03-04-2010, 07:45 PM
Evan Wrote:#1: No players are impact players. Maybe role players, but they are all mediocre and IMO dont add any significant depth or anything we really need for the playoffs which leads me to:What impact players were traded? Hamhuis wasn't moved, Kubina wasn't moved, Kaberle wasn't moved. The only better Dman they could have gotten was Seidenberg or Visnovsky. What goalies were moved? Halak, and a few backups. Points are not all that players bring. Belanger is 57% in faceoffs, and kills penalties, something the caps have been woeful at this year and last. He also gives them depth at the center position, so they don't have to keep playing flash there.
Evan Wrote:#2: All players are in their final contract year so will be free agents after the season. If we really liked them we could have signed them after the playoffs without giving anything up. Since they dont add much to the playoff run I dont see why they are worth anything in trade.Signing them after the playoffs does nothing for this year. Plus, in a league with a hard salary cap, UFA's are valuable. You forget the Caps have to resign Backstrom, Semin, Flash, Fehr, Varlamov in the next year year or two, which means they can't take on people who have expensive contracts past this year. That eliminates Visnovsky, Voukoun, etc.
Evan Wrote:#3: The only significant needs the team has : first pairing defenseman and cup caliber goalie were not addressed.This I agree with. I think Corvo is an upgrade over Pothier, but as you say he isn't that first pairing Dman we've been lacking. I think Varlamov can be what we need in goal, but his health is an issue. I guess you could just say I think the East is weak enough this year that we'll make a deep run with what we have, and more importantly we keep the bluechip prospects that we have now (Carlson, Alzner).
Am I completely happy with how the deadline went? No. Do I think we improved our team without giving up our future? Yes
2008 Mazda 3