Sad to see Connolly go. I have a feeling he'll be a pain in our sides for a long time.
I am not sad to see Gudas go. I've been saying for a while he was overrated and got bashed for it. Going for the big highlight reel hit at the wrong time...He'll fit right in in Philly. Coburn isn't a savior but he solidifies our top 4/top 6. That 1st round pick is basically a 2nd as it should be in the 24-30 range anyways. Calm down people, we are gearing up for the playoffs.
- TBolts4

Well said

Bishop
Callahan
Stralman
Filppula
Kucherov
Palat
Johnson
Vasya
Paquette
Vladdy

Hang in there Arty
- Mr_Underwood

He's made a lot of good decsions, but not all have worked out. We will see with this one, but I'm not happy about it.

At first I thought the trades were horrible but Mike has got me to believe that were not done. Like he said why would a contender trade a top9 forward for future? It doesn't make sense. I've also been impressed with Drouin the last few weeks and it's great that he will move up to top9 permanently!

The Coburn deal is the one that I can't get unless he does something else to. I agree that Gudas is overrated by many but a 1st and a 3rd to? Too much!

At first I thought the trades were horrible but Mike has got me to believe that were not done. Like he said why would a contender trade a top9 forward for future? It doesn't make sense. I've also been impressed with Drouin the last few weeks and it's great that he will move up to top9 permanently!

The Coburn deal is the one that I can't get unless he does something else to. I agree that Gudas is overrated by many but a 1st and a 3rd to? Too much!
- TampaTalk

In all, SY got two 2nds for a 1st and a 3rd... pretty even there... And he got Coburn for an injured overated 3rd pairing Dman and a forward that couldn't break our top 9.

In all, SY got two 2nds for a 1st and a 3rd... pretty even there... And he got Coburn for an injured overated 3rd pairing Dman and a forward that couldn't break our top 9.
- TBolts4

I think its the idea of what brett c.. can be that has some of us shaking our heads at this,,, I know that Steve Y. has a bigger plan.It's just that its is hard to see the potential that brett has go out the door for an uninspiring player But like I always, I will wait until the whole picture is painted before I fly to tampa and join arty on the skyway

I think its the idea of what brett c.. can be that has some of us shaking our heads at this,,, I know that Steve Y. has a bigger plan.It's just that its is hard to see the potential that brett has go out the door for an uninspiring player But like I always I will wait the whole picture is painted before I fly to tampa and join arty on the skyway
- tampabaydoompatrol

Connolly definetely has poetential and I was a big fan of his, but who was he going to replace in the top 9? Callahan? Killorn? Kucherov? Palat? Drouin? It seems even Paquette passed him. I dont think he got a fair shot here, but I trust in Cooper and Yzerman's hockey smarts more than mine. The worst thing about Connolly leaving is that Morrow might play more

Gudas wont be missed by me. He wouldn't have been back until the playoffs started anyways and probably wouldn't have been 100% then. So would you rather go in the playoffs with:

Hedman Stralman
Garrison Carle
Gudas/Sustr/Barberio

or

Hedman Stralman
Garrison Carle
Coburn Barberio/Sustr

i think we're done.. yzerman paid a steep price to get Coburn, he's already spoken to the media about being here, he's here for good

Connolly definetely has poetential and I was a big fan of his, but who was he going to replace in the top 9? Callahan? Killorn? Kucherov? Palat? Drouin? It seems even Paquette passed him. I dont think he got a fair shot here, but I trust in Cooper and Yzerman's hockey smarts more than mine. The worst thing about Connolly leaving is that Morrow might play more

Gudas wont be missed by me. He wouldn't have been back until the playoffs started anyways and probably wouldn't have been 100% then. So would you rather go in the playoffs with:

Hedman Stralman
Garrison Carle
Gudas/Sustr/Barberio

or

Hedman Stralman
Garrison Carle
Coburn Barberio/Sustr
- TBolts4

I prefer
Hedman Stralman
Carle Coburn
Garrison Barberio
Nesterov

And Sustr somewhere else.

I prefer
Hedman Stralman
Carle Coburn
Garrison Barberio
Nesterov

And Sustr somewhere else.
- Artyukhin76

hedman stralman
garrison Coburn
carle barberio
nesterov / witkowski ( these 2 guys could've made sy comfortable dealing gudas)

its not a horrible defensive group, better than what we had, so

I prefer
Hedman Stralman
Carle Coburn
Garrison Barberio
Nesterov

And Sustr somewhere else.
- Artyukhin76

Sustr has become your new Carle, hasn't he?

Drouin will get to play more now.. it's funny whenever cooper is in need of a goal desperately he will throw 27 out with 91 , yet he won't do it on a regular basis... he clearly knows they have chemistry based on that

Sustr has become your new Carle, hasn't he?
- TBolts4

Carle is playing better, but Sustr has gotten worse, so yes, he has become the object of my disdain.

Carle is playing better, but Sustr has gotten worse, so yes, he has become the object of my disdain.
- Artyukhin76

Growing pains... growing pains...

Growing pains... growing pains...
- TBolts4

I can understand growing pains better then most. I was supportive of Gudas and his (unlike most of you traitors), but he brings NOTHING!

we made a trade for the sake of making a trade. We didnt get better for the playoffs. Oh man, get me a Pepto!
- TheConsiglierre

sustr and a 2nd for petry would work lets do it
- todd1a

pls take care of Coby for me

I can understand growing pains better then most. I was supportive of Gudas and his (unlike most of you traitors), but he brings NOTHING!
- Artyukhin76

He must be doing something right as he's been playing on the PK quite a bit...

I agree that this can't be his finished product, I see a Sam Gagne move here, don't get your airplane ticket yet Mr Colburn. Sorry to see Radko go and Connelly was playing better but still not able to crack the top six.
- tpd11

No way. Coburn will be here no doubt about it.

Brewer
Roloson
Lindback
Ellis
Sustr

Not all his decsions have been gold friend....
- Artyukhin76

You realize Sustr was a college FA. Cost nothing to acquire.

Roloson was not a bad deal either. Took us 1 game away from the SCF. He was brought back for 1 more year simply b/c of that run. Did it work out, no. But we were a team in transition anyways so giving Roli one more year was a stopgap attempt and nothing more.

Lindback was a bad deal but also was house money with all of the deadline picks acquired for Kubina, Moore etc.

He must be doing something right as he's been playing on the PK quite a bit...
- TBolts4

Everyone makes misstakes, just look at our PP.

is our team better right now than it was before the trades? IMO, yes

Coburn is an upgrade over gudas, and moving Connolly potentially gives drouin more playing time ..

the 1st rd pick we gave up ? we have 2, plus they won't be effective for another 2,3,4 years anyway

Brewer
Roloson
Lindback
Ellis
Sustr

Not all his decsions have been gold friend....
- Artyukhin76

Brewer and Roloson both played really well when the Lightning went to he Eastern Conference Finals.......

Brewer and Roloson both played really well when the Lightning went to he Eastern Conference Finals.......
- j.boyd919

And after that? Thought so....

And after that? Thought so....
- Artyukhin76

That wasn't the point of acquiring them at that point. Yzerman saw that team with a chance to go deep, and that window was closing, so he took his chance with some players that season, realizing that a slight rebuild was coming. He didn't acquire them for the years after, he acquired them for that run.