OK Its a Fire Sale. Everything must go! NO REASONABLE OFFER REFUSED!!! Ok, so maybe I'm still burning a little about the end of the last season.
As it stands now.. heres whats been making the rounds is the gossip circle as far as I have heard.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
Olli Jokinen, C; 32, $5.5 million - No news, Returned to the Rent-A-Center.
Vaclav Prospal, LW, 35, $1.1 million - No News, Maybe getting the Shanny wait and see treatment.Larry Brooks reports that Sather is trying to resign Vinny. Prospal remains a key part of Tort's plan to get the message to the troops. Yet another guy who could squeeze another few dollars out of us due to his role on this team being bigger than it would be on another team that would be progressing soundly every year.
Alex Auld, G, 29, $1 million - I haven't heard anything. A solid backup, I'd love to get this guy back... I Like Chad johnson, but after the chance we gave him last year, i cant see Auld being an issue with his development opportunities in the yes of the organization. UPDATE: Auld Signed with Montreal after the Rangers picked up Biron.
Jody Shelley, RW, 34, $725,000 -In talks with the team now, 100K raise on the table... His agent is expected to counter offer. I didn't know if we'd be giving this guy an offer at all if someone better or more intimidating was available. His willingness to get his hands dirty coupled with the fact that the organization doesn't want to pay and often can't find the excuse to play an enforcer for more than 5 minutes at a time, made his effort as part of the lunch pail crew valuable in the last games of the season. Shelley rejected the offer of 825k...Shelley found out what Shanahan and others have. Hard work doesn't go unrewarded in NY. It gets you a free ticket out of town. As much as i still had a bone to pick with the guy from the richard scott incident so many years ago, I hope someone noticed his efforts at the end of the season and he can land a spot with a team that can use his skills.
P.A. Parenteau, RW, 27, $500,000 - Last I heard, P.A. was tired of commuting and was looking to be somewhere with more consistent playing time available. His shootout proficiency could be a bonus for a team looking to nab those extra points.
Anders Eriksson, D, 35, $600,000
Corey Potter, D, 26, $550,000 - Haven't hear anything about him, though I can imagine the status of Redden, Rozi palms, and the other d-men positions would have a lot to do with his situation. With Sanguinetti dealt to the Canes, things may not be looking Good considering Sauer is still around and McDonagh rise expected. The door swings both ways I suppose and the question is was Bobby Sangs dealt instead of guys like Sauer and Potter because he wasn't as good or because the other two would bring nothing in return?
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
Marc Staal, D, 23, $765,000 - In talks, his Agent(B. Orr) is breaking balls for more money and the 2 are said to be far apart. See what Dubinsky started with his holdout crap last season. Every kid with an ounce of talent will be bending this team over a barrel when it comes to contracts. They know the predicament our expensive seniors put us in and they know we suck just enough to grasp at anything we have left to hold on to.
Dan Girardi, D, 26, $1.6 million - Hes probably not going anywhere despite the fact I have had enough of this kid already. He can't consistently play a physical game. Aside from his wristers toward the net, his biggest attribute has been his skills in pointing at a defensive hole he'd identified while on the back check... just in time for his defensive partner to go "huh?" right before we get scored on.
Erik Christensen, C, 26, $750,000 - No QO Tendered, then Rejected 2 yrs @ 750k. The story goes that if he was tendered an offer, he would have been qualified to go through arbitration and make our biggest fears come true. Now its hard to pick a side in this. The kid think he deserves more after centering the first line for a good part of the year, despite not being able to stick with any team before he got here. The team really didn't see his value translate into a team overhaul which is a lot to expect. We picked him up. WE put this kid in his position on the first line, We tried to skirt the issue of wether this kid deserves more money. I think a modest raise would have been enough to get this kid to come to the table,but we knew he'd be awarded more. Is he good enough to deserve a bundle of cash, no? Is he good enough to deserve some kind of recognition for the way he played over many of his high priced counterparts on this team.. I think so. UPDATE: Christensen has been resigned for 2 years at 925K per.
Brandon Prust, LW, 26, $525,000 - Recieved a QO, In talks now. Keep Him! Another part of the lunchpail crew that hustle work and seek to not be defined by their 4th line minutes. WE need a solid middleweight anyway. UPDATE: Prust resigned for 2yrs. averaging 800K per.
Enver Lisin, RW, 24, $790,000 - Gone. No offer tendered.Lets hope AA doesn't moap because his buddy is here to pal around with him.
Dane Byers, LW, 24, $500,000 - Rumored to have resigned. I hope this true. I've always liked Byers. While he isn't wiping the floors with guys, the intent is there.He sticks up for his teammates, he chips at the loose pucks and scores a dirty goal now and then and finds ways to be productive. In short, the guy knows the drill.
Ilkka Heikkinen, D, 25, $875,000 - Took a Heik to the KHL, I think. Another young dman who feels he is ready to go, no matter what the team says. Maybe he's right or maybe he's one of 6 guys sitting in a rowboat with a hole in it. Its sink or swim time for a lot of these D-men. If Redden starts the season in Hartford, as expected, there will be a dogpile on a spot on the 3rd pair. Heikkinen will probably read about it in one of the Russian papers.
If you have any word on any of these guys (a source too if you have one) feel free to shoot us a comment.
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