Trade Deadline Thoughts

[walleyes12]

I thought I would start a new topic. Any thoughts leading up to the trade deadline March 3rd (I believe). Any players available that you would like to see play for the Wild or be traded to another team?

My thoughts are these 5 home games will tell what they do, either buy or sell. I like to see them trade Zidliky or Johnsson. Maybe even find a home for Harding. Get some draft picks and start building a farm system. Oh by the way Shepard can get traded for a bag of pucks!!

[Jarrod32]

I don't see the Wild as a playoff team...and even if they could sneak in to the 8 or 7 spot, I don't see them getting past the Sharks or Blackhawks in a 7-game series. I would like to see them make some moves and stock up on young talent to build a serious contender.

I've always been an Owen Nolan fan, but he is the kind of veteran that could bring some young talent from a contender at the trade deadline...

[scsavre]

This home stretch will tell it all. If we come out on top, there is an outside chance.

Shepard- worthless.

Johnsson - no body in the world would buy his contract.

We have almost $5mil of cap space, that is alot of money to buy someone.

I would love to get Kovalchuk, but i doubt we could get him. I would like to say and do, bouchard, harding, Burns and Shepard for him.

Honestly i wouldnt mind signing Leopold, he is a great guy and i think he could become a fan favorite.

By the way, we still pay Parish 927,778 a year until 2014, im not sure how that works but he is listed on our payrole. Why not play him.

[Quackaddict9]

Kovalchuk traded to the Devils...makes them a Stanley Cup favorite, well they already were!

Parrish is playing in the AHL for Norfolk Admirals, not sure which NHL affliate team that is.

[walleyes12]

anyone have the details on the Kovalchuk trade, I heard it, I couldnt believe what I heard the Devils gave up.

[scsavre]

Atl got forward Bergfors, defense Oduya, prospect Cormier and next years #1. That is worth it. Kovy is only 26 years old and scores 50 goals a year. They are positioned to destroy the competition now.

[OnAFly]

They gave up a couple guys; Bergfors and Oduya, a prospect; Patrice Cromier, and a first or second round conditional pick.

They got Kovie and Salmela, a rookie D-man.

I wonder what they will do with Cromier. He was suspended by the minor leagues for a very, very dirty hit on a guy which caused the guy to go into convulsions on the ice. Apparently he's got a reputation of doing things like this. I could see them either trying to ship him out somewhere else, or jest letting him play out his contract if the minor leagues ever let min play there again.

[JimBuck]

I wonder what they will do with Cromier. He was suspended by the minor leagues for a very, very dirty hit on a guy which caused the guy to go into convulsions on the ice. Apparently he's got a reputation of doing things like this. I could see them either trying to ship him out somewhere else, or jest letting him play out his contract if the minor leagues ever let min play there again.

I saw a replay of this hit. It was pretty disturbing seeing the guy having convulsions on the ice and hearing the crowds response.

[OnAFly]

What was really disturbing was Cromier's response to what he had just done. He went to the ref and started arguing the penalty he just got. He nearly kills a guy and he's worried about his penalty. This guy does not belong in hockey at any level, at any position.

A correction to my above post. The Devils sent to Atlanta, not the other way around.

If the Devils don't win the cup this year, or resign Kovie next year, this will have been a lot to give up. Oduya is a pretty solid D-man and the other guy is good for 15 goals a season. Nothing special, but at least he can score.

[scsavre]

Here are the latest trade rumors i have heard.

* Gaborik's injury has caused the Rangers to really get serious, and I am told a deal is highly likely on Wednesday with either Florida (Booth or Horton), Edmonton (no name yet), Carolina (Whitney) or Colorado (Svatos/ Liles)

* Speaking of Whitney.. The Kings are definitely back in on Ray.

[walleyes12]

I think things will be more clear once the olympic break comes! The Wild are in a tough position yet, I hope they can make some more ground up in the standings

[scsavre]

the wild are so close, atleast it makes the games exciting. They actually mean something. The rest of this week should be crazy with trade talk. I think there is a trade freeze friday at 3pm too.

[scsavre]

Here are the latest rumors I have heard.

This one includes a Wild player, that i have always liked.

Sharks are looking to add Teemu Selanne and Owen Nolan, if the price is right.

Ray Whitney is pretty much already traded.

and the flyers and Flames are still trying to work out a deal. One of which had a few offers for Iginla, but no dice yet.

I still say we deal Harding, but likely in off-season. 1 game doesnt make a goalie, but I thought our AHL guy did pretty good last week.

I think we will have Saku Koivu and maybe sealnea next year.

[walleyes12]

I wonder what the sharks are looking to give up for Nolan? hes one of my favorites, but what I heard is that the Wild are willing to deal him at the trade deadline, and resign him during the offseason.

[scsavre]

I like Nolan too, he is supposedly a Genetic freak, in unreal shape for his age. If we can get something decent for him, i would do it, but i want him back next year if possible.

[OnAFly]

Trading Nolan for a pick and resigning him in the offseason would be a fantastic move if Fletcher could make it happen.

Saku - I don't think this will happen, but if it does and works then GREAT! Both he and Mikko have expressed their views on not wanting to play with eachother because of the the pressure it puts on both players. Mikko wants to make his own name for himself, not just Saku's kid brother like it was in Finland.

Harding - I agree that if he gets traded, it will probably happen in the offseason. He's been injured lately and hasn't had enough time on the ice to really show people what he can do. No one will want to take him as a goalie for the playoffs as unproven as he is right now.

23 games left and 6 points out...this is not the situation we wanted to be in. We are too close to start trading for picks a prospect and build from, but we are too far out to really start looking at trading for veterans/talent to help us make a push. Now, we are caught in no mans land where you don't go anywhere and don't get any high picks.

We might have been better off in the long run to be out by 10 at this point so we would be forced to build up young prospects/picks through trades.

[walleyes12]

I like to see the wild try to pick up a young player like they did with lantadresse! That was the best trade so far by the Wild! I would like to see Fletcher take some more long shots like that.

[scsavre]

Latendress was a great move, we really need to put the pressure on signing him as soon as we can. Thats why i say get rid of shepard, and his 6 points costing us $1.4 mil and use it to sign Latendrese who is currently at $800K.

I still think we will get Saku. I think he just wanted to play a year with his best friend Teamu, before Teamu retired. We need more than Saku, he is a great leader but he is still only a 50 point getter at most.

You are right about no mans land. There is no smart moves we can make in this situation.

[walleyes12]

Sheppard is making 1.4 million to be a healthy scratch?? Our previous GM made some bone head moves! I agree sign Latendresse to a long term deal!

[scsavre]

Yep, I will have to start a new thread that has all the salaries on it and when the contracts are up. It is unreal the bad deals that we got into. Our defensive payroll is at $18.5mil. That is so much money for mediocre D and no scoring. By the way NJ is at $12.5mil and Buf is like $14mil.

[archerystud]

Totally agree with way too much money in that D for what it produces. Johnsson is not worth 4.85 mil but his salary is freed up next year.

Maybe they can trade Sheppard, Pouilot wasn't producing here and now he is, maybe someone is willing to take a chance on Shep.

I think Kobasew coming back would be nice as he brings some energy.

Does anyone know if the NHL gives cap relief for players who don't play? What about PMB? I'm starting to think that he won't play again.

[scsavre]

Yes there is relief if a player is dropped down to the minors or indefinitely injured.

PMB is not counted against our cap.

Good point on Kobasew, whens he playing again?

[walleyes12]

I forgot about Kobasew, where is he going to fit in? 3rd line??

[KMR85]

Not sure, but it sounds like he'll be back when the olympics rap up. He just started practicing with the team a couple days ago. He's been skating by himself for over a week.

[spearchucker]

I like to see the wild try to pick up a young player like they did with lantadresse! That was the best trade so far by the Wild! I would like to see Fletcher take some more long shots like that.

That wasn't really a long shot. it was low risk. Pouliot wasn't doing anything and Latandresse wasn't doing anything in Montreal, so either side had nothing to lose. He has been great for us as Pouliot as played great for the Habs.