Special Sub-Topic: NHL Offseason Transactions 2003 Click Here To Play: NHL Offseason Transactions 2003

Who was the highest scorer from the 2002-2003 regular season who changed teams, by whatever means, in the 2003 offseason?

Sergei Fedorov. Fedorov, who scored 83 points, made it clear that he would not resign with Detroit after the 2002-2003 season, despite being offered an amazing 5-year multi-million contract. He signed a 5-year deal with Anaheim instead for less money. This was only possible because Paul Kariya signed with Colorado.

Which of these goalies did not change teams, either by trade or by free agency, during the 2003 offseason?

Dan Cloutier. Hedberg was traded from Pittsburgh to Vancouver for a 2004 2nd round pick. Hackett signed as a free agent with Philadelphia to replace Cechmanek, who was traded to Los Angeles. Cloutier remained in Vancouver.

Which of these teams did not lose (either through a trade or free agency) its captain during the 2003 offseason?

Philadelphia Flyers. Ray Whitney, Columbus' captain, signed with the Red Wings, along with Derian Hatcher, Dallas' captain. Phoenix's captain, Teppo Numminen, was traded to Dallas in a three-team deal that also involved Columbus (weird, huh?). Keith Primeau, the Flyers' captain, stayed in Philadelphia.

Which of these players had announced that he would be signing with a different team in the 2003 offseason, only to retire instead?

Calle Johansson. Johansson had played 15 seasons for the Capitals after coming over from the Sabres in his second season. The Capitals had announced the Johansson would not be re-signed after the 2002-2003 season, and he retired. Johansson was then named as a scout for the Capitals, so he could stay with the organization. Roy and Danyeko both retired, but never suggested they would sign with other teams. Lemieux was rumored to be retiring after the 2002-2003 season, but did not.

Which of these players did not retire during the 2003 offseason?

Don Sweeney. Sweeney signed with Dallas after having spent his entire career in Boston. Richter retired due to a concussion sustained in the previous season. Svehla retired from the Maple Leafs even though he was somewhat slow about signing his retirement papers. Daneyko retired from the Devils after winning his third Stanley Cup.

Which team "traded up" to get the 2003 first overall draft pick?

Pittsburgh Penguins. Pittsburgh traded a few players and its first round pick to Florida. 2003 was the second year in a row that Florida traded the #1 overall pick, having dealt it to Columbus the year before.

Who was selected as the first overall pick in 2003?

Marc-Andre Fleury. Marc-Andre Fleury, an 18 year-old goalie, was selected by the Penguins. He also started the Penguins' opener against the Los Angeles Kings, making 46 saves but still losing 3-0. Staal was the second pick, going to the Carolina Hurricanes. Horton was third, going to Florida, while Rick Nash was the first overall pick in 2002, going to Columbus.

Which player was acquired at the trade deadline in 2003, only to be waived and then claimed by the team that had traded him during the offseason?

Valeri Bure. Valeri Bure was traded by Florida to St. Louis for Mike Van Ryn, but was waived by the Blues in the offseason. Florida claimed him. Battaglia was traded by Carolina to the Avalanche, but then resigned with the Avalanche in the offseason. Marchment was traded prior to the deadline to the Avalanche from the Sharks, but then signed with Toronto in the offseason.

What team controlled the rights to Brian Leetch for a brief period before he re-signed with the New York Rangers?

Edmonton Oilers. Even though both the Rangers and Leetch himself wanted him to remain in New York, the Rangers traded his rights to Edmonton. All this meant was that if the Oilers did not sign Leetch, an unrestricted free agent, they would receive compensatory draft picks (just a bit confusing). Leetch signed a two-year deal with the Rangers a few weeks later.

Former #1 draft pick Alexandre Daigle signed with which team after a try-out in the 2003 offseason?

Minnesota Wild. Daigle signed a one year deal and started the season with the Wild. He did the same thing the year before with the Penguins, before being released by the season's end. Ottawa was the team that originally drafted Daigle first overall in 1994.

Which team's purchase by billionaire Eugene Melnyk was finalized during the 2003 offseason?

Ottawa Senators. Melnyk purchased the Senators and the Corel Centre, promising to keep the President's Trophy winning Senators in Ottawa. The Senators had been bankrupt during the 2002-2003 season, and at one point the player's checks bounced.

With which team did defenseman Greg de Vries sign?

New York Rangers. De Vries signed with the Rangers after spending 5 seasons with the Avalanche.

True or False: The imminent expiration of the league's collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in 2004 was a major reason that many contracts signed in the 2003 offseason were for only one year.

t. This is true for several reasons. First, teams were not as interested in signing long term deals because they thought a new CBA would result in salaries being lower on average the next year. Second, many factors indicated that there would be a lockout in 2004, which would encourage many European players (Peter Forsberg and Teemu Selanne, for example) to retire from the NHL and play in Europe. Third, the potential lockout would also encourage a lot of older NHL stars to just retire.

Which of these players was not holding out (meaning that he was a restricted free agent and was not signed, presumably to get more money) when the 2003-2004 regular season began?

Miroslav Satan. Satan signed with the Sabres just days before the start of the season. Dupuis and Gaborik, both of the Minnesota Wild, and Havlat of the Senators, held out, though Havlat signed within a few days of the start of the season.

Which of these players did not, as a free agent, sign with a different team than he finished with in 2003 but for which he had previously played?

Ray Whitney. Whitney signed with Detroit, after having played with Columbus, Florida, Edmonton and San Jose over the previous 11 seasons. Robitaille signed for his third stint with the Kings. Wesley signed with Carolina after having been acquired by the Maple Leafs from Carolina at the 2003 trade deadline. Jiri Slegr signed with the Canucks after having played with them from 1992 to 1995.

Which of these experienced centers remained unsigned when the 2003-2004 season began?

Cliff Ronning. Ronning was not resigned by the Minnesota Wild, and remained unsigned when the season began. Nieuwendyk signed with the Maple Leafs, Larionov signed with the Devils (to perhaps replace Nieuwendyk) and Messier did resign with the Rangers amidst speculation that he would retire. In addition to Ronning, other great players such as Adam Oates, Bryan Berard and Phil Housley remained unsigned when the season began. Ronning signed with the NY Islanders, Oates with the Oilers and Berard with the Blackhawks after the season began. Housley retired.

Which of these teams did not acquire a goaltender through any means during the 2003 offseason?

Colorado Avalanche. After the retirement of Patrick Roy, the Avalanche showed their faith in young David Aebischer and Phil Sauve by not acquiring another goaltender, although there were several available. The Blue Jackets picked up Fred Brathwaite from St. Louis to serve as a capable backup for Mark Denis. Boston cleaned house, trading Steve Shields and allowing Jeff Hackett to sign with Philadelphia, while signing Felix Potvin. Florida acquired Steve Shields from Boston to replace Jani Hurme.

Which of these teams started the 2003-2004 season with a new coach?

Pittsburgh Penguins. Pittsburgh hired Eddie Olczyk for his first ever coaching position. Pat Quinn remained Toronto's coach but resigned as GM. Glenn Sather remained the Rangers coach and GM, having taken over as coach the previous year. Mike Babcock also remained the coach of the Ducks after leading them to the Stanley Cup Finals the year before.

Which of these teams did not lose, by whatever means, its highest scorer for the 2002-2003 regular season in the 2003 offseason?

Edmonton Oilers. Ryan Smyth led the Oilers in scoring with 61 points after the deadline day departure of Anson Carter and resigned with the Oilers after salary arbitration. Todd Marchant, the Oilers' second highest scorer with 60 points, did sign with a different team. Sergei Federov led the Red Wings with 83 points and signed with Anaheim. Vaclav Prospal led the Lightning with 79 points and also signed with Anaheim. Teemu Selanne led the Sharks with 64 points and signed with Colorado.

This does not really involve a transaction, but which team traveled to Scandinavia to compete against teams from Finland and Sweden in the 2003 preseason?

Toronto Maple Leafs. Toronto played three games, winning all three, to open the NHL preseason.