Contender?
Let us be careful with our word selection here. Better than last year (a lot better)? Yes. Contenders, not so much.
Maybe not a contender yet. However, I do expect them to make the playoffs next year. Top 2 lines are deadly and can matchup with just about any other teams top 2 lines in the entire league. Young core on defense that is only going to get better, and the Dan Ellis signing was a great move (he was great for the Preds in the 07-08 playoffs when they played us).
have a long, long, long way to go thanks to the freak show owners that were making decisions a year or two ago. This is a nice step in the right direction.
Don't trade all those picks, Stevie. Tampa has the leagues worst farm system.
SO the wings couldnt have put together a better package to get Gagne then that? Gagne is a hellofa player and would have been a great addition to a Red Wings team that I think is still lacking at least one key player to make them a cup champ
its more the fact that Gagne makes 5 million, is 30+ and is often injured...definitely not what the Wings want...I thought Gagne was going to LA once they lost out on Kovalchuk. I don't know if the Wings are truely lacking a key player...they added Hossa and lost and won with out him...I for one trust Kenny Holland with anything he does.
Gagne's cap hit is $5.25 million, with his contract expiring next year. The Wings are just $3.75 million below the cap. Who do you drop to make up the difference when you still have three spots left on the roster?
Im fine parting with bertuzzi/cleary to get a guy like gagne
Aside from the return only being Matt freaking Walker and a 4th,
Gagne-Stamkos-St.Louis
Malone-Vinny L-Downie
fllop those 4 on the sides around wherever you want, and that is lethal. Can't wait for Caps v Bolts this year.
Good pickup for Tampa.
I don't get the Zherdev deal with Philly, because it basically forced them to move Gagne. The only point during the playoffs when the Flyers looked like they had a pulse is when Gagne came back from injury (when they were down 3-0 to Boston, where he scored the OT winner to get Philly back in it).