I love the Leafs acquisition of Owen Nolan, and I really believe they have the ingredients to end their 36-year Stanley Cup drought. My only concern is their tendency to play TOO physical and not control their emotions, as they did recently in Ottawa. Can Pat Quinn do to keep the likes of Darcy Tucker, Tie Domi, Gary Roberts and Nolan under control? -- Don Snock, Carlsbad, Calif.

Melrose: I don't think that is really a legitimate concern because that game in Ottawa just became a message-sender once the score got out of hand. The Senators lost to Toronto in last year's playoffs because they weren't prepared to play a physical style, and the Leafs wanted to tell the Senators they're in for another physical series if the teams meet in this postseason.

They also sent a message by getting even tougher with the acquisition of Nolan, who can score goals, as well. The Senators have to decide if they need to make a move to counter that, and I think they need to do so before the deadline. They are more talented than the Maple Leafs, but hockey is also a game of toughness and the Sens need to get tougher.

What will the Sharks do to make up for the loss of Nolan and avoid another disappointing season next year? -- John Swenson, San Jose, Calif.

Melrose: Young, skilled guys like Patrick Marleau, Marco Sturm and Brad Stuart are going to have to step up and get better. The Sharks aren't going to replace a guy like Nolan with one player, and they just hope the guys they got back in the trade can be good NHL players.

San Jose simply has to get more production from the players it has, especially Marleau. He is having a good season, but Patrick has to become the stud on that team if San Jose wants to go anywhere.

Barry, I can't remember a team ever going into the playoffs with two goalies. Is Minnesota going to pick a guy or will it continue to rotate Manny Fernandez and Dwayne Roloson in the playoffs? -- Matt Sawyer, Rochester, N.Y.

Melrose: I'm a big believer the saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," and the rotation has been successful all season long. But if someone gets hot in the playoffs I would not be surprised to see Jacques Lemaire ride him for a few games. A lot of people might have thought he would do that late in the season as the playoffs approach, but it never happened and as of now there is no reason to think the Wild will go with just one goalie.

With the uncertainty surrounding Marty Turco and Bill Guerin, will the Dallas Stars make a trade before the deadline? -- Jon, Dallas

Melrose: If the Stars do make a move, it will tell us that Turco's injury is worse than anybody knows and they don't think Ron Tugnutt can be the No. 1 guy. If Turco is fine they won't be going after anyone, but if they do make a move I would expect it to be a guy like Arturs Irbe.

And don't forget that this team went out and added players like Scott Young and Claude Lemieux to an already deep team, so Dallas can score goals and be physical with or without Guerin in the lineup.

I've been a Ducks fan since I was 8 years old (I'm 13 now), and I wonder how far they will get in the playoffs this year? -- Mike, Baltimore, Md.

Melrose: The Ducks are playing well and look like a solid playoff team, and we've seen in the past that any team in the playoffs can win a series or two. But for Anaheim to beat one of the top four teams in the West in the first round Jean-Sebastien Giguere will have to carry the team.

The top teams in the West have more talent than the Ducks and three of them have won the Cup in recent years, so Gugiere will have to be unbelievable to even the playing field and give Anaheim a chance.

Do you think this is the year Martin Brodeur finally gets his Vezina Trophy? -- Kenny Stole, Boynton Beach, Fla.

Melrose: Well, he certainly has to be considered the favorite. His numbers (34 wins, 2.04 GAA) are outstanding as usual and he has been the most consistent goaltender in the league, so there is not much more he can to win it.

Hey Barry, with Phoenix rumored to be demanding Pavel Datsyuk or Henrik Zetterberg in a trade for Teppo Numminen, is it safe to assume the Red Wings will look elsewhere for a defenseman? If so, who might they look at? -- Ron DeCarte, Detroit

Melrose: The Wings are not going to give up either of those kids. They have played extremely well lately and, with Brett Hull, have formed Detroit's best line. There are other veteran defensemen out there, though, guys like Lyle Odelein and Phil Housley in Chicago and Glen Wesley in Carolina. There are a number of guys out there and the Red Wings always seem to find a way to get the guy they want, but there are a number of other teams out there in the same position so the price will be high.

It seems that a majority of the coaches in the NHL started as players. What qualities help a player to become a good coach, and are there any current NHL players who might make good coaches? -- Randy Dalma, Baltimore, Md.

Melrose: The type of player who becomes a coach is usually a third or fourth-line guy or journeyman player, someone who has to study the game very hard to stick in the NHL. The superstars get by so much on natural ability that they don't have to do that kind of extra work off the ice, and that gives those marginal players an edge where coaching potential is concerned.

I can't think of any future coaches off the top of my head, but guys like Mike Keane of the Avalanche or Jason Blake of the Islanders are good examples of the kind of player I'm talking about.

Barry, I read back in late February that you didn't believe the Lightning could hang around in the playoff race. Has your opinion changed with the resurgence of Nikolai Khabibulin, or do you believe as I do that the Bolts still need to trade for a veteran defenseman? - Chris, St. Petersburg, Fla.

Melrose: Tampa's goaltending wasn't very good back when I said that, but Khabibulin is back to his old self and that has to continue. If it does the Lightning will be in the playoffs. They would certainly like to have more depth on D, but as I said before, so would a lot of other teams. Toronto, Detroit and the rest have a lot more money than Tampa Bay and it would be hard for the Lightning to compete with those franchises.

Will Paul Maurice be the coach in Carolina next year? -- Mike, Wilmington, N.C.

Melrose: Yes, I think Paul will be the coach of the Hurricanes next year. He has a new contract and the team went to the finals last year, and I think Jimmy Rutherford will give him a chance to retool the team and turn things around.

Barry Melrose, a former NHL defenseman and coach, is a hockey analyst for ESPN.