I guess it was Turn Back the Clock night in Calgary. Owen Nolan, who had all of nine goals before last night, went back in time and scored a hat trick while whipping my namesake Grier in a fight. It was hard to get too upset, I think most of us still hold a soft spot for our former Captain. I wish it hadn’t been against us, but that old fart still has a little game left it appears. Grier couldn’t get his hand free to strike back and I’m sure he went to bed with visions of Nolan’s grey temples in his head. I guess Owen drank his Ensure before the game.

As for the loss itself, I’m not discouraged. The game should have been a 4-4 draw except for Nabby’s blunder. I liked how San Jose didn’t roll over and die, like they would have a month ago, and scrapped back to make it a game in the final moments. Cheech got a goal and managed four shots – he appears to be healthy again and looking like his old self on the top line with Joe. In a game where Calgary scored four even strength goals, Marleau managed to be a +1. Another good sign. Big Joe happened to be a -3 and is quietly a -5 in the last five games. Earth to Joe. Defense is important. Matt Carle again was a +1, for those of you who are still picking on him…

Let’s get back to the trade talk from yesterday. Some people don’t think Wilson has the stones to pull off a roster busting trade. I disagree – he will do it but only if it makes sense in the LONG TERM for this franchise. DW has never been shortsighted, even when acquiring rental players like Guerin, he did it by ditching Niemenen and a 1st round pick which he got back in the Toronto deal for Toskala/Bell. Like I said yesterday, DW flies so far under the radar that you never know what he has up his sleeve. Before the deadline, he has some key decisions to make in my mind.

1) Is Patrick Marleau the future captain of this team for the next two seasons? If the answer is no – then he’s got to go. Can you get equal value. Possibly, not sure how his improved play in the last two weeks has effected his worth. He comes with a high price tag at six million per, so the Sharks would have take a high priced player in return, no doubt. That is why on some level, McCabe makes sense…

2) Are Pavelski, Ehrhoff, Bernier, Clowe, Greiss and Vlasic in the teams future plans? You can’t keep them all, it would be too expensive – so who are the odd man out? They are all RFA’s next year (except Pickles and Greiss who have another year). I think Wilson knows which ones he covets most, and the others could be made available to get veteran help. He has depth on the blueline and up front with prospects Couture, Wishart, Iggulden, Kaspar, Frazer McLaren, etc. Where do these players fit in the future? Only DW knows. So…who’s it gonna be. We’re going to find out soon.

3) Is Wilson looking to rent or buy? Not a big history of renting players at the deadline for DW. He likes to acquire guys who he thinks he has a chance at resigning or who come with extra years on the contracts. Guerin was the exception, but the cost was almost nothing, so why not? This is why I think players like Hossa, Sundin, Boyle, Rob Blake and Campbell could be long shots to end up in Teal because of the possibility they could walk away after the season. Unless DW has a feeling they might stick – most likely he won’t part with precious assets to get them. Remember how young this team is and how they are not only built to win now but also to win for years to come. DW has always been focused on winning without raiding the cupboard too much of his future rations.

I think Shelley is the first of several moves we’ll see in San Jose. We might sell a little – Goc could be someone a team believes can help their 3rd line and Curtis Brown might be available if healthy. We might buy a little. We might buy a lot and shake up the roster. As we always say here, In Doug Wilson We Trust.