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Anybody that would prefer Yzerman over Holland as a GM at this point is truly on crack. That includes Ilitch.

Why does Lebda have to wait for this Lidstrom joker to make a decision? Hurry up already with the decision so that we can know whether Lebda will be back or not next year.

So I was listening to NHL radio a few weeks back on a slow day at work when Gary Bettman's live show was starting. For those unfamiliar, he takes callers questions and does lame interviews. So I decided to call in. I got through right away and I told his call screener I wanted to know if, like last year, would the first 2 games of the Cup finals be played on back to back nights. And I was told to hold. And I did for almost the entire hour. While Gary took one call after another. Toward the end he started taking some really weak calls and I was convinced he didn't want to answer my question on the air. Even though the Wings won both those first 2 games, I am convinced they were scheduled like that to favor that team from pennsylvania (seeing as Lidstrom was nursing an injury and yes, Detroit was the older team). Anyhow, finally he takes my call, the last call of the show. The show was on a 2 minute delay so I knew I had to watch what I said or they would just dump me. (And believe me, there was a lot I wanted to say) After he apologized for the long hold I said, "I think like a lot of hockey fans I felt playing the first two games of the Cup finals on back to back nights last year was an irreverent publicity stunt. Teams work so hard all year to get there and they deserved not to be rushed. And I want to know if we are going to see that again when scheduling this seasons Cup finals?" (I wanted to throw in "or was that just to try and screw the Wings last year?" But I didn't want to sound whiney or have my call dropped.) Once I had asked my question I was disconnected at once. I put on my head phones and a minute or so later, sure enough, my question was aired. And Gary's answer was absolutely YES. He started to spin saying that he felt it got things off to a good start and helped bring in some of the leagues best ratings in years...blah blah spin blah" (We all know it was the teams playing that brought in the ratings.) Cut to today and I look that the schedule for the Cup final and I see that, surprise surprise, Gary lied. All the games are at least a day apart (as they should be). So not only did that weasel spin a bunch of B.S. he straight up lied to me on NHL radio. Unreal. Sorry for the long post and to bring up that weasel and bad memories. But I had to rant.

I've been horribly ill the last 3 days, and this certainly doesn't make me feel any better. Allow me to say......f***.

Franzen-Zetterberg-Alfredsson Ovechkin-Datsyuk-Radulov J. Ruutu-Filppula-T. Ruutu (The Vantaa line) Michalek-Krejci-Hudler Lidstrom-Kronwall Keith-Stuart Suter-Rafalski Miller Howard

Hopefully never. It's not like the Wings made the wrong decision. Holland is considered the best GM in the league by many hockey observers. Stevie isn't leaving the Red Wings family. In 20 or 30 years he'll be hanging around the rink like Gordie does now. Luckily he's not retarded.

The Bolt fan said Stevie Y is a "good guy"...(heavy sigh, roll eyes).

Ive read in multiple articles that Bertuzzi doesnt want to be anywhere but here and that the money issue will be worked out. He likes playing in this atmosphere and likes the role that he has on the team. Combine that with all the Holland interviews saying that he loves how Bert plays and wants to have him back next season, and id say we have a contract in the waiting. I dont see a huge raise by anymeans as i beleive Bert is still seeing money come in from previous teams, so i dont think the wings will have to give him much more than what he was getting this season. With Williams more than likely gone, and the possibility of Lidstrom taking a pay cut, i dont think we will have a problem filling a competitive roster, one with Bertuzzi. I would look to him having a comparable season to this year with hopefully less penalties. Hopefully he can still get 20 goals playing on the 3rd line all season. he got alot of his goals this season when he was getting 1st and second line minutes when we had alot of injuries, But hopefully with Hudler returning we will be able to field a good scoring 1st 2nd and 3rd line.

Abdelkader, Helm, Miller, Meech, and Eaves will all be tendered offers based on what Holland has said. Already signed players who will be on the roster: F: Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Franzen, Hudler, Filppula, Cleary, Draper D: Rafalski, Kronwall, Stuart, Ericsson, Kindl G: Howard, Osgood Remaining cap space: $14,037,121 This means at least five forwards and one defenseman MUST be signed, plus there is space for up to three additional players. Holmstrom, Bertuzzi, Maltby are UFAs up front and Lidstrom, Lilja and Lebda are UFAs on defense. Maltby is expected to retire. Lebda is not expected to be re-signed. This leaves Homer and Bert up front, with Lidstrom and Lilja on D. Furthermore, forward prospect Mattias Ritola is out of AHL options, so he must be considered as well. He is currently signed to a contract with a cap hit of $516,667. Top priority is Lidstrom, of course. His status determines the entire course of the summer. Lidstrom will probably get a deal in the range of $5.5m or so. As far as Holmstrom and Bertuzzi, one, both, or neither may return. Bertuzzi made $3m this past season due to his buyout, so he will likely be looking for a raise to around $2.25-$2.5m, especially having had a solid season. He wants to stay in Detroit, but Holland is more likely to bring back Holmstrom than Bertuzzi for the same money if he has to decide, and Homer seems to be looking for the same kind of cash. With probably about $3.75 combined between the RFAs, and $5.5 to Lidstrom, that takes up $9.25m of the $14m cap space, cutting it down to $4.75m. It also means 11 forwards, 7 defensemen, and 2 goalies signed. Add Holmstrom or Bertuzzi for about $2.5, and that leaves $2.25 with 12 forwards, 7 defensemen, and 2 goalies. Add in Ritola and you have $1.75m left with 13-7-2. Now we get to Andreas Lilja, who the Wings also want back. He'd likely take a pay cut, down to around $1m, if he doesn't retire or go elsewhere to a team offering him around $2m-$2.5m. So the Wings go up to 13-8-2 with $.75 left in cap space. If Lilja retires, that's 13-7-2 with $1.75m left in cap space. F: Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Franzen, Hudler, Filppula, Cleary, Draper, Holmstrom, Helm, Abdelkader, Miller, Eaves, Ritola D: Lidstrom, Rafalski, Kronwall, Stuart, Ericsson, Kindl, Lilja (?), Meech G: Howard, Osgood

"What if Leino didn't have drive?" Lol... that's an easy one to answer. He'll get sent out of town on a rail. We know... we saw it. Lmao! *Queue the Finnish turds and the neg button*

McLellan back to detroit

Why? Primarily because you are acting like a tough guy telling people it is not okay or it is stupid to do stuff when it is perfectly okay to. If you would've restated the above earlier instead of making Holland out to be this bad terrible person, you'd probably be a bit less nuts. If you did this and I failed to see it, I apologize. Still, Holland isn't doing anything out of the ordinary in terms of greed or selfishness here.

You're out of your damned mind you know that?

Those are all traits that apply to Hudler yet people have been pretty high on him around here since word of his return.

He was a part of this organization for 20+ years and was one of the best athletes/people employed ever by this organization. People like this come few and far between so people get attached to them a little bit. If somebody like this left your company after 20+ years, there will probably be sadness and a few tears as well. Don't tell people how and how not to act or that it's a bit too much. I nearly shed some tears, does that make me less of a man or person or whatever? So Holland is supposed to step aside for the better of Yzerman's career and improvement when Holland has given zero indication he is going to retire or move onto another position anytime soon? Give me a break.

Holland had every right to keep that job. Yzerman had every right to take the job in Tampa. You would do the same thing if you preferred the lower job over the other. The only reason you say its selfish is because of the sentiment towards Yzerman.

Yeah I retract my statement about an Yzerman Bolts jersey. That was dumb. Thanks for calling me out everyone. I'm going with Stamkos.

We played in first game in a Wings jersey and he played his last game in a Wings jersey. If he was on the ice in a NHL game, he was wearing the Winged Wheel. If people want to get a Lightning styled suit that says Yzerman, fine but his jersey will always be a Red Wings one.

Stevie Y will forever be a Red Wing. I am happy for him and wish him the best of luck with his new GM position as much as I wish he waited out Holland. He is ready to be a GM so i understand why he took the job.

we know the scheduling is not entirely up to him.. NBC has the NHL by the balls after all..

What if he takes Maclean with him to be the HC?

wait to go completely ignoring the context of the thread... http://detnews.com/article/20100522/OPINION03/5220399/Re-signing-Tomas-Holmstrom-likely--but-no-slam-dunk-for-Red-Wings this makes me think he wants a raise, not a huge one, but a slight one... he could very well stay at 2.25 as well, I just don't see him taking a paycut as so many have suggested

Yes Joey T... You have got it down to an artform now.

Horrible recommendations in this thread, just dreadful. ESPN has less credibility less than Ecklund.

I was at the Joe for the Pens vs Wings game first time back after winning the Cup there, Wings fans were loud and crazy all game long, giving it to Crosby every time he was on the ice. Got to here the crowd sing Dont stop believing,Jimmy smacked crosby around then the crowd boo'd/chanted crosby sucks until he left the ice. Awsome game