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Abdelkader isn't nearly skilled enough to center a scoring line. AA and Larkin at center will mean growing pains, but one or both gave to be top end centers if this team has any chance of not being terrible in the next few years. Both are natural centers and both gave more skill than Abdelkader. Sink or swim time.

Datsyuk was slated to make 5.5 million next year. I highly doubt he'll make more next year in the KHL It's hard to find info about KHL contracts, but here's an article from 2013 that shows the highest salaries as: Kovy: 10.3 mill US Radulov: 7.5 mill Zinovyev: 4.7 mill http://www.sports.ru/hockey/154502348.html As you can see, after the first 2 it drops off significantly. And that's before the ruble collapse: http://www.nationalpost.com/m/wp/tag/blog.html?b=news.nationalpost.com/sports/nhl/canadian-players-in-the-khl-seeing-paycheques-cut-after-the-russian-ruble-collapse-2 and the cuts to the KHL salary cap where the KHL president aims to limit salaries to 14.5 million per team. So Datsyuk's red wings salary would be more than a 3rd of a team's payroll: http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/cuts-to-khl-salary-cap-could-mean-nhls-rival-league-is-a-rival-no-longer/ apparently they're at 17 mill per team now and they'll cut the cap each year until 17-18. http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/russian-hockey-league-khl-aims-to-slash-salary-cap-as-country-battles-economic-crisis/

Cindy Crosby played like she can when she's in the mood for some. This might be considered blasphemy in here but I prefer Pittsburgh in the finals. I almost always prefer a northern team.

Don't know why you think Abby is a proven centerman. I think the last time he played center was AHL so that would make AA as proven as him. I think centermen always have more defensive responsibility than wingers. Wingers go along the boards and get caught up with players. Centermen are in free ice and so they're the logical/reliable ones to skate back and help the D. Because of this, it is the place where the fastest skaters play because they have to go north to south. To me, having AA and Larkin at center, is how we make use of their speed. I think we'll still see Z as the top center, which I think is fine, but hopefully Larkin gets better at faceoffs and takes over as the year goes on. I'd like Helm as the 3rd line center - He would certainly help the faceoff % - but I realize that blocks either AA or Sheahan so I know it doesn't fully make sense. To sign another centerman (unless it's Stamkos - i've heard he wants to play center) at this point just gets in the way of the future. I even think signing Richards to play center (though he played well at the end of the year and playoffs) this past year was overly cautious. We're not winning the cup next year (barring some big moves...maybe Stamkos, some surprise big trade on D and a lot of internal development) so we're continue this youth movement and get things going in the right direction for them taking over the team.

Dude he just can't stop scoring. He's a machine.

The joke is how many the refs miss in real time. Makes you wonder how many playoff games have been decided in the past by blown offsides call.

If Stamkos has interest in coming to your team, you open up that chequebook. He is a franchise center in his prime. He would nullify the loss of Datsyuk immediately, as well as be our best player by a long shot. Imagine our pp. This leaves us severely lacking center depth and a top dman. I don't think Yandle is the answer at all. Would love to see Okposo as a Wing though. For me, the dream is Stamkos, Trouba and Okposo. Easier said than done, of course. But if they can get Trouba or another top dman at the draft via trade, it would greatly help attract UFAs come July 1st. But finding a center is far more important than bringing in a guy like Radulov. Even if it is a band-aid solution at center to take some of the pressure off of Larkin and AA for a year or two. Obviously Stammer would give us a permanent one-two punch down the middle with he and Larkin.