ngoway

I like our chances here if we play our game coupled with the fact that we're considered the "underdogs" to add a little more fuel to the fire. I agree the regular season is different from the playoffs, but I'm sure the team has a different level of confidence going against an Oilers team they beat 4/4 compared to if they went against a Kings team we struggled against. Excited for the team to play their game and prove all the doubters and haters wrong again for the 100th time.

Having Demko out definitely hurts, but DeSmith has definitely proven he can step in admirably. I don't get/or agree with all the negative comments with everyone admitting defeat and being all doom and gloom. Do we always have to be so negative? Everyone wanted this team to be a playoff team and we are now. We're only 1 game in, and people are already jumping off the (band)wagon. Why don't we try to be positive instead and actually support the team consistently. It's easy enough to support them when they're winning and playing well, but support is also needed when things aren't going 100%.

Agreed. Definitely would have been nice to make some depth additions, but only if the price was right. I like many if not all of us were hoping for some minor additions, but not at the cost of losing legitimate prospects that we've been lacking for so long. Our team is still quite well rounded and could still surprise a lot of people in the playoffs. It's no fluke to be 2nd in the entire league through 65 games.

I think there's also an oversight here on the price someone else pays isn't necessarily the price we'd get to pay. Just because Roslovic only costed a 4th for the Rangers, I think our assumption is that it would cost us the same where that could very well be false. There's a whole side to this that we have no visibility on/understanding of and I think being so critical and negative of it isn't the most wholistic way to view it. Also the statement of throwing all our assets at Lindholm is pretty false. We retained our best assets, and the only assets of worth we gave up were the 1st and Hunter Brzustewicz. I've been pretty vocal on defending Lindholm because I think everyone criticizes him for his lack of offense which is warranted to a degree. I don't think however he's been a complete disappointment as he's almost been an ace for us on the faceoff dot most nights, and has brought a ton of defensive balance when he's on the ice. Those two things are going to be huge for us in the playoffs, and now the hope is his offense can get going. If it does get going, and can already foresee everyone changing their tune. Lindholm is a very good right handed C, and hopefully he just needs a little more time.

A good sign too for us in regards to our top prospects (Willander, Lekkerimäki, D-Petey, and Podkolzin). They're clearly progressing very well if so many teams were wanting them. Like Allvin said in his press conference that he could have gotten roster players by trading some of them, but the belief for those prospects is that high that they refused to move them. I think this team is special and could still surprise a lot of people in the playoffs. At the very least, they make a playoff run, and in a year to two years, those prospects mature and arrive on the roster. I think us standing pat if the price wasn't right is going to prove to be the right choice in a year, two, three or more.

I wouldn't go as far as stating it that way. That's really a negative spin on it just based on not making moves for the sake of moves on the deadline. Management made a ton of moves in advance and if they trust the team, I'd rather stay put than just sell off our top prospects in reaction to what the other teams are doing.

I think it's natural for everyone to want to make additions on trade deadline. Am I a little disappointed? Yeah, but management did make a lot of moves in advance and some teams didn't so I'm not that upset. Also like Bieksa mentioned this morning, bringing pieces in on the deadline don't always translate to success. That could actually affect chemistry. Looks like management is trusting this team and not wanting to disturb the chemistry. This team is special and now it's up to them to show it in the playoffs.

I get we're antsy to hear about trades, but management still has ~3 hours left. Let's save the judgement until then.

Juulsen on the third pair next year and this year makes total sense. If we can find someone else who can play RD on the second pairing tonight/tomorrow at a reasonable cost, that would round the D core out nicely.

that's what worries me. Myers on the third pairing looks much better than on the second. He has been much better this year though, so not hating on him.

Soucy really solidifies that D core. If we're able to add a RD who can play on the second pair, I'd be very comfortable with that core in the playoffs. Also, that was probably one of Mikheyev's best games of the season.

This makes the most sense. Carolina has some good assets and I'd rather not be the team to overpay for Guentzel.

I think we're seeing why PA and Rutherford made so many moves early on. Like many of us, I know we're antsy to see some more trades, but I'd rather management take their time today to really get the right trades done. I'm still hoping we keep Lindholm as I feel he's got lots more to give. With that being said, I'm also hoping we find an additional RW and RD. That would really help round out our group nicely.

The Avalanche

As much as I dislike the Bruins, that's not a bad model to mirror. The D core and some of the high end offensive talent/prospects are all still quite young in Buffalo. If the pieces click/develop as expected, that's going to be a tough team to play against.