Seems to me that Ehrhoff and Schneider have an overlapping skill set, adding both might not have such a good idea.

I think the “big changes” quote from Wilson after the playoff exit was not referencing only a major trade.

More importantly the Sharks need to change the culture in the locker room and in practice, it needs to be more competitive and more demanding. The third and fourth lines never clicked all season last year, and they will be drastically redone. As many as 10-11 players from last year will be gone (maybe more), and there are what I could characterize as more grinders and younger energy players on the third and fourth line compared to years passed. The defense will be different with Huskins and possible Joslin added, maybe a Petrecki or a Moore. And the captain and alternate captain positions will be earned in training camp, not given.

If that is the bottom line changes from last year to this year, that is significant. Beat writer David Pollak announced there may be another significant move later today. But if it not a massive, game changing trade the Sharks are still in a much different positon moving forward.

Smells like the necessary salary dump to prepare for a Heatley trade to me.

Terms of the deal have not been released. But it seems that Lecavalier and St. Louis talked to him and convinced him that Tampa would be a good option. All in all to go along with with the addition of Ohlund, Brian Lawton (Lightning GM) has done in good job of restructuring this team while his owners continue to squabble.

Do they both really believe that the best way to avoid losing to the Hawks and Wings come playoff time is to load up on defence? Seriously they can’t be their game plan?
Now both just have 1 line that will most likely get shutdown by other teams top defensive pairing, guess both teams are planning on winning 1-0 or 2-1 on goals by Mark Rypien and Eric Nystrom. Both teams GM’s rational may have both treading water all season that may find both on the outside looking in come playoff time. Fact: 1 line teams (no matter how good of a defence) tend to disappear early come playoff time ex.) the NYRangers. Enough said!

I seriously doubt that Kesler can fill that void due to the fact he is more comfortable as a winger (right wing perferably). Many wingers (like Sharp) have struggled with the transition from the wing to centre for it’s totally a different ball-game defensively. After watching Kesler and the Canucks not only in the playoffs but during periods throughout the regular season I doubt that Kesler is the type of player that can switch over and be successful. Not to mention that some players when swtiched around often struggle offensively as well and with the little firepower the Canucks have on their roster Kesler cannot have his production diminish in any capacity.
In any event, that series between the Hawks and Canucks was one of the best series I’ve seen in many years in the NHL. It was fast-paced, end-to-end action, with a touch of nastiness. Other than Game 4 the whole series was back-and-forth with the all the games providing non-stop action. It was truly incredible and could’ve been decided either way so take no shame that the Canucks lost against the Hawks the way that they did for they could’ve easily won that series-they really were only 2:41 away.
If we’re going to call out anyone then really it should be Bolland for he really was the MVP of that series. From his game-tying goal in Game 1, to his SH goal in Game 2 to put the Hawks ahead to stay, as well as his GW goal in Game 5 Bolland was a threat everytime he touched the puck. Byfuglien was a thorn in the side of Luongo and did his job (at times to perfection) taking Luongo off his game, not to mention his two big goals in Game 5. But let’s not give Byfuglien to much credit ‘Touchdown Luo’ just completely unravelled at the worst possible times throughout the series. The Canucks wanted to go toe-to-toe with the Hawks banking on ‘Touchdown Lou’ to bail them out when called upon, which at times he did but far too often he didn’t. His failure should fall directly on his shoulders as blame, not to Byfuglein as credit.
Granted Kane was a -6 with only 1 goal but keep in mind Crosby didn’t light up the lamp against the Wings either in both Finals appearances. The difference was that others help fill the void and stepped up their respective games were as that didn’t happen with the Hawks. Kane wasn’t able against the Wings, but he definitely wasn’t alone. In fact only Toews had a productive series with Huet having an incredible Game 5 albeit in defeat.