After a disappointing 10th place conference finish, Columbus GM Matt Trotta decided it was time for a shake up, and a shake up did occur.
End of Season - 03/04 (04/05 OV)
J. Madden (72) - P. Datsyuk (75) - A. Kovalev (81)
M. Rucinsky(71) - A. Carter (75) - V. Bure (70)
D. McAmmond (71)- J. Vasicek (72) - N. Ekman (69)
S. Horcoff (70) - W. Primeau (69) - C. Clark (68)
(extra: R. Somik (65) , M. Eastwood (64), T. Surovy (62) )
P. Boucher (75) - J. Woolley (72)
A. Semenov (71) - I. Majesky (69)
S. Quintal (71) - D. Quint (72)
(extra: M. Van Ryn (69), R. Jackman (68) - D. Seidenberg (65) )
C. Osgood (75)
M. Prusek (64)
(A. Auld (65) )
Beginning of Season - 04/05
S. Sullivan (74) - D. Weight (78) - A. Carter (75)
D. McAmmond (71) - P. Datsyuk (74) - S. Donovan (72)
M. Gelinas (70) - J. Madden (72) - M. Nilson (71)
S. Horcoff (70) - M. Reasoner (69)- C. Clark (68)
(extra: M. Eastwood (64), B. Sutherby (63), T. Surovy (62) )
P. Boucher (75) - S. Staios (72)
T. Lydman (74) - I. Majesky (69)
F. Kaberle(69) - D. Tjarnqvist (68)
(extra: G. Exelby (66), D. Seidenberg (65), C. LaFlamme (66) )
E. Belfour (80)
S. Caron (72)
(M. Leighton (65) )
We feel comfortable with the changes, and image that this team now possesses. Despite some of the flashier forwards that we lost, such as Alexei Kovalev, Valeri Bure, Martin Rucinsky and Nils Ekman, we feel the addition of grittier, two-way players will help this team be more defensively responsible and win more hockey games. The loss of some future was well worth bringing in a tender with the talent and ability to steal games of Ed Belfour's status. We felt addressing our woes at centre was very important to survivng the rigours of a long season, and the fact that Pavel Datsyuk is #2 on the depth chart speaks volumes about the quality of centres we now possess. Although Columbus did appear to move laterally at best in defense, we feel the players we have exemplify the style of defense we want, and have attributes that the OV rating tends to diminish.
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