Its weird that you where willing to trade Johnson for Chris Wideman 3 months ago and has ripped on him all year, but now we cant trade him?

But you have a point actually but not the one you are making. We have some depth at 3-4 C and thats a position that we can add to by trading some late picks or signing FA.

If we trade Johnson then Point is our 2nd C. I believe Point can be better then Johnson but not next year. I would not like to enter the season with him as 2nd C and no real skilled depth behind them. What if Stammer or Point gets hurt again? Vladdy cant handle regular top6 time. Are we gonna trust a rookie in that role? I dont know..

So with Filp gone I believe we cant trade Johnson. I would be great to get one of Ducks good young D, but center is such an important position that I dont know if we can.

I gotta give you credit Kuch, 6 months into the season and one of your well thought posts actually contributed


Edit: oops, read you wrong the first time. You still want to trade Johnson.
- Cloud

It's tough because we have to play the Vegas game too and really figure out who we want. I think we trade Johnson only because we have too many guys to protect and we don't have the cap room to give Johnson a raise I think he probably wants, especially when Point can fill his shoes.

I think Vegas takes Vlad so he won't help us.

I think we make a few moves in the off season to grab another center, via trade or via free agency like maybe bringing Boyle back. Bonino will be a FA option. The Vegas thing is very interesting and I wonder what Yzerman can and will do about it.

You talked about injuries at Center, Johnson was one who was replaced well by Point, Vlad was another who only missed 4 games and Paquette was the third who should easily be replaced if we had great depth. Palat played about 19 minutes per game in January with a few over 20 minutes. Granted 20 minutes a night isn't awful for a forward but with all the hockey the team has played lately I think we counted on the big guys a bit too much.

We obviously need help at 3rd and 4th line, not a total rebuild there but we can see Filp was a great 3rd line guy, far too expensive which was the problem but great 3rd line.

I think next year looks like:

Drouin/Stammer/Killorn (don't think Vegas takes that contract)
Palat/Point/Kucherov
Callahan (maybe but could see career over)/FA Center/Erne
Brown/Paquette/Another Guy

I think we lose Vlad to Vegas
- Kucherovski

Injuries at center affect slotting at other positions just like depth a certain positions affects slotting as well. I was merely replying to your post that suddenly our depth had become a problem by pointing out why that depth had become a problem. You point out our bottom 6, I point out 6 regulars who aren't in the lineup right now. Coincidence perhaps?

It's tough because we have to play the Vegas game too and really figure out who we want. I think we trade Johnson only because we have too many guys to protect and we don't have the cap room to give Johnson a raise I think he probably wants, especially when Point can fill his shoes.

I think Vegas takes Vlad so he won't help us.

I think we make a few moves in the off season to grab another center, via trade or via free agency like maybe bringing Boyle back. Bonino will be a FA option. The Vegas thing is very interesting and I wonder what Yzerman can and will do about it.
- Kucherovski

I would be really disappointed if we lose Vlad to Vegas because that would mean Callahan didn't waive his NMC. Vegas is not going to take Cally. He should waive.
Our 7 protected FWds should then be: Stamkos, Drouin, Vlad, Killer and the Triplets.

All that being said, I do believe Yzerman trades a fwd for a right handed Dmen before the expansion draft

I would be really disappointed if we lose Vlad to Vegas because that would mean Callahan didn't waive his NMC. Vegas is not going to take Cally. He should waive.
Our 7 protected FWds should then be: Stamkos, Drouin, Vlad, Killer and the Triplets.

All that being said, I do believe Yzerman trades a fwd for a right handed Dmen before the expansion draft
- LightningMcKing

And who would take Cally for that price?

I would be really disappointed if we lose Vlad to Vegas because that would mean Callahan didn't waive his NMC. Vegas is not going to take Cally. He should waive.
Our 7 protected FWds should then be: Stamkos, Drouin, Vlad, Killer and the Triplets.

All that being said, I do believe Yzerman trades a fwd for a right handed Dmen before the expansion draft
- LightningMcKing

That's interesting, I wonder if there is any rule against that? Seems like an unfair tactic because everyone knows Vegas won't take Cally with his hips and his contract so if he "waived" in order to protect someone else I would think the NHL would frown upon that but I haven't seen anything saying that can't happen.

Edit: there is a "career threatning injury" rule so I wonder if Cally can't be part even if he waived.

That's interesting, I wonder if there is any rule against that? Seems like an unfair tactic because everyone knows Vegas won't take Cally with his hips and his contract so if he "waived" in order to protect someone else I would think the NHL would frown upon that but I haven't seen anything saying that can't happen.

Edit: there is a "career threatning injury" rule so I wonder if Cally can't be part even if he waived.
- Kucherovski

The rule for the injury is 60 consecutive games missed. Callahan has only missed 32. So unless we make a deep playoff run with long series he wont hit that 60 number and he can (and better) waive.