Blue Notes

Naslund - Dubinsky - Drury
Dawes - Gomez - Zherdev
Prucha - Fritsche - Callahan

1st line
a. naslund - gomez - zherdev
b. dawes - gomez - zherdev

2nd line
a. dawes - drury - dubinsky
b. naslund - drury - dubinsky

3rd line
a. callahan - anisimov - fritsche
b. prucha - fritsche - callahan

4th
a. sjostrom - betts - prucha/voros/rissmiller/orr
b. sjostrom - betts - voros/rissmiller/orr

I think Betts is a goner and I can't see why the Rangers want to sign sjostrom unless he will be traded. With all the youg tough and more skilled players sighned Betts should be gone.Especially since just about all the new guys are tougher and have more scoring talent than him.

Gomez, Zherdev, Naslund
Drury, Callahan, Prucha
Dubinsky, Dawes, Sjostrom/Shanahan
Fritsche, Orr, Voros

Betts and Rissmiller should be traded.

Sign Shanahan after the season starts so he has energy at the end of the season. So you have Sjostrom and Korpikoski as extra forwards.

zherdev-gomez-dawes
callahan-drury-naslund
korpi-dubinsky-sjostrom/moore
voros - fritsche - rissmiller

redden-staal
rosi-giradi
kali-mara

i like it when lines have distinct personalities/styles that the opposition has to counter...

dawes - gomez - zherdev (speed)
naslund - sundin - drury (all-around)
sjostrom - dubinsky - callahan (speed/power - straight to the net)
voros - fritsche - rissmiller/orr (in your face)

w/o sundin, the second line here is the least defined one, given that naslund and drury would need a third to fill them out, and it's not prucha or korpi. is it too much to ask for anisimov to play there? probably, so let's hope for big mats for a one-year incentive-laden deal, and go from there.

Why so high on Mats Sundin?
You can't have Anisimov and Sundin, at least this year anyway.
Sign Sundin, Dubinsky plays third line.
No Sundin, Dubinsky moves to the wing (or Drury perhaps) and that opens up holes in the third line.
Dawes on the first line with Gomez and Zherdev... never happen.
Not before Dubinsky. Not before Prucha. (although the smell of trade is in the air)
A third line hole at center is what I'm looking forward to at training camp.

We can get "Mindfreak" to juggle, twist and pull these lines anyway you want...They will Stink this year. Any Betts, lol?.....

zherdev and gomez will NOT work. Two guys who like to carry the puck starting in the definsive zone. zherdev likes to skate end to end, dangle and snipe. gotta split them up.

naslund on teh other hand loves to get set up for the tap in and score around the goalmouth.

naslund- gomez- dawes

zherdev- drury- callahan/prucha

prucha/callahan- dubinsky- fritsche (w/ callahan this line is physical)

4th line rotation.