Power Play Fantasy League Details!!!

Here are the details for the Hockeyleaks Powerplay Fantasy League

Players You Must Pick : 6 Forwards 4 Defenseman

Pricing : $5 US, $6 CDN per team.

There is no limit on amount of teams you can have.

Instructions : Please send your player choices to hockeyleaksfantasy@hotmail.com. Once we receive your players and enter them into our system, we will send you payment information. You will be able to pay through cheque, money order or paypal. Unfortunately Paypal payments will add an extra .50 cents to your total cost as Paypal charges us fees, and will affect overall prize amount.

Prizing : At this point prizing has not yet been decided upon.

Last year the winner received $20 US, NHL stamps, and three or four autographed nhl cards. The prizes were not as good last year as we had several people not pay, so we were limited to the prizing available. This year we hope to have enough people to have a larger cash prize, as well as being able to put some of the money into an office pools account which would give you full access to stats and standings each and every day. Any questions please contact us at hockeyleaksfantasy@hotmail.com.

Thanks for the interest, and here's to a good year!

Ryan Campney
Hockeyleaks.com

Yahoo Fantasy Leagues

Some spots left in league one (draft this wednesday!)

ID : 8889
password : Malkin


all spots left in league two

ID : 27453
password : crosby

to join league one or two, please go to http://hockey.fantasysports.yahoo.com/

stay tuned for PPFL league details in the next few days

I'm Back!

I am very sorry for my lack of updates this past week, but I am now moved into my new place, and everything SHOULD be back to normal. We are strongly thinking of another site redesign with some new forums, so that is some exciting news. Also, the Power Play Fantasy League will launch very soon, so if you want in please email us at Hockeyleaksfantasy@hotmail.com. It should be a blast, look for details right here on the blog soon. Now for some rumours...

I am hearing Ryan Miller could sign as early as this weekend. Details are hard to come by, but I am hearing a three or four year deal worth somewhere between four and five million per season. Thats quite a bit for me to believe, as Miller has proven himself in just one season. With no takers for Biron, the Sabres are no longer in as much in a pressure situation to sign Miller. This makes me believe you may see Miller only end up with a three year deal worth three or three and a half per. Time will tell I guess..

Carter's people continue to talk with the Red Wings, and things are progressing. LA, Toronto and Vancouver are all in this too, and cannot be counted out.

Still no deal between the Leafs and Matt Stajan, which has led to a lot of speculation that he will be dealt. There was even a rumour that he would be packaged with picks/prospects to bring in Zherdev, but that was later denied. As far as I've heard the Leafs plan on having him signed ASAP, but if they could get something quality in return, they would move him.

Brian Leetch and Ottawa continue to talk. I am hearing right now Ottawa and the Rangers are the only two teams left in the mix

Note:

Another reader just informed me that the previously posted rumour has no Detroit players involved, so I almost want to say disregard the rumour, but I have heard similar things so I am going to say to keep it in the back of your head.

Habs/Wings/Flyers Deal?

This was sent to me from a reader

"I have a very close bond with a member inside of the Montreal Canadiens organization and they have informed me of a blockbuster deal that is going to occour on Monday August 28th,2006. The deal involves 3 teams: Montreal,Philadelphia, Detroit. To Montreal will be headed Simon Gagne . To Detroit will be headed R.J Umberger, Nikos Dimitrakos and Mike Ribeiro. To Philadelphia will be headed Sheldon Souray and Josh Langfeld as well as Montreal's 2nd round pick in the 2008 entry draft. Mike Ribeiro is going to replace J.P Dumont as the Detroit Red Wings have dropped out of the runing for him lately. Detroit has also shown interest in Dimitrakos previously."

This was just sent in, anyone could have sent, but I felt like I should post it so you all can speculate :)

I'm Still Alive...

Sorry for the lack of updates. As some of you know I am moving to Toronto a week today so I have been busy, not to mention I have been forced to get up very early each day this week, so I have been sleeping more than usual during the afternoon. The one day I was available, I had an eye doctors appointment, and his drops blinded me for several hours, so it's been that kind of week for me. Here is the latest...

We'll start with Dumont. It came out yesterday that Dumont was not going to Montreal, but I have sources telling me the opposite still. Montreal is still very likely to land Dumont, while Colorado, Detroit and Philadelphia are also in this mix as well.

Brian Leetch, from a good source, is talking to the Oilers but it is doubtfull he will land with a western team. St. Louis is another team he's been rumoured to sign with, but I can tell you that isn't going to happen either. The Rangers are still talking to him, as are the Ottawa Senators.

Jason Allison is talking deeply with Washington, while Carolina is another team that does have interest as well.

Nothing new on the never-ending Anson Carter Saga...

Finally make sure to check out the Fantay Page on Hockeyleaks.com, as our new Fantasy Writer Rye has completed his first fantasy preview. In this article he looks at the 10 best and 10 worst moves of this offseason. He also takes a look at the top ten "sleeper" moves made. Make sure to check those out. Also, Power Rankings will return first week in September, once I am all moved in and set up!

Slow....

The big question is "why is this taking so long?". With names such as Carter, Leetch, Dumont, Isbister, and Tanabe still out there, you have to wonder why these plyers are waiting so long. I can confirm all five players have offers, yet they are all waiting for better ones. The longer they wait, the shorter the term they will get, and the lower the offer.

I am still hearing the Sens are very hard after Leetch, but the Oilers and Blues are both very much in this as well.

Carter is still between Toronto and Detroit, with Detroit most likely. Toronto and Chicago's talks have stopped, meaning if Antropob is to be dealt, it will have to be elsewhere.

Dumont is still hoping to sign in Montreal, but the Habs don't seem like they will bring him without shedding some cap room, which has turned out to be harder than first thought. Dumont looks likely to head back to Buffalo.

If your interested in joining the fantasy league, send ryan.c. an email at hockeyleaksfantasy@hotmail.com. More information is coming in the coming weeks

Allison, Bondra, Leetch

Jason Allison is still out there, and can be very valuable on the powerplay. While Phoenix and Calgary are still looking at him as their backup plan (they'd rather have Gomez or Briere), teams such as Washington, LA, Atlanta and Chicago have looked into bringing the point-per-game center to their team. Allison will score somewhere between $1-2 million on a one year deal.

Peter Bondra is still expected back to Washington, but other teams are still in this as well. Atlanta is not likely to bring him back, but still could. Toronto and Detroit could also fall back on him should they lose out on Carter. Montreal is another option, but right now they are more interested in bringing in Dumont.

Brian Leetch is quite the interesting story. If healthy he can still lead a powerplay, and from what I've heard, he's not ready to hang them up yet. Boston will likely pass, while the Rangers don't seem to have as much interest as they once had. Both Colorado and Detroit apparently have some interest in the West, as does LA. In the East, I've heard Ottawa has made quite the push for the veteran in the past 48 hours.

Habs Talk

The Habs are after Dumont, and I'm hearing right now it's between Habs and one other team (may be Colorado but I cannot confirm this right now). A lot of people have been telling me, "Dumont cannot sign with Buffalo", but he can, and still may, however he is a little bitter over his arbitration hearing and would rather go home to Montreal. The Habs would have to make a deal, and one involving Bonk would be most likely. A rumour going around has Bonk going to Washington, but I am hearing Chicago and Florida are the two teams to watch right now.

The Leafs are still trying to move Antropov, but they may have to throw in a defensive prospect in order for someone to take him. The Leafs are still talking to Carter, as are the Wings and Pens.

Speaking of the Pens, they were deep in talks with Perrault, however at this point, with Malkin likely to sign in Pittsburgh, it is unclear if Perrault is still in their plans.

Finally, great move by Phoenix yesterday. Owen Nolan has had a lot of time to sit and rest, and should return as a serious force for the Coyotes. He'll be able to hide on the 2nd line, and should play well for the Coyotes. The Coyotes are still looking for that number one center, Gomez is still at the top of their list. Calgary will have something to say about that though....stay tuned

Hometown Signings?

As we get closer to training camp, it appears that the two biggest UFA's available will end up in their hometowns. Carter continues to talk with the Leafs, and though he wants a two year / $5 million deal, that number could drop. Toronto is currently trying to make a move or two to free up the required cap room. Detroit and Pittsburgh are also in Carter sweepstakes.

As for JP Dumont, he could end up in Montreal after all. According to Hockeybuzz.com, Mike Komisarek could end up in New York (Islanders), which would free up enough cap room to bring in Dumont, who really wants to join the Habs. That being said, I don't see Komisarek being dealt, unless the Habs are getting a really good prospect in return.

Thanks to all that have shown interest in writing for hockeyleaks.com. It looks like this will be a very place come October once the season starts. I will also be writing for Hockey Nations starting soon, and who knows where else. Time to spread the hockeyleaks name, as we get ready for an amazing season of NHL hockey

Where Is Malkin?

Canada? United States? Russia? At this point it is unclear, but it does look more likely that he will join Pittsburgh this year. If only Russia would just sign the transfer agreement, then all of this trouble could have been avoided. The fact that Malkin is just 20 years old, yet he has fled his country because his own country will not allow him to play in the NHL. This player is still very much a kid, and it's really sad that a country could be so harsh to force him to "disappear"

Anson Carter to Toronto rumours are heating up, while if Carter is signed it is being highly speculated that Antropov will be dealt to Chicago for a mid-round draft pick. The Leafs also have a slight interest in Dumont, but it is believed he will return to Buffalo on a multi-year deal. LA also has interest in Dumont.

With most teams happy between the pipes, a lot of goaltending problems will not get solved. Biron, Giguere and Nabokov/Toskala may all start the season with the club they are currently a part of. Columbus is one team to watch, as some are saying that they may no longer be as comfortable with Leclaire as they once were. Biron apparently would be the goalie they target.

Remember to email me at hockeyleaksfantasy@hotmail.com if you are interested in joining the upcoming Hockeyleaks Power Play Fantasy League. Should be around $5 US to play, and should be a lot of fun!

Cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com is where you can contact me if you have an interest in writing for us. We are looking for people to help us put together a season preview, as well as write stories and columns for us at hockeyleaks.com. Have a great Sunday

Speaking of Columbus, according to several sources there has been some progress in the Zherdev talks. I am hearing Columbus will not deal the promising winger, and if nothing can be reached they will simply try again next year.

Sykora

According to someone very close to the Oilers, Sykora to Edmonton is very close to being done. I am still skeptical, and I do not believe it, but this source seems to be legit so I will go along with him. He says this deal could be done as soon as tomorrow, and may just be pending a physical.

TJ Code(insidethecode.blogspot.com) is reporting that Briere may be traded after all. I am hearing similar rumblings, with the Flame and Coyotes still pressing very hard to get one of Briere or Gomez.

Dumont could end up back in Buffalo, but I am hearing Ottawa may be the front runner at this point. Columbus is also talking to Dumont fairly seriously.

Cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com for all questions/comments. Also, we are looking for writers and people to help with a season preview. Contact me if your interested.

Happy Wednesday

First I just want to say that Hockeyleaks.com's main page is back to being updated several times a day with the latest news, stories and rumours so make sure to check that out. The rest of the site (power rankings, fantasy, etc) should all be updated by the weekend.

As Hockeyleaks.com told you yesterday, the Sabres walked away from JP Dumont. He now may be the best UFA available, and has recieved several calls over the past 24 hours. Teams I've heard : San Jose, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Carolina, Colorado, Detroit and LA. Dumont will get anywhere from 1.5-2.5 million per year, and he'd like a two or three year deal. Dumont could also end up back in Buffalo, some say a three year deal worth 6.5 million.

Eric Desjardins will retire this week. He is currently a UFA.

Legace signed with the Blues yesterday. St. Louis was trying to work out a deal to get Biron and Dumont from Buffalo, but once Dumont was walked away from, the deal fell apart and St. Louis felt it was easier to sign Legace. Great signing for the Blues, I think they are so far winning the best offseason award. Legace got a one year deal for 1.4 million dollars, which is a steal.

Last year we had something called the Power Play Fantasy League. It was $5 and you picked six forwards and four defenseman. It was a lot of fun, and for our first fantasy game it went well. It is returning this year, and though the rules are not 100% at this point, we want to see who is interested. It will likely be $5 US once again this year. We also will have an officepools account so the points will be updated daily, which is a large improvement over last years. If you would be interested in winning some money and prizes, please email ryan.c. at hockeyleaksfantasy@hotmail.com. I will mention more about this in the coming days/weeks, we're just looking to see how many people we have before we start finalizing the game.

Bure Back To NHL?

According to a Vancouver radio station, Val Bure has been invited by Dave Nonis to try out for the team during training camp. No work on a response from Bure at this point, and I don't see him accepting it.

Malkin's agent JP Barry is telling reporters that his clien has not signed a new deal with a Russian club, and that Malkin would still like to play in Pittsburgh this season. We'll see how this plays out

JP Dumont is on the block, and is looking to be packaged with Biron. The frontrunner at this point is LA, while St. Louis is very much in this as well.

Time for Corey to go to bed, more in the morning

Malkin Staying In Russia / Nagy Gets 3 Million

A weekend away is always nice, but it is also always nice to be home. Malkin must be thinking the same thing, as he has decided to stay in Russia another year. This is a huge blow for the Penguins, who were really hoping the forward would play in Pittsburgh this year. I guess we'll have to wait until next year to see Crosby and Malkin light up the league together...

J.P Dumont may be on the trading block. I expect the Sabres to accept the award, and then look to deal him. Dumont and Biron could become a package in hopes of landing some defensive help. Ryan Miller's contract talks are expected to begin today.

Sean Brown and Cory Cross will play in Germany next season...I'm not sure how the Red Wings will survive without big bad Cross on their blueline....

Brian Leetch is close to signing with a team, however, at this point we are unsure which team that is. Recent speculation has said that he will not sign with the Rangers, but I am hearing that it is still very possible.

Ladislav Nagy has recieved a 3 million dollar award, which is very low in my opinion. The Coyotes will obviously accept this award. With Nagy and Comrie both getting three million each, the Coyotes may look for ways to spend a little more cash. They are still very much after Gomez.

Jason Allison is still speaking with Calgary, who are really hoping that they do not have to use Tanguay at center. They are still speaking with the Devils about Gomez, but the asking price is high. I heard one story that had the Devils asking for Phaneuf, which is way too high a price for Gomez.

One Leaf rumour i've heard in the last twenty four hours is the Leafs sending Stajan, Harrison, Kronwall and a 3rd round pick to Columbus for Zherdev. Doubtful, but worth posting. The Leafs have also talked to Eric Daze, who may come very cheap if given another chance.

Peter Bondra is still in talks with Washington, I'm puzzled on why this deal has not been done yet. The Caps have made an offer, Bondra is just sitting on it.

Hockeyleaks.com for the latest, make sure to check out the new poll!

Surprise : Comrie Avoids Arbitration

The one arbitration case I didn't think anyone getting around, has been solved. Mike Comrie avoided arbitration today, signing a one year deal with the Coyotes worth $3 million. The Coyotes, however, had to go to Arbitration with Nagy, and he should cost them quite a bit of money. Maybe it's me, but I think Nagy is the biggest player who went to arbitration. Bigger than Max(even though he avoided it), bigger than Gomez, and bigger than Briere. I'm a big Nagy fan, so maybe i'm biased, but Nagy should get at least $5 million...that being said I don't think he will. I'm going to guess he gets 4.

Sabres are going to keep both Danny and Max, which means Biron is just days away from being dealt. Miller needs a new deal first, but the Sabres are already spending more than they want to. They would really love to get a blueliner back for Biron, but they are having trouble finding one on a team that needs a goalie.

Vancouver is now shopping for a backup, but it will not be Biron or Legace, who both would not approve of playing behind Luongo. Boucher is one name I'm hearing, though Buffalo has interest in him too.

I'm exhausted, which means im off to a cottage for the weekend, I'll be back Sunday night. Hockeyleaks.com for the latest

Rumours! News! Updates!

Ok lets take a look at whats going on around the league

Rucinsky signed a deal with St. Louis yesterday, which shocked a lot of people I've talked to. The Rangers were said to be the favourites, but money turned out to be the difference. Rucinsky will get 4.75 million over two years which works out to be a little less than 2.5 million per season. The Blues continue to improve, and should compete for a playoff spot should they get another goalie.

The Rangers will now apparently enter the Anson Carter sweepstakes, joining Vancouver, Toronto, Detroit and LA. Sykora could end up in all of these cities as well. Even though I previously reported that Sykora would not end up in Edmonton, one source keeps telling me they are in serious talks. I guess we have to consider all possibilities.

From what I've heard, the Toronto/Detroit trade rumours are false. If you are had not heard, some rumours have suggested Antropov and/or Stajan were about to be dealt to Detroit for an unnamed return.

Manny Legace is still in talks with both NYI and St. Louis, while rumours of Buffalo having interest are false. Buffalo will wait until Mair's arbitration is finished before resigning Miller, which must be done before trading Biron. I expect Biron to be somewhere else (and where is anyone's guess right now) before the start of training camp.

Hockeyleaks is still looking for a few people to help out around here, by posting news stories, etc. I just purchased a very expensive Wifi laptop to hopefully make things on my end better, allowing me to update more often, however, Cdog is currently in the process of moving from Vancouver to Calgary, while in a few weeks I will be moving from my small town in Ontario to the big city of Toronto. All the help we can get is appreciated. Also, the Power Play Fantasy League will return this year, and will be A LOT better than last years. Stay tuned to hockeyleaks.com for the lastest on that

Update

Just want to say sorry for lack of updates, I just bought a brand new wifi enabled laptop, so I've been configuring it, which explains the lack of updates. Tomorrow things should be back to normal, and things will only get better from now on, as I will be able to update a lot more with this laptop.

Hasek

As you all should know by now, Hasek has signed a one year deal with the Detroit Red Wings.

Carter is apparently down to Toronto and Vancouver, with Toronto his preferred destination. The Leafs are trying to move Antropov i hopes of freeing his money up.

Despite reports saying the opposite, I am still hearing Vitaly Vishnevski will be dealt by the Ducks.

Mike Dunham is closing on a deal that will make him the back up goaltender for the cash-strapped Devils.

Yanic Perrault is still available...I'm hearing Washington, Atlanta, and Phoenix have shown some interest.

Biron to St. Louis rumours are really heating up, while Legace is in talks with the Islanders. I would do this in a second, would really push DiPietro.

Anyone get any extra Dave Chappelle Tickets for Toronto? I missed the boat...

and the site will be updated soon, it's currently not letting me update it, I will look into it...

Vitaly Vishnevski

He gets a $400,000 raise and now the Ducks want to deal him? This surprises me, but with Pronger now in Anaheim, his role will not be as large, so the Ducks feel they can deal him and save a bit of money. Edmonton would love to make another deal with Anaheim to pick him up, but there are several other teams who are interested including Chicago, Atlanta, Buffalo, Vancouver, Nashville, Columbus and Washington. Ottawa is in there as well.

Sebastian Caron has signed in Chicago, where he is likely to either start in the AHL or back-up Khabibulin. Brian Boucher could land in Buffalo once Biron gets dealt.

The Sykora to Edmonton rumours are 100% false according to a very good source. Anson Carter and the Leafs are still very much talking, one report has him going as low as 1.5 million per season for a one or two year deal, just so he can play for his home town. If thats the case, the Leafs need to make this deal, even though it will put them JUST under the 44 million dollar cap.

I'd like to welcome Rick James Dealer to the hockeyleaks.com staff, he has been very important to the forums for the past year, and now he will be posting news stories directly on Hockeyleaks.com. Also, I have re-added everyone's ability to "submit news" on Hockeyleaks.com, so go for it! It's time to bring this place back to life!

New Jersey

So the Devils will accept the $5 million award to Gomez, but the big story in Jersey today is that apparently Lamoriello convinced Malakhov to come back from retirement and expects Mogilny to be in training camp fighting for a position. Not that it makes much of a difference, but if both are playing, at least the Devils are not paying $7 million against the cap for non-playing players.

Yannick Tremblay will sign with Vancouver in the next few days

Leafs and Wings are still after Carter, don't ask me how Toronto can afford it, I don't know, but they've talked to his agent in the last 48 hours, that I can confirm.

Afinogenov could be on his way to Vancouver. Buffalo though needs defense, and Vancouver doesn't have much left to give out. Afinogenov's days seem very numbered in Buffalo.

Looks like Briere will remain in Buffalo, and so he should, he is their best two-way player, and will be a star in this league for many years.

I know updates on the main page have been slow, but I've been super busy the last three weeks. I'm hoping to add a few more staff members, so there is less pressure on myself, because it's hard for me and Cdog to keep up with everything that is going on, and Yick is on Vacation is BC, so it's been a tough few weeks. Hang tight, within the next few days things will be back to the way they used to be!

Gomez Awarded Five Million

Lou's got some decisions to make....

Belfour To Florida (H5)

H scale, isn't that the tornado scale? Lets have some fun and use it.

Belfour to Florida is done. $750,000 base salary, can reach over 1.5 million if he performs.

Martin Rucinsky is still looking like he'll end up in NYR (H3)

Petr Sykora to Washington(H2), Colorado(H1), Toronto(H1), or Atlanta(H1)

Bondra to Washington in the next week or so (H4)

I told you Gomez was looking at 5.85 a few days ago, I think a number very close to that will be announced today.

And I'm hearing Briere is likely to stay in Buffalo, but his friend Max Afiniganov isn't likely to be so lucky. I've been asked a lot about Eklunds rumoured three-team deal. Max would be in there, but all three of those teams need defense, so I don't see that deal going down. Biron and Max would be a package that could get a really good defender back in return. Colorado may be listening, I think they've got about 8 defenseman with the signing of Klee yesterday (1 year, $750,000).

And Mark Bell just signed a three year deal with San Jose, avoiding arbitration, which was suppose to go down tomorrow

Feel free to stop by the forums to ask any questions, and never expect to see the H-Scale again :)

Jan Bulis

Is now a vancouver canuck, does that mean Carter is gone? I don't know! Toronto and Detroit are still in there.

Recchi went to Pittsburgh. I know I said he wouldn't, but that's cause Eklund said so....so don't blame me!!

Briere may be dealt, but Gomez is almost a sure thing. Calgary is obviously interested, but Washington really is making a pitch as well. Montreal, LA, Edmonton, Florida, Phoenix and Colorado are all also looking at both options.

Mike Comrie and Ladislav Nagy may be the two toughest arbitration cases to deal with, expect Phoenix to listed to a lot of trade offers over the next 2 weeks for these players. Both hearings are August 4th.

Briere

One year, $5 million...thats what he has been awarded.

Buffalo tried to get a long term deal, but Briere is not having it. For that reason, it is now being highly believed that Briere is about to be part of a "sign and trade". Montreal, Atlanta, Calgary and LA have all apparently inquired about the center....

the fun of arbitration is just getting started

Brian Leetch and much more

New York Rangers are still in front for Leetch, while New Jersey (did they forget they are in cap-hell?), Nashville, Ottawa and Edmonton are also in this mix. Leetch is looking for a one year deal between 3-4 million I'm hearing.

Belfour's next tryout could come in St.Louis, but nobody seems to want to give the guy more than $500,000, and rightfully so.

Anson Carter is still out, and at this point it looks more and more like Vancouver will find a way to keep him. Detroit is very much still involved but that won't happen until the Wings find themselves a goalie. One team to watch for is Buffalo, as they seem to have strong interest in him, but are waiting to see what happens with their arbitration cases.

Early word from good sources has Scott Gomez getting awarded 5.85 million and a one way ticket out of New Jersey. Thats just an early number, we should know for sure what he gets tomorrow or Monday.

Mark Recchi isn't going back to Pittsburgh after all. The Red Wings seem interested, but once again they are waiting to grab a goalie. Other teams with interest in Recchi are Boston, Calgary, Phoenix and Atlanta. A few whispers of Florida and Colorado have also been heard.

As I told you before the UFA season even started, Peter Bondra is very likely headed back to Washington.

Kari Lehtonen's agent is in Atlanta today and apparently the two sides are close on a two or three year deal.

Andy Murray has turned down the coaching job of the Toronto Marlies, but Greg Gilbert is still in the mix. Wouldn't it be funny to see Pat Quinn coaching the Marlies? Why not I say...

Manny Legace to Buffalo rumours are false. The Sabres are currently trying to solve an overcrowded crease, not make it worse. Legace could end up in Long Island though, DiPietro could really use the pressure.

More Gomez Talk

While Calgary should be looked at as the front-runner, Phoenix is also very interested in him. Gomez meets arbitration tomorrow...

Belfour to Florida is almost a done deal

Biron could be headed to the Wings once Miller signs a new deal, but I'm hearing it could be a package deal should Buffalo run into arbitration situations they are not fond of. Lang and Kronwall are two names I'm hearing on Detroit's end.

Carter would like to sign with Toronto, but the Leafs are still looking at ways to shed some salary. Carter will not commit to Detroit until they have resolved their goaltending issues.

Long Island Troubles

I've been digging all day, and nobody is really willing to tell me exactly what is going on. It's not a situation that anyone is really speaking about internally, but from what I have heard, Smith and Lafontaine had issues with each other. Once Smith was let go of this morning, Lafontaine held himself accountable and stepped down himself. That is the story I am getting right now, but it's too early to confirm such thing. I will continue looking into it...

As for Garth Snow....there has to be someone else out there who is a better replacement. On XM today (if you don't have XM, check it out, it's great), they were discussing how Pat Quinn maybe would have been a good replacement. Compared to Garth Snow, I would have been a good replacement. I like Smith's offseason moves, and when I first heard of the firing early this morning, I wondered whether not signing Mike Peca was part of it (NYI offered Peca a three year deal worth quite a lot of money).

More as it develops...

Gomez

Looking 90% like he's going to be traded, and at this point it's looking like Calgary wants him.

Rucinsky should be a Ranger again by the end of this week as well...

for the latest check Hockeyleaks.com, as well as our forums

Peca To Toronto

One year, 2.5 million. The club will announce it tomorrow.

Anson Carter could be next to go to Toronto, as he was very interested in the fact that Peca was possibly coming to Toronto. Carter was thinking about Detroit because of the quality centers he would get to play with. In Toronto, if he didn't stick on Sundin's line, he would be forced to play with Antropov, Pohl, Wellwood, etc. Now with Peca coming to Toronto, Carter will get to play with two of the best centres in the NHL, and Carter really believes Sundin and Peca can improve his numbers. I think Carter will end up in Toronto, though LA and Detroit are still pushing hard, and Vancouver can't be counted out just yet.

How many teams are willing to take a big-money goaltender? If nobody wants Legace for two million per season, then it is doubtful anyone is going to take Giguere or Nabokov. Yes, these two are better than Legace, but they are in the same boat. Teams generally have a number one goalie. Here is a look at who each team has starting in goal at this point

Anaheim - Bryzgalov (Extra : Giguere)
Atlanta - Lehtonen
Boston - Thomas/Toivonen
Buffalo - Miller (Extra : Biron)
Calgary - Kirpusoff
Carolina - Ward
Chicago - Khabibulin
Colorado - Theodore
Columbus - Leclaire
Dallas - Turco
Detroit - Osgood?
Edmonton - Roloson
Florida - Auld
LA - Cloutier (extra : Garon)
Minnesota - Fernandez
Montreal - Huet
Nashville - Vokoun
New Jersey - Brodeur
NY Islanders - DiPietro
NY Rangers - Lundqvist
Ottawa - Gerber
Philadelphia - Esche/Nittimaki
Phoenix - Joseph
Pittsburgh - Fluery
San Jose - Toskala (Extra : Nabokov)
St.Louis - Sanford
Tampa Bay - Denis
Toronto - Raycroft
Vancouver - Luongo
Washington - Kolzig

As you can see, there are plenty of "extra" goalies, but no team really needs an upgrade at this point. St.Louis, Columbus, Detroit and Florida can all be considered "weak" in goal, but aside from Detroit, these teams seem happy heading into the season with what they have. These teams with holes to fill want to move their goalies to improve their team, and they want to do that ASAP. Unfortunatly for them, it doesn't look like more than one of them will be moved by the start of the season. Expect Detroit to get one, most likey Biron, but as for Giggy and Nabokov, I see them staying where they are until November.

Back Home

After a weekend away, I am back!

Lindros is not signed by Dallas, but should be today. The Stars wanted to get clarification from the league as to exactly how bonus' work. That deal should be finalized today.

Looks like the Carter sweepstakes are down to Toronto and LA, with Toronto having a slight advantage. Detroit is still in this as well.

The Mika Peca game is getting confusing and has gone on a lot longer than anyone expected, even Mike. It'll finally end this week, but it's anyone's guess where he ends up.

Finally for this morning, with Arbitration this week, it'll be interesting to see if any of the big names get dealt (Max for Buffalo, Simon from Philly are the biggest). Will any recieve an offer sheet? If I was a GM, I would, especially if I was a team looking to win the cup. Is Gagne worth a few first round draft picks, especially if you can lock him up long term? I say yes

Montreal/LA deep in talks?

Montreal is not finished yet, or at least that is how it seems. David Aebischer and Sheldon Souray are both being shopped, and according to one report, they may be packaged together and on their way to LA. No word on who could be coming the other way just yet, but I will keep my ear open and hope to get more information on this before I leave for the weekend (I'm leaving tomorrow, will return Sunday, but the site will still be updated so do not worry!).

Leafs and Carter are closing in on a deal, though LA and Detroit are both still in the mix as well. Leafs current offer I'm hearing is a two year deal worth 2.5 a season. Detroit is offering a two year deal worth 3 per season I'm being told. Don't count out the Flyers at this point either...

Mike Peca and the Leafs are in talks, and while I can not confirm if the Leafs have or have not made an offer to Peca, I am hearing the Rangers have offered him a one year deal worth 2.5 million. The Islanders are said to be sniffing around as well, as are Calgary, Atlanta and Columbus.

Eric Lindros has been cleared to play, so now the question is where will he end up? He was in Edmonton today and apparently is now seeking 2 million on a one year deal. The Leafs will not go higher than 1 million, while Edmonton may be willing to accept the 2 mil demand. Calgary also has some interest, Atlanta and Phoenix as well.

Greg Johnson and Ottawa are very deep in talks, I'm hearing that could be done by Monday.

Detroit is really holding out on Belfour, as they are really trying to pry Giguere out of Anaheim. Lang isn't getting this done.

Manny Legace is still out there, and St. Louis is the front-runner. Florida is there as well, while a report on Hockeybuzz.com suggests an un-named team will take Legace if they can deal their current number one goalie. I made a few phone calls, and I actually got three teams back, not just the one. From good sources : Buffalo would be interested in Legace if they can deal Biron, Philly would like Legace if they could deal Esche, and Anaheim would take Legace if they can deal Giguere. At this point I see Legace in St. Louis, though Pittsburgh is one other team to watch.

The Gary Roberts to Toronto trade rumours are dead, as most of you already know, however one source told me that the Leafs would be interested in bringing in Roberts at the trade deadline if they feel Roberts could improve them at that point, and Florida was willing to take a little cap back.

Devils are no closer to fixing their cap problem, while they are interested in bringing Ken Klee back. Washington is another team who has given Mr. Klee a phone call.

Habs Sign Samsonov

I take my garbage to the curb, come back, and boom! Samsonov is off the market...Montreal fans have been complaining for the last few weeks, but I bet they're quite content now, with a much improved offense in Samsonov and Johnson. I guess this makes Carter the best UFA left?

Habs Make Their Move

After signing Aebischer earlier in the day, the Habs have now added a winger, and traded another.

The Habs have acquired Mike Johnson from the Phoenix Coyotes for the Canadiens' fourth round draft pick in 2007 and traded forward Richard Zednik to the Washington Capitals in return for the Capitals' third round draft pick in 2007.

The Habs have got a really underrated player in Johnson, while Zednik will be allowed every opportunity to resurrect his career in Washington

Darryl Sutter To Step Down

Darryl Sutter will step down as head coach of the Flames tomorrow, Jim Playfair will take over. Sutter will still be the teams GM, while Wayne Flemming will replace Playfair as an assistant coach.

For those who missed it, Luke Richardson signed a one year deal with Tampa Bay today worth $500,000.

I'm hearing the Oilers are deep in talks with Danny Markov

The 2006-2007 schedule will be released tomorrow, and will take on the same format it did last year, with the exception of the outer-conference games switching divisions.

And how about Forsberg, who was suppose to be out until January, announcing today that he may be good to start the season. Thats good news for the Flyers, and even better news for Gagne, who plays at his best when paired with Forsberg. Maybe the Flyers will be more inclined to give him the big bucks he's after.

New Jersey's Plan

Though New Jersey is in what I like to call, "Cap Hell", there may be a way out of it. It will cost them, but rumours this morning are all about the New Jersey Devils.

First, the Devils are pushing hard to deal Mogilny, who still has something left to prove. At 3.5 million dollars, some teams may still be willing to take him, especially if a 2nd or 3rd round draft pick is included in the deal. Washington and Columbus are two teams with enough cap room to take him, while Pittsburgh and Chicago could both be in this mix as well. If Mogilny is dealt, expect the deal to be lopsided against Jersey. Example : Mogilny and a 3rd round pick for a low-grade prospect and a 6th round pick. New Jersey wants to keep Gomex, Gionta and Martin, and this is what has to be done to accomplish this.

A lot of NJ/Edmonton rumours going around, however most going around involve Gomez or Gionta. I'm hearing something different, as Edmonton is interested in acquiring either Rafalski or Martin. Jersey really wants Andrew Cogliano, while Kevin Lowe would rather deal one of his many draft picks. This is something to watch over the next little while.

The Leafs apparently have a deal on the table to acquire a first line winger to play with Sundin, and quite a good one. That being said, the Leafs apparently are waiting to pull the trigger, as they want to see if any of the RFA's going to arbitration are let go of, or can be had at a cheaper price. The Leafs are not done.

Chris Simon signed a one year deal with the New York Islanders today.

Ed Belfour should sign with Detroit in the next 24 hours, though despite what other blog sites are saying, this deal is not done.

Brian Leetch is deep in talks with the Rangers, as is Martin Rucinsky. I'd put Leetch at 75% a Ranger, while Rucinsky is 90%.

I am hearing Ottawa has no plans to get another big name free agent, and will likely use a prospect to fill Havlat's void. I bet they wish they still had Bochenski...

Whats Next And Who's Left

The Vancouver Canucks have signed center Marc Chouinard to a year two year deal worth 1 million dollars per season.

The Rangers are not quite done, and there is serious talk this morning that Brian Leetch could return to Broadway.

Though the Wings have yet to sign a goaltender, Ed Belfour could be offered a contract as early as today.

Is Martin Havlat worth $6 million a season? Chicago thought so, but then again, this is the same Chicago team that has offered Samsonov $7 million. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Lets take a quick look at who's left in the free agent market, in alphabetical order!

Jason Allison - Put up pretty good offensive numbers for Toronto, but was slow and had defensive problems. Still could be a number one center on a few teams, but likely will land somewhere as a number two. Toronto and Calgary are two teams I've heard.

Ed Belfour - Old and injury prone, but Florida and Detroit seem to both have interest.

Peter Bondra - Getting older, but can still provide offense. Could probably be had for around two million dollars a season, though there has been talk that he may retire.

Jan Bulis - Coming off his best offensive season (20 g,40 pts), Bulis is getting some attention, and could be had for less than 2 mil.

Anson Carter - Coming off one of his best ever seasons, Carter is looking for a longer term deal worth around $3 million per season. Many GMs feel that Carter only fed off the Sedin twins. Likely he'll return to Vancouver at this point, while Detroit and LA are still in there, and Toronto still remains as well.

Eric Daze - Injury prone winger who if healthy could return to previous form (70 points in best season). Daze has played in 20 games over the past two seasons, and will not be signed to anything more than a one year deal.

Brad Isbister - Still has lots of potential, scored 23 points in 58 games last season

Mike Leclerc - Has shown a lot of bright spots, but has not been as consistant as teams have hoped he'd be. Still worth a shot on a third line somewhere, maybe second.

Manny Legace - Some thought he was the best UFA goalie available (and his stats from last season agree), yet he says he has not recieved an offer from any team. St. Louis and Florida are both said to have some interest.

David Legwand - Injuries slowed him down last season, however, he's still a good center who is capable of putting up 45+ points per season.

Brian Leetch - Missed 21 games due to injury last season, but proved he still has a lot of offensive upside. Rumoured to be going back to NYR, while Boston is also possible.

Eric Lindros - Though he's battled injury problems the past 5-6 years, when healthy he's shown he could be as dominant a player as any. Toronto is most likely, while I feel Lindros could be this years comeback player of the year.

Danny Markov - Though his offensive production has declined over the past three years, he's improved his defensive game a lot. He is one of the best d-men left on the market, though a return to Nashville is unlikely.

Yanic Perrault - One of the best faceoff men in the league, Perrault is still a very valuable commodity.

Mark Recchi - A veteran who can still produce on the ice. Though Pittsburgh is still the most likely of places he'll end up, anything is possible. Any team looking for leadership should give Mark a call, just ask the Carolina Hurricanes.

Martin Rucinsky - 55 points in 52 games last year, I'm very surprised he's still available. The Rangers don't seem to keen on having him back, while I can confirm that Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Boston and Columbus have all inquired about him. Asking price is somewhere between 2-3.5 million per season, two or three year deal.

Sergei Samsonov - Maybe the best UFA available, Samsonov was built for the new NHL. Rumoured salary offers range from $3-$7 million, while many teams have been rumoured to be after his services. Detroit seems most likely, while Edmonton and LA are in the mix as well, as are at least four other teams.

Petr Sykora - A very good winger who can still put the puck in the net. Doesn't look like he'll return to the Rangers, and at this point it's hard to predict where he'll end up.

Updates

Sorry for the lack of updates the last few days, things have been very slow! Here is the latest :

In a move that has shocked almost everyone I've spoke to today, Shanahan has signed a one year deal with NYR. Yesterday we learned that Boston and St. Louis were out of the running, and it was down to Detroit and one other team. Not one person I spoke to yesterday felt the Rangers were that team, so this deal is really surprising a lot of people. It's a one year deal, worth 4 million dollars.

Bates Battaglia has signed a one year, two way deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He spent all of last season with the Toronto Marlies.

The Phoenix Coyotes have interest in Kyle Calder and Mark Bell, while according to one of my sources, "Chicago at this point just wants to make a deal". Not one bigger name free agent has had any interest in Chicago, and ownership feels they need to make a move in order to generate some excitement.

Detroit's goaltending still isn't solved. While some rumour blogs are reporting Belfour is a done deal, he isn't. Hasek is said to be close to retiring, while with Shanahan now a Ranger, Robert Lang may not be expendable. Khabibulin would be interesting if the Wings could find the cap room, while they are still interested in Giguere, Biron and Nabokov.

Rupp is back with the New Jersey Devils, he signed a one year deal.

I heard a rumbling that Ottawa and Montreal both have interest in UFA Tie Domi.

Boston may look at Samsonov now that they've lost out on Shanahan. Edmonton, Detroit, and Chicago are all said to have interest, while I'm sure there are a few other teams interested as well.

If you want to write articles for Hockeyleaks.com, just email me them at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com and I'll throw them up. Enjoy your Sunday

Shanny Close To Deal With Bruins

I'm hearing 2 years / around 5 a season, maybe 4.8 or 4.9, should go down before weekend

Belfour could also sign with Detroit soon, while Lang for Giguere rumours are also circulating around a bit.

Legace is still a UFA, I don't get it....

Another one I don't get is Samsonov, who may be the Wings backup plan should they lose Shanahan

Halpern To Dallas

Four Years / 8 million, done deal

According to one report the Habs are close to signing Poti and Sykora, not sure about this one

Friesen A Flame

1 year / 1.3 million

Lindros is almost certain to remain a maple leaf

Calgary still lacks that center

Edmonton is really shopping draft picks at this point, they need a defenseman in the worst way

Belfour To Detroit?

He's working out with the Wings today, if all goes well he could sign in the next 24-48 hours

Shanahan is still available, and I'm surprised. A lot of teams are interested at this point, the Bruins one of them, the Leafs another (however Shanny is probably out of their spending range). NYR and Montreal are also in this mix.

Sabres are trying hard to deal Biron, while San Jose is in no rush to deal one of their goalies.

Spacek has signed with an unnamed team that isn't the Oilers, hopefully we know who that is today. The Sens wouldn't shock me...

The Pens have interest in Yanic Perrault.

Anyone else surprised that Legace is still available? I still see him in St. Louis, though Florida is another option. Still a lot of goalies available on the trade front as well, but according to many sources, the asking prices are extremely high.

Witt To Islanders

Three Years, still waiting for confirm how much

Guerin To St.Louis

Done deal, no details yet

Shanny is down to Boston, Toronto and one team that I have not been told

How Teams Look So Far...

Rucchin is a Thrasher, and Ward is a Ranger...other than that, it's been slow since the big Pronger blockbuster earlier today. Update : Teppo Numminen has signed a one year deal with the Sabres.

Shanny, Carter, Samsonov are all still available. I was just talking to Ryan, and I have been going on about how each team has done so far this offseason, so right now I'm going to tell you what I think of each team so far, and how I think they would do next year. I'm going to post this in the blog section of the forums, please either agree with me, or rip me to shreds, I want your opinions. We'll start in the East.


East

Ottawa - Chara and Pothier are gone, and have not done much to replace them (Joe Corvo?). Ottawa's defense is not as good, either is their goaltending (remember, Ottawa was unstoppable at the beginning of the season because Hasek was unstoppable. Gerber isn't Hasek, even when Hasek was 40 yerars old). Ottawa is not as good as they were last season, and even with their offense, I currently see them somewhere between 3rd and 6th in the East. Redden will struggle without Chara, and Gerber is a serious risk

Carolina - Ward and Grahame are both huge question marks, while Doug Weight is gone, as are Aaron Ward and Martin Gerber, and Mark Recchi is likely leaving. This team hasn't done much to improve, but when your Stanley Cup champs, do you need to? As of now, I don't think Carolina is as deep as they were last season, and this year there will be a lot more question marks surrounding the team.

New Jersey - The team has no money to sign Gionta and Gomez and a back up goalie, so someone is getting traded...the only big contracts you can deal at this point are Brodeur and, well thats it. It will be interested to see what NJ does, but remember, this is a team that almost missed the playoffs before an unbelievable late season run. If Gomez or Gionta leave, this team will finish somewhere between 6th and 10th.

Buffalo - The same team as last year, except this time there will likely be more pressure on Ryan Miller. Jay Mckee is gone, and that will hurt this team. The Sabres have yet to make their move, but they may be ready to take the next step and surpass the Sens if they can use some of that available cap room to bring in another quality player or two.

Philadelphia - The Flyers have yet to make a splash, and yet they've lost a few key players (Jonsson comes to mind right away). Not much money to spend, and no Forsberg for half the year next year could hurt, but the Flyers are still a threat in the East, and should finish somewhere in the middle.

NY Rangers - Ward and Rachunek improve this teams defense, while for the most part last years Ranger team will be back. If healthy, the Rangers are my favourite at this point to win their division, as I feel they currently have a better team than both NJ and Philadelphia.

Montreal - They haven't really lost anyone, yet they've failed to gain the big names they were after. After watching Toronto and Boston add key players, Montreal needs to make a move or two if they wish to compete in the Northeast.

Tampa Bay - They lost Kubina, which will hurt, but Kuba and Delmore should help balance that out. They finally have goaltending in Marc Denis, but the loss of Modin will hurt. Tampa should be better than last year, unless they run into injuries, because they don't have much cap room to work with should a St. Louis or Richards become unavailable.

Toronto - Toronto currently resembles the team that tore up the league the last three weeks of the season, except now they have better defense. Toronto has a great group of young forwards, and with Sundin finally going to be given a chance to play top minutes, the Leafs shouldn't have a problem making the playoffs. As long as Raycroft refinds his game, and the Leafs use the $8 million they have left to spend on a top line winger such as Carter, Shanahan, or Samsonov, they'll challenge in the Northeast.

Atlanta - Loosing Modry and Savard really stand out, and I don't think Atlanta is as strong as they were last year. That being said, a full season with Lehtonen in net may be enough for the Thrashers to finish in the 7th or 8th spot.

Florida - Loosing Luongo hurts, even if they did get Bert, Allen and Auld in return. Florida is no better this season than they were last, especially since they failed to land Jovonovski. Florida, at this point, is not a playoff team.

NY Islanders - Mike Sillinger isn't enough to bring this team back to life, the Islanders will struggle with their current roster, and there isn't much left on the market to help them either...

Boston - Chara, Mara and Savard are great pickups, but I still don't believe it's enough to get Boston back to the playoffs. Tim Thomos and Hannu Toivonen are both huge question marks in net, while Savard won't put up numbers like he did last season, as he has no skilled wingers to work with. Boston needs to get some offense before we can take them seriously.

Washington - Pothier will improve their defense, but the Caps are still a long ways away from competing with the big boys. The Caps still need a top centre to play with AO.

Pittsburgh - After being the most active team one year ago, the Pens have slept through free agency thus far. They are young, and will be good in say 5 years, but for now, they look poised to struggle.


West

Detroit - Very much the same team they iced last year, except their leader has retired, Shanahan (80+ points last year) has yet to re-sign, they've tied up 7.6 mil on Lidstrom, and they've yet to find a starting goalie. Detroit may have a tough time defending the presidents trophy.

Dallas - Once again, very much the same except now they have Modry and Sydor on the blueline, and no Bill Guerin. The Stars should once again compete for the top spot in the West.

Calgary - With Tanguay, the Flames should be one of the biggest threats in the NHL. They still lack that #1 Centre though, but other than that, this team is very solid.

Nashville - With Jason Arnott now on board, the Predators should feel good about their chances of winning the Central. They still need a little defensive help, but as long as Vokoun is healthy, Nashville is a top five team in the West, if not top three.

San Jose - Though they're not improved, they haven't gotten any worse. What they do with Nabokov will determine how this team does. Dealing the wrong goalie could really hurt this team, and I'd almost suggest they keep them both, at least for half the season.

Anaheim - They've got two all-star goalies, a great group of young talent, the best defensive pairing in the league in Pronger and Niedermayer. There is no where for Anaheim to go but up.

Colorado - They kept Sakic and added Arnason, but Colorado may finally be on the decline. They've lost Blake and Tanguay, and added very little. Theodore is very questionable, and Budaj isn't ready to step in should Theo falter. It could be a very interesting season for the Avs.

Edmonton - I don't even know how to put the Oilers situation into words. They've lost a lot, and gained very little over the last few days. The Oilers appear to be rebuilding, which must make Oilers fans very angry after they were just a couple goals away from winning the Cup just three weeks ago. The Oilers have lost offense, a lot of defense, and have kept their goaltending the same. For a team that finished 8th last season, it may be unrealistic to think they'll finish that high next season.

Vancouver - For years, the goaltending situation has been knocked. The Canucks have fixed that, but now they may not have the money available to fix their defensive and offensive problems. Loosing Bertuzzi and Jovonovski will hurt this team, and if Carter isn't retained, Vancouver could find they're in trouble.

LA - They've lost Demitra, and added Blake and McCauley are nice additions, but they're not enough to transform LA into a playoff team. I doubt the Kings are done, but if they don't address their goaltending situation, I don't see the Kings improving much.

Minnesota - This may be the most improved team thus far. Demitra and Parrish will make great additions to the Wild, and should take a lot of pressure off of Gaborik. Fernandez is a great goalie, and should be even better with the additions of Jonsson and Carney. Minnesota will fight for a spot, and will end up somewhere around 7-9 with their current roster.

Phoenix - Jovonovski and Boynton will both make the Coyotes' defense stronger, though loosing Mara will hurt. This team has a lot of offensive potential with Doan and Nagy right at the top, though I beleive they still need a strong centerman to be considered a playoff team.

Columbus - Taking a gamble on LeClaire will make this team very interesting, while Modin should add more offense to a team already stocked with Nash, Zherdev and Federov. Loosing Denis, however, could prove costly.

Chicago - They've made no improvements, and I currently see them as the last place team in the NHL.

St. Louis - They get new ownership, and all of a sudden they have playoff aspirations. While I think it's too early to start thinking of the playoffs, St. Louis could be a team that finishes 10th or 11th in the West. Adding Doug Weight and Jay Mckee will make this team much better, however, they still need a goalie if they want to avoid another disaster season.

Pronger A Duck

It's official. Lupol, one non-roster player and several conditional high-end draft picks are going to Edmonton

Leafs are one of four teams still in the Samsonov hunt. I'm guessing Edmonton and San Jose are still both in it as well

Shanahan to Boston rumours are false from what I'm hearing, St. Louis is still trying very hard to get him

Pronger To Anaheim?

All signs point to Chris Pronger being dealt to Anaheim within the next few hours. No word on who's going back to Edmonton, but Anaheim has a lot of young talent to deal. Pronger-Niedermayer may be the most dangerous defensive pairing in NHL history...deal is close, we'll see if it goes through...

Steve Yzerman will announce his retirement today at 1 pm. There is another hole the Cap-Strapped Detroit Red Wings have to fill.

Detroit is looking to aquire Nabokov in the very near future. If they fail, they will add Ed Belfour to come in as the backup to Chris Osgood.

Check Hockeyleaks.com for all the latest, including a brand new Q & A, this time with Detroit Red Wings forward Pavel Datsyuk! Check it out!

Salei To Florida

4 year deal

Could this have anything to do with the Pronger talks? Maybe Florida lost out? Tough call right now

Weight Back To St.Louis

2 Years, 3.5 a season

Straka has also re-signed with the Rangers, not sure on details yet

Sydor Back To Dallas

Tampa traded defenceman Darryl Sydor to the Dallas Stars on Sunday in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick.

McCauley has signed a three year deal with the LA Kings

According to reports Florida and Edmonton are very close to a deal involving Chris Pronger, but it's not done!

Mike Sillinger signed a three year deal with the Islanders, while Jason Arnott will spend the next five years in Nashville.

Elias Re-Signs In Swamp

In case you missed it, Elias has signed a seven year deal with the Devils, worth 42 million dollars (6 a year)

Blake Signs In Los Angeles

Veteran Rob Blake has signed a two-year $12 million deal with the Kings.

ALSO:

-Patrick Lalime signs with Chicago
-Joe Corvo signs with the Senators

Ottawa Signs Martin Gerber

The Senators have signed goalie Martin Gerber. Terms not disclosed.

ALSO:

-Tampa Bay signs Andy Delmore and Andreas Karlsson
-Detroit re-signs Chris Osgood
-The Sharks sign Curtis Brown
-Philadelphia sign Nolan Baumgartner and Lars Jonsson
-The Canucks sign Willie Mitchell
-Washington signs Brian Pothier
-St. Louis re-signs Dallas Drake and signs Jay McKee
-Calgary signs Andrei Zyuzin

Tyler Arnason Signs With Colorado

The Colorado Avalanche have signed forward Tyler Arnason to a one-year deal.

ALSO:

- The New York Rangers have signed Matt Cullen to a multi-year contract.

Thronton To Los Angeles

That's Scott Thornton, who signed a 2 year, $3 million deal.

ALSO:

-John Grahame signs with the Carolina Hurricanes for $2.8 million over two years.
-Toronto signs Hal Gill to a 3-year, $6.3 million deal.

Boston Continues, Signs Savard

Boston Bruins have signed former Thrasher Marc Savard to a 5 year, $20 million deal.

Leafs Ink Pavel Kubina

The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed defenseman Pavel Kubina to a 4-year $20 million deal.

Jovanovski Signs With Coyotes

Ed Jovanovski has signed a 5-year deal with the Phoenix Coyotes.

Chara Signs With Kings

Zdeno Chara has signed with the Los Angeles Kings. Terms not disclosed.

ALSO:

-Scott Mellanby re-signs with the Thrashers, 1 year/$1 million

-Columbus re-signs Kris Russell, Jaroslav Balastik (1 yr/$525,000), Alexander Svitov (1 yr/$450,000), and Anders Eriksson (1 yr/$600,000)

-Rangers re-sign Karel Rachunek

-Washington re-signs Brent Johnson

Check HockeyLeaks.Com for more!

Yick
yick@hockeyleaks.com

Here We Go!!!

After months of waiting, it's here! At 12 noon today, the UFA market begins, and yes we will see players go today, and most likely several in the first couple hours. I'm hearing Jovo (Florida) and Gerber (Detroit) could be the first two to go.

Marc Savard has said he'd like to talk to the Leafs, however, the Leafs feel his 97 point season was thanks to Kovalchuk, and do not have interest in him.

The Rangers apparently are the front runner to land Chara, however, many in the Rangers organization feel they'd be better off signing two players for Chara's price. The Kings are also going to go hard after the very large blueliner.

McKee is very saught after, with NYR, Toronto, Montreal, LA, Ottawa, and most of the other teams interested in his servives. Toronto is apparently in the lead, with the Rangers, Kings and Sens right behind.

Arnott will recieve interest from the Kings, Habs and Leafs right from the get-go.

Roenick is still looking at Toronto and Ottawa, but would also like a shot in Vancouver and Calgary as well. It's still very likely he ends up on a Canadian team.

Anyone remember that Rob Blake is a UFA? The fact that Colorado has yet to sign him, makes him one of the best blueliners availables. He was trying to get his own deal done with the Avs, but since no contract has been completed, he has re-hired his former agents and will look around the league for the best deal possible. Still likely he returns to Colorado, but he's available to all 30 teams today.

Get ready for the collapse of the Oilers. Peca, Roloson, Samsonov and Spacek all hit the open market today, while Pronger is still waiting for a trade. If I was an Oiler fan, I would not be happy with the job of Kevin Lowe at this point.

The Phoenix Coyotes are expected to be very active on the UFA market this summer. They apparently have interest in Jovo, Chara, Arnott, McKee, Mitchell, Elias and McCauley. They are also interested in Chris Pronger.

Montreal is said to be ready to offer Patrick Elias a contract. Many teams are interested in the speedy winger, including the Devils, Leafs, Sens, Wild, and Panthers, among many others.

Montreal and NYR are two teams I've heard interested in newly-made UFA Bill Guerin

Tie Domi is likely to retire, though the Habs are said to have some interest in him, Ottawa as well.

Belfour is likely to end up in one of LA, Detroit or Florida.

One of the most underrated UFA's available this season is Anson Carter. Vancouver and Toronto are the two most likely destinations for him

Two minutes, here we go! I will be around for half today, Yick will do coverage after that. Enjoy your July 1st everyone, it's going to be a fun next couple of weeks

Modin To Columbus, Denis To Tampa

The Tampa Bay Lightning have acquired goaltender Marc Denis from the Columbus Blue Jackets for forward Fredrik Modin and Finnish netminder Fredrik Norrena.

Also, Ed Belfour's name is now coming up in Toronto and Florida's talks

The Day Before

Tomorrow the UFA market opens, and all 30 teams will be looking to jump into the free agent frenzy, here is the latest...

Lidstrom has signed a two year deal with the Detroit Red Wings, at 7.6 million dollars per season. I am surprised at the amount, as it was heavily rumoured that Lidstrom would come cheaper for the Wings, in hopes the Red Wings could use the extra money to add to this team.

Tie Domi and Bill Guerin have both been waived by their teams (Toronto and Dallas), and Travis Green and Shawn McEachren have both been waived by Boston. All four players will be bought out by the end of the day, as will Ed Belfour, and I'm sure a few others.

The Leafs and Florida are closing in on a deal that will send Gary Roberts back to Toronto. Expect that to be done by the end of the day.

Don't forget Chris Pronger, many believe he could be dealt before midnight tonight, as could several players such as Nabokov, Giguere, and Havlat.

Chara will test the free agent market, and LA apparently is very interested in him.

The Leafs are said to be ready to make offers to McKee, Elias and Arnott when they become Unrestricted Free Agents tomorrow.

The Sedin Twins re-signed with Vancouver today, each signing a three year, 10.75 million dollar deal. Is Anson Carter next for Vancouver?

The Devils, Rangers and Flyers are all not expected to be major players in this season's UFA market. All three would love to get a solid, puck-moving defenseman, though none can afford the big names such as Jovo and Chara.

Edmonton has yet to re-sign Roloson, Pisani,Peca, Samsonov, Spacek and several others, including their coach! With Pronger on his way out, things in Edmonton do not look good.

Roenick has said that Toronto and Ottawa are the two Canadian teams he would most like to play for

Brian Leetch will not be offered a contract by the Bruins. Reports have the Leafs, Rangers, Wild, and Kings interested if they can get him at the right price.

Some site news for you, the UFA preview I did with Blueline radio is now available in our Downloads section at Hockeyleaks.com, I see many of you have already checked it out, but if you haven't, give it a listen!

Guerin To Be Bought Out

100% from a good source, will happen tomorrow

Belfour will also be bought out in the next 24 hours

Redden Re-Signs With Sens

Two Years, 13 million dollars.

McCabe signed with Toronto today, 5 years/5.75 a season

Luongo signed a 4 year/27 million dollar contract with vancouver

and Gary Roberts has asked Florida to deal him Toronto. Leafs only make this deal if Florida will take Belfour, Domi or Antropov, as they don't want to get hit by Gary's cap number

Roenick To Canada?

Good Ol' JR would like to play in Canada next season, and is willing to take less than 2.5 million to do so. Check out the poll on Hockeyleaks.com and vote for which city you think will land him.

As I reported first on Hockeyleaks.com last night, Lidstrom is closing in on a deal with Detroit. I'm hearing three years/20 million. Could be announced as early as today.

As I reported yesterday, Dave Lewis will be named the next coach of the Bruins. You have to wonder, where does this leave Pat Quinn?

Patrick Roy, Dick Duff, Herb Brooks, and Harley Hotchkiss will enter the Hall Of Fame this year, after being selected today. Where's Gilmour and Bure?

Five finalists for Pronger are Anaheim, Toronto, St. Louis, NYR and Florida. I've heard every player on every team mentioned in trade talks, so I'm not even going to get into this.

Even though Jovo is saying he wants to re-sign in Vancouver, he's still going to Florida, probably this weekend.

Thats all for now, I've had to get up at 5:30 all week, and have to again tomorrow, not to mention a very important dinner meeting tonight, so I think I'm going to have a nap. Remember to register at Hockeyleaks.com, so you can submit your own news stories, articles, and web links. If you want to be in our links section, simply log in at Hockeyleaks.com and click "submit weblink". If you would like to advertise your site or blog on the hockeyleaks.com main page, contact me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com. We have really cheap rates to get your site on our front page! Thanks for everything everyone, we're back averaging over 120 000 hits per day again, and it's on the rise!

Dave Lewis To Boston

I am hearing that is all but done, and should be announced before friday.

Update on Pronger to Toronto : One source said that the Leafs were really hoping to get Pronger, to show UFA's that they were serious about contending right away. JFJ really wants to impress Elias, who will be targeted heavily by Toronto and will apparently be offered 7.5 million per season by the club right out of the gate.

Willie Mitchell may end up in Vancouver, while Jovo is all but a lock to sign in Florida. Talk has Ed Belfour going to Florida as well, as Keenan believes an Auld/Belfour combination may actually work well.

Eklund posted today that Aebischer + picks to Tampa for St. Louis was in the works. I have not heard this, but I thought I'd pass that on. Montreal would really win that deal, as St. Louis would excel there.

Finally, the Cap is officially 44 million, which I told you about a month ago! This means that the most a player can earn is $8.8 million. My guess is that Chara and Elias both get offers of this amount, but they may not take them...I mean, would you take $8.8 million to play in Columbus, or $8 million to play in Toronto, Detroit, Philly, etc.

July 1st is so soon, I can't wait! Make sure to check out the free agent tracker on hockeyleaks.com as we have a list of our top UFA's, and where we think they will go

Pronger Watch

A lot of talk concerning Chris Pronger today. I talked to a source today that told me that Pronger has asked Edmonton to have some say in a trade, and apparently they are giving it to him, despite lack of a no-trade clause. From what I've been told, he wants to be dealt to the US, unless it's Toronto. He's not interested in playing in Ottawa or Montreal. St. Louis, Phoenix and Florida all seem to be in the mix as well. St. Louis is offering Brewer among other players, while Florida is offering Bouwmeister and Phoenix, well we have no idea what they are offering, the only name I've heard is Mara. Toronto we all know is offering Kaberle and Stajan, and Edmonton wants Kaberle and Steen. The latest : The Leafs would like to make this a blockbuster, and maybe adding Tucker and Harrison into this deal, only if they can get Torres in return. A good source tells me that Pronger will be dealt by Friday night.

Huet has re-signed in Montreal today. It's a two year deal, no values yet.

Today is the deadline to sign RFA's as far as I am aware, though I'm still trying to clarify that. Florida apparently may walk away from Jon Sim, Steve Montador and Ric Jackman. We'll continue to keep an eye out for RFA's that are not qualified.

Belfour and Domi could both be bought out as early as today. Buying out Domi doesn't save the Leafs much, but it will be more of a message to the fans saying "We're going younger". Yes, I like the Raycroft trade, even though the Leafs gave up Rask, who will be a star. If Leafs get Pronger, Raycroft will look amazing, and even if they don't, he will still play very well for the Leafs, and go back to his Calder form. Mike Peca's name is coming up a lot in Toronto talks as well.

Belfour, Gerber and Biron are apparently high on Detroits goalie wish list, while San Jose would like to clear up their goalie situation by Friday. What about a Nabokov for Pronger deal? Hmm...

We're Just Getting Started...

The 110 000 hits we had yesterday officially shows me that the offseason is upon us! Thanks for all who were here yesterday, thanks to Jon Howe and Cdog for covering things, I was called out to the city and couldn't do much about it. I made sure to text Cdog with any information I got, which he then passed on through the chat! More chats will be occuring as we approach Saturday.

Don't think that this week will be slow, because it won't be. Pronger, Nabokov, Giguere, Cloutier, and Biron are all likely to go before Saturday, as teams want to have their money ready to spend for July 1st.

Pronger to Toronto rumours have heated up, with Steen and Kaberle the apparent asking price. The Leafs countered with Stajan and Kaberle, and I am hearing if the Leafs through in Kronwall or Harrison, this could actually be close to done. I'm not getting too excited yet though.

Ottawa is also in on the Pronger mix, with rumours saying that Ottawa has offered several packages, including players such as Eaves, Phillips, Emery and Havlat. It may take all four to get big Chris.

The first three players have been bought out, and there was one more trade that happened last night that went unreported. Check Hockeyleaks.com for those

Luongo On The Move, Again?

Morning!

Reports this morning have Vancouver possibly dealing Luongo once again, this time to Philly, Toronto or LA. While Vancouver traded for Luongo so he could play for them, a source told me this morning that Nonis would deal him if a good offer came through.

Toronto is working the phones hard this morning, trying to move up in the draft. They are also worried they may not be able to sign Elias in the offseason, and are looking at acquiring that winger they've always needed (I'm hearing Gaborik a lot this morning). Pronger is another player that is coming up in Toronto rumours this morning, with one source saying "Toronto is one of about five teams Pronger would like to be dealt to. St. Louis is one, while Pittsburgh has interest in Pronger, not sure if Pronger has interest in Pittsburgh".

Minnesota is looking to deal at least of their first round picks for immediate defensive help. I have yet to hear any names this morning

Remember that Buffalo/Calgary talk that was swirling around a lot, but no names popped up, so we ignored it? If you don't, then still keep reading. A deal is in the works between the two teams, and the names I've heard are Leopold and Vanek. Why Buffalo would deal Vanek, I don't know, but they're talking.

Afinogenov is being used as trade bait, and Buffalo is hoping to package him with someone else (some say Biron) to get Buffalo a top ten pick. 5-6 teams currently not in the top ten are really trying to get in there. Once 6 PM hits, things could really go crazy.

2 AM Rumours

Leafs are looking at obtaining a top five pick, no idea what they're offering

Cloutier will be gone asap, maybe tomorrow

Red Wings working on a deal to land Raycroft

Jovo likely to Florida not long after July 1st

Marc Denis to Tampa Bay involves swapping of draft picks as well as Modin as this point, source puts it at 70% done

New Jersey may attempt to shed some salary this weekend, hoping to free up money for Elias

Aebischer may end up in LA this weekend, the Kings are not happy they missed out on Luongo

I'm going to bed, busy day tomorrow

Luongo Traded To Vancouver For Bertuzzi

One night before the 2006 NHL entry draft, Vancouver and Florida pulled off the biggest move in the NHL so far this offseason, swapping Todd Bertuzzi and Roberto Luongo, as well as a handful of other players and a pick. Rumours about Luongo leaving Florida have been flying around everywehere so far this offseason, placing him in Los Angeles, Detroit, Toronto, Montreal, and, as HL.com reported on June 21, Vancouver.

The entire deal consists of Florida sending Roberto Luongo, Lukas Krajicek, and a 2006 6th Round Draft Pick to Vancouver in exchange for Todd Bertuzzi, Bryan Allen, and Alex Auld.

This deal solves Vancouver's goalie problems and provides a compliment to the Panthers' offense, with Todd Bertuzzi complimenting Olli Jokinen at centre.

Check back on Hockey Leaks for more post-trade information later.

Yick
HockeyLeaks.Com

Pronger Wants Out + much more

Disregard what I said earlier, apparently there is 100% truth that Chris Pronger wants to be traded from the Edmonton Oilers. Could it happen this weekend at the trade? One report has him going back to St. Louis, while another suggests a Pronger for Luongo trade may be in the works.

Rod Brind'Amour has resigned in Carolina, inking a new deal worth 18 million dollars over 5 years. The first three years he will earn 4 million, while the final two years he will earn 3 million.

Pat Quinn and Dave Lewis are the finalists to be the next Bruins coach. Expect Sullivan to get the axe next week.

Rob Blake is likely to re-sign in Colorado next week, and the same can be said for Lidstrom in Detroit. Redden and Chara may both be close to signing a deal with Ottawa, however, there is talk that the Oilers would really like to sign Redden should he come available on July 1st (and these talks make a lot more sense now that Pronger wants out).

Marc Savard and Willie Mitchell are both going to become UFA's on July 1st, as both would like to test the market. Willie Mitchell is the most underrated UFA this offseason in my opinion, he didn't even make Hockeybuzz's top 75!

Don't believe that it's a lock that St. Louis will draft Johnson. I've talk to one source today who said "St. Louis is tempted to take Stall, and if Pittsburgh makes the right offer, they'd move the top pick. I wouldn't be shocked to see St. Louis then flip Staal to Carolina for Jack Johnson and more"...That's really interesting, I'm very excited for the draft!

Though the Canucks are shopping both Bertuzzi and Cloutier, don't be shocked if Morrison is traded.

Just in as well, the Preds have apparently offered a very high prospect in Shae Webber for Pittsburgh's #2 overall pick. Tomorrow is going to be crazy. Minnesota is also making a lot of phone calls, as they have three first round picks, and would have no problem dealing one of them if it got them some quality return.

What a day tomorrow (and Sunday) should be!

Rumours Rumours Rumours

- Leafs looking at obtaining a goalie this weekend at the draft, with Giguere and Nabokov as the two prime targets. If trade demands are too high on the other side, the Leafs will shift their attention to Martin Gerber. The Leafs are also trying to deal Belfour and Domi, before they buy them out. Finally, the Leafs would love to move up in the draft to get Bryan Little, and talk is Minnesota could be the team to deal with. Darcy Tucker and the 13th pick in the draft could go the other way, while maybe a bigger deal involving Gaborik could happen? You never know

- Vancouver could be active this weekend, with Bertuzzi's name coming up a lot. The Canucks are also sniffing around for a new starting goaltender.

- Montreal is still interested in aquiring the rights to Jason Arnott.

- Tampa Bay is hoping to land a goalie this weekend, though it will cost them one of Modin or Fedetenko. Marc Denis could be the goalie they land.

- Detroit is looking at Giguere, Luongo, and Nabokov, among others. Datsyuk and Zetterberg will not be traded

- Andrew Raycroft and Martin Biron are both possible trade targets this weekend as well.

- Rumours are suggesting that Ottawa is looking for a new winger, and are shopping Havlat. Names I've heard are Doan, Gaborik, and Bertuzzi.

- A lot of rumours suggesting Chris Pronger wants out of Edmonton...I don't believe these at all!

Check Hockeyleaks.com as there are several new articles up there!

Thornton's On The Open Market!

Scott Thornton that is. As Hockeyleaks.com reported earlier today, the Sharks did not pick up Scott's option for next season, which will make him a free agent on July 1st. He should not have a problem finding a home.

McCabe is returning to Toronto next year, and the Leafs hope to announce the deal by the end of next week. The deal is still a 5 year / 28.75 million. This should squash the Lidstrom to Toronto rumours that are very inaccurate.

Luongo isn't coming to Toronto either. Rumours today had him and Roberts going to Toronto for Harrison, Pogge, Suglobov and a draft pick. Not happening! The Kings rumour, however, isn't far off. If I'm Keenan, I'd take Frolov, Garon and Brown for Luongo, as these three guys are guys you can build around. Frolov would look very nice beside Jokinen, don't you think?

I can confirm I will be back on Blueline on July 30th, for a full Free Agent Preview! You will be able to download that from our site, as well as Bluelines site, starting the 30th! We now have a downloads section on the main page of Hockeyleaks.com, and we'd love for you all to submit desktop backgrounds! Anyone who wants to make a Hockeyleaks.com desktop background, I will be forever in your debt! Cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com is where you can email those! Also, don't forget to register for the new site (hockeyleaks.com), as you will be able to submit your own stories and links!

Rumours and Mock Draft

Brand new rumours, and (NHL Draft Net's Mock Draft are both now available at Hockeyleaks.com. Our numbers are great, thanks a lot guys. We were down to about 10k hits before the site launch, but now we're back over 50k a day, and rising! Thanks a lot, and let me know what you'd like to see on Hockeyleaks.com by emailing me at cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com

Legace To Toronto?

If you haven't seen my UFA predictions on the new site, make sure to check them out. One prediction I made was Legace to Toronto, and wow are these rumours really heating up. The Leafs do not want to trade to get a goalie, as the price of a goalie this offseason will be high (and you'll see that first hand this year at the draft I believe). The Leafs have internally been talking about the possibility of getting Legace, and having him split time with Aubin. 75% Legace, 25% Aubin. This is a story to watch as we approach July 1st.

I just did an interview with AOL.com's draft site, it will be up soon I am sure, and I will direct you there once it is. Also, I will be back on Blueline on the June 30th show with the official offseason preview, so make sure to look for that!!

Finally make sure you check out and register for the hockeyleaks.com. Registration is free, and will allow you to read and post comments on all news stories. Registered users will also be able to submit their own news storys and links. Not all submissions will be used, but we try to use as many as possible! Make sure to vote in our poll as well, which already has over 100 votes! The site had great numbers yesterday, so keep it up everyone! Enjoy your Friday!

Hockeyleaks.com Launches!

The brand new site is up, go check it out ASAP. Make sure to register for it, as you will now be able to post your own news, articles, rumours, etc! What a great feature for our site, this should really make our site one of the most interactive hockey sites around. Please leave comments, and let me know what you think.

The Free Agent Tracker is still being worked on, so please excuse the messyness of a few of the pages. All the info, however, is correct, so they are reliable! Also, you may notice the exclusion of Internet Radio Broadcasts. Give us another week, it will be back!

Oilers Stay Alive!

Pisani may be the best free agent available come July 1st. He'll stay in Edmonton, why would he leave?

Several sources across the internet are saying Pat Quinn will be named the head coach of the Vancouver Canucks tomorrow. I have heard the Canucks will name their coach tomorrow, but the name I've heard is Vignault. Habsheid is also getting a lot of attention as well. We'll have to wait and see...

Speaking of tomorrow, the brand new Hockeyleaks.com will launch tomorrow. Probably late afternoon, say around 4 PM? Maybe earlier, maybe later, so keep checking back!

Finally, I never commented on the Devils hiring Julien. I don't like this choice, as I think there were much better guys out there for this job. I think this officially ends Elias' stay in New Jersey...Toronto bound? I'd like to think so

Update

You may have noticed, Hockeyleaks.com is down, as we are getting ready to the launch the new site! It will launch the day after the cup final, whenever that may be.

The forums are still up so make sure to keep going to hockeyleaks.com/forums.

Obviously, the blog is still up as well!

Note : The Wade Redden to Anaheim rumour is really gaining steam...

Update

You may have noticed, Hockeyleaks.com is down, as we are getting ready to the launch the new site! It will launch the day after the cup final, whenever that may be.

The forums are still up so make sure to keep going to hockeyleaks.com/forums.

Obviously, the blog is still up as well!

Note : The Wade Redden to Anaheim rumour is really gaining steam...

Selanne Back To Anaheim

Details are not firm, but I'm hearing 2 years at 3.5 a season.

Owen Nolan and the Leafs are back, face to face. According to several reports, the meetings are taking place in Cleveland. No decisions will be made this week, however, those will be left for later this summer.

Also want to point out a new partner of ours.

http://nhldraftnet.aol.com

They will have the best draft coverage over the next few weeks, and also have a great mock draft that will be showcasing on the new site (which is close to launching, remember, day after cup final!!). Make sure to check them out, they do a great job over there.

McCabe to Long Island?

I've talked to a few sources this morning, and apparently there is more than just Roberta McCabe holding up his deal with Toronto. Apparently McCabe is once again interested in Long Island, now that Neil Smith and Ted Nolan are there. Odds are McCabe signs with Toronto, but McCabe could wait this out until July 1st. Toronto's offered him exactly what he asked for, but if NYI makes the same offer, which would he choose? I still think he'll be back in Toronto, but until the contract is signed, we won't know for sure.

What a game last night! Jussi played great, and as questionable as the winning goal was last night, the Oilers deserved the win. This is still anyone's series. Sources in Edmonton are telling me that the Oilers are secretly hoping for a game 6 Roloson return. If Jussi wins the next two games though, then what do you do? Expect Tarnstrom to stay in the lineup for game 4.

How about these Hitchcock to Vancouver rumours? I don't see Hitchcock leaving Philly, and I believe Hitchcock is simply using this to get an extension on his current deal. With young stars like Richards, Carter and Umberger, I believe Hitchcock wants to spend several more years in Philly.

Expect Aleksey Morozov to return to the NHL this season, after a year in Europe. Also, reports this morning suggest Gaborik will seek cap max. I can't see him getting that, and it looks more and more like Gaborik may be on his way out of Minnesota. Look for the teams that miss out on Elias to give Minnesota a call. Finally, Kubina to Philly is something that is growing in size, and makes sense on a lot of levels. The Flyers will not have the cap space to target a Redden or Chara, but a guy like Kubina could be just what the Flyers need. That, and a healthy Peter Forsberg.

Domi, Legace, Roloson, and Markkanen

Rumours surfaced late last night that say Tie Domi will be bought out by the Toronto Maple Leafs. As Steve Simmons pointed out earlier this week, it would cost the Leafs 1.25 million dollars to keep Domi, or 1.26 million to buy him out and bring in a player making 450,000. So it comes down to, do you want Williams or Domi on the ice for you? Should be interesting. Teams have between the 15th and 30th to buy players out.

Legace will not be back with Detroit next season as Detroit GM Ken Holland has told him he will not be offered a contract prior to July 1st. Giguere and Raycroft are two possible replacements in Detroit, but all depends on whether or not Detroit retains Shanny or Lidstrom, or both.

Dwayne Roloson may not be done for the entire series as first thought. Though he couldn't return until at least game 6, there is talk that if the Oilers make it that far, he may be able to return.

Finally, Markkanen is 99% sure to get the start tonight. Hopefully the team in front of his shows up tonight, because I'm not too sure where they were on Wednesday

Who Did It?

Which one of you angry Edmonton fans took out your angry and knocked out my drivers side tail light? Oh well, what a day today has been.

Ty or Jussi? Who gets the start in game three? I'd stick with Jussi, but either way, I see the Oilers winning game three. Cam Ward has to falter eventually, right? maybe? Time will tell. The longer this series goes, the better chance for Edmonton. Carolina is very dangerous when they have momentum, which they have a serious case of right now.

Jason Arnott to Montreal? According to a source in Dallas, the Canadiens have contacted the Stars about a trade to bring Arnott to Montreal. Yes, Arnott is a UFA come July 1st, but Montreal would love to have those bargaining rights until Arnott is let out into the open. LA is also very interested in Arnott, who's days in Dallas seem very numbered.

Leafs picked up Tellqvist's option today, but that doesn't mean he's staying. Leafs will look at grabbing a goalie draft weekend, and if that fails, they'll look into Gerber and Legace. If nothing works there, then maybe they'll try an Aubin/Tellqvist combo, but thats a last resort. In my Q&A With Spector's Hockey's Lyle Richardson (aka the owner of Spectors Hockey), he said that "Toronto would be an obvious choice for Patrick Elias". I thought I'd give you Toronto fans some hope. Full Q&A with Lyle will be available when the new site launches (day after Cup Final). I'd say it's 92% complete, with just a few glitches to work out. It's a lot of fun.

Penalty Problems

Those two words sum up Edmonton's night. They couldn't stay out of the box, they really didn't show any effort in this game. They play two more games like this, and they're done. They're not out yet, but the fat lady is getting her voice warmed up. Wasn't Jussi's fault, it was Edmonton's discipline.

If you haven't already heard, the New York Islanders have finally found two guys willing to take over the disaster known as a hockey franchise. Milbury has dug this team a deep hole, and now Mr. Wang hopes that Neil Smith and Ted Nolan will be the two guys to get them out of it. Nolan deserves the shot and this will be a good situation for him. Neil Smith, however, I don't think is a good fit. That being said, nobody else wanted this job, and Smith needs work. Maybe it is a good fit...

So with another coaching spot filled, Pat Quinn is still looking for work. All signs point to Boston at this point, with Vancouver still a very outside possibility.

If anyone has any ideas for a catchy slogan for hockeyleaks, let me know. We're looking for something, and apparently "Your Home For All Things Hockey", sucks. I liked it, but two certain individuals who may soon be fired if they don't stop complaining (and they know who there are :P), tell me it has to be changed. I don't usually listen to them, but I thought I'd throw it out there, and ask your guys opinions. Cjohnson202@hockeyleaks.com

Very Late Night Rumours

This new site has given me so much more life, I constantly want to tell you all what I'm hearing. Here are some rumours that I've been hearing over the past 24 hours

-Huet and Habs will have deal worked out before June 15th as long as things continue progressing the way they have been.

-Pat Quinn is apparently the front-runner for the coaching job in Boston. He'd get to face Toronto 8 times, which would make for an interested rivalry.

-I've talked to several people in Toronto, and from what I have heard, Elias is there #1 target going into this summer. That being said, that is dependent on locking McCabe up. If McCabe is not re-signed, focus will switch to a top defender.

-Lidstrom likely back in Detroit, Shanahan not so much

-Rumours are swirling about Raycroft going to Ottawa are false

-Rob Blake really wants to stay in Colorado, and could possibly be re-signed by June 15th

-Sakic to Calgary is very possible. According to one source, "The idea of playing with Jerome in Calgary is really appealing to Joe. He'd like to finish his career in Canada, and since Vancouver isn't an option due to cap reasons, Joe is very interested in Calgary. Him and Iggy have played so well internationally together, it seems like a perfect fit"

-Finally, I'm hearing the Bolts and Sabres could be cooking up a big deal that could go down draft weekend. Sabres have high interest in St. Louis, while Tampa Bay would want Biron and a draft pick (1st or 2nd round). Feaster is said to be high on Biron, and really pushed for him back in March.

Now What?

So Edmonton is lacking their starting goalie...now what do they do? They have two options, and neither option was good enough to get them into the playoffs (hence why Rollie The Goalie was brought in). Both goalies are young, and when it comes to playoff experience, neither of them really have any. Conklin played the final few minutes last night, and gave up a goal (and a weak one at that). Markannen at times this season looked good, but at times, he didn't. If I was MacT, which I'm very glad I'm not at the moment, I think my money would be on Markannen. This guy has been around longer than Conklin, and should play well enough to keep the Oilers in this series.

This morning I recieved several calls and emails asking if I still felt the Oilers were going to win the cup. I do. In a series like this, Cam Ward or Dwayne Roloson was not going to be the difference. Last night, nine goals were given up, which is hardly a goaltenders battle. Carolina has a little more veteran leadership, while Edmonton has Chris Pronger, who gets his own category. Markannen could play as well as Ward, or Ward could play as well as Markannen. I don't see this series coming down to goaltending. Before last nights game, I said Oilers in 6, and I'm sticking with it.

Just finished up a Q & A with Lyle Richardson from Spectors Hockey. It is five questions based entirely on possible player movement. I have about three or four Q & A's in the works. You'll see them all around the launch of the new site. Lyle's will launch with the site, and you'll get one or two on draft weekend. All completed Q & A's will be up before July 1st, as you know I asked every single person I talked to about their predictions for this offseason.

Finally, a lot of confusion going around right now about who is and who isn't a UFA. On Eklunds top 75 UFA list, two players he listed are NOT UFA's. Scott Thornton is under contract in San Jose for next season, while Martin Biron is a RFA, not a UFA. Afinogenov and Briere are both RFA's as well, not UFAs. Our Free Agent Tracker has them as UFA's, but it lies. I think everyone is confused by which age groups are UFA's and which age groups are UFAs. Remember : The age doesn't drop to 25 until summer 2007. The Free Agent Tracker on the new page is fully up to date, so your just going to have to wait another week! The site is pretty much ready, we're just waiting for the Oilers to win the cup so we can show off the next step in Hockeyleaks' life. Have a good day everyone

Roloson Out For Playoffs

Just got word, huge blow for Oilers. Cam Ward was outstanding tonight, Carolina will be tough to be without Rolo...

Here We Go!

Tonight it begins. Two teams left, only one will be the Stanley Cup Champion. One team looks to add another cup to their large collection, while the other looks to claim their first title. What a series this should be. I see Carolina winning tonight, but then Edmonton taking the series in six games. Chris Pronger MVP? I think he deserves it.

As for the new site, it's been pretty much done for a few days, and since me and the rest of the crew have nothing else better to do, we find ourselves adding more and more to it. Might as well, we have the time! I think you guys will all very like it. I've also got four Q&A's in the works, and all will be released before July 1st. We've got to ask some great people some great questions, so look forward to those! Our site numbers are back up again, and that is because you are all looking forward to the start of the UFA season. The draft weekend will be a busy one, and come July 1st, the NHL will be one exciting place. Hockey...is there anything better?

The Stanley Cup Final

Well, we're here. I went 1-1 in the third round, and if it wasn't for a late game collapse by the Sabres last night, I would have gone 2-0. So who do I like for the final? Edmonton will take this series, in six games. The Oilers are young, fast, and exactly what the new NHL is about. I also think the goaltending questions in Carolina will hurt them. Who is the starter, Gerber or Ward? It looks like Ward is for now, but we all know that could change. Roloson is the guy in Edmonton, no questions.

As for my pick for MVP, I'm going to say Pronger. I've heard people say Peca, Roloson, Pisani, Smyth and others, but no other guy is more valuable to these Oilers than Chris Pronger. This series is going to be great to watch.

The new site is looking great, an will launch the day after the cup final. Those that have seen it so far have been very impressed. I love it, and find it hard to even look at the current one right now. I'm a very excited guy right now, with the new site launch looming, the Stanley Cup final just days away, and the free agent season right around the corner. Does it get any better than this?