I think the front office addressed the major issues. Vlasic may not be as far along as some would like, but Doug Murray has turned out much better than expected. You win some and you lose some. But there’s no doubt that lines 1, 3, and 4 are all much better than their 2009 counterparts.

Honestly I think goaltending worries me the most. While they may be lacking a #2 defenseman, you see it time and again that a hot goalie steals a series. You don’t see a #2 D-man steal a series. Tuesday against NJ was classic Nabokov, where, hey, great, you stopped Kovalchuk on a breakaway with a great save… too bad you already got beat on an unscreened wrist shot from the top of the circle to let the Devils go up 4-0.

I really like that perspective on the moves DW did from then to now. And i’d add that it was probably better to get those guys in the offseason and let them acclimate to the team rather than waiting until March…. Very good point dude.

I asked this of the dudes via an email question for the P-cast and want to hear others opinions on this too…

How do you guys compare last years PO team to what we now know will be this years team? Are you happy with the way DW addressed those issues over the course of the last year?

I think secondary scoring issue might still be a major issue. I don’t think that was addressed enough. Unless Marleu spends alot of time on the 2nd line, adding Heatley could be seen as addressng that… but….Basically, I’m shocked that Clowe is still on this team, with that contract, and playing on the third line… I worry that him and Pavs might get really dangerously streaky come PO time…

Since I don’t feel like bumming myself out, I’m going to look at it this way:

a) the teams I’m most scared of in the West either didn’t do much (Detroit, Vancouver, Anaheim) or didn’t do anything (Chicago). Even though Phoenix got a lot better, for some reason they just don’t scare me. Hopefully I don’t eat those words…

b) the Sharks made their big moves over the offseason. They shook things up a lot, and addressed most of their weaknesses (#2 d-man being the notable exception). If they’d stood pat going into the season and instead made those moves at today’s deadline, I’d be ecstatic. So why am I going to penalize Doug Wilson for getting it done months ago? I’m going to trust him that the price wasn’t right for anything he wanted to get done (what Joe Corvo went for is good evidence of this).

That said, still a bit disappointing. Vlasic’s knee better be healthy in time for the playoffs.

That Aaron Palushaj guy (that Montreal acquired from St. Louis) is dating my best friend’s little sister. I sent him the TSN link (and he forwarded it to her) where Canadiens fans are complaining in the Comments section that he’s too small and he sucks and he’s a nobody and blah blah blah. She was pissed.

I think his low production the year has shown me that I don’t think he can put up those numbers without the support he has always enjoyed in Detroit. He’s a great player in my eyes just not at the level that some might hold him. At least to me anyways.

Datsyuk doesn’t have that great playmaking ability that I’d like in a top line center. I’d take Thornton or Getzlaf over him too for that matter.

I’m surprised at the amount of “No” votes on this board in the Datsyuk poll. Nice to see him getting the praise he deserves. His two-way play is often underrated by many people and I, for one, love watching him “do the dangle”. Plus, his speeches are epic.

I noticed that you still have last weeks poll question up about Datsyuk… Would you still only trade Datsyuk straight up for Ovie?

I am in the 2nd Dudes fantasy league. I’ll trade him to you for either H.Sedin or Dany Heatley straight up?

I proposed a trade to you. If I am not mistaken you are Kyle Mclaren’s Karma. I’d prefer Heatley but I’d take H. Sedin.