Belanger Claims Caps Backed Out Of Deal

Newly-signed Phoenix Coyotes centre Eric Belanger told a Montreal radio station on Wednesday that for seven weeks, the Washington Capitals led him to believe he had a verbal agreement to return to the team for the upcoming NHL season.

"I had a lease on a house, the kids enrolled in school," Belanger said in the interview with Team 990 on Wednesday. "We had a verbal agreement over seven weeks ago, and they said it would take about a week to make a trade.



"It wasn't a question of if we were making it, it as a question of when you're gonna be signed, because they didn't want to lose any leverage on the trade, and we all know the story after that."



While the Capitals appeared to have an agreement in place last month to bring Belanger back, the team never confirmed that it had an arrangement with the centre. A contract was never signed and registered with the National Hockey League.



According to the Capitals website, general manager George McPhee told Belanger's agent in mid-August that no trade seemed imminent and suggested his client sign elsewhere if he had other offers.



Then a few weeks back, McPhee told Belanger that a trade could not be worked out and they would not be able to sign him. The free agent centre was invited to Capitals training camp while he waited for a contract offer from Washington or any other team.



Belanger, who played 24 games for the Washington Capitals during the 2009-10 regular season and Stanley Cup playoffs, instead signed a one-year, $750,000 contract with the Coyotes on Tuesday.



"I'm no lawyer guy, but the line has been crossed, and now I'm looking ahead," continued Belanger. "I have a great opportunity in Phoenix, and I want to play good for that organization. I feel wanted by them in Phoenix. They have shown a lot of interest for a long time."



NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was asked to comment on Belanger's situation while he was speaking with the media in Ottawa on Wednesday.



"I don't know the specifics of it, but as a general matter of rule, the only contracts that get respected are standard player contracts in writing and dually signed," said Bettman. "And in the absence of a written signed contract, there typically -- and again I don't know the particular facts of this case -- there isn't a contract."



The Globe and Mail reported on Wednesday that Belanger's agent, Joe Tacopina, is threatening the Caps with legal action because he says they had a deal in place, and the team backed out of it.



Tacopina told The Globe and Mail that the Capitals agreed over the phone to give Belanger a one-year, $1.85-million deal on July 16 that would be made official after general manager George McPhee completed a trade.



“They should be ashamed of how they handled this situation,” Tacopina said of McPhee and Fishman. “We're pursuing and evaluating our legal options in that regard.”



Source: TSN

James Sheppard out for 4 months

Minnesota Wild centre James Sheppard was in an ATV accident, and will be out for about 4 months.

Sheppard was currently signed to a 1 year deal by Minnesota, and has 49 points in 224 NHL games.

In his final year with the QMJHL's Cape Breton Eagles, in 2006-07, he had 96 points.

Cheechoo to attend Stars training camp

Jonathan Cheechoo, who spent last season between  Ottawa, and their affiliate in Binghampton, is going to attend the Dallas Stars' training camp.

Cheechoo is famous for his 56 goal, 93 point season in 2005-06, with San Jose. After that season, he started to slump, which brought him to Ottawa with Milan Milachek, and a second round pick, for star Dany Heatley and a fifth round pick.

It is unkown whether Cheechoo will remain with Dallas, their affiliate the Texas Stars, or with another team.

Atlanta adds Modin

Fredrik Modin has signed with the Thrashers, says Swedish website Aftonbladet.

Modin has played for Tampa Bay, Toronto, Columbus and Los Angeles.

He was part of Tampa Bay's 2004 Stanley Cup winning team.

He has 452 points in 858 NHL games.

Kovalchuk a Devil: Deal is official

The Kovie saga is over.
Kovalchuk is heading to New Jersey.

Kovalchuk was drafted 1st overall in 2001 by Atlanta. He remained Atlanta's top player of all time, winning the Rocket Richard trophy in 2004.

He was traded in February 2010 ina blockbuster deal that sent Devils defenseman Johnny Oduya to Atlanta.

Currently, the Thrashers have no captain, since Kovalchuk's leaving.

He remained a free agnt after the 17 year deal was stopped from happening.

Comrie lands with Penguins

Mike Comrie has signed a one year 500,000 deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Comrie has played since 2000, and has played for Phiadelphia, Phoenix, New York Islanders, Ottawa, and Edmonton. He has 359 points in 568 games.

Chris Chelios finally retires

Veteran defenseman Chris Chelios officially announced his retirement on August 31, 2010.

Chelios began his career in 1983, when Guy Lafleur was still captain of the Habs. Bobby Clarke was playing his final season. Wayne Gretzky was the superstar of the NHL. Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin weren't even born yet!

In 1985, Chelly won his first Cup with the Habs. He also won his firs of three Norris Trophies in 1989. Chelios then was traded to his hometown of Chicago, for Blackhawk star Denis Savard.

Chelios was welcome in his hometown Chicago, where he led the team to the Stanley Cup finals in 1992. He became captain of the team a year later.

Chelios's age began to catch up, after 2 more Norris Trophies. In 1999, he was traded to Detrioit, where in 2002 and 2008 he won Stanley Cups.
By now, he was the oldest player in the NHL, since the retirement of Igor Larionov in 2004.

In 2009, Detroit did not want him back. Chelios then signed with the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. In March, he was brought up to Atlanta for one more NHL season, tying Gordie Howe's NHL record.

After 26 NHL seasons, 3 Stanley cups, 3 Norris Trophies, and 1651 NHL games, Chelios will become Detroit GM Ken Holland's executive advisor for 2010-11.

Two Months of Free Agency: A Complete List from July 1st to September 1st 2010

http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=63235

Kovie Still Stumped after failed deal

Kovalchuk still has no idea where he's going.
The 27 year old Russian hockey star, who played with Atlanta and New Jersey from 2001 to 2010, is currently a free agent.

After we finally celebrated when he agreed to a 17-year contract but that was stopped by the NHL.

Where is Ilya going?

Leave your answer here in the comments:

Scott Niedermayer: Hall of Fame career ends

Scott Niedermayer has retired.

No, this isn't a joke. (Remember 2007 anybody?)

In 1989, the Toronto Maple Leafs traded a 1st round draft pick in 1991 to New Jersey for Tom Kurvers.

Kurvers didn't do anything for Toronto and they traded him.

But New Jersey made use of the pick and beat the Sharks into drafting Niedermayer 3rd overall.

Boy, the Leafs really screwed that one up.

Niedermayer emerged into a top defenseman, playing alongside hard checking Hall of Fame defenseman Scott Stevens

( pictured on left)

Niedermayer won Stanley cups with the Devils in 1995, 2000 and 2003 (won against Anaheim, his future team, and his brother Rob's team)

In 2005, he was signed as a free agent by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.
Now playing with brother Rob, Teemu Selanne, and rookies Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry, he emerged into a top Mighty Duck defenseman.

In 2006, the team was renamed the Ducks, and with the addition of all star defenseman Chris Pronger, the Ducks won their first Stanley cup (Niedermayer's fourth).

Afterward, Niedermayer's age dropped in. He almost retired after his cup win with Anaheim, but he played for 3 more years. With the departures of Chris Pronger (Philadelphia) and Francois Beauchmin (Toronto), he started to decline, and on June 22nd 2010, he finally retired.

A Hall of Fame career perhaps.

Hamhuis Flying to Philly, Ryan Parent becomes a Predator again

Veteran defenseman Dan Hamhuis is heading to the city of Brotherly Love.

Going on their way to Nashville is a conditional pick in 2011 and defenseman Ryan Parent.

Hamhuis is 27. He was drafted in 2001 in the 1st round, 12th overall. He began his career in 2005.

Parent is making his second bow in Nashville, as he was traded to Philadelphia in 2007 in what was a deal that sent Peter Forsberg to Nashville.

Hamhuis had 24 points in 2009-10.

Jaroslav Halak has the Blues

The Price is right for Montreal.

Jaroslav Halak is heading to St. Louis.

Halak's stats are as follows                

GP   W L  OT MIN GA SO GAA SV%

 101 56 34 7  5758 251   9  2.62 .919      

Heading to the Habs is Lars Eller, who was a 1st round draft choice in 2007, and prospect Ian Schultz.                              

The New Captain of the Leafs: Dion Phaneuf

The Mats Sundin era is long over.

But it's time someone took his place.

After two seasons with the "Mats, oh yeah, he was that guy who was supposed to lead us to a Stanley cup championship... so we're just going to mope" attitude, no more will be seen.

Then, on January 31st 2010, two trades fixed up the Leafs.
The first brought veteran goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere to the Leafs from Anaheim for Jason Blake and Vesa Toskala.

The second brought all-star Norris trophy finalist, Calgary Flames defenseman Dion Phaneuf, along with useful Swede Fredrik Sjostrom and minor leaguer Keith Aulie, in exchange for Matt Stajan, Ian White, Niklas Hagman and Jamal Mayers.

As a result of the Leaf's poorness earlier in the season, the team failed to make the playoffs and finished second last, their draftpicks for rounds 1 and 2 in Boston's hands.

So can Dion lead a new age of Leafs, including Tyler Bozak, Nazem Kadri and Christian Hanson?

The question is up to Dion Phaneuf.

"King" of Defence: Rob Blake retires

After 21 years in the NHL, 1998 Norris trophy winner and part of the 2001 Colorado Avalanche stanley cup champs, Rob Blake is hanging the skates up.

In a career that spanned from 1989 to 2010, he played with 3 teams: Los Angeles (from 1989-2001,2005-2008), Colorado (from 2001-2005) and San Jose (2008-2010).

He was the captain for Los Angeles, and the current captain for San Jose.

STATS

Blake finishes the NHL with 240 goals, 537 assists and 777 points in 1270 games.

A virtual key to the hall of fame is expected in 2013.

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS: 2010 Stanley Cup Champions

After 49 years the Blackhawks win it all.

In overtime it was tied 3-3 and Andrew Ladd tipped it to Patrick Kane and Kane shot it in.

The light didn't even go off, but it was true. The Blackhawks were drinking out of the Holy Grail of Hockey. It was close, though. The Flyers played well, as did their players Ville Leino and Michael Leighton, both waiver castoffs.

CONN SMYTHE TROPHY 2010

Winner: Jonathan Toews

Toews deserved the Smyhte as noted in the top 10. An excellent preformer beyond

Dale Hawerchuk, this guy is like either Bobby Hull or in a more modern comparisson, Michel Goulet.
Toews had 68 points this season. He also led the playoffs this season.

A quick congrats to the Chicago Blackhawks, and I hope you enjoy your summer.

Thanks, everybody.

Philadelphia 3 Chicago 1

Phiadelphia is starting to show some signs of flight. Kris Versteeg rocks too, he was second in Calder finalists.

Another thing, Pat Quinn, if you are reading this, listen to me.
Jaromir Jagr is the best European player in hockey history. He played with one of the greatest players of all time, Mario Lemieux.

( For idiots that can't figure out who is who, get off this blog, because it's for hockey fans only!)

Pat, this would be the perfect linemate for Sam Gagner and Taylor Hall. Sign this guy to a two year deal till he turns 40. Better not let him run out. Omsk sux, that's why John Grahame came to the Avalanche. And with Grahame here, Peter Budaj is gonna leave.

Currently, it is the end of the 2nd period, and all updates are here at Hockeyland.

Currently... the Flyers suck

The Philadelphia Flyers have messed up big time.
Mistakes I made in last time's post:
-Brian Boucher should not be on the list.
-Jeff Carter and Mike Richards should be higher.
-Leighton should be lower.
Current score:
Chicago 1
Philadelphia 1
(Carter scored an own goal)

Stanley Cup prediction 2010

Yep, the first prediction for the Stanley Cup.
Game 1 results on NBC:
Chicago 6, Philadelphia 5 (FINAL)


I present you with the top ten players in this 2010 finals:
10. Ian Lapierrere, PHI.


After being acquired this summer from the Colorado Avalanche, Ian was supposed to become part of the new wave of Broad Street Bullies. He proved that.

9. Brian Boucher, PHI.
Okay, maybe I underrated him, but compared to how Michael Leighton is playing, Boucher has not caught up. Good backup, though.



8. Jeff Carter, PHI.
Always useful for Philly.

7. Marian Hossa, CHI.
Third time in finals, hopefully first time drinking from cup.

6. Mike Richards, PHI.
Reminds me of Joe Sakic, leads a team, captains a team.

5. Dustin Byfuglien, CHI.
Young blood of the Hawks.

4. Patrick Kane, CHI.
He went from the infamous New York taxi incident to the finals. The reason why the Hawks made it has got to be Kane.

3. Antti Niemi, CHI.
Hello, has anybody heard of Cristobal Huet?
The european leads the way for the Hawks.

2. Michael Leighton, PHI.
A few months ago, Leighton was a nobody goalie in Carolina, where Cam Ward and Manny Legace were top charge. Anybody noticed the Hurricanes in the finals?


1. Jonathan Toews, CHI.
Even if Philly wins the cup, he may win the Conn Smythe. The player you can build your team around. I can compare him with Dale Hawerchuk.




Hope you answered the survey.

Welcome to Hockeyland !

Hockeyland focuses on hockey news, plays and everything else. The team you will see a lot of is the Colorado Avalanche, a link to the web site is featured. Hope you enjoy it and games and quizzes will be added too! Have fun!