TJ, you should listen on Sunday morning about Smith ;)
I don't think expansion is a bad idea. Whichever year that they announced the new alignment, I said it would be perfect for 32 teams. 50% of the league makes it to the playoffs instead of having crap teams in (seriously, 16 out of 21 teams used to make it???). It'll make making the playoffs that much harder in the West to meet what the East has. It's almost as tough as baseball to make it in so it'll be that much more special.
What Russell says here makes the most sense, but I want to know why everyone is so quick to let Lazar go he's all of what 20-21?? Why don't we let him have a few years of development then kick his butt to the curb if he doesn't develop and costs too much, everyone is so quick to make snap judgements on players. Smith is a prime example I'm sure not one person on earth saw this coming with Smith, he's totally shocked everybody even his parents and if he's married his wife. I know I didn't like his game for years and would have been more than happy to see him off this team before the season started and now look at him and even some of you would protect him and no one would have before this hot run of his.
Expansion wouldn't happen for a couple of years. So..
Goalie;
If Hammond shows he can be the number one guy, keep him.
Anderson would be 36. Better to go with the younger guy.
Defence;
-Karlsson -Methot -Ceci
If we lost Phaneuf 2 years from now, no big deal. No one would probably take him. Most probably we would lose Boro. This could change if one of the guys in Bingo move up. Methot would be about 33. Would have to see how he's playing. He hasn't been bad this year but certainly not as good as he has been.
Forwards:
JPG
Stone Ryan Zmith Turris Hoffman
Zbad?
If Lazar hasn't progressed by the time expansion comes, let him go. Or, like they did in the CFL, trade him and get something in return so you don't lose him for nothing. Zbad? He has to prove he can bring it every night and not just every few games.
-- Edited by senior on Wednesday 16th of March 2016 10:02:42 PM
Would hate to lose Boro, but with his style of play his body will break down like Volchenkov's did. Long term, Ceci is more valuable. Phaneuf, his salary is enough to scare an expansion team away.
Forwards are tougher
-Stone -Turris -Hoffman (assuming he's still here) -Ryan (tough one, will his salary scare an expansion team away?) -ZBad (finally finding his game? still only 22) -JGP (a versatile player, proved himself a soldier in the playoffs) -Lazar (hasn't found his game yet, hopefully he will)
on the bubble
-MacArthur (depeding on his health, if he's back 100% to his former self might need to protect him place of one of the bottom 4 above. At 30, he's the oldest) -Smith (is this year a fluke? is he the new MacArthur?)
The NHL announced the expansion rules should they choose to expand. If one team is added a team can lose a maximum of one player, if two teams get added, a team can lose two players. Roster protection rules are as follows.
Option 1, a team can protect a total of 11 players — seven forwards, three defencemen and one goalie.
Option 2, a team can protect nine players (F or D) — eight skaters and one goalie.
First and second year pros are exempt. Assuming draft is at the end of next season, who do you protect? Who do you think gets picked? Here's the current roster with term.
