Free Agency Liveblog: 2010

by Anne


In 2009 I did a liveblog of the opening of free agency. It was a lot of fun at the time, and re-reading it was fun a few months later. So I'm gonna do it again if you're so inclined to check in or drop a comment.

11:06 Back from job interview. Went well. Hate job interviews. The person doing the interviewing knows exactly what you're interviewing for and your understanding is usually somewhat vague. Whatevs, it went okay and this guy was 1,000x more pleasant than the douche who interviewed me on Monday. Now I'm hungry.

11:09 I figure something has to happen today or soon. We're losing Lydman and Tallinder and the defensemen free agents are somewhat appealing today. Gonchar, Martin, and Kaberle (oh wait, he's not a free agent, but he is up for grabs) just to name a few. I'm still hungry, and we have $14 million in cap space? Really? Sweet.

12:00 Let the madness begin!

12:01 Marty Biron signs with the Rangers?! :( :(

12:02 Per Darren Dreger, Marty goes to the Rangers for two years at just under 900k per season. :(

12:03 Also from Dreger, Danny Paille signs with Boston in a two-year $2.15 million deal.

12:06 Never got anything to eat. Talking to my sister on the phone. Now I'm going to take the laptop downstairs. I expect 57 signings between now and then.

12:14 I loooves me some Danny Paille but that's a lot of $$$ for him.  Also, there were no signings between leaving my bedroom, starting lunch, and now.

12:18 Looks like Gonchar to Ottawa 3 years, $5.5 million per with a NTC.

12:27 In "Meh?" news Alex Tanguay to Calgary for 1 year and the Flyers re-sign Coburn. Whoop-dee-doo!

12:31 GareBear is on NHL Live and sounds like he has a cold. I'm sick of hearing him talk about the same things. Now we're on shootouts. Yawn.

12:34 Mahc Sahvahd is likely being traded today. It's being tossed around Regehr for Savard but it's being reported that Savard won't have his NTC to play in Western Canada... because he wants to come to Buffalo. Right? :D

12:48 Re-signings can be boring, like this one. Alex Steen signs an extension with St. Louis for 4 years. Whatevs. I like the Blues. Mostly because of David Backes, so whatevs.

1:02 Marty St. Louis signs a 4-year extension in Tampa Bay.

1:04 Paul Martin to Pittsburgh? Okay, I guess.

1:11 Now Zbynek Michalek to Pittsburgh as well.

1:13 Never ind about the Paulie Martin to Pittsburgh. That was an incorrectly reported trade. Eric Belanger is on NHL Live. He's cute, I'm not sure if we could use him, but at least he's pretty. Darcy?

1:18 Michalek to Pittsburgh is 5 years for $20 million. I'm not hopeful that Martin would come to Buffalo but it makes me feel better that it's still possible.

1:29 Alex Auld to Montreal for 1 year. Not really a huge deal to fix their situation, to be honest. That's a Darcy-esque signing.

1:35 A little piece of us all dies as Colby Armstrong signs with the Leafs for 3 years and $3 million per. :( Also, Niittymaki signs with the Sharks. Yikes, San Jose's goaltending isn't looking to snazzy.

1:39 I just shrieked and gasped. Sean O'Donnell signed with the Flyers :( I'm as bummed as I was when Sissy went to Montreal. :(

1:48 I'm so bummed out about O'Donnell and Armstrong. I figured O'D was going to stay in LA and Army would be back in Pittsburgh :(

1:50 Manny Malhotra to the Canucks. I suppose he'll do. He and Ballard can ATTEMPT to make up for the pretty lost when Big Bear left BC.

2:00 Derek Morris stays in Phoenix for 4 year, $11 million deal.

2:24 A little late on this because I was giving my dog a bath, but Jody Shelley to Philly (WOW, REALLY?) and someone named Crabb to the Maple Leafs.

2:25  Dan Ellis to Tampa Bay. Good place for him, he can play a lot more than he would in a lot of other cities.

2:29 Okay, now Paul Martin IS a Pittsburgh Penguin. I just tweeted this but I could see Andy Sutton as a Lydman replacement. Blocks a lot of shots and hits quite a bit.

2:38 Derek Boogaard to the Rangers. Wa-hoo. Life-changing signing, really.

2:47 Paul Martin got the elusive 5-for-25 deal. I jokingly tweeted about him getting that earlier, haha. Oh Paulie.

3:01 Toni Lydman to Anaheim. Although it was reported that Tony Lydman was signed there but I'm going to assume they meant Toni.

3:03 Lydman gets $9 million over 3 years in Anaheim. I hope he and Greener have fun pummeling each other into the boards.

3:15 Ray Whitney signs in Phoenix for 2 years, $3 million per. No chance was he coming to Buffalo, I'm not sure why people were pumping that rumor. He's made no secret that he wouldn't want to come here based on what some writers have said about conversations with him.

6:25 I went to see a movie. Whoops. I missed a few things, it seems.

6:27 The Sabres signed Jordan Leopold, Adam Burish to Dallas, Andrew Ladd traded to Atlanta, Chris Mason signs with Atlanta, Dan Hamhuis to Vancouver, Saku Koivu stays in Anaheim, Jeff Tambellini to Vancouver, Tallinder and Volchenkov to New Jersey, Kurtis Foster to Edmonton, and that about covers what I missed since Whitney signed in Phoenix.

6:31 Matt Cullen signs with the Wild.

6:38 Olli Jokinen back to the Flames, because that worked really well the first time... and Vinny Prospal stays with the Rangers.

6:39 Andrew Raycroft signs a 2-year deal with the Stars.

7:02 Edmonton agrees to terms with Collin Fraser who they traded for a few days ago. 2 years.

7:36 We've got 10 minutes until Darcy makes some random announcement. Probably that everyone but Jordan Leopold was too expensive and they might make a trade later.

7:59 Eric Nystrom signs with Minnesota for 3 years, $1.4 million per

School's Out for Summer

by Anne

My horrendously terrible semester is over! It was basically a disaster and will have to be fixed, but that can't be accomplished until the Fall so I shall simply enjoy my summer and continue my job hunt.

In the mean time, I shall be attempting to give a hoot about the playoffs. The World Championships have been an utter disaster. I mean Team USA playing in the RELEGATION round? Good LORD. I knew they weren't going to win gold, but I thought they'd at LEAST win one of their first three games. Especially since they were up against such juggernauts as Denmark and Germany. Alas. They've won their games against Kazakhstan and France and just have to beat Italy tomorrow morning. Actually, the game will be over by the time this is posted. So, I'm going to go ahead and assume they won. 

I don't imagine Jack Johnson will look back on this foray into international captaincy with great relish in years to come.

In Sabres-related shenanigans, I'm looking forward to this summer extra hard. My lifetime of Buffalo sports fandom has done nothing to convince me that I should temper my excitement. Trade Stafford? Trade Connolly? What will happen? Where will they all go? Will Marty Biron be back in Buffalo?! Could my heart TAKE that?! Yes, yes it could. 

For the Kings, the only really big question mark is Frolov. I don't think he'll be back. I'd be ok with him staying but I don't think he will so I'm ok if he peaces out. 

As far as the current playoffs are concerned I suppose I'm cheering(?) for the Blackhawks. This is a huge surprise to me. I previously abhorred the Blackhawks. They're all annoying and smug and their fans have turned each player's facial tics into a "ZOMG BRB SHAKING AND CRYING" explosion on Twitter. However, they are by far the most palatable team remaining in the playoffs and their few annoying fans (the vast majority I follow on Twitter are funny and entertaining)  can be unfollowed, and for the most part have been. Besides. Seabs wants me to cheer for them. Isn't that right Seabs? 

 Come on, Seabs, open the door.

Look, I'm sorry I called some of your fans annoying.

They all love you.

FINE! I WON'T cheer for your team. 

Whatcha gonna do about it?

You make a compelling argument.

Also, at least we're not Cavs fans. AMIRITE? Or if you are, I'm gonna go ahead and assume you're revving up the engine to drive Delonte West straight outta Cleveland. Yikes.

So long, Kings

by Anne

Well, it's over. The Los Angeles Kings are now in the off-season. 

It was the first playoff appearance for the Kings since 2002 and the series didn't disappoint. Well, that is until that last game, anyway.

If this series did nothing else, it re-affirmed that while Jonathan Quick is a nice guy, and loves to play hockey, he may not be the answer for the Kings in net for the long term. I don't think any Kings fan thought otherwise. However, let's give the guy the credit he deserves. He played over 70 games and got this team to the playoffs. He was undoubtedly mentally and physically exhausted after the season he had and he couldn't get it done in the playoffs. Hopefully next season the other Jonathan (Bernier) will be up with the big club and ready to make a difference as well.

Now the Kings head into the off-season with their heads held high. There aren't a whole lot of burning questions to answer, not a lot of holes to plug up. The biggest question mark is the enigma that is Alexander Frolov. I'm pretty sure Fro will be departing for a new team. Hell, he didn't score in the playoffs until yesterday.  Other than Fro and O'D, there aren't any UFAs I really care about. I don't want Randy Jones back. Ivanans can peace out. I don't feel strongly about Modin or Halpern other than that Modin was a good locker room presence during the playoffs.  Without too many contracts to worry about they can just look to get even better. Scary. The rest of the Pacific and the NHL is on notice.

The best news is that the Kings are now finished paying Dan Cloutier. Really.

From my personal experience, this was only my second season as a Kings fan and it was awesome. I've never paid such close attention to another team during the regular season and it was great. I loved traveling to Nashville to see them play (and win). I can't wait until next season and I can't wait until I can get out to LA to see a game!

LET'S GO KINGS!