DSM

Oh boy, the "blocking a spot from a young player" angle You apparently didn't read the post that Axe was responding too. Go back and read it. K THX.

Cleary and Miller probably won't be resigned. Nyquist will probably start in GR since he will still be waiver exempt. No buyouts.

Funny joke..... right? Your 2014 team is worse than the current team. I don't even think NHL13 would let you ice that team.... Do you even know anything about Thomas McCollum? What happened to the dislike button?

They should have no problem re-signing Backstrom and Clutterbuck. Most of the other guys that need to be re-signed won't be too expensive. Cullen is the only one that would be a problem, and they might have to let him walk. Bouchard on the other hand, is probably playing his last season in Minnesota. He might make a cheap reclamation project for another team next season. If Heatley continues to put up sub par numbers this season, I can see them trying to move his last year some how.

Edmonton has slipped below Calgary in the West after last nights action, so I added them to the main post.

I don't believe the days of overpayments are over. There are only a handful of teams going into next season that will be in a cap crunch. Depending on how they finish the season and if they hit the market or not, Getzlaf, Perry, Semin, Iginla and Backstrom will probably all see offers well over $7mil a season. The only thing the NHL wanted to eliminate was the crazy front loaded deals that go till guys turn 42-44.

Exactly. If Holmgren wants Shattenkirk from the Blues, Helm and Smith would have to be mandatory parts of the deal for Philly to even consider dealing Briere to the Wings.

I agree to an extent. Although for some reason that I can't fully explain, I just think he would be a great fit for the Wings. I mean right off the bat... he never gets hurt...

Not surprisingly, you missed the point of my post entirely. So now I ask you: Realistically, what two players could Holland get for a combined $5mil or less cap hit that would pot more than "15 goals with Dats or Z" and provide everything else that Bertuzzi and Samuelsson bring?

I doubt the Red Wings would trade him to LA unless the Wings are way out of the playoff race at the deadline. If they were to trade him to LA now, the price would have to be astronomical since the two teams are competing for the same playoff spots. I'm sure Holland is kicking tires out there, but I'm betting a lot of the other teams GM's are in the same "too early to judge the team" boat.

How? Combined, Bertuzzi and Samuelsson cost $5mil against the cap. I'd say that's a bargain cosidering that when they are healthy, they can contribute 15+ goals each, add good size to the team, and can play well in their own zone. And when everyone is healthy, they would be floating between the 2nd and 3rd line. The Red Wings would have a hard time finding two younger replacements for the same price that offer the same assetts. They're also only under contract for one more season. Does it suck that they get hurt? Sure. But if they're hurt, it'll give a younger player that everyone whines about not being on the team, an opportunity to come up and play for the big club.

I guess maybe hate is a strong word, I do enjoy his enthusiasm to a certain agree. I guess I was just spoiled growing up hearing Gary Thorne call multiple big playoff games and 4 finals appearances for the Red Wings.

It's hard to even speculate on who might be available in the summer of 2014 or who might even still be on the Red Wings roster by then. Colaiacovo, Quincey, Samuelsson and Bertuzzi are all scheduled to be UFA's then, so I'm sure everyone on this site will be rejoicing....

http://spectorshockey.net/blog/nhl-morning-rumor-mill-february-27-2013/ Sounds like the price will be high if he moves. The Flyers apparently want Shattenkirk in return from the Blues. I'm sure Philly would love to move him and his cap hit, seeing that they are right up against the lowered cap going into next season.

I think another factor for Dallas in this deal, is that it gives them another forward going into next season. Before the trade, 5 of Dallas' top 9 forwards were headed for unrestricted free agency (Ryder, Morrow, Jagr, Roy and Nystrom). Of the 5, Morrow is probably the only sure thing to want to come back, especially if the Stars don't make the playoffs this season. Because of this, expect Dallas to be big sellers at the deadline if they aren't in playoff position.

I think next game Drive Emrick calls for the Wings, I'm going to count how many times he yells "drive". NBC's NHL coverage is an absolute embarassment. Guys like Pierre McGuire and Mike Milbury have no business being on TV or anywhere near the NHL.

God I really miss when ESPN had the NHL broadcasting rights. I HATE Mike "DRIVE" Emrick and Ed Olczyk with a passion. I want Gary Thorne and Bill Clemente back. :cry:

From the speculation I've read it fills needs for both teams. For Montreal: -Salary dump of a player who has been struggling this season -Get an upgrade on offense as a playoff rental -Get a 3rd rd. pick as well For Dallas: -They wanted a forward that was harder to play against

For this deal specifically, LA probably wouldn't deal with Detroit since they are battling for the same playoff spots. I wouldn't want Gagne anyway, we have enough injury prone players. This looks more like a gamble for Philly. They need some offense and rather than shell out assets for a good player right away, get Gagne as a cheap reclamation project and see if a change of scenery can give him a spark. If not, make a deal for a better forward at the deadline and you'll have Gagne around for depth.

Good deal for Montreal. They dump the large salary of a slumping player and make an upgrade to their offense in the same deal. Not sure what Dallas gets out of it. Cole has been struggling this season and has even said he is contemplating retirement after this season. Looks like you were right. Or maybe I jinxed it...

And at the same time, for being a #6/7 guy on a struggling Avalanche blueline, he has a pretty big cap hit for the next two seasons. If he doesn't regain a regular spot in their line up, I can see them using an amnesty buyout on him. Then the Red Wings can take a chance on him as a cheap UFA. I think that it speaks volumes that a big affordable dman has played for 5 different NHL teams before he has even turned 30...

It's possible, although Dallas is sitting in the 8th spot currently and probably won't send Ryder packing if they stay there. LA just sent Gagne to Philly for a pick. Probably just as a short term reclamation project though. Gagne had fallen way down LA's depth chart and has been a healthy scratch as of late. Philly needs scoring and can take a chance that Gagne may produce with the team that he potted two 40 goal seasons with. If he doesn't work out, he is a UFA at years end.

I guess I wouldn't mind Kovalev if he came CHEAP. I'm talking like a conditional pick depending on how far the Wings go in the playoffs cheap.... If he comes to the team as a rental and gives them problems or doesn't play well, they can just scratch him and play someone else. Can't deny that the guy does still have some natural talent that may be useful. I also agree on Regehr and Leopold. Not sure how much they would cost, but they would make the Wings D better if they aqcuired one of them. I also wouldn't be opposed to one of them being signed in the offseason as a UFA. On Weiss, I feel like other teams would offer more for him. Boston is looking for a top 6 forward and is looking to go deep before they have to dismantle parts of their roster to get under the lower cap next season. I can see them making a better offer. I also wouldn't want him if he keeps up his current production either, he's on pace to score 3 goals and 12 points this season...

Interesting. I don't know how they can say "Detroit will step to the front of the line". If Weiss waives his NTC and hits the market, you can bet that teams are going to get into a bidding war over him, and Holland NEVER wins those. Holland will certainly make his pitch, but I can see other team offering a lot more than Holland will. PLUS, the guy is struggling. He's on pace to put up 3 goals and 12 points in this shortened season. If he keeps that up, I wouldn't want Holland to pay much for him. Mike Ribeiro might hit the market and is on pace for 59 pts...

It would be absolutely retarded to have Sproul and Ouellet on the big club as the #7/8 guys. It would be a complete waste of their potential to have them rotate in and out of the Meech and Kindl seat (press box)... They will be in GR for atleast 2 years before they are a credible threat to unseating any of the teams dmen. Kindl produced at the Junior level too, but he needed 3 years in GR just to be a #7 guy with the Wings...