Hank

I wonder if Burke will send a 'Thank You' card to Kevin Lowe? As we all know, Penner is a much better trade-off for someone of Stamkos' or Daughty's potential.

Not true. I'm sure we could get him for the low price of either Zetts or Dats. Getting Jokinen makes no sense for this club. The cost is way too high. Especially for another centre. This team needs big scoring wingers. But what team doesn't?

I'd be floored if this deal went down. First, it's been reported that Tangs wants nothing to do with playing in Quebec. The pressure is 10x worse for a french-Canadian. Secondly, with Tangs being locked up and Ryder a UFA, I don't know why the Flames would like a free agent RW when they already have Iginla and Nolan. Thirdly, the Flames need a centre. I can see Tanguay going for Jokinen a lot more than Ryder. And I think Tanguay would like it in Florida as it's not as intense as a Montreal.

I have no problem with equpiment being better for smaller parts such as hands and feet. I can only imagine breaking digits. I just don't see the need for shoulder pads to protrude 12" from the shoulders. When equipment extends beyond body parts, then it's not for physical protection but rather covering more net. And like Opie said, those analysts make great points. The equipment today is not streamlined - it's gotten bulkier and more square. Kind of like the same shape as a hockey net.

This scenario makes a lot more sense. Neil Smith was on XM this morning and he said he can't remember the last Cup winning team that added a "core" player at the deadline. He said the last team to do it was Colorado and Rob Blake. But he could not remember a forward of significance that was added that propelled a team to a Cup. In most cases a team adds bit-parts to an already established core. I see the Wings doing the same thing - adding a Stuart or Lapointe to round out the edges. And if the Wings do make a big splash I see a player like Dan Boyle coming over more than a Hossa or Sundin.

I think we all need to realize that Hossa isn't coming to Detroit. Why? Because almost every deal that includes a big name like Hossa is not leaked until the deal is done. That's why I think he'll end up on a team that hasn't even been mentioned or thought about (eg Phoenix). Or more than likely he isn't traded at all.

So do I. That's why I want the equipment reduced. I'm sick of seeing 30 belly saves a night. Smaller gear will mean the return of more acrobatic, exciting goaltending. And yes Bettman wants more goals - so does 95% of the paying public, including me. 9 times out of 10, a 1-0 game is dog-ass boring. And while some high-scoring games can be sloppy, a majority of the time a high scoring game is almost always far more entertaining than a low scoring game. It's this kind of thinking that always makes me laugh. I've heard so many fans say "I love 1-0" games and then in the next breath complain that the NHL isn't on ESPN or has a better national TV deal. You get better TV deals when casual fans tune in. And casual fans do not want to see boring defensive systems and overblown goalies. Heck, most diehard NHL fans don't want to see that.

Excellent points. Watch some replays of the 2003 final when Brodeur and Giggy shook hands. Brodeur is 1" taller and 20lbs heavier and yet Giggy looked twice his size. Brodeur seems to think his smaller gear is safe enough. If it wasn't he would be using bigger stuff. Is Giggy a giant panzy or is he just smart enough to know that he has no talent and he needs HUGE equipment to keep a job in the NHL?

First, I don't understand your reasoning behind a puck vs a bullet. You're still not making much sense. Secondly, when did goalies turn into giant p*ssies? "I don't want to feel any pain?" WAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!! That's what goalies did for years and years. Suddenly this new crop of goalies wants every game to be sunshine and lolipops. The equipment is there to prevent breaking bones or lacerations. Goalies SHOULD feel pucks hitting them. It's not like we're telling them to wear a T-shirt out there, but if this is every goalies argument then you're all a bunch of cry babies. I've played hockey and had my share of bones broken, cuts, bruises etc. And so have many skaters out there. But you don't see them wearing 8 foot wide shoulder pads. Or wearing helmets that would dwarf the sun. I remember seeing Grant Fuhr after games and he'd have welts and bruises all over his body - hardly anything life threatening. But I've seen players such as Ryan Miller (who's a super skinny SOB) and Dipietro after games and it looks like they've spent the year playing tennis. Suck it up and wear smaller gear. The technology is there to make it smaller and just as safe - even more so.

The weirdest thing about it all is why would someone go through such an elaborate hoax for a fringe player? Not to say there couldn't be some obsessed Wing nut that took a liking to Filpulla. But the page certainly seemed to be real when you looked at all the circumstantial evidence that was on it (pics, friends, associates, etc). Whatever the case, it helped kill the day yesterday for me so I'll always be grateful.

I agree. It would be tricky to get Zetts and Hossa under the cap. That's why I think it's essential to find out how ready guys like Ericsson, Quincy and Kindl are. If 2 of them or even 1 can step up to replace Lilja we'll be good. And if we did get Hossa I think he and Zetts would be perfect. Hossa has put up some very good goal totals but he still seems to be more of a passer than finisher. If anything he and Zetts are very similar in that they will pass and shoot.

We are deeper than TB in regards to defense and forwards. TB has Vinny, Prospal, St.Louis, Richards and Boyle. After that, there's a huge dropoff. The Wings have Zetts, Dats, Hossa (if they make the deal), Homer, Lidstrom, Rafalski, Kronwall. We have 3 allstars and 1 very good player (homer) to make up our top 2 lines. And next year we could have Brunnstrom and Dick Axelsson. Both guys could net over 20 goals on the top 2 lines. And we might even be able to resign Cleary. So losing Hudler and Filpulla would not hurt us nearly as much as people think. I'm in total agreement with Dallas27 - it's a no brainer getting someone of Hossa's calibre for two unproven NHLers. And remember, in this cap era, there are very few teams that have an abundance of scoring depth up front. Having 4 very, very good players sprinkled on your top two is more than enough. If we did trade Huds and Filp these would be our potential lines for Game 1 of the playoffs: Cleary-Dats-Homer Sammy-Zetts-Hossa Maltby-Drapes-Drake Kopecky-Franzen-Donwey/McCarty(who knows?) That looks just as good or better than the top 12 skaters on any team in the West.

Tanguay has a NTC and many insiders have said he has no desire to play in Montreal whatsoever. I don't blame any Francophone for wanting to stay far away from Montreal. The pressure is unbelievable.

So you're saying that a puck would hurt worse than a bullet only because it's bigger? I've spoken to cops that have taken a shot while wearing a bullet proof vest. They said it's like getting hit with a mack truck. You can absolutely make the same comparison. The idea is that there are materials available that allow cops to protect themselves against a freakin' bullet (that can crack an engine block) while still wearing a T-shirt. If that's possible then so is shrinking the goalie equipment so it's of reasonable size. Look at Lidstrom's skates. They're made of the same material as the composite sticks. I've heard Lidstrom say a dozen times that he can take a 100MPH slapshot off the toe of his skate and he barely feels it. If you can mold this material to a SKATE, how come it can't be done for something like chest and arm protectors??? Please people, stop defending goalies. It's already been shown that technology has helped streamline every single thing in life while goalies continue to grow. It's not for physical safety, but rather job security. Take up more net, see less goals. It's that simple. True, goalies are far more conditioned and agile than from previous era's, but it I don't think they've gotten that good to the point where a 2.50 GAA is considered horrible. Especially when you think how Grant Fuhr won the Vezina with a 3.70 GAA and .877 save % only 20 years ago. Goalies take up 30% more of the net than from years past. And while some goalies are much bigger, Ken Dryden would still be a monster in today's age and he was half the size of Giggy or Luongo. And he played in an era where he had to stop blasts from players such as Bobby Hull. Seriously, whoever thinks the goalies need to be this big needs serious psychological help.

Giggy is the reason why this is even being discussed. Yes, every goalie has some inflated equipment, but NOTHING compares to Giggy. His stuff is on the side of comical. And while he has decent lateral movement, he's still basically a table-hockey goalie. He only moves side-to-side. His glove hand and blocker are very slow and weak. And he's not that very mobile to prevent fast cross-crease passes. I've seen him give up these goals where he doesn't even move once the puck goes across the crease and is slammed into the net. He simply stands there like a big dummy. Because all he does well is square to the shooter, if the shooter sees more daylight he'll get lit up more. I can't tell you how many goals I've seen his equipment stop for him. With less equipment, less 'stops'. Giggy sucks.

No deal. I want that pizza party!

I know that there's already 'proof' out there that the Filpulla facebook thing was a hoax. But man was it a good one. And who would go out of their way to make up such an elaborate hoax for such an insignificant player? I could see it if it were a Crosby, Lecavailer or even a Brad Richards. But Filpulla? Lets just say that I won't be shocked if this deal, in fact, gets done.

All quality artillery!

Can you say ECHL? My thoughts exactly.

"Today is arms and back. It's boring, but it's my life" P.S. I'm all for dealing both Filpulla and Huds for Hossa as well - if he signs on for a longer term.

These guns?

I'm not joking when I say this, the National Enquirer is more reliable than the what's printed in the Toronto or Ottawa Sun. Especially the sports stories. Al Strachan will make up stuff out of the blue only to help sell papers. But the Sunshine Girls in there are nice!

Standard procedure.

He was. But the latest scouting reports have suggested that Ericsson has surpassed Kindl.

I'm very interested in seeing what Ericsson has to offer. I hope he gets the call for HNIC on Saturday against the 'Nucks.