[stardog]

Originally Posted by Handsome B. Wonderful

Beech is in the same shoes that Kraft was in this time last year. He's out of options and will be given one last chance. Milan seized the oppurtunity, hopefully Kris can too. He might be moved, but I wouldn't bet on it. Patrick is stuborn when it comes to prospects, and it's worked out with Kraft and Morozov so far.

1999 Draft pick so IMO he is still a few years away from being anybody's reclamation proect. Especially considering all of the injuries that he has had over the last two years, the kid missed on ALOT of development time in that period. He is far from peaking, and as you said, I doubt he is moved.
To do so would be ignorant.

Originally Posted by Handsome B. Wonderful

Fata is as dumb as a rock on the ice but is still a regular on the Penguins regardless. He won't be moved.

Geez is that an accurate statement or what. I seriously can't believe how dumb Fata can be at times. He has a buttload of speed and skill, yet how many times this year did we see him ice the puck when he was a good six feet behind the red line with noone around him?
Or how many times he put himself offsides? Or take the DUMBEST of penalties at the ABSOLUTE WORST time.
Most Pens fans were enamored with him at the beginning of the year. I liked him, and thought he was a good player, but I remember all the future captain crap floating around and I recall wondering if they were talking about Drew? Cuz I KNOW Rico isn't our future captain.
To friggin dumb for it. Still though, I see him as a third line type guy who will pot 20 goals someday.

If I were the Wild, I would take a pass on Fata as he would cost you guys to much to aquire and honestly wouldn't be worth giving up (youth/picks) what the Pens would ask. Especially since the two teams are both in "building" mode.
Still, he has the greatest asset that Lemaire covets...BLAZING speed.

Originally Posted by Handsome B. Wonderful

Abid...now he could probably be had. He's shown talent for sure, but the Penguins just flat out have more complete players than him all throughout the system, I can't see him being a Penguin for too much longer. He can score, nothing else...if you're gonna be good at one thing he's doing the right thing at least...very injury prone too.

This one I completely disagree on. If he ISNT resigned, then the Wild should SERIOUSLY take a hard look at him.
I don't see where you can say that the Pens have more complete players throughout the system. I am taking that as to mean that they have enough of those that will make the big squad to push him off of it. Meaning that we have 12-15 players who are better.
I don't agree.
The guy appeared in around 20 games this season, and half of those he barely saw the ice. He missed all of training camp and he played with a nagging unjury when he did play.
Like Kraft, when he DID get the opportunity, he was effective.

I also very seriously disagree with the statement that he can only score. I don't know where that is coming from, but I saw all of his games this year, and a good deal of the ones he played in last year for the Yotes, as he is one of my favorite young players in the league.
He passes VERY well, his defense is adequate and average (coverage, reads) for a young guy, he can lay the hits out with authority, he is a solid middleweight and very willing to drop the gloves, plus he is strong as an ox and can plant himself in front of the crease. With his strong body, he is very hard to move, and with his scoring touch, he can be very effective in the role.

Keep in mind, the guy has played in exactly 49 NHL games and has 13 goals. Not GREAT numbers, but for a rookie those are very strong numbers. Plus with those intangibles mentioned, he is a guy that a young team WANTS to hang on to.
Certainly this raises the question of durability as well, but it isnt as much of an issue as you may think. This WAS his first major injury after all (he never really recovered fully fromthe one sustained at the end of last season).

I see him like a Mike Rupp(whom I also like alot) with much better hands. A guy who will be a third liner, and a very good one. I would HATE it for the Pens to give him up.

The Wild would love a young player ike him though. The only thing that may scare off Lemaire, is Abid's skating. It is below averge. Yet with your teams power play, I think he could make it VERY dangerous just standing out front, screening, deflecting and burying rebounds.
He certainly would help your team, just as he could help ours, which is why I would NOT give him up right now. And he is also probably to young to be considered a reclamation.

Originally Posted by Handsome B. Wonderful

J-S Aubin- Has shown that he can be a good goalie. Was solid this year, had 20 wins in a season once. His contract and the glut of young goalies in the organization is forcing him out after this season though. Won't be tendered.

Now, this is a guy who I could see your team getting, and actually being a very effective backup. If a coach can get in his head, the guy could be a strong choice for a team wanting to give a back up around 20-25 games.
He is talented, and at times incredibly brilliant. Sound technically and positionally, but he lets in a softie far to often.
The thing is though, with the system the Wild plays, and with him getting THAT kind of support in front of him, JS Aubin could be a strong option for your team.
If your team (or a team that plays a good defensive system responsibly) gets him, I think he is going to surprise a helluva lot of people.

I bashed him frequently, and alot of times, unfairly. It was just frusterating to see how much talent he had, yet never could put it together with any consistency to maintain his status as a possible future starter.
Just when we had given up hope on him, he came up this year and played VERY solid. He wasn't the same goalie that we had witnessed before, and aside from a couple of Maffy games, his shut out against Dallas was the best performance by a Pens goalie I had seen all year.

This is why I say that he could be a strong back up. When not asked to carry the load this year, he performed far above expectations. If he is limited in his responsibilities, he could make an excellent back up on the right team.

I would at the very LEAST take a look at him from the Wild perspective.

Originally Posted by Handsome B. Wonderful

Michal Sivek- Unlikely to be moved, but he may be a future reclamation project if he doesn't...you know...play better...

Again I will disagree with you here. If he doesnt play better? The kid played in all of 22 games this year and ALL of them he was hurt. Last year was the same story, only throw in a family crisis to the mix.
I don't know what you expect from him to be honest, because he really is another guy who has lost out on some serious development time. When he was on the big Pens, for most of that time, and when playing as a RW, he was one of the Pens 3 best players on most nights. And that was as a rookie.
His defense is well above average, and he does all the little things right.

Mark my words, this kid someday is going to be one helluva hockey player, and I certainly hope that it is with the Pens. We all will regret it if he goes elsewhere.

So for the Wild, I wouldn't consider him a reclamation project. You have to actually be given more of an opportunity than he has, and certainly he needs toget healthy in order to further develop his already impressive play for a youngish type.
He would be a perfect Wild player someday though. I just hope he doesnt become one.

Originally Posted by Handsome B. Wonderful

Guillaume Lefebvre- Was solid in his time here in 2002-03 but never came close to cracking the roster this year. Regressed greatly. Could be had I'd imagine.

I dont know what happened to Lefebvre this year. I wouldn't really mind seeing him go though. Talk about a putrid year. He was penciled in somewhat as a 4th liner this year and just never got anything going.

I see him more as a career AHLer with a few call ups here or there than as an NHLer....so as a reclamation project, I would pass on him. He wouldnt do much for your team and he would take away ice time to develop your younger guys.

One other guy that may be of interest to the Wild is Eric Meloche (from the Pens of course). He is smallish, yet plays much bigger. Another guy who is responsible (and usually pretty good) defensivley with blazing speed. A strong forechecker who can hit hard despite his frame. He just doesnt have much offensive upside and at times makes some dumb mistakes. Yet the tools are there for a team playing a system based on speed and forechecking for Meloche to be a good 4th line type.

As far as pure scoring types, well obviously that is the trick. I believe Huselius was mentioned and may be a solid candidate. I always thought a guy like Val Bure could do well, though he would drive Lemaire crazy.
What about Novoseltsev? Or a guy like Geoff Sanderson for some immediate scoring help?

I would suggest Holzinger as he has speed but i wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. Jan Hlavac?
Or even a good posibility (though he may cost more) is Patric Stefan? Perhaps a change of scenery would do him some good.
Those are just the ones off the top of my head though.