Kukla's Korner

Kris Draper: Hockey Exec

Blog: Abel to Yzerman By IwoCPO

07/15/07 at 10:33 AM ET | Comments (0)

As you may know, Draper has ventured into the hockey ownership/management arena.  He’s entered into a partnership with the Flint Generals and seems to be setting himself up to stay in the game after his retirement in 2020. 

“I had an opportunity to get involved in the business end of hockey, learn how things run, and I’m interested in that. The game has been so good to me. It’s something I’ve done my whole life. When I’m finished playing, just because my career comes to an end doesn’t mean I’m done with hockey.”

More from the Flint Journal.

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The Small Market Disadvantage

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

07/15/07 at 10:20 AM ET | Comments (0)

from Bucky Gleason of the Buffalo News,

In fact, big-market teams do have a distinct edge. Teams from larger (see: wealthy) markets, such as Philadelphia and New York, can offer longterm deals loaded with more money up front because they can afford to buy out players toward the end of the contract. The structure of the deals helps them circumvent the salary cap while still drawing the better players.
Understand, the big-market advantage wasn’t the reason the Sabres lost Drury and Briere. They could have kept both for less money over fewer years than the co-captains eventually received as unrestricted free agents. It wasn’t until Drury and Briere hit the open market that New York and Philly could impose their leverage.

read on

added 8:41am, from the New York Times,

But the small-market teams appear to be struggling again. Buffalo lost Drury and Brière without seeming to make a serious move to keep either one. Edmonton struggled to lure players — including Rangers center Michael Nylander, who agreed to a contract with the Oilers, then backed out to go to Washington — until it finally landed Montreal defenseman Sheldon Souray last week for five years and $27 million.
The small-market teams have the same amount of money to spend as teams like the Rangers, although some would rather stay closer to the cap’s minimum figure ($34 million next season) than to the top.

more

Filed in: NHL Talk, Buffalo Sabres, | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

Daddy Feds:  My Soul Aches For My Eldest Son

Blog: Abel to Yzerman By IwoCPO

07/15/07 at 08:48 AM ET | Comments (0)

Within minutes of the story hitting the wires, George Malik posted an article from the Russian daily Sport Express that claimed a Sergei Fedorov return to Hockeytown is an idea brewing in both camps.  Frigging George.  The guy’s a bloodhound.  That was back on July 12th.  If you haven’t seen it, head over there and read it.  When you’re done, get back here because there’s another article from that same edition I want you to see.

Continue Reading »

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John Ferguson, Sr. Dies

Blog: KK Hockey By Alanah McGinley

07/15/07 at 12:16 AM ET | Comments (0)

From TSN,

John Ferguson Sr. has passed away at the age of 68.
The five-time Stanley cup winner succumbed to his second bout with cancer on Saturday at his home in Windsor, Ontario.
‘‘On behalf of my entire family, I’d like to thank the many friends, professional colleagues, medical personnel, and hockey fans who have supported us through this difficult time. Your expressions of sympathy have helped bring comfort to us. Your kind words have helped strengthen us.’’ John Ferguson Jr. said in a statement.

Ferguson’s son, John Ferguson Jr., is the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

more…

*Note: a profile of John Ferguson, Sr. can be found on Legends of Hockey

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Filed in: NHL Talk, Old School, | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

Erik Johnson Gets The Message From Murray

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

07/14/07 at 10:14 PM ET | Comments (0)

from Dan O’Neill of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch,

Blues coach Andy Murray had a meeting with Johnson on Friday at the Blues’ developmental camp. Murray wants to make sure Johnson realizes the in-house expectations for the University of Minnesota’s early defector are the same as they are for all the newcomers in camp, nothing more and nothing less.
“What I wanted to make him aware of ... I saw it in a newspaper where he was asked if he felt he would be on the power play in St. Louis, and this and that,” Murray explained. “And he said, ‘I have to make sure first of all that I’m good in practice. I know coach Murray is a guy that wants commitment and work ethic. I’ve got to go in there first and show them I belong on the team.’
“I brought him in and talked about that and thanked him for the position he’s taken, because, and I told him, ‘You’ve been around here the last week and I guess you’ve come to understand that’s exactly the way I’m going to treat you.’”

more

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Cap Is Working- Just Ask The Pens

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

07/14/07 at 10:11 PM ET | Comments (0)

from Mike Zappone at KDKA in Pittsburgh,

It’s laughable when I hear people around the league complaining every time a player signs a large contract. The instant knee-jerk response is that the lockout didn’t work. Those naysayers can’t be more wrong. Players will always jump from team to team, and there will always be teams overpaying for players. That’s the nature of free agency. Why don’t the same people complain when the same signings happen in the salary capped NFL?
The NHL’s cap system is actually more foolproof than the NFL’s. Teams can’t play around with bonus money to soften the cap hit or hide dollars like they do in the NFL. The NHL’s system counts every part of the contract towards the cap numbers.

read on

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Hot Dogs & The Cup

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

07/14/07 at 06:15 PM ET | Comments (0)

frm Larry Brown Sports,

We all know how the Stanley Cup goes to each player of the Cup-winning team for a day. Well, the Ducks won it, and low-and-behold, it appeared on the front page of the LA Times on Thursday. Chilling at Pink’s Hot Dog in Hollywood. How tight is that?

continued... and to follow the travels of the Cup this summer, don’t forget to check out NHL Connect - Stanley Cup...

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Looking At Who’s Left

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

07/14/07 at 02:30 PM ET | Comments (0)

from Wes Goldstein at CBS Sportsline,

Two weeks into what has been a busy free agency period for the NHL, the big-ticket items are basically gone, although lots of shopping remains to be done.
Salary cap room is the biggest issue for teams still looking to fill holes, but for those with the space, there are some attractive names remaining. Here’s a look at some of them:
Brent Sopel, D: The Canucks have stockpiled defensemen, which makes Sopel, who finished the season in Vancouver—where he began his career in 1998—expendable. Sopel is prone to mistakes in his own end, but has a great shot from the point and can play a physical type of game. He should be a top-four defenseman on most teams, and he made $2.4 million last season.

read on for more…

Filed in: NHL Talk, | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

A Summer Redoux: Michigan Sports Blog of the Week

Blog: Abel to Yzerman By IwoCPO

07/14/07 at 02:10 PM ET | Comments (0)

How about that Dive fans?  A little French in the post title for you.  Like that don’t you? 

So last year, when the summer got long and the heat was so oppressive that we begged Ken Holland (we? I meant “I”) to sign Gerber, Carter and Peca; we started a little diddy here that we like to call the Michigan Sports Blog of the Week.  Unfortunately, I initiated that endeavor just before I fell off the face of the earth and eventually re-surfaced under the flag of the The Emperor. 

But we’re bringing it back with a vengeance brother.  And this week we re-introduce that feature with Mack Avenue Tigers.

Continue Reading »

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Just Say No

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

07/14/07 at 10:54 AM ET | Comments (0)

from the CBC,

Canada’s so-called Prince of Pot said he’s received a legal notice from the CBC telling him to stop promoting a hockey game screening event as Hockey Night in Vansterdam.
The CBC alleged Marc Emery has violated its trademarks….
Emery had purchased a 50-inch (125-cm) plasma-screen TV and decided to start showing playoff hockey games at the B.C. Marijuana party’s Vapour Lounge earlier this year.
The reason for the move, said Emery, was that there are plenty of places in Vancouver to have a beer and watch a game but nowhere to smoke pot and enjoy some sports viewing.

more

Filed in: Hockey Related Stories, Hockey Broadcasting, | KK Hockey | Permalink
 

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