best/worst signings today:


Best:


#1 Dwayne Roloson (PHILADELPHIA FLYERS)
2 years @ 5 million
5 million SB

It's a decent salary for a starting goalie (78 ov) who could re-rate upwards and be tagged for a third year, or traded later and give another team that option. The value of the second year of this signing depends heavily in whether one is a believer in Rolo. I am. Rex also is, apparently.

#2 Jozef Stumpel (SAN JOSE SHARKS)
1 year @ 6 million
3 million SB

This first line centre/right winger (77 ov) is worth the money this season but is questionable beyond that, hence the wisdom of the one-year offer. The bidding was fierce for Stump as five teams were in the running. The Sharks got themself a sixth 75+ ov forward for Lidstrom to feed the puck to. And the team still has cap room. Yikes!

#3 Chris Osgood (DETROIT RED WINGS)
1 year @ 1.4 million
700K SB

A not bad salary for a not bad backup this season. A second year for the (73 ov) netminder would have been advisable because if he re-rates downward then he could play for the farm team at only 10% the salary level, if he re-rates the same next year then he's the same value now to the team or as a tradeable asset, and there is some chance he could re-rate upward as Hasek is a year older and could very likely get injured as in some past years, meaning more ice time than last year for Chris on a very good team that'll help him out a lot.


Worst:

#1 Karlis Skrastins (COLUMBUS BLUEJACKETS)
4 years @ 5 million
6 million SB

I like the idea of signing the 32 year old to a longterm contract, but not at that salary level!  He's a quality defensive defenseman who neither passes nor hits much. No way is he worth 5 mill a season for four seasons, for even one season! Who could possibly think so? Bidding war run amock. This will be an albatross down the road.

#2 Roman Hamrlik (NEW YORK RANGERS)
5 years @ 4.5 million
11.25 million SB

No one regrets overpaying for a player for the present season if there is plenty of cap room. But to be tied down the road to a player of diminishing worth, especially five years on a 33 year old coming off of his best season in over four years... is not a good contract signing. The length of the contract doesn't affect the bidding process so the g.m. must believe the player will be worth 4+ mill salary when he's 37 and 38. This smells like a Habs hype signing: any player who joins the Montreal Canadiens of the NHL automatically ends up with greater and/or worse appreciation than the player would anywhere else. Moreover, the 76 ov is misleading as high endurance and puck control ratings distorts what is really lacklustre key ratings of defense, passing, speed, skating. A couple of career years is needed to re-rate upward or no worse than now to even get close to having been worth it, imo.

#3 Jaromir Jagr (VANCOUVER CANUCKS)
2 years @ 10.5 million
6 million SB

It is never awful to sign Jagr as even on a bad year he's still rated as a scoring line player. However, the salary is pushing it valuewise, especially with the second year, as questions abound with new centres on his team, but there's no doubt that the league's top winger will be worth it this season. To say this is a bad signing would be to simply admit jealousy. I am jealous. Vancouver has the cap room and star Sullivan now has a worthy linemate, with 12+ million in cap room still left to go after a first line centre for the Canucks.

-- Edited by Islanders GM at 23:07, 2007-08-23

San Jose wrote:

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Stumpel is a Shark,...not a Coyote....Eric simply made a mistake on the Free Agent Page

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fixed

Hey Eddie wants to bet 1 billion dollars that he was a good signing

Yes, Eddie and I are still waiting for our congratulations for or recent agreement.

No takers?

Ok, I'll do it:

Belfour is an excellent signing as he is a bonifide starter (albeit, not one of the best), and will make a huge impact for the Coyotes who are hoping to make a little noise this year even after having their roster devastated with UFA's leaving for the open market.  With only a 2 million cap hit, and 1 million bonus, Belfour is more than affordable, the only downside here is that he's gone at season's end and the Coyotes will have to hope Weekes or Price can make a name for themselves this season in the NHL, or they'll be bargain hunting again next offseason.

:)

Steve

Ianintheam wrote:

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BryceBruins wrote:

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Hey Eddie wants to bet 1 billion dollars that he was a good signing

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Someone call Tocchet

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LOL.

The Best/Worst signings today:

Best:

Tomas Holmstrom (EDMONTON OILERS)
2 years @ 6.9 million
6.9 million SB

There simply is no denying the value of a 77 SC. Edmonton can afford him and play him with great passing Wellwood on the second line. With Kovalchuk as the team's number one left winger, adding Tomas just made that side formidible. Two years is great because it looks like he'll be used in the same capacity in the NHL this coming season which makes the risk less, though of course if he does go cold he has no other superb rating categories other than puck control. Bet on Tomas to repeat at least one more season, as the Oilers have done.

Worst:

Cory Stillman (FLORIDA PANTHERS)
3 years @ 3.6 million
5.25 million SB

Congratulations on winning the Stillman Sweepstakes. Several g.m.s bought a ticket but yours won. Now see what you get: a third liner for over 3.5 mill. For more than 2 years. The 34 year old isn't likely to improve much, has below average skills in all areas except puck control and passing with just enough endurance to play a regular third line role and the powerplay. There were several players in the 72-73 ov range with offensive skills for secondary scoring, and they all went in the 2 mill range for lesser years. The Panthers g.m. must be a fan of Cory's or his scouts see some potential for improvement in his finishing skills, because his speed, skating, hitting and defense are unlikely to get any better. The signing makes sense from the perspective of team needs and abilities: there are no offensive left wingers and the team has plenty of cap room this season. But patience and later trading might have been wiser in the long term. The trade value of this player might be minimal for years two or three of the contract.



-- Edited by Islanders GM at 17:50, 2007-08-26

gotta agree with Luke, I thought Holmstroms is insane, and whiel Stillman is overpriced, it's less risk and potentially more reward