The defense is going to have a new look next year, so we will see where that goes. Letang/Maatta, DP/Cole, Doums/Lovejoy with Harrington also pushing for time. Thats a solid group right there, with potential to be great. The best part about that, is its cheap. Probably what? 13 mil tied up in that group. That leaves a lot of money to be spent to help the forwards. I don't believe though, that they can be fixed via FA. Just have to hope that Kap and Sun can make this team out of camp. I have to believe they will be given every chance to do so. They have to stop trading 1st round picks...and it needs to start this year. No more, its going to take 5 years to dig out of this hole Shero put them in.
- Thorny

To get young F with skill that aren't killing it yet 1 of Maatta or DP must go, possibly with Harro or even Dumo (I wouldn't do 2 off). I think Pouliot will get a wing with skill & possibly +. I've named Sven B as someone that can't crack a stacked Flames forward group & maybe even can be got for Harrington alone (maybe). But we have to give to get & 1 of those young D should go.

If the Blues shart the bed again today, I gotta think there is a deal with them somewhere. They need to be more dynamic. We need some youthful fw depth.
- 87_71_11_29

Always thought they would be perfect trade partners. Even just swapping a D prospect for their forward prospect. Harrington for rattie or something like that. Cole was the blues best D prospect 2 years ago, and they really don't have much there.

To get young F with skill that aren't killing it yet 1 of Maatta or DP must go, possibly with Harro or even Dumo (I wouldn't do 2 off). I think Pouliot will get a wing with skill & possibly +. I've named Sven B as someone that can't crack a stacked Flames forward group & maybe even can be got for Harrington alone (maybe). But we have to give to get & 1 of those young D should go.
- Aussiepenguin

I understand you have to give to get, but I have no faith in GMJR. He gave away a young dman who was starting to come into his own, for a 30 year old guy who reached his cap a few years ago. Look how that turned out. I am saying, you give those guys the ice time and if its not working, you can move one at the deadline. Have to figure next year there are a lot of winger spots to fill, including two of the top 6. You know more than likely its Perron, Horn, Sid, Geno for sure. That leaves two wing spots, hopefully Kap can fill one. I would be ok bringing back Winnik, Laps, Blake and probably Downs. Maybe you move Sutter for a top 6 winger? I would imagine there has to be a deal out there that can be made for him. I would dump Spaling for a bag of pucks too.

Ok people - Floyd or Pacquiao?
- Aussiepenguin

Anyone that walks to the ring with Justin Bieber deserves his ass kicked.

Go Manny.

Anyone that walks to the ring with Justin Bieber deserves his ass kicked.

Go Manny.
- acdc1206

Or that has been charged with domestic violence 5x.....Go Manny!

WBS is getting stacked. Dumo, chorney, Wilson, sundqvist, and pouliot.

WBS is getting stacked. Dumo, chorney, Wilson, sundqvist, and pouliot.
- drummer829

Jaye being out of market...I'd love to watch some WBS games...

I understand you have to give to get, but I have no faith in GMJR. He gave away a young dman who was starting to come into his own, for a 30 year old guy who reached his cap a few years ago. Look how that turned out. I am saying, you give those guys the ice time and if its not working, you can move one at the deadline. Have to figure next year there are a lot of winger spots to fill, including two of the top 6. You know more than likely its Perron, Horn, Sid, Geno for sure. That leaves two wing spots, hopefully Kap can fill one. I would be ok bringing back Winnik, Laps, Blake and probably Downs. Maybe you move Sutter for a top 6 winger? I would imagine there has to be a deal out there that can be made for him. I would dump Spaling for a bag of pucks too.
- Thorny

Sutter DLR a top 6 wing would be great but i ddon'tsee many fits. IIt'd be an old winger like Erik Cole or a team stacked kon the wings and desperate for C...or a struggling prospect with some pedigree...

I'd like to trade Sutter for jurco if dDetroithad any iinterest

Sutter DLR a top 6 wing would be great but i ddon'tsee many fits. IIt'd be an old winger like Erik Cole or a team stacked kon the wings and desperate for C...or a struggling prospect with some pedigree...

I'd like to trade Sutter for jurco if dDetroithad any iinterest
- YouMeAndDupuis9

No idea if Detroit would be interested or not, but Holland is a lot better in drafting/developing than he is with trades/UFAs.

Sutter DLR a top 6 wing would be great but i ddon'tsee many fits. IIt'd be an old winger like Erik Cole or a team stacked kon the wings and desperate for C...or a struggling prospect with some pedigree...

I'd like to trade Sutter for jurco if dDetroithad any iinterest
- YouMeAndDupuis9

I'd honestly trade sutter for whatever the best offer his. He had a solid postseason and his value may not be any higher.

I'd honestly trade sutter for whatever the best offer his. He had a solid postseason and his value may not be any higher.
- drummer829

Combine that with the fact that he will be too expensive to re-sign and it would be a disastrous decision to let an asset leave for nothing. If there was anything that bothered me most about Shero, it was his willingness to allow assets to walk for free.

WBS is getting stacked. Dumo, chorney, Wilson, sundqvist, and pouliot.
- drummer829

So.is the canadian world championship team haha...nice to see sid going over

Combine that with the fact that he will be too expensive to re-sign and it would be a disastrous decision to let an asset leave for nothing. If there was anything that bothered me most about Shero, it was his willingness to allow assets to walk for free.
- jfkst1

Hopefully SUnd can play 3C next year. I think Kap is on the team no matter what.

Im not sure what Sutter would bring back considering he is a rental.

I remember reading Berglund was on the outs in STL, he would be a good pick up. I let Comeau, Winnik, BB walk, Hoff, Martin all walk.

To get young F with skill that aren't killing it yet 1 of Maatta or DP must go, possibly with Harro or even Dumo (I wouldn't do 2 off). I think Pouliot will get a wing with skill & possibly +. I've named Sven B as someone that can't crack a stacked Flames forward group & maybe even can be got for Harrington alone (maybe). But we have to give to get & 1 of those young D should go.
- Aussiepenguin

Sven B. was traded to Vancouver at the deadline because Calgary finally gave up on the dud.

Hopefully SUnd can play 3C next year. I think Kap is on the team no matter what.

Im not sure what Sutter would bring back considering he is a rental.

I remember reading Berglund was on the outs in STL, he would be a good pick up. I let Comeau, Winnik, BB walk, Hoff, Martin all walk.
- sammy87

I don't think he would get traded to a team as a rental. I think there will be a team, if not multiple, that will value him as a 2C and want him long term. There's lots of GMs out there that routinely make terrible decisions. Hell, Shero and Rutherford are two of them.

Combine that with the fact that he will be too expensive to re-sign and it would be a disastrous decision to let an asset leave for nothing. If there was anything that bothered me most about Shero, it was his willingness to allow assets to walk for free.
- jfkst1

He's just easily replaceable. I'd bet some money that sundqvist is able to replace sutter next year at some point

Hopefully SUnd can play 3C next year. I think Kap is on the team no matter what.

Im not sure what Sutter would bring back considering he is a rental.

I remember reading Berglund was on the outs in STL, he would be a good pick up. I let Comeau, Winnik, BB walk, Hoff, Martin all walk.
- sammy87

I would look on to what it would cost to get Berglund. He might be a good option for the 3C. I wouldn't call Sutter a rental though , the team would have a year to work out a deal.....keep Winnik, Bennet and maybe Comeau

Is it ok to be a little optimistic?

I know our farm system is thin, but it does have several players close to NHL ready that could give them the type of youth push they need. There's no guarantees they all work but if Kap is a top 6 wing, Sundqvist is a big physical top 9 forward and Pouliot can take the next step particularly as a PP specialist, it fills 3 huge holes.

I'm also optimistic on David Perron. He does have 3 20 goal seasons on his resume including 28 just last year. He also can fill a big role next year. Another guy I'd bring back as a depth piece is Comeau who just never recovered from his wrist injury but looked like a guy who can score 10 to 15, play physical, and showed some ability to play with Malkin in a pinch.

There's still work to do, but a more productive Malkin and Perron, a healthy Letang and Maatta, and youg talent like Kapanen, Sundqvist, Pouliot, and Dumoulin adding to the excellent play of Crosby, Hornqvist, and Fleury makes for a potentially strong group. That's almost half a team of players that realistically should help more then they did this past off-season.

Riddle me this Batman, what you think it would take to get Kovalchuk out of Russia, to come play on a line with Malkin? If we could shed some salary it certainly keeps 71 happy and engaged . . .

If martin would sign cheap for 2yr deal then yes but if not try to trade for mid pick at deadline or let him walk.

I have no problems with
Letang Maatta
Poliout Cole
Chorney Dumo
Harrington

And yes that is with trading Lovejoy.. Maybe we can get a late 1st seeing how we gave up a late 1st d prospect for him..
- nh4442

The only way I take Martin back is on the cheap so we can consider moving one of our young puck moving D. And it would have to be cheap, which it wont be. He will go out and get a 3 yr $5.5 deal easy.

Malkin for Babcock. Frees up tons of cap room, amirite?

Riddle me this Batman, what you think it would take to get Kovalchuk out of Russia, to come play on a line with Malkin? If we could shed some salary it certainly keeps 71 happy and engaged . . .
- Weisenheimer

Don't all 30 Gms have to approve of his return?

Isn't sobotka able to sign with a NHL team next season? Always was a fan of his

Will Letang definitely be back? I hope he is, never want to see a players career ended early by injury but isn't this his 5th concussion since he's been in the league? I look back at Mike Sauer and how his career was ended by a Phaeuf hit, kid was going to be a solid top 4 dman before that hit.

Isn't sobotka able to sign with a NHL team next season? Always was a fan of his
- drummer829

Stl. still own his rights and I believe Sobotka owes them 1 year at $2.75mil which he was awarded in arbitration.