The Florida Panthers kicked off the 2005 free-agent period by signing veteran forwards Joe Nieuwendyk and Gary Roberts, the first two casualties for the Toronto Maple Leafs under the NHL's new salary-cap era.
Nieuwendyk and Roberts, long-time friends and teammates in both Toronto and Calgary, were unrestricted free agents. Roberts, 39, played four years with the Leafs, scoring 28 goals and adding 20 assists in 72 games in 2003-04. Nieuwendyk, 38, played just the one year in Toronto, scoring 22 goals and adding 28 assists in 64 games and making a huge impact in the playoffs where he had six goals in nine games.
The two veterans were the first of a long list of unrestricted free agents available to the highest bidder.
so i guess we won't be getting roberts after all!
opiated Wrote:The Florida Panthers kicked off the 2005 free-agent period by signing veteran forwards Joe Nieuwendyk and Gary Roberts, the first two casualties for the Toronto Maple Leafs under the NHL's new salary-cap era.
Nieuwendyk and Roberts, long-time friends and teammates in both Toronto and Calgary, were unrestricted free agents. Roberts, 39, played four years with the Leafs, scoring 28 goals and adding 20 assists in 72 games in 2003-04. Nieuwendyk, 38, played just the one year in Toronto, scoring 22 goals and adding 28 assists in 64 games and making a huge impact in the playoffs where he had six goals in nine games.
The two veterans were the first of a long list of unrestricted free agents available to the highest bidder.
My grandparents retired to Florida. Maybe Joe and Gary are planning for their retirement and getting someone else to pay for the move. :lol:
Until a big name is signed for some serious coin, I don't think that there is going to be the frenzy of signings that many anticipated. Someone needs to set the bar.
that just killed the leafs....and nolan is leaving as well.
Oh well at least they got younger team now
gratts99 Wrote:that just killed the leafs....and nolan is leaving as well.
Oh well at least they got younger team now
What do youmean that Nolan is leaving? He's out for at least 6 months because of the knee surgery he had last week... but other than that, I haven't heard anything. What did I miss?
I've been monitoring this, and haven't seen Nolan's name listed:
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I hope that he's gone. I'm in favour of the Leafs cleaning house and getting rid of a lot of their older players who don't perform to a level comparable to their pay.
i think that nolan exercised his option to say in toronto, but the leafs management are saying that his injury happened on his owntime , and that they aren't going to honour the contract....or something close to that...
You gotta figure if the Leafs dump two they will probably bring in two more. That being said I think its time they took some of that money they've been gouging off their fans for years and get some decent players who produce and arent 40yrs. old with knee or back problems. I hear Lindros is dying to play in Toronto and I guess LeClair wants to hook up with him again, if the Leafs take those two Ill laugh, LeClair's back is wonky and his best days are behind him, and Lindros well he's one shot to the head away from wearing a bib and being spoonfed, but hey I hate Toronto so I hope they take em both. If ferguson has any brains he'll go after Khabibulin, Naslund, Foote or Forsberg, obviously they wouldnt be able to afford all of those players but they need someone to replace Belfour that guy is done and they need someone who can score on a regular basis to take some pressure off Sundin... eh what do I know? My Habs better do something too, we need a real goalscorer to play with Koivu and a decent reliable defenceman for a change.
chris Wrote:gratts99 Wrote:that just killed the leafs....and nolan is leaving as well.
Oh well at least they got younger team now
What do youmean that Nolan is leaving? He's out for at least 6 months because of the knee surgery he had last week... but other than that, I haven't heard anything. What did I miss?
I've been monitoring this, and haven't seen Nolan's name listed:
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I hope that he's gone. I'm in favour of the Leafs cleaning house and getting rid of a lot of their older players who don't perform to a level comparable to their pay.
When TSN was discussing the cap, they brought up Nolan saying that is likely the leafs wont keep him because of his salary. They also discussed the fact they would have to pay different amounts based on his inujury time or something..
As a Leaf fan Roberts and Nieuwendyk couldn't leave fast enough. Too old and too injury prone to bother wasting cap space with them. Florida is nuts - $4.5 million for those two for two years? Why not spend $4.5 on one star who will actually play every game?
Now I hope they let Domi walk. I'm soooooooooo tired of his "I'm THE MAN" attitude.
cferneyh Wrote:As a Leaf fan Roberts and Nieuwendyk couldn't leave fast enough. Too old and too injury prone to bother wasting cap space with them. Florida is nuts - $4.5 million for those two for two years? Why not spend $4.5 on one star who will actually play every game?
Now I hope they let Domi walk. I'm soooooooooo tired of his "I'm THE MAN" attitude.
I didn't see this thread before so I mentioned this on another one... but I am disappointed in a way to see those two go, because I think they could have still contributed to the Leafs. But yeah, that price is way too much for those guys, so the Leafs were probably right to let them go.
Last I heard about Nolan, the league gave the Leafs some sort of dispensation with him, so no matter what happens they'll be able to buy him out without counting against the cap. I know the Leafs will try to cut him loose without paying what he's owed because they say his injury was outside of hockey, and I think the NHLPA will file a grievance on this issue if they haven't already. So it could end up being very expensive to let him go... but from a strictly hockey standpoint that's fine by me, he didn't really contribute much while with the Leafs.
I don't think 2.25 million/year for Roberts and Nieuwendyk is all that much. Roberts and Nieuwendyk were Toronto's best playoff players and Nieuwendyk at least has a few years left. Roberts might not finish two years but he's worth the risk IMO. The pair is a hell of a lot better than the Sedin twins anyway, who Vancouverites seem to think are a great duo.
tigerthelion Wrote:I don't think 2.25 million/year for Roberts and Nieuwendyk is all that much. Roberts and Nieuwendyk were Toronto's best playoff players and Nieuwendyk at least has a few years left. Roberts might not finish two years but he's worth the risk IMO. The pair is a hell of a lot better than the Sedin twins anyway, who Vancouverites seem to think are a great duo.
Nieuwendyk has a few years left in him? He's 38! Do you mean to tell me that you'd prefer a 38 year old Nieuwendyk - who had 50 points the last time they played hockey - over a 24 year old Henrik Sedin, who had 42 points the last time they played?
And you'd prefer a 39 year old Gary Roberts - who had 48 points (playing a line with MATS SUNDIN), over Daniel Sedin - who is 24 and had 54 points?
Sorry, if I was a GM of a non-contending team (which is what Florida is) I'd prefer the 24 year olds who are only going to get better, over the two grandpa's who will be lucky to play over 65 games each this season.
I like Nieuwendyk - always have. But he's simply too old to compete in what is going to be an up-tempo NHL. And Roberts has been coasting on reputation for five years. What kind of numbers will he put up without Sundin feeding him the puck.
tigerthelion Wrote:I don't think 2.25 million/year for Roberts and Nieuwendyk is all that much. Roberts and Nieuwendyk were Toronto's best playoff players and Nieuwendyk at least has a few years left. Roberts might not finish two years but he's worth the risk IMO. The pair is a hell of a lot better than the Sedin twins anyway, who Vancouverites seem to think are a great duo.
most vancouverites would love to see the sedins long gone....including me
Its starting to take off now... <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.tsn.ca/">http://www.tsn.ca/</a><!-- m --> I cant believe Foote went to Columbus, it cant have been just for the money, surely he could of scored that much somewhere else with a better team
cratch: The Flyers are loading up: Hatcher, Rathje, Therien and Sim(who)..lol Holik went to Atlanta, if they keep Heatly and Kovalchuk they might have something going down there soon, that's if Holik remembers how to score and pass the puck :lol:
Come on Montreal do something!!!!! :x
What the F**K Bob? <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=132233">http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=132233</a><!-- m -->
Im gonna start pulling my hair out soon, they finally level the playing field in the NHL and the Habs do this, Im ready to puke, this better be the start of there spending, if Calgary can grab McCarty and Amonte, anybody can. Come on Gillet spend some of those billions you prick! :nooooo
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