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Now that the Playoffs are over, I think we need to start this to keep the flow going.

First though, Game 7 had almost 8 million US viewers. The most since the 73 playoffs.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/breaking/s_629647.html

The parade today here in Pittsburgh drew almost a half million people downtown. More then the Steelers parade. Unfortunately, I wasn't there.

The Minnesota Wild have made some right choices lately. First they hired Chuck Fletcher as the GM and today, Fletcher announced he has signed Todd Richards as the head coach. Minnesota made a great decision in hiring Chuck Fletcher. He was the Assistant GM for the Pens this past year so I expect the Wild team to start to look like the Pens, without the star players. Todd Richards was the HC of the Baby Pens last season so he is also familar with the Pens system.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=281960

Here is the UFA list.
http://nhlnumbers.com/freeagents.php?team=none&pos=none&summer=none&status=ufa&type=none

Marian Hossa wants to stay with Detroit (Towards the bottom of the page, just ignore more Crosby basing):
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news?slug=ap-redwings-future&prov=ap&type=lgns

HMMMMM, sounds familiar. Detroit can have him. Maybe next time, he won't ride the Red Wings to the cup finals, instead, he'll actually contribute. Plus, this will screw their cap big time.

Anyway, teams are going to have to make smart decisions in this years pool. Even though the salary cap will remain the same, or roughly the same, it will more than likely go down next season.

The names that interest me for the Pens are Gionta, Scuderi, Guerin, Fedotenko, Zigomantis and Adams.

Finally, I would like to thank the Philadelphia Cryers for signing Ray Emery and having interest in Robert Esche. As a result of this, the Pens will own you yet again this next season.

Habs better bring back Kovalev, Tanguay and Schneider and get rid of Pleks and the Kostitsyns.

Would love For Gainey to move Hammer and a pick to bring back Souray, too.

The Wings, in regards to Hossa, have essentially two choices

1. Resign Hossa

2. Resign two of Hudler/Samuelsson/Kopecky

Hossa isnt going to crush our cap, but he will have to take a pretty big pay deduction to stay methinks. We have enough young players coming up (Leino, Helm, Abdelkader) that we could afford to lose the other three.

Prediction: resign Hudler and Samuelsson, lose Kopecky and Hossa

ajaX82 wrote:Prediction: resign Hudler and Samuelsson, lose Kopecky and Hossa

That's what the Wings should do, IMO.

As for the Hawks I have a feeling they'll resign Havlat and let Khabibulin go. I'm pretty wary of resigning Havlat considering this was the first season he's made it all the way through without a significant injury.

timd1218 wrote: Fletcher announced he has signed Todd Richards as the head coach.

Former Milwaukee Admirals assistant coach Todd Richards.

WEFFPIM wrote:As for the Hawks I have a feeling they'll resign Havlat and let Khabibulin go. I'm pretty wary of resigning Havlat considering this was the first season he's made it all the way through without a significant injury.

I wouldn't go anywhere near Havlat, personally. This is the first season where he's been healthy or actually played through injuries, and it's during a contract season. Coincidence? Eh.

They should bring back Bulin at a good price, move Huet and bring up Corey. The rest of the cap has to be for move power up front.

sh00n wrote:

WEFFPIM wrote:As for the Hawks I have a feeling they'll resign Havlat and let Khabibulin go. I'm pretty wary of resigning Havlat considering this was the first season he's made it all the way through without a significant injury.

I wouldn't go anywhere near Havlat, personally. This is the first season where he's been healthy or actually played through injuries, and it's during a contract season. Coincidence? Eh.

They should bring back Bulin at a good price, move Huet and bring up Corey. The rest of the cap has to be for move power up front.

Philly can use a goalie. Oh wait, they dug their grave with Ray freaking Emery and the horrible contracts they dished out. I love the terrible signings by the Cryers.

trwi7 wrote:

timd1218 wrote: Fletcher announced he has signed Todd Richards as the head coach.

Former Milwaukee Admirals assistant coach Todd Richards.

He is a good coach. I think Minnesota will now become a more offensive team with the new GM and coach. Will be a surprise for all those Wild fans.

WEFFPIM wrote:

ajaX82 wrote:Prediction: resign Hudler and Samuelsson, lose Kopecky and Hossa

That's what the Wings should do, IMO.

As for the Hawks I have a feeling they'll resign Havlat and let Khabibulin go. I'm pretty wary of resigning Havlat considering this was the first season he's made it all the way through without a significant injury.

I actually prefer Kopecky to Samuelsson, but thats just me

Havlat is an tough one. I think you guys will prolly resign him as well with dreams of his skills when uninjured. I'm not sure its the right move, but when healthy the guy can play...

timd1218 wrote:

trwi7 wrote:

timd1218 wrote: Fletcher announced he has signed Todd Richards as the head coach.

Former Milwaukee Admirals assistant coach Todd Richards.

He is a good coach. I think Minnesota will now become a more offensive team with the new GM and coach. Will be a surprise for all those Wild fans.

Yeah, I sometimes get Wild games when they're on FSN and not conflicting with Bucks games and while I like hockey, they're just incredibly boring to watch. Especially this year when Gaborik barely played.

sh00n wrote:

WEFFPIM wrote:As for the Hawks I have a feeling they'll resign Havlat and let Khabibulin go. I'm pretty wary of resigning Havlat considering this was the first season he's made it all the way through without a significant injury.

I wouldn't go anywhere near Havlat, personally. This is the first season where he's been healthy or actually played through injuries, and it's during a contract season. Coincidence? Eh.

They should bring back Bulin at a good price, move Huet and bring up Corey. The rest of the cap has to be for move power up front.

Some fans want the Hawks to deal Huet to Ottawa in some form of Heatley deal.

WEFFPIM wrote:Some fans want the Hawks to deal Huet to Ottawa in some form of Heatley deal.

I don't think it'll ever happen, but you never know with Ottawa. Such bad management on that team. Huet would be good for them though, to mentor Leclaire, but I dunno.

Huet would be good for them

"The names that interest me for the Pens are Gionta, Scuderi, Guerin, Fedotenko, Zigomantis and Adams." - Any idea about Hal Gill?

I think Scuderi and Fedotenko are the top guys, followed by Adams, Guerin. I think we can get Fedotenko for similar money to what he has now on a 2-3 year deal. Adams only gets 600k right now, but I could see him going up to 1 million, 1.5 million, given how much he played in penalty kills and key defensive situations. Scuderi is the big problem. I bet some team will overpay for him, or at least give an offer that will put us in a real bind. If that is the case, we better hope Guerin comes back for half his salary.

I'm also wondering what happens to Sykora at this point. Before he slowed down (got hurt? bad attitude?) and taken out of the lineup, he was a 25 goal scorer, and great PP guy. He was going to possibly get a 2 yr deal at 3 mil a year (but he wanted 3 yrs). Is it a foregone conclusion that he is gone? If we lowballed him with a 2 year offer at 2 million, would it be worth it?

Players I would be interested in from other teams:

Gionta - sure
Colby Armstrong: restricted FA. Getting 1 million now, not sure how much that will go up, or if Atlanta will match offers.
Mike Komisarek as a replacement for Scuderi (if it doesn't get done)?
Kovalev on reduced pay?

Money we most likely have coming off the books:

Satan's 3.5 mil
Sykora's 2.5 mil
Boucher 2.5 mil
Gil 2.0 mil - will they try to resign?

Money that is being added:

Malkin's 3.5-8.5 is the most significant
other large jumps?

drew881 wrote:"The names that interest me for the Pens are Gionta, Scuderi, Guerin, Fedotenko, Zigomantis and Adams." - Any idea about Hal Gill?

I think Scuderi and Fedotenko are the top guys, followed by Adams, Guerin. I think we can get Fedotenko for similar money to what he has now on a 2-3 year deal. Adams only gets 600k right now, but I could see him going up to 1 million, 1.5 million, given how much he played in penalty kills and key defensive situations. Scuderi is the big problem. I bet some team will overpay for him, or at least give an offer that will put us in a real bind. If that is the case, we better hope Guerin comes back for half his salary.

I'm also wondering what happens to Sykora at this point. Before he slowed down (got hurt? bad attitude?) and taken out of the lineup, he was a 25 goal scorer, and great PP guy. He was going to possibly get a 2 yr deal at 3 mil a year (but he wanted 3 yrs). Is it a foregone conclusion that he is gone? If we lowballed him with a 2 year offer at 2 million, would it be worth it?

Players I would be interested in from other teams:

Gionta - sure
Colby Armstrong: restricted FA. Getting 1 million now, not sure how much that will go up, or if Atlanta will match offers.
Mike Komisarek as a replacement for Scuderi (if it doesn't get done)?
Kovalev on reduced pay?

Money we most likely have coming off the books:

Satan's 3.5 mil
Sykora's 2.5 mil
Boucher 2.5 mil
Gil 2.0 mil - will they try to resign?

Money that is being added:

Malkin's 3.5-8.5 is the most significant
other large jumps?

With Scuderi, if he makes it to July 1st, he will get at least $3 million from a team. I think he will re-sign with the Pens because he realizes, the grass isn't always greener on the other side. I'm sure he has talked to Malone, Armstrong, Christensen and now Whitney about how great it was, to them, to play in Pittsburgh. With that in mind, I think he will re-sign for $2-2.5 million a year. I would give Adams no more then a million a year. If he doesn't want to sign, then you can replace him with Zigomantis. Zigomantis was a key player in the early season success. He is great on faceoffs.

Komisarek has already said he wants at least $4 million a year so he is a no go. Someone I could see being looked at if Scuds is gone is Greg Zanon from Nashville. Shero is very familar with him so I wouldn't be surprised at all to see him on the team if Scuds does leave.

Another player on Nashville I could see Shero going after is Steve Sullivan.

I wouldn't bother with Armstrong. He is a third line player and the Pens have better 3rd liners then him. With Feds, I think he will get the same type of money but probably on 2 years.

And with Guerin, if he doesn't retire, I think the Pens can get him for 2 years $5 million. He was such a huge positive for this team. And by his reaction at the parade, he really does wanna come back.

Other then Malkin, Staal will get a raise but it will only be like a $1.5 million jump. Hal Gill will be gone too.

I'm going to create an offseason thread in the Pens forum so hopefully, if he are responding to it, maybe others will join in as well.

EDIT - Sykora is gone.

drew881 wrote:Mike Komisarek as a replacement for Scuderi (if it doesn't get done)?
Kovalev on reduced pay?

Komo wants at least 4-4.5 mill to stay in a place he likes in Montreal. That's a supposed "discount" he's giving. He wants 5-6 mill from other teams. As for Kovalev, he loves Montreal. He's said it tons of times that it's his favourite city he's played for and wants to retire here. If Gainey really did offer him captaincy of the team, he's not going anywhere.

Tkachuk re-signs with St. Louis on a 1 year deal worth $2.15 million. Very good contract for St. Louis.

http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/ccustance.tsn/193862

St. Louis needs to sure up their defense a little in my mind, but when healthy, look out.

WEFFPIM wrote:St. Louis needs to sure up their defense a little in my mind, but when healthy, look out.

If they could bring back Pronger without giving up too much, they'd be a tough round in the playoffs for a top seed.

Panthers sign Steven Reinprecht, which makes complete sense for a team with no defense and is losing Bouwmeester...