04/25/24
January 10, 2006
The last captain to hoist the Cup gets waived.: The Tampa Bay Lightning waive their captain Dave Andreychuk. Given the choice between retiring on top (a long and successful career capped with a Cup win - see also Lanny McDonald, Ray Bourque) or coming back for another season Andreychuk came back and probably did not anticipate his time with the Lightning, and perhaps his career, ending quite this way.
Wow, WaiveFilter. I know it's the way of the New NHLTM but it still surprises me whenever I see a big name getting waived. Gonna take some getting used to. Andreychuk had six goals and 12 assists in 42 games this season and was minus-13. Ouch!
posted by DrJohnEvans at 01:06 PM on January 10, 2006
A classy move on Tampa Bay's part. I really wish Andreychuk had read the writing on the wall and retired during the off-season. With the introduction of rules that allow for a faster game, he should have seen his marginalization coming a mile away. He's never had speed, and he was even slower than he was in his hey-day. That said, admitting the end has come has always been difficult for professional athletes, and it doesn't make Andreychuk a worse person for trying for one more year.
posted by grum@work at 01:07 PM on January 10, 2006
My vote for next big name to go, John Leclair.
posted by njsk8r20 at 01:24 PM on January 10, 2006
Andreychuk might never have had speed but weren't like 90% of his goals scored within about 8 feet of the net? Off rebounds and the like? I'd have like to see him hang them up while on top. Oh well.
posted by gspm at 01:31 PM on January 10, 2006
My vote for next big name to go, John Leclair. Stevie Y. gets my vote followed by Lemieux.
posted by HATER 187 at 01:32 PM on January 10, 2006
Stevie Y. gets my vote followed by Lemieux. Can Lemieux even be waived? Just saw Recchi's stats, -19 , whoa! So that makes 3 probables on the Penguins.
posted by njsk8r20 at 01:46 PM on January 10, 2006
Recchi still has some gas in the tank. LeClair needs his engine flushed and his timing belt replaced. Lemieux is currently in the shop, and should probably stay there.
posted by garfield at 01:58 PM on January 10, 2006
Stevie Y. gets my vote followed by Lemieux. I don't think Stevie Y. would get waived simply because he is the heart and soul of the Red Wings, not to mention that he has won three cups and is the captain.He is also helped by the fact that the Red Wings are one of the best teams in the league. As for Mario Lemieux getting waived, that would be a sticky situation since they would be waiving their owner and boss.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 02:05 PM on January 10, 2006
Just saw Recchi's stats, -19 , whoa! So that makes 3 probables on the Penguins. I originally thought it wasn't fair to judge Recchi's +/- stats like that. I figured it was a product of him playing on a lousy team and getting a lion's share of the ice time. Then I looked at the stats and saw that he is 4th in Even-Strength Ice Time (behind Gonchar, Palffy and Crosby). Gonchar is -14 Palffy is +7 Crosby is -6 Recchi doesn't really have an excuse. However, Pittsburgh probably can't afford to waive him at this time. If they are going to pay his salary, they might as well play him.
posted by grum@work at 02:14 PM on January 10, 2006
If they are going to pay his salary, they might as well play him. I'm sure the same can be said about Gonchar. The argument can be made that these guys are there to teach the young guys, but with these kind of numbers and the team record, what are they teaching?
posted by njsk8r20 at 02:41 PM on January 10, 2006
All there is to say is good luck to Dave. A Great Player and hard working as well. He led a fine example for all the "kids" playing on the championship squad 2 seasons back and I for one will certainly miss him. There are quite a few players who will be starting to change uniforms {many on the Blackhawks, don't get upset, I'm a fan}. I can't really begin to try and guess because of pay and position in standings, but I do think that LeClaire will stay put. Stevie Y. will either retire before seasons end or become part-time for the remainder of the season and then retire. I doubt Lemieux can be waived seeing that he has such a high standing with the Pens. I will say, he may be the one who chooses to leave and head back upstairs to his office for good. Many goalies can be considered for cutting or retiring. Osgood with all his injuries may just find a new role someplace else {home is possible}, but I think the moves We'll see won't be ones We expected at all. In the "new" NHL, not sure who fits where just yet but I love it none the less.
posted by melcarek69 at 02:51 PM on January 10, 2006
Being put on the wire is not the same as retiring. Hardly a good way to treat a captain. How bout dem Flyers? Much love for LeClair and Recchi but "Johnny on the spot" is getting up there and the new rule changes definatley take away from LeClair's game. God bless Gagne.
posted by GoBirds at 03:19 PM on January 10, 2006
It isn't the same as retiring but it is kind of lousy to have your team suggest that you're not useful to them anymore. Ouch.
posted by gspm at 03:37 PM on January 10, 2006
They Lightning did a bad thing. They have a chance to repeat. Many times the repeat has been done, but not by many different teams. TB can repeat. They can still do it on the ice. However, their locker room is now missing a large piece of the puzzle. This could mean that other East faves like Ottawa could last longer come playoff time.
posted by Joe88 at 03:41 PM on January 10, 2006
TB can repeat.....Not with Grahame between the pipes.
After giving ourselves half a season to evaluate and analyze, it became clear to us that David's game was not suited to the 'new NHL'.The Lightning could have very easily not offered a contract at all, but they did, out of winner's guilt. I would have to think Dave thinks this is fair; they gave him half of the season. Though he might have been irked by last week's rumors. If the game was still played as it had been, Dave would still be a viable commodity. But he isn't.
posted by garfield at 04:26 PM on January 10, 2006
I don't think Stevie Y. would get waived simply because he is the heart and soul of the Red Wings, not to mention that he has won three cups and is the captain. Yzerman means too much to the Red Wings, and certainly to the fans of Hockeytown, for him to be waived. If Stevie Y. wants, the Red Wings will find something for him when he wants to hang up the skates. Anything less than that and the Detroit fans would make the Malice in the Palace look like a picnic.
posted by roberts at 05:53 PM on January 10, 2006
Waiving Andreychuk was an error for Tampa Bay, and when some other team figures out what they have to do to get him they will. Igor Larionov scored a game winning goal at age 43 in the Stanley Cup Finals, in the third OT, and HE decided to retire himself. TB was tacky at best for doing this.
posted by mrhockey at 06:46 PM on January 10, 2006
Why all the fuss about waiving an over-the-hill player (to be honest, one that was over-the-hill years ago)? Isn't this standard operating procedure for leagues with a salary cap? Isn't this what the NFL does every week? And since when is Dave Andreychuk emblematic of the Lightning? He'll always be a Sabre (or a Maple Leaf). In fact, the Sabres should pick him up for a curtain call. I'll feel sorry for Dave Andreychuk when being waived means not getting paid. As for the lighting, if waiving Andreychuk means they can afford, say Mogilny, do you really think it hurts their chances to repeat? (and I say this as a kid that had a Dave Andreychuk 1983-84 O-Pee-Chee RC that I refused to trade for the Grant Fuhr RC, against all logic at the time)
posted by loquax at 10:29 PM on January 10, 2006
Quality net minding and lack of production from Marty St. Louis are the biggest reason TB will not repeate.
posted by HATER 187 at 08:07 AM on January 11, 2006
loquax - first line of the article says "But the Lightning say they will honour his contract - $800,000 US this season and $525,000 for next - rather than force the 42-year-old centre to join the AHL's Springfield Falcons." I wouldn't worry about him not getting paid. In terms of fuss - how often does a team waive their captain? and FWIW, regarding the differences between the team that won the Cup and this year's edition, the second leading scorer on the Lightning in 03-04 wasn't Richards, and wasn't Lecavalier - it was Cory Stillman. And he's in Carolina this year.
posted by gspm at 08:45 AM on January 11, 2006
I wouldn't worry about him not getting paid. I know, that's what I meant - as he's still getting paid, he's still much better off than the NFL players who don't have guaranteed contracts. In terms of fuss - how often does a team waive their captain? Really, what difference does it make? I don't know how valuable DA is to the TB locker room, but NHL "captains" are a dime a dozen, even before waiving players was even really an option according to the new CBA. At least 12 from 2004 are no longer captains of their teams in 2005. How many captains can you even name?
posted by loquax at 10:16 AM on January 11, 2006
How many captains can you even name? These I know for sure Saku Koviu-Canadiens Alexi Yashin-Islanders (worst captian ever) Mats Sundin-Leafs Marcus Naslund-Canucks Joe Sakic-Avalanche Steve Yzerman-Wings Mike Modano-Stars Mario Lemieux-Penguins Mattis Nordstrom-Kings Keith Priemau-Flyers Jerome Iginla-Flames Rod Brind'amour-Canes Daniel Alfredson-Ottawa Don't got one-NY Rangers Guesses? Scott Walker-Nashville Doug Weight-St Louis Patrick Marleau-Sharks John Madden-Devils Chris Drury-Sabres Scott Neidermayer-Ducks Shane Doan-Phoneix No Clue Coloumbus Minnesota (do they still change it every period) Florida Washington Chicago Atlanta Boston Edmonton That question wasn't rhetorical was it?
posted by HATER 187 at 11:07 AM on January 11, 2006
I guess not! Not bad at all. I wouldn't have been able to get as many. John Madden is really the captain of the Devils? Wow.
posted by loquax at 11:32 AM on January 11, 2006
John Madden is really the captain of the Devils? I'm not sure on that one, but thats who I'd pick.
posted by HATER 187 at 11:37 AM on January 11, 2006
Nice work HATER Florida - Jokinen the Elder Atlanta - Mellanby Boston - traded
posted by garfield at 11:40 AM on January 11, 2006
The Devils also started 2005-2006 without two defensive stalwarts: Scott Niedermayer signed with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and longtime captain Scott Stevens announced his retirement on September 6, 2005. John Madden, Alexander Mogilny, Brian Rafalski and Colin White were all named alternate captains, but no official captain was named. Once Patrik Eliáš returned from his bout with Hepatitis A, he was given his position as alternate captain back, and many suspect he will eventually be named the next captain. Wikipedia, a great resource for this sort of thing, who knew?
posted by loquax at 12:00 PM on January 11, 2006
Also: Columbus - Foote Boston - None Minnestoa - Still Rotates St. Louis - Dallas Drake Nashville - Greg Johnson Washington - Jeff Halpern Chicago - Adrian Aucoin Edmonton - Jason Smith Buffalo - Drury and Briere
posted by loquax at 12:06 PM on January 11, 2006
Neidermayer was offered the captain spot along w/ maximum pay to stay in NJ. Of course, he left anyway. The MSG network did a poll and most of us Devils fans thought John "The Mad Dog" Madden should have been captain. There was even talk of naming Broduer captain. With the way NJ has been playing since Elias has returned, he more than likely will be named captain, and he probably won't get waived. The "floating" captain/ 3 alternates seems to be a growing trend. When did this whole captain business start anyway? Did some egomaniac want some special recognition?
posted by njsk8r20 at 01:22 PM on January 11, 2006
Ok, I need to clarify something. Stevens didn't play during 03-04, well not much anyway. Everyone talks about the Devils losing two important defenseman as being the reason for sucking ass for the first half of the season. They lost one hall of famer this year. They haven't had Stevens for two seasons.
posted by garfield at 01:47 PM on January 11, 2006
Minnestoa - Still Rotates How exactly do you rotate captains?
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 04:39 PM on January 11, 2006
grab him by the arms and turn him around?
posted by HATER 187 at 04:46 PM on January 11, 2006
How exactly do you rotate captains? Change 'em up every few weeks.
posted by loquax at 09:15 PM on January 11, 2006
Congrats to Dave on his championship. (Too bad we couldn't win him one in NJ) The decision to to not force him to play in the AHL is a classy move on TB's part. Enjoy your retirement Dave, you earned it.