roots
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growing old inevitable..growing up optional!
Posts: 816
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Post by roots on Jul 1, 2004 11:25:08 GMT -5
8:11 PM EDT, 06/30/2004
Maple Leafs re-sign Belfour, Roberts, Nieuwendyk and Berg
TORONTO (AP) - The Toronto Maple Leafs re-signed goalie Ed Belfour, forwards Joe Nieuwendyk, Gary Roberts and defenseman Aki Berg on Wednesday.
Belfour, Roberts and Nieuwendyk could have become unrestricted free agents if they weren't signed before midnight.
Roberts agreed to a one-year deal with a base salary of $3.75 million, $500,000 less than he made last season. Nieuwendyk signed a one-year, $3 million contract, $1 million more than last year.
"Throughout our discussions there was never any doubt that the Maple Leafs wanted to keep them in Toronto," said Rick Curran, the agent for both players. "They want to keep the core intact."
Belfour, the NHL's active leader in wins (435), led the Maple Leafs to their best regular season in franchise history, going 34-19-6. He led the NHL with 10 shutouts.
The 39 year-old Belfour also posted three consecutive shutouts in Toronto's first round playoff victory over the Ottawa Senators, becoming just the 11th goalie in Stanley Cup playoffs history to record three shutouts in one series.
Nieuwendyk, who had 22 goals and 28 assists in 64 games last season, has won titles with New Jersey, Calgary and Dallas.
Roberts had 28 goals and 20 assists with 84 penalty minutes last season. He is one of only six players in NHL history to score 350 goals and amass 2,000 penalty minutes.
Berg had two goals and seven assists in 79 games.
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2 years 22 million for Eddie!!
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Post by MarmotMike on Jul 1, 2004 12:14:13 GMT -5
Cha ching! Money does grow on maple trees!  |
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SensFanForever
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Success comes from the lessons learned through past failures.
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Post by SensFanForever on Jul 1, 2004 22:39:08 GMT -5
8:11 PM EDT, 06/30/2004 2 years 22 million for Eddie!! It is reported in today's Ottawa Sun that Eddie signed for 2 years at 14 million with an option for a third year. Does anyone know which figure is correct? |
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aj
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All this talk about hockey just makes me miss playing.
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Post by aj on Jul 2, 2004 8:05:16 GMT -5
I know it's 2 years plus a team option year, but the Leafs didn't "officially" release the value of it. Though the 22 million might be correct if they pick up the option, and the 14 million if it's just the two years.
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Post by sundinfan on Jul 2, 2004 11:18:32 GMT -5
Come on Toronto
Toronto is again a serious candidate this year, but it's one of their last opportunities to win the cup with this team. Roberts, belfour , Nieuwendyck, sundin... aren't so young anymore.
Also in the NHL you can see this evolution. The generation of Sakic, Lindros, Yzerman, yashin, Lemieux, Koivu, Forsberg... is almost over.
But an new generation is ready to take charge of the fastest game on earth
Men I love this game
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Post by Jazz on Jul 2, 2004 13:44:41 GMT -5
Come on Toronto Toronto is again a serious candidate this year, but it's one of their last opportunities to win the cup with this team. .... Men I love this game Cool.. A hockey lover from Belgium! Sundinfan, are you a transplant from North America, or a native Belgian? Do you follow the Belgian national program? Your team played well last year, gaining promotion, but seemed to be overmatched this year.... |
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Post by sundinfan on Jul 7, 2004 13:39:57 GMT -5
Hockey in Belgium
Yes I am a native Belgian. Actually, I don't follow the Belgium ice hockey championship or the Belgium national team that much; I just love Canada and Toronto as great hockey powers. I started to follow hockey when EUROSPORT (a tv channel) broadcasted the world championships, 10 years ago. Immediatly I fell in love with the canadian ice hockey team.
You Canadians should be very proud (and you are of course).
come on hockey
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Post by Jazz on Jul 7, 2004 16:39:28 GMT -5
Interesting...  Well, we hope you feel welcome here. There are alot of closet Leafs fans here (unfortunately  ) Can you tell us about the infrastructure of Belgian hockey? Are the local games well attended? Have you been to an NHL game yourself? Gurj in Vancouver. |
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Post by sundinfan on Jul 9, 2004 8:43:28 GMT -5
Hockey isn't so popular in Belgium. Our 'arenas' are not big in number and the accomodation is very old-fashioned. We are of course a very small country.
Gurj: I have never been in the us or canada, so I have never seen a NHL game. I think you go to 'General Motors Place' as much as possible. What is the price of a regular NHL game In Vancouver?
Nico from Brussels
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Robert
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Save the forrests - eat more beavers!!!
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Post by Robert on Jul 9, 2004 11:45:00 GMT -5
I think Graham could help here. He's been at hockey games in Belgium and also in the Netherlans.
Robert
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Graham
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Post by Graham on Jul 12, 2004 4:22:22 GMT -5
I think Graham could help here. He's been at hockey games in Belgium and also in the Netherlans. Haven't been to the Netherlands, but have watched a Dutch team play in Belgium. There are only 5 teams in the top league in Belgium, although there is a 2nd division below it. As a result, and because the Netherlands find themselves in the same position, they play a cross-over competition between the two countries in addition to their own respective national leagues. The Dutch, however, a clearly stronger and not a single Belgian team finished above any of the Dutch teams in the final standings. If memory serves, the Belgians only won two games against the Dutch sides. The Belgian league itself is quite competitive with the top 4 teams only separated by 3 wins last year. Leuven in 5th place are the league's whipping boys, though after only winning twice in 16 games. Attendances aren't great. At Deurne, they are probably getting around 400-500 a game. The standard is not great, about the same as the 3rd tier in the UK. However, they do seem to be putting ideas into place to help increase that. But no rink does better beer than a Belgian rink!  Graham. |
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Post by Jazz on Jul 12, 2004 15:22:44 GMT -5
The standard is not great, about the same as the 3rd tier in the UK. However, they do seem to be putting ideas into place to help increase that. Graham. Hey Graham. What sort of ideas? |
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Graham
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Post by Graham on Jul 13, 2004 9:29:47 GMT -5
I think the biggest one they put in place was the Coupe der Lage Landen which they started last season with The Netherlands. The league has 4 Dutch teams and 5 Belgian teams.
Dutch hockey is a step higher than Belgian hockey. As a result, I think all the Dutch got out of this was a little financial security because no one wants to watch a 4 team league (as the Dutch top league is)? For the Belgians, they get to compete against a higher level on a regular basis. I think it was a brave decision because they knew they'd get soundly beaten, but they seem to have recognised the long term benefit and are prepared to endure the pain in the short term. The cross border league has been confirmed for next season again.
They are also building new ice rinks, and seem to have understood that rinks to play in are more important than arenas to watch in (a lesson sadly the UK didn't learn in the 1990s).
And their senior team seems to be getting a little more investment, playing some mid-season friendlies which is more than even Great Britain does.
Graham.
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