Richdg

Stillwater......that is just silly. All the same injuries were there, we just didn't know about those, nor were those injuries treated correctly or at all for that matter, and those injuries really messed some guys up and shortened careers.

DD you raise some good questions. Far more than you realize. 1. Do I think the roster you posted is going to be close to our roster on opening day? yes I do. 2-3 differences but very close. 2. Do I think the roster you provided makes more sense than this years roster? yes I do. Spending money of old broken down guys just to spend money is stupid. 3. Do I like the roster posted? no. In fact I think that is the lease talented roster I have seen by the RW's in about 30 years. It really isn't very good. Maybe 90 points. 4. Do I think we need to go young right now? yes I do. yes I fully understand that may break the streak.

We have secondary scoring, just very little primary scoring. In fact will we have any when the next batch is ready? mantha may be ready for next season, but more likely in will be 2015/16. at that point we are down to datsyuk's final 2 years. franzen could be bought out this summer-I hope and pray, and we don't know about Z's back. We need new and more primary scorers. That will cost 2-3 secondary scorers.

Some have mentioned the amount of cap space we have this off season. yes that is true. But what good is it? None in UFA-there are only a couple of UFA's worth anything and the chances they all come here is slim. In other words, plenty of cash and no place to spend it. baring trades. Which we seem unable to do lately.

It is odd. Babcock fought Holland to bring him-or someone like him, here in the first place. Once here, he doesn't play him.

Blashill. BTW Babcock only has 1 more year left on his contract. Does he extend?

Just a reference. PA is 6-0/195 RHed and 30 years old. last 3 seasons he scored 20, 18, and 18 in goals, and played all but 1 game in those 3 years. he makes 4 million per season. Ryan Callahan: 5-11/190 RHed 28 years old and will soon be making 7 million per year. Over the last 3 seasons he has scored: 23, 29, 16 goals. he has also missed 21 games. yes Callahan is considered to be a great player. But is he worth 3 million more per season? No. PA is a very good and cap friendly option vs Callahan.

DD that is ture, but it is only going to get worse, not better. All those guys that are hurt are over 30. The numbers of games missed will only increase. half of them are also UFA's after this year. Again we have major issues at F. yes the D could be better. But to get a guy like Weber will take way to much for what he brings us. We would have to completely gut our team and system of young talent, which will include the few young F's we have, making our F group even worse.

Just to add a little more. How much longer is Mr I going to be with us? How much longer before Holland retires? Holland joked for years he was going to retire after Lidstrom left..... Babcock is only signed through next season, does he get extended? As for building a team, it is not easier to win in the cap era. It was much easier before the cap. Even when Z and D are gone it may not help us. How many high end players even make it to UFA now? Not to mention you have to resign your home grown talent.

Not according to the press release or Capgeek. There is a difference between Injured Reserve and Long Term Injured Reserve. Different rules. To the best I can see, only Weiss is on LTIR.

DD yes he is on IR, then his salary counts. On LTIR it doesn't. The day after the trading deadline, there is no cap until next season.

Put him on LTIR so we have some room to make moves. Leave him there until after the trade deadline when there is no cap. same with Weiss.

Nope. Full hit for the salary owed.

The D isn't the problem. We are 14th in goals allowed. The rangers are 13th and the blackhawks are 15th. So we are ok. It is the O that remains the issue. We are 23rd in goals scored. When you look at our prospects, most of the talent is on D. meaning we will get better. On O we are very thin. Anyone who is even close to being ready is already up. the next wave of forwards is 2-3 years away. Trading for a superstar d is very expensive, and will only add to the log jam. We need to move some D prospects for a superstar forward or 2.

Sell. We are not a SC contending team. No ifs ands or buts about it.

If we can get him, yes do it. PA is a very good player. he is gritty, scores, and is RHed. yes it would be nicer if he was 6-2/210 like say..... Ryan, but he would help. he would be a better option at RW with Z and Datsyuk than Abby is. Last uear he was the top scoring UGA that signed in the summer of 2012. he had more points than Parise for half the money. His last 3 completed seasons he scored 20, 18, and 18 goals.

Ok, as of this afternoon the RW have played 49 games and have 52 points. There are 10 teams ahead of us in points, 1 team tied with us, and 3 more behind us within 5 points. We have the second fewest wins of all of those teams with 21. heck even Florida has 20! Yikes. The plus side is, we have played the fewest games at 49 and have 23 left to go. So the question becomes, when would you start making moves and what type? Do you buy or sell or both? My thoughts. Even if this team is 100% healthy, it is not a SC winning team. Not enough talent to do it. Now if every other team loses their top 2-3 players due to injuries, anything can happen. If I am right, buying high priced rentals would be a mistake. Buying old vets for a cup run would be a mistake. we don't have many trade pieces as it is, so no sense wasting the parts on a futile effort. so I would focus on selling and if the right deal comes along then buy. I would start now. No time to wait and see what we have. We know that answer to that question. The real question is who can we move? bert-no value Sammy-no value Alfie-value to a SC contender, if he chooses to go-2nd maybe 1st round pick...maybe Cleary-some value to a SC contender looking for some veteran leadership-ie late round pick Eaves-no value TooToo-no value Both of those guys have already passed through waivers and nobody wanted them for FREE franzen-typing no value is redundant...... Quincey-some value to a PO bound team looking for depth on D, which is everyone. Should be able to get a 2nd round pick for him, maybe a 1st if it is in 2015 Gustavsson-some value, mid round pick if healthy man, that is a lot of players and money without much real value. Wonder why we are struggling...... if I could move any or all of those guys, do it! If nothing else lets the young kids play more down the stretch. Also adds more picks that can be used for bigger/better deals over the summer.

While I like Weber, I don't think we need to go that big. yes we need a RHed Dman that is good on both ends of the ice. There are others that would fit the bill and provide what we need for far less of a cost. In my perfect world John carlsson of wash would be picked up to pair with Dekeyser. they would form our top pair for the next 10 years, allowing Kronwall and Ericsson to be the second pair, which they are better suited for. Now carlsson isn't going to be much cheaper than Weber. So is there anyone else that could be had during this season that can help and fit the same/similar mold? yes. Petry with the Oilers would be my target. he is 6-3/195 26 years old, from Michigan, RHed and has produced in the past. Kindl + a forward prospect might get it done. yes it is a little riskier and his ceiling isn't as high as Weber and carlsson. But him paired with Dekeyser could be very very good.

Play: Datsyuk, Z, Alfie, tatar, Nyquist, Jurco, Sheahan, Abby, helm, Glendenning, Andersson, and Miller. Everyone else can sit or leave. yes some are hurt and need to get healthy, but that may be a while yet. Once everyone is 100%, if ever, play those 12. the only one in question is Weiss. if/when he gets healthy, sit Miller and play him. That is our best lineup for this year. maybe franzen plays instead of either Glendenning or Andersson. But that is about it. That is also 14 forwards, which fits the roster.

Sheahan long term. better all around player. BTW send Eaves back down, he ahs already cleared waivers. Wait on bringing Weiss back until after the trade deadline. Some issues solved.

After goals, hits is the one stat I focus on. You can't hit if you can't skate and hits are far more important than PIM's or fighting majors are. But everyone has their own theory's...

Ok let's have some fun. Since we all like to pretend we are a GM, let's take it all the way. It is June 2014. Bettman has just awarded you the 31st NHL team. On July 1st 2014 there is going to be an expansion draft. You and your owner have paid a large fee and gotten some favorable rules for the draft. So draft your team. Here are the rules: 1. You will draft 19 players. 12 forwards, 6 Dmen, and 1 G. 2. Your draft cap is 60 million. 3. Only 1 player from each team can be drafted. 4. Players that have played fewer than 100 NHL games are not draftable. 5. Players that are 25 and younger are draftable if they make less than 2.5 million. Players between 26 and 33 are draftable if they make less than 4 million. Players 34 and up are all draftable. The money is cap hit per year, not true pay per year, using capgeek. Other than that, take your time, build your team, and post here. use every players 82 game career averages and try to give a goals total, hits total, PIM's total for your goon squads, etc....... Post your roster from capgeek. I will post mine later. Use the June 1st birth dates. BTW Blue this is for you!

keep cleaning out he dead weight. No it will not help us much cap wise until the summer. But man I am tired of seeing crap on the ice when there are kids ready to play. No not all of them will make it, but we can't know that until they play.

Just some of the rumors I have read at one point or another this past week. ED looking for D. Col looking for D Boston looking for D, let one rumor had them willing to move McQuaid. Wash looking for D, maybe looking to move Green-money dump Pho looking for O STL looking for a G-Miller? Ott looking for scoring-Moulson? Feb 28 and Col moving O'Reilly? Doubt it, but if.........I know water under the bridge......

Just thinking out loud a bit. Gustovsson might be our most valuable piece right now. If Howard can get 100% healthy, we have Mrasek ready, so who needs a G?