Alright, so with all the talk of our lack of toughness and heart, I figured I'd sit around and come up with a few ways to add real toughness and heart to this team.

1st player that comes to mind, and a player we could REALLY use, a 3rd line checking center, Craig Conroy from Calgary (dont rip me, I just saw Eklund reported this too, but talk to Alex or Phil, I've mentioned his name well before Eklund)

50 Points per year caliber player, grit, toughness, a TON of heart

To Calgary:

Gerbe + 3rd rounder from Boston

To Buffalo

Conroy and Matt Pelech

Then we look at adding a guy that can skate, fight, and check. Steve Ott

MacArthur to Dal for Ott striaght up

Then we add in a real exciting right wing; and someone who can make a big difference down the stretch.

I'm talking about Alexi Ponakarovsky.

Move Drew Stafford + 2nd round pick (conditional, if Poni Signs ToR gets pick) to Tor for Ponikarovsky; Burke would love to have a guy like Stafford, fits his mold perfectly

Burke made an entire team of guys like Stafford in Anaheim, good sized forwards, who play the boards, and put pucks home in front of the net. Granted Ponikarovsky is a UFA, but I think he could be signed to a 4 year 12-14M dollar deal. The Sabres have the capspace for something like that, and it adds a true right wing to play on our top line.

Next we go out and get the protective services of a guy who won't take any bullshit. Brad Winchester from STL. UFA to be

I honestly think we could get the guy for a 4th round pick. Maybe have to throw in Cowan or McCormick to replace him in the enforcer's role.

So now our Lines would look something like:

Vanek-Roy-Ponikarovski
Hecht-Connolly-Pommer
Ott-Conroy-Grier (swoon, a real checking line)
Winchester-Goose-Kaleta (ohhh that looks scary, and energetic)

now if you wanted to remedy that defense, that's another story, but I've got sometime, lets see here;

Right now we have

Myers-Hank (leave it the hell alone)
Lydman-Montador
Butler-Rivet
Sekera-Paetsch

In the system:

Weber, Brennan, Gragnani

Andy Sutton, UFA to be, 34 years old. The Islanders are rebuilding, and may be looking to get younger than this on their blue line.

Send them:

Brennan in exchange for Sutton and 3rd round pick

Then try to move Lydman out for any draft pick really, let's say he fetches another 3rd rounder, he could grab a 2nd, hell Kotalik did

Then take that pick we just got, couple it with the one from the Sutton trade, and send Butler to Philly for Brayden Coburn

Philly would take this trade believe it or not, because they have 47M committed next year, and Coburn an RFA could get an offer sheet, giving them just draft picks, and no real good defensive prospects in their system. Butler is serviceable, and on an inexpensive contract.

After that our defense would look like

Myers-Hank
Sutton-Coburn
Sekera-Rivet
Montador (interchangable on almost any of those pairings)
Paetsch (just happy to be here)

===================================

So to sum it all up, shake up this line up, add some real grit and toughness, and really not lose much for the future.

Our team would look like:

Vanek-Roy-Ponikarovski
Hecht-Connolly-Pommer
Ott-Conroy-Grier
Winchester-Goose-Kaleta
Ellis/Mair/Paetsch

Myers-Talinder
Sutton-Coburn
Rivet-Sekera
Montador

What do you guys think?

"What do you guys think?"

Not trying to be a smart ass, but why even discuss the possibility of having six new players on the team after the deadline?

Alright, so with all the talk of our lack of toughness and heart, I figured I'd sit around and come up with a few ways to add real toughness and heart to this team.

1st player that comes to mind, and a player we could REALLY use, a 3rd line checking center, Craig Conroy from Calgary (dont rip me, I just saw Eklund reported this too, but talk to Alex or Phil, I've mentioned his name well before Eklund)

50 Points per year caliber player, grit, toughness, a TON of heart

To Calgary:

Gerbe + 3rd rounder from Boston

To Buffalo

Conroy and Matt Pelech

Then we look at adding a guy that can skate, fight, and check. Steve Ott

MacArthur to Dal for Ott striaght up

Then we add in a real exciting right wing; and someone who can make a big difference down the stretch.

I'm talking about Alexi Ponakarovsky.

Move Drew Stafford + 2nd round pick (conditional, if Poni Signs ToR gets pick) to Tor for Ponikarovsky; Burke would love to have a guy like Stafford, fits his mold perfectly

Burke made an entire team of guys like Stafford in Anaheim, good sized forwards, who play the boards, and put pucks home in front of the net. Granted Ponikarovsky is a UFA, but I think he could be signed to a 4 year 12-14M dollar deal. The Sabres have the capspace for something like that, and it adds a true right wing to play on our top line.

Next we go out and get the protective services of a guy who won't take any bullshit. Brad Winchester from STL. UFA to be

I honestly think we could get the guy for a 4th round pick. Maybe have to throw in Cowan or McCormick to replace him in the enforcer's role.

So now our Lines would look something like:

Vanek-Roy-Ponikarovski
Hecht-Connolly-Pommer
Ott-Conroy-Grier (swoon, a real checking line)
Winchester-Goose-Kaleta (ohhh that looks scary, and energetic)

now if you wanted to remedy that defense, that's another story, but I've got sometime, lets see here;

Right now we have

Myers-Hank (leave it the hell alone)
Lydman-Montador
Butler-Rivet
Sekera-Paetsch

In the system:

Weber, Brennan, Gragnani

Andy Sutton, UFA to be, 34 years old. The Islanders are rebuilding, and may be looking to get younger than this on their blue line.

Send them:

Brennan in exchange for Sutton and 3rd round pick

Then try to move Lydman out for any draft pick really, let's say he fetches another 3rd rounder, he could grab a 2nd, hell Kotalik did

Then take that pick we just got, couple it with the one from the Sutton trade, and send Butler to Philly for Brayden Coburn

Philly would take this trade believe it or not, because they have 47M committed next year, and Coburn an RFA could get an offer sheet, giving them just draft picks, and no real good defensive prospects in their system. Butler is serviceable, and on an inexpensive contract.

After that our defense would look like

Myers-Hank
Sutton-Coburn
Sekera-Rivet
Montador (interchangable on almost any of those pairings)
Paetsch (just happy to be here)

===================================

So to sum it all up, shake up this line up, add some real grit and toughness, and really not lose much for the future.

Our team would look like:

Vanek-Roy-Ponikarovski
Hecht-Connolly-Pommer
Ott-Conroy-Grier
Winchester-Goose-Kaleta
Ellis/Mair/Paetsch

Myers-Talinder
Sutton-Coburn
Rivet-Sekera
Montador

What do you guys think?

Just hypothetical, but what do you guys think a package of Roy and Stafford would return?

LOL jvacc, I just spent the time to play along being fantasy GM and my post got lost in cyberland when I submitted it. That will teach me, but to summarize I suggested waiting until the summer to make moves since Sharp probably won't be on the market until then. Anyway...

Trade MacArthur, Gerbe and a pick for Sharp. Let Lydman, Tallinder, Paetsch, and Lalime walk. Sign Seidneberg or Foster (maybe both). If both trade Montador for a pick to replace the pick lost in the Sharp trade. Sign Biron (I'm not nostalgic for him but he'll probably be the best back-up available for about the same price as Lalime). Resign UFAs Grier, Ellis, and McCormick...and RFAs Kennedy and Kaleta to moderate raises. Bring up Ennis, McCormick, and Weber. The cap dollars lost and cap dollar gained should be about the same at 9.5-10 mil. The roster would be...

Hecht - Connolly - Pominville
Vanek - Roy - Sharp
Kaleta - Gaustad - Stafford
Ellis - Kennedy - Grier
Ennis - McCormick

Weber - Myers
Seidenberg - Montador (or Foster)
Butler - Rivet
Sekera

Miller - Biron

Is this your career mode team in a video game?

Yeah, I base my hockey knowledge off of NHL10...isn't that what we're supposed to do?

Yes, nothing says NHL10 quite like throwing out 3 scrubs and a 1st rounder for Pat Kane, lol.