That's a smart move because they'll easily go down if/when Lilja comes off LTIR (or doesn't go on at all). As long as Abdelkader's down, we can afford any of those players.

That said.. Blair Betts, Dominic Moore, Mike Grier, or Dan Fritsche would all make me very happy.

If I had the choice I'd rather have a healthy Lilja. Really a great #6 defenseman. But if he's going to miss extended time you may as well pick up a depth forward so Maltby and Draper won't be playing every night. I like them both, but I just think it's time to start phasing them out.

And I agree on Meech.. Lebda would need to move. If Detroit couldn't trade Kyle Quincey, what chance do they have of drawing interest for Meech? He'd get picked up on waivers, I think, but since he's been in the NHL for two years and he isn't a regular, nobody's going to give us anything for him.