July 13, 200520 yr June, July and August are typically busy months for NHL general managers, the time of preparing for the draft, re-signing players and examining free agency. But with the lockout 295 days old, things have been quiet. That's about to change. A collective bargaining agreement is expected to be reached soon. After approval from the league's Board of Governors and ratification by players, the most chaotic time in the NHL will ensue. Teams will have to get their houses in order quickly. They'll have to tender qualifying offers, re-sign or cut players, buy out others, plan for a draft and for the biggest free-agency crop ever, all while they learn a new economic system. "All of us are going to be going to school," said Columbus Blue Jackets GM Doug MacLean. "This is unique. This is a whole new world. I anticipate training sessions so everybody in management has time to get our teeth into it. It's going to be a lot of information to sink in. No doubt it'll be a challenge and time-consuming." Of the close to 700 NHL players, only 288 are signed for next season. That number will decrease once teams discard players in order to fit into a salary cap. That'll create an enormous free-agent pool. The new CBA reportedly will include a 24 percent rollback for each player plus a floating team-by-team salary cap around a $22 million floor and $38 million ceiling. The Panthers say they'll be buyers. They'll have to be because they have under contract only six who have played more than 100 games -- defensemen Sean Hill, Branislav Mezei, Eric Cairns, Alexander Karpovtsev and Mathieu Biron and backup goalie Jamie McLennan. The payroll would be roughly $5.5 million, so to hit the minimum of the salary cap, the Panthers have at least $16.5 million to spend on re-signing players and free agents. "We have positioned the franchise to be in the market as a buyer," Panthers General Manager Mike Keenan said. "We'll have to obviously see what the marketplace looks like, but this is certainly a real advantageous position that this franchise happens to be in." Goalie Roberto Luongo's contract is up. Their top scoring players at forward and defense in 2003-04, Olli Jokinen and Mike Van Ryn, are also unsigned. Nathan Horton, who played 55 games in 2003-04, is the only forward under contract other than minor leaguers and prospects, including Gregory Campbell, Anthony Stewart and Kamil Kreps. "When [the CBA is reached], we have to process it very quickly, analyze it and then come up with a game plan and execute our game plan in a very hurried period of time," Keenan said. "We've got an opportunity here to reshape our team. We're in as good a position as anyone in the league to be able to do that." WQAM signs deal Sports Radio 560 WQAM signed a two-year deal plus an option for a third year to continue as the Panthers' flagship station. WQAM will broadcast all 82 games plus playoffs each season. Sun-Sentinel.com I can't wait! This is going to be so much fun tracking the signings!
July 13, 200520 yr Author Look for possibly Keith Tkachuk as a guy the Panthers are going to go after. A bonafide goal scorer, and is also a Keenan type of guy. Big, strong, and American. He will likely be bought out in St. Louis.
July 13, 200520 yr Not much buying if you mostly gotta resign guys though, right? Im not much of an expert here, but is Luongo and Jokinen unrestricted FA'S or do we hold their rights? Ive also heard rumors of Bure returning, although I wouldnt want him unless its for a much lower salary than he usually recieves.
July 13, 200520 yr Not much buying if you mostly gotta resign guys though, right? Im not much of an expert here, but is Luongo and Jokinen unrestricted FA'S or do we hold their rights? Ive also heard rumors of Bure returning, although I wouldnt want him unless its for a much lower salary than he usually recieves. 853921[/snapback] Free agents won't make very much.
July 13, 200520 yr Ive also heard rumors of Bure returning, although I wouldnt want him unless its for a much lower salary than he usually recieves. 853921[/snapback] Pavel? Ugh... I am not a big fan of his.
July 13, 200520 yr Oh, so 16.5 million is ALOT more than its worth in say, the NBA? 853927[/snapback] Yes. Maximum salary will be around 7.5 million. 20 % of the cap. You can get 4-5 very good players for 16 million in the new NHL.
July 13, 200520 yr Ive also heard rumors of Bure returning, although I wouldnt want him unless its for a much lower salary than he usually recieves. 853921[/snapback] Pavel? Ugh... I am not a big fan of his. 853925[/snapback] me two :thumbdown I rather take is younger brother Valery
July 13, 200520 yr Author Oh, so 16.5 million is ALOT more than its worth in say, the NBA? 853927[/snapback] The Panthers have to spend 16.5 just to get to the minimum cap. Thats a lot of money in the NHL, especially with the new salary cap.
July 13, 200520 yr Look for possibly Keith Tkachuk as a guy the Panthers are going to go after. A bonafide goal scorer, and is also a Keenan type of guy. Big, strong, and American. He will likely be bought out in St. Louis. 853913[/snapback] Tkachuk is on the verge of being washed up, if this was like 4 years ago i'd say hell yeah, but not at this point in his career.
July 13, 200520 yr Not much buying if you mostly gotta resign guys though, right? Im not much of an expert here, but is Luongo and Jokinen unrestricted FA'S or do we hold their rights? Ive also heard rumors of Bure returning, although I wouldnt want him unless its for a much lower salary than he usually recieves. 853921[/snapback] The Bure rumors have been floating around ever since he went back to Russia, but he's basically done, his knee's are totally shot. He couldn't even skate in the Igor Larionov farewell exhibition game which was no-contact and very slow paced.
July 13, 200520 yr Author Look for possibly Keith Tkachuk as a guy the Panthers are going to go after. A bonafide goal scorer, and is also a Keenan type of guy. Big, strong, and American. He will likely be bought out in St. Louis. 853913[/snapback] Tkachuk is washed up, if this was like 4 years ago i'd say hell yeah, but not at this point in his career. 853990[/snapback] Tkachuk I will take easily. If he is on the cheap, then why not? He still is deadly and can teach a great deal to Nathan Horton and Anthony Stewart once he's with the team this year. Either way, Panthers look to be quite active.
July 13, 200520 yr Ya I was looking for a list as well. What players on the panthers are restircted free agents? For some teams it wouldnt be good to have only 6 players under contract, but for a team like the panthers who have been horrible the past 4 years, it can only help us.
July 13, 200520 yr I also read that they would raise the playoff teams to 10 per conference, how would that work out?
July 13, 200520 yr Is there a list of all current unrestricted free agents? 854014[/snapback] http://www.geocities.com/floridapanthers2000/free2005.html Group III are UFA's.
July 13, 200520 yr Author We will also have to wait and see on the who gets bought out and stuff like that.
July 13, 200520 yr Author I would LOVE it if we got Ray Whitney and Jovo back but.... yea. 854128[/snapback] Bring me...The Wizard! And if we signed Jovo, that would be a ridiculous defense group we would have: Jovo, Bouwmeester, Van Ryn, Sean Hill, Eric Cairns, Alexander Karpotsev, and all our other prospects. :wow
July 13, 200520 yr My best friend (a huge Panther fan and the person who got me into hockey) and I will be in heaven if that ever happened. By the way, you better believe we will be at the first game!
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