Leaderboard

Yes, that's the real problem around here... kip's first language is logic.

@JasonGregor: MacT admits they went after Dekeyser last summer. Met him for dinner and had great meeting, but his licence plate had Red Wings on it. @JasonGregor: "That was not a good sign for us," laughed MacTavish about DeKeyser's licence plate. #Oilers

Drew Miller led the teams forwards in blocked shots with 63 (number 2 was Glendening with 38) Miller had 26 take-aways and only 9 give-aways. Better ratio then any other bottom 6er on the wings. Miller was 2nd to only abdelkader in hits among forwards on the team with 122 compared to Abbys 172. Miller led all forwards on our team in PK minutes with 246, Andersson was number 2 with 170 That's a damn solid bottom 6er, or at least one of the better bottom 6ers on this team.

You don't want any washed up players yet you are pining for Manny Legace and Martin Brodeur over a goalie that a large portion of the fanbase thought should be starting over Howard last season? Perhaps our odds are increased because kids have finally taken the jobs of veterans and because our remaining kids are ranked as the 2nd best group of prospects in the league? Gustavsson is just fine as a back-up goalie and the only option out there better is Vokoun who would likely want a long term deal relegating Mrazek to the AHL for a lot longer than he will be now. As long as Gus or anyone else they sign gets only a 1 year deal to be the back-up its great for the Wings future.

Think back to the ones with the lame staged fights.

I eyeball tested Sproul, and he's not ready, trust me

However I will say this: I think a perfect grind line should have a feared player, a pest, and a defensive all-star. That's why I think Maltby - Draper - McCarty/Kocur was perfect..... Pest - Defense - Scary Helm is the pefect Draper replacement. Abby is good, but isn't scary or pesty enough IMO. Miller is great as well, but he's like a Draper playing the wing, and we already have that in Helm. Yet, with all that said, the nature of the game is changing. Gone are the McCarty Kocur types. In are the Helm, Miller, Draper types.

I watched all 82 Red Wings games last season and the funny thing is my jaw dropped when I saw Cleary played 52 games this season. If I would have guess i would have said around 25. That's how unmemorable he was last season. He was close to literally doing nothing for us offensively.

So....its done? Tootoo has officially been the second buyout? I am not liking this offseason thus far...Tootoo's contract would have been minimal to the cap, could've bought out Kindl or Franzen, even though I know the Franzen would have never happened. So, now nobody will want Kindl, we will be stuck with him, Franzen will continue to suffer from his head problems and we will re-sign Cleary, Alfie and Monster... Book your tee times...

Helm has become tradeable with the emergence of Sheahan and Glendening... If Helm was needed in a package to acquire that top line scorer or a top tier defender...he would be gone yesterday.

All these people saying we don't need Boyle because that won't win us a cup are like a broken record. Does adding Boyle guarantee us a cup? Obviously no. But what player is really out there that could do that? We have to start somewhere to fill our needs and I think he fills two of this teams needs immediately. Right handed shot....puck moving defenseman. End of story.

When Babcock has had a pure fighter in Detroit the guy barely played. Why get an old guy that forces a young still improving player out just so he can play 5 minutes a night in maybe 50 games then not sniff the ice in the playoffs?

If Weiss is healthy, I would assume Helm will be on the 4th line - especially considering his injury issues. Datsyuk-Weiss-Sheahan-Helm. Unless you're thinking the team is going to play Helm above Sheahan, in which case, perhaps. Additionally, it still doesn't address the fact that Drew Miller is a very effective 4th liner. And "this team" because that's this team's philosophy. Holland's not going to go after a "pure" enforcer - it's not his M.O., it's not this team's M.O. Maybe Boston could have a Thornton BECAUSE they're more skilled, overall. It's hard to argue that they're not a better team - whether that's because of overall structure, or skill... it is what it is. They can afford to have a guy in that role, but they're also letting him go for a reason. This Detroit team needs as many contributing players as possible - they can't afford to have someone whose sole responsibility is to patrol the ice. I don't dislike hockey fights, but the days where guys scrap to scrap are clearly being weeded out.

How is he going to help the kids any more than the vets we already have? We're not Edmonton, we've got tons of highly successful veterans on our team. And also, anything you gain in that regard is offset by the fact that he's old, slow, small, and even in his best years was only ok at actually playing defense.

Agreed. So rather that do something just to do it, why not give the spot to the most deserving kids and let them gain valuable experience which WILL help us in the future. Lord knows what 82 games under Babcock's tutelage would do for Ryan Sproul's development.

Doubt it. Both guys wear the A and are hugely respected in the GR organisation, especially Evans. There's no room for the Cleary donkey in the Grand Rapids inn. He will bring nothing to the team that it doesn't already have and with the veteran rotation Blashill would just bench him for most games and it would be plain sad. Cleary was one of my favourite players back in like 2008. You watch clips of him from those years and it's like a completely different player.

As someone pointed out, this is basically the same deal the Wings made with Maltby. Holland gave Maltby a two-way contract and he went to camp, but even then it was clear with all the forwards they had that Maltby had little chance of making the Wings roster. He apparently had a good camp, but still not good enough to take someone else's job. Rather than head to the AHL, he retired. It's a little nerve racking because of Holland signing him last season, but I really do think this is Holland just keeping his word to a heart and soul Red Wings player.

Come on you guys... Emmerton and Tootoo are gone. Good chance that Grant and Evans are probably gone from GR, too. We need some vets down there. Leadership. Hoo-rah. 'Cause that's where Dan-o's going. GR, right? Right?

The start of that was beautifully put.A lot of posters here are so damn bi polar with what they want the team to do. And those stop gaps are there for depth, because they know people are going to get hurt, and some of the kids are going to have slumps, and the young d men could get in over there head and those vets help add a comfort level you need all around you. Any trade for a top 4 d man in their prime is going to cost us a pick and a prospect, but you just ranted about wanting all the kids careers to start now. Well. Do you want to throw them in over their heads with no one to help show them the ropes, or should we make sure they can tread by themselves first? Kh not making any moves. Heard the complaints all season, then he makes one and every one loses it. This fan base is soo damn spoiled, and (not necessarily directing this at you) don't seem to know what they're talking about. Honestly it Bums me out how down on the wings most of you guys seem to be. I expect to argue about mistakes kh and/or babs have made/do make. But to constantly have to try to argue with people about why ken Holland(the worst gm ever, for the last 20+ successful years) and mike (jack adams finalist) babcock shouldnt be fired. Its kinda ridiculous. This is the Detroit red wings. Everything will be fine. Why can't we all just enjoy the ride?

I agree. Right now, everything you read is bs because nothing can realistically happen (besides a few players being bought out) until the draft next week. I do feel that there is that fine line also. Part of me would love for management to go 'screw it', kids all the way, and stick Mantha, Jurco up from the beginning along with Mrazek, Sproul and Ouellet. And then the other half of me wants KH to go and acquire a top end D man or a forward with some size and grit. All we can really do is wait and speculate. I know 3/4 of this forum wants to go and tear down the Joe because of the Cleary news, but maybe we could focus on the positives coming up next week?

I'm not really surprised, never saw Nashville as the kind of team where he would be a good fit. I hope he finds a home in the NHL though, he's a solid player and if I was the GM of a team like Edmonton, NYI, Ottawa, Buffalo etc. I wouldn't hesitate to pick him up.

I'm going to reserve my frustration, depression, loss of will to live, rage towards Ken Holland's existence till after July 1st. We've got the draft upcoming - June 27, 28. Compliance buyouts that can happen until June 30th and Free Agency that begins on the first. This is a frustrating two weeks where the Finals are over and almost nothing but speculation can happen. So, let's all take a deep breath and collect ourselves. Some of us are beginning to sound like frantic lunatics. Some of us are already there. Hell, maybe the site needs to change it's name for the week. "LetsAllBreathe" /voice of reason speech

Agreed. I wouldn't even care if they sucked*, just seeing those names on the back of a Wings jersey again would make me cry, laugh, get a LadyBoner and find religion. *I would totally care if they sucked.

MY LATEST VIDEO OF THE HOLY SLAPPER: TEEMU PULKKINEN HIS GOALS SO FAR IN HIS PROFESSIONAL CAREER. (Finland&US)