Sedin twins headline first day of NHL free agency
Hockey Betting Lines
07/02/2009 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Wednesday marked the beginning of the NHL's free agency period, and two of the biggest players on the open market opted to stay put.
The Vancouver Canucks re-signed forwards Daniel and Henrik Sedin to new five-year contracts. The contracts are identical and worth a reported $30.5 million for each player.
Daniel and Henrik have played their entire NHL careers with the Canucks after being drafted by Vancouver second and third overall, respectively, in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft.
The twin brothers led the Canucks in scoring last season with 82 points apiece. Daniel notched 31 goals and 51 assists, while Henrik posted 22 goals and 60 helpers. Henrik's goal and point totals represented career bests.
The other big free agent moved from the Motor City to the Windy City as forward Marian Hossa signed a 12-year deal with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the contract is reportedly worth an average of $5.2 million per season. Hossa made waves last summer when he turned down a multi-year offer from Pittsburgh to sign a one-year deal with the Red Wings. He inked the deal with Detroit just weeks after losing to the Red Wings as a member of the Penguins in the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals.
This year, Hossa once again found himself on the losing end of the Cup Finals as the Penguins exacted revenge for the snub by downing Detroit in seven games. Hossa has yet to win a Stanley Cup title during his 11-year NHL career.
Hossa led the Red Wings with 40 goals in 2008-09 and was third on the team with 71 points. He added 15 points (6 goals, 9 assists) in 23 playoff games. The Slovakian native has recorded 719 points (339g, 380a) in 775 career games with Ottawa, Atlanta, Pittsburgh and the Red Wings.
The New York Rangers made a big splash on the first day of free agency, inking free agent forward Marian Gaborik to a five-year contract.
TSN Canada is reporting the deal is worth $7.5 million yearly.
Gaborik has spent his entire seven-year career with the Wild, totaling 219 goals and 218 assists in 502 games. This past season, he played in only 17 games due to various injuries and posted 13 goals and 10 assists.
In his last full healthy season, 2007-08, Gaborik recorded 42 goals and 83 points through 77 games. He was originally the third overall pick of the 2000 NHL Draft.
After losing Gaborik, the Wild turned around and came to terms with right wing Martin Havlat on a six-year contract, signing him away from the Blackhawks. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports the deal is worth $30 million, which is the richest total contract in team history.
Last season, Havlat led Chicago with a career-high 77 points (29 goals, 48 assists), while skating in a career-best 81 games.
The Montreal Canadiens have signed forward Brian Gionta to a five-year contract and defenseman Hal Gill to a two-year deal. Financial terms of both deals were not released, though Canada's TSN reported Gionta's deal is worth $25 million and Gill will make $4.5 million over the span of his contract.
Gionta, 30, had spent his entire seven-year career with New Jersey after the Devils selected him in the third round of the 1998 draft.
In 473 career games, Gionta has posted 152 goals and 160 assists. Last season he had 20 goals and 40 assists in 81 contests.
Gill, 34, spent last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins and had two goals and eight assists in 62 regular season games. He also added two assists in the playoffs, helping the Penguins win the Stanley Cup.
In 851 games over 11 NHL seasons with Boston, Toronto and Pittsburgh, Gill has recorded 31 games and 120 assists, and accumulated 800 penalty minutes.
The Florida Panthers re-signed forward David Booth to a six-year contract reportedly worth a total of $25.5 million.
Booth, a 24-year-old winger, had a breakout season in 2008-09, setting career- highs in goals (31), assists (29), points (60) and penalty minutes (38) while playing in 72 games with the Panthers. He led Florida in goals and was second on the club in points.
Booth was originally selected by Florida with the 53rd overall pick in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft and has recorded 56 goals and 54 assists in 193 career games with the Panthers.
The Carolina Hurricanes agreed to terms with forward Erik Cole on a two-year contract that will pay him a total of $5.8 million. Cole, 30, will make $2.8 million in 2009-10 and $3 million in 2010-11.
Cole was traded last offseason from Carolina to Edmonton, but returned to the Hurricanes in a March 4 trade that also included Los Angeles. Last season, for the Oilers and 'Canes, Cole netted 18 goals and registered 24 assists in 80 games. For his career with Carolina and Edmonton, Cole has recorded 147 goals and 322 points in 498 games.
The Anaheim Ducks agreed to a one-year contract with veteran defenseman Scott Niedermayer. The team announced last week that Niedermayer would be coming back for the 2009-10 campaign.
Niedermayer posted 14 goals and 59 points while playing in all 82 games for the Ducks a season ago. A four-time Stanley Cup champion, the venerable backliner helped lead the Ducks to their only Stanley Cup championship in 2007, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player.
Since making his NHL debut in 1991-92, Niedermayer has scored 162 goals and accumulated 530 assists with New Jersey and Anaheim. He is also the only player in hockey history to have won a Stanley Cup, Olympic Gold Medal, World Championship, World Cup, Memorial Cup and World Junior title.
The Edmonton Oilers signed goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin to a four-year contract worth $15 million.
The 36-year-old netminder had a record of 25-8-7 with a 2.33 goals against average to go along with a .919 save percentage in 42 games with the Chicago Blackhawks last season. In 15 playoff games, he was 8-6 with a 2.93 goals against average and a .898 save percentage.
Other notable free agent signings on Wednesday saw goaltender Dwayne Roloson sign with the Islanders, goaltender Craig Anderson heading to Colorado, fighting forward Colton Orr sign with Toronto, Donald Brashear taking his fighting skills to the New York Rangers, defenseman Mattias Ohlund heading to Tampa Bay, forward Mike Knuble signing with Washington and defenseman Jaroslav Spacek and forward Mike Cammalleri heading to Montreal.
Bronx, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New York Yankees outfielder Xavier Nady will undergo ligament replacement surgery on his right elbow next Wednesday. The Tommy John surgical procedure will be performed by Dr. Lewis Yocum. "I'm extremely disa
<< Montreal beats Calgary in Grey Cup rematch
Calgary, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chip Cox returned a fumble 81 yards for a
touchdown late in the fourth quarter, sealing Montreal's 40-27 win over
Calgary in the season opener for both teams, a rematch of last year's Grey Cup
matchup
<< Moehler, Astros dominate Padres
San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Veteran Brian Moehler, largely ineffective so
far this season, pitched six solid innings of one-run ball and a three-run
throwing error by Chase Headley opened the floodgates, as Houston buried San
Diego,
<< Wild land Havlat
St. Paul, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - On the same day they lost forward Marian
Gaborik to free agency, the Minnesota Wild made a big splash by coming to
terms with right wing Martin Havlat on a six-year contract.
The Minneapolis Star-T
<< Blalock's HR in ninth lifts Rangers over Angels
Arlington, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hank Blalock went 3-for-5 with a pair of home
runs, including a two-run blast in the bottom of the ninth inning, to lift the
Rangers past the Angels, 9-7, in the rubber match of a three-game series.
After th
Charlotte, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A federal judge lifted the NASCAR-imposed suspension on driver Jeremy Mayfield Wednesday, allowing him to race again, possibly as soon as this weekend at Daytona International Speedway. "This is huge for us.
Mets head to Pittsburgh for makeup with Bucs >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Before the New York Mets begin a critical three-game set in
Philadelphia this weekend, they must first play a makeup game in the Keystone
State against the Pittsburgh Pirates today at PNC Park.
Today's contest was original
Astros go for series win at Petco >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Houston Astros shoot for a series win this afternoon
over the San Diego Padres at Petco Park, where the two ballclubs will wrap up
a four-game set.
Houston has won five of its last seven games, including two of the fir
Cubs, Brewers to begin key NL Central series >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - If the Chicago Cubs are going to win a third straight
National League Central title, they are going to have to pick it up
offensively. This weekend would be a good time to get it going, as they return
home for the start of a
Braves hope to break out the brooms against Phils >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Atlanta Braves are gradually working their way up the
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four straight games tonight in the finale of a three-game series versus the
Philadelphia
2007 NFL Football Betting Preview
“You play to win the game!”
Those are the words of notoriously intense head coach Herman Edwards. Unfortunately, from a bettors’ perspective, most coaches don’t feel that way about the NFL preseason. August is a time to evaluate young players, finalize the depth chart and pray your star players stay healthy.
The trick to making money during the exhibition schedule is identifying coaches – like Edwards – who can’t stand losing even when there's nothing on the line.
The New York Jets betting won 15 of 21 preseason games and went 14-7 against the spread (ATS) during Edwards’s five-year tenure with the club. In his first season as the Kansas City Chiefs field boss, the team improved from 0-4 to 2-2.
Identifying win-a-holics like Edwards is a good start if you plan betting the preseason – even though most say you shouldn’t ... but what the hell do they know anyway?
Here’s a brief rundown of two teams that have a habit of winning during the second-stringers’ season, and another club that has a good chance of exceeding this year.
Playing in the media hub of North America can be stressful but the press can’t write anything negative about the way Tom Coughlin’s boys play in the preseason. The Giants won and covered all four games last summer, improving their record to 7-1 both straight up (SU) and against the spread over the last two years.
Coughlin has shown he’s not afraid to give his starters more time in the second preseason game than most of his colleagues, no doubt one of the reasons his team has been so dominant.
Bettors can count on America’s team early on. The Cowboys are 14-6 both SU and ATS since 2002 in warm-up contests. Former coach Bill Parcells, the coach of the team the last four years, has an intimidating, in-your-face presence – surely a reason Dallas has had so much early success.
The Big Tuna won’t be strolling the sidelines with looks of disgust, but new coach Wade Phillips will be anxious to make a good first impression for owner Jerry Jones.
Dallas plays the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos before things get serious. They then face the Houston Texans in their third contest (the game starters see most game time) and finish off with the Minnesota Vikings.
Expect a Dallas team able to walk away with another 3-1 preseason record.
This team scored a league-worst 12 offensive touchdowns last season, so the rookies and veterans each have something to prove. There’s a bounty of first-unit jobs up for grabs and plenty of bodies competing for those slots.
First-time head coach Lane Kiffin will be eager to impress an owner who employs the philosophy, “Just win, baby!”
The 32-year-old Kiffin has to command respect from a locker room full of players older than him. All of these factors should lead to purpose in preseason.
Don’t forget: before playing like a team that belonged in NFL Europe, Oakland went 4-1 (both SU and ATS) in exhibition games.
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COLLEGE FOOTBALL BETTING
NCAA Football BettingMany fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)
"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."
Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins
There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.
Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins
Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.
USC Trojans - 10.5 wins
A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.
Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy
Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.
"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."
Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1
The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1
If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.
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