Dabura

For me, the big argument against keeping Franzen is that we actually have some legitimate secondary talent now. For the longest time it's been "Well, how are we gonna replace his production?" And our options have been, like, Sammy and Bert and maybe Helm and Miller and Cleary and Abdelkader and Eaves and Tootoo and Hudler and maybe some big-name FA who we know is never actually coming. But now we have Nyquist, Tatar, Sheahan, Jurco, a healthy Helm, Pulkkinen (pure goal-scorer) in the wings, Mantha (pure goal-scorer, huge frame) in the wings, and, yes, that big-name FA who we know is never actually coming (this year it's Vanek). Also, maybe Alfie/Weiss/Legwand. Point being, we don't need Franzen. Hell, I think Jurco alone is enough reason to sever. Get rid of Franzen. LeftWinger was ahead of the curve on this one. I've actually thought about Wilson. Not sure what I'd be willing to give up for him, haven't thought that much about it - but he's on my list of Fringe Possibilities, for sure. Good call.

Wait, are you talking about the thing from a few weeks ago, or is this a new thing? Details plz. Wilson? You mean Tom?

Jarnkrok was our best prospect. That's what hurts about it. Legwand helped us get into the dance. But so did the Leafs and Caps. We need to re-sign Legwand and revisit this at a later point, IMHO.

Right. (Not sarcasm. I agree.)

Suter and Parise didn't want to come here. They were pretty set on Minnesota.

My worry with Weiss is that he's not going to pan out. Then we'd have to find ourselves a 2C, who, given our annual injury woes, would probably have to be capable of holding down the 1C spot for around 20 games, maybe even in the playoffs. Plus, we do need to get bigger, especially down the middle. Weiss is tiny, Legwand is fairly big. But, yes - the blue line is the big thing. God Almighty, the defense.

Lower back pain can do that to you. I know from 15+ years of experience. About Mantha - I'm not saying I think he's fully ready. Certainly I wouldn't expect him to be a key player right away. I'm just looking at our window with Z and D and K, and...it's closing. The future's pretty much here anyway. Might as well open the door. (Within reason, of course.)

I'm a wee bit partial from my days at Stanford. They've got pretty good fans, a team that's built the right way, McLellan was good for the Wings, Couture's a Dastyuk fanboy, Tomas Hertl... The best thing that could happen is all the series - East and West and the SCF - go to seven games and the teams just flat-out obliterate each other.

I've thought about it lately, and I think I want Mantha on the team straight out of camp. Let's just go all in with the youth, get them as much time with Z and D and maybe Alfie as possible.

I think this might really be the Sharks' year.

I'm borderline ashamed of the Detroit Red Wings. Even with all the stuff we had going against us, we really just laid down and died in this series.

Again I ask: What does Tom Renney actually do?

Oh God, not this hope business.

Hey, guess what. We had a power play and we didn't convert.

Actually, that part was sort of a joke. He's far from 100%, but he's still leading the team.

Well, we know he's not getting fired, so I guess it's sort of moot. But I do think this season has set him fairly straight on a couple things, which is huge.

Jagr's whole thing is his character. If anything, it's why we wouldn't sign him.

The one positive is we had to face the best team in the league in the first round with a hobbled Z and a half-interested Datsyuk and no Ericsson and lots of Quincey and lots of Kindl-Lashoff and Howard having the worst season of his NHL career and a bunch of kids. But, even with those things going against us, we'd probably beat the Penguins, who are the second best team in the East. Trim the fat this summer, make good decisions, wrap the players in bubble wrap, and we'll be ok.

I hope not. That means the Habs are much better than us at our own game, and I can't stomach that. Plus, Therrien.

Why would Jarmo jump ship? He's got a good thing going in Columbus.

After tonight, which came after the rest of the series, which came after 20+ games without a goal, and now all the pundits and talking heads and even Babs are calling him out...he's gone.

It's both, but it's more the latter.

Franzen is epic garbage.

Yup.

If we had just a half-decent power play, we'd be in this series. Losing Lidstrom and Rafalski and replacing them with Quincey will do that.