Trade Deadline

[Killerjug]

With the trade deadline approaching do you think the wild will stand pat like usual or try and make a move? Who would you like to acquire and what would you give up?

I would personally love to get parise if the price is right. I know he is a free agent and we could acquire him then but i'd love tog et him locked up right away. I'd probably do a backstrom, spec, and mid round pick for him

[pidg88]

Zid's will be traded. Lots of people want a top 4 D man, especially a puck mover and a contending team with cap room would want him. I do not want to trade for Parise right now, we can give up a pick or something for his negotiating rights at the draft for next to nothing if the devils cant get anything done. As per the trade with the rangers I like it. I was liking Wellman and his play but Christenson gives us good center depth as he can play on that third/fourth line with Brodziak and Koivu/Cullen in the top 2 (although Cullen is not a top 2 center)

[Killerjug]

ya i mean im hesitant to deal for parise but if he goes into fa someone will give him an outrageous amount of money and we have alot of prospects

[Oefarmy2005]

I really don't get the Christensen deal, how does it help us?

[pidg88]

Actually after thinking about this deal a little more throughout the day it makes more and more sense. Christensen was the odd man out with the Rangers, he can put up some pretty good numbers, especially when he takes the top 6 spot of Gui or Bouchard. He is a skill player who can play top 6 minutes and is relatively young. He is a better player then Wellman, add onto that we got a draft pick, because hockey is the only sport where 7th rounders can really turn into something great (almost every draft year there is someone in the late rounds who plays great).

So all in all it makes sense and gives us a center, and another skill player. It will help fill the void of Koivu now and Gui and Bouchard once Koivu is back. If we make the playoffs we will have an almost legit skill top 6 with him (I would push Cullen down to the third line and Christensen on the 2nd).

The best part about this trade, we got a skill player, a top 6 player with giving up someone who's ceiling is a third liner and still have Harding and Zid to trade to strengthen our top 6 even more or add on the back end. Unfortunately Hardings stock has sharply fell. We could expect a late 2nd/3rd for Zid or a top 6 forward equivalent. And probably the same for Harding. We wont get much, and we are not trading any prospects. Remember how dry that pool was 2-3 years ago after trading Leddy, and look at it now. We will not be doing that again

[Killerjug]

I am all for moving zidlicky i think he is extremely overrated and turns the puck over way too much

[pidg88]

Oh he is, and more then likely why he is playing tonight and will be playing the next couple of games will be to showcase him for the trade deadline. He has created to big of a rift I believe to not be moved.

[Wild1414]

Today I was actually reading about Parise on a radio show saying he would love to come home. So maybe he will sign with Minny as a FA. i will never get my hopes up for a guy like him to sign with us, but Id rather take my chances trying when is a UFA then giving something up for his rights. NJ will keep him for playoffs no question.

Zid's is gone forsure ill be interested what we get for him.

Fletcher just better not make any dumb moves like the Leddy trade.

[PineAppleFlavor]

Zlidlicky, Zanon....both should be moved.

I think they've both run their courses with Minny, and could help other teams.

They have value, and the Wild could get some decent forwards in return.

I would be ok with Spurgeon-Scandella, Stoner-Schultz, Prosser-Falk as our top six D-men.
And I realize Scandella is currently out, so Lundin could hold that spot down while he gets back.

Not sure what to make of the Christensen-Wellman deal...this could turn to NY's favor in a season or two, but Christensen can possibly help the Wild NOW, since as was mentioned, he wasn't getting the play time in NY, and he is a skilled player.
Wellman wasn't ready to help Minny now...and even with NY, will spend some more time with their Connecticut team to simmer a bit longer....barring injuries to the Ranger forward lines of course.

As for goalies.....hmm..anyone else like the combo of Nik Backstrom and Matt Hackett on the big club?

Not saying I DON'T like Josh Harding...in fact, I like him alot....but he would have good trade value for teams needing a reliable goal tender, and could net Minny some scoring help.
You think maybe Tampa may be interested in Harding, for maybe a Brett Connolly (yea, I know....a longshot...TB likes him)...or maybe a Ryan Malone?

[Killerjug]

i would do it for connolly absolutely id be hesitant for malone though especially if its harding

[warp]

-Trade Backstrom for Parise? Parise wants to play for a winner. If they trade Bax, and Hards leaves via trade or FA, then what? Hackett? Sign Nabakov? IMO, I'd approach Harding with an extension, if he declines, trade him for puck moving d-man.
-Christensen trade... 1st off, he's not a top 6 forward. 2nd and more importantly, he's insurance for if (more likely when) Brodziak leaves via FA. His play (although mediocre) does demand a pay raise. MN will try to re-up him, however, he'll want to test FA as centremen are in high demand every off season. IMO, re-up Brodz and hope he's loyal. Christensen is a UFA at the end of the year too, re-up him as well. Warren Peters on the 4th line, I guess.
-The D core is very thin. Prospects are nice, but this team needs some strong and experienced D. Schultz isn't going to cut it himself, need D more so than a top 6 forward, (again) IMO.
-IMO

[Killerjug]

well if you trade backstrom im sure they'd make sure to sign harding

[pidg88]

Both of our Goalies have very low value right now, there was a segment on this on NBC just the other night. Backstrom is too old with too high of a cap hit, and Harding is too old to be considered "future" for any team like Tampa and he isnt a proven starter since he never has. Harding's value was very high after the first few months of the season but has since dropped off. He should of been moved then like I said back then. Also they would never do it for Connelly maybe for Panik (who is almost as good just isnt as NHL ready as Connelly). I would hope and am expecting Zidlicky to be moved, but I do want to keep Zanon. Im sorry but he is the hardest worker on the team and will sacrifice his body night after night, great character 5th/6th D man for a relatively small cap hit and a good teacher for all of these young D. I would rather move Lundin. We will not be trading for Parise, and he said on the same radio show that he loves NJ would love to have a future there and not to read into him buying a home here.

Christensen trade was a great trade if you look at value. Wellman is a 3rd line center max, while Christensen is one of those guys who is a skilled player and can play on the third line when we have depth and up on the top lines when we are injured. A great value trade, not anything flashy or big but smart. Also we got a pick and dont forget the value of any round in the NHL. Also Brodziak will be given a good competitive extension and I can see him staying. If he doesnt thats fine too Granlund and Coyle are both centers and will be here next year. I wouldnt want to touch Ryan Malone and his contract yuck would destroy this teams flexibility for even a chance at a player like Parise.

[pidg88]

-Trade Backstrom for Parise? Parise wants to play for a winner. If they trade Bax, and Hards leaves via trade or FA, then what? Hackett? Sign Nabakov? IMO, I'd approach Harding with an extension, if he declines, trade him for puck moving d-man.
-Christensen trade... 1st off, he's not a top 6 forward. 2nd and more importantly, he's insurance for if (more likely when) Brodziak leaves via FA. His play (although mediocre) does demand a pay raise. MN will try to re-up him, however, he'll want to test FA as centremen are in high demand every off season. IMO, re-up Brodz and hope he's loyal. Christensen is a UFA at the end of the year too, re-up him as well. Warren Peters on the 4th line, I guess.
-The D core is very thin. Prospects are nice, but this team needs some strong and experienced D. Schultz isn't going to cut it himself, need D more so than a top 6 forward, (again) IMO.
-IMO

You want strong and experienced, look at next years FA pool of D men, all strong defensively sound veteran D men. Not many Puck movers.

[Tg1]

"Parise wants to play for a winner." I love the wild, but NJ is 5th in the East right now.. Why on Gods green earth would he want to be traded to a bubble team if he wants to play for a winner? The wild have a good looking future, but the future is not now. PLEASE DO NOT TRADE FOR HIM UNLESS WE ARE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE A DEAL BEFORE THE TRADE HAPPENS.. Just wait and play out the FA market. And IF we sign him, don't sign him to a lock down long term deal that handcuffs us in the future. We have a lot of solid prospects coming up and if 2-3 of them turn into studs we want to be able to keep them too..

Zids will be gone (I hope) NO way do we get a top 6 guy for him.. HE HAS ZERO GOALS THIS YEAR!!!! We will be lucky to get a 3rd rounder for him with his Cap hit and low productivity this year.

I say try to sign harding 2-3 years between 1-2.5 mill per. Then try to shop Backstrom.
If we can't move him this year, we will probably be able to at the deadline next year. UNLESS we are in the hunt.. Then we keep him through the season and let him go. That way you have OPTIONS. If you are ready to bring up Hacket you still have Harding. for a couple years. start harding the first year hacket is up, then trade him. Low Cap hit, potential high productivity goallie?? Teams would salivate.

If we fall out of contention trade Zanon. If not keep him for the year unless someone blows our minds in an offer. He is a SOLID roll player and teams that win the cup have versions of him on the roster. He is the only one on ours. we are luck to get a mid round pick for him.

I say trade lundin for a bag of pucks and 1/2 of a broken stick.. (And it doesn't even need to be a full bag maybe just 4 or 5 pucks) He hasn't played much, and thus hasn't shown much.. Teams won't exactly be banging down our doors for him.

I like the Christensen trade. Wellman was becoming burried in our propsect depth. At one point he was our prospect depth, but times have finally changed for the better. It would be better to have him on a team where he can consistently play in the minors rather than be back and fourth here all the time. Christensen can stick in the big team and play a gritty 3rd linner roll and move up or down as needed (Also known as Brodziak insurance). I'm not tickled by the trade, but it makes sense.

Brodziak would actually be solid trade bait if we fall out of contention and determine that is the way we are going to go. Offer him a contract now and if he balks get something in return for him. I like him quite a lot, but we need to continue to think about the future. If he won't sign a moderate price deal for 2-3 years.. Buh bye.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD STOP RIPPING FLETCHER FOR THE LEDDY TRADE!!!!!! Leddy would NOT have the points he has right now if he were on this team!! No way... No how... We traded him and Johnson (that goodness he is gone) for a high 1st rounder and 3 years on his deal.. That was a "change of scenery" move for Barker and obviously it didn't work. Barker SUCKS.. We got hosed. but Leddy is not the puck moving D-man that would put us over the top! How do you think Montreal felt about the gui for puliot trade when gui rocked the Ex for a year.. Hasn't Fletcher made enough solid/good moves in the draft and trades to get us past this? Heatly for Havlat any one?? Please Havlat is crap on a very good team.. Gui and Puliot.. Minus the concussion we ROBBED Them... But they don't even have puliot any more either. Kobesew wasn't a great deal but wasn't bad. Again he was servicable. Burns for Seto, a 1st rounder (phillips) AND Coyle.. I don't care how seto and burns look this year Seto alone was an even swap for Burns when this team can't score at all. but Phillips and Coyle on top of it???

Ok, i think i'm done for now.. Thanks for reading