cheechoo on waivers according to McKenzie (clears waivers)

Touche!

Cheechoo will play Sunday night and then he can have a 2 week break.

Sounds like BM will leave the door open for him to return.

Ballard is just a flying mofo I love the way he plays it's like Shea Weber without the shot precision. With Karlsson out there it might be a killer pairing.

Again, I ask is this just a name thrown out there (Ballard), or has someone heard a rumour?

marakh wrote:Ballard is just a flying mofo I love the way he plays it's like Shea Weber without the shot precision. With Karlsson out there it might be a killer pairing.

That's how I look at it personally.

There are swirling Ballard is available though and I'm sure Florida would be looking for a D man and probably a prospect or roster player. Anyways, Ballard would be a perfect fit on Ottawa's blueline right now and if they chose to deal Kuba in the off season.

Karlsson/Ballard pairing, man, that would be something.

hemlock wrote:Again, I ask is this just a name thrown out there (Ballard), or has someone heard a rumour?

I don't think Murray trades for Ballard (neither do FLA), with Kuba still on the books and having to resign Volchenkov.

Florida is THIS close to blowing up the team, according to their GM, if I remember right.

Haven't heard any names and I doubt they'd trade Horton, Booth or Weiss.

I don't know how we'd fit Ballard under the cap though.

Hoags wrote:Florida is THIS close to blowing up the team, according to their GM, if I remember right.

Haven't heard any names and I doubt they'd trade Horton, Booth or Weiss.

I don't know how we'd fit Ballard under the cap though.

Worry about it next year, Ballard could be mentioned in the same breath as Weber in a year or two. You make room for a guy like Ballard. Leclaire is more then likely gone, same with Kuba. Thats over 7 mil.

N4L wrote:

Hoags wrote:Florida is THIS close to blowing up the team, according to their GM, if I remember right.

Haven't heard any names and I doubt they'd trade Horton, Booth or Weiss.

I don't know how we'd fit Ballard under the cap though.

Worry about it next year, Ballard could be mentioned in the same breath as Weber in a year or two. You make room for a guy like Ballard. Leclaire is more then likely gone, same with Kuba. Thats over 7 mil.

That's the only way it can be done, unless you consider moving Kovalev (or Spezza, but that's for another thread). So wold you waive the two right now (well, at the deadline) to bring someone (like Ballard) in now? As I mentioned on the GDT, waiving those two would only cost Melnyk less than $2M -- two extra home dates in the playoffs would cover that. They'd still be here in the summer for a possible trade. We could get back the picks/prospects we gave up to get Ballard.

N4L wrote:
Worry about it next year, Ballard could be mentioned in the same breath as Weber in a year or two. You make room for a guy like Ballard. Leclaire is more then likely gone, same with Kuba. Thats over 7 mil.

Mentioned in the same breath as Weber?...

Well no, you can get him under the cap with Cheechoo gone now as well as moving a guy like Campoli who would obviously be going the other way to make room for him, along with perhaos a guy like Foligno.

SpezDispenser wrote:

N4L wrote:
Worry about it next year, Ballard could be mentioned in the same breath as Weber in a year or two. You make room for a guy like Ballard. Leclaire is more then likely gone, same with Kuba. Thats over 7 mil.

Mentioned in the same breath as Weber?...

That kind of potential yes, not sure if he will be though. Ballard has everything needed to be a top 2 D man.

N4L wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

N4L wrote:
Worry about it next year, Ballard could be mentioned in the same breath as Weber in a year or two. You make room for a guy like Ballard. Leclaire is more then likely gone, same with Kuba. Thats over 7 mil.

Mentioned in the same breath as Weber?...

That kind of potential yes, not sure if he will be though. Ballard has everything needed to be a top 2 D man.

And he's better then Kuba...

I'm starting to agree with you here but only if we could trade Kuba in the summer. I don't want to lose Volchenkov for nothing. That game against the Caps proves how valuable he really is.

N4L wrote:Well no, you can get him under the cap with Cheechoo gone now as well as moving a guy like Campoli who would obviously be going the other way to make room for him, along with perhaos a guy like Foligno.

Cheechoo's $3M was replaced with Cullen's nearly-$3M. If you are thinking about fitting him under the cap next yera, sure, but there's still the issue of fitting him under the cap this year.

Hell, I want Kuba gone now. I think we have a chance to make some hay in April. No, we're not going to win it all, but it would be excellent experience for guys like Karlsson, Regin, Foligno and others. Maybe even get Cowen to sit in the press box and fill in if there's injuries.

wprager wrote:Hell, I want Kuba gone now. I think we have a chance to make some hay in April. No, we're not going to win it all, but it would be excellent experience for guys like Karlsson, Regin, Foligno and others. Maybe even get Cowen to sit in the press box and fill in if there's injuries.

You're not alone but he's got a NTC and we're a playoff team. He's not going to waive it right now.

If we wait until the summer then we can trade him anywhere for anything we want.

NTC can't save you from Bingo. That would have to be a NMC, and I don't know if he has one.