I still havent changed how I feel.
As currently constructed I dont see them as a bonafide contender.
We have been hoping/ waiting for a 2nd line wing and a 3rd center for what? Three seasons now?
They have more assets (kids) then they have room for in the foreseeable future.
Deal some and fill those holes.
No rentals. But players with some term.
you were around in 2011 like I was wally... you saw the 2010 historical playoff collapse against philly like I saw. were you believing we were a bonafide contender?
you might know I pick the team for 100 points and the playoffs every season... im about as optimistic as a fan can be... but I didn't see a bonafide contention that year. I was pretty worried about a first round loss against montreal to be honest.
when we traded for chris Kelly... did anyone get excited? was the blake wheeler for rich peverly trade met with a world of acclaimed excitement by the lf here? dealing one of the special k players for mark recchi was a real backlash here.
and I think flipping out kobasew and replacing with paille… was also not met with excitement... flipping out morris and replacing with Seidenberg.
before we won the cup... the reputation of guys like boychuk and ference was that they were unwanted castoffs from other organizations.
I cant remember a single soul here in 2011 that was screaming out we were going to win the cup that year. most of us were calling for the heads of Julien and Chiarelli following the 0-3 loss to philly and that year was a hard one to be here listening to all the complaints {as opposed to all the years that followed and proceeded lol}
tampa looks like an unbeatable beast to me... but ive seen unbeatable beasts lose before. we owe it to ourselves... to the players... to the ticket buyers... to do what we can to increase our chances to contend. the balance is to increase this year without damaging too much of the future
so ONLY deal pieces that don't figure into the plans. the team will know who those players are better than I but I suggest heien/gryz are the 2 most likely pieces we are offering and the most likely target we are after is a scoring rw
personally I wouldn't want to deal the first a second year in a row... we might look at providence and make a lhd prospect available or a left shot forward prospect.
it is enough we will get something... and we should. I hope its not someone I wont like.