I don't always agree with AP, but when I do, I prefer it to be when we both tell the "everything sucks" crowd that they're wrong.
Hanzal + Samuelsson + Shinnimin + Visintin for Nail Yakupov and Petry.
... and you might need to trade Doan and fire Tippett to make it work, which is what DAL did last March / June.
Seguin trade was unique and the success he's having in DAL is unique. Super-skilled kid in a bad situation and a team desperate to remedy that situation to compete. BOS needed to save a few dollars and fix a large cultural / locker room problem. DAL needed a 1C and had a young core that made Seguin feel at home. Average age of their first line is 21, and the three of them have the keys to the castle, or, rather, the ranch in Texas. Going great for them so far, but that was by no means guaranteed.
Look before you leap, SR.
I am not saying we clean the cupboards, but I am saying if you're you going to pull off a trade it needs to be one thats going to help us in the long run.
Please tell me what these players currently on the roster have done to keep them current.
Korpikoski
Moss
Klinkhammer
Schlemko
Chipchura
Korpikoski has been non existent this whole year. I have not seen anything from him that screams he deserves a roster spot.
Moss is another passenger. A floater. Someone that is expected to score or at least contribute offensively. Which he has done nothing of that sort.
Klinkhammer, again another passenger. The kid has done nothing for this team beside log minutes doing nothing. He serves no purpose on this team. He doesnt hit, forecheck, cycle the puck or fill the checking line role of a 3rd liner. I really dont see what this guy does for this team aside put in the occasional goal every 20 games or so. Not to mention I believe hes on a 2 way contract. He should be splitting time with someone else in Portland.
Schlemko at times play "ok" defense, but hes more of a liability than anything. He trys to play the role of a offensive defensman but is awful at it. I cant tell you how many times I have seen him go for that awful pinch to keep the play alive in the nuetral zone that ends up with a 2-1 and inadvertanly ends up in the back of our net.
Chipchura, believe it or not is one of my favorites, but he too has done nothing in terms of effective grit. He doesnt hit, doesnt score, and rarely can you find him standing up for his team mates anymore.
When you have guys that are cheaper in Portland that couldnt be any worse than what we currently have is frustrating. Andy Meile, in his second year with the farm club is now 12th in scoring in franchise history. Bring him up, give him a chance with on the second line with V and Hanzal, it couldnt hurt.
Lessio I think deserves another shot. A bigger body that will get in the dirty areas and play with some emotion also wouldnt hurt. Not to mention he can provide a little jam on that third line that we currently lack.
I still dont get why Gormley hasnt been looked at all year, either. I would much rather dress Gormley over Schlemko. I would also like to see what Rundblad could do over a 15 game stretch. He wasnt drafter in the first round for no reason.
I just dont see this team progressing with what we currently ice. We need some true raw talent on the top 6. We are not the cheapest team by any means when it comes to cap. So why are we still looking at 3rd to 4th line players playing in the top 6? Aside from a few great games played by Phoenix this year, namely the Pittsburgh and Chicago game we cant afford to be ok with dropping games to Dallas, Calgary, Winnipeg ect.
I know LA has been on a hell of a slide, but look what they have done over the past few years in regards to their roster. Bringing in Carter, Richards, Stoll ect have paid dividends for that team offensively without breaking the bank.
I am not saying we need to go out and do that, but why not compile the crap we currently have and invest in something that will pay off rather than just get us by.
My example of the Seguin trade was merely a suggestion to show that Dallas gave up guys that brought in a kid that will thrive in Dallas for quite some time. Seguin would be the best forward on the team if he came to Phoenix. Who says we cant do something like that? We have been so used to what we have that I think its time for a change. A change that will change the dynamic of the team. Whitney wont do that, neither will jagr or some of the other players mentioned.
We need to pull the trigger on a bigger trade and see what happens after that. Because right now, we're going to be the same in terms of points. You cant expect to win the stanley cup with what we currently have.