Let's be realistic. I have been a dupes 1st line hater for a while but that is bc I have been a coach for over 10 yrs and my coaching strategy is to balance line. Dupes is a 3rd line guy. He did well on the 1st line and DB fell in love with him there. But he is a 3rd liner and he would balance the lines more as a 3rd liner.... factor in his age and his knee injury and he is not going to be the dupes that everyone wants him to be. You have to let other slide in there to work with sid. Ie bennett Hornqvist kapanen etc... key is young guys...

Saying he deserves a shot on the 1st line bc of his play 3 yrs ago is BS. .. As well as those two r the only ones sid wants to play with...

Also we have a lot of young guys that will give you more passion and hard work to get a starting job then guys like Downie and goc and scuds... look at every call up last year and how they played...so why not let some of the young D play... how the hell are they going to make the jump to pros without an opportunity? ?

If that is the case then just not have a minor team with prospects and only go after established players
- nh4442

So much ado about nothing.

The only true locks I can see right now are that Sid, Geno, Kunitz and Hornqvist are top 2 lines.

I see those other two wing spots being very open to whoever is playing best.

Bennett, Dupuis...maybe Kulemin if they sign him...or Downie, Gibbons, Spaling etc (in no particular order).

Simply put...when you have two centers that make about 9M each, you can't afford to give each of them 5M wings.

What would the Kings be looking to deal??

Edit: How about a Martin for Williams swap

(i know, in my dreams)
- cap1681

That's really the issue at hand. Both of our teams will want something that will help out in the immediate future. If LA does trade a player, the only guy(s) I could see moving are players such as Clifford/Nolan/King or maybe Lewis. Others would include farm players(from any position) and/or picks.

It's only July 2, there's still three months to add a top six guy.
- BulliesPhan87

Just need to dump Skuds... we do that, we can snag one of those 3.5 mil wingers we want, and keep Martin. Cap space would be very tight, but I don't think anyone would argue that team comp is Cup ready.

Letang-Martin
Ehrhoff-Bortuzzo
Scuderi-????

One spot for 4 guys, and once Maatta comes back, there's nothing.
- cap1681

Very much disagree.

First, NHL teams generally carry (at a minimum) 7 NHL Dmen. Injuries happen and you need more than 6 Dmen on your roster to deal with that. So i look at it as more of Top7 Dmen than Top6 Dmen. Also possible to carry 8D w/ 13F's & 2G's, if necessary, given the ELC contracts of Dumoulin & Harrington and (likely) near-ELC contracts of Bortuzzo, Samuelsson & Despres.

Second, Scuderi will (or should) be in the press box for most of the season. That opens one spot.

Third, I would not think Bortuzzo will be an everyday NHL Dmen; He's Engeland, but with slightly more ability. He is a solid, but I don't think his ceiling is anything more than 5/6/7th Dman at the NHL level. That opens another spot.

I see it as the following to start the season:

Letang-Martin
Ehrhoff-Despres
Bortuzzo-[Dumoulin/Harrington/Samuelsson]
Scuderi

Once Maatta returns:

Letang-Martin
Ehrhoff-Maatta
Despres-[Dumoulin/Harrington/Samuelsson]
Scuderi/Bortuzzo

That'd be two spots between Despres & [Dumoulin/Harrington/Samuelsson].

It's only July 2, there's still three months to add a top six guy.
- BulliesPhan87

No we want it now now now now now

I would have thought, you as a coach, would know that is there is chemistry between three players and they produce well together, they should stick together until the drop of production happens. You can't teach chemistry between people. It is built through time. It's not a given either. He has played well with Crosby since he was put on that line. It was his play three years ago; two years ago and even before his injury. This isn't just his play from three years ago.
- Oneonta Penguin

If he is such a great player then he can bring that to the 3rd line..Chemistry is taught through practicing with your linemates.. knowing where to be and where others will be as well as knowing to shoot when you have to shoot and pass when you should pass... practice makes perfect...

Having 4 balanced lines win championships and being able to move up or down 1 position to play with others in case of injuries..

Very much disagree.

First, NHL teams generally carry (at a minimum) 7 NHL Dmen. Injuries happen and you need more than 6 Dmen on your roster to deal with that. So i look at it as more of Top7 Dmen than Top6 Dmen. Also possible to carry 8D w/ 13F's & 2G's, if necessary, given the ELC contracts of Dumoulin & Harrington and (likely) near-ELC contracts of Bortuzzo, Samuelsson & Despres.

Second, Scuderi will (or should) be in the press box for most of the season. That opens one spot.

Third, I would not think Bortuzzo will be an everyday NHL Dmen; He's Engeland, but with slightly more ability. He is a solid, but I don't think his ceiling is anything more than 5/6/7th Dman at the NHL level. That opens another spot.

I see it as the following to start the season:

Letang-Martin
Ehrhoff-Despres
Bortuzzo-
- s0rcerer1984[Dumoulin/Harrington/Samuelsson]
Scuderi

Once Maatta returns:

Letang-Martin
Ehrhoff-Maatta
Despres-[Dumoulin/Harrington/Samuelsson]
Scuderi/Bortuzzo
That'd be two spots between Despres & [Dumoulin/Harrington/Samuelsson].

In this scenario I believe Dumoulin and Harrington get sent back down they don't have to clear waivers. Samuelsson does

That's really the issue at hand. Both of our teams will want something that will help out in the immediate future. If LA does trade a player, the only guy(s) I could see moving are players such as Clifford/Nolan/King or maybe Lewis. Others would include farm players(from any position) and/or picks.
- Ersberg

I would do Martin for King in a heartbeat.

It's only July 2, there's still three months to add a top six guy.
- BulliesPhan87

Not if other teams offer more money bc they have cap room... and I don't see any other viable top 6 options in the free agency unless you are talking trade...

These Claude Giroux sightings at Nickleback concerts are starting to make sense now.

poop I missed the Rangers signing Bourque. There goes the guy I had on Crosby's wing. You dudes are all so up tight right now. It's July 2nd long way to go to the opener. Relax

These Claude Giroux sightings at Nickleback concerts are starting to make sense now.
- Francois Leroux

Thought he'd be more of a fan of Akon for that song Smack That

No, it was the wrong call. We lost him for nothing this offseason, he didn't help us win the cup, and he took space, where one of our youngsters could have played and gotten experience.
- cap1681

If wish we lived in a world of hindsight where knowing whether a Cup win is coming or not is possible. Unfortunately, GM's lack such hypothetical prescience, so they're left with trying to build the best teams they can season by season, especially when they're yearly contenders.

I'm talking about running guys even a little late, sending messages, fighting, hitting. It's part of the game. If Downie has 1 or 2 questionable hits a year I'm OK with it. Obviously I don't want to see long term injuries but anyone of us would switch with them knowing that's possible. I'm done on it. I like the Downie signing.
- lloyd095

When the game is called right and suspensions are in place for the violators then sending messages and fighting will be obsolete. just like the nfl, the nhl will get there. it will take some law suits etc. but eventually it will get there. lastly, hitting, egal hitting, has absolutely nothing to do with sending messages.... anybody! why is there hitting in hockey?

If wish we lived in a world of hindsight where knowing whether a Cup win is coming or not is possible. Unfortunately, GM's lack such hypothetical prescience, so they're left with trying to build the best teams they can season by season, especially when they're yearly contenders.
- hardnosed

True, but you ask if it was the right call. After the season playing out, it was wrong.

Also missing from this is that few contenders have the cap room to fit Martin unless significant salary is going the other way.

I would do Martin for King in a heartbeat.
- cap1681

Me too. Dwight King would really round out the forward grouping nicely. PLus, we'd likely get back a pick or 2 in that deal.

Sid-Duper-Kunitz
Malkin-Horn-Bennett
King-Sutter-Downie
Spall-Goc-Comeau

That's pretty nice!

If wish we lived in a world of hindsight where knowing whether a Cup win is coming or not is possible. Unfortunately, GM's lack such hypothetical prescience, so they're left with trying to build the best teams they can season by season, especially when they're yearly contenders.
- hardnosed

We may not have had hind sight, but we had indicators. Our farm system was rolling, and I'm pretty sure that if this FO knew that Nisky was going to be unsignable and not worth the money, the previous one that also included Botterill, Fitz, and Dad knew he was going to be unsignable unsignable and not worth the money. In that case you take the best of your young guns (and we had like four to choose from) to replace Matty Niskanen after dealing him for assets that we desperately needed, and if they don't work out, you have three other guys to choose from.

Everyone knew that we didn't have a cup team last year, and I don't think that trading away Nisky would have made our chances any worse than they already were. It was a perfect time for a gamble. Just imagine if we got back the assets necessary to trade back into the first like the Isels did to snag Ho-Sang or to throw into the Neal trade to get a stud return like Kane.

Also missing from this is that few contenders have the cap room to fit Martin unless significant salary is going the other way.
- hardnosed

LA could always buyout Richards.

If he is such a great player then he can bring that to the 3rd line..Chemistry is taught through practicing with your linemates.. knowing where to be and where others will be as well as knowing to shoot when you have to shoot and pass when you should pass... practice makes perfect...

Having 4 balanced lines win championships and being able to move up or down 1 position to play with others in case of injuries..
- nh4442

you make an assumption that the bottom 6 can't be balanced without moving dupius. sutter/spalding/comeau/adams/downie/goc/megna/fa could be just as effective in finf=ding a bottom 6 that has balance

True, but you ask if it was the right call. After the season playing out, it was wrong.
- cap1681

In your opinion. In my opinion, winning the division and being a game away from the ECF, in part due to Niskanen's large contributions, trumps whatever meager package he would have brought back last offseason.

But I understand that some people have the Cup or bust mentality. I was disappointed with how the season ended, but that didn't negate the successes that occurred completely, IMO.

We may not have had hind sight, but we had indicators. Our farm system was rolling, and I'm pretty sure that if this FO knew that Nisky was going to be unsignable and not worth the money, the previous one that also included Botterill, Fitz, and Dad knew he was going to be unsignable unsignable and not worth the money. In that case you take the best of your young guns (and we had like four to choose from) to replace Matty Niskanen after dealing him for assets that we desperately needed, and if they don't work out, you have three other guys to choose from.

Everyone knew that we didn't have a cup team last year, and I don't think that trading away Nisky would have made our chances any worse than they already were. It was a perfect time for a gamble. Just imagine if we got back the assets necessary to trade back into the first like the Isels did to snag Ho-Sang or to throw into the Neal trade to get a stud return like Kane.
- Victoro311

everyone knew that an almost conference finalist wasn't a cup team? when did everyone get this power of telling the future and leave me in the dust!

In your opinion. In my opinion, winning the division and being a game away from the ECF, in part due to Niskanen's large contributions, trumps whatever meager package he would have brought back last offseason.

But I understand that some people have the Cup or bust mentality. I was disappointed with how the season ended, but that didn't negate the successes that occurred completely, IMO.
- hardnosed

If just making the playoffs was the goal, Blysma and Shero would both still have jobs. It's no secret that it's Cup or bust in ownerships eyes. With two top 5 players, anything less is underachieving.

Flyer fans are losing it! Flip over to their board if you need some laughs! A few gems...

"So let me see if I got this right: We are gonna trade Vinnie and sign Ott. Then, if Ott doesn't let Giroux grab his ass, we'll have newly re-signed Ray Emery beat some sense into him. Just another ho-hum offseason "

"its funny becuase of how stupid it is, why us, now our captain is a guy a$$ grabber, wtf is that."

I give em credit. They are some funny cats...

Everyone knew that we didn't have a cup team last year, and I don't think that trading away Nisky would have made our chances any worse than they already were. It was a perfect time for a gamble. Just imagine if we got back the assets necessary to trade back into the first like the Isels did to snag Ho-Sang or to throw into the Neal trade to get a stud return like Kane.
- Victoro311

As long as Crosby and Malkin are on the team, I never want the FO to think that the Penguins aren't a Cup team. Niskanen's presence had them one win away from a winnable ECF, and in the Finals anything can happen. The Penguins weren't the league's best team last year, but the Rangers showed why what's on paper doesn't matter.

I just don't like hypotheticals based on hindsight, they're not useful. Keeping Niskanen was the right move last offseason, and it was proved during the season. The fact that it didn't result in a Cup means nothing, and should not (and thankfully is not) be the basis of roster evaluation.