Contract Wars: Carle vs Wideman

Due to the fact that NHL news is about as hard to come by as watching the opening ceremonies of the Olympics live (too soon?), I thought it was time to have another segment of Contract Wars.

If you have read this feature before then you know what to expect. If this is your first time at Tape to Tape, welcome!

Contract Wars is a segment where we analyze similar contracts signed by similar players and let you the readers decide who you would rather have on your team.

Today's article pits defensemen Matt Carle of the Tampa Bay Lightning against Dennis Wideman of the Calgary Flames.

Full analysis after the jump.

Doan Names his Price:

Shane Doan has been the face of the Phoenix Coyotes since they moved from Winnipeg. He has been their leader on and off the ice and has embraced the Arizona way of life.

As an unrestricted free agent, Doan has the opportunity to sign with just about any team of his choosing.

What is complicating matters is that Doan wants to stay in Phoenix. That is where his home is, where his family has been and where his children go to school. The good news is that the feelings are mutual as the Coyotes want their captain and leader to stay on board.

The bad news is that Phoenix is stuck in financial problems. If reports are correct, Doan wants a lot of money.  Phoenix at this point simply doesn't have the money to keep their captain.

Read more for analysis of Doan's asking price.

UPDATE - Butler, Semin, Voracek:

UPDATE 10:27 am
The Ottawa Senators buy out Bobby Butler. Details and analysis after the jump.

It's funny how summers work in the NHL...

For weeks on end it looks like a team is going to make a big splash but nothing actually happens. Then, seemingly out of the blue, players resign, sign and get traded all at once.

This just goes to show you that you can't believe all the rumors you read at certain hockey rumor websites or on twitter.

On that note let's get started:

Contract Wars: Parenteau vs Hudler

 Contract Wars is a new feature where we analyze contracts between similar players with similar output and decide who we would rather have on our team with their current price tag.

Based on their current contract and cap hit, who would you rather have on your hockey team? Colorado Avalanche forward Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau or Calgary Flames forward Jiri Hudler?
Analysis after the jump...

Holmgren's Plan B:

Think back to high school.

The girl you want to take to prom just broke up with her boyfriend. She's single, you need both need a date, you both find each other attractive; it's a match made in heaven. So what do you do? You bring out the big guns and make sure she never even has to think about her ex again. You pull every stop you can to ask this girl and offer her the prom of a lifetime. She says yes.

The entire time leading up to prom is filled with excitement and wonder as to what the magical night will hold for the two of you. Then disaster strikes. The day before prom she gets back together with her ex boyfriend and leaves you empty handed, dateless and heartbroken.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the world of Philadelphia GM Paul Holmgren.

With the Nashville Predators matching offer sheet given to Shea Weber, the Predators will have their captain for another 14 years and Holmgren is left without a date to prom franchise defenseman.

So what do Flyers do now? More importantly, what options do they even have left?

Analysis after the jump...

UPDATE - Analysis of the Shea Weber Deal:

UPDATE: 2:30pm
According to article 10.3 section b in the current CBA, Nashville CAN add on a no trade clause/no movement clause to Weber's deal. Why on Earth they would do that after watching Columbus give away Nash is beyond me, but the option is there. There is speculation that the Predators could move Weber now to a team for a trade that they would be happy taking. When Weber signed the mammoth deal, I don't think he expected Nashville to match. Updates to come.

1:22pm:
The Nashville Predators have MATCHED the offer sheet to Shea Weber. Weber's 14 year, $110 million contract will be his deal with the Predators. Nashville will have to pay Weber in the terms of the deal which means he will be given his $26 million bonus in the next calendar year.

Look for Philadelphia and other teams to now shift their focus to Anaheim Ducks forward Bobby Ryan, free agents Shane Doan and Alex Semin. More to come.

Top Shelf Tuesday: Around the NHL

A weekly recap of news around the NHL. Click Read More for all the latest signings, trades and more.
UPDATE:

•  The Nashville Predators match the offer sheet given to Shea Weber retaining his services for the next 14 years.
• For all the details on Weber's contract, go here

Nash to Rangers:

After months of speculation, Rick Nash is getting his wish and is on the move to the New York Rangers.

Details to follow.

UPDATE: 11:48 am

The final piece in the deal is Artem Anisimov according to Bob MacKenzie.

To NYR:
Rick Nash

To CBJ:
F Brandon Dubinsky
F Artem Anisimov
D Tim Erixon
1st round pick

Analysis after the jump:

Flyers and Predators Talking Trade:

UPDATE: 4:30 pm

Darren Dreger is reporting that the Flyers offered Matt Read, Andrej Meszaros, a 1st round pick, two 2nd round picks, and a 3rd round pick for Weber. Nashville declined.



If Sportsnet's reports are correct, the Nashville Predators and Philadelphia Flyers are negotiating a trade that would send D Shea Weber to the Flyers in exchange for some combination of players and picks from the Flyers.

If (again, big if) these reports are true, it appears as though Nashville management has opted to not match the offer sheet given to Weber. One thing to keep in mind as well is that if the Predators were going to match the offer there would be no need for conversation between Poile and Holmgren.

The Predators have until 11:30 PM Wednesday night to match the offer.

I personally think this is the smartest move the Predators could make. They can't offer Weber what the Flyers have offered him. At this point, the best thing that Nashville can do is simply move him and get the best possible package from the Flyers.

Look for the Flyers to ultimately give up two first round picks as well as some good young players (Voracek, Read, Coburn, and Meszaros are possible players who could be on the move) to get Weber in orange and black.

If Philadelphia officially has Weber by late Wednesday look for them to move some salary as they will only have roughly $300,000 in cap space.

Updates on Weber will be posted here so be sure to come back!

Contract Wars: Green vs Karlsson

NEW from Tape to Tape: Contract Wars is a new feature where we analyze contracts between similar players with similar output and decide who we would rather have on our team with their current price tag.

Time to put your General Manager caps on and think about your hockey team. Who would you rather have?

Analysis after the jump...

Top Shelf Tuesday:

This week around the NHL (with my thoughts and comments under the headlines as usual) features some drunk driving, players considering making a comeback, signings and more.

All the latest after the jump!

Big NHL Markets in Trouble?

Every year when Free Agency opens on July 1st there are big ticket names that cause hockey fans to salivate at the idea of those players putting on their team's jersey. These players are difference makers. When a General Manager gets the opportunity to add a difference maker to their roster without giving up anything but money, you bet that they will do their due diligence and make calls.

Last year it was Brad Richards, this year it was Parise and Suter. Previous big name free agents include: Ilya Kovalchuk, Marian Hossa, Martin Havlat, Marian Gaborik, Zdeno Chara, and the list goes on.

What most of these players have in common is their ending location. Most big ticket names pick big ticket cities to play in. That would be your Toronto, Boston, New York, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Montreal, Philadelphia, San Jose, or any other contending team with a good hockey market.

This year we saw that trend come to a staggering end. There were times when it appeared certain that Parise would sign in Pittsburgh and Suter would sign with Detroit. Both teams fit the bill of being contending teams where hockey is a big deal.

That is why when it was announced that they had both signed with Minnesota, people were shocked. Minnesota looked good on paper heading into last season with newly acquired Dany Heatley and Devin Setogouchi in their forward ranks. Unfortunately for them, they could not build off a strong start and failed to make the playoffs. The Wild finished with a top ten draft pick this past June.

Then there was Justin Schultz. When it was reported that teams like Toronto, Detroit, Vancouver and many more were interested in his services why wouldn't he pick a winning franchise like Detroit where he could take his time developing and potentially fill the offensive defense man gap left by Niklas Lidstrom's retirement?


Instead Schultz picked the Edmonton Oilers who have set the NHL record with THREE consecutive 1st overall picks. This is the same Oilers team who finished dead last in the NHL in two of the last three years.

So what gives? What happened to New York, Chicago, Detroit and company always landing the big free agents?

More after the jump

Five for Fighting: Minnesota Wild - Contenders?

Five for Fighting is a feature where we give two writers a topic and they argue both sides of that argument. The topic in this edition is "Will the Minnesota Wild be Stanley Cup contenders or pretenders this season?" 

When the Minnesota Wild signed both Zach Parise and Ryan Suter to identical (gargantuan) contracts, many believed that the NHL's hierarchy changed with Minnesota finding its way near the top.

Obviously, having Parise and Suter on your team immediately makes it better; but is it enough to call the Minnesota Wild a Stanley Cup Contender during the 2012-2013 season? While only time will tell, today we will look at the reasons as to why Minnesota could be considered a Stanley Cup contender.

Read More for an in depth analysis

Five for Fighting: Minnesota Wild - Pretenders?

Five for Fighting is a feature where we give two writers a topic and they argue both sides of that argument. The topic in this edition is "Will the Minnesota Wild be Stanley Cup contenders or pretenders this season?" 

This is also Art's first post with Tape to Tape so welcome Art! 

The Minnesota Wild are already being picked by NHL experts and fans to make a run at the Stanley Cup this upcoming season, but are these assumptions justified?  The Wild did win the Zach Parise, and Ryan Suter sweepstakes this summer but how much of an impact can they truly have?

Big Changes:

When I started this blog, I promised to change things up around here as much as possible. With that, today we are pleased to announce two new additions that will change up the flow of things around the site: A new writer and a new segment.

More on our new additions after the jump.

Top Shelf Tuesday:

One of these days, Top Shelf Tuesday will actually be on a Tuesday....until then, here is a late edition.

Today's latest edition will just give a recap (and no side comments) as a lot of the news today is not very discussion enducing.

NHL Recap after the jump:

What Makes a Team Your Favorite Team?

What could make ANYONE dress up like this before a game?

Today's post is not about a big free agency splash. It's not about a potential trade. It's actually not about any individual player at all. Today, we talk about you, the reader.

For the longest time you have had a favorite team. In this team you slowly invest more time, money and even your heart. This becomes a team that you adopt as your own.

You support them through the highs and endure the lows. Chances are, regardless of how many early playoff exits you have had to painfully watch and numerous disappointing seasons where you knew they could have done better; you hung in there. This is your team. You won't give up on them.

The question I ask you today is why? What inspires you to wear their logo proudly on your chest? What prompts you to spend hundreds of dollars to just have the same jersey they have? What makes a team your favorite team?

click "Read More" for...more

Not-So-Free Agency:

The homepage for the Minnesota Wild via wild.nhl.com

The biggest fish in the free agent pool have been locked up...by the same team.

From the beginning stages of the off season, many people (*ahem* including us) believed that Zach Parise and Ryan Suter could very well sign together. Obviously, where they would sign was a completely different issue but somehow the Minnesota Wild have pulled out of Free Agency with the big guns.

With Parise and Suter both taking their talents (and $98 million contracts) to Minnesota for the next 13 years, who is left?

Arguably the most sought after Free Agent after those two was Justin Schultz who is now a member of the Edmonton Oilers.

So if your team missed out on any of those big name players who become the consolation prizes?

Find out after the jump!