norrisnick

Very few teams were prepared for a hard cap with no mechanism to get underneath save buyouts (plus renegotiations were taken away). As for Datsyuk (I don't see Zetterberg as being a big enough issue that puts his tenure as a Wing in jeopardy) if we lose him it's because we don't want to keep him with the terms he's demanding. Cap room can always be scrounged up if necessary. The main issue is that he's asking for money we don't think he's worth, not money that we can't afford. If it gets to that point, "losing" him isn't really losing him. I hope the Caps do "make a push" so to speak. Either we snag one of their promising young players in a trade (Fehr if we can convince them they are better off trading for his rights) or we get at least one lottery pick if they sign him RFA. peace

Moving forward and building a team Redden and Hossa are the better players. That said they are going to get expensive in a hurry with both being unrestricted next season. Hossa will definitely be at least $1-2M more expensive than Datsyuk and Redden stands a good chance to at least match Lidstrom's next contract (I see Nick taking less than $6M next season). peace

The information looks about right. We'll never know until the players hit the big show anyway. At the very least I see it as a way of keeping tabs on players and how they are performing around the world, though none of that really matters until they pull that red and white jersey on and prove it in the bigs. Yeah, it's a handy site. Hockey's Future is pretty good as well for giving you a basic look at prospects. peace

No trade would happen without an extension agreed upon (on both sides). Datsyuk is asking for more than Redden is making and at one year older than Pavel if we can lock Wade up he could be just as much a part of our future than Datsyuk (maybe moreso considering we're having issues signing Pavel up). A defenseman wouldn't be my first choice to pull in via trade but he could be a nice part of a package (considering we might have to make room beyond what he have penciled in for Datsyuk). peace

It's a joke because Havlat is younger, faster, bigger, and better. If we trade Datsyuk it is imperative that we get a young forward in return. I'm not opposed to the the value of the trade or who you have coming back I just think Havlat would be a better choice. Hell, I'd do it for Havlat and Volchenkov and leave Redden to go elsewhere. Might have to drop the extra pick though. peace

True, but he's also a guy that will be highly sought after as one of the top two impending UFA defensemen (he and Chara) and may want to test his value on the market. It would probably take $5M+ to keep him from testing the market where he likely could get upwards of $6M. Schneider would have to go somewhere but I don't really think he makes sense in a trade with Ottawa. Datsyuk + Schneider for Redden is too much, but I doubt they'd toss in Havlat to balance it out. That would be an absolute KILLING if Holland pulled that trade off. Odds are we'd have to dump Schneider elsewhere. And once you start having to line up multiple trade partners it can get sticky. peace

Also pretty much the only way it can happen, unless Holland is willing to dump either of our younger d-men (Kronwall and Fischer) which I hope he isn't. Yes, Wade is better but he's also UFA next summer. peace

We might, and I stress might, be able to snare Havlat for Datsyuk, but I highly doubt it since at $2.6M he's cheaper and IMO better than Datsyuk though they would need another center. None of the others, save maybe Hossa because the Sens won't be able to afford him (which means we can't afford him right now), will move for Datsyuk alone. Plus we wouldn't be able to afford Alfredsson anyway. There is no deal to be had here. peace

The younger Kronwall is a throw-in for any sort of trade. It would take a hell of a lot more than an AHL calibre defenseman with longshot odds of making the NHL to move Schneider. peace

Feds, Lapointe, and Kozlov would be GREAT additions. *Not sarcasm* peace

Indeed. Didn't Feds have a Hart, Selke, Pearson as well as a runner up to Wayne F'in Gretzy in the scoring race by the time he was 27? peace

Because he tried the same move only a week later on a penalty shot. He beat Roloson like a rented mule on a clean break not too long after that. peace

Some radio report in Canada stated two years @ $3.5M with Calgary. I don't see why they'd need ANOTHER defenseman though. peace

That second sentence is hilarious in conjunction with the first. We have a cap crisis so we add a $6M/yr player? peace

Nope. Plus Datsyuk alone likely wouldn't get it done. Hossa is a better player in nearly ever conceivable area of the game plus he's bigger and younger. peace

What if the Wings want to move Schneider and see Hamrlik as a viable replacement? Then they would have just signed Hamrlik as opposed to Schneider. Unless Toronto has a sweet deal to offer I don't think this is going to happen. Don't see too many sign-and-trades when the player in question was UFA. peace

I don't forsee Schneider moving anywhere. And I don't really see all that much from the Leafs that would be an appropriate replacement. peace

Had the boards taken him out as he was skating backwards taunting the goalie I'd have lost it. I still almost did. peace

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I don't think there is anything that prevents Holland/Ilitch from signing them yet still allowing them to play in Sweden. I think this is one avenue (along with a massive scouting fleet) where Ilitch's wallet can come in handy in a cap era. He's spending $30M/yr less on his roster. He can pony up money in other ventures. peace

I believe both Kopitar and Bergfors attended the draft. They play for the same team in Sweden. Kopitar didn't, but Bergfors did. Hanzal also showed up. peace

Hossa and Kovalchuk. RW/LW. All three have just about the same potential for putting up stats but Ilya has the highest ceiling points-wise and Hossa is the best bet for +/-. Dany has question marks with regards to how he rebounds from injuries and the Snyder tragedy. Plus I wouldn't pick two guys from the same team. If the team is hot it's great but if the team goes cold not so much. Pretty much what I said last week or so. peace

And just to stave off any assertions of my insanity, I'm not claiming Osgood is Khabibulin's equal or better. I just saw the numbers for Nikolai and couldn't believe how low they were with regards to his aura. Would he still have commanded $6-7M/yr had the Bolts flamed out of the playoffs? Or even lost in the Finals? peace

I don't know if you watched any of the games but the 18 skaters did everything in their power to lose that series. Brutal is the only way to describe it and I've used that term often with regards to the 1st round vs the Sharks. But then again it begs the question, you don't think Osgood could have done a bit better for himself playing behind Tampa's team? The Bolts elevated their play for the playoffs and the Blues dropped off precipitously and it wasn't Osgood's doing. And yes the cat is now out of the bag. Goalie A is Chris Osgood playing behind St. Louis. Goalie B is Nikolai Khabibulin playing behind Tampa Bay. peace

Yeah, like I said I couldn't really believe it when I saw it. Craziness. peace