Around the league (signings, RFAs injuries)

[Cousin Strawberry]

Sbisa fails the available-stats test AND the eye test.

I think everyone agrees on that.

I don't see anyone saying the Sbisa contract is a good one right now Scarecrow Blob.

Except Benning? I'm not hopeful, but I'm hoping this professional hockey guy knows better than us.

Some people, including Benning, see Sbisa as an overpaid but necessary piece at this stage of the rebuild.

Some people, including Benning, think Sbisa will perform better in the future than he has in the past.

Some people, including Benning, know that if Sbisa does not perform better

... Sbisa/contract is gone baby gone in 3 years (towards the end of the rebuild).

But hey ALL people, including Benning, know the Sbisa contract is a not a good one right now.

What's good for us and our future is that Sbisa is in our starting top 4 right outta camp! With a couple of key injuries he slides into the top pairing virtually guaranteeing a top 5 pick with the possibility of a lottery upgrade...
Blob you're looking at it all wrong. Jimmy has cued up the rebuild right under our noses!

[Strangelove]

Cued it up??

We're two years into it!

[Cousin Strawberry]

Cued it up??

We're two years into it!

Sure...but the true suckage hasn't even begun.

Close your eyes and imagine LS in the top pair. Yes...I think you can see it now...
It looks a lot like this:

[Strangelove]

Close your eyes and imagine Hansen traded dollar-for-dollar for a vet tweener dee

... a major Sbisa transformation, Corrado as rookie of the year, Canucks accidentally winning a Cup during a rebuild.

Eh..... EH?!!

[Cousin Strawberry]

Come on Doc...your faith is commendable but this is one horse you shouldn't hitch your wagon to.
The guy sucks ass man.
Every other scenario I can see including the surprise cup but not the transformation of Sbisa. No way.

[Strangelove]

Come on Doc...your faith is commendable but this is one horse you shouldn't hitch your wagon to.
The guy sucks ass man.
Every other scenario I can see including the surprise cup but not the transformation of Sbisa. No way.

I dunno, great skater who likes to play a physical game but is super-prone to panic attacks.

Give him whatever they gave Schneider (ativan?) and who knows!

*pops another pill*

[Island Nucklehead]

TSN takes a legal look at the Richards case.

Sounds like the only chance the Kings have of winning the NHLPA grievance will be arguing that Richards breached his contract (and not the drug policy) by failing to inform the team of his arrest.

So it is possible that the Kings may seek to distinguish between (i) termination for being arrested for possession, and (ii) termination for failing to advise of the arrest.

Will that argument fly? It will be a tough one since it would mean concluding the Drug Policy does not apply. That being said, if you're the Kings, it's worth a shot.

Hopefully Richards wins this, and the Kings are forced to bury him in the minors again. Either way, with Voynov potentially returning to the books soon, the vultures would be circling.

[Hockey Widow]

TSN takes a legal look at the Richards case.

Sounds like the only chance the Kings have of winning the NHLPA grievance will be arguing that Richards breached his contract (and not the drug policy) by failing to inform the team of his arrest.

So it is possible that the Kings may seek to distinguish between (i) termination for being arrested for possession, and (ii) termination for failing to advise of the arrest.

Will that argument fly? It will be a tough one since it would mean concluding the Drug Policy does not apply. That being said, if you're the Kings, it's worth a shot.

Hopefully Richards wins this, and the Kings are forced to bury him in the minors again. Either way, with Voynov potentially returning to the books soon, the vultures would be circling.

Ya, when this first came up it was reported that what pissed the Kings off was that they were in the process of trading him, so the story goes. This was at the draft. When they contacted his agent about a possible trade they were told about the arrest and the Kings had to scramble at the draft to inform two GMs who were supposedly in on a potential trade. Lombardi was said to have been embarrassed and enraged about it. Any potential deal died on the draft floor.

I doubt they keep him if they lose. They will wait until his NHL suspension is over, because he will be suspended if the Kings lose, and then they will buy him out. Either way hard to see him playing until the legal issue is resolved.

I find it incredible that Voynov was suspended on the accusation of domestic violence, before criminal charges were laid, Richards terminated before criminal charges laid yet nothing for Patrick Kane who is being investigated for rape. Given the seriousness of the accusations against Kane and given camp opens in a short time he too should be suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.

[Island Nucklehead]

I find it incredible that Voynov was suspended on the accusation of domestic violence, before criminal charges were laid, Richards terminated before criminal charges laid yet nothing for Patrick Kane who is being investigated for rape. Given the seriousness of the accusations against Kane and given camp opens in a short time he too should be suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.

I would wager that the second Patrick Kane sees handcuffs he will be suspended indefinitely.

[Topper]

Does that count the ones in his bedside table?

[SKYO]

@WTPHockeyFacts:
In 2028, Rick DiPietro will still be paid by #NYI, (not playing)
Lecavalier by TB, (can't be given away)
Bryzgalov by Philly (probable nhl retirement)
& Ehrhoff by the Sabres. (signed a 1 year $1.5M contract)

At least the current CBA prevents these contracts now, only 7-8 years max.

[dbr]

Those are all buyouts. Next offseason you could buy a player out of the six remaining years on his deal and be on the hook until 2028.

Heck if we bought Brandon Sutter out next summer we'd be paying him until 2026.

[SKYO]

don't go there dbr!

---
http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/rumor ... eal-looms/

The Los Angeles Kings will have to pay big bucks to keep first-line centerman Anze Kopitar out of next summer’s unrestricted free agent market. However, he’s not the King who will prove costly to retain.

Fluto Shinzawa of The Boston Globe speculates left winger Milan Lucic could have a short tenure in Los Angeles. Lucic, 27, was dealt to the Kings in June by the Boston Bruins. Like Kopitar, he’s slated to become a UFA next July. He’s completing a three-year, $18 million contract and it’s expected he’ll seek a significant raise.

The Kings currently have over $49 million invested in 15 players for 2016-17. That’s not including the potential salary-cap recapture penalty for center Mike Richards, whose contract termination is being contested by the NHLPA, or the $4.167-million salary-cap hit of currently-suspended defenseman Slava Voynov.

Re-signing Kopitar could cost the Kings around $10-million annually, taking a significant bite out of their remaining cap space. Lucic could cost another $7 million per season. Even if the Kings can afford to re-sign both, Shinzawa notes they must leave sufficient cap room to re-sign wingers Tanner Pearson and Tyler Toffoli, who are restricted free agents in 2017.

Kopitar the uberstar should get around $10M per as the article says, like other Cup champ teams pay their top center, namely Toews.

Richards/Voynov should be interesting to see how that unfolds.
Pearson and definitely Toffoli should be getting paid decently in a couple years.

With that said, Lucic is def' gone, anyways I'd like to sign Lucic next offseason if/when Seabrook re-signs with the hawks, it'll be fun to have him on our team rather than get beat down by him if he signs with a team out west.

He'd be the leader for our future Canucks after the Sedins retire and play in Sweden in 2-3 years.
Looch - Horvat - Virtanen (hitman line)

[SKYO]

That article also talks about Franson and Glencross, surprised a tad it'll be September and both still UFA's.

With every team being frugal/cheap these days, there should be lots of last minute contracts for the depth guys.

Weiss, Visnovsky, Flash, Erat, Cole, Meszaros, Peverley, Tlusty, Bergenheim, Leopold, Upshall, Stempniak, Zidlicky and the mighty Tim Gleason whom I wouldn't mind signing to solidify our mediocre defense.

Is capable of playing a shutdown role, due to a combination of hockey sense, mobility and an aggressive nature. Also has a little offensive acumen. A good team player, he always works extremely hard and sacrifices his body.

[Hockey Widow]

I still think if Lucic hits the market Benning will blow the wad for him, on a five year deal. If Lucic wants seven years we will get a better cap hit, marginally, but doubtful we get a modified NTC for his final years.

Something like 5 years at 7 and 2 years at 4 million for 7 years at 43 million for a 6.1 cap hit. With a modified NTC I may be ok with something like that but it scares me.