Luongo will Waive NTC If Asked To

[TDA Rum]

Hedman is listed at 6'6" 229 lbs while Edler is listed at 6'3" 215 lbs...

[the Dogsalmon]

Hedman is listed at 6'6" 229 lbs while Edler is listed at 6'3" 215 lbs...

the Victoria Royals of the WHL have a 6'6" 229lbs 16 year old...he is goddamn gigantic!

[RoyalDude]

If Hedman is better than Edler why is Steve Yzerman making that trade? Just to get Luongo? C'mon guys, lets be realistic here. Probably when all is said and done, the Lightning will trade for Martin St. Louis buddy and College mate - 38 year old Tim Thomas without having to give up a Connolly or a Hedman.

Has anybody ever asked Steve Yzerman if he is even interested in Luongo? Nobody is holding a gun to Stevie Y's or Dale Tallon's head that they must trade for Luongo, they might not even be interested, at least I think Florida could feel that way since they are not as desperate for goaltending. I get a sneaking feeling that Luongo will end up in Toronto.

[Island Nucklehead]

If Hedman is better than Edler why is Steve Yzerman making that trade? Just to get Luongo? C'mon guys, lets be realistic here. Probably when all is said and done, the Lightning will sign Martin St. Louis buddy and College mate - Tim Thomas for 2 years and get immediate good goaltending without having to give up nothing like a Connolly or a Hedman.

Thomas is under contract next year for 2012-13 at $5M. Not sure they'd convince Boston to give him away for nothing...

[RoyalDude]

If Hedman is better than Edler why is Steve Yzerman making that trade? Just to get Luongo? C'mon guys, lets be realistic here. Probably when all is said and done, the Lightning will sign Martin St. Louis buddy and College mate - Tim Thomas for 2 years and get immediate good goaltending without having to give up nothing like a Connolly or a Hedman.

Thomas is under contract next year for 2012-13 at $5M. Not sure they'd convince Boston to give him away for nothing...

I fixed it, my mistake.

[Fred]

double entry sorry

[Fred]

Maybe we should keep these Tampa prospects in mind to

The Tampa Bay Lightning prospect pool emerged as the unofficial league leaders in feel-good stories this season. The AHL affiliate Norfolk Admirals set a new record with an incredible 27 straight wins to finish the season and swept the award elections for the first time ever. AHL Coach of the Year Jon Cooper took a bow with AHL Defenseman of the Year Mark Barberio and AHL MVP and Rookie of the Year Cory Conacher.

Conacher, a distant relative of Hockey Hall of Famers Charlie and Lionel Conacher, started the season as an AHL tryout and became the first rookie to win the MVP since Stephan Lebeau in 1989. Like Lebeau, Conacher is undersized and undrafted but with tremendous determination to succeed. Unlike Lebeau, he is also a Type I diabetic who started giving himself insulin injections as a child. This little engine who could established instant chemistry with fellow undersized free agent Tyler Johnson and is now on the edge of making his improbable NHL dream come true.


1. (2) Richard Panik, RW, 7.5C
Drafted in the 2nd round, 52nd overall, 2009

Drawing into the top prospect spot by default after the graduation of Brett Connolly, Panik continued to take two steps forward and one step back in his progress. The big Slovak can titillate at times with his outrageous skill levels, while frustrating at others with his lack of applied effort. While drawing comparisons to Marian Hossa and eliciting gasps from YouTube watchers for his unreal highlight goals, Panik can look like a sure thing. When floating for long stretches and failing to compete in the "dirty areas" he can look like an impending bust. While nothing is for certain with prospects when it comes to mental strength, Panik has the size and skill to be an impact NHL player and the excellent coaching staff of the Tampa Bay Lightning are sparing no effort to help him make the most of it.


2. (3) Vladislav Namestnikov, C, 7.5C
Drafted in the first round, 27th overall, 2011

A key cog in the powerful machine known as the London Knights, Namestnikov centered the first line for the OHL's best team. Dishing out 49 assists in 63 games, the slick playmaker was second on the London Knights' scoring chart with 71 points and was the poster boy for the hard-working, ultra-competitive brand of hockey the Knights endeavor to play. Known to be an elite "chirper" Namestnikov can be maddening to play against but his elite speed keeps him out of the reach of vengeful opponents. Having bulked up his slight frame and improved his dedication to the defensive side of the game, Namestnikov looks ready to make the jump to the pros next year. Although a stint in the AHL is prepared, Namestnikov may get a chance to beak the big leaguers right out of training camp.


3. (12) Mark Barberio, D, 7B
Drafted in the 6th round, 152nd overall, 2008

The reigning AHL defenseman of the year, Barberio made it a clean sweep of the awards voting for the Norfolk Admirals this year. The 22-year-old from Montreal improved his game dramatically in every aspect and played in all situations; anchoring the first pairing, quarterbacking the power-play and leading the penalty kill. A sixth round project out of Moncton of the QMJHL, Barberio was a skinny kid who struggled in his own end when drafted, but has bulked up and solidified his all-around game. On the cusp of a regular NHL spot, Barberio will report to training camp full of confidence after an amazing season with the Admirals.


4. (NR) J.T. Brown, RW, 7C
Signed as a free agent in March 28th, 2012

Stepping in to the skates left vacant by the traded Steve Downie, J.T. Brown is a sparkplug winger and heavy hitter who has also shown some clever hands around the net. A 34 goal scorer in the USHL before committing to the University of Minnesota-Duluth two years ago, Brown was a catalyst for the Bulldogs this season with 24 goals in 39 games and a portfolio of punishing hits. A sought after free agent signing, Brown reportedly turned away interest from a dozen other NHL clubs to sign with the Bolts. Scoring his first NHL assist during a five game stint with Tampa Bay, the 5'10 winger will benefit from some further AHL seasoning but did not look far off the pace in his first taste of big league action.


5. (11) Alex Killorn, LW, 7C
Drafted in the 3rd round, 77th overall, 2007

The Harvard University graduate proved to be worth the long wait when he finally signed his first pro contract, five years after being drafted. After a breakthrough 23 goals in 34 games in his senior year with the Crimson, Killorn reported to the Admirals in time to help them ride out the last ten wins of 27 straight. The big winger showed exciting acceleration and edge control and added some welcome size and grit to the Admirals top lines. His two goals and four assists showed his readiness for the AHL game and a lengthy playoff run will only enhance his ability to make the senior squad out of training camp next season.

[dbr]

Hedman is listed at 6'6" 229 lbs while Edler is listed at 6'3" 215 lbs...

My bad I thought Hedman was 6'7, must've been thinking of Tyler Myers.

Regardless Edler's already a big guy even by NHL standards, Hedman has a large size advantage over him.

[Lancer]

Probably when all is said and done, the Lightning will trade for Martin St. Louis buddy and College mate - 38 year old Tim Thomas without having to give up a Connolly or a Hedman.

At one more year at $5 mill, Thomas may be a good extended rental, but he can't be considered a viable option past the immediate term, so after next season then what? Dustin Tokarski? Island has a point - Boston isn't going to give him up for chump change either. Luongo is much younger and has a longer contract (go figure, this may actually be a plus for Yzerman ) so unless Yzerman wants to start at square one this time next year, Luongo is the better deal.

[Farhan Lalji]

Edler for Hedman in a package deal is a sideways deal, in fact I would bet that Edler at his best is better than Hedman at his best. Hedman is still struggling to meet those lofty potentials he had tagged on him from the day he was drafted. That being said, Tampa is not trading defenseman, it's goaltending and defense they are desperate for, ie Carter Ashton for Keith Aulie. I just love how we are all giving up on Edler for his recent stumblings like he will never regain that great form. Reminds of how we were all throwing Bieksa under the bus when we were all trying desperately to trade him before Salo snapped his acchilles.

People seriously, a $7 million dollar centre in 32 year old Vinny Lecavalier is not coming here. Remember Gillis, "we want to get bigger, faster, YOUNGER!"

Agreed about your Edler/Hedman comment. Furthermore, I don't see Yzerman giving up Hedman unless Schneider is involved.

As far as my Lecavlier hard-on goes, I still think it's a good deal for the Canucks despite the disgusting cap hit.....which I will show, will make no difference to us.

-With Raymond off the books, combined with a hypothetical Luongo for Lecavlier swap, our overall cap is almost EXACTLY the same.......is it not?

-You combine this with the fact that Malhottra might be off the books, and the Canucks cap hit is even lower.

-If our top 6 forwards are destined to be Sedin, Sedin, Burrows, Kesler, Higgins, Booth, that leaves guys like Kassian and Schroeder in the bottom 6 obviously......two players that have some offensive potential. So let me ask you this: Who would be better suited to 'corral' the promising offensive talents of Kassian and Schroeder? A guy like Lapierre or Pahlsson, or a guy like Lecavlier?

-And think about this: If the Canucks really want to have 3 effective scoring lines, then you could move Hansen up to play with Kesler or the twins, and you could drop a guy like Booth or Higgins to play with some like Lecavlier........as opposed to dropping them down to play with guys like Lapierre or Pahlsson and getting almost ZERO offense from those lines.

Now - all of a sudden, instead of only having 6 guys that can consistently score, you have 9 guys that can potentially put the puck in the net.

And most importantly - you get to keep Schneider and Edler.

[CFP!]

, "we want to get bigger, faster, YOUNGER!"

As far as my Lecavlier hard-on goes, I still think it's a good deal for the Canucks despite the disgusting cap hit.....which I will show, will make no difference to us.

-With Raymond off the books, combined with a hypothetical Luongo for Lecavlier swap, our overall cap is almost EXACTLY the same.......is it not?

-You combine this with the fact that Malhottra might be off the books, and the Canucks cap hit is even lower.


And most importantly - you get to keep Schneider and Edler.

The thing with removing Manny and Mason is you need to replace their contracts and "skill" level. I dont see many players not on ELC's that have the skill level needed to fill those spots at their current salaries.

[Farhan Lalji]

I don't think it would have made a difference considering Kesler plays that role and has proven to be highly successful in the past.

So.........you're saying that you can't have TWO aggressive/big bodies parked in front of the net on a power play?

I think that if Lecavalier was acquired he would be playing with either the Sedins or Kesler. There is simply no way a team can afford to have a $6.1M first line center, a $5M second line center, and a $7.7M third line center and have enough cap room for quality wingers, defense, and goaltending. Wingers are important. Look at the Penguins. They can't win with Crosby, Malkin, and Staal mostly because there weren't enough quality wingers to go around. Strength down the middle is important but if you don't have guys that can complement them they can be easily neutralized.

You make some good points, but lets not forget that the Pens haven't had Crosby for the better part of two years and so there's no way we can make that assessment. Crosby played well when he came back, but none of us can say that he was at his full level. Also - the Penguins had absolutely ZERO problems putting the puck in the net with all 3 of their lines against Philly. It was their defense and goaltending that let them down BIG TIME. Thankfully, the Canucks would not have that problem.

Good centers will make wingers better. Period. Burrows is 'great' and not 'good' because the twins make him better than he is. Lets say next year, our top 6 forwards are Sedin, Sedin, Burrows, Kesler, Higgins, Booth. That leaves Kassian and Schroeder out there. If you're looking to maximize any offensive potential that they may have, or at the very least, expedite their development, who would you rather put them with? Plummers like Pahlsson and Lapierre, or an experienced "war horse" play maker like Vincent Lecavlier?

With 3 great centers down the middle, you also have more options. You can move a guy like Jannick Hansen up to play top 6, while putting a guy like Higgins or Booth on Lecavlier's line to give us more balanced scoring.

Another obvious option is to "front load" our top 6 by putting Lecavlier on Kesler's line.

On top of all that, Lecavlier is a guy that brings size, leadership, grit, and Stanley Cup experience.......and even if he's no longer the player that he once was, he's still a guy that consistently elevates his game come playoff time........and he's still a guy that can produce 50+ points......which in a 3rd line role, would be tremendous.

p.s.__________________It's my hope that no one takes me for being so naive in regards to not taking Lecavlier's horrendous contract into consideration. Of course it's a horrendous contract! However - I believe that his presence here would fill a great need. We'd get more depth on offense, size, leadership, Stanley Cup experience, a more potent power play in the post-season, and a guy that would help expedite the development of our kids (i.e. Kassian, Schroeder, etc.). That's good enough as far as I'm concerned.

[Hockey Widow]

Farhan,

I was curious after reading through this thread what your opinion is on trading of Luongo and whether you feel a player, say like Lecavalier, might be a good fit on the Canucks? Do you think he is what the Canucks need? Do you think we could make the cap work?

Haven't heard from you in a while so I am just curious.

Thanks

[Farhan Lalji]

The thing with removing Manny and Mason is you need to replace their contracts and "skill" level. I dont see many players not on ELC's that have the skill level needed to fill those spots at their current salaries.

Do we really? Let's say we make the hypothetical Luongo for Lecavlier deal.

Sedin-Sedin-Burrows
Higgins-Kesler-Booth (Hansen)
(Higgins)Schroeder-Lecavlier-Kassian (Booth)
Hansen-Pahlsson-Lapierre

Bitz, Weisse, Volpatti, etc.

I think at this point, the presence of Pahlsson and Lapierre would make Malhottra an extra part.

A healthy Raymond would be a decent player but lets face it - the guy was too soft to play bottom 6 and was too inconsistent to play top 6. Losing a healthy Raymond isn't the greatest thing, but would we really miss him THAT much? Especially if a guy like Lecavlier can expedite the development of someone like Schroeder or Kassian?

[CFP!]

The thing with removing Manny and Mason is you need to replace their contracts and "skill" level. I dont see many players not on ELC's that have the skill level needed to fill those spots at their current salaries.

Do we really? Let's say we make the hypothetical Luongo for Lecavlier deal.


I think at this point, the presence of Pahlsson and Lapierre would make Malhottra an extra part.

A healthy Raymond would be a decent player but lets face it - the guy was too soft to play bottom 6 and was too inconsistent to play top 6. Losing a healthy Raymond isn't the greatest thing, but would we really miss him THAT much? Especially if a guy like Lecavlier can expedite the development of someone like Schroeder or Kassian?

Vinny is not going to expedite anything. I think you might have missed my point. Schroeder and Kassian make less than Mason and Manny for a reason. They aren't proven, nor have the skill set and/or experience the previous have.

Replacing those two will cost more than just slotting in Schroeder and keeping Lappy. Nevemind resigning Pahlsson.