Western Conf. FA/Off Season

Here's a look at each team's cap situation heading into free agency and what they might be looking to do.

Anaheim Ducks: The Ducks have lots of salary juggling to do this summer, certainly enough to prevent them from being active in this year's free agency. Anaheim is pushing the $52 million mark in salary for next season with 19 players signed already, and the Ducks still have to find room to bring Teemu Selanne and Corey Perry back. So the Ducks really won't be shopping. More likely GM Brian Burke will get his payroll situation in place before the training camp opening deadline by making some trades.

Calgary Flames: The Flames have already done a lot of their offseason work with the draft day deal that landed forward Michael Cammalleri and last week's re-signing of potential free agents Daymond Langkow, Craig Conroy, Eric Nystrom and Curtis McElhinney. Calgary now has 18 players under contract for next season, which in essence means the core of its lineup is intact for next season. The Flames will be looking for some prospects to crack the lineup and fill in the holes, so they aren't likely to be busy with free agents.

Chicago Blackhawks: The Blackhawks franchise was revitalized both on and off the ice last season, and has enough core young talent to make it a potential contender for the next several years. That makes Chicago a destination for the game's top free agents to once again consider. Right now, the Blackhawks are looking for a puck-moving defenseman and have enough cap room to make a serious run at Brian Campbell. But with nearly $17 million coming off the books after next season when the contracts of Nikolai Khabibulin, Martin Havlat and Robert Lang expiring, Chicago has the potential to get creative with long-term deals.

Colorado Avalanche: The Avs could be big players in free agency because they have only $28 million committed in salaries. But first they have to figure out what to do with several veterans who are eligible for the open market. It's a given there is a place for Joe Sakic, should he decide on delaying retirement, and that would bump up the payroll by 25 percent immediately. But the bigger concern in Colorado is determining whether Adam Foote and Peter Forsberg can still provide a better return than putting the dollars to use elsewhere. The Avs have already told goaltender Jose Theodore he wasn't worth the asking price.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Look for the Jackets to be among the most aggressive teams when the market opens. That may not translate into success when it comes to attracting players because Columbus isn't usually the first choice for many of them. But second-year GM Scott Howson was bold at the draft and is trying to accelerate a program for a team that has never made the playoffs. And he has some tools because the Jackets have only $25 million committed in salaries for next season. Columbus needs offensive help, most notably on the top line where Rick Nash continues to be hampered by the lack of an appropriate playmaking center. A potential target for Columbus is Brendan Morrison, who has spent the better part of this decade as the set-up man for Markus Naslund in Vancouver.

Dallas Stars: The Stars are almost at the $50 million mark in salaries for next season, so they aren't likely to be active in free agency. And the thinking in Dallas is they don't have to be. Maybe that's because Dallas will start next season with much of the lineup that went to the conference final. There are some holes to fill up front because Niklas Hagman, Antti Miettinen and Stu Barnes aren't expected back, and the Stars could use a better backup goalie, but they'll be looking for bargain-priced players to fill those roles.

Detroit Red Wings: If Detroit manages to keep defenseman Brad Stuart, a deadline pickup who had a strong playoff run, it should be enough for the Red Wings to meet their goals for free agency. Stuart may have to settle for a bit below his market value, but getting to stay with a Stanley Cup champion that has most of its lineup intact is a good enticement. The Red Wings have 16 players signed for next season, including their top three defenseman, their goalie and 10 regulars up front, and their combined salaries are only about $41 million next season, which gives them lots of cap space.

Edmonton Oilers: Oilers GM Kevin Lowe took the free-agent world by storm last summer when he made two runs at restricted free agents, the type of players previously off limits by gentleman's agreement. Lowe landed one of his targets, but his action had an inflationary impact on the rest of the league and isn't likely to be repeated by him this time. But with $12 million in cap space, chances are Lowe will still be aggressive.

Los Angeles Kings: Los Angeles has a lot of cap room and could use a major splash to regain some visibility in a market that is dominated by Anaheim. But GM Dean Lombardi also believes in building a team methodically, and getting center Jarret Stoll and defenseman Matt Greene from Edmonton on Sunday fills some gaps he might have tried to address in free agency.

Nashville Predators: The ownership situation has developed another problem but at least for now it is not affecting the ability of GM David Poile to plan for next season. Nashville has already settled on the core of the roster by re-signing key players, most notably defenseman Shea Weber, to multi-year contracts. And overall, the Predators will be in the mid-range between the cap limit and floor, so anything they do with free agents will be low profile, perhaps finding an enforcer type to replace Darcy Hordichuk. Former Penguins forward Georges Laraque could be a candidate.

Minnesota Wild: They're going to lose Brian Rolston and Pavol Demitra, and maybe Pierre Marc Bouchard, so there will be a big hole to close on the offense next season. The Wild will have the money to do it because only $34 million has been committed for next season, but as a general rule, Minnesota has refrained from being active in free agency.

St. Louis Blues: The Blues will increase their payroll slightly next season to about $48 million, but they are not expected to make any major headlines in free agency. St. Louis is still at least a couple of years from being a legitimate playoff contender and the philosophy now is to let the young players develop enough to lead the team there.

Phoenix Coyotes: The Coyotes can't really afford to be a player in the free-agent sweepstakes because they are a financial basket case, despite still having to get to the $40 million salary cap floor. So if anything, Phoenix will be shopping the bargain basement racks looking for some additional pieces. There is a bright side, though, because Phoenix has some fine looking young players who are developing with added ice time under coach Wayne Gretzky.

San Jose Sharks: What the Sharks do will depend on Brian Campbell. San Jose has tried hard to re-sign the defenseman they picked up at the deadline, and Campbell isn't entirely averse to the idea. He fit in well with the team down the stretch and played a key role in San Jose' great finish. But Campbell is said to be interested in moving back East and there are many teams lining up for a crack at him. If he leaves, the Sharks will have to find a replacement, but more likely it will come through a trade than free agency.

Vancouver Canucks: New GM Mike Gillis isn't popular among his colleagues after taking the job away from Dave Nonis and it showed with the problems he had trying to make trades at the draft. Now though, Gillis, a former agent, will deal with his old colleagues, and that might be more his speed. Vancouver needs to bolster its offense, especially if Markus Naslund and Brendan Morrison hit the open market as expected. But the Canucks have $20 million in cap room and Gillis is expected to be aggressive in using it.

ofcourse we can Add to any Western Conf News up to day 1!!

Campbell, the top free-agent defenseman available Tuesday as the free agent market opened, signed an eight-year deal with the Blackhawks -- a young team that already features rising star forwards Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.

The Blackhawks also signed free agent goalie Cristobal Huet to a four-year deal Tuesday.

Campbell's deal is reportedly worth $7.14 million annually with the total of $57.12 million the richest in team history. Huet will make $5.626 million annually.

"We decided we'd try to make an impact today to give our fans something to get excited about," general manager Dale Tallon said. "When you do that, you're going to overpay, but now we have the resources and the ability to do that."

Campbell, who spent most of his first eight seasons with the Buffalo Sabres before being dealt to the San Jose Sharks at last season's trade deadline, has 35 goals and 160 assists in 411 regular-season NHL games.

After two seasons with the Kings, Huet went to Montreal for most of three years before being traded to the Washington Capitals late last season. He has a career 83-61-11 record with a 2.43 goals-against average.

They are major moves for the Blackhawks, who are trying to become a playoff regular after missing the postseason nine times in the last 10 seasons.

"Our No. 1 priority was to solidify goal and defense and then move forward," Tallon said.

Campbell is expected to help boost a power play that ranked 24th in the league last season. He scored five power-play goals last season.

"He can move the puck, skate up ice and get you out of trouble," Tallon said. "The power play, at the point, is what he does best."

Chicago finished at 40-34-8 and 88 points, three behind Nashville and the final playoff spot in the Western Conference last season. The Blackhawks were led by Kane and Toews. Kane, the No. 1 overall pick in 2007, won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year.

The Blackhawks also announced they had acquired a future second-round draft pick from the Calgary Flames for the rights to restricted free agent forward Rene Bourque. Bourque played in 62 games with Chicago last season, getting 24 points -- including 10 goals

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Carolina Hurricanes traded forward Erik Cole to the Edmonton Oilers for defenseman Joni Pitkanen on Tuesday.

The deal was one of a series of moves Carolina made on the first day of the NHL's free agency period. The Hurricanes picked up a young, offensive-minded defenseman they've long coveted in exchange for their top-line right wing, the third-leading goal-scorer in franchise history.

"We've wrestled with this one for a while now, but in order to get what your needs are, you have to give something up," Carolina general manager Jim Rutherford said during a news conference. "Unfortunately, in this case, it was Erik Cole."

The 29-year-old Cole had 22 goals and 29 assists in his seventh season with the Hurricanes and helped lead them to the Stanley Cup two years ago, becoming one of the team's most popular players after he returned from a broken neck to skate in Game 6 of the Cup Finals.

But he was deemed expendable as he enters the final year of a contract that will pay him $4 million next season.

"I don't believe that there (were) any welcoming committees there for me during the Cup Finals, but I'm excited," Cole said. "Obviously, it's always tough to leave friends and be traded from friends and see friends go, but that's the nature of the business, and I'm ready for a fresh start."

The 24-year-old Pitkanen had eight goals and 18 assists in his only season with Edmonton, ranking second among the team's defensemen in scoring after he was picked up in a trade last summer with the Flyers -- who selected him with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2002 draft. He is a restricted free agent who made $2.4 million in 2007-08, and Rutherford said preliminary negotiations are underway.

"Over the last year, we've watched him a lot closer, knowing that there may be the possibility of a trade," Rutherford said. "People have different opinions of him, maybe that he's underachieved at times, but when you're picked in the top four or five in the NHL Draft, you (face) very high expectations. And aside from the high expectations, I'm not sure that he's underachieved a lot."


Erik Cole notched 22 goals last season. (AP)
Carolina hopes forward Tuomo Ruutu -- one of Pitkanen's closest friends and a fellow native of Finland -- will slide into Cole's spot on the No. 1 line alongside face of the franchise Eric Staal and veteran left wing Ray Whitney.

"Our right side is pretty good with (Justin) Williams, (Scott) Walker and Ruutu -- even without Erik in the lineup," Rutherford said.

The Hurricanes -- who entered the day with 10 of their top 12 forwards signed for 2008-09 -- made upgrading their defense a priority this offseason after they learned two veterans would not return. Glen Wesley retired after 20 NHL seasons and Bret Hedican told the team he would not be back for a seventh season.

There may be yet another move ahead for Carolina. Rutherford said he expects to add a physical defenseman to further bolster the blue line.

"Then we're going to have an abundance of defensemen, which means we're going to have to make some moves after that to move one or two guys out," Rutherford said. "But we wanted to make our defense bigger and younger and more mobile."

The trade was part of a busy Tuesday for both teams. The Oilers also acquired center Gilbert Brule from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for forward Raffi Torres.

Meanwhile, the Hurricanes agreed to a deal that will bring back defenseman Anton Babchuk for one year at $1 million. They also reached deals with three of their own free agents: forwards Ryan Bayda and Wade Brookbank, and defenseman Tim Conboy.

Carolina had acquired Babchuk during the 2005-06 season and he split time the following year with the Hurricanes and Albany, the club's American Hockey League affiliate. Last season, the 24-year-old had nine goals and 17 assists in 57 games with Avangard Omsk of the Russian Superliga.

Bayda and Brookbank, both unrestricted free agents, agreed to one-year deals worth $475,000 in 2008-09. Conboy, a restricted free agent, signed a two-year contract that this season will pay him $475,000 at the NHL level or $100,000 if he is sent to the minors, and $500,000 at the NHL level in 2009-10.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Seeking to add experience to one of the NHL's youngest rosters, the Columbus Blue Jackets acquired winger Raffi Torres from the Edmonton Oilers for promising center Gilbert Brule on Tuesday.

"It's time to open up the next chapter in my life," a happy Torres said by telephone.

With money to spend on veteran free agents, the Blue Jackets also filled a huge hole with the signing of defenseman Mike Commodore, a 6-foot-5, 228-pounder who provides a hulking presence on the blue line that they have been missing.

Torres, 26, gives the Blue Jackets a skilled hand who has three full seasons and parts of three others in the league. He missed most of last season after knee surgery and is still rehabbing the injury.

The Blue Jackets have lost 30-something veterans Sergei Fedorov, Adam Foote and Jody Shelley through trades and are not planning on re-signing David Vyborny, the franchise leader in points and games played. That leaves a sizable gap in experience for a team with a 24-year-old captain (Rick Nash) and a roster made up of players who would have trouble growing playoff beards -- if they ever had a chance.

The Blue Jackets are the only NHL team to have never made it to the postseason. Torres said he welcomes the chance to show Columbus fans what playoff hockey is all about.

"It's a different view of the NHL when you get to that second season," he said. "It's lots of fun and a totally different game. One thing I want to really do is get back in the playoffs."

Columbus general manager Scott Howson knew his club needed to get older, wiser and more mature.

"Raffi Torres is an experienced NHL player who combines a physical presence with the ability to score goals," Howson said. "He will also bring to our club the experience of someone who had played deep into the playoffs as he was a significant contributor to the Oilers' run to the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals."

Brule, thrust into the Columbus lineup two years ago at the age of 19, struggled with the Blue Jackets. He managed just 12 goals and 20 assists in 146 games while playing on the third and fourth lines.

The Blue Jackets then picked up a big, stay-at-home blue-liner in Commodore, who signed a five-year deal worth a reported $18.75 million.

The 28-year-old Commodore played two full seasons with Carolina and split last season between the Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators. He played in 72 regular-season games in 2005-06, posting three goals and 10 assists, then had two goals and two assists in the postseason when the Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup.

The Blue Jackets have never been known for their physical play, particularly on the back end of their defense. That figures to change with Commodore.

Well then, so much for Avery wanting to be A Ranger that bad lol To Dallas he goes!!

And Hossa Leaves Pitt to go play for the team that just beat him in the finals, Detroit, Quite an Addition

I thought Avery went to the Avalanche - Oh wait that was Tucker wasn't it?? Did not have much time to read up! And Hossa to DET - OUCH!!!! Nasty!!

Owen Nolan is headed to the WIld as well

Big Bert going to the Flames. Interesting.

Flames sign Bertuzzi for 1 year, $1.95M

Jackets sign C Umberger to 4-year deal

Danny Boyle going from TB to SJ Sharks

Love NHL and the Sharks, i hope we win it this season. Was heart breaking against Dallas, i thought we were going to win in those Over time thrillers.

Cant say i thought that!! Had Dallas takin them out myself!
going to be an exciting season, believe me!! Mo and I are doin >>>> pretty much 3 to 4 times day thruout the day thinking "Ahh fuck what id give for a puck to drop somewhere right now!!" LOL

NO DOUBT!!!

And i hope this forum works together more this year, mo knows !!

he and I have had MANY a pregame coversation that went EXACTLY as we spoke about it, Breakin shit down and knockin down Vegas!! And this year is the year Ole El Cheapo Mo Mania over there drops a couple a in a Book!!! Talkin $50 Measley Bucks Mo, Probably can get ya a Buck For it to start to have even more for your $50 and we roll it over and BABABOOSH!! Cashin out a time or two hopefully and rollin all year!! Were lookin for a 64% Season !!

Fuckin right, Gotta have a goal!! Just gotta have the goods and the Chops to knock it down!!

DROP THAT PUCK!! WE'LL DO THE REST!!!

HOLLA!!

Dude, what did you guys hit last year, i wasn't around much then?

Hmm well X and Tom should answer that, i know we did ok, im more interested on how those guys saw and say how we did!!

I mean its alot like anything else really, tryin to get the gooddays to outweigh the strugglin days, and the 50-50 days, i know per the norm for me atleast, i get into those stretches of 70% over a few weeks, then some of the 5 - 4 ; 3 - 3 ; some ugly days of 2 - 4 here and there ofcourse, and then I figure out why im struggling, Adjust some of my Mental notes and make sure i watch Tending matchups and Injuries and Schedule Quirks and 3 in 4 days, BTB and H2H, and get more in the know about why shit changed!! i mean its a grind like anything else Jig

But overall? Keep in mind, were a very Juice Conscious crew, so even if we go 55% those losses dont hurt much because as you allready know, anything over -150 ? really turns our heads, and with as Many Dogs and +ML We/I Play? Our units dont take big hits and we dont take stupid chances, and when Me, Al and Mo find a way to interact and discuss what we think together? its been known to see some impressive results, As long we stay in the Know, keep watching for things that Will increase our probability and turn that Coin flip in our favor a bit, we'll be here doin it!

but like i said, this year and from what we soaked in from a distinguishably different type of NHL season than has been in the last 7-10 years, things are changing, The players are adjusting to it as the Cappers are who watch them, so well just be trying to see what story each teams telling!!

Thinkdogs History of NHL coverage is the Longest standing sport of our coverage and what actually started this whole thing from the get go (NHL discussions) so this will be Season 6 of thinkdog NHL coverage!
You can either be here and kill it with us, or hope someone else you know can do it better!! So..............

Im sure we'll be seein ya!! LoL

Nah hey, we do well Jig, I ofcourse add to that sport a ton, and when i was a Featured Capper at Steve's (Brewers) TTS777 old site? Steve set up a big board of Responses pertaining to what sport they looked to what capper for?

EJ's (Magica's) NHL ?

top of the list!!!

Pretty sure Steve, Mo, Al, Tom, X, all of the boys can say it, not that theyd ever even think about trying to feed this fucking ego!! But theyll tell ya whats allready known, Thinkdog and Ej and the NHL we do here, and are most likely going to pay someone when its all said and done, All i can say really, it will be what we can!

Il be tryin to crush it, Mo you obviouslysee is allready Looking Fwd to it, if Al gets any semblance of his life back, he can be a monster, Satyr holds his own, and he saw some of last years stuff and knows plenty about Thinkdog NHL stuff!

We will be here, i hope it helps us all, all we can try to do ya know!

Well i'm going to mainly concentrate on Sharks and Rangers games this season, so i'll be trying to fill my boots with as much information as i can get me hands on. I'll be viewing every game they play this season and taking notes.

Ranger games huh?

Well ill let you know how they go since i havent missed a Ranger game in 20 years lol

Well not literally obviously i miss em here and there, but um, If you think youre going to know the Rangers Better than me? And you arent watching their games? I see every NJ, NYI, and NYR game man, if i miss em, i record em and watch em later in the night or in the morning if i feel i missed something that will help me the next day
So um, GL with those Rangers LoL This oughta be interesting watchin you cap them, ill let you know if you know what youre talking about or not