last three days will be huge headaches a year from now." [North Jersey]

• Breaking down the arbitration case between Tomas Plekanec(notes) and the Montreal Canadiens. [Eyes on the Prize]

• Nice piece by Brad Lee on Twitter "breaking" St. Louis Blues news during the Frenzy. We have an article this week on Twitter you should keep an eye out for. [St. Louis Game Time]

• Finally, please recall that former St. Louis Blues and current Leafs forward Jamal Mayers(notes) has a passion ... for dance!

Related: Hockey Fans, Puck Videos, Rumors, scuttlebutt, innuendo

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92 Comments

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  1. Deker
    1. Posted by Deker Mon Jul 06, 2009 1:50 pm EDT

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    Jamal Mayers video....how could you? Waiting for something funny and then you see a naked dude's butt sliding across the ice. Thanks alot, Greg.
  2. CUP#12
    2. Posted by CUP#12 Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:31 pm EDT

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    LEINONATOR!! i expect huds to be signed with in the week avoiding arbitration. cant wait for september!
    WINGS TIL DEATH! HOCKEYTOWN FOREVER FOREVER HOCKEYTOWN!
  3. dwfma
    3. Posted by dwfma Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:34 pm EDT

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    try Hejduk; might work better than Hedjuk.
  4. CUP#12
    4. Posted by CUP#12 Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:37 pm EDT

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    @deker thanks for the warning i was able to avoid what you had to endure! ;)
    WTD!
  5. Turkster
    5. Posted by Turkster Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:39 pm EDT

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    Where you been Cup 12? I haven't heard too much from since the Wings got beat in the finals. Wha happened?
  6. Garth the Hoser
    6. Posted by Garth the Hoser Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:52 pm EDT

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    Shouldn't you change your moniker to CUP#13? Oh wait....
  7. Wyshynski
    7. Posted by Wyshynski Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:52 pm EDT

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    @ DWFMA --
    It was misspelled on the other site. Thanks.
  8. CaptNorris5
    8. Posted by CaptNorris5 Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:56 pm EDT

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    1) Wysh, am I reading LeBrunn wrong? I thought the Leino deal was 2 years at a total value of $1.6m. Wouldn't that make it $800k per. Sounds pretty low and $1.6 sounds a bit more likely. Just a bit confused.
    2) Funniest thing I've read all day from TO Sports; the idea that the Leafs could sign Captain Norris in a year. Lidstrom will play in Detroit, and if he ever leaves, it will be to play in Sweden. Though I expect that to be a few years down the line.
  9. CUP#12
    9. Posted by CUP#12 Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:56 pm EDT

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    @turkster i was around the night they lost and for at least a week after facing all who wanted to TRY to thrash me. maybe you didnt notice its summer time and my life doesnt revolve around puckdaddy. ive been traveling and paying alot more attention to a certain gymnast. icing much?
    HEY HEY HOCKEYTOWN! STILL LOUD AND ALWAYS PROUD!!
  10. Turkster
    10. Posted by Turkster Mon Jul 06, 2009 3:01 pm EDT

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    Well I have to admit I wasn't losing sleep trying to find you after the loss but I did find your absence a little puzzling after all the chest thumping. I was actually hoping the Wings would win, being a Hawks fan, you want to lose to the eventual champion.
  11. Jon A
    11. Posted by Jon A Mon Jul 06, 2009 3:02 pm EDT

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    Glad to see the Leino signing. 2 years is a smart move by Holland IMO. Wings in 2010!!!
    Cup, don't buy these loser d0uchebags mocking us. We do have to cut them some slack, as they are jealous their team has no where near the strong winning tradition the mighty Detroit Red Wings have put together!!!
  12. Jeff
    12. Posted by Jeff Mon Jul 06, 2009 3:06 pm EDT

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    When is the next jersey fouls...?
  13. Patrick
    13. Posted by Patrick Mon Jul 06, 2009 3:06 pm EDT

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    You think the Flyers had a lot of penalty minutes last season. Just wait till next season now that they have Pronger and if they do in fact sign Todd Bertuzzi. That team just might set the world record for sin bin minutes.
    Leino will center the Wings grind line well. I can't wait. GO WINGS!!!
  14. Cal
    14. Posted by Cal Mon Jul 06, 2009 3:06 pm EDT

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    The Leino link says the deal is for $1.6M, which would imply over two years, not $1.6M/season, although in all honesty the link is very vague and espn has been known to screw up nhl information.
  15. yerry.take
    15. Posted by yerry.take Mon Jul 06, 2009 3:06 pm EDT

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    pffft. everyone knows Jews cant play hockey.
  16. KBO
    16. Posted by KBO Mon Jul 06, 2009 3:09 pm EDT

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    Nabokov becomes a free agent at the end of next season as well. Just thought I'd let you know that since you didn't include him
  17. Gmoney
    17. Posted by Gmoney Mon Jul 06, 2009 3:09 pm EDT

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    Good ol' Razor Reaugh! Gotta love him (or hate him).
    Also, really good news about the Leino signing. As much as I disklike the ducks, I really like that Leino kid and his bright future.
  18. Hemsky
    18. Posted by Hemsky Mon Jul 06, 2009 3:10 pm EDT

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    Something tells me that Lidstrom will not be a free agent in 2010.
  19. Cale P
    19. Posted by Cale P Mon Jul 06, 2009 3:14 pm EDT

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    Beukeboom will NOT be seeing Bernie Ecclestone at this tournament.
  20. CUP#12
    20. Posted by CUP#12 Mon Jul 06, 2009 3:14 pm EDT

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    jon i agree hence the addition "STILL LOUD AND ALWAYS PROUD" what team has been with in 5 wins of stanley cup glory for 3 years running? what team has a record 9 straight 100+ points seasons? what team has a record tying 4 straight 50 win seasons? yeah i know who the team i support is!
    HOCKEYTOWN FOREVER FOREVER HOCKEYTOWN! STILL LOUD AND ALWAYS PROUD!
  21. Gmoney
    21. Posted by Gmoney Mon Jul 06, 2009 3:15 pm EDT

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    did I say Ducks? I meant Wings. It was something that had to do with a bird...
  22. habs1rule
    22. Posted by habs1rule Mon Jul 06, 2009 3:18 pm EDT

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    The Petition site/Bob Gainey is asking Montreal fans, and our friends of other teams to visit this site and simply vote, helping us finally remove Bob Gainey from power here in Montreal..Please help us...The Petition site/Bob Gainey.
  23. breakaway
    23. Posted by breakaway Mon Jul 06, 2009 3:21 pm EDT

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    They also misspelled Lidstrom's first name. It's Nick, not Nik. Or if you want to get technical: Nicklas. And there is no way the Wings will leave him unsigned before July next year unless he wants to retire ... which would be horrible. He will be 40 years old by then, though.
  24. CUP#12
    24. Posted by CUP#12 Mon Jul 06, 2009 3:21 pm EDT

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    IFFFF the wings did manage to sign leino for 800k then HELL MUTHAFUK YEEEAH!! he is worth 1.6 per either way im happy with it!
    @patrick id be surprised to see leino on the grind line. he has ALOT of offensive capability and isnt really a "grinder" per se. regardless im glad he is signed and expect huds very soon before arbitration.
    WTD!!
  25. Harrison
    25. Posted by Harrison Mon Jul 06, 2009 3:36 pm EDT

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    Wysh, I live in Vancouver, and here is why Matthias Ohlund was a bad signing.
    He's an overrated defenseman, His puck-moving skills are in decline, his footspeed has never been strong, and he can't quarterback a powerplay. Granted, he's a very good defenseman, but don't you wonder why the Canucks didn't offer him a contract? He's already jumped the shark. If Tampa was paying him for two or three years, that would be something else, but here's a defenseman who's been given a seven-year deal when the team that's watched him for his entire career recognizes he's no longer worth the 3.5 THEY were paying him. It looks good to hockey fans from the East, who has never properly followed or understood Ohlund's game, but we in the West recognize that Ohlund's skills and effectiveness have declined drastically and he's going to be overpaid for over half a decade. Bad signing.

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