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Would you take Ilya Kovalchuk if Lidstrom retires?

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There's a chance Lidstrom may want to retire. If so, that's $7.5 to play with. Would spending it on Ilya Kovalchuk be the way to go and have Kronwall/Stuart as the top pair?

If Holland did that he'd have to find another D-man. I guess with Maltby, Williams, Bert and Homstrom's contracts coming off the books, Holland will have some funds for a 4th defenceman. I hope he keeps Eaves, Miller and Bert. The thought of Lidstrom retiring makes me sad, but it's going to happen sooner than later. :(

I'm not liking Ralfi's contract anymore.

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I'd take Ilya in a second. I saw on that NHLSourcesSay twitter, they said the wings are interested in him the other day. I don't know how accurate that is but it'd be nice. Pavs setting him up all the time, it'd be crazy.

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If this team keeps a declining Lidstrom over signing Kovalchuk, than all hope is lost.

I have no problem bringing Lidstrom back next year, but not at the expensive of younger, better superstar players.

That said, I think Kovalchuk will re-sign with Atlanta at some point.

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No, Ilya Kovalchuk is a horrible player. I would never want him on any team I root for regardless of available cap space.

In all seriousness, though, I have my doubts as to whether Kovalchuk would want to come here. Really close to that Canadian media he so dislikes...

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I don't see him coming here. Holland isn't going trade depth for him. We would probably lose someone like Fil and Ericsson plus a couple picks to make that happen. Anyways, I'm pretty sure he'll stay in Atlanta. Kovy will be signed for big bucks, and the Thrashers get what they want.

It would be sweet though... Imagine Franzen-Datsyuk-Kovalchuk :o

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Guest Crymson
well nobody has been scoring. it would be nice to see some ******* goals.

Umm yeah, presumably that's because half the roster is injured.

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If Nick retires, Kovy might be an option.

But that leaves the Wings with #4-#6 defensemen questionable. Ericsson should improve, Kindl/Meech could make up a solid 5-6. If Lilja can return then we have a decent unit. If not, replacing Lilja is probably necessary.

Don't forget, it's possible Hudler returns next season. That's another cap consideration when thinking about Kovalchuk. Huds would be locked in at $2.875, meaning Z/Dats/Franzen/Flip/Huds/Cleary/Draper/Leino and Kronner/Raffi/Stu/Ericsson/Kindl, plus Ozzie and Howard, and you have eight forwards, five defensemen, and two goalies locked in at $44.5m. Leaves $12.3m for five forwards and two defensemen.

Say Meech or another defenseman for $500k.

Then Helm, Abdelkader, and Eaves back for $2.5m total.

Perhaps Lilja or a replacement signs for $1m.

This leaves $8.3m to sign Kovalchuk and another forward. Holmstrom or Maltby coming back at $500k? Maybe even both? Or maybe Miller?

Kovalchuk at ~$7m allows for that. We'll see on Hudler, but I would bet on him coming back next season if Holland expects to have the cap space. If Lids retires and Kovy takes $7, it works. If Nick stays and takes something like $5m, Kovy is probably not an option. Nick for $2m could make it happen, though.

Next summer will be interesting to watch. Find out Hudler's decision, Lidstrom's decision, and what happens based on those decisions. If Nick doesn't declare retirement but stays unsigned until other guys are signed, such as forwards being basically sorted out, and the Wings don't pick up a top-pairing type defenseman without trading Raffi or Stu, then look for Lids to take cap leftovers.

Would love to see something like:

Kovalchuk/Datsyuk/Franzen

Hudler/Zetterberg/Cleary

Eaves/Filppula/Leino

Helm/Draper/Abdelkader

Maltby or Miller?

With Homer in the lineup, it could be:

Kovalchuk/Datsyuk/Holmstrom

Filppula/Zetterberg/Cleary

Franzen/Hudler/Eaves

Helm/Draper/Abdelkader

Leino/Maltby or Miller?

Lidstrom/Rafalski

Kronwall/Ericsson

Kindl/Stuart

Meech

Osgood

Howard

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Guest mindfly

Never thought i would say this but as bad as he has been playing this season I kind of hope he retires and free up that space to put on a younger high end player with more enthusiasm

Edited by mindfly

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If Lids is gone then Holland MUST go after top 2 off D - and I hope that he will go after (trade) Kaberle (not so expensive at $4.25M).

Also - Kubina or Corvo right hand def. (at +/- $3.5M per season) could only provide boost to our PP units. Meech and Lebda are PAST.

If not: Michalek or Robidas (I just don't see Dallas letting him go)

http://www.sportscity.com/nhl/2010-nhl-unr...sition/#Defense

Kaberle (wish) - Rafalski

Kronwall - Kubina/Corvo/Michalek

Stuart - Ericsson

Kindl

Once we have def set - then go after:

Keep Bert at $1.5M

scoring forwards see: Frolov, Bourque...

some toughness see: Thornton, Asham, Boogaard :)

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Kovalchuk MUST be a Red Wing and he MUST be one SOON!

You let most if not all of the UF/A's go. Maybe offer small contracts to Holmstrom & Bertuzzi. Trade Leino.

Of course re-sign Helm, Miller & Abdelkader.

That leaves us with this: (not line combos, just a list)

Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Franzen

Cleary, Draper, Helm

Miller, Abdelkader, Filppula

Stuart, Kronwall

Rafalski, Ericisson

Kindl

Howard

Osgood

...now add Kovalchuk (?Holmstrom, Bertuzzi?(personally I would rather try to get Andrew Ladd) and a player from the farm (Tartar or Emmerton for example) then sign Willie Mitchell and Aaron Ward to UFA contracts.

Cap World sucks, but get Kovalchuk here long term. (again this is just a list of players not combos)

Kovalchuk, Datsyuk, Franzen

Cleary, Zetterberg, Ladd

Helm, Filppula, Miller

Draper, Abdelkader, Holmstrom (Bertuzzi)

Emmerton (TarTar)

Stuart, Kronwall

Rafalski, Ericsson

Ward, Mitchell

Kindl

Osgood, Howard

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Kovalchuk MUST be a Red Wing and he MUST be one SOON!

You let most if not all of the UF/A's go. Maybe offer small contracts to Holmstrom & Bertuzzi. Trade Leino.

Of course re-sign Helm, Miller & Abdelkader.

That leaves us with this: (not line combos, just a list)

Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Franzen

Cleary, Draper, Helm

Miller, Abdelkader, Filppula

Stuart, Kronwall

Rafalski, Ericisson

Kindl

Howard

Osgood

...now add Kovalchuk (?Holmstrom, Bertuzzi?(personally I would rather try to get Andrew Ladd) and a player from the farm (Tartar or Emmerton for example) then sign Willie Mitchell and Aaron Ward to UFA contracts.

Cap World sucks, but get Kovalchuk here long term. (again this is just a list of players not combos)

Kovalchuk, Datsyuk, Franzen

Cleary, Zetterberg, Ladd

Helm, Filppula, Miller

Draper, Abdelkader, Holmstrom (Bertuzzi)

Emmerton (TarTar)

Stuart, Kronwall

Rafalski, Ericsson

Ward, Mitchell

Kindl

Osgood, Howard

I've probably said this a number of times before already, but doesn't this look much better and even much more realistic:

Cleary-Datsyuk-Frolov

Franzen-Filppula-Zetterberg

Abdelkader-Helm-Eaves

Miller-Draper-"May"

+ "Maltby", "Leino"

Lidstrom-Rafalski(?)

Kronwall-Stuart

Kindl-Ericsson

+ "Meech"

Osgood(?)

Howard

Those guys with quote marks mean that guys similiar to those. Osgood could retire and Rafalski could be traded.

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From what I have gathered he is asking for a boatload. The real question is would you prefer Kovalchuk or depth?

ATL doesn't have a whole lot of depth and they're a solid team.

I think the Wings would be fine with losing Filppula & Ericsson plus picks for him.

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