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I’ve decided that I’m not going to bore anyone with another article on my prediction for Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals tonight. I’ve read plenty already, most of which make great points favoring either the Wings or the Pens.
One thing I can say is that at the end of tonight one team, either Detroit or Pittsburgh will hoist Lord Stanley’s mug. But come tomorrow, hockey fans will need more to think about, listen to, and watch than a piece-by-piece breakdown of Game 7.
With the NHL's free agency only a few weeks away, teams around the league are looking to sign big names like the Sedin twins, Martin Havlat, and Jay Bouwmeester. But every season, certain blockbuster signings turn out to be busts and some low-key signings make general managers look like geniuses.
So as the 2008-'09 season comes to a close, I thought why not look back at some of last summer's signings, including which ones turned out to be booms and which turned out to be busts.
After his third straight 30-plus goal season, on July 1 the New Jersey Devils signed veteran forward Brian Rolston to a four-year deal that would pay him just over $5 million per season. Rolston failed to produce, only notching 15 goals and 32 points.
Although he averaged five less minutes on the ice per game (just 15:05 per game) than his last season with the Wild, Rolston still scored less than 20 goals, something he hasn’t done since the 2000-'01 season.
Therefore, Rolston is a bust thus far.
Wade Redden and Markus Naslund were two big offseason acquisitions by Glen Sather and the New York Rangers. Redden signed a six-year, $39 million contract in July and Naslund signed for two years, $8 million.
However, the two failed to live up to expectations.
After a couple of rough years in Ottawa, some felt that Redden would find himself again in New York. He was never a goal-scoring machine, but he used to be someone who could anchor a power play and play solid in his own end.
In '05-'06 Redden was a +35 rating. But this season, Redden only managed to notch three goals and was a -5 rating.
As for Naslund, he had his lowest point total (46) since 1997-'98 with Vancouver. Naslund was also a -10 rating and decided at the end of this season that it was time to hang up the skates for good.
Both Redden and Naslund have been, or were, busts.
David Backes was one of many young talents to break out in St. Louis this past season. In his third NHL campaign, Backes tallied 31 goals (more than his first two seasons combined) and 54 points.
Backes and many of the St. Louis players were refreshing booms.
Possibly the biggest signing of the 2008 offseason came from Detroit in signing Marian Hossa to a one-year, $7.4 million deal. Hossa scored 40 goals this past season, helping an already strong team up front.
Who would have thought that after basically rolling through the 2008 playoffs en route to the Stanley Cup, the Wings could get more talented? Hossa proved it.
A definite 2008 offseason boom.
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