Salary cap set?
According to its website, TSN (through Brent Wallace) is reporting that the NHL salary cap will be $56.8 million next season, a slight increase (about $100,000) from last season. That would be something of a relief for teams that haven't exactly been thrifty in the last couple years, although it has been expected that the cap would remain close to its current level. The summer of 2010 could be a different story...
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About the bloggers
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.
Jill Painter joined the Daily News in 2000 and during the last eight years she's covered the Dodgers, Cal State Northridge, UCLA, Kings, golf and everything in between. Even though she's from Colorado, she still freezes in the Staples Center press box but always manages to thaw her fingers in time to make deadline. E-mail Jill at jill.painter@dailynews.com.
Bettman pushed the players to invoke the 5% inflator, which means the cap based on revenues alone would have been around $54-55MM, unless I understand nothing.
I'm glad the cap hasn't been reduced.
Hate to see GM's act cheap.
Is it just me or is this idleness making this years draft boring.
See guys, I wasn't the first person to comment on this thread. Quispy beat me to it.
What gives?
You failed to mention the salary cap floor figure of 40.8 million for the upcoming season. Is it reasonable to assume that the Kings will be closer to the floor than the ceiling?
You like to see GM's overspend? You like to see GM's destroy the NHL by paying unproven talent double to triple what they are actually worth?
Can you be my boss? I want 150k/year for not performing please.
I also may be Anthony(y).
anthonyy -
It's not just you, but I'm betting it has something to do with the increased (pseudo) access in the form of twitter, which has only heightened everyone's attention, even if you're not on twitter, since twitter is feeding the blogs which in turn feed us. It's a watched pot waiting to boil.
Now I'm switching metaphors.
Because it's also a giant game of chicken. All the GMs are waiting for the other GMs to pull the trigger. People are waiting to see who NYI picks, because that affects everything that comes after. Some were waiting for the cap ceiling to be announced. Others are waiting to see what happens with B'meester, because where he lands affects the market for Kaberle, which in turn affects Burke's ability to trade up, etc. That sort of dynamic, where dominos are about to start falling in all sorts of directions, is in play all over the place. Brace yourself for the possibility that DL makes no big splash today.
I myself will be happy if:
(1) he doesn't trade any of the prospects I like.
(2) he doesn't trade a left-winger for another left-winger.
(3) he keeps the 5th pick.
(4) he picks up an additional pick in the top 60.
I will be ecstatic if he:
(5) gets a second first round pick.
(6) trades up and snags Duchene or Hedman.
(7) somehow grabs Kassian but not with the #5 pick.
I think you and I Quisp are sharing a brain today.
Quisp,
Doesn't Kassian strike you as EXACTLY the sort of player Brian Burke covets?
While we are Twittering our Draft Day away until 4-5 pm, thought I'd re-post this...
"La Revolucion is like a great love affair. In the beginning, she is a goddess. A holy cause. But... every love affair has a terrible enemy: time. We see her as she is. La Revolucion is not a goddess but a whore. She was never pure, never saintly, never perfect. And we run away, find another lover, another cause. Quick, sordid affairs. Lust, but no love. Passion, but no compassion. Without love, without a cause, we are... *nothing*!
We stay because we believe. We leave because we are disillusioned. We come back because we are lost. We die because we are committed."
Jesus Raza/Jack Palance in 'The Professionals', 1966
Hey Ersberg--
It's not that Kobe and the Lakers don't have chemistry, I beg to differ. They DO have chemistry, which is why they have been so much better since Gasol joined the team last year at the deadline. Kobe-Gasol-Odom have GREAT chemistry when utilized as Jackson utilized them the way he did with the appropriate cast of thousands helping them out. And, if Odom leaves them this year, the chemistry will have to be worked out once again.
It's not about the LACK of chemistry with some superstars that annoys the heck out of a lot of us fans. Fans—by definition, myself definitely one—live in a fantasy world. We take for ourselves the physical attributes of our heroes. When we want a Championship desperately, we project our feelings onto a player or players or team in the hopes that they will actually succeed for us. That is, of course, a crazy delusion, but it is also a powerful, world-wide one transcending sports and all our celebrities. It becomes a drag, though, when our favorite player pulls out the obnoxious habits that so many of them have (can any Toronto hockey fan say Mats Sundin?).
As fans, we want the HEROIC attributes for our daydreams, not the brattish 'Me-first' bleatings of the truly self-centered. Worse still, it is an unfortunate truth that the narcissistic attitudes of a true Champion may be part in parcel of the attributes necessary for his success. So, when Manny Ramirez dogs the Red Sox, or Dany Heatley mews that he wants out of Ottawa, us fans can have our fantasies crash and burn right before our very eyes because we ourselves would never act that way...
...But like all great love affairs, we likely will come back to our guys like an abused spouse unwilling to say goodbye.
Yeah, Dany Heatley may be an egocentric infant in his demands, but he may also contain that magic spark which could lead the Kings to the Promised Land--all despite his 'lack of character'. Like a machine, it's a matter of the Inventor's vision when a GM slowly creates a Championship team. Puts the right parts together, and the machine works.
I remember when the Lakers traded Shaq, and the detractors said Kobe could never lead a team to a Championship. He proved them wrong. Perhaps part of his drive came from a desire to prove the detractors wrong. All I know is that Kobe made a thirty minute Lakers' video after the big trade and stated, in paraphrase, 'Stick with us, fans. It won't happen right away, but it will happen. And, for all you others out there, this is the time to be a real fan and support us'.
It took five years and Coach Jackson's genius, but the Infantile Egomaniac succeeded. Not only that, he did it with great team game-time on-the-floor chemistry, IMHO.
Individual Champions are rarely made. They have it within themselves and then seize the moment, rise up from their lesser selves and achieve their true greatness, even if just for that moment.
And, for us true believers, it is a moment of ecstasy.
--DL, do the right thing, whatever it is... !--
Come on the suspense is killing me! 3 hours till the draft argh... thanks for the updates Rich.
Hey, Rich is about to go on NHL Home Ice, guys...
The NHL has most of the best players in the world. On any given day the worst team can beat the best team. The difference between the best player and worst player in the NHL might only be an extra stride in his skating, an extra step towards the net, an extra push, a little extra belief that they can come from behind and win, an attitude that they will give it a bit more next shift and help motivate their teammates to do the same. This is character! This quality is inherent and is the most difficult thing to teach to the extent that is becomes part of a player’s personality. It was probably the one thing that lost the most games for us last year. This quality can result in an extra goal or save or just something that results in winning. Of course skill needs to accompany the character but that goes without saying. If these players didn’t have the skill they wouldn’t be here. I don’t always agree with DL but this is one place he is absolutely right. The players we bring in need to without a doubt have this quality. It brings out the best in all your other players. It solidifies a team mentality that is essential for winning. I see where players like Fro and others might lack in this area and why finding the right player is just not about scoring goals. If we can find a rookie that possesses this quality; imagine what he will bring in a few years. Draft well, Sign Smart, and good luck to the Kings and all their fans tonight.
i seem to be BOUWMEESTER! ...
having.. cartmanlike SCHENN!!!
turrets here
schenn ... SCHENN!!!
must be a by product of all this draft reading
PRONGERMOTHERNIEDERMEISTER!!!!!
four o'clock please
BABCOCK!!!
.
Just for fun, I predict:
Kings trade down twice, pick up Louis LeBlanc, Sheldon Souray, and Ryan(e)? Clowe and another 2nd round pick by the end of the day.
Who they give up for Clowe? I don't know.
Quisp: I tottaly agree on all points. I beleive DL will make something happen on or just after July 1.
Bako: Nice read and very well stated...
2:30 here in CA and this day is dragging. Go DL stay on track, there is allot available at 5, take it... Do not trade away the farm....
Oh.. and please do not bring back Mikey.......
Go Kings....
Nice radio interview rich, i was listening to it on my Sirius Radio :)
Rich--
Whatdayathink?
Do they do the do, and do Duchene over Tavares?
They say that there are 20,000 out in Long Island for the Islanders party...
?
Rich: You sounded great on XM radio this afternoon. Good to hear your insights.
mrbrett7 said: “Can you be my boss? I want 150k/year for not performing please.”
Oh, you want to work for the State of California…
Is it 4:00 yet?
I heard Twitter and other like sites are really slow today because of Michael Jackson. I don't, and won't twitter, so don't know if it's true or not...
On NHL Home Ice, they are Twittering away...
Supposedly there is near fan-war in Montreal between Habs and Leafs fans...
STILL NOTHING.
Every year, at this time of the year, the NHL is getting more and more boring.
I might as well watch the traffic on the 405 freeway.
Bako-
I heard that too about the war between Toronto fans and Montreal! HAHA Anyways T-minus Less than 1 hour till draft day. hopping in the shower then its off to Versus!
From Darren Dreger-
"Kings GM Dean Lombardi has been in contact with Brian Burke and is asking for the #7 and two 2nd rounders for the #5"
CK--If true, then that means DL wants MPS/MSP. Cost for trading up usually = two picks.
Done deal...next?
I hate to break it to you Anthonyy, but the draft hasn't started yet. Not sure what you're expecting. There won't be any deals until the draft starts.
If DL trades down he'll take MSP. I'd be surprised if it's anyone else.
Speculation is running crazy on the blogs that the Isles are taking Duchene. If they do, the Kings should throw 2 prospects and the #5 pick at the Avs or Tampa in a bid to try to take Tavares.
canadianking -
...if true, that would mean DL thinks MPS will be there at 7 and if so that would be a great trade. if MSP is not there at 7...he does what? take kadri? that could work. or trade further down and take kassian? Toronto's 2nd round picks are 50 and 58, so that would be very nice.
I fully believe that if DL trades down to #7 it will be to take Nazem Kadri. Apparently DL loves his gritty style.
that trade would make me happy (mps)...
i still say they keep the pick and trade it after the fact...
snow is playing a very good hand of poker right now and because of it, the proposals seem to be flyin' off the grid...
apparently, duchene is now becoming the front runner and might steal the whole show and pull the rug from under this draft...
get ready for the craziness...:)
I'm getting the feeling that DL is going to play this draft like a Grand Piano...
:)
If it's Duchene at #1 then the Isles won't have an arena to play in next season because it will have been burnt down.
I saw that Tavares has an entourage of like 20 guys with him at all times.
Attitude... already.