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and you're not, so stop.

he gets an A++ from me, there is nothing he could have done better! All things considered, Ericsson is NOT overpaid. He is an asset. He will need to play to his $3.5 million salary or risk being traded. Ericsson's return is better than a 9th overall (my guess is a 3rd), so that means Holland turned a 9th rounder into a 3rd rounder. How can you HATE that? You can't, that's just brilliant. White is a bargain, and Commy64 adds more grit. He needs to bring his 'A' game or sit, Kindl is more than capable. Holland signed one of the best backup goalies in the game in Conks. Holland signed the BEST defensemen in the world. Lidstrom will have another brilliant year. On top of all that, Holland still has $6 million to improve the team., Oh,and Hudler had a bad year, but he knows he is on the chopping block, he knows he needs to excel because this is a contract year. And while Hudler is a streaky player, I do believe he has a career year...which in turn, will be a bargain. And face it, there are reports that Holland did try moving Hudler for picks, but nobody wanted him. Holland isn't financially desperate to get rid of him, Wings still have $6 million to spend. He doesn't hamper the team. Bottom line, Red Wings are a better team than last year. Plus Holland still has $6 million to play with!!

Congrats....you're the 1,000,000 LGW'er to make this comment. You win a virtual cookie.

Back when the Wings would stick up for each other... zinGGGGGGGGG

thanks for the really awesome after-school-special advice, but that's my legitimate opinion. i don't want osgood or draper on the team anymore. i'm not the only one. have to give you +1 for the ridiculous suggestion that posting unpopular viewpoints on a messageboard = dying sad and alone. i like your style.

Oh really? Last season while at home he gave up 1 goal on 6 shootout attempts. While on the road, he gave up only 1 goal on 11 attempts. Stop posting bulls*** information as fact when its clearly incorrect. It's not only annoying it makes you lose credibility.

Can't really grade someone when none of us actually know what he really did. We only see the results. It's like trying to judge how a player played based only on the box score. Based solely on the results I'd give this year a D. Judging on a curve based on my assumption of what the real options were, probably C+.

lol. If you look back at that Howard/Crosby incident you'll probably notice how luck Crosby was that it was Jimmy who got to him first. An angry looking Bert was well on his way in.

What a load of nonsense. Howard was one of the best goalies in the league in shootouts last season. He won game three with it, eh? Interesting. I recall that game going to OT. Claiming statistics that are flat-out false and then covering up by saying "this is my opinion" does not calculate. I think "I refuse to admit that I was wrong about these statistics" is what you're looking for. That wasn't last season, smart guy. That was in early 2010. And Howard didn't give up three in a row in that shootout. Oh, so now this is to be a commentary on Holland's choices of goalie in the last 14 seasons. Never mind that the Red Wings had the same goalies in many of the seasons since those you're quoting. But anyway, Holland, please go out and sign the perfect goalie! You know, the one who never lets pucks in! Howard was streaky in the regular season and outstanding in the playoffs. Just ask the Sharks and the Coyotes. Applause on your use of arbitrary statements as if they're fact. First you mention that this is a message board and that it's your opinion, and then you dictate "fact" to the rest of us when it is, just as before, only your opinion. Yes, I recall Howard winning game seven against the Coyotes while only giving up one goal; in this year's game seven versus the Sharks, I recall the Red Wings having very little offense in periods two and three. And I recall Howard having let in two goals he had very little chance of stopping, and having been failed by the defense on both occasions. Since you're obviously less interested in discussion than you are in simply declaring that Howard sucks, why don't you just put it in your sig and call it a day?

Something I don't quite understand. Everyone talks about the "horrible season" Jiri Hudler had. I agree, he had a pretty bad stretch. But his season, as a whole, as not horrible. Let me illustrate. In his first 30 games, the games that people are really mad about, he scored 6 points. He then proceeded to score 31 points in 43 games. What happens if Hudler had been half as productive in the first 30 as in the last 43? He scores 42 points. Not a huge difference, but it puts him ahead of Filppula in team scoring. If he had been just as productive? He finishes with 53 points. That would rank behind only Z, Dats, and Franzen. Yes, I know his production would have been 15 points had he scored at the same rate the entire season as he did over the first 30. And I realize that these are hypothetical situations, but his ACTUAL production was 37 points. Statistically, that is a second-line scoring forward. Even with his struggles last season. So whether you consider him second-line or not, saying he had a horrible season simply isn't true. So please, whether you like him or not... enough with the "horrible season" stuff, because it simply isn't true.

This deserves Shopz

Great signing. A clear sign though that you can not please all DRW. There will ALWAYS be something to complain about here.

Did you happen to notice the team playing in front of him the past two years?

Did you watch the playoffs this past season? That Jimmy Howard fellow played pretty good in them. And to re-signing Conklin if it is true.

Thank you Chris for taking a s***load of crap for so many years and still being able to perform at the highest level and smile about it! It takes more than a man and a simple goalie to do that. You will always be the rightful owner of the 2009 Conn Smythe Trophy no matter how hard Malkin's name is engraved on it. Finally Bedard gets fulltime help with the mentalics of the Wings' young goalies, no man is more suited to that job than Osgood! Here's to Osgood fixing McCollum's mental problem and make him chase Osgood's legacy. Should have been one more year rectifying the last two seasons and going out with a Stanley Cup bang, but the decision has been made - - happy retirement and enjoy the family time!

Thank you for all the memories Ozzie. You were my first hockey hero growing up and although i'm an adult, I still look up to you. As usual, you put the team before yourself and chose to end your HHOF career at a time that was not only appropriate for you, but most appropriate for the Detroit Red Wings. I'm not sure what the future holds for you, but know you are a Red Wing for life. I will make sure my kids know of the Great Wizard of Oz, how you could bring the Joe to a roar with every save, and how you knocked that POS Roy ON HIS ASS! Enjoy your retirement Ozzie, you deserve it! Edit: reading my post brings a tear to my eye. We will miss you Ozzie.

I just wish the media would cut him a break and honor him like he deserves. He deserves a lot more than some hockey fans and writers would give him. Puck Daddy decided to take this opportunity to slight him and call him overrated and unworthy of HoF talk. The moment he is retiring is when he chooses to write about this. Osgood gave me many of the best moments of my life. He always acted classy, he remains the only Red Wing that signed my stuff without hassle or cost. He played his best when they needed it most, and I cannot say a single thing bad about him legitimately after his being around for 16 years. Thank you, I hope you get what you deserve in terms of Honor.

i am seriously so depresed. i knew it was inevitable and he was bound to retire some day but i guess i thought and hoped he'd sign on for one more year. it's hard knowing that i'll never see my favorite player and the guy ive been a fan of since i was a little kid never play again.

As much as anyone ever was, Chris Osgood is The Consummate Red Wing. Anyone that can remember all the time he put in with this organization, through the highs and lows, especially winning Cups, and especially after being dumped and coming back undeterred and winning another, knows what this guy means to the Winged Wheel. Farewell and bon voyage, old buddy.

I know you have to find a way to sneak Hudler into every post, but you do realize Hudler got 2.8 million coming off a year where he scored 57 points? Cogliano's career high is 45 and Hudler still had more points than Cogliano last season in by all accounts a very poor season offensively for Hudler. In fact, Cogliano's best season was his rookie year so he's actually regressed in his four years in the league. You have to consider the timing of the contracts. I suppose it is easier to just say 'trade Hudler' though instead.

Put number 30 in the rafters, the guy deserves it. After all the criticism he gets, he os still one of the few guys with 400 wins.

Boston isn't going to offer up some insane contract to Stamkos because that will cost them Lucic and/or Krejci sooner rather than later. And a trade for Stamkos would involve one of them, plus picks and prospects, and possibly another roster player. This isn't a Phil Kessel "we're trading him because he's a pain in the ass, and we're getting a buttload of top picks from a dumbass" deal. Stamkos is younger than Kessel, and a top tier talent. If Kessel's deal was fair value, then add Lucic to it to make it fair value for Stamkos.

A buyout of Lecavalier would affect Tampa's ability to resign Stamkos. Very low chance of happening, but it would be relevant to the Stamkos situation would it not?