NHL 2012 Off-Season Storylines

[EmpireWF]

Here are some, add your own!


New Jersey Devils Facing Bankruptcy

Reports coming out during the Finals say the Devils have found a group of new investors to take over from the current owners. The issue is the Devils have a ton of debt and will almost certainly have to go through bankruptcy to get off the hook. While there's no real fear the Devils will move, can the potential new ownership keep the pocket book open and keep Zach Parise?


What Will Edmonton Do With the #1 Pick

The Draft is June 22 and the unanimous top pick is Russia winger Nail Yakupov. However, the Oilers may be inclined to trade the pick and their partner is rumored to be Toronto. The most recent rumor has Toronto dealing Luke Schenn and their 5th overall pick for the #1.


Rick Nash Anybody?

It's almost a certainty Columbus will trade their superstar this off-season but the problem is, they cannot get as much value as they may have if they dealt him during the season. I know they wanted Chris Kreider from the Rangers and that got shot down. Potential teams in on Nash include the Ranges, Maple Leafs, Sharks, Sabres and probably a host of others. Ultimately, will the Blue Jackets look like fools for not getting as much for Nash?


Do Pittsburgh & Sidney Crosby Come to Terms on a New Deal?

Crosby is entering the final year of his contract next year before entering free agency in the summer. If Crosby had been healthy these past few years, it'd be a no brainer to give him the massive contract and move on. But, he's had a slew of concussion problems and any contract he signs is unlikely to be insured against that. The earliest Pittsburgh can sign him to a new deal is July 1 and we're talking long-term (over 7 years), big money deals. According to the Hockey Night in Canada insider, Crosby may have to take less money (not the $14 million max) per year because of those issues.

The Penguins have to take the risk, no?


NOT MORE LABOR STRIFE!

It's assumed by the majority of people the 2012-13 NHL season will be delayed due to bickering between owners and players. Remember, the players union hired Donald Fehr (the guy who ruled baseball) and they didn't give him a boatload of money to do nothing.

 

[Ravin]

Penguins and Crosby
Penguins will get Crosby signed for a 10 year deal and he will be a Penguin for life. He WILL NOT sign for $14M. What was said about that was if we were not in a cap era, then the Penguins would give him the league max, but because a) we have a cap and b) Crosby wants to win, he will settle for a $9M contract and keep the core together. With Malkin, Staal, Letang, Orpik and so many other contracts coming up, if the Penguins want to stay together, they need to take some less money. If not, Staal is going to be the odd many out and fetch some good prospects and picks.

The insurance thing I doubt will be a big deal. They will make a deal of it, but it is Sidney Crosby. I don't think the Pens are going to pass on him because they can't insure the contract.

Devils Money Woes
I can't see Parise staying with the team. He is most likely gone unless they can come up with something big for him. I think Detroit might be a likely spot for him to go, or maybe Toronto depending how the connection works there. Kind of interesting that this teams fans didn't show up all season, then they did in the playoffs.

Failed for Nail
I can't see Edmonton trading this pick, but if they were to do it with the Leafs and get Schenn and the 5th, it would help their defence alot as they could take Ryan Murrphy or one of the many Dmen at that spot and get two young guys. But I can see the Oilers keeping the pick and easily picking Nail. There is no one else they could pick at that spot, and Nail is to big of an asset to pass on, even if he is a forward.

Nash Nash Nash
Seriously, the problem with the Jackets is their shit drafting and now their #1 pick wants out of the team. You can't blame him, he put his time in and wants to win and waiting for a rebuild probably isn't in his future. I just don't think they will get the price they want and the amount of prospects and picks.

 

[wr50l]

The potential lockout is obviously the biggest story. The players and the league must both realize the mutual damage to themselves and the game if they get locked out now, given the increased exposure and incredible level of investment in TV rights from NBC.

There's some big-time acquirable players dangling out there as well - Nash, Parise, Suter, Weber, Luongo, Bernier to name a few.

 

[ThomasTomasz]

Capitals facing crossroads

Capitals need to decide how to continue. They can go back to the high scoring offensive attack like they had under Bruce Boudreau, the tough defensive system that Dale Hunter had them running or strike it somewhere in the middle.

Will they seriously consider a trade of Ovechkin? Probably not now, but Alexander Semin is an UFA, Mike Green is a RFA and may not be back and Mike Knuble will not return, meaning that just there, the Caps have nearly $15 million to spend to bring in someone like Weber.

Other than this, I think you guys have hit the big ones. Nash and Luongo will be the biggest names on the trade market, though, and I would also expect the movement of negotiating rights to increase over last season as well.

 

[leaffan]

The lockout and the batch of big named free agents as well as what is going shaping up to be a crazy draft day.

Also a side story for lulz. With the new CBA looming does MTL and the Isles get to buy out of Gomez and Dipetro's contracts.

 

[Rudi]

If need be, the Wild would be willing to offer presumptive New Jersey Devils free agent Zach Parise from Minneapolis a 13-year guaranteed contract.

:troy:

 

[wingsfan77]

Those kind of contracts ALWAYS work out well

 

[Rip]

:troy:

That's not a real apparently. However our former GM said that we WILL outbid anyone and he'd have to go somewhere else for less money if he wanted to. I'm worried about this though. Parise is a HELL of a player and I really want him on the team, but I don't want us to throw the whole bank at him and name a county after him. We have enough for both Parise and Suter but I'm not going to be holding my breathe.

 

[leaffan]

One storyline appears to be over.

Radulov is apparantly headed back to the KHL. Some places are saying he might get 12mil a year lol.

 

[ThomasTomasz]

One storyline appears to be over.

Radulov is apparantly headed back to the KHL. Some places are saying he might get 12mil a year lol.

Totally not worth it in any league, especially the NHL. No one was going to give him a decent contract after this second go-round in Nashville.