Tampa is clearly the best team in the league, by quite a margin. You have to give GM Yzerman and the Owner (Vinik) full credit for building such a strong team. 

While the CBJ lost, and the Lightning proved that we are not yet ready for prime time, I didn't feel that bad about the team's performance. Our boys are a good team, but at this point they are not top three or even top five. 

In part, the Tampa goalie did to us what "young Bob" did for so many years to CBJ opponents. Coach Torts said that the first period was a very solid effort at the post game presser (best of the year) and the national TV crew also agreed that the CBJ captured the momentum for large parts of the second period. I was also pleased that the young guys kept pushing and playing hard right up until the end of the game.

IMO, the entire game flipped on the last minute of the second period and the first two minutes of the third, and that all went back to the penalty on Josh. I won't criticize an official for protecting the goalie, but that was a very close call on an aggressive play and again, the national TV crew thought could have gone either way. I agree. 

I am really looking forward to seeing how the team responds tonight on the road in a tough building. Finally, I hope Murray isn't injured for the long haul, as he has really become an important piece of our young core.

I trust Jarmo and it is all about the value we get back. It may turn out to be a complex three team deal, but that is why Jarmo and JD get the big bucks. If the pieces we get back are worth it, move him, if not, we keep him for the best playoff run possible.

If negotiating a long term deal with one of Bread's preferred destinations will bring a better return, I would be willing to open that door just a bit for one or two potential trade partners. I'm not too worried about distractions, because agents do the heavy lifting and that is why agents get the big bucks.

Only if Duchene is willing to sign a contract at a cap hit we can afford.

It looks to me however that over the last month or so, Josh has raised his game to the next level. On the road, the opposing team has its best defensive unit on the ice for Panarin/Cam/PLD, and Josh just looks like he is too much to handle for the second defensive pairing most teams can put on the ice, especially when Boone is his center. 

This could be a preview of the balance we will need on a nightly basis on a post-Panarin team.

Is Bread really that much of a flake? Yikes.

It sounds like he is a part of strong organizational depth, at least at defense. That's tough on the young player but good for the CBJ and the fans. If Gavrikov is as good as advertised, perhaps Carlsson would be a good chip in a trade to get more scoring up front in a post-Panarin world.

I can't believe anyone is willing to go with Bob for eight more years...especially with the year he has had so far; but more power to them if they are willing to take that risk.

Please Jarmo I would hope we could get more than Brass back in trade, but don't take 39 yr old Luongo!! He has a $4.5M cap hit for another THREE seasons after this one, until he is 42 yrs old!!! 

I was at the game last night, and I agree with Doggy...Bread was fully engaged and playing well. Whatever has caused the CBJ funk/losing streak isn't his fault.  Bob however is a differrent story.

An all around terrible team effort. I just don't think Korpi has it in him to be the #1 goaltender next year, so Elvis better be the real deal. I don't know if the CBJ have a lockeroom problem now related to two key players wanting out of town, but if they don't get out of this funk soon playoff hopes and this season willl slip away. To his credit Panarin was fully engaged tonight and if he is playing his final games as a Blue Jacket, then he is running all the way through the finish tape.

I could not agree with you more Doggy. This has been going on so long now that I'm beginning to wonder if Bob can turn it on again when he gets to his new home. If GMs are seeing the same thing, I also wonder if his new contract will be for more than about $8M, which would still make him the second highest paid goalie in the NHL, once Lundqvist retires.

Also, I gotta admit that I was a skeptic that both Bread and Bob would be playing with the Panthers next season, given their salary cap issues. Now it does in fact look like GM Tallon is working to free up the cap space to get it done.

I expect that unless things change, they will both be left unprotected for the upcoming expansion draft.

OWSH/Doggy: Those are good points. I agree that staying pat or trading are both a gamble and I also lean toward getting some young players in return. I am assuming that in order to get the best assets back, the CBJ will need to trade Artemi to a team that he is willing to sign a long term deal with and is motivated to do a trade this year to get into or do well in the playoffs. That sounds like a target of NYI, San Jose, LVGK or perhaps Florida. Of those teams, if the return to the CBJ is close to equal, I do the deal with San Jose or the LVGK. I am also enough of a cynic to believe the “I don’t want to sign a contract during the season” rule may not apply to one of the teams Panarin is hoping to end up with long term.

On paper I would take that deal, but wasn't he the player that sat out half a season in an attempt to force the Lightning GM Yzerman to trade him back home to Quebec?

footnote 'cause I didn't hit "edit" quick enough:

Due to the two players on LTIR, I see that the Panthers have $6M in projected cap space at the end of next year, which will give them a little additional flexibility next year, so perhaps they will only need to shed $6M in salary to bring Panarin on board.

I hope you're right Doggy, but given that this is not shaping up as a sellers market and the short list of teams Artemi is willing to sign a long term deal with, I'm just not that optimistic that the trade back is going to be that rich. We shall see I guess.

I have heard via the media that FL has an interest, but currently they have only a little over $2M in cap space, no second round pick in the 2019 draft and only $2.6M in 4 UFAs + $3.4M in 4 RFAs coming off the books next year. That means as things currently stand, they only have about $8M to sign eight players next year. They already have $8M tied up in two goaltenders through 2021 so I think as an aside, Bob as a Panther is a complete non-starter (and I for sure don't want either of their goaltenders back in trade). 

That all tells me that to make this work, unless there is a really complicated multi team deal in the works, FL would have to ship back to the CBJ players with about $10M+ in cap hit so they have room to sign Artemi.

Who do you think would be coming back this way as a part of any transaction this year? IMO, any two players Jarmo and the fan base might want will be really difficult to pry away from the Panthers GM. 

I do not disagree with your logic, but given that the Panarin team leaked several months ago that he was focused on playing in only a few markets next season (NY, SoCal, FL and lately I've heard Chicago) I am skeptical the CBJ will get much back in return for only a couple of months + a playoff run.  

The biggest obstacle will be that right now he is not a very good goaltender. That will also prove to be a problem if he wants a similar contract to Carey Price.

It makes sense, but I'm just concerned that the CBJ won't get a first round pick OR a top prospect. My thought is a 2nd round pick that is maybe upgraded to a 1st only if Artemi signs with the team that trades for him. I know that Toronto just gave up a 1st round pick (+ two middling prospects) for Muzzin; and Panarin > Muzzin but Muzzin is committed to a team friendly contract for this season and next not just a couple of months as Bread is. 

A part of my concern is this is not a sellers market. In the Eastern Conference, NY Islanders, NY Rangers, Florida (if they could solve cap issues) and the Flyers would be candidates for a trade, but do you want to be facing Bread two to four games a year over the next several seasons. Out west, neither LA or the Ducks would likely be in the market, so it looks like San Jose would be the best option. The Sharks' first round pick is likely in the mid - 20s or higher, so it is hard to get too excited.

Here's a suggestion: What about Bread to the LV Golden Knights for  Karlsson? I think "Wild Bill" is also an UFA, but he has played here before and might be more likely to resign. The LV has cap space and the Golden Knights may feel the bright lights of Las Vegas may give the LVGK a better shot at resigning him than we have. 

All good observations, but I look at the standings and the Islanders are in first place plus they saved themselves $11M to invest in other assets, so I'm not sure they miss Taveres too much :-) 

Wenny is hard to fugure out. He is now being given a lot of time on the PK, so Torts trusts him, but geez, the offensive productivity just isn't there and is trending in the wrong direction. (On this team, there are three defensemen that are contributing more goals & assists than Wenny.) I know his lack of production goes back a ways now, but I wonder if the concussion from the Wilson hit in the playoffs last year has made him a bit gun shy. (For football receivers, I believe it is called "hearing footsteps.")

I don't think it can hurt...and they really need to do something, because the PP has been limping along for two years now.

I wouldn't trade Boone for Brass (he wears the "A" for a reason). I would however jump at the chance to trade Dubi and that contract of his. If we really want Brass; I'd just wait until the Pens waive him to clear cap space.

I'm glad Dubinsky is back and appreciate what he brings to the team, but I don't understand why Duclair (with his speed and scoring touch) is sitting instead of Sedlak.