krsmith17

Very good numbers in the Finnish Elite League, finishing 6th in league scoring. Every player ahead of him were forwards / older. Kaski will be 24 to start next season. Sulak put up similar numbers (slightly lower) at the same age 2 years ago. I assume he will start in Grand Rapids. He may become a player, but more than likely just a filler. Either way, solid, no risk signing.

I was hoping Al Murray would be coming with Yzerman. Oh well... Pat Verbeek is a big addition. Any word on who's going to Edmonton with Holland? Martin? Draper? Horcoff? Cleary? Wright? Andersson? Anyone?

Well said. Exactly how I feel about the whole situation. Realistically, you're probably right. It probably should take another couple years. However, a team with the best player in the world, a competent GM, and a decent coach, could squeak in as early as next season. "Never be relevant again"? Really? You're smarter than that... Canadian teams are definitely at a disadvantage because of the exchange rate, but that doesn't mean they'll fold their franchise. The Oilers aren't going anywhere, and I expect them to start trending upward, especially with the addition of Holland.

NTC's don't matter. Only NMC's need to be protected in the expansion draft. Nielsen has a M-NTC and would have to submit a 10 team no-trade list if asked to do so. Abdelkader's NTC will be void by the time the expansion draft takes place due to conditions not being met in his contract. Neither will have be protected in the expansion draft, and I highly doubt either will be. Right... but they don't. They can both rot in the press box, be claimed in the expansion draft, traded, waived, or bought out at any time. I'd be surprised if both Nielsen and Abdelkader are Red Wings beyond the expansion draft. I believe at least one will be off the roster in the next couple years by one of the several methods stated above...

I guess where we differ is that I'd prefer to use the cap space to land asset(s). If there are no trade options available for that sort of move, I'd just assume sit tight until next summer. In my opinion, there are no free agents worth going after unless they're one year show me deals, but again with the plan to flip them at the deadline for asset(s)... Connolly, Skinner and Eberle are good players at a good age, but all are going to want too much money for too long...

I pretty much agree with everything you're saying. Everything being equal, I'm sure most GM's would prefer to trade outside their division. I just got the impression from your previous comment that you were saying it never happens or such a trade would never happen. The bold is where I disagree though. If we can trade for a year of Ryan Callahan or a year of Patrick Marleau, I'd rather do that than spend our cap space on a mid level player in free agency. I'd take the asset whether it's a 3rd / mid level prospect (likely wouldn't be that low) or a 1st / high end prospect (probably wouldn't be that high)...

Says who? Interdivisional trades happen all the time. Just last week Carolina traded Adam Fox to New York. Sure, the Rangers were the likely landing spot for Fox, but I guarantee other teams would have paid the price of a couple picks to land such a highly regarded defensive prospect. Any GM is going to shop around and see what else is out there, or in this case, who else is out there to take on Callahan's contract. But if the few teams that would be willing to take on that contract are looking at the same sort of return, I think BriseBois might make the trade with Yzerman before some other GM's around the league.

I highly doubt that. The whole "interdivisional trades don't happen" thing is way overblown. Teams are going to make trades with any team, regardless which division they're in, if they believe that trade will improve their team. Yzerman and BriseBois have a history and are good friends. If they believe they can help each other out, while at the same time improve their team, why wouldn't they? Sure. To DET: Lucic (50% retained salary) To EDM: Abdelkader

This is why Yzerman should be attempting a trade for Ryan Callahan. Assuming Tampa want to trade him to free up cap space, we could get a valuable piece in return of taking on his contract for one season. We may not get a Teuvo Teraveinen level prospect, but maybe a Taylor Raddysh or an upgrade in one of our draft picks...

There's only one "Bobfather", so I assume F.Michael got his tweets mixed up with some other schmuck...

This is exactly why a Marner or Point offer sheet would be dumb. What about a Kapanen offer sheet though? $4.2M (2nd round pick)... I think Kapanen would be well worth that money. Would the Leafs be able to match it? At the very least, it puts Dubas in a tough situation against the cap... Especially with the rumors that Marner wants Matthews' money...

Verbeek > Wright. Also, what has Andersson done in the past decade? F***ing take the whole works of 'em... We got Yzerman mother f***ers!!!... and Verbeek...

Pretty sure that's not a thing anymore...

Luv it

Will be a top 5-10 pick in re-draft in a few years...

That's the order of my current top 4 as well. Cozens has fallen back a bit for me, but I'd still put him ahead of Krebs, as well as a couple other guys.

Correct. At least that's the way I understood it...

I thought he was a free agent because his contract that we traded to Arizona expired two years ago. However, after doing some digging, I think they still hold his rights until July 1st, due to some rule that states a player that requests to voluntarily retire before his contract is complete, cannot play for another organization for three years.

I think Krebs is anywhere from 8-12 on my list. I know you're a lot higher on him than that. Where is he on your list?

As long as it's only one year, I honestly don't care about the cap hit. The only reason we'd need cap space for next season is if we're going after one of the big fish. And as you know, I have no interest in doing that. I'd rather Datsyuk for one year at $12M, than Karlsson for seven years at $12M...

Absolutely. I would have no issue with Dastyuk getting an 'A', especially if it's off the chest of Abdelkader or Nielsen... Nah. I was okay with one year without a captain. But it's time to transition from the old (Zetterberg) era to the new (Larkin) era. I want Yzerman and Zetterberg out on the ice during the season opener pre-game to present the 'C' to Larkin...

I'm not going to speak on the ego part, but no way Datsyuk gets the C after leaving the team for three years, coming back for one final season. I'm kind of on the fence about Datsyuk coming back, but if he does, I'd be a little pissed if he was given the C over Larkin. No way it happens.

I think it's a natural reaction to be a little pissed with any big reaches, especially in the top 5-10 of the first round, but I think I'd have to give Yzerman the benefit of the doubt. Speaking of Kaliyev though, how is that guy projected to go in the middle to late 1st? He's one of the younger players in the draft class (doesn't turn 18 until 5 days after the draft) and put up 51 goals, 51 assists in 67 games in the OHL this season...

Hell No! The C has to go to, will go to Larkin...

Bowen Byram or bust...