To me, the Sedins are in the same boat as Ray Whitney. They won't be top players going forward, but they are still going to be pretty dam good players.

Kesler is still elite imo when he is healthy. he's had one bad year. don't be bitter because he is twice as good as anyone on the leafs, even if he was only playing with one arm.

Edler, Gillis will get it done or he will move him for assets. It's as simple as that. and his skills are not declining.

Luongo, ahhh, we have a guy who is better waiting in the wings. the worst case is Vancouver will buy him out, but VANCOUVER WILL GET VALUE FOR HIM.

Will Vancouver win a couple more Presidents, and a Cup? tough call, but i'd be willing to bet they will be in the hunt for a few more years.
- IanEsplen

I agree with everything you said except for Edler. If there is no season and he wants more than the Canucks want to pay him, I couldn't imagine a team giving quality assets up for his rights.

And I'm not bitter about Kesler. I think he's awesome. He's not a 40 guy, but he's an elite two-player. Injuries and attitude do play a role though.

My only complaint is Maxim has not earned the Lappy name yet. Not saying he can't it's just that the real Lappy just retired let the dirt on the retirement grave settle before giving his name away please.
- onac22

WTF is Lappy? You talking Phi's Lappy?

Pascal Dupuis.

Speculation only. The NHLPA would need to agree on that and so far they have agreed on Sh!t.

I would be pissed if teams were given a grace period to sign unsigned FAs .The should have done that prior.

What happens to the RFAs this year who were not given a contract ?Does that make them UFAs ?
- VANTEL

I can see the players giving up one more year in RFA status in order to avoid rollbacks. I can't see that one year being a sticking point on a deal.

my guess is you see a 2-3 decline period to get to 50/50, UFA's going up a year and maybe something being done around second contracts where they are set like first contracts are.

I agree with everything you said except for Edler. If there is no season and he wants more than the Canucks want to pay him, I couldn't imagine a team giving quality assets up for his rights.

And I'm not bitter about Kesler. I think he's awesome. He's not a 40 guy, but he's an elite two-player. Injuries and attitude do play a role though.
- clarkysduster

Edler will depend on the CBA.

if the new CBA says you have to be 28, guessing Edler is stuck in Vancouver or moved out as an RFA.

If the cap goes down, the 5ish million the Canucks are trying to give him (according to rumours it's 4.5-5.25) may start to sound pretty good.

I can see the players giving up one more year in RFA status in order to avoid rollbacks. I can't see that one year being a sticking point on a deal.

my guess is you see a 2-3 decline period to get to 50/50, UFA's going up a year and maybe something being done around second contracts where they are set like first contracts are.
- IanEsplen

I think the players don't move on RFA and UFA . I do see them accepting a limit on 2 nd contracts.

Edler is UFA next year not RFA

I also think it would be grandfathered in if NHLPA agreed to new length of RFA UFA

I think the players don't move on RFA and UFA . I do see them accepting a limit on 2 nd contracts.

Edler is UFA next year not RFA

I also think it would be grandfathered in if NHLPA agreed to new length of RFA UFA
- VANTEL

under the old cba he would be a ufa.

under the new cba there is a chance he would be a rfa.

I can't the union say no to an extra year of RFA if the NHL agrees to everthing else that they want.

Gotta go with Lappy or Mcginn. Both are tremendously underrated.

Frans Nielsen.

Patrik Elias and Frans Nielsen are two of the most underrated guys in the league.

Mike Ribeiro.

Time for the Sedins to go play for Modo

WTF is Lappy? You talking Phi's Lappy?
- VANTEL

You mean the Lappy that spent 9 years on the Kings as a fan favorite? Yeah Laperrière.

However didn't Lapierre get told to shut up and play during the playoffs? Hardly sounds like that isn't who he is anymore.


However speaking of underrated players, Kopitar finished 9th in Selke scoring. Says enough.

Frans Nielsen.
- DarthKane

Two years ago he was awesome, seemed like he took a bit of a step back last year though.

Two years ago he was awesome, seemed like he took a bit of a step back last year though.
- Nucker101

His +/- was worse, but at -3 that's still not too bad for anyone on the Islanders. Offensively he had his best year with 17 goals, 47 points (15 on the PP). His face-off % was 2nd on the team amongst centres at 45%. But points aren't the only part of his game, Neilsen started about 60% of draws in the defensive zone against the other team's top lines which isn't an easy task.

Ian Esplen: Who's the Most Underrated?
Who's the Most Underrated?
- IanEsplen

Erat takes the cake for me. Honestly, he does everything Eriksson does except in a restrictive defensive system. I'd love to say Eriksson, but recently he's been the popular answer for these sorts of questions so I'll leave him out.

Martin Erat
Anze Kopitar (Elite at everything)
Chris Kunitz (Does everything and scores)
Dion Phaneuf (Does everything, but move laterally)
Taylor Hall (Controls almost every shift he plays)

Nikita Nikitin.

James Reimer

Grabbo

clutterbuck, glencross, burrows, giordano, wheeler and brandon sutter(he's going to get his chance now)

I agree with everything you said except for Edler. If there is no season and he wants more than the Canucks want to pay him, I couldn't imagine a team giving quality assets up for his rights.

And I'm not bitter about Kesler. I think he's awesome. He's not a 40 guy, but he's an elite two-player. Injuries and attitude do play a role though.
- clarkysduster

41 goals in 2010-11 says he is a 40 goal guy....how about Kessel?

You mean the Lappy that spent 9 years on the Kings as a fan favorite? Yeah Laperrière.

However didn't Lapierre get told to shut up and play during the playoffs? Hardly sounds like that isn't who he is anymore.


However speaking of underrated players, Kopitar finished 9th in Selke scoring. Says enough.
- bluecoconuts

Lappy has been great for the Canucks. He still yaps, but he's toned it down a lot, and backs it up now.

Kopitar might be slightly underrated, but most already know how good he is. Don't think his Selke ranking is a valid argument, though. Kesler has actually won it, and fans from other teams run him down to no end. Same goes for Hamhuis and Edler's standing in the Norris voting—apparently they're 3/4 defenders at best.

Time for the Sedins to go play for Modo
- VANTEL

Permanently

If anything...Backes is overrated...
- Boinker

He' no Jordan Schroeder that for sure...

Permanently
- I-own_da-Northwest

??

Hope you're joking.