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We also had the second easiest schedule with weeks off between games. We need a physical, quick DMan who has a willingness to clear the front of the net.

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I'm confused. Dean Lombardi rips the officiating and gets fined. Mario Lemieux does the same and gets nothing. Oh, I forgot who I was talking about and what team he controls. I get it now.

So losing Hudler would improve the team's scoring? No. The difference between last year's roster and this year's roster is scoring depth. Subtract Hudler and you're asking a 40 year old Modano coming off a serious wrist injury to be the difference in scoring depth. Moving forward, this team will have one less young forward who's a proven scorer. I'm not sure how positive that is given that we have far more proven bottom 6 players graduating to the NHL than we do top six players.

but but but its queen mario. i agree totally with this harold. thank you for not jumping on the poor mario crap that some are doing. It has everything to do like you said. so there is nothing wrong with cooke doing his dirty work over and over but its bad when another team does it to you?

the inevitable outcome of this affair is that people feel much more sympathy to the Isles and much less (if there were some left) to Bettman's pamperboys. and that Mario is whining... did anyone expect something better from him?

I agree. I don't think we make any moves this season. Getting Stuart back is big and then getting Modano back before the playoffs will be very nice. This off season will be worth watching for the Wings.

I think the problem is fans have short memories. When we had everyone healthy on this team at the beginning of this season,..including modano,..this team was unbeatable. When we get everyone back,..we'll still be unbeatable. Now i'm the one who typed all that up and all,..but even I know the rebuttal to this has merit, When we won the cup in 08 we brought in Stuart who was exactly what we needed then. It stands to reason something similar wouldn't suck either.

Do you guys really think we can move Hudler without including someone or picks to sweeten the deal? Hudler has been playing great for a bit now, but not enough that other GMs would take a chance on him without getting a for-sure deal back. That said, with how the team has been playing recently, nothing will happen at the trade deadline. People seem to want a stay-at-home defender, but forget we're getting one in about a week: Stuart. We have all of the solutions to our problems in the system right now, as long as they play well.

Sorry to be pedantic, but what I think what you meant is: "What I believe would be best for the team in the long run is for Draper to retire." Draper "should" retire when Draper feels like he has no more hockey at a top level left in him, or when he decides to become a lover of the life of leisure. If this season is any indication, now isn't when he "should" retire. Personally, I'd welcome him back for another season or two if his play doesn't decline. Part of what has made this organization great is their dedication and loyalty to those that made this one of the most successful and respected franchises in all of sports. Illitch was clear from day one that he wanted to run his team like a family, and we've all enjoyed the fruits of this philosophy. I understand why many of you say that it's time to give the kids a chance, but, from where I sit, that's Kris' decision to make (with some help from Ken), and I'll support whichever decision he makes. Giving him the respect to go out on his own terms is what separates our team from, say, Dallas giving Modano the boot.

No. Draper should retire. He's played better this season than I thought, but there's younger and bigger guys we need on our 4th line. Draper is not going to be around for much longer anyway. He's been a staple of this organization longer than anyone but Lidstrom, however, it's time to move on.

Joni Pitkanen. Best available UFA defenseman. Would fit well in our defense and provide physical play. Will probably cost around $5.5m at the top end. Want another defenseman? The cap is projected to go up by about $3m, and with Lidstrom retiring in this scenario, that should be possible. Maybe the Wings can get away with trading Kindl and a pick or mid-level prospect for Meszaros. Figure that leads to a roster which looks like this: Datsyuk $6.7m Zetterberg $6.083m Franzen $3.955 Filppula $3m Hudler $2.875m Cleary $2.8m Bertuzzi $1.938m Holmstrom $1.875m Eaves $1.25m Helm $913k Abdelkader $788k Mursak $700k Emmerton $650k Rafalski $6m Pitkanen $5.5m Meszaros $4m Stuart $3.75m Kronwall $3m Ericsson $1.25m Meech $500k Howard $2m Smith $500k Pretty strong team, don't you think? Still around $2.3m in cap space if you don't think so.

It absolutely pertains to Mario's comments. Mario releases a sanctimonious statement about protecting players and the integrity of the game, then he walks into his office and signs Cooke's paycheck. The Pens lead the league in major penalties. They lead the league in PIMs. It's not that his comments were wrong, they were just hypocritical and melodramatic ("I'm taking my puck and going home!"). If he wants to improve player safety and the integrity of the game, start by not giving dirty players like Matt Cooke a job. Use the Pens franchise as an example of how to improve the integrity and safety of the game, rather than sitting from on high and chastising the NHL for it and threatening to quit (again).

Thank god someone with some sense. I'll never understand the love LGW has for Carkner and Neil. It blows my mind people would be willing to move Kindl and Hudler for that trash out of Ottawa. Despite Hudler and Kindl's struggles I sincerely think people are overvaluing the Sens' players.

I think that as long as guys like Draper, Holmstrom, and Bertuzzi can keep being productive, then keep signing them. I love having a few wily veterans on the team. I think Bert's steal/goal yesterday was a prime example of that. Up until Chelios' last season, he was fun to watch out there with the "whipper-snappers". I recall one game a couple of years ago when Chelios (without looking) side-stepped a guy taking a run at him, causing the guy to board himself... Mickey laughed and said "I think Chris has seen that move a couple of times in his career!"

F.Michael you are absolutely right aboot hypocritsm. And before I get argues of including the penalties of the NYI-PEN game in my stats, hereby one without; 29th STL PIMs total of 862 30th PEN PIMs total of 970 NYI is not even second last anymore and difference of 108 minutes with STL is ridiculously high. So I think Mario better look into the Pens mirror before pointing to everyone.

I think holland will sign draper til the day he decides to retire. Draper still has a lot of jump left and I wouldnt mind it with a lower cap hit

+/- isn't a stupid stat. It does mean something. However like every other stat, you can't measure people based on one stat alone, but rather the combination of them all.

I agree, great to see Nik at a plus. But, c'mon... Lets not dis Stuart now. If anything, everyone should now realize what a vital role Stuart played for our team... since he has been out, our defense has pretty much totally ******* sucked...

That would be a god aweful trade.

If the Wings keep playing like they did tonight, there's really no need for moves with Stuart looking at coming back in a week and Modano in 2-3 weeks. The main problem in trading is that you usually have to give up something of equal value at the time, regardless of the potential. Hudler has been in every damn thread we have proposing trades, yet he played a pivotal role in the win tonight with some very strong passing, forechecking, and scoring. I like every player we have on the team when they're playing their game like they were tonight. Even Rafalski who I usually rag on had a good game. Then again while I don't know Mr. Holland's take on most things, I'd assume that he and I are of pretty similar minds on this subject.

NHL getting fun again with these two brawls in one week, plus a goalie fight.

both teams should be proud of themselves. the nhl won't call penalties with consistency, so these two highly esteemed and honorable teams use their highly regarded reputations to point out the flaws in the referees. plus, i don't give a s***....a good beatdown on s***tsberg is always in order.

Absolutely crazy game. Embarrassing for the pens getting tuned by the isles on the scoreboard and in fights. Cant say I mind seeing it though, too bad cindy wasn't on the receiving end of one of these

They didn't start on time again. No focus or intensity, poor passing, missed assignments, got forechecked and outworked. That about covers it.