Shaman

So far I am right on the years.

Prediction 3 years ~21 million.

Like who?

So, they won't give up Malkin for anything less than an established #2 D-man++. Giving them 3rd/2nd pairing kids with some ceiling doesn't a good trade make.

Look at their system, they have been loading up on defensive prospects.

Pittsburgh is pretty much set on defense anyway, they have a strong prospect pool of D-men. They would ask for Nyquist, Tatar++++

No, they got out played by a deeper team, not a bigger team, or more physical team. They scored 5 goals in 3 games they could have eliminated the Hawks.

Canadian youth hockey players tend to be like Texas youth football players, hyped for years, and rarely any surprises come draft time. There is a reason why there are more Europeans that are draft steals than there are Canadians.

Easy answer is: Yes, there should be a lot of good players that could be available at 18.

I think Callahan will be a Darren McCarty type player. Not a true enforcer, but gritty, can fight, and can score a few goals. I think he will be at the heart of the teams 3rd line for many seasons.

I believe the Wings are 18th overall this year.

Rhah: The East have a lot of teams that have very skilled top lines with very physical bottom 6 and defensive corps. The West has more of the power forward model, but, all in all the East is much tougher top to bottom.

With his back becoming a liability I don't see Bert being as physical as he was in the past. As for Sammy, the only tough call that anyone should have to make about him is what color the condolence flowers should be to mourn the end of his lackluster career.

A team that scored 5 goals in 3 games that they could have eliminated a team is NOT good enough. Once Chicago figured out the Wing's system they pretty much neutralized the Wing's top two lines, and became only the 25th team in the history of the NHL to battle back from 1-3 and win in game 7. Next season the Wings will find themselves in the East, were they will find themselves playing much tougher teams for 82 games, and doing so without a true #1 goal scorer, a true #1 D-man, and no back up goaltender. If you think that will end well, I have a bridge to sell you in Brooklyn.

When you are a top 6 player points DO necessarily translate to success. If he were a bottom 6 player/2nd PP unit specialist, than sure points are a lot less important in the grand scheme of things, but when you are a top 6 forward your job is to score. He had 3 points in 12 games, I'm sorry, but that's trash no matter what other good things he does. This is especially true when the team scores a grand total of 5 goals in 3 games.

Abdelkader doesn't deserve to be on the first or second line, he had 3 points in the playoffs, he was outplayed by the likes of injured Dan Cleary. He was a plug and an experiment, his season totals weren't out of his normal averages, and his playoffs were trash.

Hes supposed to be a low risk high reward guy, sound defensively with good offensive skills and maturity. Known issues: History of injuries and KHL.

Flip has been so invisible this season I plum forgot about him. If he takes a 2-3 season at 3-3.5 million, keep him, anything more than that, let him walk.

Problem is Babcock won't play him on the 4th line, he will use him in the top 6.

Drop Cleary, Sammy, Bertuzzi, go after a top 6 forward, keep Nyquist, Tatar, and Anderson up. The Defense is young, but is adapting well. Also bury Monster, he blows.

Is he doing it for the lawlz? Cause if my crystal ball is worth the sand it's made of, I see this making Gretzky as the Yotes coach look like a good idea.

Kane is a nut, he has a rubber butt!

I think MacLean did more with less, so if I had a vote it would be for him.

Hes their Osgood. Put him on a team that isn't as dominate, I think hes a middle tier goalie, but, with their team in front of him he doesn't really have to steal games, just make a few big saves, and then be solid and they do the rest.

I think the problem isn't Cleary, per se, its how hes used. If he were a 4th line energy/depth player, he would be one of the best in the league. But he is currently expected to match up against some of the best young talent in the NHL, and he doesn't have the physical ability to compete at that level anymore. This isn't a knock on him, his job is to be on the ice when is number is called.