2008 NHL Free Agency Explosion

The anticipation leading up to free agency on July 1st is more intense than I can ever remember. Being a Penguins fan undoubtedly has a lot to do with that, but you just get the feeling there could be some big changes in the NHL landscape this off-season. So here is my guess at where the big name unrestricted free agents will end up.

• Marian Hossa - Tampa Bay Lightning: Tampa's new owners came right in and said, without naming names, that they are going to go hard after all of the top free agents except for Brian Campbell. I think they are really looking to create a lot of noise in Tampa and I look for them to give Hossa close to the $8.5 million they just ponied up for Vincent Lecavalier and I think Marian will take it. Recent word has Hossa seriously considering a move to Chicago, but I think Tampa will prove to be more enticing for Marian.
  
• Brian Campbell - New York Rangers: The Rangers want to upgrade their blue line and Campbell supposedly has family issues luring him back to the Eastern Conference. The Rangers should have plenty of salary cap room to work with and signing Campbell would be just the kind of big move we have all come to expect from the Rangers each summer. The Blackhawks are also looking to make a big push for Campbell's services.
  
• Joe Sakic - Colorado Avalanche: I don't think Joe is ready to hang them up yet, and I can't see him playing anywhere else. There is always the chance he heads home to play for the Canucks, but I hope Sakic sticks around for at least one more season in Denver.
  
• Mats Sundin - New York Rangers: This deal seems like a foregone conclusion to me. I think Sundin is too worried about his image/legacy to sign with Montreal, which leaves the Rangers as the most likely destination for the big Swede. This deal could even go down before July 1 under the right circumstances.
  
• Jaromir Jagr - Pittsburgh Penguins: This may just be wishful thinking on my part, but Jagr would seem to be the perfect person to fill the hole left by Hossa on Sidney Crosby's wing. Ever since the Hossa trade went down I have had this feeling in the back of my mind that if the Penguins could not re-sign him then they should bring back Jagr. Jagr showed in the playoffs that he can still be a force and I think he would thrive back in Pittsburgh where he would not be depended on to shoulder the offensive load. Also, huge props go out to the boys over at The Pensblog for putting this idea front and center today.
  
• Kristian Huselius - Columbus Blue Jackets: The Jackets need to start making some additions. It was no secret they really wanted Ryan Malone, but the feeling does not appear to be mutual. I think they will settle on Huselius instead to add some scoring depth.
  
• Sean Avery - New York Islanders: I'm convinced Avery wants to stay in New York. He's not going to re-sign with the Rangers, and I don't see anyway the Devils could bring him in after their testy playoff series. That leaves the Islanders as the prime destination for Avery. I actually think he would be a pretty good fit there too.
  
• Wade Redden - Carolina Hurricanes: Carolina appears desperate to upgrade their defense, and Redden may be the best available option to them. Redden's stock has really fallen in the last few months, but I think he has a lot of good hockey left and he could turn out to be a big signing this off-season, much like Brian Rafalski last summer.
  
• Markus Naslund - Pittsburgh Penguins: Naslund would be a good fit to play with either Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin, and both of them could use a new left winger. Much like with Jagr, Naslund could really thrive in a situation where he is not the focus of the offense.
  
• Pavol Demitra - Vancouver Canucks: Vancouver is in need of offense and they look to have holes to fill with their potential departing free agents. Demitra is a big injury risk, but he is a very dynamic offensive player when healthy and could be a great addition for Vancouver.
  
• Cristobal Huet - Washington Capitals: There's no way this deal doesn't get done. Huet was an integral part of Washington's late playoff run and should be back to help the Caps try to take the next step towards contention.
  
• John-Michael Liles - Buffalo Sabres: The Sabres need to fill the void left by the departure of Brian Campbell, and Liles would be a nice fit. He is a very unheralded defenseman who could turn out to be a good value signing. Colorado and Carolina are also potential destinations for the talented American.
  
• Ryan Malone - New York Rangers: I haven't seen this possibility mentioned anywhere, but Malone seems to me like the perfect replacement for Brendan Shanahan. The Rangers could have plenty of cap room to play with and would probably not shy away from meeting Malone's contract demands. Plus, we all know he can be successful in the rugged Atlantic Division. If this doesn't happen, look for Vancouver to come knocking on Malone's door come July 1st.
  
• Martin Straka - New Jersey Devils: Marty Straka just seems like he would make a good Devil. He is undersized, but he has plenty of offensive skill, plays hard defense, and isn't afraid to give up his body in his own end. Straka would be an excellent addition for the goal starved Devils, and he should come relatively cheap.
  
• Cory Stillman - Tampa Bay Lightning: Stillman already has one successful stint in Tampa under his belt, and he could be a great signing for the retooling Lightning. Depending on his contract demands Stillman could have plenty of suitors, but I think a move back to Tampa would make plenty of sense for him.
  
• Miroslav Satan - Phoenix Coyotes: I don't think there will be a ton of interest in Satan's services this off-season, but I don't think he'll return to the Islanders either. He could be a nice compliment to new Coyote Olli Jokinen in Phoenix if the price is right. I could also see him ending up, fittingly, in New Jersey. Tell me that wouldn't be a hot selling jersey!
  
• Brian Rolston - Minnesota Wild: I don't think the Wild are ready to part ways with Rolston yet. He has been an excellent player for the Wild since coming to Minnesota as a free agent from Boston and I think he'll stay put when all is said and done. If he can't come to terms with the Wild, Rolston could turn up in a Blackhawks or Canucks sweater.
  
• Jose Theodore - Colorado Avalanche: Theodore doesn't have a whole lot of options if he wants to be a starter and Colorado would likely welcome him back at the right price. I just can't think of another team that would be interested in Theodore at this point. Ottawa maybe? Again that would depend on how cheap they could sign him for.
  
• Brooks Orpik - Pittsburgh Penguins: This candy won't be free, but I expect Orpik to make good on his talk of giving the Pens a hometown discount for his services. Orpik really matured into a key player for the Penguins this season and it would be a shame for them to lose him now after all the patience they have shown with his development.
  
• Brendan Morrison - New Jersey Devils: Another player returning to his old stomping grounds. Morrison is not the player he once was, but he would still be an upgrade for the Devils in the offensive zone. He could be the guy to help Brian Gionta find his scoring touch again.
  
• Ray Emery - Tampa Bay Lightning: Tampa Bay's new owners, and head coach Barry Melrose for that matter, strike me as cocky confident enough to think they can keep Emery in line. Like the guy or not, you have to admit that there is still significant upside with Emery and Tampa's goaltending situation is questionable enough to make taking a chance on Emery a decent move. I also get images of Emery in a Caps jersey from time to time. Make of that what you will.
  
• Gary Roberts - Buffalo Sabres: Gary will not be back with the Penguins, so what options does that leave? First instinct is to assume he will end up in either Toronto or Ottawa, largely for family reasons. A little more thought makes both of those scenarios unlikely as he would seem to have no interest in Ottawa and bringing in Roberts would not be the soundest move for the rebuilding Leafs. Look a little south though and you see the up and coming Sabres. They could definitely use a guy like Roberts to come in and fill the same kind of mentor role he held down for the Penguins. Look for Montreal to show interest in Roberts as well.
  
• Sergei Fedorov - Washington Capitals: Fedorov seems to have found a home in Washington and I look for him to re-sign with the Caps and finish out his career as the elder statesman on an up and coming Capitals squad. Fedorov still has some good hockey in him, and he could definitely have a Gary Roberts-esque impact in the Capitals locker room.
  
• Darcy Tucker - Montreal Canadiens: Doesn't Tucker seem like the kind of guy who would sign with the Habs just to stick it to the Leafs? He got a nice chunk of change from his buyout, so money should not be much of an issue in signing Tucker. He could bring that edge/nastiness that Montreal seems to lack up front right now.
  
• Brendan Shanahan - Detroit Red Wings: Shanny doesn't appear to have much left in the tank, but Detroit wouldn't need too much from him. Plus advanced age never seems to be a deterrent to the Red Wings front office.
  
• Michael Ryder - St. Louis Blues: Ryder has to end up somewhere, right? St. Louis could be a good fit for Ryder as he would get a chance to skate with set up men like Andy McDonald and Paul Kariya. It is one of those moves that looks minor on the surface, but could really pay off in the end.
  
• Daymond Langkow - Calgary Flames: I read somewhere a week or two ago that a new deal with the Flames was all but done for Langkow, and that makes sense. Langkow has been an underrated player in Calgary (and throughout his career really) and I think it definitely in Calgary's best interests to bring him back.
  
• Mark Recchi - Atlanta Thrashers: Recchi had a pretty successful go in Atlanta last season so I don't see much reason for him to leave. Plus, there wouldn't seem to be much of a market for bitter, old guys who can't skate a lick.
  
• Rob Blake - Los Angeles Kings: If Blake was going to leave L.A. he would have by now. He'll still be the topic of trade rumors all season long, but I think Blake is perfectly happy playing out the string for the Kings.
  
• Adam Foote - Colorado Avalanche: It would just be weird if Foote didn't re-sign with Colorado after the stink he made to get traded there in the first place. 2008-09 could be the grand farewell tour for Sakic and Foote.
  
• Pascal Dupuis - Pittsburgh Penguins: If I am Pascal Dupuis I sign a one-year deal with the Pens, hopefully spend the season riding shotgun for Sid, and then try to really cash in next season on the open market. Plus that whole potential Stanley Cup Championship is alluring as well.
  
• Dominic Moore - Pittsburgh Penguins: No Moore isn't a big name player, but he was a good soldier during his previous stint in Pittsburgh and I would love to see him come back. It's the power of positive thinking people!
  

Tiger Woods Takes Time Out Of His Busy Schedule To Bash Hockey

In a recent teleconference leading up to his next leisurely stroll golf tournament Tiger Woods was asked who he was rooting for in the Stanley Cup Finals. Here was his response:

"I don't really care. Let's talk about the Dodgers. I don't think anybody really watches hockey anymore."

Quite a bold stance from a guy who is about as PC as they come. This is a bit surprising to me that he would say that considering a lot of hockey players are big into golf. Then again, Tiger is a big a-hole so I doubt any of them hang with him. Except for maybe Sean Avery.

I could go on and on here about what a jerk Tiger (and seriously, you're a grown man, do we really need to call you Tiger?) is, but I'm not going to waste my time. Woods has probably never seen a hockey game in his life and should really just keep his mouth shut on this topic. Stick to complaining about people making noises on the course and bossing around your caddy Tiger. Leave all the talk about real sports to the people who have a clue.

And for the record, the only person I know who watches golf is my dad, and only because it's "good to sleep through".

A Look Inside Penguins Vs. Rangers

I have a million thoughts racing through my head regarding the series between the Penguins and the Rangers. I figured I might as well voice some of them since everyone and their mother seems to have an opinion on this series. So away we go!

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People keep referring to Marc-Andre Fleury as the big question mark in this series. Normally this would be where I would go on a rant about how dominant he has been since coming back from his ankle injury and how he has now made it just as deep into the playoffs as Henrik Lundqvist ever has, but instead I'll let the numbers do all the talking:

Marc-Andre Fleury's Post-Season Stats:
6-0, 1.51 GAA, .944 SV%, 2 SO

Any more questions?

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The NHL media is reacting to Pittsburgh's 2-0 Game 2 win like the Pens have never played defense before. I know the Penguin offense is what gets all the press, but the boys in black have been one of the top defensive teams in the NHL since we all unwrapped our 2008 calendars. The only reason I can think of for all this sudden amazement on the part of these so-called experts is that they picked the Rangers to win and have to act shocked that the Penguins are this good. Otherwise why wouldn't they have picked them to win the series? Honestly, the Penguins are just as good as the Rangers defensively, if not better, yet they don't get any credit because they actually score goals to go along with it. Die hard Penguin fans know that guys like Gill, Letang, Orpik, and Scuderi have been just as important to the Penguins in the playoffs as Sid and Geno. It doesn't hurt having the hottest goalie in the game between the pipes either (see above).

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No, the Penguins have not lost a game in the playoffs yet, but there is still a lot more work to be done in this series. As much as I would love to see the Pens sweep the Rags, and as good as they are playing right now, I would be perfectly happy with taking one of the next two and returning to the Igloo for Game 5 up 3-1 in the series. The Rangers are still a good team and the biggest competition to the Penguins in the East for my money. I don't expect Pittsburgh to take their foot off the gas, but I don't think the Rangers are ready to roll over yet either.

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So much was made heading into this series about the impact Sean Avery would have on the Penguins. Despite his Game 1 goal, Avery hasn't had much of an impact on the series thus far. At least not until the end of Game 2:


I have a few reactions to the scrum at the end of the game:

• Why has nobody mentioned the tomahawk slash Avery took at Hal Gill after the linesman stepped in? Watch closely at about the 1:15 mark of that video and then tell me why Avery should NOT be suspended. That is a flagrant and vicious stick swing and Avery should be out for somewhere in the neighborhood of 4 to 6 games at least. It was an indefensible act by a despicable player and he should be held accountable for it. I am literally in shock that I have not seen this mentioned anywhere.
• People are going to talk about how Avery was going after MAF and how he was setting the tone for Game 3, but who is to day MAF hasn't gotten to Avery instead. MAF is a smart kid. You know he knew Gill and Laraque were nearby when he decided to show Avery the business end of his stick and Avery fell for it. If not for the bravest (or stupidest) linesman ever they'd still be picking pieces of Avery out of the end boards.
• How great was it to see Scuderi and Talbot arrive on the scene and then turn to keep the oncoming wave of Rangers from coming to the aid of Avery? Part of me wondered if any of the Rangers were even going to bother going to help Avery. I would not have been shocked if they had just headed for the locker room and left Avery to clean up his own mess.

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You can tell that there is really something special going on between Penguins fans and this team. This group of guys is just so likable and easy to get behind that it is not too surprising. But there is something to be said for the fact the Penguins are in the midst of a sellout string better than the teams of the glory days of the early '90s ever enjoyed. I am right in line with this too. This Penguins squad is right there with the '92 Cup winning team as probably my two favorite teams ever. To put it simply, as many others already have...

I love this team!

2008 Playoffs: Looking Back On Round 1

With the second round of the playoffs just a few short hours away, let's take one last look back at the opening round, including how I fared with my predictions. The first round of the playoffs are possibly my two favorite weeks of the year, and this season was no disappointment.

My Predictions:

Detroit v Nashville
I said: Red Wings in 5
What happened: Red Wings in 6
Comments: Nashville made a series of it thanks to goalie Dan Ellis, but they just didn't have enough to hang with the Wings. I picked Alexander Radulov as my player to watch in the series as I expected him to have a big impact for Nashville. I just didn't think it would be for knocking Jason Arnott out of the series with a celebratory check into the boards after a goal. That may signal the end of his days in Nashville before all is said and done.

San Jose v Calgary
I said: Flames in 7
What happened: Sharks in 7
Comments: This was a back and forth series and the tightest of the first round offerings in the West, as I expected. I really thought the Flames were going to pull off the upset, but they just didn't have enough in the end. San Jose's depth was the big difference in the series as Calgary failed to find much offense beyond the Iginla line.

Minnesota v Colorado
I said: Wild in 6
What happened: Avalanche in 6
Comments: In what is becoming a playoff tradition, I was really high on Minnesota heading into the playoffs and they proceeded to let me down. I thought Marian Gaborik would get the Wild through to the next round, but he was nowhere to be seen. It was nice to see Joe Sakic back in vintage form though.

Anaheim v Dallas
I said: Ducks in 6
What happened: Stars in 6
Comments: This one was a minor shock to me. I knew the Stars were capable of big things even though they backed into the playoffs, but I really expected a lot more from the Ducks this post-season. Giving away the first two games in Anaheim really came back to haunt the Ducks once they started trying to make a series of it. With that said, I couldn't be happier the Stars won as I have a soft spot in my heart for them (and it keeps my dreams of a Pens/Stars Finals alive).

Montreal v Boston
I said: Bruins in 7
What happened: Canadiens in 7
Comments: I thought this was going to be a really tight series, and I mistakenly thought the Habs were going to be without the services of Mike Komisarek. If I had known he was going to be playing I probably would have taken Montreal. Oh well, life goes on...

Pittsburgh v Ottawa
I said: Pens in 5
What happened: Pens in 4!!!
Comments: I totally expected the Pens to run Ottawa into the ground, but I thought the Sens at least had enough pride to steal a game at home. I guess they showed me. Sid and Geno spearheaded a scarily balanced Pittsburgh attack while the Marc-Andre Fleury experience was in full effect at the other end. It was a near flawless series for the Pens and I think they have established themselves as the team to beat in the East.

Washington v Philadelphia
I said: Caps in 6
What happened: Flyers in 7
Comments: I could sit here and draw up parallels between this year's Caps and last year's Penguins, but that wouldn't do justice to either team. The fact is that Washington is a young team that put up a good fight after digging themselves quite a hole against the Flyers. Mike Richards led the way for the Flyers as they can now set their sights on the top seeded Canadiens and their rowdy fans.

New Jersey v Rangers
I said: Rangers in 5
What happened: Rangers in 5
Comments: While there was a bit more offense in this series than I expected, thanks largely to a rejuvenated Jaromir Jagr, it went down just as I expected. If someone would have made me bet my life on one of the first round series it would have been this one. The Rangers and Penguins are the two best teams in the East to me hands down. One of those two teams will be lifting the Cup come June.

Other Musings:

• How fun was it to watch the Senators implode right before our very eyes? The Pens sweep of Ottawa almost made last year worth it. Almost...
• How bad were the Ducks in their first two games? Did they think they could spot Dallas the first two and still roll right over them? And how lame are the Anaheim fans? Talk about fickle.
• The Rangers and Penguins are far more consistent (especially defensively) than any of the other teams in the East and that is what is going to get one of them to the Finals.
• The NHL brass must be happy a Minnesota/Anaheim rematch was avoided. That had bloodbath written all over it.
• Switching to Chris Osgood in net makes the Wings a legitimate contender in the West. Hopefully we've seen the last of Dominik Hasek on NHL ice.
• I bet if you petitioned NHL players you could raise enough money to launch Sean Avery and Jordin Tootoo into deep space. Martin Brodeur might even fund the entire venture himself.
• Is there another goalie you would rather have in net right now than Marc-Andre Fleury? Me neither.
• Bettman almost got his Ovechkin vs. Crosby matchup. Maybe next year...
  

Reacting To Brodeur And Avery's Non-Handshake

Much has been made about Martin Brodeur refusing to shake the hand of Sean Avery at the end of the Rangers/Devils first-round playoff series, and rightly so. Pierre McGuire and Mike Milbury fought about it during the first intermission of this afternoon's Flyers/Capitals game and for the first (and hopefully only time in my life) I agree with Milbury. Brodeur was totally justified in not shaking hands with Avery and I think it was totally the right move by Martin. Avery has been going out of his way to insult and embarrass Brodeur ever since he joined the Rangers and the classiest (yeah I said it) way for Brodeur to respond was to not shake Avery's hand.

I am usually the first guy to jump all over someone when they bail on the handshake line (Belfour and Chelios come to mind), but I have no problem with not shaking hands with a particular individual, especially one as detestable as Sean Avery. Avery has made it very clear that he has no respect for Brodeur, the Devils, and arguably the game itself. I think Brodeur made the right move here by showing Avery that he can't try to humiliate someone and then just expect everything to be cool at the end of the series. This conflict has not been about two gladiators playing each other hard over the course of a series, this was about Avery crossing every possible line in an attempt to get Brodeur off of his game. Avery did nothing to show that he is deserving of the common respect due to every other player in the NHL.

Martin's not having it.

The craziest part of this whole situation is Avery trying to make Brodeur look like the bad guy here.

"Everyone talks about how classless I am, but I guess Fatso there just forgot to shake my hand."

"Everyone talks about how much class I don't have, well it's the end of the series and men go to war against each other," Avery said. "I guess he forgot to shake my hand. I don't know if anyone saw that. Of course I was going to shake his hand."
-Sean Avery (AP)

Yeah Sean, Marty's the classless one here. What Avery did against Brodeur and the Devils was well outside the bounds of "going to war", and he knows it. The bottom line is that there is a reason why Sean Avery is the most hated person in the NHL. It is going to be real interesting to see if the Rangers bring Avery back next season as he will be an unrestricted free agent come July 1. I suppose it would be too much to ask for all 30 NHL GMs to get together and agree to all not sign Avery and just let him fade away into obscurity. I know, I know, too much to ask like I said... but a guy can dream.

Takin' Care Of Business

Just some odds and ends that I need to address:

I'm not even going to touch on Sean Avery Dance Fever because I think the blogosphere has pretty much beaten that horse to death, but I do think the NHL made the right move in the manner and timeliness in which they handled the situation.

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My latest contribution over at Fanball/RotoTimes is part of a piece handing out some awards for the NHL regular season. Some of them are standard stuff while other pertain solely to the world of fantasy hockey. In an interesting turn of events, you can also read the article over at Sports Illustrated's FanNation site. A little more exposure is never a bad thing...

If you care, my votes were:

• MVP - Malkin
• Vezina - Nabokov
• Norris - Phaneuf
• Calder - Price
• Out of Nowhere Star - Ribeiro (almost voted for Green)
• Most Overlooked - Staal
• Fantasy Bust - Marleau
  

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The Vs. Network is cranking up the ol' hype machine again for the playoffs:
So far their coverage has been pretty excellent and it has been nice to have two games to watch every night since the playoffs started. I only wish circumstances allowed me to watch more than I have been able. Vs. will continue to show two games per night as long as there are games to show as well as keep their Hockey Central studio show rolling along with various guests from the NHL filling in throughout the playoffs. Manny Legace was in studio for the first week of the playoffs and a new player should be starting their week (or so) run on Hockey Central tonight.

Vs. also seems to be quite pleased with the viewing numbers they are getting for their coverage. This is from their latest press release:

Now in its third year televising the NHL, VERSUS has seen a substantial increase in total viewership and ratings for the 2007/08 regular season compared to the 2006/07 campaign. At the conclusion of this year’s regular season, national household ratings were up 50 percent (.3 vs. .2), total viewership showed an increase of 28 percent (272,417 vs. 212,366), household impressions were up 20 percent (192,675 vs. 160,134) and viewership for Men 25-54 was up 45 percent (99,753 vs. 69,018).

It's nice to see NHL viewership growing. Hopefully this along with the NHL's many efforts online will help the sport catch on with fans. Especially younger ones who may not have been exposed to the sport, and playoff hockey in particular.

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One last thing...

As any of you who have been with me here for a while already know, along with being a hockey fan I am also a big soccer fan and a Liverpool supporter in particular. Today is the 19th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster. If you get the chance during your day, take a second and say a prayer for the families of the 96 we lost that day.

Trade Rumor Extravaganza!

It's time to take a look at some trade rumors as the deadline approaches. Some of these may be legit and some of them are simply wishful thinking on my part. I''l leave it to you to decide which fall into which category.

Sean Avery to Tampa Bay for Brad Richards

There's absolutely nothing to this "rumor", and the cap numbers probably wouldn't even work. I just like the idea of Sean Avery on a last place team and the Rangers bringing in the most overpaid player in the NHL.

Mats Sundin to Calgary for David Hale

Sundin heads to a true contender in the Western Conference and the Leafs get a young defenseman in return. Makes sense for both teams, so it will probably never happen.

Mats Sundin and Bryan McCabe to San Jose for Jonathan Cheechoo and Christian Ehrhoff

This is another move that would send Sundin to a team with Cup aspirations. This deal would also allow the Leafs to unload McCabe while at the same time replacing him with a solid young blueliner in Ehrhoff. The change in scenery would hopefully jump start Cheechoo's game for Toronto, but I'm not sure who they would have left to feed him the puck.

Ales Hemskey to Pittsburgh for a Sidney Crosby autographed puck

Just try and convince me that Kevin Lowe wouldn't make that deal. Just try...

Rob Blake to New Jersey for David Clarkson

Blake will only waive his no-trade clause for a move to a serious contender, but I think the Devils are solid enough to convince Blake to switch coasts and leave the Kings again. The Kings would get some toughness in return and not lose Blake for nothing via free agency in the offseason.

Alex Tanguay to Montreal for Michael Ryder

This would allow the Habs to get a quality player in return for the seemingly unwanted Ryder. For the Flames, the get a guy with something to prove who can walk away after the season ends and give them some cap room to try and re-sign guys like Phaneuf and Huselius.

Martin St. Louis to Dallas for Marty Turco

The Stars and Lightning swap Martys (or is it Marties?) in a deal that actually makes a lot of sense for both teams. So once again, it will probably never happen. You get the feeling though that Tampa needs to do something drastic if they are going to be relevant again any time soon.

That's all I've got for now. I'm sure there will be more to come between now and the trade deadline. I'm sure will hear more out of Pittsburgh once Sidney's injury situation becomes a bit clearer. There will also surely be some teams that fall out of the playoff race and become big time sellers. Hopefully GM's won't be too handcuffed by the cap and we'll see some exciting deals go down.