Throwdowns > Closed

LGP: Pensational! said 02/07, 03:52 PM
The TBL are going no where fast. They are currently 12th in the Conference and 13 points out of the last playoff spot. There are 4 teams ahead of them and they will have to be extremely lucky to secure that last spot.

It is time for the Ning to rebuild and not in the halfass way they've been trying lately. How can they best achieve this? I say it's time to trade Vinny while his stock is through the roof.

To quote Charles Comiskey, "If I can lose with you, I can lose without you."

Last year, the Ning were tied for worst team in the League. There are only 3 teams worse than them this year.

Last year, Vinny was tied for 6th in scoring (40g-52a-92p), 2 years ago he was 3rd (52g-56a-108p). This year he is tied for 21st (24g-25a-49p). If he can put up these numbers on a bad team, just imagine what he can do for a good one.

The trade deadline is looming and teams trying to win the Cup will climb all over each other to get Vinny. The Lightning will be drooling at the offers, just like Pitt Panther at the circus.

Trading Vinny will provide the Lightning with the opportunity to truly rebuild and form a solid nucleus. And, if Gretzky can be traded, ANYONE can be traded.

LGP: Pensational! said 02/07, 05:25 PM
"I agree its time to rebuild."

Glad to see we agree on something anyway. St. Louis is 33 and will be 34 in June. He's 5 years older than Vinny, and would be lucky to bring back half of what Vinny would fetch.

Remember, I said "not in the halfass way they've been trying lately." Trading St. Louis would be halfassed. You cannot rebuild on what he would bring back.

Look at the teams that have rebuilt the right way:

Chi-4th in the West and has a very good core of young talent. This team will only get better.

Wash-2nd in the East. Ovie is awesome, but he is surrounded by talent now. Give them a true #1 goalie and they are scary good.

Pitt-9th in the East. A little down at the moment, but any team with Malkin and Crosby won't be down for long and they are playing better. 92 straight sell outs.

"I have talked to fans here"

What that take you, 5 minutes?

Seriously, NOTHING puts butts in the seats like WINNING. Winning is the name of the game, PERIOD. Think the fans will come out if they are bottom dwellers much longer? Particularly in a bad economy?

Like Comiskey said, lose with Vinny or trade him, rebuild and start winning.

Next up, the salary cap.

LGP: Pensational! said 02/08, 08:14 PM
"build the team with draft picks?"

Draft picks? Who the hell said anything about draft picks? I never said picks would be the retun for Vinny. A team can rebuild with good young players too.

Example: Vinny to Montreal for Higgins C, Halak G, McDonaugh D and Paciorelly LW.

That type of trade would solidify all 3 positions with Halak and Higgins ready now and the other 2 ready next year. Add Stamkos and that is a nucleus for the future with solid veterans like St. Louis, Malone and Meszaros to anchor the team.

As far as rating the TB's picks, it is way too early to judge players drafted in 06 and 07. There is no way you can call them busts.

Trading Vinny would save the Lightning 10 million a year under the salary cap. That extra cash would allow them to sign 1 or 2 top notch free agents in the off season, further enhancing this team for the immediate future.

Tampa Bay is losing badly with Vinny. Again, Gretzky was traded so NO ONE is untradable. Vinny's stock will never be higher and the return could be awesome.

With the pressure to win the Cup, teams like Montreal will be willing to overpay to receive a player of Vinny's caliber. Tampa should take advantage.