 |
 Basketball Betting |
 |
||||
|
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sedin twins headline first day of NHL free agencyHockey Betting Lines07/02/2009 - 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.
<< Yankees' Nady to have Tommy John surgery
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
<< Moehler, Astros dominate Padres
<< Wild land Havlat
<< Blalock's HR in ninth lifts Rangers over Angels
Judge lifts Mayfield's suspension >>
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 >>
Astros go for series win at Petco >>
Cubs, Brewers to begin key NL Central series >>
Braves hope to break out the brooms against Phils >>
Numerous College Basketball teams take final big step to March Madness betting So, what turned on the lock spigot? Well, after what felt like weeks of teams treading water and slipping back into the bubble muck, a bunch of them finally decided to say "to heck with parity" and won games that should put them into the Big Dance. Disagree with some of these? Then here's the challenge. Take all of the "should be ins" and make a legit case that each should be ahead of the team that's a lock. Then find 10 more teams that also should be placed in the bracket ahead of that lock team. Not so easy, is it? If you want more evidence that these locks should be good to go, check out what our research department dug up. Since the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams in 1985, only six teams from a "big six" conference have had a record of 10-6 or better in conference play and not been selected: Colorado (2004) and Nebraska (1999) from the Big 12, Boston College and Seton Hall (both 2003) from the Big East, Indiana (2005) from the Big Ten and UCLA, which somehow went 12-6 in the Pac-10 in 1988 and still missed out. (Note: Five teams went 11-7 and didn't get in, the latest being last season's Stanford team, which had a brutal nonconference run.) Yes, 10 conference wins doesn't always mean what it used to because of unbalanced schedules, but this season, it should be plenty good in all but the extreme cases (see: Iowa). In a way, this is a welcome development, because this is a bubble watch, not a lock watch. We can finally be done with teams like Maryland and Virginia Tech and start really bearing down on at-large battles such as Syracuse-West Virginia and Appalachian State-Georgia Tech. Interestingly, all the shifting of teams into lock status appears to be more administrative than impactful. The number of remaining available at-larges didn't change one iota. The only difference is that teams on the bubble now have a clearer idea of which team(s) they are competing with for those precious bids.
As always, I've tried to be as inclusive as possible while only including teams that would have a reasonable chance of at least being discussed if this were Selection Sunday. If your team's not on here, there's probably a good reason (or three) -- start with the RPI and SOS numbers and work your way down. (Please remember, per selection committee criteria, that records displayed are Division I only. Next update: Feb. 28) If you have a legitimate grievance, or just like talking bubble, send an e-mail. Polite ones with fact-based arguments have a much better chance of receiving a response. I apologize in advance if I can't get back to all of you. Atlantic Coast Conference Work left to do: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech
Work left to do: Clemson [19-9 (5-9), RPI: 41, SOS: 42] The Tigers are closer to locking up the collapse of the year award (in a good battle with OK State) than they are to grabbing an at-large. Clemson's been very competitive, but there's no really positive way you can spin nine losses in 11 games. They now cannot get to .500 in ACC play and still must head to Virginia Tech in the season finale (after hosting Miami). Unless the Tigers win both and/or do some serious work in the ACC tourney, they very well could be left out. There are no great nonconference wins, but ODU, App State, Miss. State, South Carolina and Georgia are all respectable W's. Florida State [18-11 (6-9), RPI: 48, SOS: 14] The Noles got thrashed at Maryland to run their losing streak to five, but then pounded NC State at home to set the table for what likely is an elimination game at Miami. You can at least make a case for the Seminoles at 7-9 in ACC play (and some work in the ACC tourney), but 6-10 is not going to cut it. Wins at Duke and over Florida will resonate, but the computer numbers remain questionable. Beyond Florida, FSU thrashed bubble buddy Providence, but there's not a ton beyond those two games that will help. They didn't show well in big-time opportunities against Pitt and Wisconsin (before the Florida win). Georgia Tech [18-10 (6-8), RPI: 51, SOS: 46] The Jackets beat Wake on Wednesday but couldn't get it done at UVa on Saturday, which could be a crucial loss with UNC and BC (both at home) remaining and 8-8 almost a certain need for at-large consideration. A nonconference win over Memphis helps, but the RPI and SOS are not at-large quality right now; if you combine those with a sub-.500 ACC mark, that could spell NIT for GT. For more College Basketball betting lines go to MySportsbook.com Additional basketball lines can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
