Atariboy

We're coming to an end of an era.... Lidstrom, Osgood, Draper, Holmstrom, Maltby. All important core pieces of the success we've enjoyed the last decade. Fortunately (and maybe luckily (hitting the jackpot with Dats and Zett)) we'll continue to enjoy success for many years.

Ozzie and Draper have 1 more year left and will be on the team next year. The others are without a contract. Lidstrom is still Lidstromish. Holmstrom is still Holmstromish. Maltby is still Maltbyish.

What I hope happens is they collectively decide to all go one more year. Go out as a group. Tell the media about it, make a big deal about it. Do it on the cheap. One more run for the cup. And if there's any players on the team that can't get up giving 100% for trying to get these guys a last cup...... punch them in the face.


So, yeah. I hope Maltby comes back one more. He may see his fair share of press box but who cares. He'll be a wing and be ready when called upon.

Pump the brakes. Let's not generalize too much. There are A LOT of very responsible people in this country. Unfortunately, the only people that get recognized are the dip s***s that do drive drunk. Nobody talks about the large chunk that do the right thing. They are just called liars. Lol.

I'm watching the Pens/Caps game not and Pierre mentioned that when we traded for Lang we sent Flichman (sp) and a 1st which turned out to be Green.  Whis is this relevant?  Well the way I look at this if at the trade deadline we could deal any or all of  Raffi, Stuart, Cleary, Draper and Osgood for 1st round picks we accomplish a few things...  1) we see how the Miller's, Kindl's etc do in the show when the job is theirs to win or lose 2) we potentially drop a bit increasing the chance of a higher draft position or we make it to the playoffs with a young scrappy team and 3) we free cap space for solid off season signings.

Add to this the UFAs we may or may not resign we could have a lot of cap space available for signings or trades.  Also you're new core of Flip, Zetterberg, Dats, Franzen, Kronner and hopefully Lids remains intact.  I really feel the supporting cast has let us down this year so why not get out from under their contracts and retool?