Mid-day updates

Crazy day at work, computer is down, etc. The quick story is: Alex Auld went to Montréal and nobody cared. Real early, we signed Marty Biron as the backup we're looking for: $950,000 this year and $800 next. Fine. Smart move. Then, we locked down Christensen, who we had just let hit the market, for 2 years at $950,000/year. Also really smart. And word is we're renegotiating with Prospal, or trying to. All good things!

So then of course we had to go do something insane. I think Glen Sather doesn't understand how enforcers work. Orr was well-respected and sometimes shot the puck, so we let him go and signed Brashear for more money than Orr ended up with. We know how well that went. So, now, we're at it again: we picked up Jody Shelley, who fought hard and was well-respected and actually had a really good net presence. Then, we let him go sign with Philly for just $1.1 million a year for 3 years. That was stupid. But maybe, you think, maybe we didn't wanna lock down an enforcer for 3 years. Maybe you learn from your Brashear mistake and don't sign that long a contract for someone who doesn't score a ton.

And then, of course, the really stupid. Derek Boogaard, owner of the longest active goalless streak in the NHL (222 games, his last goal was January 7, 2006). He has scored 2 goals and 13 assists in his 265 games over 5 seasons in the NHL. And we signed him for four years at $1.625 million/year.

Four years, $1.625 million per year.

This is, as Larry Brooks tweets, an "inexplicable blunder." This makes no fucking sense. Next season, Colton Orr and Jody Shelley will make a combined $2.1 million from the Flyers and the Leafs. Donald Brashear and Derek Boogaard will make a combined $3.025 million from the Rangers. I do not understand the thinking, at all.

Seriously, can we go one free agent day or trade deadline day without making at least one move that is universally considered terrible by everyone?