[bigboydan]

I'm hearing that he's close to signing with the Dallas Stars. I think this would be a great addition to that team, because they need to find somebody to generate some offense for them.

[xxx]

reports say that he will be full force at the end of February. Others say he will be ready by December which is best case scenario.

[PuckOff]

Dan ,
I hear Dallas are interested, but I never once read or heard that they are close to signing him. Can you post a link?

[bigboydan]

Today the buzz is that the Senators are interested in him. This would just solidify them to another level if they acquire Peter.

[AC1318]

no matter where he goes he is a risk and will likely be injured or be playing injured within 3 to 4 weeks

[SFink]

But there's also the "risk" that he will be that one element to bring the stanley cup to his team...

He'll re-unite with Sakic & co to bring the cup back in Colorado !

[bigboydan]

He'll re-unite with Sakic & co to bring the cup back in Colorado !

I highly doubt that will happen.

I think at this point in his career he will go to a legit cup contender if he does return at all.

[betplom]

I heard on the radio here in Toronto that Forsberg was seen skating/practising at the Ricoh Centre ( The Leafs practice facility).

some are speculating he may end up in Toronto.

[bigboydan]

Looks like this guy put his odds in his article BetPlom

Many teams interested in Forsberg sweepstakes

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Peter Forsberg is back skating with MoDo of the Swedish Elite League.

His groin and foot issues have been surgically repaired and -- from early reports -- are behind him.

And now there is talk he'll be wearing an NHL jersey before the end of November, possibly within three weeks.

Which brings us to this multi-million-dollar question: Should the Flyers reach out to their Prodigal Son and bring him back to the city that claims to love you back?

The short and simple answer is a resounding yes.

Any time a team can sign a player without giving up a roster player in return, it's a no-brainer. You do it.

Imagine the Flyers re-signing Forsberg to complete the most lopsided trade in NHL history: Peter Forsberg to the Nashville Predators for Scottie Upshall, Ryan Parent, Kimmo Timonen, Scott Hartnell and Peter Forsberg.

But when it comes to Forsberg nothing is simple, not even trading him for himself.

The Flyers are not the only team courting the greatest hockey player not in the NHL.

Last week the Toronto Sun reported that the Colorado Avalanche are at the top of Forsberg's list. The next day the Ottawa Sun reported the Senators had joined that list and would do just about anything to add Forsberg to their star-studded lineup.

The Detroit Red Wings also have expressed an interest and members of the Dallas Stars management team went so far as to visit Forsberg in his hometown of Ornskoldsvik earlier this month.

But this really isn't about the Flyers, Avalanche, Senators, Red Wings or Stars. It's about Peter Forsberg.

"Let's be frank here: Peter is very particular about the city he plays in," said Bill Clement, a former ESPN analyst and Versus studio host who will begin in-game analysis for Flyers broadcasts on Nov. 12. "Peter won't live in a city unless the city has a lot to offer him.

"He's a lot like Derek Jeter. He takes care of his career needs first, but he enjoys socializing in a city that has something to offer."

To find the team that best fits Forsberg requires some detective work. Here, in order, are his options and the odds of him ending up there:

1. Avalanche -- An obvious destination because Forsberg won two Stanley Cups there, owns a home there and still has friends on the team.

Plusses: At about $45 million, the Avs have more than $5 million in cap space and can easily fit Forsberg's salary demands.

The Avs missed the postseason by one point last season and seem to have the right balance of veterans (Joe Sakic, Milan Hejduk, Ryan Smyth) and young talent (Paul Stastny, Wojtek Wolski) to be contenders for the next few years. Forsberg could slide in as a third-line center behind Stastny and Sakic, making the Avs incredibly deep down the middle.

Minuses: Very few, although some may believe Forsberg would like a new challenge in a new NHL city.

Odds: 2:1

2. Flyers -- Before leaving Philadelphia in the Feb. 15 trade that sent him to Nashville, Forsberg met at length with Paul Holmgren and Ed Snider, but would not commit on a contract extension believed to be at three years and $15 million.

"If they want me back, I'm going to hear from them and I would consider it," Forsberg said the night he was dealt to Nashville. "I liked it here. I had two of the best teammates I could ask for in Simon Gagne and Mike Knuble. I think we fit each other perfectly and it's really sad to leave them. If I was to look for a line in the future, I would love to play with them again."

Plusses: Like Colorado, the Flyers missed the playoffs last season but appear to be in the playoff mix this season. There might also be a guilt factor in play here. The Flyers bent over backward last season trying to rectify Forsberg's foot issues and he might feel indebted to them after missing 38 games over parts of two seasons.

"Peter is a person of very deep values and loyalty is one of those values," Clement said. "That sense of loyalty might bring him back to Philadelphia."

Minuses: The Flyers are scraping against the $50.3 million salary ceiling and would need to free up about $3 million to sign Forsberg. Holmgren said he is sure he could make it work financially, but that almost certainly would require moving one or two players (Antero Niittymaki, Randy Jones?) to another team.

Odds: 3:1

3. Senators -- Already running away in the Eastern Conference standings, the Sens fell three wins short of the Stanley Cup last season and many believe Forsberg might finally push them over the top.

"I worry about first-place teams that try to make themselves that much better," Clement said. "I think Ottawa might want Peter more than Peter wants Ottawa."

Plusses: Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson is friendly with Forsberg and the two would make a deadly pair on the power play. Forsberg could play on a second line with either Alfredsson or Dany Heatley, allowing Jason Spezza to remain the No. 1 center.

Minuses: The city of Ottawa is very provincial and does not offer the same allure as Denver and Philly.

Odds: 5:1

4. Red Wings -- Like the Senators, Detroit is off to a quick start and the Red Wings have about $5 million of space under the cap.

Plusses: Forsberg would be reunited with Swedish countrymen Tomas Holmstrom and Nicklas Lidstrom and give the Red Wings the second-line center they desperately need.

Minuses: Forsberg would prefer to stay out of the Western Conference unless he plays in Denver. He does not want the prospect of facing the Avalanche four times a season and again in the playoffs.

Odds: 10:1

5. Stars -- General manager Doug Armstrong and former Star Brett Hull made a personal visit to Sweden to see Forsberg two weeks ago and the Stars are desperate for a top-line winger to take the pressure off Mike Ribiero.

Plusses: The city of Dallas might be appealing to Forsberg.

Minuses: Like the Flyers, the Stars are up against the salary cap and might need to remove players to make room for Forsberg's salary. At 34, Forsberg is probably not capable of carrying a team as a top-line center and the Stars do not appear to be a team on the brink of greatness.

Odds: 20:1

[bigboydan]

According to some reports floating out there today, It looks like Detroit is showing some major interest.

[SFink]

I cant seem to picture Forsberg in a Wings jersey.. to me it's either Ottawa or Colorado...

[mshanedub420]

Blue Jackets are a sleeper this year, seem to be playing well at home and on the road

[bigboydan]

Can this guy ever stay healthy for an entire season ever again.

Heres the latest news on Peter Forsberg.

CALGARY, Alberta — According to a report in the Swedish newspaper, Expressen, former Avalanche star Peter Forsberg still might have a chance at resuming his hockey career.

Forsberg, who withdrew from a European tournament this month after feeling pain in his surgically repaired right foot, got encouraging news from a doctor he visited recently in Phoenix.

"I can say now that I think we can solve the issues with his foot, so that it won't hinder Peter from playing hockey again," Dr. Bertil Romanus told the paper. "In the beginning of October, Peter's foot was so good that he was able to skate all out, and I definitely believe we can find a way to get him back to that."

Romanus said a new brace will be tested on Forsberg's foot, and that he'll undergo a daily skating regimen. Forsberg, 34, is an unrestricted free agent.

[bigboydan]

Looks like Peter Forsberg is officially over, because even if he decides to attempt a comeback. He's too old to be effective in the NHL.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Not even a month ago, the Flyers talked about earning a No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, home-ice advantage in the playoffs and how great it would be for Peter Forsberg to return and add to all the fun.

Instead, after a seven-game losing streak, panic is now the p-word of choice around the team. Desperate is getting some play, too.

And the hopeful comeback of Forsberg, their former captain? Well, that's over, as well.

The Flyers -- or any other NHL team -- won't be adding the two-time Stanley Cup winner and former MVP to their roster this season. Forsberg, who has not played since ending last season with Nashville, decided Monday he was not healthy enough to attempt a comeback.

His agent, Don Baizley, told teams Forsberg did not have enough confidence in the strength of his surgically repaired right foot to play this season.

"He's been hopeful that he would get the level of confidence that he needed, but he can't," Baizley said by phone. "I don't know how close or how far away he feels. He was hopeful up until this weekend that he would be able to do it."

Surely, Forsberg would have helped the sputtering Flyers.

General manager Paul Holmgren had wanted to sign Forsberg ever since the former Flyers center decided to train for a possible return to the NHL. Forsberg, who spent 1 1/2 seasons with the Flyers, has been rehabilitating in Sweden and practicing with his hometown club, Modo.

"We certainly weren't counting on it because Peter was very clear he was going to test his foot and see if he could play or not," said Peter Luukko, president and chief operating officer of Comcast-Spectacor, which owns the Flyers and Sixers. "If he was going to play, it would have been great to see him in a Flyers uniform."

Baizley said Forsberg had not made a decision about attempting a comeback next season.

The Flyers went 0-13-3 without Forsberg in the lineup last season before he was dealt at the trade deadline. This month's problems go far deeper than the absence of one star.

Injuries, mental lapses, and shaky defense have all plagued the Flyers during a season-long losing skid that dropped them from the top of the Atlantic Division to seventh place in the East, only one point ahead of Boston and Buffalo (64).

"It's seven games now. I would call that a little panic already," defenseman Kimmo Timonen said.

Center R.J. Umberger said "desperation is the word right now" after the Flyers lost 5-3 to Montreal on Sunday, their second loss in two nights to the Canadiens. The loss prompted coach John Stevens to hold a closed door meeting to try and restore some confidence before the season really does slip away and the Flyers miss the playoffs for the second straight season.

"You love the effort and the intensity and the resilience, but we're making mistakes that are costing us hockey games," Stevens said.

No play exemplified Philadelphia's breakdown quite like the one that led a Montreal goal in the final seconds of the first period. Montreal's Josh Gorges goaded Flyers defenseman Jim Vandermeer into an apparent fight near the Canadiens' net. Scottie Upshall and Mike Knuble stood nearby waiting for punches to be thrown, leaving Francis Bouillon all alone on a 3-on-1 break to score his first goal in a year.

Gorges laughed at Vandermeer as he skated away.

"That's a play where we're not thinking," Stevens said.

Perhaps if the Flyers were at full strength, some of this losing would be avoided. The Flyers dressed only seven defenseman against the Canadiens and injuries keep piling up.

Simon Gagne has played in only 25 games and might miss the rest of the season with a concussion. Joffrey Lupul, who has 18 goals, could miss up to three weeks with a high ankle sprain. Defenseman Derian Hatcher (knee) might be out for three weeks, and forwards Stevie Downie and Denis Tolpeko are out with concussions.

"You can't hide behind the injuries," Timonen said. "Everyone has injuries."

The ones who are playing have done nothing to show that a turnaround is imminent heading into Tuesday's game at Ottawa. After a strong start, center Daniel Briere is a staggering minus-21 in plus/minus and has started to hear some boos from the Philly diehards. He has only one goal in the last 12 games, no points in his last three and Mike Richards has one goal and five points in the last seven games.

The Flyers called up forward Claude Giroux, the 22nd overall pick in the 2006 entry draft, and he will play against Ottawa. He has 33 goals and 88 points this season for the Gatineau Olympiques of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

The Flyers trailed the Senators by only three points in the Eastern Conference standings on Feb. 5. Philadelphia is still stuck on 65 while the Senators, New Jersey and Montreal all lead the East with 73 points.

With the Feb. 26 trade deadline looming and Forsberg out of the picture, the Flyers need to turn to other alternatives to snap out of their funk.

"We're very happy with our team," Luukko said. "Peter would have been an added bonus, but we like where we're going in the future. We're playing for the long haul."

The 34-year-old Forsberg was an unrestricted free agent and the Flyers, Minnesota, Chicago and Colorado were among the teams considered in the hunt to sign him.

"I think there's more disappointment that he's not playing in the league. He's such a great player," Luukko said.

[bigboydan]

So much for retirement for Peter Forsberg. I see his just signed with Colorado today.

A week after his agent said his return to the NHL was likely off, Peter Forsberg has decided to accept a one-year contract to play for Colorado.

The 34-year-old unrestricted free agent center is gambling he's healthy enough to play out the remainder of the NHL schedule.

Forsberg has won two Stanley Cups, two Olympic gold medals and two World Championships, yet felt he had some unfinished business in Philadelphia.

He has been rehabilitating in Sweden, following surgery in November to repair a defect in his right foot. He has also been practicing with his former club, Modo, but turned down the opportunity to play with them recently, so he could return to the NHL.

It hasn't been an easy year for Forsberg in Europe. He struggled right from the start last fall suffering a hernia injury.

Many assumed he would not play at all this season.

Forsberg was dealt by the Flyers last February shortly before the NHL Trade Deadline to Nashville for right wing Scottie Upshall, defensive prospect Ryan Parent, plus a first- and third-round draft pick.

The Flyers ended up returning the first-round pick, along with another draft pick, last summer to the Predators in exchange for defenseman Kimmo Timonen and winger Scott Hartnell.

Forsberg appeared in 40 games in 2006-07. He missed 16 games, mostly because of his surgically-repaired right foot. He had 11 goals, 29 assists for 40 points. In 2005-06, Forsberg played just 60 games, mostly because of groin injuries, scoring 19 goals with 56 assists for 75 points.

Forsberg came to the Flyers during a frantic free agent signing period coming out of the NHL lockout in July 2005. To fit him under the first-year NHL salary cap of $39 million (2005-06), the Flyers traded center Jeremy Roenick to the Los Angeles Kings.

Originally drafted in 1991 by the Flyers, Forsberg's rights were traded in 1992 to the Quebec Nordiques along with five other Flyers and $15 million cash for Eric Lindros.

At the time, where scouting in Europe was an imperfect science, little was known about Forsberg, but much was known about Lindros in North America. Russ Farwell, then the general manager of the Flyers, wagered that acquiring Lindros was the safer and surer route to a Cup.

Lindros retired this season after a 13-year career. He never won a Cup.

[indy62]

Avalanche, Forsberg agree on deal to bring 2003 MVP back to Colorado through end of season
By PAT GRAHAM, AP Sports Writer
46 minutes ago

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Colorado Avalanche forward Pet…

AP - Feb 25, 4:59 pm EST

Philadelphia Flyers captain Pe…

AP - Feb 25, 4:57 pm EST
1 of 2 NHL Gallery DENVER (AP)—The Avalanche and Peter Forsberg have agreed on a deal to bring the NHL’s 2003 MVP back to Colorado through the end of the season.

Forsberg will earn about $1.1 million prorated from a one-year, $5 million deal, since there are about six weeks left in the regular season.

Forsberg won two Stanley Cups in his nine seasons with the Avalanche and won the Hart Trophy in 2003 after scoring 29 goals and adding 77 assists.

But foot and ankle injuries have plagued him in recent years.

Until Monday’s announcement, it appeared Forsberg wouldn’t return to an NHL team this season. His agent, Don Baizley, informed teams last week that Forsberg didn’t have enough confidence in the strength of his surgically repaired right foot to play.

The Avalanche were one of a handful of teams vying for Forsberg’s services. Philadelphia, Minnesota, Chicago and Ottawa were also believed to be in the hunt.

Forsberg spent 1 1/2 seasons with the Flyers, scoring 115 points in 100 games, before being dealt to Nashville at the trade deadline last season.

“We’re proud to announce to our fans that Peter Forsberg has decided to come back and play with our franchise where he’s enjoyed so much success early in his career,” Avalanche general manager Francois Giguere said.


Colorado Avalanche forward Pet…

AP - Feb 25, 4:59 pm EST
“His addition should complement our roster and will bring our team to an even higher competitive level,” he said.

Forsberg said he has worked “extremely hard” to arrange his return to Colorado.

“I am looking forward to putting this jersey on again,” he said. “I have so many great memories of my playing days in Denver. I’m excited about helping my new teammates and former teammates in the coming weeks, and hopefully I am able to do that in the very near future.”

Forsberg has been rehabilitating in Sweden and practicing with his hometown club, Modo.

He is fourth on Colorado’s career scoring list with 741 points in 580 career games.

Forsberg also helped lead Sweden to Olympic gold medals in Lillehammer in 1994 and Turin in 2006.

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[indy62]

sorry bbd iscaned theposts missed yours and basically posted the same..cheers

[avssakic]

nice move for the avs. Hopefully he doesn't get hurt