Assorted Topics coming to mind

[D Rock]

-Thoughts on Pechurski's play the other night? Does this kid have a chance to be anything in the NHL in the near future?


-Talbot and Dupuis both went down tonight. Good chance Caputi is back up, if only for a game or two. Who else could be called up if needed? Is that Tangradi fellow a winger or a center?

-This team needs to get a serious threat to score on the wings in the top two lines. Any possibilities that could get done before the trade deadline, and how will the Olympic break affect that deadline? I wouldn't mind seeing Kunitz and Fedotenko shipped out for someone, should any team be willing to bite on that. I have no idea what the cap situation is like though.

[Pittsburgh]

-Thoughts on Pechurski's play the other night? Does this kid have a chance to be anything in the NHL in the near future?

After not even playing a full two periods of professional hockey it's hard for me to tell. Some fans are ready to trade Curry and are crowning this kid the second coming of Marty Brodeur. That's not to say he doesn't have some potential, but I believe it's just a tad bit premature.

-Talbot and Dupuis both went down tonight. Good chance Caputi is back up, if only for a game or two. Who else could be called up if needed? Is that Tangradi fellow a winger or a center?

Letestu, Caputi and Jeffrey and the three guys I would be looking at if I were Shero. Tangradi is a left winger, but I'm not sure they feel he's ready to make the jump just yet. I could be wrong and he could be up here for the Washington game. It wouldn't exactly shock me if he is called up at some point this season.

-This team needs to get a serious threat to score on the wings in the top two lines. Any possibilities that could get done before the trade deadline, and how will the Olympic break affect that deadline? I wouldn't mind seeing Kunitz and Fedotenko shipped out for someone, should any team be willing to bite on that. I have no idea what the cap situation is like though.

That is a loaded question and it depends on what you consider a "serious threat". The fans who scream for that legitimate winger every year are the same one's who are never willing to give up the good. I would have absolutely no problem shipping off players like Talbot, Fedotenko, Kennedy, Dupuis or Kunitz, but it's going to take a hell of a lot more than those type of players in order to make room in the cap or to acquire that type of player. That's where Shero would have to ask himself some tough questions. Is he willing to trade away some of this top notch talent? Is he also willing to include some high draft picks and prospects after doing so in the Hossa deal?

Hyothetically, let's use Ilya Kovalchuk as an example of a player who I would consider a "serious threat" in the NHL. This guy scores 40-50 goals a year along with 30-40 assists. The people out there (not saying you by any means) who actually think we can just throw Kunitz, Letang and a pick together in order to acquire him are living in another world. A trade like that would have to include one of our higher profiled players and then some. We are talking about a world class hockey player who regularly puts up big numbers on a Atlanta Thrashers team.

In my opinion, with the way this team is built and with the salary cap, we will not be seeing another Marian Hossa or Ilya Kovalchuk anytime in the near future, guy's we would consider serious threats. I don't necessarily agree with it, but I feel Shero will continue to go after those low-priced wingers and hope for some type of chemistry to magically form with Crosby or Malkin. Unfortunately, I think players like Malkin and Crosby will continue to play in between the Kunitz's, Dupuis', Tabot's, Kennedy's and Fedotenko's of the NHL.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Well, the hope is that guys like Caputi and Tangradi develop enough over the next year or so that we do not keep having to go out and sign aging, second tier wingers all the time.

I wouldn't pay a king's ransom for a rental like Kovalchuk. Sure, he's got incredible offensive skill, but he can't play a lick of defense. I think the next guy he hits will be his first one.

And to answer a previous question from D Rock, the trade deadline is set for 3-3-10, three days after the Games conclude in Vancouver.

[Pittsburgh]

-This team needs to get a serious threat to score on the wings in the top two lines. Any possibilities that could get done before the trade deadline

To follow up on this question, I think Shero has to be looking at this team and realizing that he has to make some type of move or moves before the deadline. He has to realize that while we are capable of beating easy/subpar hockey teams, we fail miserably when we go up against teams such as Washington, New Jersey, Buffalo, Chicago and San Jose. We have proven time and time again that we are unable to hang with the top notch teams in the league.

I'm not exactly sure what type of move or moves Shero will make, but I strongly doubt it will involve a Kovalchuk-type player. Don't get me wrong D Rock, I would love to have that type of player. A player like that would instantly help our lack of scoring and our pathetic PP. I see a player like Kovalchuk playing next to Sid in my dreams and then I wake up and see Fedotenko, Dupuis, Kennedy or Rupp. In short, it would be absolutely sick to see those two on the same line. I just don't think Shero would be willing to give up what is needed to acquire a player like Kovalchuk and then sign him to a long term deal.

Take it for what it's worth and it's all speculation at this point, but I keep hearing Ponikarovsky, Stajan, Selane, Kariya, Johnson (LA) and Brown being linked to the Penguins organization. Talbot, Staal, Goligoski and Letang being the possible trade bait. Like I said, take it for what it's worth. Frankly, I wouldn't put any stock into it considering a new name pops up every week that is somehow linked to the Penguins.

The only thing I know for sure is that Shero will have to make some moves if he wants this team to get past the first round of the playoffs.

[Pittsburgh]

Speaking of trades, Lebrun and Rossi apparently feel Whitney is the way to go...

One player who will very likely move if he allows it with his no-trade clause is winger Ray Whitney, as I mentioned last week. To me, Pittsburgh and Calgary are screaming for this kind of move, as both clubs need offensive help and a boost to their power plays.

Here's the thing: He's cheaper to acquire now than on March 3. If the Hurricanes could unload him now, they'd save on their payroll. Come March 3, there's only five and half weeks left on Whitney's $3.55 million salary, so the Hurricanes wouldn't be saving nearly as much. In the meantime, teams will be scrambling for his services that day and the price will go up. Either way, the Hurricanes are hoping to recoup a first- or second-round pick and a prospect for Whitney.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/ind ... run_pierre

Not sure how many readers caught this in Sunday’s Trib; to recap, these are my suggested moves that GM RAY SHERO make to help improve the Penguins:

No. 1: Call Jim Rutherford: “So, Jim, remember Mark Recchi and 2006? Yeah, let’s chat about Ray Whitney.”

It depends and I'm sure many would disagree with me, but if the Hurricanes are in fact looking for a "first- or second-round pick and a prospect" for a 37 year old hockey player, I wouldn't do it. I would rather throw that trade bait toward a winger who will be around for the long haul so we don't have to look for "that winger" every year around this time and trade away our high draft picks and prospects every year.

No. 2: Dangle Kris Letang: I wouldn’t trade him, but I’d sure let teams know I’d listen to offers.

Once again, I'm sure many would disagree with me, but I would trade him if and only if the right offer came along. If we want that legitimate scoring winger, a player like Letang would have to go the opposite way. Plus, what's the point in dangling him if you are not willing to trade him?

No. 3: Re-sign Matt Cooke: He’d be cheaper to snag now than in late June, and the No. 3 line is worth keeping together.

I wouldn't exactly be opposed to this move.

No. 4: Promote Luca Caputi: Let him play on as a top-line winger now for potential payoff later, perhaps in the playoffs.

Preaching to the choir on this one. Unfortunately, this organization seems to enjoy bringing up prospects, playing them for a couple of games while moving them around from line to line, benching them for a couple of games and then sending them back down to WBS.

http://blog.triblive.com/chipped-ice/20 ... ing-cooke/