stevkrause

I strongly disagree about the "no one from the roster" statement - I think it would be wrong and won't happen to ship off Flip, but I'd bet money on it that come March 5th, either Meech or Lebda (or possibly both) will have new homes

I think this probably has more to do with the fact that we want to see who will be up come playoffs... I'm pretty sure Leino will be on the roster come playoffs... and Downey coming up makes since, due to the fact that we're playing some chippy St. Louis and Colorado teams back to back in the next few days...

bitter sweet, I'm stoked to see both Downey and Ericsson back up, moreso than I am upset to see Helm and Leino sent back down, but I still wish all 4 could somehow be on the roster...

^

eh... the only downside there, is that REALLY cripples your 3rd d pairing in speed - I personally just think we should deal Meech or Lebda (I'd rather see Lebda go, but I think we could get more for Meech) and have the 3rd pairing be Lilja-Meech/Lebda (whoever is left) then cycle in Cheli if anyone gets injured/matchups where speed isn't as big of a factor... also keep in mind there is a very good chance that if Ericsson can kick the injury bug that the 3rd pairing will most likely be Ericsson-Lilja through the whole playoffs...

you're missing my point... I don't see the point in adding a d-man either, but if they're going to, I'd rather it be Dandenault than Havelid... and 1.7 is better than 2.7 Havelid is at...

What is wrong with all of those saying no?!?! Right now, it's looking like the Wings are eyeing Havelid pretty heavily as a DEPTH defenseman... lets see... Dandenault - right handed, faster, 2 years younger, a full MILLION cheaper AND an expiring contract, i.e. RENTAL Havelid - also a rental, but yet another left handed D, a little smaller than Dandy, no team experience, so you never know about the chemistry... Dandenault>Havelid for sure... keep in mind, this is for depth, not to light up the playoffs... and as a matter of fact, the more I think about it, the more I love it, really the only weakness Lilja has is speed - put Dandy back there with him - problem solved. Lidstrom-Rafalski Kronwall-Stuart Lilja-Dandenault Meech/Lebda Chelios looks pretty good to me... I'm still thoroughly convinced that either Meech or Lebda will have a new home as of March 5th by the way...

I predict that as of March 5th - -Lebda OR Meech will have a new home either for a pick/prospect or as part of a package -Emmerton and a pick to Atlanta for Havelid that's about all I could see really happening... I don't see a goalie trade happening, as we would essentially have to waive Conklin or Osgood to make room, or carry 3 goalies, which I do not see happening... now what I would LIKE to see happen - Package Meech and a pick for Chris Neil from Ottawa, and try like hell to re-sign him in the off-season

especially because of his positioning, and having to cut the angle from the shooter, then to get over when the pass is made... hands down the best: name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src=" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>&"> name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src=" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350" />

amazing athleticism for sure and Kipper is damn good, but it was his own fault it had to be such an acrobatic save in the first place... he got himself WAY out of position on the first shot and that was pretty bad fundamentals Nabokov's save last year against Dallas in, what was it, triple overtime? was by far the greatest save I've ever seen

all these wholesale trade ideas are insane, this isn't NHL 09 - if you change more than 1 or 2 EVERYDAY roster players, you mess up chemistry, locker-room morale and some players never click... there is NO way that more than one everyday roster player would be moved, anything else would be prospects or picks - keep in mind, this team WON THE STANLEY CUP LAST YEAR... we're also only a pt out of first this year! If it isn't broke, don't fix it... tweak it, MAYBE... a wholesale change is NOT a tweak... Next, unless a team offers a King's ransom, there is NO way Kronwall is delt. Period. Also, all the people purposing the Boumeester/Horton deal? What are you on?!?!? That deal makes NO sense... we would lose Boumeester in the offseason as an UFA (no way in HELL we could afford to re-sign him) and how the hell are we going to support a 4 mil cap hit for Horton through 2013?!?!? Ok, so you take the money freed up with Fil and Kronners... guess what, now you have a hole in your 2nd D-pairing and you're gonna tell me that you're gonna spend 4 mil a year on a 3rd liner in Horton?!?! There's no room in the top 2 for him... Sorry, but this idea is horrible, you give up a dynamic 2 way forward who will end up a 1st or 2nd line center there and give them a 1st pairing d-man and you end up with ONLY a VERY expensive 3rd line winger in return for next year after Boumesster bolts for $$... oh yea, and you jack the chemistry for this year... HORRIBLE.

that would NEVER happen - I would bet a years salary on it

without a doubt.

Once again, this is Eklund, so I think it's crap... but why would this even be a possiblity?!?! Link here

haha,

QFT

just to add to the thread, Abs can fight better than anyone on our current roster (keep in mind, this being after Downey is sent down) with the exception of maybe the surprising ability Lilja's shown this year... so that's always a distinct possibility too

Helm JUST got off an injury... he needs some time in GR before they bring him up to rehab, I'm sure if he hadn't been injured, he may have been called up, but I love the call of of Abs

Per the new CBA, no they cannot restructure, but they can buy someone out and then it doesn't count... Holland is a genious and found the loophole, sign guys longer than you planned, frontloaded deals, this way, in the backend, the guy either retires, or you buy him out for the lesser value and if you REALLY want, you can re-sign him, after you buy him out at at a lower amount, which will then count against the cap... not the initial value - GENIUS really...

First - combine the skills competition and the games, make it an East Vs. West competition and take a page from Chara's idea and get sponsors to donate X amount of dollars towards a charity of the winning conferences choice (maybe add some bonus donations for the winner of each individual contest from the skills competition to be donated to the charity of that player's choice) First - Skills competition - Fastest skater - make it 2 guys going opposite directions like they used to - 3 from each Conference winner gets a point for their conference Hardest Shot - also 3 a side - self explanatory - winner gets a point for their conference 3 on 0 breakaway - this needs to be brought back - shows great passing and skill: Each team gets 2 teams of 3 and they get 60 seconds - every shot or goal scored and they need to leave the zone and re-enter - winner gets a point for their conference Accuracy Contest - 3 a side, self-explanatory - winner gets a point for their conference Slam dunk-esque breakaway challenge - 4 shooters a side, but instead of timing it, each skater gets 5 tries - winner is decided by HOCKEY-RELATED celebrity judges (i.e. legends of the game, commentators, hockey enthusiast celebs - Dennis Leary, Adam Sandler, Mike Meyers, etc...), also, an Alumni goalie (retired) from the ASG's hosting city takes the pipes (ie. if it were held in Detroit, have Mike Vernon go between the pipes, Glen hanlon, etc...)winner gets a point for their conference and finally... Single elimination shootout - Same as this year, every player goes - , HOWEVER, they all face the goalies from the "Young Star" game from the opposite conference - this way no one faces their teams goalie and the all-star goalies aren't used for this, but still NHL caliber goalies - winner gets a point for their conference Next, the real game... which is BRUTAL First, play the Young Star game, the day of the NHL All-Star game, at like 2PM EST, 10 minute periods of STOP time - 5 on 5. winner gets 3 points for their conference Then, play the real game at 6PM EST, basically same format - winner gets 5 points for their conference Add up the total of all the points and the winning conference gets the charity money AND the winning conference is the one selected from to choose the team that gets to host the Winter Classic the next season! - This would give the players something to play for and make the game more intense and the competitions more worth watching. In the event there is a tie in points from all the events... the team that actually won the main game, gets the win. What do you guys think?

that is one of the funniest pictures I have ever seen

With the growth of an already sickenly talented Ovechkin and Datsyuk, as well as Malkin coming into his own... I think Russia is going to give everyone a serious run for gold at the Olympics next year... Just doing some searches... this could be the lineup - SCARY: Forwards: Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins Ilya Kovalchuk, Atlanta Thrashers Alexander Semin, Washington Capitals Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings Nikolai Zherdev, New York Rangers Alexander Frolov, Los Angeles Kings Alexei Kovalev, Montreal Canadiens Alexander Radulov, Salavat Yulaev Ufa (KHL) Aleksey Morozov, Ak-Bars Kazan (KHL) Nikita Filatov, Columbus Blue Jackets Sergei Fedorov, Washington Capitals Alexei Yashin, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL) Defense Andrei Markov, Montreal Canadiens Sergei Gonchar, Pittsburgh Penguins Anton Volchenkov, Ottawa Senators Sergei Zubov, Dallas Stars Fedor Tyutin, Columbus Blue Jackets Denis Grebeshov, Edmonton Oilers Vitaly Atyushov, Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL) Goalies: Evgeni Nabokov, San Jose Sharks Ilya Bryzgalov, Phoenix Coyotes Nikolai Khabibulin, Chicago Blackhawks

With the trade deadline only 6 weeks away, if you had the choice to keep Marian Hossa and it meant trading Brian Rafalski, would you do it? It would free up 6 million in cap space and with Ericsson NHL ready, Meech showing he can play at the NHL level and our addition of Stuart, it kinda makes sense to me... add that to the fact that if you free up that 6 mil in cap space (plus 1.2 for letting Sammy walk) you could VERY possibly not only keep Hossa, but ALSO re-sign both Franzen AND Hudler... don't get me wrong, I love Raffi, but it is intriguing to think about.... discuss...

I didn't know Raffi had a no-trade clause... so this is a moot point, thanks for the info!