Buy, Stay or Sell?

Matt Waxman tries to answer this question at Outside the Garden...

BUY
Glen Sather could go to Johnson & Johnson and order the largest band-aid ever produced in an effort to at least qualify for the playoffs. This, in actuality, is fairly possible considering the team is a mere two points away from taking the 8 seed at present, especially if the mandate from the higher echelons of management is to at least make the playoffs. Of course, though, it would be silly to trade assets that could be an integral part of the team next season. Since the return of the NHL it seems Sather is determined to maintain a reasonable quantity of prospects, which should signal that such a move is not coming. Maybe Glen the Savior will make a move resembling the one for Petr Sykora made a couple of seasons ago. I offer the name Michael Ryder, not suggesting he would be targeted, but a player of his ilk—a free agent at the end of the season, a struggling but previously proven commodity that may simply need a change of scenery.

STAY
There is also the possibility that Glen Sather will stand pat. Sather could holdout hope that the team will come together and make the playoffs, at which point it could potentially repeat last season’s performance. If the team fails to make the playoffs Sather can simply retool the roster given the number of potential free agents.

SELL
Perhaps the likeliest of all is dumping all free agents and veterans that will not be part of the team’s future. In my opinion, this is by far the best option, assuming status quo. Of course, if a free-fall ensues this is a must. There are several factors that account for my opinion. First, there is an awful lot of youth on this team, which could benefit from more ice time, which would be possible if the team goes into dump mode. Consider the fact that what I have christened the “Young Blood line” (Prucha-Dubinsky-Dawes) has been the most consistent line of late. Second, there are a few players that could bring a lot back in the form of prospects and draft picks given the sellers’ market. Keep in mind that the draft this year is reportedly very deep too. So, with this said, who would I trade and who would I keep?

...if you click on the Outside the Garden link at the top, you can read Waxman's take on who should be traded and who should stay.

...While I said in a previous post that this team needs to do something, I'd give this team, as constructed, another three weeks to turn this around. If they don't its time to sell. Jagr, Shanahan, Rozsival, Mara, get rid of them all for young talent and draft picks.