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Leaf Rumours

That's another thing.

Would Burke even deal with Mike "I'm gonna file tampering charges if you open your mouth" Gillis?

Doubt it.
 
Not that this is a rumor, but I've been thinking if this makes sense for both teams ...

Kaberle + Poni
for
Staal + 1st

There's a reason Kaberle's name keeps poping up in trade rumors, because he's one of the best puck moving defensemen, playing in his prime, at a bargain price for 1 more season. If Burke does put him in the trade market, he'll be the biggest fish in the trade deadline frenzy.

Poni is the guy many thought would play well with Malkin. Pittsburgh is pretty weak on the wings and Poni, a 2-way 30G/55Pts winger, looks good on their roster. Though he's a pending UFA, if he has any chemistry with Malkin he should be easy to re-sign for Pittsburgh.

Kaberle also solves a problem for Pittsburgh - the need to re-sign Sergei Gonchar. To have a puck moving defenseman in Pittsburgh's system is highly critical, but Gonchar will be an UFA comes July 1. Gonchar's getting old, and also has injury problems, but he will definitely command a big contract and he'll be difficult to replace. Kaberle will be Gonchar's replacement, he's younger, has no injury problems, and they don't have to worry about his cap hit for another season.

In Staal they give up a potential #1 center but with Crosby and Malkin locked up for years, that's an area of strength for them.
 
If Vancouver or Pittsburgh came calling, I would most definitely listen to what they would offer up. In terms of Poni and Kaberle as a package, legitimately we could expect:

From VAN: Bernier, Hodgson and Schroeder

From PITT: Staal, Tangradi and 1st

Basically Kaberle at one extra year is HUGE to either of these teams as he is a top 10 d-man in the league. They have to give up youth and we need to stock the front cupboards... our backend is solid right now even if we lose Kaberle, as next year Komi will be healthy and our top five will eat most of the minutes.

Do I want to keep T-Kab? Yes.

Do I want to trade T-Kab? Yes.

Just depends on the offer
 
Do we really want to lose Poni?

I remember mbow and I calling for Poni to be moved to Kessel's line for most of the year...and then finally it happened 5 games ago.

Kessel with Poni: 5gms, 6gls, 10pts
 
I just don't see the Pens moving Staal for anything other than a similar quality young core piece. A guy like Schenn would make a whole bunch of sense for them.
 
Kaberle would make sense for them. At least two playoff runs, and if they treat him well you don't think he will resign there? He has shown his loyalty to his team and winning a cup in Pittsburgh would mean he signs a similar 5 million dollar deal to replace Gonchar. Kaberle is a long-term piece for them.
 
Trading Poni as a UFA would only mean "losing him" for around 20 games, if we want to bring him back next year.

If we can land a big fish, it's well worth the risk that we can't re-sign him later (and really, if we can't re-sign him, then it's better that we traded him, isn't it?).

I still see Pittsburgh making a Staal deal for quantity over quality. They're just lacking in depth, big time. 4 for 1 trade to shore them up in all areas should be enough value to bring back Staal, imo.

I don't want to see Kabby in any deal for pretty much anyone though.
 
Kulemin - Staal - Kessel
Stalberg - Bozak - Backes
Hanson - Kadri - Sjostrom
Deveaux - Mitchell - Orr

Phaneuf - Beauchemin
Gonchar - Komisarek
Gunnarson - Schenn

Giguere
Gustavsson








Playoffs. Home Ice.
 
If I were Pittsburgh, I wouldn't touch a thing, and would just keep trading my 1st rounders for the best available wingers every year at the deadline.
 
Montana said:
Kulemin - Staal - Kessel
Stalberg - Bozak - Backes
Hanson - Kadri - Sjostrom
Deveaux - Mitchell - Orr

Phaneuf - Beauchemin
Gonchar - Komisarek
Gunnarson - Schenn

Giguere
Gustavsson








Playoffs. Home Ice.
Click to expand...

Kulemin - Staal - Kessel
Kadri - Bozak - Backes
Stalberg - Hanson - Sjostrom
Deveaux - Mitchell - Orr

Phaneuf - Beauchemin
Gonchar - Komisarek
Gunnarson - Schenn

Giguere
Gustavsson

I wouldn't waste Kadri on the third line. Give him the opportunities to score. Our free flowing offense can have two centres on the same line. Look at how Kessel breaks out of the zone.

And Hanson has succeeded at centre.

Plus Stalberg's speed is typical shut-down line material. Although I would consider flipping him and Kulemin too.
 
agree - if we get another top-2 center, I want Kadri as a winger in the top 6 next year.
 
I like Poni, and if you listen to Burke and Wilson, they like Poni too. They realize he's not as physical as you'd expect from a guy of his size, but he's a reliable 2-way winger who gives you 25G, 50-55Pts a season, and on top of that, he's a good teammate, and a Russian speaking veteran who really helps new Russian players coming on to the team (like Grabo last year). He brings a lot to the team.

BUT, I like Poni just the same way I like Stajan and White, and I have no problem driving them to the airport if it means Phaneuf's coming in. Just like Stajan and White, Poni is a very replaceable player, and if Poni becomes part of a package to bring in a young, building block of this team, I'd say do it.


Now, Kaberle is a lot harder to part with, because he's a LOT tougher to replace. And as the guy starting the "Save Kabby" campaign on this board, obviously I fully realize what he brings.

But whether I like it or not, Wilson & Burke are obviously having some ideas about moving Kaberle, testing Gunnarson upwards of 24min over a week and limiting Kabby to 17min only. And if Wilson, for whatever reeason, is not going to use Kaberle like a top unit defenseman, might as well maximize his trade value instead of losing him for little next season. Kaberle loves to play in Toronto and would love to retire in this town, but I doubt he'll re-sign if he's only going to get less than 20 min a night here.

Pittsburgh doesn't need Kaberle right now, though having Kaberle won't hurt. They definitely need to do something about the Gonchar situation in the off-season and if they're smart, they won't bring him back because he'll get a lot of $$, but he's over his prime. Kaberle is a perfect replacement for Gonchar, and regardless of how far they go in this year's playoff, his low cap hit gives them freedom to go after UFA's this summer and contend for at least 1 more season.

Poni is also a good fit in Pittsburgh, seeing they lack quality wingers.

I won't actively pursuit a trade to move Kaberle, but if we're getting a potential #1 center in return, and a 1st round pick to boot, which we dearly miss, I think I can go for it.

Phaneuf, Staal, Kessel, Schenn, Kadri ... doesn't seem like a bad foundation to build upon at all.


Kessel - Staal - UFA
Kadri - Bozak - Kulemin
Stalberg - Hanson - Sjostrom
 
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