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Poll: Draper or Hudler? (54 member(s) have cast votes) Who would you rather have on the Red Wings? Draper (26 votes [54.17%] - View) Hudler (22 votes [45.83%] - View) So here's my breakdown: 21 people are looking at this logically and chose Hudler 1 person (eva) chose Hudler, well, because, come on... 16 people have irrational Hudler hate and would take a goat on skates over him at this point 6 people love Draper and are rational people, but would admit they want Draper back just because of the love for him and would admit Hudler is a better option at this stage, but still chose Draper 4 people are still stuck in the late 90's and think Shanahan and Fedorov are still viable options and don't even know half the guys on the current team

Draper's awful? Still fast and a decent penalty killer? Good on draws?

HEY!! hahahaha I had to + you on that one.

I found the real quote:

there are bad fans in every town. Dumb article that is written only to piss people off for attention. Write a real article ya clown.

So you're deeply attached to both and don't want to lose either? poor analogy...

and when Holland was trying to deal him for picks, maybe he had planned to move up with those additional picks and grab someone like Larsson, or he had a deal in place which would have brought someone like Jerome Iginla here in return for those picks and one of our prospects, or he just wanted more money to make a pitch for Brad Richards and wanted assets at an optimal period... who knows the exact reasoning, but I'm sure it was part of a bigger picture, the fact is - that is the past and many variables have changed since then. As the current team stands, we are better with Hudler than Draper and anyone that can't see that is looking at this with blinders on.

Draper for sure. He may be older, but he knows his role, does it well, and does it with confidence. The same can't be said with Hudler.

Hudler... still has potential to be traded and possibly could improve in a contract year. We could technically benefit off of him playing stronger this season, but i'm not counting on it. I like that Draper is leaving and we have Mursak coming in. I think Mursak will be a great player with us. He's pretty much Helm with better hands...

While the free agency pool was not nearly as deep this year as it has been in years past, people need to remember that GM's can also make player trades. It's not as if the free agent market is the only way of obtaining new blood. This again is why I am giving Holland a solid C. He did nothing to make the team better. Lidstrom, Eaves, and Miller all wanted to come back (Lidstrom's decision was his own, not Hollands), and their signings in no way were "hard work" for Holland. Commie, White and Conner were decent signings (the best in terms of likely output being White), but other then that he really didn't do much at all. He definitely didn't do a bad job, but I do not see how he could be given an A for what he did. An A would mean he excelled this offseason, which really insn't the case. He kept the ship together and added a couple cogs to our back end - again, not a bad job, but far from "excellent". I have a weird feeling though there is still a trade coming - one to bring in another top 6 forward. I could and probably am living in the smoke of a pipe dream, I just have a feeling Holland is not done. And if that is the case, I will of course have to re grade.

A goalie with a history of having a bad attitude, coming off a surgery so severe that he was nominated for the Masterton for returning to play afterward. No thanks.

I love the Yzerman fight video for 4 reasons: 1) Yzerman does lose the fight but he seems like he holds his own. 2) Bob Probert ******* punches Barasso's helmet off. 3) Bob Probert ******* punches Maguire through the ref. 4) Bob Probert.

Considering that Emery and Turco are the only other options left, I would have to say "do want"... But since a picture is worth a thousand words...

Same here. To those of you who show compassion and perspective about what Ozzie did for this team, I applaud you all. And thanks.

Nor can you obviously let it rest, can you? You're right 'up' there with the Wings' organization in the Class Act category by making this just a conference call instead of a press conference. The only thing that could save the hierarchy from shame is if Ozzie didn't want a press conference to announce his retirement. Otherwise, it sucks. THANK YOU OZZIE. Throughout your stellar career and your loyalty to the Red Wings' organization, you have brought us great joy and pride and I for one am honored to have watched you play. I wish nothing but the best to you and your family. Nice try, but obviously too late.

QFT. Also, I have never seen anyone able to shake off a bad goal or a bad game better than him.

One of the most underrated, loyal, and down-to-earth guys around, and someone who epitomized what it meant to be a Red Wing. Thanks for everything Ozzie!

Just perfectly stated. If you (as in you in general, not you specficially VM) wanted him to retire because of the health angle or because if you thought it was finally time, cool. It was going to happen much sooner than later. But to possibly kick him to the curb in a bi-polar manner like you say or be celebrating with fireworks that he retired because of the bi-polarness or if you might not like him, if you are one of those people and I saw you face-to-face right now, I'd probably knock you upside the head. As much as I love the Wings I absolutely cannot stand how, generally speaking, a lot of them just s**t on goalies in a beyond obsessive manner. And Osgood didn't make one possible stink about the fans here. Didn't cause a scene and the like when they chose Hasek over him and he had to go elsewhere temporarily (and he could have easily done so which I wouldn't have blamed him because I guarantee it probably hurt him that his days in Detroit then were numbered). Didn't cause a stink with not being a full-time starter or backup his past few seasons here. He just wanted to play for the Wings. As ultimate a team player as you'll find in recent memory.

As we well know, prophets and artists are never appreciated in their own time.

Kind of sucks, because his last two seasons were really sub-par, mostly due to confidence, lack of playing time, and finally injury. I never felt he was declining quality-wise, only that he hit a rough patch. I never really felt that he just couldn't hack it anymore. Sad to see another player retiring basically due to injury. Who knows, maybe with proper conditioning and a couple years off treating the groin area right he might pull a Hasek and come back for one more run at glory. EDIT: And I think one of the greatest legacies he leaves is not his success on the ice, but that with all the drama constantly swirling around the goaltending situation he never caused problems, and always wanted to come back to the Wings and stay with them no matter what. A true team player. I've never seen a player take so much crap and still so earnestly want to stay in the city that treated him in such a bipolar manner.

Sucks that he's retiring as he's still near the top of his game. Either way, one of the best goalies the Wings have had in a while. You're not going to find another goalie of his caliber for the money he was making (less than $1M, I think). Thanks for the memories, Mr 400! See ya in the HHOF!

Thank you for everything Chris! You were a fantastic goalie, and one day you will be in the HOF no matter what jealous fans say. Good luck in your retirement and we'll all miss you.

He retired four years ago, dude.

I just read that Bo was in the NHL substance abuse program when he died. Boogaard mixed drugs and alcohol Obviously he was addicted to oxy which is all too common. Percocet, Oxycontin and Roxicontin are all the same thing in different mixtures or dosages. Percocet is mixed with APAP (asprin), Oxycontin is a sustained release pill and Roxicontin is for immediate release. All of these have the same probabilty of addiction and side effects. Hydrocodone like Vicodin and Norco are mixed with asprin and although highly addictive, way safer than Oxycodone in the long run. Its sad to see people that would never in a million years take heroin be prescribed oxy for an injury and become addicted to it like a junkie on the street. Old ladies with arthritis that are strung out, athletes and actors OD'ing and high schoolers ruining their lives all because of an over prescribed pill. I believe pharmeceutical companies are making way too much money one way or another from these medications to stop and find something better that treats pain without being a potential recreational drug. Forgive me for preaching but this drug is worse than cocaine, meth or heroin because normal people that may have been in a car wreck or broke a bone all of a sudden are thrust into dealing with drug addiction, opiate withdrawl and possible death from abuse. This needs to stop as its ruining millions of peoples lives that didnt sign up for those type of issues.

Maybe in Bo's situation some doja would take care of things but from a person that has had to deal with RX opiates (diluadid drip, 400mg/day oxy now methadone for chronic pain) from a horrible near death accident I sustained, burning one isnt gonna take care of it. I tried and it doesnt help serious pain. Serious pain as in pain that will bring you to tears if not treated, broken rib pain not broken finger pain. I know how easy it is to have a bottle of oxy and know that the script wont be refilled for a month but youre in horrible pain so you drink a beer to increase the pain killing properties. There is a point where you will simply vomit up everything if you get to much oxy with too much alcoho as long as the oxy has already kicked in. The bad thing is that most chronic pain scripts are for Oxy SR which is slow release. Unlike roxycontin which hits you in minutes (and is used for break through pain) oxycodone sr takes about 20-30 mins to take affect. With that said I could easily see how easy it would be to wash down an extra 40(mg) or 2 of oxy over your prescribed amount with a shot or three or 5 of your favorite booze and in 45 mins you will be passed out and not breathing. I had an issue with that minus alcohol early on when I came home from the hospital and kept taking pills cause it wasnt kicking in and then all of a sudden my GF was slapping me to wake up cause I was turning blue and was rushed to the ER. WARNING PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT I have tried to speak out against oxycontin as a take home drug because of the enormous risk for abuse, serious dependency within a week as well as the risk of death if you dont have a proper tolerance for the drug. It is heroin, you just dont shoot it. From what Ive been told it gives you the same rush, the same high and the same risks to your health. Its sad that its so often prescribed uneccesarily and that other treatments havent been developed. Same goes for Xanax and other drugs that are highly addictive and have a high probabilty of fatality when mixed with even moderate amounts of alcohol which just so happen increase the drugs effects. I pray for Bos family, they are grieving the death of a great guy that died unnecessarily. To any of you out there that here this, please dont take Oxy recreationally and please dont mix it with alcohol, mix it with other meds like Xanax and if you need to take more call your dr at once to explain the issue cause you will be labeled a drug seeker if you empty your scripts early. If you are in more pain than what is prescribed a dr should see you to figure out why what they thought would help didnt. I had 6 extra surgeries because of missed or secondary issues that caused pain and me to need an extrordinary amount of that s***. Also, Methadone is a great pain reliever for chronic pain without getting you all loopy and drugged up. If you are taking it to feel drugged up STOP NOW. You arent taking it for the right reason and you are risking addiction if you arent already. Please heed this advise it could really save your life. Bo you and your family are in my prayers.