Avalanche stick with plan of relying on youth

Hockey Betting Lines

07/02/2010 -

DENVER (AP) -The Colorado Avalanche won't stray from their strategy by taking a shortcut in free agency.

The plan is to build a contender from within the organization, an approach that Avalanche general manager Greg Sherman steadfastly believes in and backs.

No quick fixes.

The Avalanche were rather quiet on the opening day of free agency Thursday, electing to allow veterans Darcy Tucker, Brett Clark, Ruslan Salei, Stephane Yelle and Marek Svatos to become unrestricted free agents.

The stage is being set for the youngsters.

``I remain focused on that plan,'' Sherman said of the youth movement. ``You see what we have put together here with a young group of enthusiastic, energetic, exciting players we have on our own club. I feel very strongly about the group of players we have.''

The Avalanche hit the jackpot in the 2009 draft by taking Matt Duchene with the third overall pick and Ryan O'Reilly early in the second round. The talented duo helped the Avalanche surge back into the playoffs in 2009-10 after finishing last in the Western Conference the year before.

While that success may have been unexpected around the league, the Avalanche fully envisioned the resurgence. This is an organization with lofty standards, having won the Stanley Cup titles in 1996 and 2001.

And this was just the first step in restoring respectability.

``We felt very confident in the group of players that were assembled,'' Sherman said.

That's why Colorado doesn't figure to wade too deep into free agency this summer.

Instead, the team will concentrate on getting deals done for some of its upstarts, players such as Chris Stewart, Brandon Yip, Kyle Quincey, Peter Mueller and Daniel Winnik, who was acquired Monday in a deal with Phoenix.

They all were tendered a qualifying offer, meaning Colorado has the right to match any deal or will be given draft-choice compensation should a player bolt.

Sherman wouldn't elaborate on how close he was to any potential deal with any of the players, saying ``those conversations are ongoing.''

``These are the type of players, the young group, that we are building within and building around,'' Sherman said.

With Clark and Salei hitting the free agent market, the Avalanche appear to be in need of a few more defensemen to join captain Adam Foote, Scott Hannan and John-Michael Liles in the back.

However, Sherman maintained the solution at defense could already be in the minor-league system, possibly a player such as Kevin Shattenkirk, the 14th overall pick in the 2007 draft.

``We certainly believe that our depth on the blue line is very strong,'' Sherman said. ``As we look toward the future, we feel very confident about the young group we have, that we're going to build around.''

NOTES: There have been overtures that former Avalanche great Joe Sakic wouldn't mind joining the organization in some capacity. Sherman said the team was open to the possibility.

``I think Joe was very clear a couple of weeks ago - he's in no rush,'' Sherman said. ``At the appropriate time, Joe will reach out and indicate what he's looking to do with the franchise. ... When Joe's ready, those discussions will be had.''Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

Fpxsports Hockey Betting News

<< Bourn, Astros use three-run 10th to beat Padres
San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Michael Bourn started a three-run 10th inning with a two-run triple, and the Astros took a 6-3 win from San Diego to kick off a four-game set from Petco Park. Jeff Keppinger singled in Bourn to make it a

<< Stamps down Argos in season opener
Calgary, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Henry Burris threw for 324 yards on 27-of-40 passing, leading the Calgary Stampeders to a 30-16 win over the Toronto Argonauts in the season opener for both clubs. Burris also recorded an intercepti

<< Napoli, Weaver help Angels snap Rangers' series win streak
Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mike Napoli's RBI double in the sixth backed Jered Weaver's solid pitching performance, as the Angels held off the Texas Rangers, 2-1, in the rubber match of a three-game series. Weaver (8-3) gave up just

<< Cavs officially name Scott head coach
Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cleveland Cavaliers have officially named Byron Scott as the team's new head coach. The announcement was made by general manager Chris Grant. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Earlier reports

<< Diamondbacks fire GM Byrnes, manager Hinch
Phoenix, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Josh Byrnes have been fired by the Arizona Diamondbacks amidst a 31-48 record to begin the 2010 season. In the interim, Jerry Dipoto will take over the general man

Karlsson withdraws from Open de France >>
Paris, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sweden's Robert Karlsson withdrew from the Open de France after one round because of a strained wrist. Karlsson, 40, said on his Twitter feed that he would return for the British Open in two weeks. He d

AP Source: Celtics agree to terms with Pierce >>
BOSTON (AP) -A Boston Celtics official says the team has agreed to terms with Paul Pierce on a new contract.The official is familiar with the deal but spoke on the condition of anonymity because the free agent signing period does not begin until Thu

Line of Scrimmage: NFL GameChangers '10: Pass Rushers >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Apart from 13 mostly unmemorable outings with the Washington Redskins in 2008, Jason Taylor has spent his entire 13- year NFL career as a member of the Miami Dolphins. Thus, suffice it to say, he's more th

Huh confirms South Korea exit >>
Seoul, South Korea (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - South Korea manager Huh Jung-moo confirmed on Friday that he will not be renewing his contract with the team, which expires at the end of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The 55-year-old Huh guided S

Report: Pierce reaches agreement with Celtics >>
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Celtics and forward Paul Pierce have reportedly reached an agreement on a new contract. The Boston Herald reports the sides reached an agreement for four years, with options for the club and Pierce

FOOTBALL BETTING : Crabtree's base deal: six years, $32 million

Football Betting

In the wake of the news that the 49ers have signed receiver Michael Crabtree after an extended holdout, there has been not a hint of the dollars to be paid to Crabtree.

And since this means that his agent hasn't leaked the numbers, it means that his agent feels no specific motivation to do so.

Possibly because his agent isn't all that thrilled to have his name on the deal.

So the numbers will come from sources other than Crabtree's agent. And we've gotten our mitts into them.

Per a league source, Crabtree has signed a six-year, $32 million contract. (The total includes guaranteed money, base salaries, and the one-time incentive based on achieving minimum playing time.)

The deal also includes $17 million in guaranteed money.

As reported elsewhere, the deal can void to five years based on performance triggers, wiping out a final year base salary of $4 million. But they won't be easily reached.

The source tells us that, in his first four seasons (including 2009), Crabtree must either qualify for two Pro Bowls, or he must qualify for one Pro Bowl in one year and he must participate in 80 percent of the offensive snaps in a separate year in which the team makes the playoffs.

In other words, if in 2010 he qualifies for the Pro Bowl and the team makes the playoffs and he participates in 80 percent of the snaps, he'll still need to make it to the Pro Bowl or achieve the 80-percent/playoffs in another season.

Since the chances of Crabtree making the Pro Bowl or participating in 80 percent of the offensive snaps this year is roughly zero percent, he'll have three years to get it done.

And it won't be easy. Frankly, he'll be hard pressed to make it to one Pro Bowl in three years with the likes of Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Johnson, Anquan Boldin, Steve Smith, the other Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks, DeSean Jackson, Johnny Knox, Percy Harvin, Greg Jennings, Roddy White, T.J. Houshmandzadeh in the same conference for sportsbook betting.

So, by all appearances, it's a six-year deal. And at $17 million in guaranteed money, the per-year guarantee is a tepid $2.83 million per year.

There's another problem with the deal -- it has no mid-tier incentive package. Instead, the additional $8 million that Crabtree can earn (pushing the max value to six years, $40 million) requires the kind of unrealistic, mega-star performances that no rookie is likely to ever achieve.

So while the contract paid to Packers defensive tackle B.J. Raji covers five years and pays $22.5 million, he has the ability (if he's a solid player) to make up the difference between his base deal and Crabtree's five-year, $28 million haul via the mid-tier incentive package in Raji's deal.

And unless Crabtree meets the performance thresholds necessary to void the sixth year, he'll be stuck under contract for another year at a base salary of only $4 million.

There's one other area of concern with the deal. Crabtree, per the source, received no option bonus. Instead, he has significant money tied to a fairly new device known as a "discretionary salary advance," which unlike an opition bonus is subject to forfeiture if Crabtree decides in a year or two that he wants to hold out for a better deal. (We're also told that the 49ers have included language that would make certain escalators subject to forfeiture, too.)

Meanwhile, the deal falls well short of the mark for which Crabtree and agent Eugene Parker were aiming -- the five-year, $38.25 million contract paid by the Raiders to receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, the seventh overall pick in the draft.

Even if Crabtree successfully voids the final year, he'll make more than $2 million per year less on average than Heyward-Bey.

Thus, as we explained earlier in the day, this is a deal that Crabtree could have done in July, which would have given him a much better chance of making a contribution to the 49ers during his rookie year.

So while the final outcome can be described as win-win, the broader view suggests that it's really a lose-lose situation.

NFL Betting Lines

To visit this sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your college football betting needs.