New cap
The NHL announced today that the 2007-08 salary cap will have a roof of $50.3 million and a floor of $34.3 million.
How interesting is it that the Buffalo Sabres are now the most important team in free agency. It's hard to imagine they will lose both Briere and Drury. Briere is in Los Angeles because his agent, Pat Brisson, is based here. Drury also is supposed to spend the weekend in California, so...speculate away!
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About Rich Hammond
Rich Hammond has covered the Kings, on a full-time or part-time basis, since the 2000-01 season. He was the beat writer for the entire John Torchetti era and has witnessed Bob Miller singing country music in a Nashville honky-tonk bar. A native of Los Angeles, Rich has worked at the Daily News since 1999 and also serves as the paper's deputy sports editor. E-mail Rich at rich.hammond@dailynews.com.
It's hard for me to fathom that either Briere or Drury will come to the Kings. These guys have been used to playing on elite teams all their careers and I don't see them spending their next "shift" on a rebuilding team, for all the good young talent the Kings have. Briere will definitiely not take that risk, and if Drury wants to come to California, the Sharks are a much safer bet. As some previous posts have mentioned, including Rich's, the Kings are better off getting a top-notch forward and defenseman, stabilizing their goalie-corps for the next season or two, then seeking (or developing) a franchise-goalie so the Kings can go farther into the playoffs, hopefully, with each season. I agree that LaBarbera is not that franchise goalie, but, given the chance, he may take charge (unlike Garon ever did) and do fairly well as #1. The Kings would then need a reliable back-up, which they might get this year on the UFA market.
Drury is a year older but I would rather have a forward who is responsible defensely and can score pretty well rather than ...
Rich -
did DL really just sign Modry? I may be sick.
Hey Deacon, just how 'elite' of a team was Phoenix when Briere played over there? Not to mention Buffalo, they've only been considered 'elite' the last two seasons....get your facts straight.
I feel like the Texas Rangers
Im tired of being out of the hunt from the start.
is the modry signing because we cant bring any one here to play on line
you trade away vetern score last year in demitra and now the rumors are a vetern score coming her ill stop im getting pist
With the increase in the cap that just increased the amount of teams looking to come calling on the top UFA's. It's going to be nuts. That probably even increased several asking prices on some of these guys. Zoinks.
Will the hire cap actually hurt the Kings, who never spend near the cap, as more favorable destinations now have more money to spend.
joey, this higher cap will not hurt the kings. dean lombardi said that he has permission to spend all the way up to the cap, but will not this year, for obvious reasons. we're gonna need to resign kopi and JJ in a few years!
Drury = yes.
Briere = no.