July 17, 2007

OMGZ, u guys! PETER SCHAEFER!!!!111!!

Do you know what makes an already-loooooooooooooongish-feeling day ridiculously longer? A midmorning e-mail like this one:

From: Doten, Jess
To: Creegan, Heather

OHMYGOD I JUST CHECKED TSN AND WE GOT PETER SCHAEFER FROM OTTAWA FOR SHEAN DONOVAN! OH! MY! GOD!

Why? Because I had to sit there at work, being professional and unable to squeal and dance around the hallways like I totally wanted to do, until I came home. When you can't sit still OR stop grinning like a nutjob, that makes the day VERY VERY long.

All I can say to you, internets, is that Heather likey this trade. Not as much as I'd like, say, Jason Spezza or Antoine Vermette, or even Petr Kalus back, but overall, I am pleased with the move. Chiarelli has downgraded himself from a level 7 to a level 5 on my PooHead List, which is progress, but not much of.

And I really can't stop grinning like someone who just got a really really awesome present.

Doug Flynn examines how Boston is doing with regards to the cap here. At the end of the article, he lists some boys that might make the jump to the big club:

Other candidates to make lineup:

Matt Lashoff $850,000* ($585,000 base, $265,000 bonuses)
David Krejci $883,333* ($775,000 base, $100,000 bonuses)
Nate Thompson $483,333*
Ben Walter $566,667*
Martins Karsums $883,333* ($775,000 base, $100,000 bonuses)
Vladimir Sobotka $750,000* ($550,000 base, $200,000 bonuses)
Jonathan Sigalet $495,000*
Tuukka Rask $3,200,000* ($850,000 base, $2,350,000 bonuses)

* — two-way contract (NHL salary listed)

And this is what I have to say on that, based on the ridiculous amount of Providence hockey I took in last season:

Lashoff: I think he's inconsistent, but everyone else on the planet is enamored with him. I think he could stand for some more minutes, which he won't get much of in Boston, but he would benefit from being around players who are really good at what they do. I won't name names, but here's a hint, I don't think any of them starts with a Z and ends with a "deno Chara."

Krejci: He was stellar in Providence last season. I think his numbers can translate to the NHL if Julien is willing to give him the minutes.

Thompson: Like Lashoff, I think Nateful could use some more minutes. He brings so much more to the ice than scoring, but with a season of just eight goals/fifteen assists on the first line, I think our assistant captain needs to work on the offensive aspect of his game before he'll see any serious time in Boston.

Walter: His sophomore season - to me - seemed kind of quiet, but he finished the season just shy of 25 goals. I'd like to tell you he'd do well (he would) but honestly, I am just not ready to give him up from Providence yet.

Karsums: When he, Kalus, and Krejci were all on the same line, it was magical. I don't really think he and David are completely ready for full-time duty in the NHL, but I also did not go to development camp last week, so I do not know how summer has been going for them.

Sobotka: not going to talk about someone I haven't seen play.

Sigalet: If Jon shows up to camp this fall the way he did last fall, I don't see any reason why he wouldn't make the team out of camp, but he was out of the lineup the second half of the season with shoulder surgery. I'm willing to bet that if anything was going to hold him back from making Boston, it would be the shoulder, but I don't know anything about his rehab.

Rask: If he makes Boston straight out of camp, I will be shocked. I will also question the coaching staff's sanity. He's as-yet unproven at a pro level in North American hockey. I figure he'll see most all of the starts in Providence (much to my chagrin), and maybe a call-up, depending on how Boston's season goes.

Andrew Ference is a better person than I am, and the proof is apparent when I compare how HE spent part of his summer vacation, and how I spent part of MINE.

by Heather | 7:57 PM | 1
filed under: offseason notes