mmamolo

No way does this deal happen from either team's perspective. The Hawks like Crawford and think he's their guy - at least for now. They just made a huge deal out of retaining Kane last year and think he is a cornerstone to their franchise for the foreseeable future. Ryan Miller is the Buffalo Sabres. Despite his play dropping off a bit this year he still is a major reason why they are where they are. Even if Crawford went the other way the Sabres a far worse team after this proposed trade.

I can understand why some people would want Holland to add a defenseman or potentially a back up goalie because of a potential injury or potential rust with Osgood but with the prices teams have paid in trades so far I just can't wrap my mind around being cool with it when the Wing's don't need those things. Those types of players could help but they aren't needs. Plus, the problem would be to add a piece like that we'd have to sacrifice a roster player. Once everyone is healthy we'd have to move someone (hopefully to GR) via the wire and any one you choose would most likely get picked up. So you'd be most likely look at Miller getting picked up. We'd sacrifice forward depth for defense/goaltending depth. Pick your poison really

Thank god someone with some sense. I'll never understand the love LGW has for Carkner and Neil. It blows my mind people would be willing to move Kindl and Hudler for that trash out of Ottawa. Despite Hudler and Kindl's struggles I sincerely think people are overvaluing the Sens' players.

Matt Cooke dirty hit Medley This is pretty awesome...

Fisher to Preds

I'm surprised the Ducks paid as much as they did. Don't get me wrong, Lupul isn't worth $4.25/yr but Gardiner is a good prospect and they threw in a conditional pick. Add in the fact a year and a half ago Beauchemin had wanted to stay in Anaheim the Ducks essentially have to give away assets to get back what they could have kept. Itis' also surprising because the benchmark for price of defensemen has also now been set. If Beauchemin fetched this much you can imagine what the asking price will be for guys like Philips, Gonchar, Karberle etc.

I don't know...I remember hearing that Burke got an offer for Versteeg and because it was pretty good he starting shopping him. Versteeg is pretty good but Burke expects overpayment for his players. Personally, I dont think we need him regardless of the price. Either way, it would take too much for us to pry him out of Toronto even if other teams werent interested in him. I think we would want defensive depth and/or goaltending depth. I don't see the need to add to our forward group at the expense of dishing out assets (be that picks, prospects or otherwise)

I couldnt believe it when I read it. I almost thought you wrote it ha

UNSPORTSMANLIKE.CA - Ducks Sign Emery Stevkrause and this guy must think alike

source?

I was really surprised it was Datsyuk out tomorrow night and not Clearly. Apparently the lines will be: Franzen - Zetterberg - Bertuzzi Hudler - Filppula - Cleary Draper - Helm - Eaves Miller - Abdelkader - Mursak I'm a bit surprised they wouldnt go back to Hud/Fil/Bert and put Cleary with Franzen and Zetterberg but maybe they figure Cleary will add more speed to Hudler's line.

I just fell off my chair

Capgeek

This is definitely true. Think of how many teams could use a high scoring first line winger. I guarentee you if BRad Richards wanted another big pay day he could go on the open market this summer and go to the highest bidder because there are no other top tier UFA centreman. Essentially the same deal with Semin

Caps Shoot Their Load on Semin Here's a sweet article

If I were Nabokov I would hold out for a little while longer to prove to everyone that he was serious. Then settle his differences with Snow and report. Then after a few games (enough that he can claim he made an effort) say that he just can't handle playing for a s*** team. Walk out and claim it was for personal reasons. The Isles can then suspend him again if they want. But at that point since he would have reported they can no longer toll his contract over.

Yeah, this was expected. I think all both played at the level of expectations. Actually, Mursak probably surpassed the that was expected of him. He definitely fit in and made the first step in making his case for a full time roster spot next season.

I never understood the hate for Mindfly. I mean sure, the rants could be outlandish and sometimes make you wonder if he was bordering the lines of the clinically insane. But when you take them with a grain of salt they were flat out entertaining. This was the type of guy that you could flat out laugh at; not with. I always looked at Mindfly as the Sean Avery of the LGW Forums. Although many would argue it's a better place without, it's just not the same to me. Just like the NHL wouldn't be the same without Avery and his antics. But then again, I've never understood the hate for Avery. Maybe it's because I pity people like that more than hate them. Maybe LGW should force Mindfly into a rehab program if he wants back into the forum. Man, 55fan I'm usually on the same page as you. Normally you crack me up and I wanna invent a new age internet high five just so I can give you one. But this post here doesn't even make me angry. I'm just flat out disappointed in you. I won't say that there aren't other players who whine in the NHL because for anyone who watched HBO's 24/7 you saw basically every player on the Pens and Caps whine like crazy. But what actually might be worse than Crosby being the whiney little ***** that he is, is when people say that he's just acting his age. There are all kinds of other players his age, and younger, that don't pull those stunts. And before you say they aren't the superstar (and dealing with the attention and pressure that he does) just look to someone like Stamkos or Toews. Claude was despicable but has tried to make restitutions since retirement. I still think he's a ****** but at least we don't have to hear people making excuses for him.

That's definitely possible but I thought I remembered reading somewhere that any player who began playing outside of North America...hopefully you'd be right though

Hedberg isn't a bad idea but I don't see him as being all that reliable to be honest. Elliot is way too inconsistent. Gustavsson is so shakey right now it's insane. I actually really like the guy and think he could become a realy player but he wouldnt help right now. But that doesnt mean I wouldnt want him. That just means I dont see him improving us today. Lalime is cheap but unreliable. Clemmenson definitely has good numbers but for some reason doesnt seem appealing to me. But maybe I have a bias against him cause he certainly has had a good year. Dubnyk and Karlsson arent getting traded by their respective teams I would say. Garon isnt going to get moved within his own division. Conklin is having a poor season but being in Detroit may change that and I did think he was solid during his year here. But it'd be a gamble. Theodore really has seemed to reenergize his career the last couple of years but he simply cant win in the playoffs and if we needed to fall back on him that would suck. I really like Larsson and have always wanted him to get a shot with the Wings. Personally I'm hoping one day he gets a go at training camp. Right now it wouldn't make sense for the Wings to bring him over for 2 reasons: 1. He's unproven at the NHL level so he wouldnt bring a steadying force to the back up role 2. He started the season playing outside of North America so to add him to the roster they would first have to expose him to waivers - I believe (correct me if I'm wrong here people)

If Nabokov gets claimed and doesnt report he does NOT become a UFA again. He would be in breach of his contract and the team would most likely suspend him without pay at which point Nabokov sits at home for the rest of the year. The only way he becomes a UFA again is if that team decides to release him which they would gain no benefit from doing.

Meet me at Nemo's? ha

It's actually because McDonald was called up on Emergency Basis due to Osgood's injury. McDonald is not waiver exempt where as Pearce is. If Nabokov were to make it through waivers and added to the Wings' roster they would now have two healthy goaltenders (Howard and Nabokov) and be sending McDonald to GR and in order for that to happen he would then have to pass through waivers and could be claimed. By sending him down now he does not have to go through waivers. By having Pearce on the roster today (and tomorrow) if Nabokov is added to the roster they can send Pearce back to Toledo free from the waiver wire and thus lose no one.

I'd love to believe that's the entire truth. Although it's probably partly true. If you think about the letter Meehan sent out I'm sure there's some truth to what you're saying. Say a team wanted to sign him for dirt cheap to be a back up he'd just reject it. Hell maybe he'd reject a $2M dollar contract if it meant he was a back up. Who knows really. But that doesnt mean teams werent interested. I think it was a smart move on Meehan's part to send the letter. It's telling teams that had interest in signing him as a back up that they should stay clear cause he just won't bother coming or he will show up and cause problems for them so why mess with chemistry

Yeah, absolutely. Ultimately, someone else could easily get injured and we may never have to face to possibility of losing Miller anyways. Or even Osgood's injury drags on and he can't return. Anything can happen. Or we just dont even get Nabokov (or any other goalie) and all of this discussion was a massive waste of time. But you're right...