Go suck a turd, Darcy Regier. You let Drury and Briere go???!!!
Do you even want to sell tickets next season???!!!

What must really suck is where they went This is one Flyers fan that says thanks.

Yeah. I was disappointed. Plus, it looks like Yashin, Ovechkin, and Kozlov will have their desired line next year too, if those trades go through. I haven't looked at tsn lately though.

I highly doubt they'll sign Yashin since they just landed Swedish Gretzky. Better deal for the Caps.

Not sure why the Kings went after Preissing, another PP point guy that can't do shit in his own end. Anyone want Lubomir Visnovsky? Pretty clear the Kings have no intention of resigning him to a multi before his contract runs out next Summer. Really had my heart set on Hannan & I thought Lombardi's ties to him would help. Stupid Av's. I think they overpaid for all the forwards, but at least they landed Handzus since they really needed a checking center

I can't believe Briere got 8 years. Beyond Crosby I'm not sure I'd give anyone an 8 year deal, especially a guy whose career point average in a non contract year is in the 60's.

The thing that works for both parties is that at 35, Briere can be sent to the minors and his money comes off the books. And if it brings us Lord Stanley's cup just once, it will all be worth it..But I hear ya, 8 years is a long ass time.

Didn't Kiprusoff get a 15 year deal as goalie. I know some goalie did. I can't remember who it was though.

"Free agency ruins the god damn game."

the 8 year contract tapers off after the first few years

He's got a no movement clause so he can't be put anywhere but on that 23 man roster (or bought out). Plus, if a player is tied to a 1 way contract & it's a multi year deal you can only send him down the first year of that contract & have it not count vs the cap. That's new in this CBA. So when the Kings sent Oleg Tverdosky & his ungodly $2.5 million to Manchester this year, it was still counting for them. That's how I know this. You sure it's not a team option when he hits 35? That makes more sense.

The front loading & then tapering off of the contract makes it easier for Philly to buy him out. That was smart. But it'll count vs the cap the same amount every year.

Lupul could be a surprise though, he had 28 goals 2 years ago & he's only 23. He had a hell of a playoff run that season too. Not sure what happened in EDM, I think too much pressure playing in his hometown & being the guy traded for Pronger got to him. I think Pitkanen has serious potential though. He was AMAZING in 05-06, anyone remember that OT game vs Boston when he & Peter just took over & combined for the 2 goals come back.

And Dipietro was the goalie that got a 15 year deal w/ the Isles. But that's the same team that tied Yashin up forever, traded Jokinen & Loungo for Kvasha & Parrish & then made thier back up goalie GM.

Ah yes. Thank you. And they got lucky that he was able to come back from his almost career ending concussion this year.

I just remember them saying something about the Timmonen contract where they can send him to the minors at 35 and it not counting against the cap or something to that effect, but I don't think he got the no trade clause so that may be the difference..I am really hype for this season to begin..

I do like the addition of Smith, but I like Lupol even more..Like you said it was probably the pressure of being the dude who was traded for Pronger and the fact that he was from Alberta only added to it. Flyers go far in the playoffs next year and Homer should win GM of the year..he has fixed a lot of Clarke's mistakes in only 1/2 a year..

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm finding it hard to maintain my hatred for the Flyers now that they have both Biron and Briere. That should be a fun team to watch, even though the Flyers' TV crew makes me want to jab a pen in my ears every time I watch them.

That's an awful lot of money and years for Briere though. I'm not sure he's enough of a complete player to lead a team to the cup.

It really sucks losing Drury, but I think there was some logic to losing both of them. In Connelly and Roy, Buffalo has two younger and cheaper options at center. While Roy drives me crazy with his occasional carelessness with the puck, he's still really young, and I think both of these guys will shine with the amount of ice time they'll have. Besides, how many small centers does a team need? The Sabres were too small as a team last year. Now they can give more ice time to Gaustad and Mair, and hopefully get some additional grit out there.

Drury's intangibles would have been worth keeping (faceoffs and the PK, especially), but I don't think it's the end of the world. They're still a playoff team, and with a little more grit, they could surprise.