Which team is the LOSER of NHL free agency so far?

Question

I would have to say Toronto or the Rangers. Jagr, Shanahan, Avery and now with Straka gone they seem to have been hit pretty hard. They have only filled their line up with question marks like Zherdev and the up and down Naslund. What do you think?

Answer 1

toronto for sure rid of raycroft,wellwood  and tucker, the team is in shambles, ohh did i mention the finger deal, ohh god

Answer 2

I'd probably go with Vancouver at the moment over the Rangers. The Rangers have at least made an effort to replace some of what they lost...

Vancouver has done nothing (I don't see Demitra turning that team around in place of Naslund, leaving them with a dead in the water offense) unless Sundin accepts their offer which seems doubtful...

Scott: You forgot Ruutu for Pittsburgh as well, but Hossa was not expected to re-sign, Conklin is only a backup so as long as Fleury remains healthy, not a problem... and they did get Fedotenko and Satan to replace Roberts, Malone and Ruutu... so not too bad a loss, unless you expected them to re-sign Hossa.

Edit: Scott, like I said, so long as Fleury remains healthy, not a problem to lose Conklin. I said Fedotenko and Satan would more or less replace Malone, Ruutu and Roberts... not Hossa. Hossa was a gamble, in an attempt for Pittsburgh to make a Stanley Cup run (rarely is such an addition permanent)... He is a loss, but one that was to be expected.

I don't count the Leafs; they're rebuilding (and I agree with everyone they dropped, they were all dead weight). It is a good thing to see them for once not merely sign on every 35+ veteran available in the Free Agency and expect that to pan out, and rather put some thought and time into rebuilding... even if that means another bad season.

Answer 3

As a Devils fan myself I'm glad for once it is not us. As far as the Rangers as much as I love to c**p on them I think they made some smart moves this year.

loser....Pittsburgh Penguins Fo' Sho' Hossa was a big let down, Conklin may be as good or better then Fluery, Roberts, etc,etc.....

Answer 4

What has atlanta done? or St.louis? or LA? theyve all had horrible FA periods.

Answer 5

Atlanta or Vancouver

Answer 6

The Rangers are a good call for a team hit real hard.  The Leafs, well, they are the Leafs, I don't think they were expected to be able to drastically improve the team this year. I was pretty suprised to hear Marty Straka is going to be playing in Europe next year.

Another team hit pretty hard has been the Pens. They lost Hossa, Roberts, Malone, and Conklin without adding to many stellar pieces.

As for people saying Atlanta and the Isles, did you expect them to do anything?  A-Town traded away their most prolific scorer at the deadline last year, did you expect them to improve at all this offseason.  Frankly I am suprised Atlanta still has a hockey team.  The Isles just bring disappointment every year as well.

The Kings have worked up a really solid young defensive core through the draft and those already in their franchise.  They unloaded Luuby who was costing them a fortune for another young d man and center who they can hopefully grow.  The Kings have been pretty successful in what they tried to do.  Oh I forgot to mention Blake leaving for the Sharks. Big Deal.  They made the mistake of not trading him last year when they could have got a decent pick out of him from a playoff bound team.

Cloud: Ya the Pens got Feds (33 points) and Satan (41 points) to replace Hossa (66 points regular season 26 in playoffs), Malone (51 point regular 16 in playoffs), Roberts and Rutuu (both around 19 combined playoffs and regular season).  That isn't a loss in production how?  And if Fleury gets hurt, how is Dany Sabourin gonna work out compared to Conklin?

Ice: The Rangers lost 3 of their top 5 scorers. h**l if you count Avery they lost 4 of their top 8. They play in what could proove to be the toughest division in the East next year. Improvement is going to be real tough for them. You win this round ice :P NY still sucks.

Kate:  The Pens are still going to be a very decent team, but they certainly did not win anything in free agency. They brought in some decent guys to fill in where they lost players, but this isn't about comparing where they started last year to this year.  It is about comparing how they finished last year to starting this year.  The Pens do not look like the same team that contended for the Cup.  In a quickly improving Eastern Conference, the Pens have done little but tread water. They are still going to finish in a playoff spot, possibly not as division winners, but as of right now they do not look like a team who can take the cup or get out of their conference which would be the true sign of being a winner when considering how they finished last season.

Answer 7

The Islanders and the Kings.

Answer 8

1. Atlanta

2. L.A.

I too am glad it's not the Devils for once!!!

Answer 9

Toronto... they were awful last year and they haven't done a thing yet... maybe they are counting on the Marlies....

The Rangers... yup I'd agree there... lost players and they don't have any youth to fill the void... not that the players they lost were big time helpers... what did Avery do? ... Jagr is old.... but they do have money freed up.

...Atlanta has a TON of young talent (Chicago Wolves, Calder Cup Champions)... they aren't worried about paying big time FA's until they see what they've got. ... I lived in Atl for a year and I was shocked that they have rabid Thrashers fans down there... just not enough interest to fill a stadium every night... its a football town... ask the Braves... 15 playoffs in a row and no one went to a game... they just watch on TV like the rest of us.

Can't say I'm too happy with my Bruins... but there was only one big goal scorer out there and they didn't get him... but they got the next best thing, sign one away from the rival.

Answer 10

Well, when you factor in that LA was purposely shedding payroll to get younger and to be able to keep the younger guys in the next 2 to 3 coming years.... they didnt lose.....that was and is their plan!

Tor- No, they didnt lose.. their plan is to simply play younger players and develop them with game experience and at the same time tryi to create a lot of CAP SPACE for next summer for a new GM to be able to build a team out of.... again....that was and is their plan. They arent losers (well they are, just not for this Q)

Atlanta- Their goal was to see what GOOD VETS would sign .... none did.. so they are going with youth too! SEMI LOSERS!

Islanders...... now you are talking a serious canidate!

Colorado- So far they havent done squat! Canidate number 2!

This concludes your 2 points worth of input.

Answer 11

Rangers got Redden which is not bad so i say Toronto

Answer 12

Atlanta or St.Louis or Vancouver(if they dont suceed in getting Sundin)

Answer 13

uhh rangers and atlanta

Answer 14

Atlanta........have they done ANYTHING this summer?

SCOTT: If you look at the Pens roster from the begining of last year and compare it to now......You'll realize now's looks a lot better. Keep it fresh in your mind....the Penguins didn't start the season with Hossa and Conklin. Hossa came in FEB. and Conklin came in DEC. Adam Hall......he missed most of the season due to injury, Jarkko Ruutu....he was easily replaced with Matt Cooke. The only big loss I see is Malone......but we have Satan and Fedo now.  They also brought in Finnish star Pesonen. Honestly, if you compare their "begining of the year" roster to their roster now.....you'll understand that it's improved A LOT. They're starting the season off better.

Answer 15

Atlanta.They did nothing to help Kovalchuck.

Answer 16

I actually think the Rangers are going to be better than they were last year. Added two solid D men, got younger, I hope they resign Shanny though, he would be missed. I think Nasland, Zherdev, Fritsche, and Jamtin will fill the holes nicely.

I would go with Toronto or Vancouver

**Scott, Drury and Gomez started off very slow, they will settle in this year. Lundqvist went through a rough patch when his father was sick last year, hopefully he'll put together a solid full campaign. Avery is going to be missed but the guy they pulled in from Sweden seems to be similar (http://www.rangerblues.com/2008/06/16/ra... I think Nasland and Zherdev will equal or surpass Jagr and Straka's numbers (they outscored them 116-112 last year) and they are younger, and Shannys not gone for good yet. Dubinsky will continue to improve and Artem Anisimov looks good down in Hartford. The Defense has improved alot, Staal and Girardi have more experience, and Redden and Kalinan add a dimension we lacked. Also, resigning Mara and Rozi was a solid move.