McKee signs with Anaheim

KeithK · April 01, 2006, 12:46:01 AM

[quote ftyuv]For what it's worth, this got top billing on uscho. So at least we get good press for it...[/quote]Hope it's the last press we get for about six more months

Steve M · April 01, 2006, 02:56:25 AM

[quote calgARI '07][quote RatushnyFan][quote calgARI '07]By the way, I am almost sure that Giguere will be gone this summer.[/quote]Just curious why you're so confident of this. Giguere has a lot of OTL's but has stepped his game of late and Anaheim came out of nowhere and is in solid playoff contention now. Their #2 goalie has played 5 games since Feb 1 so Giguere has gotten most of the starts. I don't know anything specific here, I'm just curious about your thinking.

Best of luck Dave. You'll be missed.[/quote]

Giguere is extremely overrated based on his unbelievable playoff run in 2003. As a result, he is ridiculously overpaid and Burke knows it. Burke is one of the best GMs in hockey and he isn't going to overpay for a guy like that, especially in the new salary cap world. Giguere has feuded with Coach Randy Carlyle on a couple of occasions this year and he was rumored to be on the move at the deadline. I don't know this for sure, but all these factors point to one thing: his imminent departure.[/quote]

Ducks fan here. Giguere was bothered by a groin injury and was inconsistent before the Olympic break. Since then he's played extremely well (9-4-1), and his season stats make him a top 10 goalie. He is overpaid at $4 million/year, but if he puts up another great playoff performance, I doubt he'll be traded. The Ducks backup, Ilya Byrzgolov, has also played well, but there have been rumors he may want to return to Russia.

Anyway back to the main topic, I am seriously bummed that McKee isn't staying for his senior year. Just like with Shane Hynes, he's much more important to Cornell now than to Anaheim. But if he was going to sign somewhere, I'm glad it's with the Ducks. So Congratulations Dave. Good luck in Portland and I'll be at the Pond to cheer you on when you eventually make it to Anaheim.

The Rancor · April 01, 2006, 10:03:33 AM

[quote Townie][quote scoop85]Yes, best of luck to Dave. I thought this move was all but certain when Davenport came back into the fold.[/quote]

Speaking of which, how has Troy been doing in jrs?

Would those "in the know" share some insights about next year's goalies?[/quote]

he has had a great season in juniors. one of the top GAA and save %.

2003-04 Green Bay Gamblers USHL 49 1 0 0 2740 124 0 2 2.72 24 19 3 1294 0.913

edit:stats

The Rancor · April 01, 2006, 10:10:01 AM

bye bye!

i'm feeling a little bitter, because i feel he could do more staying at cornell than in the minors. oh well. say hell ot Hynes!

calgARI '07 · April 01, 2006, 01:48:58 PM

McKee will be a third goalie with Anaheim (for some reason) and will be practicing with them today.

mgl11 · April 01, 2006, 03:29:20 PM

I could be wrong on this -- but I believe that free agent signees (who are signed after a certain date - perhaps the trade deadline) must remain with the parent club for the rest of the season. I don't think this applies to players actually drafted by the club. For some reason, I think this applied to Peter Sejna a few years back.

JDeafv · April 01, 2006, 04:57:29 PM

On CHN in a story about the NCAA tournament Adam W wrote the following after discussing McKee signing with Anaheim:

Full Story here : http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2006/03/31_between.php

[Q] However, there is another major force being exerted upon the players; a significant financial incentive.

The NHL is currently operating under a "transitionary" collective bargaining agreement. And while rookie salary caps and signing bonuses are lower than they used to be, they are still higher right now than they will be when the final CBA kicks in next summer.

Right now, players can get over $900,000/year to sign, plus up to a 30 percent signing bonus. Once the new CBA kicks in next year, players will only be able to get about $850,000/year, and a 10 percent signing bonus. [/Q]

If my math is correct, that's up to $235k more a player can make signing this year.

Best of luck to Dave!

RatushnyFan · April 01, 2006, 06:26:20 PM

[quote marty][quote RatushnyFan]65 victories, just 13 behind Dryden. Had a shot for 95 victories. Must have been hard to leave that opportunity behind.[/quote]

Don't forget the Maris asterisk that would be on that stat. Dryden had to sit out freshman year.[/quote]I know. It will be tough to catch his 3 year record and impossible to catch his winning %. But maybe we can experience a goalie with 90-100 wins someday. I meant to say above that McKee had a realistic shot for 90 victories, 95 would have been a stretch.

jy3 · April 02, 2006, 10:34:01 AM

good luck to dave on his pro hockey career. His mom was great to meet in albany and I wish the family success. It would have been nice to see him one more year to collect that extra banner next year. The more I think of players leaving early and the incentives to do so, especially this year with the transition in cba as mentioned above, I can understand it. McGahee knows about staying longer only to get injured.
best of luck!
Now to hope for a good one between the pipes next year. the team still has a shot to do a lot of damage

canuck89 · April 02, 2006, 12:19:02 PM

Bills should have picked Larry Johnson instead of McGahee. At least LJ can speak a coherent sentence.

Steve M · April 02, 2006, 02:00:21 PM

[quote calgARI '07]McKee will be a third goalie with Anaheim (for some reason) and will be practicing with them today.[/quote]

You're right.

http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/sports/atoz/article_1084185.php

McKee was pursued by 8 teams, so it could be the Ducks added a clause that he has a roster spot for this year as extra incentive. The Ducks' roster has been only 22 players for most of the season. Since the NHL allows a 23 man roster and the Ducks are well below the salary cap now, they can carry McKee without sending anyone else down to Portland.

calgARI '07 · April 02, 2006, 02:17:47 PM

[quote Steve M]

You're right.

http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/sports/atoz/article_1084185.php

McKee was pursued by 8 teams, so it could be the Ducks added a clause that he has a roster spot for this year as extra incentive. The Ducks' roster has been only 22 players for most of the season. Since the NHL allows a 23 man roster and the Ducks are well below the salary cap now, they can carry McKee without sending anyone else down to Portland.[/quote]

I think the spot on the roster must have been a huge factor in him choosing Anaheim, but there is no roster max after the trade deadline.

jaybert · April 02, 2006, 02:58:10 PM

what number is mckee going to be wearing in anaheim?

Phil Abramowitz · April 02, 2006, 05:50:11 PM

Durning the 2nd intermission of today's Ducks game, the Ducks broadcasting staff (including Brian Hayward) interviewed McKee for a couple of minutes. He will stay up with Anaheim all year..but doesn't expect to play. He expects to start next season in Portland.

Omie · April 02, 2006, 07:48:22 PM

I read somewhere and I can't find the link at the moment that when NHL teams sign free agents they MUST play the remainder of their season with them. So Im guessing its a rule that McKee must play (or at least practice with) in Anaheim until the season ends and then can go to Portland.