Brutal for the Sharks, this series might be over quick now.
- MadCap2008

Holy crap what a finish. Couture has to clear that puck...

Not sure how the Sharks bounce back after that.

I HATE the puck over the glass penalty. Treat it like an icing (no line change).

That sucked, Refs don't call hooking on the Kings then Sharks take some obvious penalties.

You still have to kill them off. Epic choke.

Down 2 men and Couture doesn't clear. Yikes, San Jose looked pretty good until the last 5 minutes.

That must be just soul crushing for San Jose.

I gotta laugh at the Sharks, some of their BS antics in the Canucks series just irked me especially Couture, I don't think the stroke of bad luck could've happened to a better player. Enjoy the last two games there bud, its gonna be a Quick series as they say.

Based on Boston's depleted defense I was picking NY, now I am not so sure. Their young gys played like pros.

That sucked, Refs don't call hooking on the Kings then Sharks take some obvious penalties.

You still have to kill them off. Epic choke.

Down 2 men and Couture doesn't clear. Yikes, San Jose looked pretty good until the last 5 minutes.
- Sell My Monkey

The Leafs did that in game 7, that is a EPIC Choke.. Tuff one.

The Leafs did that in game 7, that is a EPIC Choke.. Tuff one.
- bixll

Hard to swallow. The Leafs blew the chance of a lifetime.

I feel bad for the Sharks. I wished they could take the Kings to 6 or 7 games at least. They are just like the Canucks: not made/built for playoff hockey.

Based on Boston's depleted defense I was picking NY, now I am not so sure. Their young gys played like pros.
- powerhouse

I still wouldn't like to play the Bruins. They are just a more complete team.

It would be fun to beat the Rangers and see all the talk from Tortorella about our "whinning stars and most arrogant organization in the NHL"

Oh, absolutely.... you don't trade a player like Malkin unless your franchise goes to poop financially and you have to (see Gretzky & Jagr), or he makes it clear that he's not resigning.
- rival22

So, you'd hold on to a guy who's never going to center your top line as opposed to the guy that may be the best defenseman in the league? I understand that Malkin's great and all, and for ANY OTHER TEAM it would be heresy to even think of trading him. However, since you already have the game's top center, I always saw Malkin as a luxury. Especially since centers are easier to replace than defensemen...I don't know, I'd do everything necessary to hold on to both, even if it meant trading guys like Neal, Kunitz, etc.

Just watched LA's two last goals. Logan fuc'ed up on LA's 3rd goal and Pavelski didn't cover Lewis well on the 4th. LA just crashed the net hard and were rewarded getting the rebounds.

Choke.

So, you'd hold on to a guy who's never going to center your top line as opposed to the guy that may be the best defenseman in the league? I understand that Malkin's great and all, and for ANY OTHER TEAM it would be heresy to even think of trading him. However, since you already have the game's top center, I always saw Malkin as a luxury. Especially since centers are easier to replace than defensemen...I don't know, I'd do everything necessary to hold on to both, even if it meant trading guys like Neal, Kunitz, etc.
- jmatchett383

Malkin = generational talent. You don't trade him if you don't have to.

Letang = exceptional d-man....but we already have at least 3 or 4 candidates on our prospects pool to try to replace Kris.

1st sign Geno, 2nd sign Kris.

Sign both if the price is right

So, you'd hold on to a guy who's never going to center your top line as opposed to the guy that may be the best defenseman in the league? I understand that Malkin's great and all, and for ANY OTHER TEAM it would be heresy to even think of trading him. However, since you already have the game's top center, I always saw Malkin as a luxury. Especially since centers are easier to replace than defensemen...I don't know, I'd do everything necessary to hold on to both, even if it meant trading guys like Neal, Kunitz, etc.
- jmatchett383

Malkin is more than a luxury. How players are their of his caliber in the league? None. You can't trade a player like that when they are at the peak of their career.

Malkin is more than a luxury. How players are their of his caliber in the league? None. You can't trade a player like that when they are at the peak of their career.
- powerhouse

Exactly. It's like having Sakic and Forsberg or Yzerman and Fedorov in your team at their prime and trade one of them. No way.

Keep the 2-headed-monster intact

Exactly. It's like having Sakic and Forsberg or Yzerman and Fedorov in your team at their prime and trade one of them. No way.

Keep the 2-headed-monster intact

- Orpik44

Not the same at all. Sakic and Yzerman were the old guard where Forsberg and Fedorov were seen as the guys who could carry the torch after they retired. Never happened that way due to circumstances beyond those organizations' control. Malkin and Crosby are essentially the same age.

Even so, the Avs had a Norris defenseman in Blake. The Wings had one in Lidstrom. Those are harder to replace than first line forwards. Granted, Malkin's a superstar forward, but I'd say Letanfg borders on superstar defenseman. You're just not gonna sell me on it, especially given the return you could get for Malkin versus Letang.

Again, if you moved Malkin to Florida as their marquee, the return (Markstrom, Huberdeau, Weiss, MacKinnon/2nd pick, next year's 1st) sets you up right now as well as 10 years down the road.

Weighing in on the trade Malkin/trade Letang, i hope Shero can figure out a way to keep both. Malkin's raise (cap hit wise) should not be much and should affect the cap situation, 500k at most. Letang, on the other hand, will probably have, at most, a 3.5 mil cap hit raise. I agree with the majority in here that if you have to trade one, Malkin stays. You just don't get a player like that very often. Now if you HAVE to trade Letang, i wouldn't be surprised to see the Habs make a big push for him.

Not the same at all. Sakic and Yzerman were the old guard where Forsberg and Fedorov were seen as the guys who could carry the torch after they retired. Never happened that way due to circumstances beyond those organizations' control. Malkin and Crosby are essentially the same age.

Even so, the Avs had a Norris defenseman in Blake. The Wings had one in Lidstrom. Those are harder to replace than first line forwards. Granted, Malkin's a superstar forward, but I'd say Letanfg borders on superstar defenseman. You're just not gonna sell me on it, especially given the return you could get for Malkin versus Letang.

Again, if you moved Malkin to Florida as their marquee, the return (Markstrom, Huberdeau, Weiss, MacKinnon/2nd pick, next year's 1st) sets you up right now as well as 10 years down the road.
- jmatchett383

You get what I mean. Two stars playing at their peak pretty much at the same time. I think those guys had 3 to 4 years diferential. Lemieux and Jagr, 6 or 7. Gretzky and Messier 1 year apart, just like Sid and Geno.

Malkin ain't going nowhere and that sucks for everyone but the Penguins. Letang will also be re-signed as long as his cap hit is below $6.5M or 7M.

You could say Letang is our Norris d-man. We all know he's capable of getting it. He's the best out of the nominees.

You get what I mean. Two stars playing at their peak pretty much at the same time. I think those guys had 3 to 4 years diferential. Lemieux and Jagr, 6 or 7. Gretzky and Messier 1 year apart, just like Sid and Geno.

Malkin ain't going nowhere and that sucks for everyone but the Penguins. Letang will also be re-signed as long as his cap hit is below $6.5M or 7M.
- Orpik44

Then he's not getting resigned, because he could probably make $7.5M on the market. Which to me makes zero sense. He gets criticized, but he's an unbelievably talented player who is the backbone of the team. I'd rather see them ship off a guy like Niskanen, Neal, or Kunitz to free up the cap for him.

Then he's not getting resigned, because he could probably make $7.5M on the market. Which to me makes zero sense. He gets criticized, but he's an unbelievably talented player who is the backbone of the team. I'd rather see them ship off a guy like Niskanen, Neal, or Kunitz to free up the cap for him.
- jmatchett383

I also think they will ship out Niskanen if it comes down to that. Letang is very important to us and it won't be because of $1M that we won't re-sign him I guess....but at the same time Shero is very responsible with our cap...let's wait and see. I bet he'll get it done.

I also think they will ship out Niskanen if it comes down to that. Letang is very important to us and it won't be because of $1M that we won't re-sign him I guess....but at the same time Shero is very responsible with our cap...let's wait and see. I bet he'll get it done.
- Orpik44

I'd hope so.

I guess this is my issue:

If you keep Letang but let Malkin go, you still have Crosby and Letang, which basically makes you a playoff team. You have a supporting cast like Kunitz, Neal, Dupuis, and anything acquired in a trade (Markstrom, MacKinnon, Weiss, Huberdeau) which makes you a contender, and sets you up with a young nucleus for years.

If you keep Malkin but let Letang go, you're a contender, but your back-end production will drop off unless you're able to get a proven annual producer (Shattenkirk?) coming back as part of the deal.

That was always the joke about Pittsburgh in the mid-90s. They're going to score 1 million goals this year. But they're gonna give up 2 million. If they lose Letang (and address any goalie issues they may/may not encounter....which Markstrom could help stabilize), they may revert back to that and just hope they can win games 7-4 instead of 3-1.

I'd hope so.

I guess this is my issue:

If you keep Letang but let Malkin go, you still have Crosby and Letang, which basically makes you a playoff team. You have a supporting cast like Kunitz, Neal, Dupuis, and anything acquired in a trade (Markstrom, MacKinnon, Weiss, Huberdeau) which makes you a contender, and sets you up with a young nucleus for years.

If you keep Malkin but let Letang go, you're a contender, but your back-end production will drop off unless you're able to get a proven annual producer (Shattenkirk?) coming back as part of the deal.

That was always the joke about Pittsburgh in the mid-90s. They're going to score 1 million goals this year. But they're gonna give up 2 million. If they lose Letang (and address any goalie issues they may/may not encounter....which Markstrom could help stabilize), they may revert back to that and just hope they can win games 7-4 instead of 3-1.
- jmatchett383

I see your reasoning but we still would rather keep Malkin ahead of Letang. Even if he doesn't re-sign with us, the return will be very good. I don't worry too much about it now. We are just fine and will trade whoever we need to trade in order to get it done with our Top 3 players.

On a side note..
Juniors

Pros

I'd hope so.

I guess this is my issue:

If you keep Letang but let Malkin go, you still have Crosby and Letang, which basically makes you a playoff team. You have a supporting cast like Kunitz, Neal, Dupuis, and anything acquired in a trade (Markstrom, MacKinnon, Weiss, Huberdeau) which makes you a contender, and sets you up with a young nucleus for years.

If you keep Malkin but let Letang go, you're a contender, but your back-end production will drop off unless you're able to get a proven annual producer (Shattenkirk?) coming back as part of the deal.

That was always the joke about Pittsburgh in the mid-90s. They're going to score 1 million goals this year. But they're gonna give up 2 million. If they lose Letang (and address any goalie issues they may/may not encounter....which Markstrom could help stabilize), they may revert back to that and just hope they can win games 7-4 instead of 3-1.
- jmatchett383

Without Malkin, Neal is fairly useless. Id rather trim Neal's 5 million from the cap, and keep both Malkin and Letang.

Without Malkin, Neal is fairly useless. Id rather trim Neal's 5 million from the cap, and keep both Malkin and Letang.
- Rawdog9755

You've gotta be joking



Spoiled....

You've gotta be joking



Spoiled....
- rival22

Really? Makes sense to me. If I am Shero and looking for a place to save some $, I have to think Neal becomes a candidate to be moved. He is your most expensive winger and cant play up and down the lineup like Kunitz or Duper. Not saying I am particularly fond of the idea, but between losing Neal, Letang, and Malkin I would choose to move Neal.

Really? Makes sense to me. If I am Shero and looking for a place to save some $, I have to think Neal becomes a candidate to be moved. He is your most expensive winger and cant play up and down the lineup like Kunitz or Duper. Not saying I am particularly fond of the idea, but between losing Neal, Letang, and Malkin I would choose to move Neal.
- Rawdog9755

Neal can play up and down the lineup (and apparently on both wings), and not sure why you'd need a sniper to play down in the lineup anyway? But the bigger point is that he's a 25 year old 40 goal scorer and signed for the next 5 years.

If you move him, in a couple years you are left with Bennett being the only viable top 6 winger (if he continues to develop like he is). Kunitz and Dupuis either won't be here, or won't be nearly as productive as they are in a couple seasons.

I want Letang back at the right price, but organizationally, he's the easiest one replaced out of the the three you named.

Neal can play up and down the lineup (and apparently on both wings), and not sure why you'd need a sniper to play down in the lineup anyway? But the bigger point is that he's a 25 year old 40 goal scorer and signed for the next 5 years.

If you move him, in a couple years you are left with Bennett being the only viable top 6 winger (if he continues to develop like he is). Kunitz and Dupuis either won't be here, or won't be nearly as productive as they are in a couple seasons.

I want Letang back at the right price, but organizationally, he's the easiest one replaced out of the the three you named.
- rival22

It's easy to replace a Norris-caliber defenseman??? If you move Malkin, you don't have to replace your Art Ross-caliber center because you already have the "replacement" in Crosby.

I agree with Neal though. But if you have to move him to keep Letang and Malkin, you do it in an instant.