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I agree that the UFA market isn't going to save us, and it's time for Holland to come to realization of this. However, I do think the trade market could save us, if we had a GM that was capable of pulling off a couple big time trades. Dahlin would be a great add for us. I really wish we somehow got Liljegren in this year's draft, but of course he slipped to the Leafs. Imagine a top pair of Dahlin - Liljegren for the next 10-15 years... Instead we'll have to settle with Dahlin - Hronek...

Yeah, I'm hoping Cholowski and / or Hronek can develop into top pair defensemen. Maybe one becomes a true number one, but I agree that we likely need to look outside the organization for that stud number one. Bean remains to be my pipe dream, but Fleury would be a great addition as well.

Agree on both counts. But I figure we might be due for a Franzen-esque overachiever or two. I'm more hoping than expecting. I mean, realistically, maybe one of our current D prospects becomes a really good NHL defenseman. So...yeah. We don't appear to have much #Legit talent in the system, so this is all kind of an exercise in self-delusion.

I'd be okay with trading Sheahan, but if we do, we're trading low on him. He's coming off a historically bad season and every team knows the cap crunch Holland has this team in. I think we'd be lucky to get a 3rd round pick for him at this point. I'm afraid Holland is still trying to trade Mrazek, which I think would be a huge mistake right now. Again, we'd be selling low, coming off a terrible season. I'd rather trade Howard, but that obviously isn't going to happen. I hope Sproul isn't a victim of the cap crunch. Waiving him doesn't give us that much more wiggle room, and if he does get waived, he will be claimed. Ideal scenario IF everyone is healthy going into the season would be to trade Ericsson. We could trade him to a team like New Jersey or Buffalo along with a 2nd round pick for a mid-late round pick, and retain $1M in salary. However, there's no way that happens because Holland has gifted every player with NTC's. In saying all that, I still think Holland will get out from all this with some sort of injury in training camp / pre-season...

No, he's not one of their best players. I like the kid, but he's probably going to top out as a 45-ish point secondary scorer, similar level as Tatar and Nyquist, both of whom were overhyped at one point as well. That being said, Holland has completely screwed the pooch this off season. Let's assume AA ends up with a $2 mil cap hit, similar to Sheahan. They send Sproul down so they can run with 7 D and 14 F. Svechnikov and Frk make the team. Tatar, Zetterberg, Nyquist, Abdelkader, Nielsen, Mantha, Svechnikov, Larkin, AA, Helm Glendening, Sheahan, Witkowski, Frk Daley. Dekeyser, Green, Ericsson, Kronwall, Jensen, XO Howard, Mrazek That puts them roughly $2 mil OVER the cap, after Franzen takes his trip to LTIR land. And Holland's plan seems to be hoping for someone who makes enough money to matter to be on LTIR for the year, which means someone who makes at least $3 mil because they'll need $975k or so to bring in a replacement unless they keep 22 players on the active roster all year. And that team has one first line caliber forward and zero top pair caliber D and 2 goalies who are huge question marks, plus a head coach who appears to be completely clueless. But ownership trusts Holland's plan. Zetterberg 4 more years, Tatar 4 more years, Abdelkader 6 more years, Nielsen 5 more years, Nyquist 2 more years, Helm 4 more years, Glendening 4 more years, Dekeyser 5 more years, Kronwall 2 more years, Ericsson and Daley 3 more years, XO and Jensen 2 more years, Weiss on the books 4 more years, Howard 2 more years. And they have to decide about Sheahan and Mrazek, plus extend Larkin and Mantha. Well done Kenny.

Beats being bitter, and bitchy all the time. Like being on the cycle 24/7.

Wow.