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I disagree, although I can see where you're coming from. Firstly, I don't think the Wings are any one individual's team, and likely haven't been since Stevie left. Even before he retired, an argument could've been made that it was the entire lockerroom's team, as I'm sure Draper and others were just as instrumental in maintaining team focus. That's one of the great things about this team over the past decade plus -- the team first mentality that brought success. In fact, I seem to recall a story about the team being down heading into the third period and every member of the team having to step up and stare both Yzerman and Chelios in the eye for near a minute before heading back out onto the ice. Secondly, I think that Datsyuk is the player everyone else looks to in the clutch to step things up. He's the guy who will get you that amazing play to save the game. However, I believe (and this is from a spectator's perspective only) that the person they'd look to bring order from chaos when a series is on the line is still Lidstrom. There is a big difference between being the best and most talented game breaker on the ice and being the leader that everyone looks to for emotional direction. Lidstrom is the emotional bedrock of this team, and Datsyuk is looked upon to be the guy who takes that leadership first (again, IMO). This, in a nutshell, is why I see Z taking the mantle as a done deal once Lidstrom retires. Not because Datsyuk's english is suspect, not because Z is the better player...but because when the chips are down he seems more the type to be able to tell everyone in the room what needs to happen in order to pull out a victory (and to back it up with his play). Datsyuk's a supreme talent, no question, and by all accounts a great dressing room presence...but talent doesn't necessarily translate to managing a room. EDIT: I guess what I'm trying to say is that they all look to Datsyuk to save them in a pinch, because he can. They all look to Lidstrom (and soon Z) to ask "what do we need to do?"

He pretty much lost me right there.

My predictions... - Pavel leads the team in fighting majors - The Mule throws out his back due to a particularly nasty sneezing fit & misses half the season - Huds gets caught in another prostitute scandal in December & decides to retire from hockey to join a monastery - Despite Hudler's retirement, Eva still predicts a 70+ pt 2011-2012 season for him & wonders why he's not getting time in the top 6 - Hank's beard becomes even more manly in an effort to make up for the loss of Drapes' Chuck Norris playoff beard - Mike Modano re-signs with the Wings to become a flight attendant on RedWingsIII - Brett Ledba signs a big contract to play in the KHL only to find that even in Russia, his name is still pronounced "pylon"

Sorry, he was *on pace for* 40, the year he had 34... why don't you make some of your own instead of swinging from my coat-tails champ? Or should I just make yours for you - "Hudler will score 164 pts and reach 50 goals, all while saving children from burning buildings and preventing world war"

Jason Williams will score 25 goals this year. That's right I said it. *shrugs*

1. Franzen and Z both score 40 goals 2. Lids wins the Conn Smythe again 3. Ericsson's contract doesn't look horrible by the end of the season as he replaces White in the top 4 (you said bold, right?) 4. Conklin wins 25 games and keeps Jimmy fresh for the playoffs 5. Lids decides not to go out on top and re-signs a one year contract at around 4.5 M

Bloggers who think they're actually journalists....so cute. I put absolutely zero stock in this given the source.

Commodore will be an everygame defenceman, 20 points and 10 fights or so. Helm scores 20 goals. Kronwall gets a Norris nomination if he stays healthy (now thats bold!)

Yeah but then you said "He played that EXACT role", in reference to the second line power forward...

Yzerman returns to the Redwings lineup, while still GMing Tampa Bay

I get why Williams is laughed at here. Really, I do. But $600k and two way for a veteran who has proven he can provide secondary/tertiary scoring? Even if he's below average in that role, they hardly broke the bank for him and have no contractual reason to keep him in the bigs if he doesn't put up numbers. He'll never make a huge impact on the ice, but he's also not in a position here to make a huge impact on their cap or roster size. I say good signing. Not great, simply good.

Yeah, because with Lidstrom retiring after this season the Wings are going to be in a big hurry to get rid of Kronwall. This isn't some obscure thing that only team fans would know, sports writers should know this.

BAZINGA! And now for my predictions... - Darren Helm scores 20 goals and 45 points on the 3rd line and gets nomiated for the Selke. - Datsyuk gets 101 points with 30+ goals. - Z scores 40 goals and tops 90 pts. - Howard controls rebounds this year and his GAA drops under 2.00 and he gets nominated for the Vezina and wins the Jennings. - Lids wins the Norris with a landslide vote and retires on top with the Conn Smythe and Ol' Stanley. - Hudler gets waived to make room for Tatar. - Franzen learns how to hustle for 60 mins and scores 40 goals - Flip gets 20g, 40a playing with franzen and Bertuzzi all season. - Commodore grows a playoff afro and dies it Wings Red. - Kronwall steps up and replaces Rafalski no prob. - Homer plays on the 4th line all year and 1st PP. - Nyquist wins MVP in the AHL and Smith takes Dman honours. Both take the jump for the following year after departures of Homer and ....cringing...Lids...I'm assuming the Wings win the Cup. Some may be bold, but if the Wings stay healthy this year, i think they look good. And White will fit perfectly with the Wings. 40 pts for sure.

JOHN, PLAY THE FIGHT RIFF! Bold, you say? - During our annual February Injury Fest, Cory Emmerton ends up playing goalie in a blowout in Minnesota. He scores on the empty net, garnering his only goal of the season.

Wow. Really? That's you're response to this simple misunderstanding? Forget it Eva. All the s*** you get from people here you bring on yourself with dickish responses like this one.

Are you seriously saying what someone posted on here is stupid? seriously after the wondrous stuff you have posted about Hudler? wow. hahaha Keep it up champ.

keep swinging, everyone on this board knows you're a joke... I'm not turning this thread into a pissing contest, so I'll leave it at that, champ. Definitely bold! He's deserved it the last 2 years, but I still see the committee voting for coaches who don't deserve it over him, just because he's in Detroit...

Calling that for White is not bold. It's logical analysis. Ericsson will steady his play and play more physical, but he'll still be on the third pairing. He might even get himself played out of the lineup if Kindl really breaks out. Awfully bold to predict Franzen to have *another* 40+ year, when his career high is 34. Or awfully stupid. Hudler having a 50+ season may be considered bold but is certainly not unreasonable. Mursak will likely take Miller's spot by December.

The Filppula fanclub here will continue to support him and veto every proposed trade involving him.

There's two mistakes people make in the off season every year: 1) they say the Wings are to old and will start their decline, and 2) they pick San Jose to win the Stanley Cup. When will people learn?

Not as good as the one great game he had this season before he decided to go home for the summer. No, Kopecky was not a power forward. Neither is Franzen. You missed the "ideally" part. Kopecky was a guy who was learning to use his body, and was developing his skills. Had he played those years on a Philly or Anaheim, he might have formed into an intimidating physical player. Instead, he played with guys who play a highly effective skill-based game, and he followed that track more than he should have. The same is true of Franzen. As for his role; he was mostly a third liner in the regular season, but he played mostly on a line with Sharp and Hossa in the postseason. He was acquired as a depth player and played himself up into the role; Kopecky was a major reason the Hawks felt comfortable trading Ladd and Versteeg. If they hadn't been able to get Brunette to fill his shoes, they'd have had a major hole in their secondary. And I think you'll be very surprised about his Florida performance.

If you don't want responses, don't post. I'd call you champ, but you have yet to earn it.

Have I ever claimed Hudler achieved a full-season statistical mark (such as 40 goals) he never actually reached? Anyone? Thought so.

Given all of the Hudler hate on the board, and the fact that people think his performance last season was terrible, horrible, whatever description you like, I thought I would ask this question. What third-line (based on ice time) players around the league do you think 'suck' who plays a scoring role, yet still put up around 40 points? I'd like to see the list of names this board comes up with just so we have an idea of who is having comparable seasons to what Hudler did last year. I'll start it off with a few names: Mason Raymond, Vancouver Tomas Kopecky, Chicago Devin Setoguchi, San Jose Anthony Stewart, Atlanta Tomas Holmstrom, Detroit James van Riemsdyk, Philadelphia Brian Boyle, Rangers There are a great deal more out there. Anyone care to list them? Who out there is a terrible player who played in a scoring role and put up similar numbers to Hudler? How about notably worse numbers? We can bring up these guys: Ruslan Fedotenko, Rangers Marc Savard, Boston Jason Arnott, Washington Radek Dvorak, Atlanta

year full of injuries again