Thats just dumb. Lap did nothing to earn a spot here at all. Downie at least scored goals, wen he wasnt in the box.

Id keep Winnik, Downie, Lap in that order. But beyond Winnik, I dont think we need either of them.
- thickman1178

Comeau, Winnik would be my keepers. At the right price of course. I think both struggled a little bit at the end so that might keep their salaries down.

Winnik was the 2nd bum we aquired from Leafs. Anyone remember who the 1st bum was??
- joescullz

Good ol' Poni

The Rangers scored 6 even strength goals in 5 games... Winnik was a minus 6
- jchst22

Give the guy a year in our system. Plus its not like we have better 3rd/4th line options at the moment.

Comeau, Winnik would be my keepers. At the right price of course. I think both struggled a little bit at the end so that might keep their salaries down.
- madmike71

Yeah, Comeau is definitely on my list. Serviceable 2/3 guy, IMO, depending on where Duper fits next year.

The Rangers scored 6 even strength goals in 5 games... Winnik was a minus 6
- jchst22

So that would make Winnik +17 for the year and Lapierre -17 for the year.

I loved having Downie here. If he could just play hockey and not be a tool, he would be fantastic. Unfortunately, that seems to be too big an IF
- thickman1178

I don't trust him to play above a 4th line role. I wouldn't try to get him back.

Erik Condra would be a much better option than Downie at this point. Or possibly Comeau, given his predictive aav spike.

No doubt we should re-sign Downie and Winnik for the right prices. Lapierre is done. He's a good faceoff guy and that's it. Doesn't agitate anyone anymore.

Winnik-Sundqvist-Downie sounds awessome.

I don't trust him to play above a 4th line role. I wouldn't try to get him back.
- usethe1-2-2

You know who else didn't trust him? The coaching staff. He was benched in a few of those tight games against the Rags. I'm sorry, but that's a player that can't be on your roster.

I just cant figure out what Sutter would return. My thought are a 3rd line winger. No team is going to hand over a top 6 guy for a bottom 6 guy. I think Kunitz provides value on the 3rd line. Dupuis is the x-factor.
- joescullz

Sutter + to Winnipeg? They have interesting pieces over there. Lowry, Little, Wheeler, Ladd...

Winnik was the 2nd bum we aquired from Leafs. Anyone remember who the 1st bum was??
- joescullz

Ponikarovski!

Ponikarovski!
- Barnaby36

Remember how pissed people were that they traded Luca Caputi? Hahaha.

Remember how pissed people were that they traded Luca Caputi? Hahaha.
- cory7321

Caputi seemed to be a good young player at the time but he sucked for the Leafs as well. I don't even know where he ended up.

You know who else didn't trust him? The coaching staff. He was benched in a few of those tight games against the Rags. I'm sorry, but that's a player that can't be on your roster.
- madmike71

Exactly. It's the same reason why I feel confident in a Scuds buyout. He saw little time when the game were winding down. Chorney and Dumo played over him in the 3rd, the staff showed their hand.

Sharp for Brandon Sutter?

Sharp has the scoring touch of James Neal but plays harder and brings experience. All my friends from Pit have always wanted Sharp to play LW with either Malkin or Crosby. On top of it, Chicago needs his Salary off the books. Likely he is moved in off season anyway. We could use a true 3C down the middle.

Sharp for Brandon Sutter?

Sharp has the scoring touch of James Neal but plays harder and brings experience. All my friends from Pit have always wanted Sharp to play LW with either Malkin or Crosby.
- nickmo2699

I'd do it. How old is Sharp? If we just could send Scuderi packing on this deal I'd be happy. You could send one of your role players back like Shaw

I'd do it. How old is Sharp? If we just could send Scuderi packing on this deal I'd be happy. You could send one of your role players back like Shaw
- Barnaby36

Shaw is needed bc we lack physical play in our line up. But this is something that I can see being a straight up, 1 for 1 trade. Sharp is early thirties. I believe 31 or 32. But he is a guy that will bring experience and definitely still has tread on the tires.

Sharp for Brandon Sutter?

Sharp has the scoring touch of James Neal but plays harder and brings experience. All my friends from Pit have always wanted Sharp to play LW with either Malkin or Crosby. On top of it, Chicago needs his Salary off the books. Likely he is moved in off season anyway. We could use a true 3C down the middle.
- nickmo2699

Pittsburgh isn't in capable of taking on a salary like that. And I'm one of the few people that would rather trust sutter than a kid who has 0 NHL experience and is just now skating on an NHL sized rink. Don't think you can trust him to anchor a 3rd line on a contender just yet

Shaw is needed bc we lack physical play in our line up. But this is something that I can see being a straight up, 1 for 1 trade. Sharp is early thirties. I believe 31 or 32. But he is a guy that will bring experience and definitely still has tread on the tires.
- nickmo2699

I don't like Sutter and would love to move him, but I'm not sure this makes good sense for Pittsburgh either. That's a lot of money for someone that will be 34 in Dec. I'd probably rather trade Sutter for a pick and get Frolik for less than $5.9m/yr (guessing ~$5m/yr).

I just cant figure out what Sutter would return. My thought are a 3rd line winger. No team is going to hand over a top 6 guy for a bottom 6 guy. I think Kunitz provides value on the 3rd line. Dupuis is the x-factor.
- joescullz

You have to pair Sutter up with Harrington in a deal to get a somewhat intriguing second line winger.

Sharp for Brandon Sutter?

Sharp has the scoring touch of James Neal but plays harder and brings experience. All my friends from Pit have always wanted Sharp to play LW with either Malkin or Crosby. On top of it, Chicago needs his Salary off the books. Likely he is moved in off season anyway. We could use a true 3C down the middle.
- nickmo2699

We can't do that salary wise. We already have a guy on the decline like Sharp. His name is Kunitz.

Good stuff here. I saw in some of the comments that people are penciling Kapanen in the top 6. I don't think you can bank on him being able to handle that load. I'd much rather see him in Wilkes-Barre unless he really blows people away in camp/preseason.

I do think that Sundqvist can open the season on the roster. He's been playing professionally for three years now, and has acquitted himself well. There will be adjustment to NA, but I don't think it will be huge. He's a big body who plays with an edge. The only question I have is that he hasn't played center predominantly. He was playing LW for Skelleftea, so he may be more comfortable there.

Good stuff here. I saw in some of the comments that people are penciling Kapanen in the top 6. I don't think you can bank on him being able to handle that load. I'd much rather see him in Wilkes-Barre unless he really blows people away in camp/preseason.

I do think that Sundqvist can open the season on the roster. He's been playing professionally for three years now, and has acquitted himself well. There will be adjustment to NA, but I don't think it will be huge. He's a big body who plays with an edge. The only question I have is that he hasn't played center predominantly. He was playing LW for Skelleftea, so he may be more comfortable there.
- Stillson14

I'm saying throw kap with did or Geno bc we haven't had a truelly skilled rookie winger since jagr. Those type of guys should play top 6. I want to see kap compete for Calder trophy he can't do that on 3rd line with Sutter and spaling on his line.

As for sund playing wing. That's fine for me. I'd throw winnik as 3c and slide sund to LW and bennett on rw

To Ryan Wilson:

I know we bust your chops about the charts and graphs in may of your articles.....but...

I gotta say, love the format of the past 2 articles. Sprinkle these types of articles in with the charts/graphs/stats stuff, and you're the A1 blogger on this site.

I appreciate the work. Well done.

Whatever happened to Angelo Esposito?