Yep, Chucky has made a mess of this payroll
- MnGump
And how! (A reference to watching the Little Rascals last night)
Yeah, CF has this team sitting where not much can be done to help improve it. But he has made moves trying to improve it. The Pominville/Scandella trade for Ennis and Foligno actually looks like it has worked out better for the Wild, if you look at it statically. Not that I want Ennis in the lineup, or even on the team. But it's not like Pominville is lighting up the world in Buffalo, considering he played a lot with Eichel. And having either Brodin or Scandella as a 3rd pairing Left D was a luxury that the Wild just could not afford with their cap problems. Yeah, it basically gave the Wild about $2 million more in cap space, and that is where the win for the Wild comes from.
Now if CF could just convince someone like the Coyotes on a trade like Ennis and 2 of the 3 3rd Rd picks for their 2nd Rd pick back, they should do it. Ennis helps keep the Yotes about the cap floor (I wish I knew what it was...) and they gain an extra pick. Usually there is not much of a difference in players drafted in Rds 2-4, at least in my opinion. And the Wild would open up some cap space and get their Rd 2 pick back. Maybe they give them only 1 3rd Rd pick and throw Reilly in as well. Doing that, the Wild might have to take on the Mike Smith buyout for this year and next. But it would be worth it. But let's just say Ennis, two 3rd Rd picks for a 2nd Rd pick.
Now bring back Luke Kunin. Sign Greenway IMMEDIATELY Boston U's season ends. I mean that NIGHT! Now give Nino a breather to see if things can heal up a little bit more before the playoffs. The Wild would be at the 23 player roster max(they've run at 22 all year long because of cap space) and could move guys in and out if need be.
Parise - Staal - Coyle (should be the best scoring line)
Zucker - JEE - Granlund (FAST line and Grannie can become a shooter w/ feeds from JEE)
Cullen - Koivu - Greenway (just don't allow them to play against fast lines)
Foligno - Kunin - Winnik/Stewart (if Kunin screws up, he sits - had plenty of time at Iowa to get the speed of the game back)
Once Nino is at the healthiest he is going to get for the season, place him in Parise's spot, Zach moves to Cullen's spot, Cullen goes back to centering 4th line, playing between Kunin/Winnik/Foligno/Stewart. You then have guys on your 4th line that can be temporarily moved up on lines if the need is there. They also open cap space for next year, which is going to be needed to re-sign Zucker and Dumba. As for the defensive pairings, with those forwards listed above, I think Reilly is the odd man out, so hopefully they can trade him as well. I really think Seeler has earned a spot as the 7th D-man.
Suter - Dumba
Brodin - Spurgeon
Olofsson/Seeler - Prosser
For the love of....something...CF needs to do something crazy, even if it is trading Ennis, Reilly and two 3rd Rd picks for another 3rd Rd pick (I prefer getting their 2nd back from Yotes), then do it. He has to create some cap room. And guys like Parise, Suter, Koivu, Staal...they ain't getting any younger. So might as well play some of the youngsters as well.