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I think it will be quite the opposite...I remember Adam Oates early returns to Detroit, he got cheered when he scored a goal or even got an assist. Brad had said his first choice is to stay in Detroit, but it is because of the family issues (Wife not able to move here) that he must return to California. Fans will cheer him, trust me... EDIT: Lest us forget that he was one of those guys who signed a contract for LESS money to stay in Detroit for three more years...he could have left in 08', but knows which is the best organization to play for. Even when he said he had to go, they asked him which team and made a trade to allow San Jose to open up a roster spot instead of just letting July 1st come and having him deal with it on his own...Red Wings class act, from top to bottom...Take note Parise/Suter....Take note Schultz/Dekeyser/Welsh....Take note...you will not be sorry...just look at Wisniewski, he is sorry now...

Vanek is paid over $7m. This makes him perhaps the most overpaid 30-goal scorer in the league, given that he has no substantial defensive game and is only an average passer. His contract is up in two seasons; how much do you think he will be asking after having been paid so well since 2007? Drew Stafford has had one good season. He reverted back to his usual numbers last season: he's a 20-goal scorer. Those are nice to have, but Filppula just had a breakout season and is better than Stafford at passing and at playing defense. No thanks. So no, they don't have what we need.

Enjoy, I rarely read a whole lot of articles about anything in-depth these days but this is one is worth taking 10 minutes to look at. http://www.freep.com/article/20120617/COL01/206170619/Nicklas-Lidstrom-unplugged-Mitch-Albom-s-exit-interview-with-the-legendary-Red-Wing

Nyquist is 2 years older, and Kane already has a 30 goal NHL season and nearly 60 points under his belt while being fast and a tough player. If that trade is offered straight up I take Kane every single time.

A couple thoughts: - It's been known for a while that Stu wanted to go back to California, he also played quite a few years with the Sharks. - Lids' retiring was the perfect opportunity for him to jump ship.. not sure the direction KH is taking the team. - I still believe him when he says it's for family related reasons, why wouldn't it be? - .. and lastly he's not leaving on bad terms whatsoever. He had a great tenure with the Wings, was a class act, and I wish him well. Don't see why a few posters here have such an ex-girlfriend attitude about him leaving, but whatever. The Wings sure have one hell of a gaping defence though. This summer is going to be very interesting as to what Kenny does.

I really like Brad Stuart, on and off the ice. He's a quality player, and he will definitely be missed. We knew he was going, but it's still sad. I think he enjoyed being a Wing, although I am pretty sure he never, ever wanted to leave SJ in the first place. He was forced to, by the trade for Thornton, to Boston. So, he's back home with his family. We are poorer for the loss of him on our blue line - like we need to lose anyone else? - but I wish him all the luck in the world unless he's playing against us. Thanks for your services, Brad.

I was being sarcastic. The stat is absurd because it doesn't take into consideration quality of line mates, quality of competition, offensive vs. defensive zone starts, etc. It's a s*** stat. But by looking at it you would have to conclude that Hudler and Franzen score more often then Zach Parise. Except Parise's 69 pts. to their 50 and 56 pts. (respectively) would suggest otherwise. A stat like that actually penalizes a forward who draws tougher matchups and who frequently is put on the ice in the defensive zone (e.g. is defensively responsible and therefore a better player). What's I'm trying to say is...it's a real neat stat.

Darren Dreger said something on twitter I thought was just plain stupid. Said he took a paycut to go to a club that is a great fit... It hurts my head because he makes it sound like he was taking a paycut to leave Detroit to go somewhere where his playing is improved or his chance to win is worth a paycut. I took the 4% paycut and 3 years as bad pay and term for someone who deserved a raise, but was stuck because everyone knew to be with his family he HAD to sign in San Jose. I am really disappointed in the Sharks for negotiating him down. If anything they should give him a raise and put in the contract that 60% of the raise must be given to the wife to do whatever they want. I am happy he will be in a home again with his wife. I just dislike them putting the screws to him. I assumed he was in line for a raise in Detroit, and I expected the same from the Sharks.

Honestly I'd be a little surprised if there was booing other than from a few idiots. This has been a known thing for a while now, and it's not like he's leaving the Wings because he thinks San Jose gives him a better shot at winning the Cup or would get him more money. Who knows though. Maybe I'm giving Wings fans too much credit, but it's pretty crappy if they boo him. Stuart was a great late season pickup by the Wings and a big part of their Cup in '08.

I agree. Not huge on Semin's work ethic but if playing on Datsyuk's wing and getting set up all season isn't enough to give him a kick in the ass then I don't know what is.

I think Minnesota has to be included in that list. I know it's obvious, but the "home town" angle shouldn't be overlooked. Plus, his dad played there during the North Stars days. He's 27. Maybe he envisions them winning in the next 5 years. To be honest, if Suter signs in Detroit, then Parise is either a Red Wing, or a Wild <- looks funny. My darkhorse Parise teams: St Louis, Carolina, Boston, San Jose. edit If you google "zach parise" these are the top three results: zach parise zach parise contract zach parise red wings

Of course Parise knows there will be teams wanting him come July 1, but actually confirming that your team will certainly be one of those teams, and that you're prepared to outpay everyone, in the roundabout way the Wild did I think is tampering. The actual coming out and saying it (through your dinner buddy) is where Parise's assumption becomes a certainty, at least for the Wild, and therefore tampering. Before, Parise just knew there were going to be teams interested, now he knows for sure one of them is the Wild and they might get the first call on July 1 from Parise's agent based on that "leaked" info. Not tampering still? Booools***. esteef

No one could have done this as well as Mr. Albom did; no one.

Wideman/Garrison in place of Nick/Stuie. Parenteau/Moen/Konopka or Prust in place of Hudler/Homer/two of Emmerton/Mursak/Miller/Eaves/Nyquist. Tougher maybe, but certainly not deeper. If we had to settle for that, I'd be ok with it, but I think we'd need to look at our trade options. At least for help on defense.

At that point my guess would be Holland would bring back Hudler, sign someone Seminish, sign someone Widemanish, and add that #2 goaltender. Do I like this? No. Hudler will be overpaid, Semin will be Semin, and Wideman/Quincey/Smith < Lidstrom/Stuart. Holland's got the money though and he's not going to do nothing with it....And basically he's not going to go with a youth movement for the sake of going with a youth movement. I think our young players would be given a lot of chances to make the team though if this happened. Maybe a trade....maybe

No, no it doesn't. Simply put, there was no public comment made by any member, past or present, of the Minnesota Wild organization in regards to going after Parise in free agency. That really is the only way that the league will automatically go after the team for tampering. Sure, the Devils could file tampering charges & try to convince the Commissioners office to investigate. Realistically, the only way that happens is that Parise ends up signing with the Wild straight out of the gate on July 1st. And if all the league can find is that a 72 year old former GM of a completely different club, popped off at the mouth during a radio interview, nothing will come of it. Unless they can find hard evidence that there was a distinct plan to leak info out to the public (say like in an internal email chain) through Nanne or, like in the case of the Blues tampering w/ Scott Stevens when he was an RFA years ago, the actual existence of a contract that was drawn up & discussed with Parise's agent prior to July 1st, the whole thing will go nowhere.

I think the idea of Wild offering Parise a blank check proves how careless they are over cap management, and teams that are poor at cap management never amount to anything. Parise wants to be on a competitive team and that starts at the top with management making smart (and swift) decisions for not only today, but for the future. Wild will be a sinking ship if they offer blank checks to every good UFA available in July.

Did you have the same attitude when Brian Rafalski signed here to be closer to his family?

We may as well have traded for Bob Murray. I will miss Stuart. Good solid reliable dman. Signing Suter will ease the pain though.

Brendan Smith played two years of AHL hockey and competed for his spot in two Red Wings training camps. Schultz didn't. Next.

I find it hilarious how every one is getting boners over Schultz when the bulk of people on this forum have probably never seen him play. Every few months a new flavour of the week player gets into the media and every one on this forum goes crazy wishing the Wings would sign that player. Last summer so many people were going nuts over Christian Ehroff and/or James Wisniewski and now everyone is happy the Wings didn't touch them. I'm not saying Schultz will/would end up being a disappointment but so many people talk out of their asses about players they literally know nothing about.

It's not so much that I want to be the grammar police, but I can't help but point out the irony of you bumble ******* your way through a supposed insult about my education. However, if you want to get back to the subject at hand and show me how a college kid with 111 NCAA games under his belt has somehow PROVEN that he's better than Kindl who has about the same number of games played in the National Hockey League, I'd be glad to humor you.

Kindl just finished playing his first season against NHL caliber players. Was he great? No. Did he play professional hockey? Yes. Schultz has never played professional hockey at ANY level. So at this point you just hope Schultz is better, he hasn't proven a ******* thing. You have to remember that Kindl was a first rounder too, so it's not like there's not a huge possibility that guys with tons of potential can have a hard time adjusting to the NHL game. This kid played 111 games in the second easiest hockey league in North America after the CHL. Tell me how he's proven that he's better than Kindl? Because he played well against a bunch of 19-20 year olds? Great. And don't even get me started on those saying that he's a better option than Quincey, which is absurd. I honestly cannot believe I have to argue that dominating college hockey does not, in any way, mean that you're better than a professional NHL player. The only way to prove that is to go to camp and earn a spot, or as I side, be some kind of once in a lifetime talent. Justin Schultz is not, and has not done, either. Note: Jacub Kindl played 55 games in the hardest hockey league on the planet and scored a goal, had 12 assists, and was a plus 7. Those aren't bad numbers for a rookie seventh defenseman. So how in the world can you say this kid is "better than Kindl in every way"? Honestly, please explain to me how this kid has PROVEN he's better?

Yes there is a step, but top young talent is just that. You can never have enough. as for the roster spot thing, we are giving Smith a spot that he has yet to earn. Granted everyone expects him to play well. But he has what, 8 games at the NHL level and hasn't beaten anyone out.

Agreed. These premadonnas are a diamond dozen. It's a doggy dog world out there so these kids shouldn't be taking stuff like this for granite.