dirtydangles

I would actually like Fabbri where we are picking. He scored 45 goals as a C and has mad wheels. We seem to have a lot of C's that are pass first - it would be nice to have a C with a Jeff Carter shoot first mentality - even if the kid is only 5'10 and maxes out at 5'11. Otherwise I like Barbashev. The guy has no holes in his game. Is responsible, 6'0, plays a two way game. I totally see him turning into a 2C potentially.

Problem is we likely have to overpay for both trade-ups. Is Ekblad really worth that?

Problem is - FLA has said they are only willing to drop to #8 or something. We won't be able to move up it seems.

I think we should be looking to acquire a young top 6 C regardless of what our needs are at D. If something becomes available I think we need to pounce. The long term survival of our success depends on getting a young top C before Z and Dats are gone - otherwise we will be looking at lottery picks. I honestly think we could wait a year or two to let our D prospects develop and be just fine for the future on D. We don't NEED more dmen for the long term future of this team (we are set there with 4+ NHL dmen in GR). I think the actual need is at top 6 C. I agree that we can't go into every year with rose coloured glasses and assume that our forward corps stays healthy for the year and that we are a lock to make the playoffs with them. If I were Holland I would be leaning towards upgrading our forwards and obtaining some more durability.

This. I would trade Nyquist for O'Reilly every day of the week. O'Reilly is taller and heavier than Nyquist O'Reilly is a C and Nyquist plays wing We desperately need top 6 young C's and have surplus of young (and old) wingers O'Reilly (91) is 2 years younger than Nyquist (89) They both put up similar goal totals I love Nyquist a lot - but if it took Nyquist + 1st to get O'Reilly I'd do it all day.

Would be nice to wait until free agency to see if we can get something younger (Vanek/Moulson/Stastny)) but otherwise I'd be okay with Alfie back.

You really seem to like Gazdic eh? I see you bring him up almost every day. Can you maybe tell me a little about him? I don't know much about this player.

The more I think about it I think Thornton is a bad idea. We would be competing with other teams to trade talented youth of the future for a player that may start to decline at any moment - too much of a gamble (we are essentially trading for a player that will never be better than he is now). I would rather trade more for a player that could have a long term future with the franchise. Could be a youngish Dman, could be someone like O'Reilly, could be anyone with a long term future. I think Kesler (age 30) is as old as I would entertain trading assets for at this point. P.S. does O'Reilly have to stay with the Aves for another season after arbitration before being traded again? I remember last time he went through arbitration he couldn't be traded for a while.

Realistically what is a fair trade for Thornton? Tatar + Ouellet + 1st + Kindl (cap dump)? Tatar + Ericsson/Smith?

If Richards can produce at around .75ppg pace he would be worth a 2 year contract imo. We could use another C. Its not like we are expecting him to be a top 6 C - he can just play up and down the top 9 and fill in if any of our big guns get injured. When you look at the numbers he put up for the Rags without considering the 6.7mill cap hit he is still an effective player - just not at 6.7mill. As someone said - Richards is more effective than Franzen currently. 2 years x 4mill - hopefully we have a young C ready by that time.

Can we just make one thing clear: I Van or SJS are selling Kesler or Thornton they won't be going for anyone over 28. Both teams will want youth with solid potential. There is no way Weiss or Franzen go the other way considering both teams would be looking to get younger if they are giving up the best player in the trade.

From the guys I think will be in our range I would be happy with quite a few players: Perlini, Fabbri, Barbashev, McCann, Virtanen, Scherbak Schmaltz, Bleackley I honestly don't have a favourite pick for this year - its so hard to tell who will be left at 15.

Its time to take out the trash. Ima go get my pitchfork and torch.

I'd easily give him 7 to play for the wings. ROR is exactly the player any team needs to be successful. He scores while playing unreal D - is young (23) and I believe is 6'0 200lbs. He will only get better.

Because he is about as cheap as a top pairing Dman will come. Also he produces loads of points. We aren't getting a bulletproof Shea Weber.

The problem is - the Blues are looking for young talented top 6 C's if they are moving Shattenkirk - we don't have any available for trade. The reason I think Letang might be a good option is that 1) he is at his all time cheapest value, 2) the Pens are looking for top 9 Wingers to compliment Crosby and Malkin and we have a surplus of those 3) the Pens will be looking to re-sign Niskanen in all likelihood.

My dream offseason if I were GM (I realize Holland wouldn't do any of this): - Buyout Franzen (will never happen) - Re-Sign Sheahan, Dekeyser (likely) - Sign Vanek (unlikely) - Call Up Mantha, Sproul, Marchenko (Marchenko only one likely) - Trade Tatar, Ericsson, 1st for Kris Letang (very unlikely) - Sign a Backup goalie to 1 year deal (likely) - Trade Kindl, Andersson for peanuts (could happen) Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Mantha Vanek - Weiss - Nyquist Abdelkader - Sheahan - Jurco Miller - Helm - Glendening Ferraro, Callahan Kronwall - Letang Dekeyser - Sproul Smith - Marchenko Lashoff Howard Backup (1 year) This team would have some serious growing pains but I feel like they might as well happen all at once rather than breaking in a few players every year and never having a group that collectively has NHL experience. I'd also like to ditch Franzen now and replace with Mantha, Vanek rather than eat Franzen's cap hit for years to come (Z will also be on the books longer that his career likely lasts).

Brad Richards on a short term deal? Might be a solid acquisition as insurance for Weiss. Seems like Richards is destined to be bought out. I think he could be effective in the 2C slot with quality wingers. Takes some pressure off of Weiss too and is good insurance if one of Datsyuk, Z, Weiss get injured (which usually happens nowadays). I'm just thinking the cheapest and easiest (the Holland way) way to solidify our forward group for next season. Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Franzen Weiss - Richards - Nyquist Tatar - Sheahan - Jurco Abdelkader - Helm - Glendening Kronwall - Smith Dekeyser - Marchenko Ericsson - Backman/Ouellet Not terrible considering no trades made so far. D still needs some help via trade.

Miller, Ferraro, and our first pick in the 7th round.

Girardi just got beat flat out by Carter. Made him look like an amateur.

I think I might throw up if I have to watch another season with Abby in the top 6. I'm fine with him net front on the pp but not 5on5.

Tats' goal was nicer from an aesthetic perspective - which is what the title is awarded for. Nyquist's was all heart but wasn't all that pretty in comparison. So my vote goes to Tats.

I would trade smith for kesler too. That being said, I wouldn't move smith in a deal for anything other than a top c or a top pairing d - otherwise might as well keep him. I really like smith and this year is a big year for him - if he solidifies himself we may see a guy like E traded soon - if smith falters he may find his job in jeopardy from the kids in gr soon.

I totally agree with this. I was salivating when I heard Carter was available from Columbus and Philly and Nash was available from NYR. What this team needs is a trade for a 25-28 year old established NHLer who is getting traded for a change of scenery. I think Tatar is the main piece we should dangle along with maybe Pulkkinen, a young D prospect, and a 1st rounder. I think we can afford to move our young wingers (not Mantha) considering we have so many of them and that position is the easiest to fill via free agency although I'd like to hold onto Nyquist if possible. Every year there will be a player like Alfredsson, Iginla, etc. that will come in as a mercenary and play wing on a cup contender - I'm not getting hung up on keeping all of our winger prospects. The key is - we need to trade our youngsters in the sweet spot where they have hype and potential - wait too long and they can taper off - wait too little and we sell them too cheaply. I would rank our young wingers in terms of long-term value as: Mantha Nyquist Jurco Tatar Pulkkinen I think we can afford to lose 2 of the bottom 3 in addition to picks and a D prospect like Ouellet/Backman if it returns us a solid player in their prime.

This team needs to change the philosophy at the GM position. We need a new GM that has something to prove. Holland is content to keep his streak going and sit on his previous cup wins. Any new GM is set up for success right now with all the assets we have - its just Holland doesn't feel the need to make things happen.