Lot of Huet trade rumors out there
UNIONDALE, N.Y. - It's the day before the NHL trade deadline and there are rumors everywhere.
For the Blackhawks, many of them involve goaltending and Cristobal Huet possibly being on the move.
Various rumors have Huet going to the Islanders, Toronto or Florida with the Hawks attempting to acquire either Tomas Vokoun from the Panthers or Dwayne Roloson from the Isles.
It would be an accomplishment of importance in helping solve the team’s salary cap problems for next year if Hawks general manager Stan Bowman could find a team willing to take Huet and the $5.625 million hit remaining on his contract for the next two years.
The Islanders certainly have enough cap space to accommodate Huet's contract, and they have goalie issues going forward with Rick DiPietro's health always a big problem and Martin Biron signed only through this season.
Would the 40-year-old Roloson, who is signed through next year, be an upgrade in goaltending for the Hawks? Roloson is an excellent goaltender, underrated, in my opinion, "a battler," according to an Islanders source who believes Roloson could help the Hawks win a Stanley Cup.
But Vokoun would be a better fit, if the Hawks could land him.
Meanwhile, there's a game to play Tuesday night and Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said following the morning skate that John Madden, Ben Eager and Brent Sopel all would be in the lineup here against the Islanders.
Colin Fraser and Jordan Hendry are to be the healthy scratches.
All six Hawks Olympians took part in the morning skate.
Nick Boynton's been traded to the Hawks for future considerations and sent to Rockford.
Colorado's Marek Svatos has his bags packed, just in case. The winger has been rumored as trade bait given his expiring contract and diminished playing time. The Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks scouted Monday's Avalanche game. [Source: Denver Post]
I think Sopels contract will be dealt before Huets...
I would Offer Sopel, versteeg and a pick/Prospect for Dan Hamphuis!!!
Bet he lands in Philly. Their defense isn't as good as they would like. I'd take that hamhuis offer you mentioned for Chicago. Looks like Roloson is the only goalie out there, if Vokopun going to Ottawa. But is Ottawa on Vokoun's OK list? If I was a rival GM, I'd aim for the exact same sort of deal which you mentioned regarding Huet. I'd pay someone to take Sopel and huet off our hands. Though Sopel is inj insurance in playoffs, when does his contract expire? One more year? Sopel is just to slow going forward to next year. Skill ok, smarts he has, recovery time appears good but you can't get around the fact that he is just too slow. He has to be so good all the time positional play. Sooner or later that spells doom in a close playoff tilt.
You'll see Fraser gets less and less playing time once (if) we get a more skilled center. Fraser hangs on because of his smarts/reaction time and defense. RealWiz had to illustrate how Fraser is better than I originally wanted to give him credit for. He is better than he appears offensively, but he can't skate well and he can't stickhandle. Can score a goal for you. Face offs: streaky, can be ok. Spunk and grit for a small player. I don't mind him as a reserve, or until someone else comes along. Brent Sutter had him for a while in junior. He is relatively inexpensive as fourth pivot. But I admit a preference for speed and size at fourth center, which may be asking for too much sometimes.
But this guy can mash people and would be a tremendous 3rd pair dman. I can dream right?
Boynton, Cullimore, Richmond and Sopel would be good playoff injury insurance...all right ill snap out of it!
Depth is a nice thing to have speaking of fraser..and I concur with your thoughts! In the CBC interview BowJr did mention in passing about looking at the Centre position!
I keep reading rumor pages (bad habit) and this one page keeps insisting Jeff Finger is coming here. (for Huet) 2 more years at 3.5 mill hit yeesh!
cant see it with Boynton Cullimore Sopel and Finger being similar except in salary
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2010/03/02/sp-bowman-nhl-tradedead...
In case you want to know how BowJu is dealing with the trade deadline and what role BowSR has in it!
a little cryptic message at the end.....
So, too, does Bowman, who might look to add depth at the centre and blue-line positions before 3 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
"Some teams are looking for a missing piece. I don't know that we're in that mode," he said.
Niemi to start on the Island...
3 goals on 11 shots....he gets the hook and Flour Dough promptly lets in a typical Huet softie.
Hope the Bowmans got a goalie on the line come March 3 cuz there will be no Silver Thing in Chicago with who they have in net now.
Two rockets from 30 feet in the far side cookie jar and a seeing eye pinball off Campbell. I don't call that stinking it up. At least they weren't short side or 5 hole. Then of course Huet gets beat short side from farther out right where his glove should have been, not in any corner. Niemi had his glove up higher, but I'll give ya neither of them have any speed with their glove hand.
form Bob Mack
Bob Mackenzie # I throw this out only because someone is bound to report otherwise -- Anaheim is not trading Scott Niedermayer. Not even on their radar. 17 minutes ago via web
# Toronto's Alex Ponikarovsky likely to fetch a second-round pick and a good prospect. L.A. one of many teams interested. 25 minutes ago via web
# Carolina's Ray Whitney may not get dealt at deadline unless the L.A. King scenario gets revived. It's his call but Pittsburgh appears out. 28 minutes ago via web
If I was a rival GM and BowJu called me offering Huet,
I would ask for a 1st round draft choice, a decent prospect and a player off the roster and in return I would give him a few UFA`s!
The price to take on this contract has to be steep!!
would the Hawks have in making deals with the Oilers?? There are talks of a "fire sale" taking place in Alberta. A lot of 30-something players on that club that carry a hefty price tag(Hemsky, Souray, Horcoff, Pisani). Anybody that can help us at the right price?
I would have to think we would be interested in players with experience (good locker room skills as well) and expiring contracts.
Ethan Moreau Is relatively cheap (2 mill hit) but has one more year on his contract and everyone else has a hefty contract.
who knows what the Bowmans are cooking up.
He isn't playing at a level that makes him worth the 2 mil cap hit. The guy has also had a lot of injury issues in recent years and seems to spend more time on the shelf than in the lineup.
Kinda ironic that just last year they were mentioning the Oilers along with the hawks.
Speaking of Edmonton, as mentioned they have a lot of players already tied up to multi-year deals. The players aren't that bad. How is it they have the record they do? It isn't like there isn't talent there. Could it be the coach? Not saying they should be fighting for the top in their division but there have been plenty of other teams with less talent fighting in the playoffs.
To you question mr lungo, my opinion is that they players they are trading make too much money for the Hawks to acquire.
Personally I think this guy is the guy we should target. I know Vokoun has been great this year, shown to be good in the past, and will probably continue for a couple more years. The question leans on Niemi. Do we think he can progress and develop into a good goalie? If we think he could be a tier below elite (too much to ask/expect any goalie to be elite because there just aren't that many in NHL) then we need him to play but also have a very good veteran and teammate behind and beside him. Roloson has been through the playoffs and I've never heard anything bad about him as a teammate. We all know that we have to resign Niemi in the offseason so we should see what he can do. If we get Vokoun then he has to play and we have to make an uninformed decision about what to pay Niemi along with not helping ourselves with the salary cap next year. Next year is just as important as the following. We need to decide how much to spend on Niemi, Ladd, Hammer, Eager, Burish. Sure they aren't as good as Seabrook who will have to be resigned the year following but they are still important pieces to us. Just my opinion, but I say if we can get Roloson and move Huet then we should really investigate that fully.
If Bowman can move Huet he deserves consideration for GM of the year.
I think Niemmi, Ladd and Hammer would be good to re-sign for next year.
I think Eager is a goner - too many injuries and concussion concerns. I think Burish is back only if price is low. Too bad because I like Burish and Eager. Good effort and scrappy every shift.
I just read that Ricky's knee is acting up again. Do not see them moving Rolie.
Hockeybuzz.com reports that Vokoun has been traded to Senators
It is unclear on the webpage, but it is only Andy Sutton going to Ottawa.
Its says Sutton to Ottawa and speculating Huet to CHI/Phil!!!
Just saw on TSN.ca that Sutton to OTT for a 2nd round pick. That seems to be the magic thing. Everyone is being acquired for a 2nd. Not sure about Philly getting Huet. They are supposed to be waiting on a deal with NSH for Hamhuis. Supposedly just waiting for Cote and Syrvet to clear waivers...supposedly.
Helps us tonight to face the Isles without Sutton.
Another Prince George Cougar that i was fortunate to watch in the WHL....would love to have him here if only as a rental!!!
What in the lickity split is going on? I didn't think Ottawa was in the mix! I'm going to just stop working right now and flip over to the disney site to check this all out. Sorry boss.
Huet for Finger is pure fantasy.
Vokoun has not ruled out waiving his NTC. Sounds like he's made it known to Sexton that there is a situation (or situations) he would waive it for. Hawks are in this, per a source. Philly is NOT, per same source (within the last half hour).
Is out because they are having problems clearing cap room to add Vukoun!
9 flyers take approx 45 million of the cap dollars!!!
I do not like to think that Veersteeg is the one going to go , but it probably will be . He is a very good player , one that teams would want badly. He is not having a great year , but his skill level is there. I would rather lose some Rockford guys ,Skille for example. And he only make 1 mil, so him and maybe someone else or a pick for Vocoun . That way who picks up Huet can afford him. Heck ,we dont have the money to draft high and pay the pick anyway .Sorry , but as great as Keith is , and he is , his contract will cost us ,and keep us from getting more players . How much is enough. 70 + mil ,now, and he said he was living just fine on 900 thousand before
Sometimes I get real foul and think a sack of grain would be a better goalie than Huet.
But most of the time I think Huet is a good guy who is a B- goalie.
If he goes, it would do the Hawks a lot of good...........
Heh, yea that sums it up very nicely.
We're seeing what the rest of the league thinks of Huet and his $5.6MM/year contract... He's a pariah... I don't think anyone is touching him with a ten-foot pole which makes it likely, in my opinion, that we see a deal with Florida for Vokun with a pick, a prospect and a roster player going to Florida and Huet being jettisoned to Rockford where he'll either play out his contract or choose to retire at the end of the year. I can't see the Hawks brass buying him as the almost $2MM/year cap hit for the next four years would be a lot of dead cap space for a team needing every bit of it to keep it's third and fourth lines and fifth and sixth defensemen from resembling an AHL team next year and beyond. A lot of very nice moves by Tallon over the years seem to be negated by a few stinkers in the zero sum game of managing an NHL franchise.
Just sent me a text at work saying Huet to Toronto for Brad "Frankie Four" Fingers. Tim is this for real?
denied Toronto is taking Huet.
DarrenDreger
1. The Leafs say "no chance" to the rumour of Huet to Toronto. 38 minutes ago via mobile web
The rumored guy was Jeff Finger. I've never even heard of this dude until today. Obviously, we're just trying to move Huet for a Hockey Mask, and some gummi bears.
Hit the jackpot (4yr 14 mill) as a journeyman Dmn who was coming off a decent year (for him) who carries a Brent Seabrook like 3.5 hit on the cap for 2 more years!!
that rumor proves there are people with nothing better to do