THE TALON

Eagles ink three on the backend

2007-08-23T22:38:00.000-06:00

Edmonton addressed some of its depth issues on defense in its first set of signings of the RHL17 auction.

Craig Rivet (2yr - $2.94M)
Rivet brings a solid, veteran presence to the blueline and will compete for a spot in the top two pairings entering camp.

GM says: "We like the fact that Craig will never hurt us when he is on the ice. He can log plenty of minutes and he has a zero injury rating. He'll be a good influence on some of our younger players."

Dustin Byfuglien (1 yr - $500k)
Byfuglien is strictly a depth defenseman for RHL17, but does some upside. The towering defenseman brings a physical presence to the backend, and has some offensive talent.

GM says: "We love this signing. Dustin is only 22 and he has put up some nice numbers in the AHL last year (63gp 16-28-44). With this being his first year in the league, he reverts to RFA after this season."

Daniel Tjarnqvist (1 yr - $606k)
Another depth defenseman, Tjarnqvist enters his 5th year as an Eagle.

GM says: "Considering the price of UFA defensemen, Daniel gives us some more versatility on the backend at good value. He's proven he can hold his own when called upon."

Top 10 under 25 - RHL17 edition

2007-08-16T23:05:00.000-06:00

Note: ratings based on future potential, not immediate impact.
View the RHL16 edition

1. Jack Johnson (+1)
The Eagles wanted Johnson so much they traded up to select him right after Sidney Crosby in the RHL16 draft. Offensively gifted and tough as nails, JMFJ (John mothafuckin Johnson) brings it all to the table like so few others.

06-07 stats: LA Kings - 5gp 0g 0a 0pt; University of Michigan - 38gp 16g 23a 29pt
acquired: RHL16 draft, 2nd overall
arrival: RHL20
projection: all star defenseman

2. Alexander Radulov (+2)
Considering his draft position (14 overall), Radulov continues to pick up momentum and prove that he should have been a top 3 pick. With the exodus of talent in Nashville, expect him to be one of their go-to guys this season. He is perhaps the most pure goal scorer the Eagles have ever had the privledge to develop.

06-07 stats: Nashville Predators - 64gp 18g 19a 37pt
arrival: RHL18
acquired: RHL15 draft, 14th overall
projection: all star winger

3. Jeff Carter (-1)
Athough his goal total dropped during his sophmore campaign in Philly (23 to 14), his did miss a quarter of the season with an injury. His PPG average increased and he valuable gained experience in a variety of situations, eating up 19 min/g in ice (up from 12). Penciled in at the Eagles #3 centre for RHL17, expect Carter to be challenging for that #1 spot soon.

06-07 stats: Philly Flyers - 62gp 14g 23a 37pt
arrival: now
acquired: RHL13 trade with AVI
projection: first line centre

4. Kyle Okposo (NR)
Okposo enters the list at #4. Team scouts love his mix of power, finesse and nose for the net. Just watch 'the goal' on Youtube. While he is still is a few years from wearing the Eagle uniform, he will no doubt become a household name in Edmonton when he does arrive.

06-07 stats: Minnesota - 33gp 17g 20a 37pt
arrival: RHL21
acquired: RHL17 draft, 7th overall
projection: first line power winger

5. Guilliame Latendresse (+3)
'Guy', 'Guy', 'Guy'... not only did he stick as an 19 year old French Canadian playing for Montreal, he seemed to thrive on the attention and ended with a fairly successful rookie campaign. Loves to make the big hit as much as score the goal, the 6'2 230lbs Latendresse can impose his will on the opposition.

06-07 stats: Montreal Canadiens - 80gp 16g 13a 29pt
arrival: RHL18
acquired: RHL16 draft, 13th overall
projection: first line power winger

6. Andrew Ladd (-1)
Another stud in the Eagles stable of 6-foot something 200+ lbs wingers, Ladd landed a full-time job in Carolina this year and was playing on the top line by season's end. While not getting nearly the same attention in RHL circles as his RHL15 draft cousin Radulov, Ladd still has termendous upside for all the same reasons that had him go 6th overall.

06-07 stats: Carolina Hurricanes - 65gp 11g 10a 21pts
arrival: RHL18
acquired: RHL15 draft, 6th overall
projection: first line power winger

7. Devin Setoguchi (+2)
A first round pick flying under the radar, Setoguchi continues to work towards playing in the RHL. While not considered a power forward like many of the other Eagle forward prospects, he makes up for it in his speed, agility and two-way play. One source close to the WHL said Setoguchi was the best player in the league in the 2nd half of the season.

06-07 stats: Prince George Cougars - 55gp 36g 29a 65pt
arrival: RHL21
acquired: RHL16 draft, 12th overall
projection: first line winger

8. Petr Budaj (+5)
The highest riser in this year's rankings, Budaj has worked his way from a long shot prospect to an NHL starting goaltender, bumping a former Hart trophy winner in the process. His hockey idol is former Eagle Patrick Roy, who will be coaching him in his RHL rookie season. A nice late-round surprise for the Eagles.

06-07 stats: Colorado Avalanche - 31-16-6 2.68gaa 905%
arrival: now
acquired: RHL14 trade with MOU
projection: starting goaltender

9. Matt Stajan (+3)
Another big riser, the 23 year old Stajan has the most experience of the bunch with three NHL and two RHL seasons under his belt. On the right tragectory as he continues to improve his point totals, minutes and consistency every season.

06-07 season: Toronto Maple Leafs - 82gp 10g 29a 39pt
arrival: now
acquired: RHL13 trade with AVI
projection: second line centre

10. Clark MacArthur (NR)
Another first rounder from the class of RHL15, the consistent MacArthur is known for his leadership and clutch play. Possessing a solid set of skills with no glaring weaknesses, he impressed during a cup of tea in Buffalo and in Rochester.

06-07 stats: Buffalo Sabres - 19gp 3g 4a 7pts; Rochester Americans - 51gp 21g 42a 63pt
arrival: RHL20
acquired: RHL15 draft, 23rd
overall projection: second line winger

Just missing the cut
11. Ryan Potulny
12. Alexandre Picard
13. Dan Girardi
14. David Backes
15. Corey Crawford

Graduated (25 years old)
Cammalleri (#6)
Ehrhoff (#7)
Vermette (#10)

Eagles throw big money at former captain

2007-08-13T12:00:00.000-06:00

On the heels of the Eagles splash into the free agent auction on day 1, the team dropped another bombshell today by submitting a record-setting $5.2M offersheet to its former captain Chris Pronger.

"Chris was always on our radar," said GM Bourdeau. "We wanted to see how the market would play out for the big-name defensemen... it became obvious on day 1 where things were going, so after consulting with the owners, we made the pitch. Now we wait and see if it is enough."

Pronger nor his agent could be reached for comment.

Hours after the bid was made public, numerous sport stores in Edmonton were displaying Pronger jerseys in the window--a sight that hasn't been seen in Eagle country since RHL12.

Career stats as an Eagle (RHL1-12)

GP 693

G 105

A 300

PT 405

PIM 1467

+/- +229

Eagles drop $11M+ in bids on day 1

2007-08-12T22:36:00.000-06:00

Eagle braintrust followed through on its promise to be aggressive in the free agent auction by offering $11.75M to 6 players hours after the RHL17 feeding frenzy opened.

"Why not cut to the chase in the auction?" offered GM Bourdeau in a press conference discussing the bids. "There's no point dinking around with low ball offers on quality players. Any bid we make is a serious one to players we want on our team. Now we sit back and see what happens."

Eagles Ryan Smyth ($3M) and Mark Parrish ($1.3M) seem to be targets of the team, which chose not to meet either player's demand during the season. Upgrading the team's defense also looks to be a priority, as both Wade Redden and Rob Blake received $3M bids, with Michael Rozsival getting $850k. Checking winger Ethan Moreau was offered $600k.

When asked whether these bids right off the bat were a challenge to the RHL's other GMs, Bourdeau responded with, "The way our auction is built, any bid is a challenge to the rest of the league to go a step above or get out of the game. Everyone knows what they are looking for and what they are willing to pay for a certain player. "

It's true: Okposo sighting in Edmonton

2007-07-16T13:05:00.000-06:00

Kyle Okposo, the Eagles number one draft pick in RHL17, met the city and media for the first time today. Not to be confused with the Ogopogo, a 'mythical' creature inhabiting Lake Okanagan next door in British Columbia, Okposo is the real deal--and is ready to prove it.

Selected 7th overall, the U of Minnesota freshman standout offers a package of raw skill, finishing talent, determination and physicality that have Eagle scouts blushing.

We're very happy to have Kyle on board," said GM Bourdeau. "When we realized we couldn't crack the top 4-5 and get a shot at one of the bigger names, the 7th pick was going to come down to Kyle, Mueller and Brassard. When Mueller went thet CAP at 6th, we knew we had our man."

Eagle fans will have to wait though to see the budding power forward, as Okposo has committed to return to UofM in the fall. Circle RHL21 as the earliest date for Okposo to begin his RHL career.

We're fine with Kyle's decision to go back to school," said Bourdeau. "We are a patient team, and always look to draft the best player available regardless of how soon he'll hit the RHL."

Rookie camp opens - Eagle rumour mill churns

2007-06-26T23:10:00.000-06:00

-Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, AB
A stone's throw away from the UNESCO world heritage site in southern Alberta, Edmonton Eagle rookie camp opened on Tuesday with the smell of hope and sweat mingling together as dozens of team prospects look to crack the big-league squad for RHL17.

While competition will be fierce over the next 10 days, the absence of one of the team's future stars overshadowed the first day of fitness evaluations and workouts. Jeff Carter, penciled in as the team's third line centre this season, was nowhere to be seen.

GM and coach Chris Bourdeau was not available for comment, but newly hired assistant coach and Eagle alumni Patrick Roy had this to say when asked about Carter's whereabouts:

"I can't comment specificaly on why Jeff isn't here, but I will say there's a lot happening right now what with the RHL17 preseason finally underway."

All other rookies reported and were put through the paces on day 1. Defenseman Jack Johnson scored highest on the fitness tests, with Kevin Bieksa and Andrew Ladd right behind.

17 for 17

2007-05-18T12:30:00.000-06:00

As it stands before the dispersal and expansion draft, Heading into the Eagles' 17th season in the RHL, the squad currently has 17 players under contract for a total of $18.6M. Add a couple of RFAs the team will most likely resign, that number grows to 19. Let's break down the team by position.

Centre
Arnott C 107 30000 17:15 38/8 49/15/7/28 444 4430 1003
Comrie C 94 33000 16:00 32/7 63/9/6/13 444 3230 0003
Bell C 91 33000 17:30 22/8 64/18/10/7 433 4430 0003 *RFA
Vermette C 90 33300 12:30 34/8 53/9/6/31 453 3220 0004
J.Carter C 74 30300 12:00 24/6 83/6/4/6 443 3320 0002
Fiddler C 60 30000 13:45 35/4 30/30/18/21 332 3220 0003

Centre is the deepest position on the squad. The group is a good mix of veterans (Arnott, Comrie) and up-and-comers (Vermette, Carter). There's also a nice balance of speed and grit to handle a variety of situations. With all but Arnott having flexiblity to play other positions, expect a couple of to end up on the wing.

LW
Stajan LW 84 33300 11:30 36/11 33/37/15/14 333 3220 0002

After letting Smyth go to the auction, Stajan is the only natural LW under contract. But Bell, Comrie and Vermette can all play as needed. Still, this is a big hole to fill. Expect the team to target at least one 1st or 2nd line LW thru the auction or a trade.

RW
Satan RW 99 03300 19:15 28/7 85/6/4/4 444 3220 0002
Cammalleri RW 83 33300 16:45 25/6 68/6/4/21 443 3220 0003
Samuelsson RW 68 03300 13:30 25/6 88/3/2/6 333 3320 0000

Finesse is the name of the game on the right side, as the squad will probably be comfortable with these three end up filling out the top 3 lines. Could use a depth RW, something easily attainable through the auction.

Defense
Mara LD 85 00033 21:30 19/3 58/11/9/15 444 0333
M.Bergeron LD 83 00033 21:15 21/4 41/21/15/22 443 0323
Ehrhoff LD 65 00033 17:45 8/3 62/19/9/9 433 0322
D.Tjarnqvist LD 65 00033 19:45 11/3 30/33/16/20 333 0322 *RFA
Boynton RD 71 00033 20:45 11/3 53/23/13/10 333 0433
R.Jackman RD 57 00022 17:15 12/3 83/7/6/3 334 0322

At this point, defense looks to be the Achilles heel for the Eagles in RHL17. Expect it to be a focus during the auction and in trades. While they should be able to hold their own offensively with Mara, Bergeron and Jackman, it's a soft group with no real shut-down players who can go up against the other team's best. On the team's wishlist is a true #1 who can be leaned on to anchor the group.

Goal
Vokoun G 131 6/48/3/42 91.94 4 4 2 61
Budaj G 89 8/41/3/47 90.05 4 4 2 34
Theodore G 85 8/36/3/52 88.17 4 4 3 43

The team's glaring weakness for RHL17 turned into one of its strengths after the acquitition of Vokoun. He is expected to be one of the league's best, and should help mitigate a mediocre defense. He is backed up by capable rookie Budaj and verteran Theodore. Three's a crowd in nets, so expect someone to move before the season begins.

On the bubble
Nokelainen C 44 33000 7:45 15/3 59/14/14/12 332 3330 0002
Ladd LW 57 02000 11:15 28/4 60/11/10/18 333 3330 0000
Shishkanov RW 50 00200 8:30 23/3 78/9/8/4 442 2220 0000
Bieksa RD 46 00003 16:00 0/0 46/15/13/35 332 0332 0000

Four other prospects could crack the big league squad, the feeling is they need more time in the minors. While Nokelainen and Shishkanov are long term projects, Ladd and Bieksa will be around for RHL18.

RHL16 in review

2007-05-07T22:19:00.000-06:00

Another season is in the books for the Edmonton Eagles--one that overall met expectations but left the players, management and fans with a bitter taste in the mouth after a disappointing final stretch run and playoffs. Finishing with a 33-27-6 record, the team's 10th best result in its 16 seasons was good enough for 3rd in the division and 6th in the conference.

But the team let the divisional crown slip out of their hands and the playoffs brought another disappointment--this time a first round matchup against the powerful and Kings Cup runner up Rovers. The series lasted only 5 games and was never really in doubt.

While the page is turned on another season, RHL17 looks promising. While numerous veterans including Ryan Smyth, Craig Conroy, Shawn McEachern, Mark Parrish and Chris Chelios will test the UFA market with the hope of only a couple coming back at best, the next generation of Eagles will begin to take ownership of the team andput their own unique stamp on Edmonton.

Mike Cammalleri, Antoine Vermette, Jeff Carter, Peter Budaj, MA Bergeron, Matt Stajan, Christian Ehrhoff and Mark Bell all look to play prominent roles next season. They will join a solid core of Jason Arnott, Miro Satan, Thomas Vokoun, Mike Comrie and Paul Mara as the teams looks to make amends and take home the division crown.

Team awards were handed out today at a team luncheon for season ticket holders.

Team MVP (Patrick Roy Award)
Jose Theodore

Best defenseman (Chris Pronger Award)
Nic Boynton

Best forward (Geoff Sanderson Award)
Shawn McEachern

Top young player (Ryan Smyth Award)
Mike Cammalleri

Leadership and Dedication (Trevor Linden Award)
Mark Parrish

As well, management released their rankings of each roster player based on which category they fell into:

Breakout season
Ric Jackman: 25 pts, +12 in only 41 gp
MA Bergeron: 11 goals, +11 in 51 gp

Above expectations

Mike Comrie: 14 goals in 13 min/game over 56 gp

Mike Cammalleri: 25 points in 39 gp, important secondary scoring

Jaroslav Modry: +7 playing in all 66 gp

Nick Boynton: top points and icetime among defencemen (31pt, 24 min/g)
Jason King: earned 15 min/g with 12 goals

At expectations
Jose Theodore: 32 wins, .915 save%
Mark Parrish: 5th straight 20 goal season
Shawn McEachern: 50 points
Miro Satan: 15 points in 19 gp
Chris Chelios: +2 over 17 gp
Paul Mara: 23 min/game, +7
Matt Stajan: +7, 10 goals in limited role
Antoine Vermette: went from 4 GP to 47 GP

Below expectations
Jason Arnott: 13 goals for #1 centre
Ryan Smyth: 19 goals, lowest total since RHL12
Dick Tjarnqvist: healthy scratch 14 times
Ivan Majesky: went from +12 to -2

A bust
Craig Conroy: $1.9M for 5 goals
Mark Bell: went from 22 to 10 goals playing with more talented linemates

Eagles bounced out in 5, season ends

2007-04-18T22:53:00.000-06:00

Despite a holding a late third period lead in their elimination match against the powerful ROV, the Eagles let the game slip out of their hands and lost in OT.

Game five was a fitting end to the Eagles season--one that saw its share of ups and downs, but like the regular season, the theme was 'close, but not good enough'.

While I am not happy we lost to the ROV in five short games--I though we could take them to at least 6, overall the series was fairly evenly matched. That is, except for the two categories that mean the most--goals and wins. Losing the first two dug too deep of a hole, eventhough the squad played well the next three games.

In the end, I just didn't get the series I needed from some key players. Theodore did not play at a level he needed to, ending up with just a .882 save % and 4.00 GAA. Not good enough. He has seen his last game in an Eagle uniform.

McEachern, at or near the top of the team in scoring the past few seasons had 0 points and was a -3. He also played his last game in Edmonton silks. Parrish, the team's leading goal scorer each of the last 4 seasons had one assist.

Overall, I think the team took another step forward this season. I'll do a more indepth summary of the season in a bit, including team awards, after I lick my wounds.

And now the attention turns to RHL17...

So close... but so far

2007-04-05T17:09:00.000-06:00

The Eagles limped to the finish line to conclude their 16th season in a disappointing manner, losing out on the race for first in the division to YDP.

While the team had a great second half of the season (20-10-3) and were actually in first place for a short time with a couple of weeks to go, they couldn't keep their tenuous grip on the lead.

While pundits point to crucial losses to the CRY and SEL in the final few games, the team's 8 game winless streak partway into the season was probably responsible for their ultimate demise.

Not only does Edmonton not get bragging rights in the Calder Division, they now face a first round matchup against the second best team in the regular season - the ROV. While this may not seem fair for the 9th ranked Eagles, who finished 6 games over .500 themselves, it's a reality of the playoff format.

This is exactly the scenario that was described by pundits halfway through the season when the way the conference would shake out was becoming apparent. With arguably the three best teams in the league in the other division, it was either win the Calder or face one of these three in the first round.

The Eagles lost both games to the ROV this year, and Baffin Isle rolled to only 13 losses the entire season. All the facts point to a brief post-season for the Eagles in RHL16.

"Yeah, it's disappointing. We controled our own fate down the stretch, which is all a team can ask for," commented Bourdeau. "We just couldn't win enough big games. I give the guys credit, they fought hard and played great the past couple of months."

"We're certainly not going to roll over and let the ROV have an easy round. This will be a could measuring stick as to where we are at as a team, and I now the boys are chomping at the bit to prove we belong in the upper eschelon. It'll be a good series."

Is eight enough?

2007-03-20T12:08:00.000-06:00

With eight games left in the RHL16 season, tonight is the make-or-break game of the season for the Eagles as the squad travels north to Yellowknife in a battle for first place.

A win means we're even with the YDP, but with two more wins the Eagles would take the tiebreaker. A loss will put us 4 points back--a difficult hill to climb in only seven games, especially since would also need to leapfrog the Selects.

Mark Parrish will return to the lineup, providing a nice boost to the powerplay and gives the team another weapon as they try and match the YDP big guns.

Eagles lock up Vokoun, Comrie

2007-03-09T22:51:00.000-07:00

Amidst rampant speculation as to who would and would not be resigned by the Edmonton Eagles, the squad announced today that they had come to terms with goaltender Tomas Vokoun and centre Mike Comrie, both on longterm deals.

Vokoun agreed to a 4-year, $9.8M deal, plus a $1.2M signing bonus. It is widely expected he will take over the reigns of #1 netminder in RHL17, a move that all but confirms current #1 Jose Theodore will not be back with the club next season.

"As soon as we received confirmation of the trade acquiring Tomas a few weeks ago, I phoned his agent and began the process to get him under terms," explained Eagle GM Bourdeau. "We are ecstatic to have one of the best keepers in the business in an Eagle uniform for at least the next four seasons."

While Vokoun's signing was no surprise in Edmonton, local product Mike Comrie's was. Comrie agreed to a 4-year, $4.34M deal, including a $468k signing bonus.

"Everyone knows the history between Mike and the organization," said Bourdeau. "Sure, we've tried to move him on multiple occasions, but let the past be the past. Mike will have every opportunity to be our #2 centre next year."

Pundits decried the move to resign Comrie, scheduled to be a RFA, when so many Eagles were poised to enter the UFA free-for-all. Going to the auction are forwards Ryan Smyth ($3.45M demand), Craig Conroy ($2.92M demand) and Mark Parrish ($2.06M demand), as well as defencemen Jaroslav Modry ($1.81M demand) and Chris Chelios ($2.95M demand).

"I'm paid to make decisions that will bring a King's Cup to Edmonton," responded Bourdeau. "If I don't think a player is worth a certain salary level, he's not going to be offered a contract from us--no matter who he is. I have a salary structure I'm working in that I feel will bring this team success. Sure, I would love to have Smitty, Craiger and Mark back next year. They're great players. But they have to realize that I won't put one player above the team."

"If I could deliver one message to the fans, it's this," continued Bourdeau. "Just because we didn't resign these guys now, it doesn't mean they won't continue their careers as Eagles. I won't make any guarantees, but we have the cap space and the reserves to be very active in the auction. I will continue to have an open dialogue with all our free agents in the offseason, and many others that will be available."

Deja vu in Edmonton?

2007-03-05T22:31:00.000-07:00

With only days remaining until the free agent signing deadline, the Team 1260 is reporting that contract negotiations between soon to be UFA Ryan Smyth and the Edmonton Eagles have reached an impasse.

Sources close to the team have indicated the veteran winger, in his second go around with Edmonton in his RHL career, is looking for a 4-year deal in excess of $15.5M to remain an Eagle.

While team officials could not be reached for comment, it is believed that the organization is offering no more than $14M over the same span.

Smyth was acquired before the RHL15 season from Chicago along with GAR1 (Guilliame Latendresse) in exchange for Freddy Sjostrom, Thomas Fleischmann, Brandon Nolan and cash. He currently sits tied for the lead in team scoring with 14g 29A 43pt through 54gp.

Negotiations are continuing with other Eagle UFAs including Vokoun, Conroy, Parrish, McEachern, Modry and Chelios, as well as with RFAs Comrie, Bell, King, Tjarnqvist and Majesky. With only two resignings allowed per season, look for most of the players to hit the auction in the offseason.

CBC disappoints... again

2007-02-24T23:39:00.000-07:00

OK-time for me to step in and present my first non-RHL post. Don't get excited. It still is about hockey. Baby steps...

It's Saturday-5:00pm I'm actually at home, my wife has the kid, and my chair and a cold one awaits for the early game on Hockey Night in Canada. The guide says Leafs vs. Flyers. Not a surprise, since it is a certain as the sun will rise tomorrow that the early game on HNIC is the Leafs vs. X. I've come to accept that.

But I also know one of the most anticipated matchups of the season is also being broadcast by CBC in the Ottawa region. Not only should it be a great game against two of the most exciting teams in the NHL, but there's that little incident from a game a couple of days ago still lingering.

So I start to assume things. Like a conversion by NHIC brass that most likely happened after Thursday's Buffalo/Ottawa game.

"We're scheduled to have the Leafs, 10th in the east, against the Flyers, last... overall and in the middle of a firesale, as the national early match," says exec #1.

"Right. But we have a crew already doing the Sens/Sabres game," responds exec #2. "Considering the excitement of Thursday night and the fact that anything could happen in the rematch on Saturday, we should give all Canadian hockey fans the chance to see it."

"That makes sense," reasons exec #1. "God, all hell could break loose. Even if it doesn't, man can Ottawa and Buffalo play hockey. Plus, we can still give everyone in Leafnation the priviledge of seing their team take on the basement dwellers."

"Agreed. Let's flip things around and play the Leaf game regionally in Toronto and give the rest of Canada the game they're all talking about and dying to see. Geez, I hope the goalies go at it again. I can't get enough of that kind of hockey."

Problem is, that conversation never happened. The guide was right. 97% of Canada had the honour of watching the Leafs vs. Flyers, including me. Let's say I found other things to do.

I can't believe some of these idiots remain employed...

Times -- they are a changin'

2007-02-09T12:35:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since my last post... a little too long, but hey, life happens. I must say things have taken quite the turn for the positive since my mid-season report. In the 18 games since, the Eagles have strung together a 13-4-1 record.

I've jumped from 5th in the division to 3rd, from 9th in the conference to 6th, from 17th overall to 10th. I'm 1 point out of 1st in the division, and the cherished 2nd slot in the conference.

Instead of being a seller, I was a buyer at the trade deadline. I added a top-line RW in Satan, a defensive, physical defensemen in Chelios, and a nice backup keeper in Vokoun. But more on the trades later...

What happened? Certainly the simulator has swung back in my favour, bringing many of my player's stats closer to where they should be (Smyth, McEachern, Comrie, Theodore, etc). I've Being relatively injury-free helps as well. I think I've also finally figured out the right combos and strategies to be successful with the collection of players I have.

So what's in store for the final 15 games? Who knows. I'm in the mix for the division, but so are 4 other teams. 5 points separate 1st from 5th. Things change on a nightly basis. 6 of these games are against these 4 teams, so the old 'our fate is in our own hands' saying fits. Realistically, I could finish 2nd in the conference, or 5th-9th.

Trade evaluation

To EAG: Satan, Vokoun
To THU: Ward, Williams, Belle, Nielsen, Anderson

Vokoun was the centre piece here. It's not a secret that I desparately needed a #1 for next year, considering Theodore shit the bed in the NHL one season too early. I had asked about Vokoun's availability earlier in the year... but the THU weren't moving him. There wasn't going to be much available in the auction, so my options were limited. But a more recent email to the THU met with a more positive response.

Yes, Vokoun is set to be a UFA, and yes he may have ended up in the auction, but not guaranteed. And then who knows what he would have gone for? He has a reasonable demand... and I am confident we will be able to sign him to a long term deal to stay in Edmonton.

I hadn't targeted Satan, but timing is everything. While we were discussing Vokoun, the THU decided to be a seller. I was looking to add a RW for this year's stretch drive anyways, plus I had a hole on the RW for next year... he was a good fit.

It was tough to give up the reigning Conn Smythe who's only entering his rookie RHL year next season. But I was going to have a bit of a logjam in nets with Ward, Budaj, Theodore, Anderson all rated next year, but with stats that indicate backups and not a starter. Well, having 4 backups and no starter wasn't going to fly, so something had to give.

Williams had a breakout year in Detroit last year, but has taken a step back this season. Plus my depth next season meant I could deal him, especially if it was for an upgrade. Belle and Nielsen will probably be regular NHLers someday, but not impact guys--so they were expendable.

So I give my team a boost this year with Satan, and having him on the RW instead of Williams next disk is a big upgrade. I have plenty of salary space both now and next year, so dollars weren't an issue.

Most importantly though, I actually have a keeper. I think this trade took me another step forward for RHL17. Now to address my woeful defense... ;)

To EAG: Chris Chelios,FAL1, cash
To FAL: Danny Richmond, EAG1

Let's start with the season... Chelios gives me that defensive defenseman I think the team was lacking all year. He provides a physical presence and should help out a woeful penalty kill. In his last year of a contract, Chelly is strictly a rental.

I had to give up Richmond, a mid range prospect that has had a cup of tea in the bigs but hasn't been able to stick. He's still fairly young, but stuck in the Hawks organization that is deep on the backline.

The part of the deal that sold me was the ability to flip first round picks. At the time of the trade, the difference was 7 spots. Now it is 9 spots, with an outside chance that the FAL1 becomes a lottery pick if the bottom falls out of Cleveland's season. Doug's a good guy, but right now I hope the FAL fall apart down the stretch .

RHL16 Midseason Report

2007-01-02T21:45:00.000-07:00

Record: 13-17-3
Standings: 5th in Calder Division, 9th in Howe Conference, 17th overall Overall
Team performance: C-

One thing that is clear after 1/2 of the season is the Eagles are not a contender. The unit has shown glimpses of what they could do, especially early on, but it was always followed by a stretch as a pretender.

Case in point: the team was 12-9-2 just after the quarter point and was challenging YDP for the division lead and crucial top-2 conference ranking. Theodore was showing he was a top 5 tender in the RHL, the team was scoring by committee, and was defenseively stubborn.

The injury-riddled lineup that saw one game where only 8 forwards dressed was healing. We were entering a home-and-home against the expansion MON, hoping to nab 4 pts and put even more pressure on YDP. That didn't happen. We lost both games by 3-1 scores and the squad has been reeling since. Those 2 losses started a 8-game winless skid in which fans saw a side of the Eagles they wished they hadn't. The team couldn't score (9 GF in 8 GP) nor keep the puck out of its own net (34 GA). A toxic mix that will destroy any chance at success.

It took an OT win at home against the happless COU to break the streak, which was followed by another loss to a team we were directly behind.

So where are the Eagles now?
There's still plenty of games left to climb back into the race. Thanks to some inconsistent play from the division-leading YDP, we are only 13 pts out of first and the coveted division crown which would allow the team to avoid a matchup against any of the big 3 (FUN, ROV, SOC) in the 2nd round.

But the free fall has taken the squad to the edge of the cliff. 8 pts behind the cut line for the 1st round bye and holding on to one of the last playoff spots by 4 pts. What needs to change?

Consistency: it's been an issue all year. No one can predict exactly what's going to happen in a given game, but I have no sense whatsoever what team will come to play. I've been shut-out twice by the last-place SPA and lost twice to the MON. Theodore has been great in one game, and dismal in the next.

Scoring: The top players are not scoring like they should. The only player on pace for 20 goals is Parrish. Smyth, MeEachern, Arnott, Bell, Comrie are not. Heck, a defenseman (Bergeron) has the same number or more than all these forwards. No one seems to be able to find chemistry with anyone.

What will happen the rest of RHL16?
Part of me says that the Eagles have enough talent to climb back into contention for a 1st round bye. There's more than enough cap space to add some talent down the stretch... but for what gain? 13 pts is probably too much to catch the YDP for the division, especially with the SEL, CRY and FRE playing so well ahead of me. Let's say we do grab the #5 or #6 seed--it means a 2nd round match against either the ROV, FUN or SOC. A difficult series to win, to say the least.

The other part of me says to blow things up and look towards next year when a lot of my younger guys take another step forward. Hmm... decision time.

O Consistency, where art thou?

2006-10-13T16:41:00.000-06:00

Let's look back a week or so. A 4-1 record, the top offense in the league, solid defensively. The going was good. Fast forward to now. Three game losing streak, shut out twice, mounting injuries, porous defensively. A team in trouble.

Not helping matters was what looked like a win in one of the matches against archrival South Calgary, only to be yanked away due to a technical glitch. Talk about a kick in the groin.

What's happening? Well for one, Theodore has given a glimpse of what life with him in nets will be like in RHL17... but it shouldn't be happening now.

Two: Cammalleri and King are two of the leaders on offense. Don't get me wrong, it's great to see support players producing. But they can't be depended upon. Case in point- both are now injured for extended periods.

The question becomes what about the stars? Smyth and Arnott, the two highest paid forwards: 2g each in 8 games. Not good enough. Conroy: 0g 4a and a -4. Not good enough. Bell: 1a. Not good enough.

Consistency... every team's dream. Sigh...

Double whammy

2006-10-03T16:53:00.000-06:00

Alex Radulov and Devin Setoguchi were both cut from their respective NHL squad today. Damn.

Now we'll find out if there is any truth to the rumour that Radulov could be enticed to return to Russia. I suspect the Russian Federation will try and pull out all the stops to get him to come home. Payback can be a bitch... and I'm sure the Ruskies would love nothing more than to stick it to the NHL after the Malkin incident. I doubt Radulov will bite. He's lived over here for a couple of years and his jump to the Q proves that he is committed to the NHL, IMHO.

As for Setoguchi, hopefully we'll see him back with the Sharks later this year and for the playoffs. Hopefully he'll keep his focus, especially with the outlook of another season of 18-hour bus rides in the Dub.

The good, the bad and the interesting

2006-09-29T16:25:00.000-06:00

Let's start with the good.

The Habs signed Latendresse to a 3-year deal today, basically guaranteeing he'll make the team. I've been second guessing this pick after taking him 14th overall in the entry draft this year. It was a pick by the heart, as the opportunity to take a goal scoring, French-Canadian playing for the Habs with the first name of Guy (well, sort of) was too much to pass up. So let's see if he's for real...

The bad
Well it's not the worst thing that could happen... Potulny was sent to the minors. With the retirement of Primeau, I thought the kid had a chance to grab the #4 centre spot with Philly. Not to start the season, but hopefully he'll get the chance as the season wears on.

The interesting
Jack Johnson got traded. First reaction was what a fleecing by LA, and at least I'll get the chance to see him play more with a Western Conference squad. Was that really the best deal out there? But then I got thinking--does Rutherford know something about Johnson that the rest of us don't, besides his commitment to play college hockey this year? Or are the Canes really that desparate for immediate help? I wonder if there's more to this trade than meets the eye.

BTW, yes I still plan to preview the last division. Haven't quite finished it... hopefully this weekend.

RHL16 preview edition - part 3 of 4

2006-09-19T22:06:00.000-06:00

We move over to the Gordie Howe Conference in part three of the RHL16 preview edition. This conference was more difficult to predict, as there isn't much separating about 8 or so teams. Expect the standings to be much more condensed than the Richard Conference.

Albany StrapHangers
Projected finish: 1st
34-22-10

Got it: The STR went out and landed prized defenseman Pronger in the offseason, who along with recently-signed Hamrlik, turn the backline into the squad’s biggest strength. With Belfour patroling the blue ice, the STR look to be a tough nut to crack defensively this season. They also have speed to burn on the wings with Friesen, Samsonov, Zednik and Afinagenov.

Need it: While there is no real weak link down the middle, no one jumps out and screams #1 centre. Their best pivots, Halpern and Stefan, wouldn’t even be a lot of team’s #2 guy. Same sort of thing holds true on the wings, as the STR have a bunch of decent wingers but no one that you can point to and say ‘he’ll net 30 and lead this team offensively’.

In: Pronger, Hamlik, Zednik, Halpern, Friesen, Nikolishin, Sweeney
Out: Palffy, Francis, Carney, Ozolinsh, Poti, Mapletoft, J.Green, Pratt

Dollars and cents: While the team offloaded Palffy and his $4M salary, they basically nullified the financial gains from that trade by bringing in Pronger. Projected to finish in the negative, the STR are walking a tight rope this season that could limit what they might do over the course of the season.

RHL16 salaries: $29.3M
RHL15 salaries: $28.6M

Magic 8-ball playoff prediction: ‘without a doubt’

Bottom line: The STR showed their fans that they are committed to improving this team by being very active on the trade and free agent front. They'll be tough defensively, and if they can find a groove and score enough goals, they could be a team to watch out for this season.

Washington Defiance
Predicted finish: 2nd
34-27-5

Got it: One of the best lineups down the middle in the league with Lecavalier, Zetterberg and Holik. They also managed to beat off the vultures and re-sign team MVP Alfredsson, and expectations are that Raycroft can be as good, if not better, than he was in his rookie year.

Need it: After the aforementioned forwards, along with Kotalik, there is a borderline scary drop off in talent up front. Right now, their 2nd set of wingers is R.Murray and Dackell. The team also lost probably their best 2 defensemen from RHL15 in Visnovsky and Chelios, which is never a good thing for a team.

In: Reichel, R.Murray, Domi, McGillis, Reichel, Tremblay, Cairns, Rivers
Out: Lagenbrunner, Holmstrom, Chelios, Gratton, Weekes, Nikolishin, Wiemer, Martins, Marchment, Grand-Pierre

Dollars and cents: The DEF hit a bit of a wall in the offseason and had to make some difficult decisions. They opted to put all their free salary back into Alfredsson, at the expense of a handful of other players. By signing him to a 1-year deal, the squad will go through the same set of decisions again after this season.

RHL16 salaries: $26.6M
RHL15 salaries: $29.9M

Magic 8-ball playoff prediction: ‘signs point to yes’

Bottom line: Too many outs and not enough ins could be a tough hurdle to overcome. What will help is having Raycroft and Alfredsson in the mix again. If their stars shine bright enough, the DEF could still find themselves in the thick of things.

Chicago Capones
Predicted finish: 3rd
33-29-4

Got it: With the arrival of Hasek, the CAP seem to be loading up to make a push in RHL17. But don’t expect this year to be a write-off by any means for a team that is always competitive. They only have the #1 forward in the league in Kovalchuk, and a good supporting cast on the wings and on defense.

Need it: Weekes will provide average goaltending, but he is big step down from the stellar play of Roloson. The team will need to adapt their style a bit to compensate for more goals going into the net. Pressure will be on a group of mediocre centres to fill the shoes of departed centres Fedorov and Weight. It is doubtful that Weiss, Spezza and Yelle will step up this season.

In: Hasek, Weekes, Hackett, Juneau, Ronning, Zamuner, Neiminen
Out: Weight, Roloson, Dipietro, Fedorov, Hinote, S.Brown

Dollars and cents: Things are rosy in Chicago. With $8M+ in the bank and a salary under revenue projection even before the playoffs, there isn’t much the CAP won’t be able to do. There will be a glut of defensemen headed for UFA at season’s end (Zubov, Warrener, Devries), but the core players will all be there for a few more seasons at least.

RHL16 salaries: $26.3M
RHL15 salaries: $31.8M

Magic 8-ball playoff prediction: ‘as I see it, yes’

Bottom line: The CAP are always lurking near the top of the standings, and expect no different in RHL16. A few additions in the right places during the season could push them into contender status, or conversely the team may throw away this year and focus on RHL17.

Cleveland Falcons
Predicted finish: 4th
31-31-4

Got it: The FAL were committed to bringing in talent to start their franchise off, and they managed to find some good players in each position. They have a good couple of lines that should be able to find the net with the likes of Kariya, Bondra, Langkow, Zhamnov and are capable defensively with Jovanovski, Kuba, Chelios and Sydor.

Need it: With the lack of depth talent-wise that is inherent to an expansion franchise, the fact that the FAL have more injury-prone players then average could come back to bite them in the ass.

Dollars and cents: The FAL broke open the bank for their first year, bringing in a handful of big-name players with big-number contracts in the hopes of finding success now. Between their salaries and signing bonuses, the squad will have basically blown all their expansion money by season’s end.

RHL16 salaries: $30.1M
RHL15 salaries: N/A

Magic 8-ball playoff prediction: ‘most likely, yes’

Bottom line: The FAL have given themselves a real shot at making the playoffs, and should come out on top of the four new teams to take the RHL16 ‘Expansion Cup’.

Chicago Gargoyles
Prediction: 5th
28-33-5

Got it: A scary 1-2 punch down the middle with Richards and Marleau. Legace will give them solid goaltending almost every night, and the GAR have a great top-4 D with Ohlund, McCabe, Timonen and Stuart.

Need it: While the star power is still there, it’s not quite as blinding as before. The GAR are one of the first casulties of the salary cap era, proving that teams just can’t sustain a team based solely on high-priced veterans for very long. The GAR’s depth is lacking, especially down the middle after Richards and Marleau, as well as on the wings after Sturm and Nolan.

In: Gordon, Sutherby, Sjostrom, Laperriere, Petrovicky, Keith
Out: Smyth, Roenick, Therien, Bayda, Radivojevic, Clymer, Sauer

Dollars and cents: The cap hit the GAR hard, as their bank balance finally caught up to their spending the past few seasons. Not helping matters was the decision to give signing bonuses to McCabe and Ohlund. Looking like they might implode during the offseason, the squad moved veterans Smyth, Roenick and Therien to get their books balanced.

RHL16 salaries: $25.3M
RHL15 salaries: $30.6M

Magic 8-ball playoff prediction: ‘most likely, yes’

Bottom line: It’s a year of transistion for the GAR, as they have already said goodbye to a handful of key veterans before the season has even started. They still can compete, but watch for a more concerted rebuilding effort as the season progresses should they find themselves not living up to expectations.

Indianapolis 500s
Predicted finish: 6th
19-38-9

Got it: The 500 are in full rebuilding mode now, and their attention is towards RHL17 and beyond. Their top two lines are OK, but certainly not spectacular. Markkanen is capable of providing consistent netminding in his ¾ of a season, and any team that includes the Moose will compete night in, night out.

Need it: Goal scoring will be the 500s Achilles heel this year, as their forwards present little in the way of natural talent around the net. Bertuzzi is a shell of his former self, and the emergence of Cole and Selanne is still a season away. The squad’s defense could be suseptible to being pushed around, as the ‘soft’ outnumber the ‘tough’ on Indy’s backline.

In: Bonk, Cole, Selanne, Visnovsky, Laraque, Karpovtsev, VanAllen, Turek
Out: Rolston, Carter, McLaren, Osgood, Arkhipov, Berehowsky, Khavanov, Abid

Dollars and cents: If the 500 continue on this direction, they will have a nice $8M nest egg going into RHL17 that will give the team flexibility when they look to starting their re-entry into the upper eschelon of the RHL.

RHL16 salaries: $23.0M
RHL15 salaries: $24.2M

Magic 8-ball playoff prediction: ‘my reply is no’

Bottom line: Don’t expect the players and management to mail in the season, but the 500s could find themselves on the outside looking in come playoff time. Not that this result would be overly tramatic for a team in full-on rebuilding mode.

RHL16 preview edition - part 2 of 4

2006-09-12T23:11:00.000-06:00

The second installment looks at what will certainly be an interesting division. There are three teams that all could be considered cup contenders, a very wide gap, then three other teams that will have to deal with the first three more often then they would like.

Saskatoon Funboys
Projected finish: 1st
43-19-4

Got it: After some aignst during the FA auction, the FUN managed to bring back the best defensive pairing in the RHL in Redden and Niedermayer. Some solid supporting pairs give the squad what is probably the best D in the league… which should make life even easier for newly-acquired Roloson, not that he really needs it.

Need it: The FUN are a little thin on the left wing, with Schaefer, Varada and Sedin leaving a little to be desired, but look for some of their centres to platoon on the wing. They also haven’t left themselves with any room to manuever salary-wise, which could make it difficult to address any needs as the season progresses.

In: Roloson, Perreault, Spiller
Out: Hasek, Drake, S.Thornton, C.Adams, Skrastins, Yeats

Dollars and cents: $5.5M over revenue. The FUN have left just enough room in their committed salaries to get through the regular season. Hopefully a long playoff run with replenish the vault, but change is coming to Saskatoon what with Redden, Niedermayer, Guerin, Lindros, Schaefer, Varada and Ferrence set to be UFAs.

RHL16 salaries: $33.0M
RHL15 salaries: $31.1M

Magic 8-ball playoff prediction: ‘you may rely on it’

Bottom line: With the acquitition of Roloson, the resigning of Redden for one more year and the impending loss of a handful of key cogs in Saskatoon’s machine, it’s now or never. Will it be the year of ‘fun’ in the RHL?

So. Edmonton Sockeyes
Projected Finish: 2nd
41-19-6

Got it: A banner to raise to the rafters on opening night in South Edmonton. The defending champs enter RHL16 as THE team to beat, and they did it by finding the right mix of scoring, defense and intensity. Most teams would be happy to have half their depth on the wings, what with St.Louis, Elias, Morrow, Cheechoo, Mogilny and Knuble on the flanks. They also have one of the best on the point in Lidstrom and in the nets with Nabokov.

Need it: The team lost #1 centre Koivu in the expansion draft, and critics are not as confident that Morrison can adaquately fill that role. The SOC signed Oates and Larionov to address the position, but they’re about a decade too late. They also lost some depth on the point, as they enter the season with only seven defensemen under contract.

In: Mogilny, Oates, Larionov, Suchy, Odelein,
Out: Koivu, Cooke, Sydor, P.Boucher, Robitaille, Brunette, Young, J.York

Dollars and cents: The SOC loaded up last year for a push and it paid off big time. Their salaries have fallen back to a very reasonable level, and with the injection of the maximum amount of playoff cash that comes with hoisting the Kings Cup, look for the team to add pieces as the season progresses.

RHL16 salary: $26.8M
RHL15 salary: $31.0M

Magic 8-ball playoff prediction: ‘it is decidedly so’

Bottom line: The SOC are at the kings of the castle right now and the usual question is whether they can keep that title or will they become one of the many dirty rascals. They’ve set themselves up to give it a good run again, but only one team will get to represent the conference in the finals… and they have plenty of stiff competition.

Baffin Isle Rovers
Projected finish: 3rd
39-20-7

Got it: There’s plenty of talent to spare for the ROV when P.Bergeron is their 5th line centre. The team will score with anyone out there and could have up to eight or nine 20-goal scorers in the lineup. Only when the 4th line is out for its token 10 minutes will opposing squads get a reprieve from offensive attacks. They will also be able to keep the puck out with a very good top five D and a capable puck stopper in Gerber.

Need it:. They also traded away one of the best defensemen in the game in Pronger, which would leave a big hole on the backline for any team that was able to rely on 30 minutes of consistency night in, night out. With only six natural wingers in camp, it could make for some tricky line juggling to get the right people out when needed.

In: Halpern, Carney, Richardson, Thibault
Out: Pronger, Recchi, Hill, Maholtra

Dollars and cents: The ROV entered the offseason with a heavy payroll, but were able to shed some with a couple of moves—the top of which was moving Pronger and his $5M+ salary. They are now in a much more comfortable range and have put together a deep squad at a reasonable price.

RHL16 salaries: $27.9M
RHL15 salaries: $33.9M

Magic 8-ball playoff prediction: ‘it is certain’

Bottom line: Winning a championship in year three can create some lofty expectations, but the ROV have managed to meet them. The team will again challenge for a division title and could find themselves going all the way if they play their cards right and they win the arms race with divisional rivals SOC and FUN.

San Diego Aviators
Projected finish: 4th
26-35-5

Got it: The AVI landed their ‘Big Three’ in the offseason, signing Doan, Drury and Schneider to long term deals. They also cleared the way for consistency in net by acquiring a number one guy in Turco. Leetch and Schneider will provide a nice offensive spark from the backend, which should help the powerplay emmensely.

Need it: Depth up front. The AVI have a solid #1 line (Smolinski-Drury-Doan) and a good #2 centre in Walz, but the ranks thin out dramatically after that. Look for teams to try and lean on the top line knowing there isn’t much help after them. Goal scoring could be a challenge this year. Defensively, the unit could be considered soft as Allen is the only one who has brings much physical play to his game.

In: Doan, Schneider, Drury, Turco, Straka, Smolinski, Pyatt, Morrisonn, Sopel
Out: Cole, Jovanovski, Tucker, Cassels, Cowan, Lilja, Salei, Rathje, Brathwaite

Dollars and cents: $1.4M over revenue. For a rebuilding team, the AVI are being fairly liberal with the checkbook and are currently on course to zero out before the end of the season. With the playoffs not an automatic, management is walking a thin line.

RHL16 salaries: $28.9M
RHL15 salaries: $23.9M

Magic 8-ball playoff prediction: ‘cannot predict now’

The bottom line: Expect the AVI’s limited depth and struggles to score to put them in the group that will need to battle hard to make the playoffs. Results will judge the team’s experiment to try and rebuild through high-priced free agents, while also trying to replenish the prospect pool.

Victoria Cougars
Projected finish: 5th
20-37-9

Got it: Cornerstone to build a new franchise around: check. Brodeur will give the COU opportunities to win games they otherwise shouldn’t. While on the downside of stellar careers, Yzerman and Lemieux should help lead this team in the locker room and give it some direction.

Need it: While long on character, the COU are short almost everywhere else. Goals will be few and far between for the expansion team. Hopefully Brodeur can chip in a couple in this department… the squad’s going to need it.

Dollars and cents: Like their expansion cousins, the COU opted not to hover at the league minimum for salary and spend some dough to try and be somewhat competitive. They have some serious coin tied up in a handful of players, but that is not unusual for an expansion team.

RHL16 salaries: $25.6M
RHL15 salaries: N/A

Magic 8-ball playoff prediction: ‘don’t count on it’

Bottom line: It will be interesting to see just how much impact Brodeur can have being the only real player in his prime with talent… one can argue that we already know since playing on the now-defunct Purge was like playing on an expansion team.

Airdrie T-Men
Projected finish: 6th
12-49-5

Got it: The TME sit on the largest bank balance in the league, but seem reluctant to spend it on talent that will make an immediate impact. The squad has a reasonable supporting cast, but unfortunately are asked to play above their level. Grahame was a shining light in RHL15 and will hope to carry this team on his back again.

Need it: Some relief from having to match against the FUN, SOC and ROV many more times than any team would like, especially when a team just doesn’t matchup in talent like the TME. The team could use some help just about everywhere, but the wings are especially devoid of skill, with the exception of S.Kozlov.

In: Robitaille, Svoboda, Kloucek,
Out: Zhamnov, G.Johnson, Kostopoulos, Chistov, Barnaby, Weinhandl, Nieminen, Vorobiev, Mironov, Woolley

Dollars and cents: The league continues to wait for the shoe to drop in Airdrie when management decides to dip into their vast savings to bring in some fresh talent. The team is projected to have $20M to spare by the end of the season, which is an incredible amount given the current financial climate in the RHL.

RHL16 salaries: $21.0M
RHL15 salaries: $29.7M

Magic 8-ball playoff prediction: ‘very doubtful’

Bottom line: Fans are beginning to grow impatient with a team that doesn’t seem to have a clear vision for where it wants to go. They continue to lay out hard-earned dollars for tickets hoping that the TME will one day rise to the top. Their waiting won’t last forever, and expect a mutiny if fans think the owner is profiting too much at the expense of a competitive hockey team.

RHL16 preview edition - part 1 of 4

2006-09-07T22:46:00.000-06:00

Today's installment looks at what can be considered the rebirth of the old Red Green division of the RHL's pre-tiered, six-division days.

Yellowknife Dangerous Penetrators
Projected finish: 1st
44-19-3

Got it: Team YDP can field two very good offensive lines, and coupled with the likes of Boyle, Souray and Kaberle providing some punch from the backend, the squad can score with any team. Watch for their stars to rise to the top of the scoring race again. The team has a good mix of speed, physical prowess and defensive awareness in all positions.

Need it: The biggest thing that seemed to get in the way of team success in RHL15 was chemistry and focus. YDP will need to find ways to win the big game, as well as to stay on task against lesser-thans. The arrival of Boyle helps with the transition game, but the defense overall isn’t considered very quick or mobile. The team still doesn’t have a clear-cut #1 netminder, as they instead will look to rotate three guys and cross their fingers that one will emerge as a reliable starter.

In: Holmstrom, Young, Boyle
Out: Zholtok, Moreau, Letowski, Orszagh, Kuba

Dollars and cents: YDP enters the beginning of the season with one of the top payrolls in the league. The team can afford it what with $10M socked away, but management will not be happy without a deep playoff run to offset some of the costs. Things look like they could change next year when Sakic, Brindamour, Damphousse and Ragnarrson are set to be UFAs ($10.2M)

RHL16 salaries: $32.2M
RHL15 salaries: $32.3M

Magic 8-ball playoff prediction: ‘without a doubt’

Bottom line: The stars are aligned for YDP talent-wise and they will be expected to produce… now. You get what you pay for, and they must be considered one of the conference favourites. But the same could be said last season when they finished a disappointing 5th in the 2nd tier. Hopefully for YDP followers, the players learnt their lesson and RHL16 proves to be their year.

Lethbridge Selects
Projected finish: 2nd
38-22-6

Got it: The SEL found the right mix of chemistry at the exact right time in RHL15 and found themselves 2 wins away from winning it all. The dependable Hossa and Modin lead the attack up front, while their supporting cast is full of checking, defensively-minded players. While not spectacular, the D-corps are proven winners that can defend by committee with the best of them. Denis is a very capable netminder who flies under the radar most of the time.

Need it: One might wonder where the goals will come from outside of Hossa and Modin, especially with the loss of Zednik and Whitney. The SEL could use another defenseman that can play the PP and start a rush to help take some of the pressure off of Rafalski.

In: W.Primeau, Konowalchuk, Matvichuk, Marchant, Snow, Barnaby, Dimitrakos,
Out: Whitney, Zednik, Numminen, Laraque, Mayers, Heerema, MacDonald, McGillis, Hill, Salo

Dollars and cents: Things looked bleak for the SEL at the end of the RHL15 regular season, but a run to the finals can be a cure to a lot of maladies, including a negative bank balance. On top of the new buffer, the team shed more than $3M off their payroll. Things haven’t looked this good for the SEL’s bottom line in a long time.

RHL16 salaries: $25.3M
RHL15 salaries: $28.5M

Magic 8-ball playoff prediction: ‘as I see it, yes’

Bottom line: Can the SEL build off a Tier II championship in RHL14 and a magical run to the Tier I finals in RHL15, or will they experience a fall back down to earth? Look for the more of the latter as the team needs some time to recover after hitting the wall financially.

Edmonton Eagles
Projected finish: 3rd
36-22-8

Got it: The EAG's top two lines should be able to find the net with consistency, but they’ll do it by committee instead of with all-star statistics. Also expect the D corps to build off a surprising RHL15 campaign where the team finished 7th overall in goals against. Helping that number this season should be some solid netminding from Theodore. They also brought back original EAG draft pick Ryan Smyth, much to the delight of local fans.

Need it: The EAG stripped out some of their depth in the offseason, which could cause some concern lower in the lineup, especially if the team runs into injury issues. The team needs either Comrie, Conroy or Cammalleri to step up and consistently fill the #2 centre role this season, or find another alternative. The squad continues to be without a true number one on the point who could eat up minutes in all situations.

In: R.Smyth, Modry
Out: Doan, Cullimore, Kvasha, Chubarov, Primeau, Sjostrom, Spiller

Dollars and cents: The EAG were relatively quiet on the auction front, bowing out of the arms race with their previous captain Doan and other targeted players. Management seems content to enter the season well under the level they could be at, especially with $7M in the bank.

RHL16 salaries: $26.3M
RHL15 salaries: $29.2M

Magic 8-ball playoff prediction: ‘yes’

Bottom line: While still young, the EAG are another year older and expectations are starting to build in the city. Management will certainly preach patience, but they may not be able to use that mantra much longer, especially if the EAG stumble out of the gate.

St.Albert Spartans
Projected finish: 4th
30-32-4

Got it: The reigning NHL MVP in Big Joe Thorton. Thornton will be expected to lead the SPA into the future as they continue to retool. The arrival of Hatcher in the dispersal draft adds an element of toughness that has been lacking on the SPA backend, if he can stay healthy. Biron provides dependable goaltending that will keep the SPA in many games.

Need it: Like most teams in the middle of the pack, depth is the critical issue. The top line will be fine, but Yashin, Reinprecht and Amonte are not what they used to be. And let’s not even talk about the 3rd and 4th units. Bringing Poti in helps the D-corps, but watch out if their injury-prone guys drop for any signifcant stretches. Can Thornton play defense as well?

In: Hull, Hatcher, Poti, Wiemer, Hendrickson, ThomasOut: C.Joseph, Juneau, Lundmark, Bartovic, Renberg, Vaananen, McCarty, Marshall

Dollars and cents: The SPA continue the slow process of re-arranging team finances, which has handcuffed the squad the past couple of seasons. They have shed another couple million off the payroll, and next year looks even better when Shannahan, Amonte and Yahsin become UFAs, freeing up $7.7M in cap space.

RHL16 salaries: $25.4M
RHL15 salaries: $27.8M

Magic 8-ball playoff prediction: ‘most likely’

Bottom line: The coaching staff needs to squeeze as much as possible out the lineup again if the team expects to finish .500 or better. While they should nab one of the lower playoff seeds, it could be another pins and needles year for fans and management.

Grande Prairie Stingers
Projected finish: 5th
24-35-7

Got it: The GPS were very active in the auction this year, bringing in a bevy of talent to fill some holes at mostly reasonable costs. Rolston, Nedved and Barnes are a nice step up inthe middle from the Peca, Nicols and Robitaille trio of RHL15. P.Boucher, Jackman and O’Donnell provide some teeth to the backline, and the tandem of Giguere and B.Boucher is a good partnership in nets.

Need it: Nash has a big load to carry on the wings… it’s too bad he can’t play both sides at once. Vasicek gives him at least someone to ride shotgun for him, but any semblance of talent disappears after that. The D is tough, but is missing any real offensive punch that can lead the rush or quarterback the powerplay. Injuries could take their toll on the backend as well.

In: Rolston, Nedved, Barnes, P.Boucher, J.Ward, Eminger
Out: Selanne, Peca, Brylin, Dvorak, Cross, Erskine, Nichol, Veilleux, Eaton, Fahey

Dollars and cents: The GPS spent some dough in their first year trying to build a team that could reasonably compete. Problem is when you’re picking from the scraps from all the other teams, salary doesn’t always translate into skill. The squad seems to be taking a different approach this season as they are watching their dollars more closely.

RHL16 salaries: $23.5M
RHL15 salaries: $27.1M

Magic 8-ball playoff prediction: ‘cannot predict now’

Bottom line: Some prudent money managing and personnel decisions in the off-season should translate into some better results on the ice, while spending less to do so. That said, expectations will still be tempered for this 2nd year team, but watch for all that to change starting in RHL17 when Mr.Ovechkin suits up for the first time.

Winnipeg Freeze
Projected finish: 6th
22-36-8

Got it: The FRE enter the second year of the Iginla era in Winnipeg. Hopefully he can shake off a lacklustre RHL15 campaign and find some decent chemistry with Lang and... (insert player here). The squad’s youth is a bright spot, but the full impact of Hemsky, Ruutu, Roy, Bouwmeester, Pisani and Vanek is still a few seasons away.

Need it: No matter how many goals Iginla and his linemates can score, it won’t alone be enough to win many games. The supporting cast is thin, and outside of Bouwmeester, the defense moves like a bunch of snails on sedatives. Kolzig has always performed well for the Freeze, but he is not the type of goalie to be able to overcome a team’s other shortcomings on his own.

In: Gill, Korolev, Lacouture, Battaglia, T.Nash, Albelin, Hnidy
Out: Perreault, Quintal, Noronen, Moore, Simon, Chimera, Asham, Somik, Salmelainen, Berg, Allison, Odelein, Cairns

Dollars and cents: RHL16 is already deemed a success by the FRE's newly-hired accountants, as the team that has flirted with bankruptcy the past couple of seasons slashed almost $7M off the roster without taking a huge hit talent-wise.

RHL16 salaries: $23.2M
RHL15 salaries: $30.1M

Magic 8-ball playoff prediction: ‘better not tell you now’

Bottom line: Expect much of the same struggles for the FRE as they had in RHL15, although on the bright side of things, they are going to do it with $7M less in salary. The financial wreck has been avoided, and the squad can start looking towards the future instead of being handcuffed by the present.

Seattle Crystals
Projected finish: 7th
19-37-10

Got it: A good number one line, if you like throwing all the eggs in one basket. If Heatley can stay healthy, the trio of Koivu, Heatley and Recchi is as good a line as you’ll ever see on an expansion team. The pairing of Smith and Salei will cause grief among opposition forwards, and will be expected to log a lot of minutes.

Need it: If the CRY opt play their three stars together, the 35 minutes or so a game they aren’t on the ice will be a real cause for concern. Joseph and Salo are below average netminders, which can spell trouble for a team that will most likely spend large chunks of time in their own end.

Dollars and cents: The CRY took the middle road salary-wise, neither hovering around the league minimum or going for the gusto and pushing the upper levels. They have the 2nd lowest payroll out the four expansion teams.

RHL16 salaries: $26.9M
RHL15 salaries: N/A

Magic 8-ball playoff prediction: ‘outlook not so good’

Bottom line: The CRY have some good top-end skill, which is always a bonus for the fans of an expansion team who get to watch some of their own talent instead of always looking to see who’s in the visitor’s sweaters. But life is never easy during a team’s infancy. If they can be one of the top two new squads, consider it a successful season.

Eagles top 10 under 25

2006-08-23T22:32:00.000-06:00

#1 Cam Ward

22 years old
The goalie of the future has risen in Edmonton, as Ward is probably the only RHL prospect in history to have a Conn Smythe trophy under his belt before going pro in the RHL. While not really impressing during the regular season, Ward shone in the playoffs and his play took a tiny bit of the sting away from the Oilers loosing the Cup final.

NHL playoffs: 23gp 15w 8l 2.14gaa .920 save %
NHL season: 28gp 14w 8l 2sol 3.68gaa .882 save %
arrival: RHL17
acquired: RHL13 trade with FUN
projection: allstar goaltender

#2 Jack Johnson

19 years old
The Eagles pulled off the coup of the RHL16 draft, as they acquired the 2nd overall pick so they could take this franchise defenseman. Johnson had a standout rookie campaign with the University of Michigan, finishing with 32 pts in 38 games and also played a huge role for Team USA at the WJC, which earned him a first team allstar selection.

NCAA season: 38gp 10-22-32
arrival: RHL19
acquired: RHL16 draft, 2nd overall
projection: allstar defenseman

#3 Jeff Carter

21 years old
This lanky pivot is well on his way to becoming an impact player. While most rookies tail off as the season progresses and the games become more intense, Carter kept getting better and was playing a crucial role for the Flyers at season’s end. He just needs to keep on doing what he’s doing and the blue and silver will have themselves a worthy centre for years to come.

NHL season: 81gp 23-19-42 12 min/g
Acquired: RHL13 trade with AVI
arrival: RHL17
projection: allstar centre

#4 Alex Radulov

20 years old
Radulov took a big step forward this year in his development, as he was named the CHL Player of Year and led the Quebec Remparts to the Memorial Cup. Hopefully for the Eagles, his career follows the path of former CHL MVP’s Lemieux, Sakic, Richards and Hawerchuk, and not that of Varlamov, Ling, Poulin and Fogarty.

QMJHL season: 62gp 61-91-152
arrival: RHL19
acquired: RHL15 draft, 14th overall
projection: 1st line scorer

#5 Andrew Ladd

20 years old
Ladd has the big-time skills that made him the Eagles third highest draft pick ever in the RHL at 6th overall (Jack Johnson-2nd overall in RHL16 and Ryan Smyth-4th overall in RHL3). He was in and out of the lineup most of the season for the Canes, but he dressed for every game of the Cup final when things really counted.

NHL season: 29gp 6-5-11, 11 min/g
acquired: RHL15 draft, 6th overall
arrival: RHL17
projection: 1st line power forward

#6 Mike Cammalleri

24 years old
The Toronto product had great years in 05-06, both in the NHL and the RHL. He jumped out of the gate in RHL15 as one of the top goal scorers and ended with decent numbers (53gp 20-13-33). He also proved that his 109-point season in the AHL during the lockout was no fluke.

NHL season: 80gp 26-29-54, 17 min/g
arrival: now
acquired: RHL13 trade with AVI
projection: 1st line centre, powerplay specialist

#7 Christian Ehrhoff

24 years old
The German national team defenseman struggled during the regular season, but in what is certainly a good sign, he upped his game in the playoffs and registered 8 points in 11 games while playing 20 minutes a night. His offensive touch will be invaluable to the Eagle’s powerplay in the future.

NHL season: 64gp 5-18-23, 18 min/g
arrival: now
acquired: RHL13 trade with ROV
projection: top 4 defenseman, powerplay quarterback

#8 Guillaume Latendresse

19 years old
After electrifying Canadiens faithful during the 05-06 pre-season with his goal scoring prowess, Latendresse ultimately was sent back to junior. He started slowly and had a terrible WJC tournament, but eventually his game came around as he ended with 40+ goals. It will not be long before the chants of GUY-GUY-GUY return to Montreal.

QMJHL season: 51gp 43-40-83
arrival: RHL19
acquired: RHL16 draft, 13th overall
projection: 2nd line forward, powerplay specialist

#9 Devin Setoguchi

19 years old
The Alberta product enjoyed another solid year in 05-06 with the Saskatoon Blades and Team Canada at the WJC after just failing to make the Sharks as an 18-year-old. San Jose has always been able to spot great talent playing the CHL, and Setoguchi looks to be no exception.

WHL season: 65gp 36-47-83
arrival: RHL20
acquired: RHL16 draft, 12th overall
projection: 2nd line forward

#10 Antoine Vermette

24 years old
Vermette proved he had an important role to play on the potent Senators last year. While getting the nod for the PK consistently, he also delivered his first 20-goal campaign. Should get even more responsibility in Ottawa with the departure of Havlat and Smolinski. Vermette absorbed it all in on the Eagles’ pro squad in his rookie year, seeing limited action (4GP 0-1-1).

NHL season: 82GP 21-12-33, 13 min/g
arrival: now
acquired: RHL13 trade with CAP
projection: 2nd line forward, penalty kill specialist

Just missing the cut:

#11 Petteri Nokelainen F, 20
#12 Matt Stajan F, 22
#13 Petr Budaj G, 23
#14 Ryan Potulny F, 21
#15 Timofei Shishkanov F, 23

Eagle captain leaves for richer pastures

2006-08-17T22:59:00.000-06:00

With the league offices announcing today's signings, Shane Doan will officially suit up for a team other than the Edmonton Eagles next season.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but it is expected the former captain of the Eagles has signed a 4-year, $14M contract with the San Diego Aviators.

"Shane gave us an opportunity to match the offer because of his desire to stay in Edmonton, but to be honest, that sort of contract for the type of player Shane is doesn't fit within our team salary structure," explained GM Chris Bourdeau from the Eagles' new minor league team's practice facility in Henderson, Nevada. "It was great to have him here, and he was a solid captain. The organization wishes him the best."

Doan was the third captain in Eagles' history, wearing the C since RHL14. He followed the tenures of Chris Pronger (RHL10-13) and Trevor Linden (RHL1-9). While there has been no announcement on who will replace Doan as captain, it is expected newly re-acquired Ryan Smyth will slide into Doan's role on the top line.

Doan has registered 144 goals and 356 points in his 13-year, 683-game career. His best seasons were 56 points (RHL11) and 23 goals (RHL11 and 12). Doan made $2.3M in RHL15.

Eagles roll the dice on new minor league team

2006-08-16T22:47:00.000-06:00

-Edmonton (CP) The Edmonton Eagles announced they have signed an affiliation agreement with the Henderson, Nevada franchise of the newly formed Realistic Minor Hockey League.

The agreement will give the Eagles complete control over the development of their prospects, which will ideally translate into a smoother transition to the RHL. The Eagles will share the franchise with the Waterloo Roadkill, but Edmonton will retain day-to-day management of the squad.

The franchise is currently running a 'name-the-team' contest within the community. A panel of local celebrities, including new Eagle star Ryan Smyth, chose the four finalists. The final four are currently being voted on through the team's website. The 'Dammers' has a slight lead over second place 'Bushtit', with 'Verdin' and 'Magne' trailing well behind.

The team will play out of the 8,100 seat Hoover Arena on the shores of Lake Mead in the Las Vegas suburb. The newly-built arena features eight different casinos, including the Eagle Nest which overlooks the playing surface. Prize payouts double in all casinos for 5 minutes after the home team scores.

"The desert is a cool place," said Eagle GM Bourdeau. "And being so close to Vegas will make the scouting trips so much more enjoyable... but expensive."

The projected lineup to start the RMHL1 season is:

Forwards
Andrew Ladd - Jeff Carter - Alex Radulov
Blake Wheeler - Peterri Nokelainen - Devin Setoguchi
Jeff Tambellini - Ryan Potulny - Guillaume Latendresse
Timofei Shishkanov - Vern Fiddler - Petr Kanko

Extras: David Backes, Jared Aulin, Clarke MacArthur, Franz Neilsen, Martin Samuelsson, Paul Healey, Jeff Farkas, Derek Bekar

Defence
Jack Johnson - Chris Campoli
Danny Richmond - Kevin Bieksa
Jeff Woywitka - Shawn Belle
Scott Jackson - Roman Polak

Extras: Jim Sharrow, Darrel Scoville, Julien Vauclair

Goaltenders
Cam Ward
Petr Budaj

Extras: Jeff Glass, Corey Crawford, Dan Blackburn

My take on the Eagles' two big trades

2006-08-01T17:09:00.000-06:00

Since this level of trade action doesn't happen very often in Edmonton (Oilers not included), I thought I'd share some insight into the two major deals struck within hours of eachother for my loyal readers. To warn you, it's a bias approach... as it should be since I made the damn trades!

Arriving: Jack Johnson (CRY1), Ryan Smyth, Guillaume Latendresse (GAR1)
Departing: Sjostrom, Fleischmann, Wellwood, Kelser, Nolan, MacLean, EAG2, cash.

The decision point for both these trades is quality over quantity. Not to seem like a braggart, because I am not, but one of the pleasant results of my hard work over the past few seasons to rebuild a prospect base is I now have many more players becoming rated then I have roster spots to accomodate them.

Yes, it is a nice situation to be in. But it still requires decisions to be made. I already have 23 players under contract for the upcoming season, and before the trades I had an additional 13 becoming rated for RHL17. Sure, the new prospect rules will certainly help to spread out when I can bring a guy up to the full roster, but there was no getting around that the Eagles were going to hit a choke point with sheer numbers--and soon.

I had two choices. Move prospects for older, rated players who can contribute now, but at a price. Or roll them over for younger prospects further away from the NHL. So I chose to go in both directions. Ryan Smyth is option A, everything else was option B.

For option B, consider it clearing the underbrush to allow other seedlings to grow, although I wouldn't call Kesler, Wellwood, Sjostrom and Fliecshmann underbrush. It's never easy to trade a solid group of young players who have already arrived inthe NHL, but I consider it growing pains to ultimately get stronger. Just like a forest ultimately gets stronger from clearing out the brush... ok, enough of the analogy.

Plus, the opportunity to trade for a #2 overall pick does not come around every day, so I took it. In 15 drafts, I have never drafted so high. It feels good.

Like I said, Smyth is a bit of an anomaly. I love the player, and to see who was probably one of my best picks ever back in an Eagle uniform is very satisfying. While it could only be for one year, it will be a great year. Ok--one more analogy. I liken it to a person who has been saving money for years, building up a nice little nest egg. They stay true to a plan for so long then they splurge and by a Corvette. Is it practical...no. Was it needed... no. Is it OK to indulge every once in a while and celebrate years of hard work... absolutely.

So I indulged with Smyth, but I made sure I did something for team's future as well--getting the #13 pick. I learnt my lesson... I will always keep a core group of prospects in the system.

So let me evaluate the trade like every other is analyzed by the so-called pundits.

Out of the entire group that exchanged hands today:

Best rated player: Ryan Smyth - EAG
Prospect with the most potential: Jack Johnson - EAG
Highest picks exchanging hands: CRY1 - EAG, GAR1 - EAG
Salary savings: $1.5M - GAR
Does it make the EAG better now? Yes
Does it ensure the future is protected? Yes (#2 and #13 pick)

The only thing I can say was a knock in the trades is the addition of $1.5M in salary to my roster. This is easily absorbed and I consider it an insurance policy should the auction go sideways and I can't resign Doan, or bring in anyone else I'm looking at.

So there. Consider the trade justified. ;)

Eagles make a splash on the eve of the RHL16 draft

2006-07-31T21:39:00.000-06:00

As the city of Edmonton speculated over the possible return of the man simply known as 'Moo-lay' to where it all started for him in the RHL, the city was broadsided by the tidal wave of news on the eve of the draft that the Eagles have acquired the second overall pick from the Seattle Crystals.

While details have not been confirmed by league offices, it is expected that it took a lucrative package of young up and comers to land the coveted selection. Rumoured to be part of the deal is some combination of CHL MVP Alex Radulov, Canuck centre Ryan Kesler, Philly middleman Jeff Carter and Canes power forward Andrew Ladd.

Gears were instantly shifted for the hockey-crazed town as to who the Eagles may select with what will become their highest selection in franchise history. Considering the team's penchant for identifying and grooming franchise defensemen (the team acquired Chris Pronger prior to RHL1), it is expected that Jack Johnson will become the newest Eagle.

Eagles to hit 'rewind'?

2006-07-31T15:00:00.000-06:00

Rumours are swirling around Edmonton today that the team is close to repatriating its highest ever draft pick. Stay tuned to the Talon for more details!

Divisions to get 'colourful' again

2006-07-27T12:32:00.000-06:00

I have to admit, I could not have chosen a better division to see the Eagles in. It's looking like the old Red Green division pre-RHL10 when the Eagles, Spartans, Selects and Cats (now Crystals) battled it out on a consistent basis. And it goes back even more when the Freeze held down the spot before the Cats moved to Westlock.

Beyond renewing some old rivalries (damn you Dave, I still remember when the Freeze destroyed the Eagles on the last day of RHL1 to claim the final playoff spot!) it's a good mix of teams at different points in their cycles. There may be only one team from the Champions Conference in it, but it will still be competitive... especially in the long term.

YDP - a team reaching its peak before losing a bunch of UFAs... but the fall won't be far because of the team's stockpile of youth.

EAG - a team heading up the path to its peak. I think the best is yet to come for my squad, but I should be reasonably competitive this year.

SEL - coming off a run to the finals, the SEL have a lot of holes to fill due to UFA and might be heading downwards a bit, but the core that took them to the last round is still there.

FRE and SPA - similar points for both teams who hit the wall with salaries and departures, but they have 'righted the ship' and looking to head up the mountain again.

GPS - season 2 for the new team. They have a long way to climb but I'm looking at Ovechkin and Nash together starting in RHL17... yikes.

CRY - brand spanking new, but looks like the squad will have some skill in the lineup with Heatley, Koivu, Recchi and Smith.

Pair of Eagles fly the coup in expansion draft

2006-07-24T16:52:00.000-06:00

I'm not surprised Kvasha and Cullimore were taken. But I never thought they would both go as early as they did (Kvasha 5th overall, Cullimore 16th overall). I guess where I saw problems with each player, the expansion owners saw potential to help their squads. Just goes to show that sometimes an owner can be too close to a certain set of players to always make the right evaluation of them.

Cullimore was a disappointing signing last year, as he didn't really bring what I thought he would to the table in RHL15. With 2 years and $3.3M left on his contract, and a looming decline in ratings for RHL17, he quickly became a liability instead of an asset.

Kvasha was frustrating. I picked him up a few seasons ago and waited for him to reach his supposed potential. I thought he took a big step forward in 03-04, as he finished with 51 pts, tied for first on the NYI. I didn't think his ratings reflected his NHL value, and it showed in RHL15 as he never really seemed to get anything done. Then after seeing his production in the 'new NHL' drop to 32 points this year, I had seen enough.

I think this is good step for the organization. It frees up $2.2M in salary space, which I hope can be put to better use.

My big question going into the expansion draft was what to do with Theodore, and what would happen if he was left exposed. I think my question was answered after seeing the 1st round draft results. I can't argue my team is better for having him around in RHL16, but I now have to deal with a $3.4M starter with terrible numbers come RHL17.

Theodore's days in Edmonton numbered?

2006-07-20T12:16:00.000-06:00

The Team 1260 is reporting that the Eagles have left goaltender Jose Theodore exposed for the upcoming expansion draft.

Calls to the Eagle head office were not returned, but speculation is that with the emergence of future goaltending star Cam Ward, Theodore and his $3.4M salary is now expendable.

Two more Eagles added to the nest

2006-07-19T10:59:00.000-06:00

The Eagles made two selections in the dispersal draft, as Timofei Shishkanov and Franz Nielsen are the newest arrivals in Edmonton.

"We were targeting a couple of rated players, but beyond that our strategy was to focus on the future," said the Eagle GM. "Plus with the new rules governing prospects, we don't have to pay significant dollars while we wait for some of these slower developers to become contributors at the RHL level."

"We are very happy to get Shish, and think he fits in the mold of the type of team we're building towards. He's quick and has talent to score at this level. Plus, he'll have a great opportunity being in St.Louis to make a mark."

Shishkanov was drafted by the Predators in the 2nd round, 33rd overall, in 2001. He was traded to St.Louis for Mike Sillinger during the 05-06 season. He was rated the #52 prospect in the NHL by the Hockey News (pre-2006 draft).

Franz Neilsen will continue his quest to be the first Danish-born player in the RHL with the Eagles. He was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2002 draft by the Islanders.

"Neilsen flew under the radar a bit, but we are glad to nab him in the second round," said the GM. "He signed a contract with the Islanders in June and has committed to play in North America next year."

Eagles ink team's future core

2006-07-12T16:39:00.000-06:00

The Eagles secured a piece of their future today, announcing the resigning of seven players coming off entry level contracts.

"It's a big day for this organization," beamed team owner Chris Bourdeau. "I expect some of these guys will a big part of any future success the team may enjoy."

The seven players signing today were:

Mike Cammalleri 4-year $2.9M
Jason Williams 3-year $1.7M
Antoine Vermette 4-year $2.2M
Mikhael Samuelsson 3-year $1.8M
Marc-Andre Bergeron 4-year $1.8M
Dick Tjarnqvist 1-year $500,000
Ivan Majesky 1-year $695,000
Craig Anderson 1-year $483,000

Eagle RHL15 season review

2006-07-11T12:48:00.000-06:00

The 15th campaign for the Eagles in the RHL was a solid one, as the team can finally say they have put the painful part of rebuilding behind them. Edmonton finished 14 games on the sunny side of .500 (38-24-4), good for fourth place in the conference. While this success came in the lower level, the Eagles are moving in the right direction and should be reasonably competitive when the league returns to a traditional format next year.

Playoffs
Rating C
As is what seems to be a theme in Edmonton, regular season success did not translate into post-season glory. The team earned a first round bye, which led to a 2nd round showdown with rivals YDP. The series started well for the Eagles, as they jumped out to a 2-0 lead. A tough lost in OT in game 3 seemed to break the team’s momentum, and they went on to lose four straight.

Offense
Rating B+
As expected, the team put forth a balanced attack. They scored over 200 goals, good for 7th in the entire league, yet their top scorer topped out at only 51 points. They did have six 20-goal men, and an additional three over 10.

Defense
Rating A-
The team’s commitment to defense was a bit of a surprise. Jose Theodore did his part and kept the goals against down, but the defensive corp gelled early and were solid all season long. The Eagles also finished 7th overall in goals against, letting in a stingy 163 goals all season.

Special Teams
Rating B-
Both the powerplay and penalty kill were mired near the bottom of the league for the first half of the season. It was costing the team games and likely took the Eagles out of the running for the conference title. The PP caught fire in the second half, vaulting up the rankings to finish 8th in the league at 15.4%. The PK also climbed, but only to 16th at 84.2%. The playoffs brought similar stats.

RHL16
Expect to see mostly the same faces on the Eagles next season, as the team has 18 players already under contract with an additional 9 as RFAs. The expansion draft and UFA will mean some departures, but only one of any real significance. Team captain Shane Doan needs a new contract, but his high demand will probably mean free agency for the gritty winger. Doan is rumoured to be left exposed in the expansion draft.

Player Reviews
McEachern 22.0 64 22 29 51 +29
Rating A
Shawn led the team in scoring (18th in the conference) and in +/- (5th in the conference). He was the most consistent forward all year, playing in every situation. He was selected to the Premier allstar team for his efforts.

Cammalleri 15.1 53 20 13 33 +7
Rating A
Penciled in as a depth player this year, Mike took the bull by the horns and raced out as one of the league’s top goal scorers early on. A leg injury slowed his production down, but he still notched his first 20-goal season (in only 53 games) while playing second line minutes.

Jackman 23.6 57 10 19 29 +12
Rating A
Rick proved this year that he can be a top-4 defenseman in the RHL. Not only did he lead the team’s defensemen in goals, but he showed he can take care of business in his own end with a +12 rating.

Mara 26.3 64 7 22 29 +27
Rating A
Paul took another step forward in his role as leader of the Eagle’s defensive corps with his best season ever in the RHL. He elevated the play of everyone around him and helped Edmonton to the 7th best defensive record in the league, and 3rd in the conference.

Arnott 16.8 61 20 19 39 +23
Rating A-
Jason provided exactly what the team was looking for when they acquired him partway through the season. In his 36 games with the Eagles, he notched 13 goals and 26 points and was a +15. He was the number one centre the team needed.

Boynton 24.5 62 3 29 32 +11
Rating B+
Nik proved to be a steadying influence on the backline again this season as he ate up minutes in every situation and even put a respectable 32 points on the board, best amoung defenders.

Theodore 62 2.42gaa 34w 23l 4t 5so 91.7%
Rating B+
A big contract brings big expectations and Jose delivered… mostly. While he had a huge role in bringing defensive success, his name is conspicuously absent when talking about the best tenders in the RHL.

Parrish 19.2 61 24 21 45 +18
Rating B+
After leading the team in scoring in RHL14, Mark’s production dropped off a bit, but he still led the team in goals and was a crucial part of the team’s offense. His +18 also impressed.

Stajan 11.3 64 12 9 21 +6
Rating B
The rookie had a solid campaign, proving he belongs at this level. Expect his role to increase in the future.

Majesky 16.3 60 1 11 12 +11
Rating B
Expected to be nothing more than a spare part, Ivan grabbed a spot on the 3rd pairing and wouldn’t let go all season long.

Doan 21.8 63 20 26 46 +11
Rating B-
While 20 goals and 46 points isn’t chump change, Shane left fans and management wanting more from their captain who was poised for a breakout year.

Bell 14.6 64 22 11 33 +10
Rating B-
Streaky at the best of times, Mark ended up with a solid 22 goals, 7 of which were GWGs (tied for 1st in conference). But he still found himself bouncing between lines and couldn’t earn himself more ice time.

Conroy 15.9 59 5 23 28 +11
Rating C
Returning to the Eagles as a free agent in RHL15, Craig didn’t live up to expectations. His 28 points was his worst total since RHL11. While he never hurt the team, more than 5 goals are needed from a $2 million centre.

Cullimore 16.4 62 2 9 11 +0
Rating C-
Another of the team’s off-season signings, Jassen often looked lost trying to fit into the Eagle system. Earmarked to settle down the penalty kill, the team ended up with a worst PK than the year before.

Comrie 12.6 52 10 13 23 +5
Rating D
The local product never found a groove this season, even when healthy, and was often shuffled between the third and fourth lines. His well documented feud with team management didn’t help matters.

Kvasha 12.7 64 7 14 21 -7
Rating D
Pundits thought this could be a breakthrough year for the enigmatic Russian. It wasn’t. In fact, he had the worst +/- on the squad and never found his game.

Others
M.Bergeron 20.2 37 5 8 13 +5
Tjarnqvist 13.1 35 4 7 11 +4
Rucinsky 10.9 58 7 10 17 +3
Primeau 12.2 56 2 4 6 -4

Premier Conference Midseason Report

2006-02-25T14:36:00.000-07:00

Following on the heels of the successful season preview, the Talon editorial board has weighed in at the half-way point of the Premier's Conference season.

For each team, their first half is summarized, along with what should be expected for the rest of RHL15. Also included is a special feature that lists each team's most and least productive players, as measured against their salary (best bang for the buck and what were they thinking?)

Defiance
Everything is going as planned for the Defiance. Their big free agent signing of Alfredsson is paying off, as he’s having an MVP-like season. Raycroft is a shoe-in for rookie of the year, and the supporting cast is playing its role to perfection.

What to expect
The Defiance have had a great first half jumping out of the blocks. They've avoided any sort of funk so far and been the most consistent squad in the conference--their longest winless streak has only been 2 games. It’s their title to lose now… Can they maintain their pace or will they fall back to the chase pack?

Best bang for the buck
Visnovsky 24.8 33 4 20 24 +16 $412k

What were they thinking?
Marchment 14.8 25 0 1 1 +5 $1.6M

Reapers
The Reapers have been in the mix at the top of the conference all season long, even with some difficult stretches when the injuries piled up. Forsberg is proving to be a shrewd signing, as he and Luongo have been driving the squad’s success.

What to expect
This team, when healthy, could be considered the best in the conference. If they can limit their trips to the emergency room down the stretch, the Reapers could be the Defiance's biggest threat at the top. That a big if though…

Best bang for the buck
Kubina 23.8 33 9 15 24 +19 $1.203M
What were they thinking?
A.Miller 15.7 7 0 0 0 -3 $925k

Penetrators
After securing the services of Sakic at the start of the season, it was thought the team had the final piece of the puzzle. And it looked like they did, jumping out to a 14-5-1 record and having the top 3 scorers in the conference.

What to expect
A bit of uncertainty has crept into the YDP game. With only 4 wins in its last 13, players and management are starting to second guess decisions and they’ve allowed the Defiance to jump ahead and the chase pack to catch up. This team is too talented though to not one of the favourites to win it all.

Best bang for the buck
F.Kaberle 22.4 31 1 14 15 +1 $784k
What were they thinking?
Modano 19.9 34 8 8 16 -12 $2.95M

Aviators
No team looks more different now than they did at the start of the season. Gone are allstars Jagr and Chara, as well as most of the original supporting cast. The squad also brought in new blood into management. The team had quite the evolution, and in a Vampyre-like time frame.

What we can expect
Through it all, the Aviators find themselves tied for 2nd and still within striking distance of the DEF. But like any team making this many changes, their success will depend on how all the new plays gel down the stretch and whether the coaching staff can find the right combinations.

Best bang for the buck
McCauley 19.1 33 8 18 26 +8 $471k
What were they thinking?
Salei 22.4 32 1 7 8 -6 $2.04M

Eagles
It’s been a streaky first half for the Eagles. They are currently on a 5-game win streak, which was proceeded by a 5-game losing streak, which was proceeded by a 6-game win streak… we sense a pattern. Boding well for the squad is the fact they haven’t lost since the acquisition of Arnott and Primeau for the Spectre.

What to expect
More streaks perhaps? If the team stays healthy and they continue to get contributions from all four lines, expect more good ones and bad. They should be in the mix at the end for a top-4 finish.

Best bang for the buck
R.Jackman 24.8 33 4 11 15 +9 $668k
What were they thinking?
Cullimore 15.7 33 0 7 7 -2 $1.65M

Gargoyles
A favourite to win the conference going into the season, the first half is one the team would like to forget. Never able to get on a roll, the Gargoyles find themselves hovering around 500. Individually, plenty of Gargoyle players are having solid years. But this isn't golf or tennis... hockey is a team game and Chicago hasn't come together as a team.

What to expect
The squad has the tools to still challenge, but if they don’t get going soon they’ll run out of time. If they do pick it up, the Gargoyles will be the team no one wants to play in the first round.

Best bang for the buck
Timonen 20.9 33 6 14 20 +8 $819k
What were they thinking?
Therien 19.2 26 0 2 2 -12 $1.95M

Purge
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the first half of RHL15, the Purge has proved to be a stingy and difficult team to play against. The team has been held to 2 goals or less in 24 or their first 34 games, but are only one game under 500, and 6 points out of 2nd place.

What to expect
As long as Brodeur continues his MVP season, the Purge will be in a lot of tight, low-scoring games. If they can get some timely goals and a little bit of luck, they could still end up in the top half of the conference.

Best bang for the buck
Ronning 16.4 34 11 11 22 +7 $361k
What were they thinking?
Bonk 18.1 29 4 12 16 -2 $3.07M

Spartans
At one point, the Spartans looked be fighting it out in the Crosby sweepstakes with a 5-12-2 record. But a couple of moves changed the team’s chemistry just enough to tip them in the other direction, and they are currently one of the hottest teams in the league.

What to expect
Everyone thought the trading of Jonsson was the start of the rebuilding process for RHL15. But since the move, the team has clawed back to respectability. Goal scoring will still be a challenge, and they still have a lot of work ahead of them though if they want to break into the chase pack.

Best bang for the buck
Renberg 16.4 33 10 10 20 +0 $541k
What were they thinking?
Amonte 19.6 33 4 8 12 +1 $2.43M

Thundercats
Unfortunately for Cats fans, their team is the biggest disappointment so far in the Premier. Everything started well, as Waterloo jumped out to a 7-2-2 record. But then the wheels fell off and the team endured a 9-game losing streak. Their stars have disappeared for long stretches, and the team can't break out of it's funk.

What to expect
Instead of challenging for the title, the conference’s highest payroll is challenging for a lottery pick. Management could start cutting guys loose to limit the damage, or could look for positives and try to be that darkhorse come playoff time.

Best bang for the buck
Strbak 21.2 30 2 10 12 +7 $446k
What were they thinking?
Carter 13.6 34 3 5 8 -9 $1.85M

Freeze
The biggest question on the minds of Freeze fans is where is Mr.Iginla? The highest paid player in the league hasn't played like it so far, which has filtered down to the rest of the squad. Kolzig has seen a lot of rubber so far, but hasn't picked the team up by the skate laces with overly stellar play.

What to expect
The Stillman trade might be the first sign that management has had enough with its current set of players, and is looking to regroup and build around their solid nucleus. Unless Iginla and Lang become a two-man wrecking crew, the Freeze will struggle to reach the 500 mark.

Best bang for the buck
Quintal 27.2 29 5 9 14 +7 $735k
What were they thinking?
Iginla 22.6 34 12 7 19 -13 $5.9M

T-Men
On the plus side, the T-Men have lost less than half their games. On the other side, they have only won 7. Ties have kept the squad out the conference basement, but somehow fans can’t shake the nagging twinge of disappointment that seems to surround the RHL15 squad.

What to expect
More of the same for a team that doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses, but no real strengths either. At least they own their first round pick, and Crosby would make RHL15 easy to forget.

Best bang for the buck
Erat 18.4 33 8 11 19 -2 $617k
What were they thinking?
Zhamnov 14.9 25 3 8 11 -1 $2.68M

Stingers
Last place is not an usual spot for an expansion team, as the Stingers have 11 wins in their first 34 games as a franchise. Management might have expected a bit more though, since they spent some dollars and brought in some decent talent for their first season.

What to expect
It’s all about the future for the GPS, and they must be dreaming about the possibility of a line with Nash, Ovechkin and Crosby wearing Grande Prairie sweaters for many seasons.

Best bang for the buck
Nash 22.1 30 21 4 25 -8 $762k
What were they thinking?
Selanne 15.4 34 5 3 8 -18 $4.58M

My reaction to the survey results

2006-02-07T12:14:00.000-07:00

Personally, I am excited by the results of the RHL Survey. I'm glad we are moving forward with our structure mostly intact, with what looks to be a few tweaks to some of our rules that aren't working as intended.

The fact that many of the league's original owners who recently left are starting to return proves that we have an effective, if slightly addictive, product. :)

I was never a big supporter of the tiered approach, but accepted that an attempt was needed to renew interest. Since we've found out though that an owner's enjoyment/interest/activity levels seems to be dictated by means other than the leauge format, it makes sense to abandon it. It's great to see that those who originally supported it are willing to revert back since it doesn't work. Egos and pride have no place in these sorts of decisions. Maybe if those involved with the NHL felt the same way, we wouldn't have lost a full season.

I'd love to get back into a division with Eagle rivals like the Spartans, Freeze and Penetrators. Throw in the Stingers and we have the RHL's 'do or die' Oiler fan division. It would have to be the Mark Messier division, or maybe the Dave Semenko...

The biggest 'hot issue' for me is player development. I have always felt that teams are punished for having a strong system of prospects and young players. The combination of how soon they require contracts and how much they get paid has created a system where teams look to dump the '4J/12s' unless they are playing in the NHL. Also compounding the issue is how soon a player can become a UFA. Eight RHL seasons isn't enough time, especially with those players that take 2-3 years to develop on a farm team and another couple playing 8 minutes a night on the 4th line when they do finally make the bigs. This doesn't make sense, and encourages more teams to build through the auction instead of developing from within.

I won't repeat what I've said on Steve's blog, but what I would like to see from a review on player devlopment ruless are:

-longer development time before players need a contract, and/or a significant reduction in what we have to pay our 'minor leaguers'
-more control once they become rated. I suggested some sort of performance pay structure for players on their first contract. It could be based on games played, points, average minutes, or whatever depending on the level of complexity we want.

Eagles break losing streak; new players have immediate impact

2006-02-02T12:27:00.000-07:00

Guelph, ON (CP) - Jason Arnott could not have netted his first goal in an Eagle uniform at a better time.

Down 2-0 early in the third period against the Guelph Reapers, it looked like Edmonton was headed towards it's 6th straight loss and a sub .500 record. Cue Arnott and what will hopefully be his first of many impact plays. Taking a pass from linemate Mark Parrish at the Reaper blueline, the big man willed himself between Don Sweeney and Pavel Kubina and rifled a shot over Sean Burke's glove to make it a 2-1 game.

The play brought life to the Eagle bench as they began taking it to the bewildered Reapers. Six minutes later, Shawn McEachern knotted the game at 2 by stuffing a rebound past Burke. Then the Eagles' first half surprise, Mike Cammalleri, completed the comeback by deflecting a Nick Boynton slapshot for his team-leading 13th goal with just over two minutes left.

"It was great to get that first game under my belt," commented Arnott in the massive media scrum following the game. "I felt good out there, and playing with such quality guys as Parry [Parrish] and Mac [McEachern] helped a lot. I mean that pass from Parry on my goal was right on my tape while I was in full stride."

"It was an important two points, no doubt," said the Eagle coach. "But Guelph is hurting right now. We should of never been down 2-0 in the first place. We need to start burying our chances, cause our misses are killing us right now. But our guys derserve credit for fighting back instead of folding up the tent."

Arnott finished with 1 goal on 4 shots in 17 minutes of icetime. Wayne Primeau, also in his first game since the trade, was a +1 with 4 shots in 11 minutes. Eagle fans will get their first look in person at the newest players later this week as the team takes on the Waterloo Thundercats at the Nest.

Are or Arnott the newest Eagles the solution to the team’s woes?

2006-01-31T00:08:00.000-07:00

Mired in a 5-game losing streak in which the Eagles have been severely outclassed in almost every department, the Eagles shook things up today by acquiring Jason Arnott and Wayne Primeau from the Guelph Spectre for Kyle Calder, Tomas Surovy and prospect Joel Kwiatkowski. The Eagles also obtain cash in the deal.

“This is not a desperate move by a desperate team. We’ve been trying to acquire a number one centre since the auction,” commented GM Bourdeau. “I think the offensive potential of the team hasn’t been realized this season because we expected too much from guys that weren’t ready for the roles we asked them to play. This deal should take some of the pressure off Cammalleri, Comrie, Stajan and Conroy to be the go-to guy down the middle. Now they can focus on what they each bring to the team without trying to fill a role suited for someone else. Primeau should also help stabilize our dismal penalty kill, and he brings a great work ethic to the squad that he can role model to the young guys.”

The older generation of Eagle fans may have a faint recollection of Jason Arnott. He was the team’s 2nd round draft choice in the first-ever draft held by the RHL, but was not taken by the squad when the league re-started. Arnott joins his 9th team in his 15-year career (242G 248A 590Pt).

“It’s tough to leave the Champion Conference, but I’m excited to get a chance to be part of the solution in Edmonton,” explained Arnott. “Hopefully what I bring to the table will help the Eagles make that jump to the Premier elite.”

While the Eagles filled two needs today, more is expected from Edmonton as they look to strengthen the young corps of blueliners. While reliable through most of the first 1/3 of the season, their collective inexperience is starting to show as the rigours of a full RHL season set in.

Arnott and Primeau are expected to meet the team in Guelph tomorrow as the Eagles start the next chapter of RHL15 against the Reapers.

Eagles rumoured to move Calder

2006-01-28T23:48:00.000-07:00

Terry Jones, SUN columnist, has reported that the Edmonton Eagles are putting the final touches on their first trade of RHL15. Jones cites that a senior member of the organization has confirmed that Kyle Calder is being shipped to a team in the Champion Conference.

While the source would not comment on Calder's destination and who is coming to the Eagles in return for the gritty winger from Mannville Alberta, it is widely known that the team has made several inquiries across the RHL about the availability of first line centres and defensive defensemen.

Welcome to THE TALON - official blog of the Edmonton Eagles.

2006-01-28T23:23:00.000-07:00

To all the readers in RHL land, welcome to the Talon. While I can't promise daily predictions, statistical programs or lengthy game reports, I will try and add what I can to the growing world of RHL blogs.