Lonewuhf

I like the idea of Nash, but it's all about the cost.  If we're giving up Franzen, perhaps, but not Flip.

LOL!

So you expect us to give up table scraps for a perennial 30-40 goal scorer and Anaheim would just accept?

Try again.

Filppula is NOT table scraps. 60 points and awesome defense. In my mind its almost an even trade between Fil and Ryan... but some people call me CRAAAAAAZAAAAY.

I apologize for yet another capgeek fantasy roster....but....I don't think this team would have trouble scoring. 4th line would be scary to play against lol

CAPGEEK.COM USER GENERATED ROSTER
My Custom Lineup
FORWARDS
Damien Brunner ($0.925m) / Pavel Datsyuk ($6.700m) / Alexander Semin ($5.700m)
Valtteri Filppula ($3.000m) / Henrik Zetterberg ($6.083m) / Rick Nash ($7.800m)
Mikael Samuelsson ($3.000m) / Darren Helm ($2.125m) / Gustav Nyquist ($0.875m)
Todd Bertuzzi ($2.075m) / Justin Abdelkader ($0.866m) / Jordin Tootoo ($1.900m)
Patrick Eaves ($1.200m) / Drew Miller ($0.838m)
Cory Emmerton ($0.533m)
DEFENSEMEN
Niklas Kronwall ($4.750m) / Ryan Suter ($7.800m)
Jonathan Ericsson ($3.250m) / Brendan Smith ($0.875m)
Jakub Kindl ($0.883m) / Ian White ($2.875m)
GOALTENDERS
Jimmy Howard ($2.250m)
Jonas Gustavsson ($1.500m)
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled without the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $70,200,000; CAP PAYROLL: $67,803,750; BONUSES: $37,500
CAP SPACE (23-man roster): $2,396,250

He was excellent this play-offs no question about this. But this excellence comes from work ethics not actual skill (he has his share, definitely). It seems we already have such kind of player - Gustav Nyquist looks like a very inexperenced version of Zack Parise. No doubts I would like to have Parise on our team but I also think that a couple of gritty top-9 (mostly third like) forwards may help this team way more. Chris Stewart, David Jones to be realistic. Definitely I would have preferred Bobby Ryan and David Backes...

We need Parise in a big way if we are to become legit Cup contenders again.  Right now, the Wings do not scare anyone.  Dats and Z are our only bonafide top 6 forwards.  Flip and Mule look like they are but are too inconsistent.  Flip had a good regular season but was bad in the playoffs.  Mule will look great one game and then will disappear for 10 more.  Adding Parise takes the pressure off Flip and Mule which can only help them.  It takes pressure of Dats and Z as well.  Depth is a nice thing to have.  But you still need the front end skill guys who can match-up with the other teams top guys.  Match-ups become more important in the playoffs.  If you only have 2 guys you have to really shut down, then it makes it much easier for the other team.  More ammo in the gun and the better chance you have of eliminating your target.

Anyone that thinks Brad Stuart (I wont grace him with a nickname) deserves anything more than a D is blind or high on drugs.

I may sound like a tin-foiler but I seriously think he was trying to throw games. I also expect a negative 5 or more.

He played like Ericcson did last year only we know how he usually plays.  We also know that hes in the pocket of SJ right now and wouldnt surprise me if a juicier contract would be offered if we lost here and there.  He skated away from pucks, let forwards skate past him without challenging them and flat out played at 50%.

Unless he has a broken foo,t he was sandbagging and/or throwing games.  

STUART- J-

I think the expectations should be reasonable.  He was brought in to be a 30 goal guy, which was slightly under where he landed in the end.  I agree his playoff performance wasn't good, which is why I think a B would be fair to give him.

i guess we just differ on what we think franzen should be doing. to me his role is more than just a 30 goal scorer. i would put him at the 40 goal target given his salary, minutes, and linemates. he also needs to be able to generate more of those goals on his own and not just rely on datsyuk making amazing moves and getting him the puck 4 feet from an open net. because of his salary and role on the team, he needs to be an on ice leader. and you can't be that when you float around half your shift and rarely play in your own zone. he often is able to hide in the regular season due to his rep as a playoff performer. as stated in my last post, he was weak down the stretch and invisible in the playoffs this year. thats why he deserves one of the lowest grades on the team.

I liked that I got negged for saying that the blame shouldn't be dumped on just one person, that everyone involved played a part in us getting bounced out in the first round.  I wasn't aware that was verboten around these parts.

When I first saw the 25-game suspension, I thought it might be a bit heavy-handed, but after watching the explanation video that showed how many times Torres has done this exact same thing over his career, I think it was definitely warranted.

After seeing Shanahans compilation of all the Torres-stupidity - I think this serves him right.

After years and years analysts saying that the wings are done because they are getting to old and all has finally came true. We no longer have that "elite" young players that we use to have to carry this team on there shoulder.

Our 2 first lines:

V. Filppula ---> 28 years old, good / decent player at best.
H. Zetterberg ---> 31 years old very good / elite at his best.
J. Hudler ---> 28 years old, okay / good at best.

J. Franzen ---> 32 years old, good / decent player at best.
P. Datsyuk ---> 33 years old, elite / elite at his best
D. Cleary ---> 33 years old, okay / good at his best

^^^ We're not too old on offense but we're not young, nor hungry for another run ... and it will keep getting worst. Cleary unfortunately shouldn't even be on a top two line. Franzen - Datsyuk - Zetterberg are all getting a year older, how long will they keep carrying this team on there back?

Filppula & Hudler ...second line players at best, they just don't have that elite level to help this team win another cup.

Bertuzzi is @ 37 ... we're just going to see decrease in his game.

Cleary should not be resigned and be replaced by Miller when his contract runs out.

Helm Abdelkader Emmerton ... will never be that top 2 line players but they are excellent in that role and thank god they are young.

Nyquist looks talented, hope Tatar makes the team next year as well.

Worried on defense tho ... Stuart is good as gone this year. Looks like this will be Lidstrom's last year. His injuries are taking longer to recover and his scoring touch has declined this year. Age has caught up with our captain which is really sad.

I have no idea what's going to happen on defense after this year ... really scares me seeing this team going into next season with:

Kronwall Ericsson
Quincey White
Kindl Smith

* Added after edit:

Every other team in the playoffs this year is young and very hungry and I just don't see use competing at there level.

We are missing an elite sniper that could find the back of the net & we will be missing an elite defense after this year.

All tho, a lot of people will hate what I'm going to say ... but it's not the first time that I've said this on LGW and it will not be the last time either but ...

This team will never win a Stanley cup with Jimmy Howard! ... Would love to see him win tho don't get me wrong I love the kid but I just don't see it happening.

If you go after a team's scorers/stars then in some way you have to let the other team know you won't accept that.

Bieksa had a pretty nice hit on Brown not to long after the altercation, and that's all that should happen.  It should be, if you hit our guy hard, we're going to hit you hard.  Not, if you hit our guy hard, we're going to try to punch your face in.

Burrows is anything but a goon. He's a spot-picking rat. Had a "goon" been on the ice, I doubt Burrows goes after Kopitar.

But yes, the rough stuff after clean hits is annoying as hell. In essence, it deters hitting.

That's exactly the point.  When someone on your team gets hit hard....clean or not, you want to send a message that they will need to pay whenever they do that.....try to deter hitting the future, that's exactly what they are trying to accomplish.  To be honest, I'd be unhappy if my team didn't respond to hard hits, you have to show that you won't get pushed around.

Another thing to think about....I bet that hit isn't made of it wasn't Sedin...they target star players and try to punish them, you need to respond.  If the hit is dirty, the response would be a lot more violent.

Clearly at 50% has played better than Hudler and Flip.