The summer provides an opportunity for players to unwind after a long hockey season. For general managers? Not so much.
July arguably is the most important month of the year for GMs, who must manage their salary caps while at the same time search for players who can help catapult their team to the next level. Just like any other industry, some end up being more successful than others.
With training camps set to open across the NHL within the next two weeks, NHL.com takes a look at the most successful GMs this summer:
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2011 NHL Offseason News
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2011 Offseason News
McPhee, Wilson did solid jobs improving contenders
Friday, 09.02.2011 / 2:27 PM / 2011 Offseason News
Brian Compton - NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor
Report: Boston's Savard ruled out for 11-12 season
Wednesday, 08.31.2011 / 2:53 PM / 2011 Offseason News
NHL.com
Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli does not expect Marc Savard to play this coming season, Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe reports.
Savard played 25 games last season, but his campaign started late because of symptoms from a concussion in 2009-10 and ended in January after another concussion.
"Marc Savard won't play this year," Chiarelli told Shinzawa on Wednesday. "Nothing has changed in our monitoring. He'll be examined and he'll be declared unfit to play."
The 34-year-old center had two goals and 10 points last season. In the four seasons before his first concussion in March 2010, Savard averaged more than 89 points and was considered one of the top passers in the League.
Savard played 25 games last season, but his campaign started late because of symptoms from a concussion in 2009-10 and ended in January after another concussion.
"Marc Savard won't play this year," Chiarelli told Shinzawa on Wednesday. "Nothing has changed in our monitoring. He'll be examined and he'll be declared unfit to play."
The 34-year-old center had two goals and 10 points last season. In the four seasons before his first concussion in March 2010, Savard averaged more than 89 points and was considered one of the top passers in the League.
Blue Jackets give Tyutin six-year extension
Wednesday, 08.31.2011 / 11:41 AM / 2011 Offseason News
NHL.com
The Columbus Blue Jackets added free agent James Wisniewski with a big contract this summer, and made sure Wednesday that another key member of the defense corps will be around for a long time as well.
General manager Scott Howson announced the Blue Jackets signed defenseman Fedor Tyutin to a six-year contract extension through the 2017-18 season. Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch reported the deal is worth $27 million, so the salary cap hit will be $4.5 million per season.
Tyutin, who will make $3.425 million in 2011-12, would have been an unrestricted free agent this coming July.
General manager Scott Howson announced the Blue Jackets signed defenseman Fedor Tyutin to a six-year contract extension through the 2017-18 season. Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch reported the deal is worth $27 million, so the salary cap hit will be $4.5 million per season.
Tyutin, who will make $3.425 million in 2011-12, would have been an unrestricted free agent this coming July.
Flyers lock in van Riemsdyk with six-year deal
Tuesday, 08.30.2011 / 2:27 PM / 2011 Offseason News
Mike G. Morreale - NHL.com Staff Writer
James van Riemsdyk refers to his offensive outburst during the Stanley Cup Playoffs this past spring as the perfect storm.
Basically, there were several factors that would ultimately come together on the way to his most productive eight-game stretch in two seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers.
"We had some injuries there in the end and combined with that extra opportunity, along with the confidence and experience I had, everything began clicking for me," van Riemsdyk told NHL.com.
The postseason success van Riemsdyk experienced certainly made him an even greater commodity entering the 2011-12 campaign, particularly after the offseason maneuvers that sent former captain Mike Richards to the Los Angeles Kings and perennial 30-goal scorer Jeff Carter to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Basically, there were several factors that would ultimately come together on the way to his most productive eight-game stretch in two seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers.
"We had some injuries there in the end and combined with that extra opportunity, along with the confidence and experience I had, everything began clicking for me," van Riemsdyk told NHL.com.
The postseason success van Riemsdyk experienced certainly made him an even greater commodity entering the 2011-12 campaign, particularly after the offseason maneuvers that sent former captain Mike Richards to the Los Angeles Kings and perennial 30-goal scorer Jeff Carter to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Flames send Langkow to Coyotes for Stempniak
Monday, 08.29.2011 / 6:26 PM / 2011 Offseason News
Dan Rosen - NHL.com Senior Writer
Daymond Langkow says he's 100 percent healthy and excited to be heading back to the Arizona desert. Lee Stempniak's health was never in question, but he appears just as thrilled to be moving north to Alberta.
The Coyotes and Flames pulled off a trade Monday that sends Langkow back to Phoenix, where he played from 2001-04, and Stempniak to Calgary. The trade is contingent on Langkow passing a physical examination that will be conducted Tuesday in Phoenix.
Phoenix is looking for its own proof that Langkow is healthy heading into the final year of a contract that will pay him $4.5 million this season. He was out for more than a full calendar year, 88 games in all, with a neck injury he suffered on March 21, 2010 in Minnesota.
Langkow missed the final 10 games of the 2009-10 season and the first 78 of the 2010-11 season before returning on April 1 in St. Louis.
The Coyotes and Flames pulled off a trade Monday that sends Langkow back to Phoenix, where he played from 2001-04, and Stempniak to Calgary. The trade is contingent on Langkow passing a physical examination that will be conducted Tuesday in Phoenix.
Phoenix is looking for its own proof that Langkow is healthy heading into the final year of a contract that will pay him $4.5 million this season. He was out for more than a full calendar year, 88 games in all, with a neck injury he suffered on March 21, 2010 in Minnesota.
Langkow missed the final 10 games of the 2009-10 season and the first 78 of the 2010-11 season before returning on April 1 in St. Louis.
Sharks sign Couture to two-year extension
Friday, 08.26.2011 / 12:11 PM / 2011 Offseason News
Logan Couture and the San Jose Sharks have agreed to a two-year contract extension reportedly worth $5.75 million.
Couture was set to become a restricted free agent after the coming season.
The 22-year-old forward was a finalist for the Calder Trophy last season, posting 32 goals and 24 assists. In the playoffs, Couture had 7 goals and 7 assists in 18 games.
Couture was set to become a restricted free agent after the coming season.
The 22-year-old forward was a finalist for the Calder Trophy last season, posting 32 goals and 24 assists. In the playoffs, Couture had 7 goals and 7 assists in 18 games.
Jets unveil hockey operations department
Thursday, 08.25.2011 / 8:03 PM / 2011 Offseason News
Patrick Williams - NHL.com Correspondent
WINNIPEG -- The Winnipeg Jets continued their summer-long process of blending two organizations into one on Thursday with the unveiling of the team's hockey operations department at the MTS Centre.
General Manager and Executive Vice-President Kevin Cheveldayoff added off-ice personnel with strong ties to the city's former American Hockey League affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, and the Jets' predecessors from Atlanta.
Cheveldayoff named former Moose fan favorite, Jimmy Roy, the Jets' Director of Player Development. Roy recently wrapped up a 15-year pro career that included time in North America and most recently in Europe with the Iserlohn Roosters of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.
Roy, who turns 36 in September, holds the all-time Moose club record with 603 games and 102 goals. Known as a sparkplug enforcer, Roy also logged a franchise-high 1,434 penalty minutes during a nine-season run in Manitoba.
General Manager and Executive Vice-President Kevin Cheveldayoff added off-ice personnel with strong ties to the city's former American Hockey League affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, and the Jets' predecessors from Atlanta.
Cheveldayoff named former Moose fan favorite, Jimmy Roy, the Jets' Director of Player Development. Roy recently wrapped up a 15-year pro career that included time in North America and most recently in Europe with the Iserlohn Roosters of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.
Roy, who turns 36 in September, holds the all-time Moose club record with 603 games and 102 goals. Known as a sparkplug enforcer, Roy also logged a franchise-high 1,434 penalty minutes during a nine-season run in Manitoba.
Surgeries won't slow Lucic, Rask this season
Thursday, 08.25.2011 / 10:00 AM / 2011 Offseason News
Matt Kalman - NHL.com Correspondent
"The nose is good. (I) got that fixed, which is great because I wasn't able to breathe out of my right nostril, so that kind of (stunk). But it's more like a refreshing feeling right now that I'm able to get more oxygen intake throughout my nose." -- Milan Lucic
Milan Lucic -- who scored 30 goals last season -- and backup goaltender Tuukka Rask expect to be 100 percent ready to go when the Stanley Cup champions get back to work next month. The veteran winger and third-year netminder were the only two Bruins players confirmed to have had surgery this summer after the team completed its run to the Stanley Cup championship.
Horton says he's healthy and ready after concussion
Thursday, 08.25.2011 / 9:49 AM / 2011 Offseason News
Matt Kalman - NHL.com Correspondent
LOWELL, Mass. – It doesn't look like the concussion that ended Nathan Horton's participation in the 2011 Stanley Cup Final is going to affect his contributions to the Bruins at the start of the 2011-12 season.
Horton, on hand Wednesday night to participate in Milan Lucic's charity softball tournament at LeLacheur Park, said he's feeling fine and will be ready to go when training camp opens next month.
"I'll definitely be ready," he said. "I'd be ready right now if we started."
Horton's season ended on June 6 when he was hit late and high by Vancouver defenseman Aaron Rome during Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final. From there, Horton's contributions to Boston's cause were limited to a cheering cameo on the TD Garden scoreboard, a locker-room presentation of the team's lucky jacket to Rich Peverley after Boston's Game 4 win, and pouring "dirty water" from Boston onto the Rogers Arena ice prior to the Bruins' Game 7 victory.
Horton, on hand Wednesday night to participate in Milan Lucic's charity softball tournament at LeLacheur Park, said he's feeling fine and will be ready to go when training camp opens next month.
"I'll definitely be ready," he said. "I'd be ready right now if we started."
Horton's season ended on June 6 when he was hit late and high by Vancouver defenseman Aaron Rome during Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final. From there, Horton's contributions to Boston's cause were limited to a cheering cameo on the TD Garden scoreboard, a locker-room presentation of the team's lucky jacket to Rich Peverley after Boston's Game 4 win, and pouring "dirty water" from Boston onto the Rogers Arena ice prior to the Bruins' Game 7 victory.
Bolland working hard in hopes of breakout season
Wednesday, 08.24.2011 / 3:40 PM / 2011 Offseason News
Brian Hedger - NHL.com Correspondent
CHICAGO -- Dave Bolland is getting well-acquainted with his couch this summer, but not for the usual reasons that cause people to leave body imprints on their furniture.
Bolland isn't lounging around all day, leaving a trail of empty cans and candy wrappers strewn about. In fact, it's pretty much the opposite for the Chicago Blackhawks' 25-year old center. As the lone Blackhawk to spend most of the offseason in Chicago, Bolland is spending lots of quality time with Paul Goodman, the team's strength and conditioning coordinator.
Thus, Bolland often morphs into couch potato mode following those workouts. His body won't let him do much else.
"It's always fun going in there," Bolland said of training with Goodman. "He's always got hard workouts and they're always tough. Whenever we're in there, by the time we get out I'm lying on my couch for a few hours relaxing and then waking up in the morning to go back. But I am sick of seeing him. I want to get back on the ice and go back to work now."
Bolland isn't lounging around all day, leaving a trail of empty cans and candy wrappers strewn about. In fact, it's pretty much the opposite for the Chicago Blackhawks' 25-year old center. As the lone Blackhawk to spend most of the offseason in Chicago, Bolland is spending lots of quality time with Paul Goodman, the team's strength and conditioning coordinator.
Thus, Bolland often morphs into couch potato mode following those workouts. His body won't let him do much else.
"It's always fun going in there," Bolland said of training with Goodman. "He's always got hard workouts and they're always tough. Whenever we're in there, by the time we get out I'm lying on my couch for a few hours relaxing and then waking up in the morning to go back. But I am sick of seeing him. I want to get back on the ice and go back to work now."
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