Free agency, day 1.

[bzarcher]

Losing out on both Redden and Rosival sucked a bit, I won't lie. Campbell going to Chicago was also less than ideal, but OTOH, I wouldn't have been terribly thrilled with Columbus agreeing to give him 7.5 million a year until he's -40-, either! I suspect Dale Tallon (Chicago's GM) is banking on the cap going up to be able to handle the eventual contracts that Patrick Kane, Johnathan Toews, and their other up-and-comers are going to demand, but I really wonder if that gamble will pay off. The US economy is already turning down. I wouldn't place bets against the Canadian dollar staying so strong either....Tampa Bay will be in the same boat, I bet. I think that Koules' strategy is that they're going to try a Florida Marlins' style "win the whole thing in the next two years" run, and either at the end of that 2 years or the season after they do win a championship, they'll blow the team apart to jettison some of the higher escalating contracts and hang onto the useful players who were front loaded and are now more reasonable.

I like the deals for Commodore and Torres. We get tougher and meaner, and let's face it - Torres could easily end up as one of our top 3 scorers next year if he's healthy and gets back to his 06-07 form.

For all the talk about overpaying Commodore, 1) Consider that he may have had a rough time in Ottawa (on a team that was already on their way down the drain), but this is a guy who has been in the Stanley Cup finals twice in the past 6 years, and the AHL finals during the lockout in the same time period. Obviously he is able to do -something- right. 2) We knew we'd have to pay to get UFAs here. 3) LOOK AT THE FUCKING CONTRACTS THAT GOT SIGNED TODAY. 3.7 million a year may make him our 2nd highest paid player (at the moment - I suspect that both Umberger and Pazzy will be making 3.75-4 soon), but it was pretty damn cheap compared to Campbell (7.5), Streit (4.25), or Redden (6.5). Hell, Toronto's paying JEFF FINGER $3.5 mil a year, and...um...Jesus, I can't even make up a good excuse for why he's getting paid that unless it's just to piss off Brian McCabe so much that his head actually melts.

I'd really like to see movement on Brendan Morrison if we're really working so hard to get him. Same for Kristian Huselius if he's still a target.

If not, I'm wondering about trades - rumors that "Fritsche + (OKT, a 2nd, or a prospect)" might be going to Toronto for Kubina as a "Plan B" for an offensive defenceman are starting to seem more and more likely - and the Toronto 590 radio sure seemed to think it was going to go down in the real near future. Even 1460 was saying that Howson might be working on "additional trades" tonight. We'll see.

Are we a better team today then when we ended last season? Absolutely.

I'm just concerned about some of the other teams around us...though a lot of that big money (save Campbell) sure seems to be going East, doesn't it? I wonder if we're going to see a lot of the Western teams rebalancing this year. Could mean opportunities for us. We'll just have to see.

Comments

[chaptal.livejournal.com]

The contracts are outrageous, ticket prices and concessions are going to fly through the roof. They have to find a way to get Kubina and sign Morrison this off season is going to be seen as a bust.

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

It doesn't have to be those two specifically if Howson can somehow land a top 6 Centre and an offensive D-man, but the options are running out.

[flaggerx.livejournal.com]

I don't know. The team was pretty close last year. If Torres can return to form, then the team is already better than it was last year. And I figure there's more coming.

I'd rather have a little improvement steadily rather then get pinned again.

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

My only concern about slow burning improvements is other teams around us making drastic changes - Chicago really could unbalance the entire Central depending on what other moves they make...OTOH, St. Louis appears to be standing pat and I haven't heard much out of Nashville other than locking up their defense, so we may be able to sneak around it.

Oh - talked to my grandparents tonight. I'm meeting them for dinner on the 3rd and they're bringing down "some wood to help get you started." No idea what that means, but I expect we'll have more logs in the garage soon than we do today. :>

[flaggerx.livejournal.com]

Agreed, but we aren't done yet. I loved your post above, solid improvements are a big key. And the reason it's called gambling is some of those moves don't pay off. Torres essentially cost us nothing, Commodore sounds reasonably affordable, and well, we have lots of money left.

And what do we have in the minors/training camp? A few really major studs from the scoring side. I remember building the Indians, it seemed slow and then bang, they won 101 games. Those slow builds have a way of getting notice from the smart people, and then all you need is things to click.

Still, I really did not want to see the Blackhawks get Campbell. Of course when he's 38 I may like the deal.

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

Very true. We essentially turned Adam Foote into RJ Umberger (for his pick) and Commodore (paying him the money we would have paid Foote), so I think we came out ahead there.

I really do hope that Voracek, Brassard, and perhaps even Filatov make a huge splash this season. :> I just don't want our offensive plans to count on that.

We'll see what happens with Campbell - I don't like it, but the more I think about it I suspect it'll hurt more than help the Blackhawks in the long run.

[chaptal.livejournal.com]

Oh I agree, but those are the needs that need filled.

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

True...we'll see.

I'm not "burn my tickets and never see them again" frustrated, just a little concerned.