Good Blues News: Conklin Comes Aboard
This is a nice move by the Note. He’s got a two-year deal and he WILL push Chris Mason for work.
He has played on winning teams and done quite well. Conklin outplayed Chris Osgood last season in Detroit, but Ozzie finished well enough to get the playoff nod.
Of the available goaltenders, he ranked in the top two or three. Craig Anderson, another high-end free agent, signed with Colorado.
Blues fans should be excited by this move.
Elsewhere in the NHL . . .
Marian Hossa got a 12-year, $62 million deal in Chicago. This news is not as good for Blues fans. Ouch.
Hossa will offer a nice upgrade over Martin Havlat, who had a big 2008-09 season after overcoming a spate of injuries. Havlat might head to LA now.
After the Lightning make a big play on Mattias Ohlund, landing him with a seven-year deal, the Thrashers moved to take Pavel Kubina (and his contract) off the hands of the Maple Leafs.
WIth Rick Dudley helping Don Waddell make the personnel calls, the Thrashers are interested in Nik Antropov - most recently a Ranger.
Toronto landed Rangers tough guy Colton Orr with a four-year, $4 million deal. Also, GM Brian Burke is reportedly chasing free agent Swedish goaltender Jonas “The Monster” Gustavsson.
Also, he was trying to lock up free agent defenseman MIke Komisarek.
So does the NHL salary cap work like the NFL salary cap? So Chicago could cut Hossa at any time and only guaranteed money hits the cap? If so, then $62 million contract isn’t worth 62 million, he won’t see most of it.
Nice move for the Blues! I think this solidifies goaltending and the Blues are strong on the blue line. The key is the development of the young forwards. Hossa, I believe, is a bit over rated. Yes, he scored 40 goals, but look at the talent around him. He will have talent in Chicago too, but the Hawks are not the Wings. Plus, the Hawks lose Havlet, he when healthy was almost as good.
I’d like to see the Blues trade some D for a top flight goal scorer, but I admire JD’s patience and discipline in not overpaying for talent. 12 years and $62 million for Hossa…. come on! That’s just plain stupid.
Also, the Hawks lost their number one goalie, so Huet is the man? He barely played in the playoffs this past season.
I just remember the Red Wings game late in the season when Conklin started and he was so erratic and out of the net and the blues torched him for about 5 goals. I sure hope he plays better here the next time he plays.
I’m not happy with Conklin at all. I’ll reserve final judgement until he plays here but this is not a guy I envisioned the Blues going after. What is the infatuation with picking up Red Wing Goaltenders? Osgood, Legace, Conklin? I don’t care what kind of stats Conklin has playing for Detroit, you can put a trash can in that net and it will put up decent numbers with that team. I can’t believe JD would take this guy, he’s still an unproven commodity, you can’t truly judge this guys ability when he’s playing behind the best team in hockey. Stay away from there. There were some better guys on the market than Conklin, guys like Clemmensen, Boucher, Biron, Gerber, even Roloson. I’m disappointed in JD going in this direction. Chalk this up as a minus on his report card.
I don’t know if I think picking up Conklin to be the backup. It seems that Red Wings’ netminders really only do well playing on that team (does anyone have examples otherwise?). As for Hossa going to the Blackhawks, I am perfectly fine with it. They will probably have to sell off a bunch of their entry level contract players in the next few years in order to stay under the cap.
With Conklin being the only “top” backup goaltender available, I guess he will have to do.
sorry, my last post should have said, I don’t know if I will LIKE us picking up Conklin to be the backup.
Nice signing!!!!!!
Two words…. DANY HEATLEY! He is available, the Sens couldn’t trade him to Edmonton (Heatley turned it down). However, I bet he would waive his no-trade clause to come to the Blues.
What would the Sens want? Perhaps two solid defenseman? The Blues are loaded with prospects and Heatley is only 28 years old, and is coming off a 39 goal season! 6′3″ tall, 215lbs… Heatley elevates the Blues scoring, Power Play and gives them three guys he could have 40 goal seasons (Heatley along with Backes and Boyes).
DANY HEATLEY!!! JD… I hope you are reading this!!
I wouldn’t worry too much. He also played pretty darn well in Pittsburgh in 07-08 and however coincidentally led the U.S. to their last medal in international hockey (back in 2004).
The idea that anyone would think Gerber or Clemmensen are better options is laughable.
They are the Blues, not the Note.