Flyers deal Gagne to Tampa Bay

Hockey Betting Lines

07/19/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Flyers have traded left wing Simon Gagne to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for defenseman Matt Walker and fourth-round pick in 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Gagne, an oft-injured but talented forward, had one year left on his contract worth a reported $5.25 million and had to waive his no-trade clause. The Flyers also needed to make a move to get under the salary cap and add depth on the blue line.

"This was a move to solidify our defense," said Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren. "Matt Walker is a right shot defenseman that we like; he brings size, grit and toughness to our back end. Simon Gagne played 10 seasons for the Flyers and was not only a good player for us, but also handled himself in a first class manner on and off the ice."

The 30-year-old Gagne was the longest-tenured Flyer, spending 10 seasons with the franchise. He appeared in just 58 games this past season, sitting out the first 24 contests following abdominal surgery, and notched 17 goals with 23 assists for 40 points.

A broken foot suffered in the first round of the playoffs this spring, though, only cost him four games as he returned well ahead of the projected 2-to-4 week prognosis. He tallied nine goals and three assists for 12 points in 19 games to help the Flyers reach the Stanley Cup Finals.

"I'm very excited right now," Gagne said. "I'm looking at this opportunity as a new challenge and a new start. Tampa Bay was a team I was more than willing to waive my no move clause for. I really like the direction the team is headed in with a solid owner, Steve Yzerman as GM and coach Boucher. I'm really looking forward to playing with guys like [Vincent] Lecavalier, [Steven] Stamkos and [Martin] St. Louis. I'm excited to be a member of the Lightning and I'm looking forward to starting next season in Tampa Bay."

Concussion and groin problems allowed him to play just 46 games during the 2002-03 season and he appeared in only 25 games in 2007-08 because of concussion symptoms.

Gagne has twice reached the 40-goal plateau and in 664 career regular-season games has compiled 259 goals with 265 assists for 524 points.

"In adding Simon to the Lightning today, we acquire a very talented player that will play alongside our top forwards," said Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman. "With his combination of speed and skill we are excited to have him with us and grateful he was willing to waive his no movement clause. This trade not only makes us a better team in the short-term, it helps create long- term flexibility for us, which all along has been one of our top priorities."

Walker had signed a multi-year deal last summer and spent just one season with the Lightning. He posted a mere two goals with three assists for five points and had a minus-11 rating in 66 games.

The 30-year-old veteran has also played for the Blues and Blackhawks in his seven-year career. He has four goals and 26 assists for 30 points in 306 NHL games.

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Betting the NFL preseason

Rule No. 1 in the gamblers' handbook states, "Avoid sports betting on meaningless games."

When you're drowning in a sea of baseball monotony, however, things change. Even a hint of pro football betting can persuade the most disciplined bettor to break a few rules. 

The NFL preseason is around the corner, with a tempting Hall of Fame match kicking off on Sunday. But bettors must stay vigilant. Wagering on NFL exhibition games is an entirely different beast than the regular season. Most fans don't recognize the players on the field because starters get as much action in August as Warcraft fans get on Prom night.

The only certainty about the NFL this time of year is uncertainty – and yet there are some who say betting in August can be a gold mine.

“I actually feel the NFL preseason presents solid profit opportunities for sharp bettors and handicappers,” Sports Expert Steve Merril explains. “My experience has been that the sportsbooks fear the preseason, which is evident by lower limits and massive moves.”

The line moves are attributed to the limited knowledge available regarding playing-time distribution. One team’s top unit out on the field for one more series has an impact on the pointspread. Setting lines in the preseason often is a shot in the dark.

“We base the betting lines mostly on public perception,” Pete Korner, founder of the Sports Club in Las Vegas, says. “It’s very tough to predict, almost a guessing game.”

The preseason is all about figuring out who’s in and for how long.

“It becomes a race between bettors and oddsmakers to find out how long the quarterbacks are going to stay in,” Korner admits. “If a sharp gets the information first, he could exploit an early line. I’m a full believer in moving the line in the preseason if the books find out something late in the week.”

Determining what each team’s motive is can help bettors handicap. To do this you must pay close attention to the philosophies head coaches employ in exhibition play.

“You need to know what a coach is trying to accomplish,” says Covers Expert Bryan Leonard. “Sometimes a new coach will want to instill a winning attitude. Others just want to make sure their starters don’t get hurt."

So how do you distinguish who’s playing scared and who’s playing for keeps?

“Head coaches on the hot seat or new coaches trying to implement a winning attitude usually try harder to win in the preseason,” Merril says.

Cleveland Browns head coach Romeo Crennel fits this criteria. He’s entering his third season as the sideline boss and has yet to lead the Browns to more than six wins.

Cleveland is an enticing bet as well because of the unresolved quarterback situation. General manager Phil Savage sacrificed the Browns’ first-round pick in next year’s draft for Brady Quinn, but the former Notre Dame quarterback hasn’t signed or reported to training camp yet.

Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson split time at QB last season and it looks like either player (or even Quinn) could be the opening-day starter.

“If a team has quarterback depth and the pecking order hasn’t been decided, it’s a big advantage,” Leonard says.

Even in the third week of the preseason when starters generally play the most, the final outcome of the game is in the hands of fringe players. A team's talent, all the way down to the last man on the roster, is something to consider.

The New England Patriots have long been considered one of the deeper teams in the NFL and coach Bill Belichick has said in the past he’s unafraid of stars getting hurt in games with nothing on the line. He shocked his colleagues in 2003 by playing some of his starters on special teams in the preseason.

“We want to have the team ready to play a tough, physical game and preparation has to go into that and I imagine a certain amount of injuries go with it,” Belichick told the Providence Journal in August 2003.

Bettors can only hope to find more teams that share the Pats' business-like approach to the preseason (New England is 17-9-3 against the spread since 2000) and take advantage of teams who detest the exhibition schedule.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on football needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.