greenrebellion

Bryz is coming off a shutout and has been playing well of late.

I think a lot of Hudler's success is due to the way the wings play and how he fits in...similar to how Leino fit in with the Flyers. I think he has extremely high "bust" potential if he signs a big deal with another team.

Sell low, buy high...the Howson approach.

Does anyone understand this trade from a Lightning perspective. I've been actively following the Bolts this season mainly because of the Yzerman presence, but why move a young versatile player in downie for a late first round pick?

He'll still hit our cap even if he retires. I'm good with the signing though.

Meh, I've been listening to the guy since I was 5 years old...I'll love him no matter what

We aren't showcasing anyone, Datsyuk is out, Hudler moves up to play forward on the PP, Kindl replaces him on the point.

Unless you get lucky and land a Crosby/Ovechkin/Stamkos type player (which involves you getting the top pick in the lottery and having a player of that caliber available) then maybe that strategy works. Otherwise, you end up as a bottom feeder for years upon years taking the tank and rebuild approach. Look at the Islanders and the Oilers...it takes a LONG time to rebuild a team through drafting alone and its not a guaranteed formula for success. Florida is another good example, they only started to have a modicum of success once the new GM came in, moved some pieces around and signed a bunch of free agents. Given where they came from, with a roster filled with AHL players and an empty cupboard of prospects, the Leafs as a fringe playoff team is pretty good progress, and their future a year or two out if you fill in a couple more pieces is very bright imo.

I think he deserves more credit than you give him. The Toronto team he took over had a relatively barren prospect system, and the NHL roster was filled with AHL caliber players. When you start with so little, its going to be an uphill battle. Look at what he's done though. He destroys the flames in the Phaneuf trade, bringing in a top pairing D-man while shipping off a bunch of worthless scrubs (most of which have since left the Flames or found themselves in the minors). He also brought in Lupul, Gardiner (a great young D-man) and a draft pick for Beauchemin, another absolute steal of a trade. He then dumps Lebda (obviously not a great signing) and brings in Franson & Lombardi. Lombardi was basically a salary dump for the Preds, but Franson has played very well. And lastly, he brings in a huge return for Kaberle who has basically become a complete bust. They now have a very solid core of d-men...a couple of top flight wingers in Kessel & Lupul, much better 3rd and 4th line depth, and a restocked cupboard of picks/prospects. They are still missing a couple of key pieces, namely coaching & goaltending...but the future is fairly bright in Toronto, even if it is still a couple of years out.

Well that is good news, I was having a panic attack over here!!

Why am I watching Buffalo when the listing says Detroit/Sharks???!?!?!

Make it happen Kenny.

That would definitely suck. They've already knocked us out of the playoffs two years in a row, please Wings, beat them Sunday and deny them the pleasure.

This!! Dats made Suter look like an amateur

WOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOOWOWOW What a finish! MacDonald amazing! And Dats is out of this world.

A kubina acquisition at the deadline would fit Kenny's MO pretty well, I doubt he's merely kicking the tires.

What a game by JOEY!!!!

agreed

For someone coming off a 26 goal campaign in 68 games (which equates to 31 goals if he played 82 games)...this criticism seems awfully harsh. He might be past his prime and what he's able to bring to the table will start to decline, but demonizing him like this is a massive slap in the face to what he's provided this team over the years. He's coming off his best season ever! He's not a top tier talent nor is he expected to be, he's a hard working player who battles and shows up for key games. Not only that, but he's very versatile and can play on any line, doesn't gripe when he gets demoted, plays the same hard working game. What's not to like?

I haven't read this whole thread, so maybe its been mentioned elsewhere...but...is it just me or has Ericcson been playing a very solid game recently, especially on the defensive side where his positioning is solid and decision making is much much better.

Was soooo rooting for Conks in this game. Solid road win in a back to back effort with the backup goalie, what else can you ask for?

How is conks in the SO?

Wow, I thought for sure he won a cup. Lets get him one this year!

LOL, Islanders call a timeout with 20 seconds to go.

Its very possible that Howard was getting a bit fatigued, maybe not physically, but the position is exhausting mentally as well. In the last few games he didn’t look quite like the all star he was for the majority of the first half of the season. A week or so off could do him a lot of good. And we need Conks to get some consistent playing time anyway, two birds, one stone.