Casey

Backstrom to Wings? (e4) According to my sources within the Minnesota Wild organization, the Detroit Red Wings are willing to part with G Chris Osgood and a bucket of fried chicken to obtain the services of G Niklas Backstrom. Remember, you heard it here first! No thanks!

Senior did. Still, I like your choice. Rascals. Rain or snow.

Aretoo! Henry Jones Jr., or Henry Jones Sr.?

The problem with saying that we let players go and they burn us is that they wouldn't be playing in Detroit anyway. Look at Quincey, for example- he was a 5th or 6th defenseman here, at a time when we had 7 ready to go. No room. You can't really say they burn us when they wouldn't be on the roster here even if they stayed.

Lilja-Ericsson would be a great pairing.

He was one of your leading scorers in the playoffs last year, goals and assists. You can't rewrite history.

Datsyuk was "garbage" once come playoff time, too.

Never said you could. You want Abs/Helm/Leino/E/Hossa? The list I gave is pretty much the only way.

You forget the depth question. Detroit likes 4 lines, without a massive dropoff. You're risking building a line or more of scrubs.

He's had his shot. He's not improving in the AHL, and his NHL record is a pathetic 1-9.

You're ignoring the cost of Abdelkader, Helm and Leino.

Osgood and Conklin. Howard simply isn't good enough.

Look at the depth you'd lose. You tell me how that's a good move. To make it work, Samuelsson, Hudler, Holmstrom, Maltby, and Jimmy Howard are gone. This is not even including Chelios and McCarty, who would likely be retiring anyway. Your lines? Z-D-Cleary Franzen-Filppula-Hossa Draper-Helm-Leino Abdelkader-Kopecky-Meech. Defense is unchanged. Conks and Ozzie for goal, since Conks only makes ~50K more than Howard. Your D is decent. Your top 2 lines rock. Your bottom 2 lines are nonexistent, and you're rolling with only 21 players. No depth and no cap space. Take a look and prove me wrong. http://tinyurl.com/m2g5m7 I'm not even giving raises to those who richly deserve it (Conklin).

Your scenario is also with dumping Conklin for Howard, a move that no one I know of thinks is a good one.

Yeah, actually. TPBM wants a steak.

Why are you assuming Lilja isn't coming back? He played well enough and cheaply enough to be a far better alternative to Lebda on the third pairing.

Guess I'll have to drop a note to the Blur sometime. I just finished my boards. Squee.

Drop Kronners and splice in Beauchemin from Anaheim. Saves a million.

Your backup goalie sucks and your 4th line might score 1 goal all season.

Hmmm... This is difficult. NO matter what I try, even if Hudler, Holmstrom, Maltby and Samuelsson go, I can't make the cap work with Hossa at 4M. I'm coming up with some nice lines, but only 11 forwards. Moving a Dman is the only sensible choice, but who? Stuart/Kronwall were both good in the regular season, Lilja/E could be an awesome power line, Lids/Rafi is a superb pairing when Rafi hasn't herniated his back. Lines I can pull together: Z-D-Cleary Franzen-Filppula-Hossa Both solid, but then I just have Kopecky, Abdelkader, Leino, Helm and Draper. I can make a decent third line out of Abdelkader, Helm and Draper, but I'm stuck for a fourth unless Meech plays as the 12th forward. That's a crazy drop from lines 1-2 to 3-4.

So the fact that Howard has 1 win in 9 tries and a GAA over 3 in the NHL is some great talent to worry about losing? He's had 4 seasons in GR- time to crap or get off the can, as they say.

Where are you getting the cash for Luongo? His current salary is 7.5M.

Anybody know how to send fan mail to a Wing? I have something I'd like to ask the Nightmare on Helm Street.

Jay Bouwmeester, I believe. Solid 40-point Dman from the Panthers. Makes 4.875M at the moment, UFA this summer. I'd still rather Beauchemin- 1.650M, 20-30 points most years, much better +/-.

He gave them two chances to win the Cup. The offense didn't respond.