Two of which likely won’t be on the team in the fall.

I know what you meant; we’ve got Kopi, Schenn, Stoll, Zeus, and even Richie although he plays all over and needs to be resigned.

I was surprised by your mention of McDonald. I think he has three more years at over 4 per with the Blues. We would have to make a big trade to get him.

Why would they trade a young player of about equal skill level for Smyth just to add salary cap and get older? They could just sign more expensive free agents this summer to get to floor and not have to give up a valuable young player that will continue to improve for Smyth who is only getting older now. Smyth has been good for leadership and helping change the style of the team a bit and helping Kopitar. His cap hit is a bit high(due to Colorado overpaying him in free agency) but he brings other intangibles that make it worth it.

Uh, hello? I can hear you.

“Where in the top 6 do you put him right now? Do you move Brown? Willie? Who?” Remember guys, this is Luc Robitaille asking this question and it’s a good one.

I wouldn’t put him in the top-six at all right now. But to answer #20′s question in a somewhat broader context, I expect that one or both of Williams and Stoll will be traded in the next two years. I don’t know what happens to Smyth after his contract expires. He signs on for much much much less? Okay, maybe. Or maybe he walks away. And we currently have only one LW (Smyth) in the top six. It’s reasonable to assume that only Brown and Kopitar will remain of the current first two lines by the time 2012 rolls around. It’s also reasonable to assume that one or more of Schenn, Moller, Loktionov, Simmonds and I guess Kozun will crack the top six to fill in those spots.

“In Quisp’s predictions, OM is on the third line. Is that your 2012-2013 lineup? There are 2 drafts in there and we are stacked at center.”

Not really though. I don’t pay much attention to line numbers. I just put Schenn’s line second because I thought it would ruffle fewer feathers. In reality, that would be a stopper line, like the current Handzus line. I think of the lines as Kopitar, speed (Loktionov, Moller), crash (Schenn, Brown, Clifford) and fear (Nolan, King). The Moller unit is the one that scores 60-80 goals because everyone has to focus on the Kopitar line.