Glubki

TSN is reporting the Kaberle/Kessel deal looks dead. http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=282967

That's right - it was Fletcher. same smoke - different signal blower...

I smell a lot of smoke coming out of Toronto via the press - Burke is trying to up the ante just like he did with all of the ridiculous rumors surrounding McCabe.

If Dallas offered that I'd hop all over it. Kaberle is a good defenseman but the #8 and a young D-man for Kaberle?

It should be on Versus at 7pm...

Kessel is a solid young player but this trade offer makes no sense for the Leafs - he is worth more than just Kaberle but not Kaberle and the 7th overall pick - I think this rumor loses it's legs early.

The age of these kids makes it a crapshoot in most cases. The NHL drafts globally and that makes it difficult for the average fan to assess talent. The league and press also do a horrible job of showcasing future talent. I'm sticking with the hopes of the best available RW'er at #29 or best available D-man if they move into the top 20 somehow.

If Kassian is gone than they should still take the best RW'er available that late in the draft...

LGW's General Posting Etiquette - Section I - Point #3.... � Members are not allowed to dicate vocally whether or not fans of an opposing team should post here. Members that attempt to discourage fans from opposing teams from posting here will have their Hockey Discussion posting privileges suspended. Lighten up people he is just looking for some insight from the opposition and what better group of people to ask than your rivals and closest thing to a dynasty in 20 years...

Match the Oilers? No Be a consistent playoff force and win at least one more cup in the next 3 years? Possible If the cap drops each of the next two years like it is anticipated than they are going to have a hard time getting any talent via free agency. They have a minimum of 6 open roster spots next year and 8M in cap space if the cap stays the same. Scuderi is going to want a raise if he stays, Letang is going to require more money next season and if any of the three top centers get injured it will be tough to get out of the East with Boston and Washington both hungry. Washington has good chance to load up with 11 Million in free space and if they dump or buyout Theodore they will have even more room to reload.

Unless they retire, get bought out or traded after their clauses expire the cap hit will remain intact...

I don't see it that way. Hossa was low man on the seniority list. Holland signed two home grown Wings to large extensions out of loyalty and based on their previous performance. This along with the cap limits his ability to make Hossa a larger offer without moving serious salary and filling the gap with league minimum players. I'm in the crowd that would like to get Hossa back but Holland has his hands tied. Signing him for more than they can afford is like the broke college kid who decides he's going to school in a new Audi, he is going to trade in his current car at a loss in order to get it and within a few years he is going to be buried in the hole with the payments.

I can't make it work either - every player that leaves has to have a replacement and the guys that are probably leaving don't wash much in salary off the board. Even if you trade Howard and/or sign a backup at the league minimum, Leino at .9M, Kopecky at .5M, dump Lebda and keep Meech as the 13th forward or 7th Dman it is still 1.4M over the cap at a $4M cap hit for Hossa. People have been saying it for 6 months - either Kronwall or Flip would have to go.

Assuming the cap stays the same too - we'll know in 10 days or so... Every analyst I've heard talk about the cap says it will drop significantly in 2010/2011 as well.

Stop that... sensible/responsible insight regarding this team's financial future is frowned upon.

Lidstrom is and has been the key. I've felt for the past two offseasons and this one as well that it was time to load up some picks and make a move into the top 5 for an NHL ready defenseman to fill Lid's void when he retires. If I have a choice between an elite goalie or a solid blue chip defenseman I'm still opting for the D-man. Ericsson looks good and will get even better as he plays more but our two top defensemen are in their mid and late 30's.

He is a world class player and every team would love to have him but reality doesn't take a back seat to fantasy and in this case the hard salary cap is the reality. I like Hossa and would jump up and down if they could keep him but not if it means losing 2-3 proven young players and replacing them with unknown players at the league minimum; which is what would have to happen unless he signs for about 2.5M a year or so or takes a low one year deal until Lids salary gets reduced.

Where are you getting your cap numbers from? The Wings already have 51.255M committed towards the cap next year. Using the 56.7M from 08/09 this leaves 5.445M if the cap remains the same which is doubtful. I ran your projected roster on Cap Geek using 5.9M for Hossa, dropping Meech and Maltby, keeping Draper because of 35+ status, bringing up Abs and Howard and that puts Detroit over the cap by about 2.5M with only 10 forwards on the rosters... Someone has to offer Hudler more than 2.615M to trigger a first and a third round pick - I just don't see it happening when every other team in the league knows the Wings are up against the cap.

I'm in favor of a slight overhaul... Let Hossa, Kopecky and Sammy go, trade or accept a sheet on Hudler (even though you won't get more than a second rounder for him), trade Meech, retire Holmstrom and than bring up the kids and look for a hungry veteran forward for the third line. Even if they do all of this it would only leave 4M to sign three forwards if the cap stays the same and 2M if the cap drops to 54M. I see no possible way Hossa can remain on this team for more than 2.5M annually without trading Kronwall or Flip.

Congrats to the Penguins - you worked harder and deserved to win!

Bodog has the wings at -220 right now and BetEd has them at -210 http://www.docsports.com/hockey-odds.html

Welcome to the age of narcissism.... I thought it was funny how the f bombs just started flying out of nowhere - totally unexpected!

It is hard to disagree with the general sentiment given some of Bettman's past remarks but part of me is inclined to believe that he may have been a bit pissed off by how the Penguins were responding to being down 5 goals. It was a nationally televised game and the "chosen one" and his sidekick were acting like 2 year old kids after being denied their turn at the candy jar. That was just as embarrassing to the league as it was to the Penguins themselves. Probably a combination of both elements I suppose...

Pi$$ on that - lets bury their asses! They have 2 days off after today...

Kunitz dropped his shoulder into Ozzy on purpose - NBC SUCKS!!!!