Walz heading south? Gardiner, Sprunger news
Posted on June 16th, 2008 – 10:54 AMBy Michael Russo
– Got busy yesterday, so I forgot to put this up, but I talked to Wes Walz yesterday about the potential opportunity to be Barry Melrose’s assistant in Tampa Bay. I’ve been pursuing this story for a few weeks, but finally got concrete enough info yesterday that he felt he could confirm it to me.
– I’m busy preparing for our Draft coverage this week, so I’ll talk more about free agency after the Draft. But I did want to mention, I’ve gotten some emails about whether the Wild would pursue Daymond Langkow.
It looks like Calgary’s re-signed Langkow already at four years, $20 million — which the Wild wouldn’t have offered anyway. The Flames just can’t announce the deal until July 1 because it puts them over the $50.3 million cap, and the cap doesn’t go up until July 1 (like why the Wild and Bruins had to hold off on the Manny Fernandez trade at last year’s Draft; the trade put the Bruins over the cap until July 1).
This isn’t written in stone. It just appears this way because reporters in Calgary keep referring to Langkow like he’s already signed.
– As for Olli Jokinen, the Flames have bigtime interest in reuniting the Florida captain with Mike Keenan, but they would have to dump a giant salary to get him — probably Alex Tanguay.
I am told Florida really wants to make a trade for a first-round pick (it traded its first last year for Tomas Vokoun), and further indication of this: The Panthers are meeting Friday with Minnetonka’s Jake Gardiner, which would be a waste of time unless they felt they could trade for a first-round pick.
It’s looking more and more doubtful Gardiner gets to the Wild at 24, regardless. I’ve talked to three teams in the last two days that have significant interest in Gardiner, and all three teams pick earlier than Minnesota.
– The IIHF-NHL transfer agreement has officially expired. Here’s the Canadian Press report on TSN. This affects the Wild’s Julien Sprunger. He’s signed a contract in Switzerland this season, so he’s staying there, and Wild assistant GM Tom Lynn says the Wild may lose his rights when the final agreement is worked out with the NHLPA.
– USA Hockey has announced its roster for its world junior tryouts in August. Several Minnesotans invited, including Gardiner and Minnesota’s Mr. Hockey, Aaron Ness. You can check out the roster here.
55 Responses to "Walz heading south? Gardiner, Sprunger news"
First…
Has Melrose already accepted the position with TB?
Nope, they are waiting for the sale to finalize so the new ownership can bring in the new staff.
Good luck Walzie. At least he won’t be in another team sweater even though he will be on another team.
It looks like Calgary’s re-signed Langkow already at four years, $20 million — which the Wild wouldn’t have offered anyway.
At first I thought it sucked that DR doesn’t want to put that much into the C position and that Langkow will not be available. However, if you believe Shep will soon be a 1/2 C, I guess I can see not wanting to get a 1/2 guy now for 4 years. If a short term option is better, Jokinen’s 2 years look great. If you want to go for the cup under the current Mikko and Burns contracts, you can afford to deal this year’s top pick.
What about a Rolston update? Sounded like the Wild were presenting an offer late last week? I am interpreting silence to be a good thing — maybe they are just hammering out details?
My site for hockey HABS INSIDE/OUT feels Minnesota has become irrelavant in sports, particularly hockey. Maybe its time you did as your predessors did …the North Stars, and fad out.
DR in his Sunday interview on WCCO radio said that they will expect to hear something early this week. Rolston and his agent are probably digesting the offer.
He did say something in the interview that gave me pause. He said that Rolston can play for 5 years — 2 to 3 really good years of playing left. However, the last two years, he would have to change his role. Now, my concern is that I hope he is not offering Rolston a contract more than 3 years.
DR also said that Gillies has a really good chance of making the team this year.
“My site for hockey HABS INSIDE/OUT feels Minnesota has become irrelavant in sports, particularly hockey. Maybe its time you did as your predessors did…the North Stars, and fad out.”
Minnesota sports feels your site has become irrelevent on insight, particularly hockey. Maybe it’s time you do as most other fan sites and FADE out.
Teacher, you are so right, I am a transplanted Canadian living in this hell hole of a country, foer business reasons. Bettman is an America J.. that hates Canada, yet loves the money it brings. We have no medical coverage here, you can work ten jobs, and ONE incident can wipe you out. I miss HABS INSIDE/OUT site as I cant get near a computer while working so hard. Teams like the Wild, Blue Jackets etc should fold. America truly sucks.
Well played Jonsey and all the best to Wes, I don’t like the whole Melrose retutn to coaching thing but it sounds like the situation for Wes is too good to pass up.
Habs fans are a breed unto themselves. Delightful as ever.
So, am I to understand that we’re definitely not getting Sprunger this season, and possibly not ever depending on the terms of the new transfer agreement?
Hmph. I’m rocking a major frowny face here.
Habs fans….they live in one of the counties of our 51st state to the north, yes?
25 Cups., sorry the back bacon plant in your home town of Medicine Hat shut down so you had to come here. We tried to deport you, but Canada refused to take you back, so I guess we’re stuck with you.
Regional player rights in the pre expansion years of the NHL gave you about 20 of those cups (and the fact there were only 6 teams, it’s makes for a better chance of winning).
Real classy people visiting us lately.
Ignore. My guess is that somebody is looking for a way to lure traffic to their site with trash talk. Don’t take the bait.
Anyway… about the IIHF transfer agreement article, it doesn’t say anything about a team’s rights to a drafted player expiring. With Russians, if I’m not mistaken, because they bailed on the agreement, I thought NHL teams held onto their rights indefinitely. Anyone know the definitive answer to this?
Iceman/others, it’s just a hunch, but I think it’s the same person.
Toivo, I thought it might be the case with the Russians. I remember when Voloshenko left the Wild last fall, I thought Russo said something to that affect or it just be that he owes the Wild because he signed a contract with them. If he wants to get back into the NHL, he has to deal with the Wild and their contract first.
Sometimes, when trolls come around, all I see (instead of their actual words) is “blah, blah, blah, I’m a dirty slut.” And for a bit I wonder why these people would say that about themselves, so I chalk it up to low self esteem and hope they get the help they need soon.
I’m bored. Is the season starting yet? Have they announced a game schedule? How bout a hockey unplugged? There has to be one of those just around the corner right?…. It’s gonna be a long summer.
The draft is later this week, Bandgeek. 
Not a hockey unplugged but some of us, me included, who never listens to am1500, there is a sports guy over there who has done a couple of interviews with Wild players this past season. He doesn’t know much about hockey and is pretty up front about it but has great questions. Better to fess up than sound like an idiot. He interviewed Burns, Voros, Harding, Gaborik, Schultz, and a couple more.
Check out some of the interviews of Wild players here.
feed://www.am1500.com/itunes/itunes_mattthomas.xml
Type in Wild in the search box to help find the interviews.
The new CBA kind of screws teams with regard to rights to players which is why you saw so few Russians taken high in the draft last year due to the transfer issues. The CBA terms are specific with regard to how long the team holds the rights so I am afraid that if that agreement isn’t worked out that Sprunger is gone unless the Wild wants to sign him as a free agent after his contract with his Swiss team is up, but they won’t be able to out-bid someone else at that point the way his stock is rising. Unfortunate to say the least. The Wild, however, could have attempted to sign him earlier when they drafted him, and they allowed him to stay there to develop.
My guess is the Wild knew Langkow was gone and have had Holik on their list all along. I’m not convinced Gardiner is the prize everyone thinks he is.
You can watch the pre-draft luncheon on WildTV where DR and TT are talking about the draft and the team.
Holik would also be a solid short term solution. TSN reported last week that he will not be back in ATL - http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=240570
If we sign Holik can you imagine how disgruntled Benny will be? 5th banana behind Koivu, Shepp, Holik and Belanger. He would be even tougher to package up in any sort of deal or do you move him back to wing (maybe right wing, where we are very thin right now with Parrish and PMB as question marks and Pavol gone)? I think they will also look for another cheap, veteran D man to take over on the 3rd pairing until Foster can come back. I don’t see them doing much else.
Thanks, Claire. I thought I remember seeing something in the CBA about teams only holding onto players’ rights two years after they were drafted, but then there’s been that grey area for those grandfathered in where they were drafted prior to the current CBA. Anyway… I suppose they could draft him again then, eh? He’s not too old is he?
I don’t think they are convinced Pouliot is ready for being a Wild center. They need a center who can win faceoffs and can work the corners and I think Holik can surprise some folks and rediscover some scoring touch with some new scenery. He’s proven he can handle Lemaire’s system quite well. His price will come down so it is a reasonable bet. No free agents out there are long term solutions, at least none the Wild can afford.
Still hoping they have Bruno on their radar as well.
Pouliot could certainly play wing if they bring in another center. I would find it difficult to see the Wild going with both Pouliot and Sheppard as their regular centers this season to tell the truth. Not completely unrealistic as they probably have a fair amount of confidence in Sheppard now, but still. With the emphasis Lemaire puts on the position, having those two would require a pretty big leap of faith in the youngsters, no? Certainly if the Wild are looking at improving upon last season at least. Not that it couldn’t happen, again, but it just seems so risky and out of character for the Wild.
Well, Pouly’s a natural center and certainly seems more comfortable and productive there, but if it’s at the sake of defense, JL will put him on the wing. I think Pouly knows this, too, since every coach has done that to him, including juniors and AHL. But at least we know he can pinch hit in either position.
Risky and out of character might help us do better in the coming season. In investing, you need to be willing to handle risk in order to get the return you want. Putting together a hockey team seems to be the same. After all look how well Shepard turned out. He was a huge risk but he did very well last season. Same thing with Fridge. Pouliot might do well with the big club. Then again, he’ll crash and burn. Won’t know either way unless the Wild take the risk.
Ahh yes the Draft. But once thats done, what next asks I? The answer, a long summer of uncertanty and job hunting.
Off topic subject: is it wrong of me to want to throtle the people who will be my former employees come the end of the month, when they complain about the lose of hours to me even though I’m losing my job completely? Does it make me a bad person to want to tell them to stuff it? I think I’ll be crazy by the end of the week if I have to hear much more of it.
Sprunger would not re-enter draft, he becomes a free agent if he is not signed, like a college player would.
Bandgeek, hang in there, months of unemployment after layoff just ended for me - there can be light at end of tunnel.
With out luck, we need 5 centers. I think its harder to fill the center or defense positions on the Wild because they are key to our defensive style of play.
From this past season we know we can’t count on Rolston to play center in the event if any of the natural centers get injured. If we can get Holik even for a year, it will be something.
For Pouliot, he should expect that the Wild will revert to their old ways with handling rookies. He might get more playing time than Gillies but not as much as Sheppard.
I see DR trying to get a top 4 defensemen but it will depend on the price. They will carry 8 defensemen and it will be more important this year because of the uncertainty of Foster.
I think it’s a good year for Pouliot to make the team out of camp as their 4th line center. I wish the Wild would start showing some faith in their player development, and trust that he will play within his abilities. Shepp got pushed into his role by injuries and #38’s retirement. I can see Benoit finally earning his keep buy understanding his role. He shouldn’t be relied upon for scoring, and accept the fact he’s learning his craft, there may be mistakes.
Think…he’s too skilled to be a checking line center, he does have offensive instincts, and yes, he’ll learn to be responsible in his own end. If he’s not a top six winger, he’s a 3rd or 4th line center, he’d probably see 7-8 minutes of ice time a game playing against weaker lines (at home).
I think they may be priced out of the Orpik or Streit market but Hainsey, Kalinin or Liles, perhaps Commodore, may not be out of the question. The Wild will likely end up with Finger though or Sauer, if their past is any indication, unless they pull off a trade.
I know Claire, it’s just been a very bad day. The hardest part is this having to continue my job till the end of the month and listening to those below me bemoan their up comming lack of hours, it makes me want to scream. I think that’s why I’ve been ‘hanging out’ here so much. Hockey makes me happy, so mindless chatter about contracts and drafts and what we hope for the next season helps the days go quicker.
I’m not to up on who’s available in the draft this year. Isn’t the youngest Stall brother eligable this time?
I still say that whoever has Commodore should insist he change his number to 64. But of course, I’m slowly going insane.
We are not going for Streit or Liles. We got Bergeron, a poor man’s Streit/Liles some might say. Sauer would be better for us, actually. Though he is not quite top 4.
Lapper, I agree. I think Pouliot will start on the 4th line but will get spot duty on the first two lines sooner than Sheppard did. I think JL trusts that he can do the job but can he do it on a consistent basis? In March, Pouliot centered Rolston and PMB a few times. He started his rookie training sooner.
Imagine the jersey sales… right up there with Satan going to the Devils, which I still pray for every night before bed.
Sauer… his little brother, who’s a d-man for Hartford/Rangers, is Kalus’s mortal enemy I think. I was watching that game last night (the one where Pouly got his dome bounced off the ice) and he and Kalus fought and were at each others throats all game long.
Also, they were drafted 9 and 10 in the second round in 2005. I wonder if it goes back to that.
No point to that story really. I’m just bored.
Sauer not top 4? Sure he is. However, I think the Avs are working towards re-signing him and probably will.
I wouldn’t mind seeing Finger here for the right price, I think he has potential (plus I’d love to say “Hey JL, give him ‘The Finger’”). If Benny is 4th line center, where is Belanger (granted we bring in Holik)? Obviously Holik would be an upgrade over Belanger and would work well with Rolston and PMB on the 2nd line. Then we have Shepp as the checking line center with SRV and Radio (if healthy) or Voros. Benny between Boogaard and Parrish, at least no one would try to drive his melon into the ice.
Bandgeek, hang in there, things will work out for the best, have faith!
I think Finger is not bad, but I think with the additions of Reitz and MAB, I think that leaves one spot open, and they should probably aim a bit higher seeing that these two acquisitions are pretty cheap. I don’t think Foster will be expensive, either.
I think, I think, I think…
poor writing.
But I KNOW Radio is gone, El G.
Foster, Reitz, and MAB ($2.8 million cap hit) just a little less than the cost of Carney and Hill ($3 million cap hit).
I kinda wanted them to take Gardiner but hopefully we can find two decent D men in the first and second round. Ness’s lack of size is a bit of a turn off when you’re talking about using a 1st round pick on him…
Wheeler is expected to sign with the Bruins.
http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/extras/bruins_blog/
I wonder if he and Kessel are pals?
Anyway, I hope he realizes that Providence is a total dump.
Nah, it does not make you a bad person Bandgeek. But, you personally will be much happier if you focus on happier things even if there is none at the moment.
Everyone goes through rocky things in their lives, those who can remain positive find that the down days are fewer and they get back on their feet much more quickly.
A friend of mine, an all around athlete good enough to have been an all-state football player has MS that has taken over his system so that he can really only chew and speak. He lays in bed full time except when his wife brings him to church or his grandsons activities or the like.
He is the most positive person I know.
When things are not going the way I want, I just remember that my problems are short-term and curable.
His are not going to get a bit better, in fact they will get worse.
So, Bandgeek, you will be just fine in time. You just need to remember that.
Yesterday on Sid & Dave’s program, DR made it plain they would be very interested in significant FA’s.
Not those marquis people with the highest price tags but those just under that level.
In fact, he said “we must add some this year”.
I love the NHL Network. Old draft shows all week. Watching the 2004 draft with Ovie and Malkin. Crosby’s doing a bunch of interviews. I swear, that kid is something else. Working on his media career before he even had an NHL contract.
NiNY, Providence has really improved–plus good seafood. Did you drop the Scotch now that we have hit the summer months.
wood: I’ll give you the good seafood (there’s also a decent Italian cuisine culture what with all the wannabe mafiosi types). Plus Thayer St. is kind of fun in a white collar college town kind of way.
It may have improved - from it’s mid-80s form - but it’s still a dump overall, IMO.
ps: Wood I dropped the Scotch now that it’s DIET season! 
Worried about your profile in that Speedo, Nick? 
