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[calder]

Senators introduce Hasek as new starter

TSN.ca Staff

7/6/2004

The Ottawa Senators introduced Dominik Hasek as the team's new starting goaltender at a news conference in Ottawa Tuesday morning. Financial terms of the multi-year deal were not released.

''Ottawa was my first choice and I was very excited when my agent called back and said they were very interested in me,'' Hasek said at the news conference. ''And today I'm here.''

Hasek had a $6 million contract last year, though he voluntarily stopped collecting his paycheck after he was declared to be out for the season due to a groin injury.

At the news conference, Jason Spezza handed over his #39 jersey to Hasek. Spezza will wear #19 this season.

''I know this is a very good team and I believe with my help this team can win and that's why I made the choice to become an Ottawa Senator,'' Hasek said.

Hasek, 39, dressed for only 14 games with the Red Wings last year because of the chronic groin problem. He finished with an 8-3-0 record, a 2.21 GAA and a .907 save percentage.

Hasek had groin surgery in May and is reported to be in good condition.

Last month, the Senators traded former number one goaltender Patrick Lalime to the St. Louis Blues after he had another disappointing performance in the postseason.

Hasek won two MVP awards and six Vezina Trophies - given to the league's top goalie - during a nine-year stint in Buffalo. He also led the Czech Republic to a gold medal at the 1998 Nagano Olympics.

Hasek joined the Red Wings before the 2001-02 season, winning his first Stanley Cup that season. He retired in 2002, but came back to Detroit before last season.

Ugh, does *anyone* think that's a good move? Sure Lalime, fairly or unfairly, was going to be the goat for last year and probably isn't the guy to get the Sens all the way, but to bring in HASEK!?!? Did Muckler just completely miss what happened in Detroit last year??

Even in 2002 Hasek was good but not great and won a Cup in much the same way Chris Osgood did - by having by far the best team in the league in front of him. Last year a visibly aged Hasek comes back and, to the surprise of few, shows he's older, slower, injury prone and just as much a potential dressing room problem as he ever was in Buffalo. I'd like to say that with Hasek in net the Sens won't win one playoff round, except I'll be surprised if he's their starting goalie come playoff time. He'll either be in the Czech Republic sunning himself at his villa wondering who'll give him a 1 year contract for 2005 or else he'll be in the press box watching Prusek implode.

 

[6.8]

Too little, too late. They should've focused on bringing a good goalie in the team (a young one) seven years ago. My heart was slowly swaying back to the Habs last season, and this move certainly helps that.

 

[Pochacco]

Lalime was a great goaltender, not counting last season...

Hasek is kinda of a hit or miss.
He's getting old and his determination is in question...but if he's on, he's perhaps the best goaltender in the league. So who knows. With Detroit, he took them all the way to the cup - getting past Roy. I'm sure the Sens expect him to do the same, getting past guys like Belfour and Brodeur.

The Sens should be fun to watch. They've made so many changes...

 

[Greekboy]

Why did the Leafs hand Belfour that ridiculous contract? Why did they sign all those geezers? Why are they looking to sign more geezers? When will they ever play or develop younger players required in helping to win a Stanley Cup?

 

[darscot]

How much are they paying him?

 

[Greekboy]

I hear Belfour is getting $22M for 3 years but if there's a lockout he could conceivably make $10M in one season. I heard Hasek is getting about $2M a season but it's an incentive laden contract that would make him the highest paid goalie if he wins the Cup with the Sens.

 

[darscot]

22M for over three for Belfour is insane. The guy is a headcase and on the old side.

2M for Hasek makes it worth the risk. If he sucks you aren't really losing much. How many years?

 

[Greekboy]

One year contract I believe.

 

[darscot]

Smart move by the Sens but bad timing. With a one year deal it seems like there going to really go for it this year. They have the team the goalie could have ll the pieces. Except for the small omission of forget that they probable don't have a SEASON!

 

[Greekboy]

I'm hearing that Joe Thornton wants out of Boston. Anyone else have any insight?

 

[Greekboy]

Leafs need to sign this guy if they ever want to win the Cup:

 

[Jason]

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Co...487&call_pageid=968867503640&col=970081593064

Jul. 6, 2004. 01:00 AM

Thornton wants out of Beantown: report
Irked by criticism, free agent losses

Leafs could take run at Bruins captain

KEN CAMPBELL
SPORTS REPORTER

Joe Thornton's agent declined to comment on a report that the star centre wants a trade from the Boston Bruins, but if he does, the Maple Leafs would be one of a number of teams that could put together a package to get him.

The New York Post reported over the weekend that Thornton is disgruntled with Bruins' management and has requested a trade.

J.P. Barry, who represents Thornton, would not comment on the report and Thornton could not be reached at his home in St. Thomas, Ont.

"I'd rather not comment right now," Barry said yesterday.

"I want to hear from (Bruins GM) Mike O'Connell regarding discussions we had at the NHL draft."

According to sources, however, Thornton is not pleased that Bruins' management did not stand up more for him when he was criticized in the local media for his playoff performance.

Thornton played the entire first-round series with torn rib cartilage and had no points in seven games.

Thornton is also reportedly not pleased that the Bruins have a number of unrestricted free agents on the market — including the likes of Glen Murray, Brian Rolston and Sean O'Donnell — all of whom could end up signing elsewhere.

Mike Knuble, who scored 51 goals and 105 points over the past two seasons playing alongside Thornton, signed with the Philadelphia Flyers over the weekend.

O'Connell has previously said the Bruins will not sign any long-term deals until they know how the NHL will look from an economic perspective under a new collective bargaining agreement.

If the Bruins were forced to trade Thornton, they would want some young defencemen in return.

As depth-challenged as the Maple Leafs are, that is one area where they have an abundance of bodies. Tomas Kaberle is just one year older than Thornton and has fallen to fourth on the team's defensive depth chart, while Bryan McCabe had a career season that resulted in him being a second-team all-star and finishing fourth in Norris Trophy voting.

The Leafs have a veteran presence on the blue line in both Brian Leetch and Ken Klee and have a number of young blue-line prospects, including Carlo Colaiacovo, Karel Pilar, Pierre Hedin and Jay Harrison.

The Leafs or any other team could simply sign Thornton to an offer sheet.

If the Bruins didn't match the offer, they'd still get five first-round picks as compensation from the team which signs him.

 

[calder]

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Co...487&call_pageid=968867503640&col=970081593064

Hahaha, if they lose Thornton they should call it the "Kevin Dupont" trade. It's been a while since I've seen a columnist with such an axe to grind against one player like that, his post-playoff column in the Boston Globe about Joe giving up the C was pretty mild from him. I think Dupont was pretty bang-on in his criticisms of Thornton for not talking to the media when the team is doing bad, but his timing and constant harping about it were a bit overdone IMO.

Hmm, I think the ultimate "writer vs player" feud still has to be Hasek vs Jim Kelley. When Kelley reported on Hasek's troubles in Detroit (and pretty much nailed exactly what Dom would do a week before he quit) last year you could smell the vindication through the screen.

 

[SickBoy]

I like Hasek, and the Sens are probably my favorite team that I'm not really a 'fan' of.

I sort of wish Hasek would stay retired. I think it's possible he could do well in Ottawa, but he could just as easily stink it up. I think he's probably an upgrade over Lalime, though, even if he's not playing as well as he could.

But I think there's really no point to this... unless it ends in a cup. I guess he still wants to play, and the Sens are willing to pay him, but I'd rather for both parties that he had gone out like Barry Sanders instead of like Emmitt Smith.

THen of course, there's the issue of no season, so will he be their starter at 40?

-SB

 

[DopeyFish]

Um what's with the Belfour bashing? Remember the sens series? Where he totally pwned them?

Why is toronto linked to almost every person?

Someone wants a trade? TORONTO IS ON THE TOP OF THE LIST

like wtf already

 

[beerbelly]

Leafs better not get Thornton. This maggot Ferguson only likes to sign big name, under-achieving players. I swear Ferguson will mess up the Leafs franchise for as long as he's staying GM position.

 

[DopeyFish]

Leafs better not get Thornton. This maggot Ferguson only likes to sign big name, under-achieving players. I swear Ferguson will mess up the Leafs franchise for as long as he's staying GM position.

Toronto is already an all-star team as it is, *if* the leafs sign lindros, kariya and thorton that would be like what? 13 players that were originally Captains on other teams? It's like one ego-fest or something!

 

[Greekboy]

WTF do the Leafs have in order to get Thornton? Nothing.

 

[DopeyFish]

WTF do the Leafs have in order to get Thornton? Nothing.

Look who is mr. negative

Leafs have lots, though I don't think the Leafs would be willing to get rid of any younger talent, and will probably live off of the free agent market for the next few years.

For the first time in ages Toronto has well-ranked upcoming talent while having a powerful team in front. Toronto is in the best shape it's been.... in a long... long... time.

 

[Greekboy]

Leafs have what?! The only way to get Thornton is to gut their already weak D by giving up Kaberle, McCabe etc or even worse their only two prospects they probably have in Steen and Coli. Their prospect upboard is barren for constantly bringing in geezers at the deadline.

 

[Mike Works]

Kaberle? hahahaha

Leafs would have to give up McCabe for sure. Also;

For the first time in ages Toronto has well-ranked upcoming talent while having a powerful team in front. Toronto is in the best shape it's been.... in a long... long... time.

hahahahaha

What's the difference between this year's Leafs team and last year's Leafs team, aside from the players getting that much older?

 

[Shinobi]

I must be the only person who remembered that the Sens got their ass shutout THREE TIMES by the Leafs. Somehow I don't think Lalime was at fault for not scoring a fucking goal. Cujo and Belfour have collectively owned that team's ass in a way that I've never seen before. It's really quite embarassing. Still there was no way Lalime could return after that bomb he let off in game 7, and who else was readily available? If Hasek can play like he did when he won the cup, that'll be good enough...provided they don't let Belfour own their ass again.

Speaking of Eddie, he's getting WAY too much money. But hell, I can't accuse the Leafs of not spending this time around, so good for them. If they plan to go for it the next couple years, he's probably the best option available. Still, for all the idiots in this city who act like Cujo didn't mean shit here, he at least managed to beat the Flyers in the playoffs, and they were far more superior to the Leafs back then, then the Flyers are to the Leafs now. Yet Belfour's been outgoaltended by Esche and fucking Checmanek (speaking of embarassing) the last two springs, sucking camel balls in game 7 and game 5 tilts in Philly in successive playoffs. At least Cujo got to a couple of conference finals, losing to Dommy in his prime and Broduer twice.

And where's this highly ranked upcoming talent for the Leafs? They've got Colaiacovo, Steen and Demspey. That's it. And they either trade two of those players plus one or two draft picks for Thornton, or sign him to an offer sheet so outrageous the Bruins don't even think of matching. And I bet they'd do so anyway...seems to be the way these things always go (NHL's restricted free agency's gotta be the biggest crock of shit in sports). I'd love to see it, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Small news update...Craig Conroy just signed a 3 year deal with the Kings.

 

[Mike Works]

Small news update...Craig Conroy just signed a 3 year deal with the Kings.

Holy crap. Wasn't he on Iginla's top line?

 

[Malakhov]

For the first time in ages Toronto has well-ranked upcoming talent while having a powerful team in front. Toronto is in the best shape it's been.... in a long... long... time.

The leafs are a joke as far as prospects are concerned, 'cept Steen and Colaiacovo, they don't have much. They probably rank in the last 5 teams in the whole league.

 

[DopeyFish]

The leafs are a joke as far as prospects are concerned, 'cept Steen and Colaiacovo, they don't have much. They probably rank in the last 5 teams in the whole league.

top 10 apparently.

doh

1 - Florida Panthers
2 - Columbus Blue Jackets
3 - Minnesota Wild
4 - Washington Capitals
5 - Nashville Predators
6 - Anaheim Mighty Ducks
7 - Boston Bruins
8 - Philadelphia Flyers
9 - Atlanta Thrashers (I don't think Heatly was taken into account)
10 - LA Kings
11 - Montreal Canadians
12 - Ottawa Senators
13 - Edmonton Oilers
14 - Detroit Red Wings
15 - Chicago Black Hawks
16 - Buffalo Sabers
17 - Toronto Maple Leafs
18 - New Jersey Devils
19 - Calgary Flames
20 - San Jose Sharks
21 - Vancouver Canucks
22 - Pittsburgh Penguins
23 - NY Rangers
24 - Dallas Stars
25 - Phoenix Coyotes
26 - St. Louis Blues
27 - Tampa Bay Lightning
28 - NY Islanders
29 - Carolina Hurricanes
30 - Colorado Av.

17th now

 

[Shinobi]

Holy crap. Wasn't he on Iginla's top line?

Yep. And apparantely it's a four year deal...no wonder he split.

 

[bishoptl]

If he thinks he's gonna post those numbers without Iggy on his line in LA, he's in for a rude awakening.

 

[Shinobi]

At 12.6 for four years, I'm not sure he even cares. It'll be the Kings who get fucked, but that's their problem.

 

[Malakhov]

top 10 apparently.

doh

1 - Florida Panthers
2 - Columbus Blue Jackets
3 - Minnesota Wild
4 - Washington Capitals
5 - Nashville Predators
6 - Anaheim Mighty Ducks
7 - Boston Bruins
8 - Philadelphia Flyers
9 - Atlanta Thrashers (I don't think Heatly was taken into account)
10 - LA Kings
11 - Montreal Canadians
12 - Ottawa Senators
13 - Edmonton Oilers
14 - Detroit Red Wings
15 - Chicago Black Hawks
16 - Buffalo Sabers
17 - Toronto Maple Leafs
18 - New Jersey Devils
19 - Calgary Flames
20 - San Jose Sharks
21 - Vancouver Canucks
22 - Pittsburgh Penguins
23 - NY Rangers
24 - Dallas Stars
25 - Phoenix Coyotes
26 - St. Louis Blues
27 - Tampa Bay Lightning
28 - NY Islanders
29 - Carolina Hurricanes
30 - Colorado Av.

17th now

What rankings are those? They are just horrible, I think a 5 years old could put a better prospect ranking.

http://www.hockeysfuture.com, learn to love it and its prospect boards.

 

[DopeyFish]

Hockey News.

 

[Malakhov]

Horrible man, horrible. I hope to god it's not a prospect only ranking.

 

[DopeyFish]

"Ranked each team based on the strength of their development system - using both the prospects in the system and the ones those systems have recently produced which are playing in the NHL.
"

Based on both the farm team and top 50 prospects.

 

[Malakhov]

Hockey News are clueless then lol

 

[calder]

I doubt that ranking includes the last draft, but Florida is definitely #1 though. They have great young players playing now who still count to their farm/prospect rating and last year they made out like damn bandits on draft day.

 

[Malakhov]

The Panthers have some good prospects but they'd be far from being #1.

 

[dem]

The Caps are #1 by FAR as far as prospects go..

 

[Malakhov]

With this year's draft maybe. I've been following prospects a lot this year and it's hard for any team to compete with the Habs prospects they've gotten in the last few years.

They made out like TOTAL bandits last year, they drafted the #1 pick at #10 because he had an health issue back then that is now totally gone.

Mike Komisarek, Andrei Kastsitsyn, Alex Perezhogin, Chris Higgins, Tomas Plekanec, Yann Danis, Ron Hainsey, Kyle Chipchura. Just wow, just wow.

If even 1 out of 3 reach their potential the Habs are in it for good.

 

[calder]

Yeah, the Caps are #1 now that's for sure. Didn't they have like 5 or 6 picks in the first 2 rounds including Ovechkin?

Florida's still second though, Taticek, Horton, Stewart, Horton, Bouwmeester if you still count him as a prospect, Rostislav Olesz and David Shantz (taken 37th overall... any Oilers fans wanna bet he's better than Dubnyk?) this year.

 

[dem]

I dont buy the Kastsitsyn hype at all... he didnt have a very good year.

I also think Komisarek is way overrated...

 

[BigJonsson]

Does it look like Lindros will be a Leaf for sure?

Thornton and Fergie reportedly met today

And if they get Kariya I will dance in the street

 

[Malakhov]

How can you have a good year when you play for a coach (Victor Tikhonov) that puts you on the 3rd and 4th lines and give you barely no ice time at all? Kastsitsyn is for real.

And Komisarek is as real as you can get, more than the 2/3rds of all the NHL teams called the Habs to try and acquire him last year and he showed why in the playoffs, he just secured a spot in the lineup for next season and he's already training for it.

 

[calder]

Meh, epilepsy or no, Kastsitsyn would NOT have been a #1 pick last year. Fleury, Staal, Zherdev *definitely* still rank above him even ignoring his health issues, and I'd probably put Vanek and Phaneuf above him too.

 

[Malakhov]

Kasts was ranked #1 before his health problems no matter how you would rank the draft yourself.

 

[BigJonsson]

Calder, I thought you'd be all over my post by now, what gives?

 

[Mike Works]

Does it look like Lindros will be a Leaf for sure?

And if they get Kariya I will dance in the street

After they sign Lindros, they should trade Sundin and Mogilny to get Bure and Kariya, then they can have their team full of players who used to be good!!

Maybe there's still time to swing Belfour for Vanbiesbrouck!

 

[BigJonsson]

I don't want Lindros to be a Leaf

But I am in the minority it seems

 

[dem]

Ranked #1 by Redline maybe... who else had him ranked #1?? Surely not the CSB/McKeens/THN/TSN

 

[calder]

When the hell was he ranked #1?? He might have been #1 euro skater on Central for a while maybe... but I sure missed it.

 

[Malakhov]

He was ranked #1 by pretty much everyone, duh.

Big: Why not, he'd fit with the leafs perfectly. An old player who is only the shadow of his former self coming to Toronto to finish his career with other old geezers

 

[dem]

Dude you just pulled that out of your ass. He wasnt ranked #1 by anyone.