This is by no means a bad off season. We'll be fine. We're in a LOT better shape than any other team in the Central. I mean COME ON. The blues have pinned their hopes on Paul Karyia.
in defense we lost Schneider and Markov. So yes we lost a vetaren defenseman and a good grindind defenseman. But we got Rafalski, who's a great defenseman, younger and right handed shot. Maybe our #1 PP unit won't be so one sided now. It also gives a chance for players like Quincy, Meech, Ericsson and Kindl to crack the line up, This is no bad thing. If guys know they're only going to come up if they'res an injury, whats their motivation? We've got the deepest defense prospects in the league, i we've still got Nik Lidstrom. It's not the end of the world.
Yes, we lost Lang, Calder, and Bertuzzi.
err....WHO CARES.
There were more threads moaning at Lang last season than any thing else. aflacs gdt's renamed him LAZY AND SUCKS in the firgging graphics. He needed to go. Calder was an utter bust after his hot start. He just stopped playing and was utterly anonymous in the playoffs.
And Bertuzzi...
i was excited when we got him, but he really didn't live up to expectations. He wasn't the physical power we wanted him to be. He wasn't the scorer or grinder we wanted him to be and at times he looked lazier than Lang. I don';t consider it a bad thing that he's gone. So what Anaheim got bigger, well fk them then. I'm not worried about Anaheim.
We've resigned Hasek, good. He's old, but great. If he breaks down so be it, but Howard isn't ready yet judging by his patchy form last year. Who else should we pick up. Belfour? Andrew "Roxanne" Raycroft? Make a trade? Whats they point? Hasek is still on of the best in the league...AND HE'S CRAZY!
I hear all these comments about Hudler. what a waste of money he is. This "Kid" scored 15 goals and 10 assists while averageing NO TIME all year. He was one of the most productive players in the league given point totals to ATOI. When we had injuries and he played 2nd line he more than pulled his weight.
"BUT he's a defensive liability", you say. Not really. The guy was a +16 for crist sake. Defensive liability my ass. He had a better +/- than Homer, Schender and your golden boy Valterri Flipppppulululula. He was certainly a lot more defensively effective than Bertuzzi was, who just seemed to hang about the red line most of the time.
And you guys are moaning about us signing GR depth. Why is that a problem? It won't count against that cap. We have to consider that Dan Smith, Josh Langfeld, Matt Hussy, Brad Norton and the depth that Holland signed last season are gone. These are signings that need to be made. You can't run a team on prospects alone.
Would i like more signings. YES. So would Ken Holland. But this board has spent the 6 years that i've been on it bashing him time and time again. And you know what? He ALWAYS gets it done. So we haven't won a cup since 2002. Thats not his fault. EVERY YEAR, EVERY YEAR we had the team to do it. And we'll have it again this year. I'm not worried if we don't sign anyone else. I like our line up, it looks solid.
THE SKY ISN'T FALLING.
just be thankful you're not a Nashville fan