Leaderboard

I'm not sure what bothers me most about your posts... The topic for discussion is non-stimulating, your logic is fragile, and your writing style is annoyingly conversational and hard to follow. If you're going to develop a theory around the need for top-10 picks to be on your team in order to win a cup, then at least make an effort. This is pretty half-assed. Besides, by looking back the past 20 years, you're comparing the salary cap era and the pre-salary cap era. You're also comparing a North America-centric draft era to an ever increasing global system. Do you think Datsyuk would have gone at 171 if he were available in the 2014 draft? Maybe you could start a new topic about that. Are you suggesting we tank it for a couple years? Relive the 80s? Get the next Yzerman? Are you saying we should package our prospects for a top-10 pick with a s***ty contract? Pay an inflated rate for a top-10 FA? I don't get what you're saying. If you're going to try to be thought-provoking and philosophical with your threads, please spend more than 5 minutes writing them.

Except this is hockey. Young players will continue to get better. A lot of great things happened in the past 2 seasons, but all some people focus on is the growing pains. Even when the Wings won it all in 2008, that was a planned 3 year process by management to get there. Stevie retired, Shanny left. Datsyuk and Zetterberg had to learn how to win. When the team showed they were ready to win, Holland brought in the missing pieces like Stuart to make it a complete, unstoppable team. It took 3 seasons for that to happen. Now we are basically one year into a new changing of the guard. Except this team is getting younger on a much larger scale than last time. When the kids learn how to win, the moves will be made to make a complete team once again. For the time being, having guys like Alfie around is a great thing. The kids learn a lot from guys like him. He is a leader. That will rub off on the younger generation of Wings. I get that some people find losing frustrating. The team has won for a long ass time. But there is a lot of exciting things ging on with this team if people can just take the time to appreciate it. There will be growing pains, but this team will make everyone proud once again. Some simply look at their win/loss records over the last few seasons and are quick to point out that the team is on a downslide. Not the case what so ever.

I guess that means there's only 12 #1 defensmen in the league

Pretty well every team is gonna have at least one former top 10 pick on their roster. Of course Stanley cup winners are gonna have top 10 picks on their team. Is Edmonton gonna win a cup because their roster is loaded with top 10 picks? The Wings top 10 pick in 2008 was Stuart. An important piece no doubt. But the guys who made that team what it was were far from top 10 picks. This is a VERY skewed way of looking at things. There is a lot of young talent in the system. Moves will be made when they make sense. Not made for the sake of making moves. And when moves do get made, Holland will look for the right players to make the team better. Not simply trade for players because of the position they were drafted in. Talented players come from all over the place. Sure high draft picks more often than not are NHL ready at a younger age. On the flip side, sometimes they are a bust. But there are also a lot of great players out there who weren't even drafted in the first round, let alone the top 10. Sure sucking for a few years can allow a team to stock up in high draft picks in a timely manner. But that doesn't always translate to success either. There are teams who have been sucking for years, and they still do. Detroit hasn't had the leisure of drafting a high, NHL ready prospect for a long time. So yes, they have to take the time to develop their players. But time has proved over, and over and over again that this team develops great players despite their draft position. Yeah, this particular rebuild is taking longer and hard to deal with for some fans. But that's what happens when you no longer have an all time great on the blueline to hold things together. But sure, lets trade rosters with Edmonton. We'll have loads of top 10 picks so we'll be destined for a dynasty!

:lol: @DFriedmanOnNYI: Gustav Nyquist received 13 Hart Trophy votes. Not bad for a guy who spent half the year in the AHL.

@TPLhockey: Niklas Kronwall finishes 13th in Norris voting, one spot ahead of Subban and Ekman-Larsson.

Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Lidstrom, Franzen, Kronwall, Rafalski. All in their primes, all big time players in the cup run. None a top 10 pick. Draft number is relative. A top 10 pick tends to have a better chance of being NHL ready sooner, sure. Not gonna argue that. What I don't buy is teams with higher picks having more young players turn out than the Wings will. Wings have been great at the draft, and their prospect pool is proof of that. The kids on the team now prove they belong, the kids who got a taste have shown that they will likely develop into key players for this team over the next few seasons. Guys like Jurco. You can see there is potential there for a real special player. There is a lot to be excited for. It is simply too soon to give up assets to fill holes on a roster where many of them can just be filled with the youth getting more experience. Anything beyond the top 10 in a lot of draft years is a crap shoot. Heck, this year you can say that about anything beyond the top 4 or 5. A lot of top 10 picks also tend to take a few years to start reaching their potential. Some never do. Health has been a big problem for this team as of late. A lot of the older, injury prone guys will be gone. If Alfie is back, he won't play as much as last season. I'd bet money on that. Him in a reduced role can be huge come playoff time. At the same time the kids can learn a lot from guys like him. Hank fixed his back. Mark my words. He is going to have a huge season. He is gonna be healthy, he is gonna be fired up, and he will be clutch. Helm's injuries have almost all been freak injuries. Then some groin issues when finally trying to return after almost no hockey in 2 years. That was to be expected. I feel Weiss will bounce back and make a lot of Wings fans eat crow. There's your top 10 pick. There will be a lot less pressure on Franzen with the continued development of Tatar and Goose. Dekeyser will learn to protect himself better. A healthy defense with an added puck mover makes for a nice, young mobile blueline. Kronwall got a lot of flack, but he was huge for the team all year long. So yes, even with much of the same roster as last year, there is a lot of improvements that can simply be made with better luck. Being younger to start the season will translate less injuries. Keeping the same roster together for an entire season will allow the team to grow together, and get better. I get that there are holes in the roster. Most teams have em. But when this team is on the right track as far as getting 2 points on a regular basis and staying healthy, the right moves will be made. This team is a lot better than the stats last season showed. Now the right roster will be together right from the beginning to prove that. Just gotta have a little faith! I am aware I went way off topic. But that is a rant that just started to flow.

These awards are a joke any way. Only one that matter is The Cup.

Then we'd call that microphone Pronger.

Wrong. Irrelevant (-rl-vnt): Not pertinent to the point. Not relating to the subject. Here's another one: Unwise (n-wz): being a smartass to a moderator who is politely telling you to stop insulting other people here simply because you disagree with their opinion. Now let's get back to making posts relevant to this the topic.

But they can all be best friends You're right, this is a good time and place to discuss buying out Franzen again

Well, to be fair Shea Weber didn't even project to be Shea Weber when he has drafted. Nor did Subban, Chara, or Keith. The only first rate d-men I'm aware of that were so highly thought of were Karlsson, Pietrangelo, and Doughty. Brad Stuart (god love him) was a third overall pick after all. And while I'm a big Stuart fan, I'd have been a little irritated had I spent a 3rd overall on him. In general I always have more faith in "can't miss" forwards than I do in defensemen. It just seems that the developmental arch for d-men is too hard to predict with confidence.

They want him to play more, and I know I would like to see that as well. Bringing Mrazek up wouldn't change the starting goalie this year. If they chose not to sign Gus, then the savings wouldn't be very much because Mrazek would get more as a result of being called up. Now, if Detroit could save $2 million or more by promoting Mrazek, then I would be ok with it. That isn't the case though.

Most lgw members morning routine. Wake up, have coffee Complain about franzen (honourable mention of hossa) Take a shower Complain about babs/Holland/being too soft Complain about franzen Complain more about franzen Complain even more about franzen.... This is the song that never ends...

Man, I don't care if the guy's 42, 45, 58 1/2 - it's one less spot for Dan Cleary.

I completely forgot about his family situation in California. Thanks for reminding me.Well that sucks. I miss Stuart, and Matt Greene re-signed with Los Angeles for four years.

Rebuilding through the draft really is the key. You are right that we don't have the next Dats and Zetterberg in the system right now. We have some solid talent, but nothing really elite. As for going for broke, I really don't believe that is the best way to run a team. I will say that we are going to have some losing seasons down the road. We can't keep up this playoff streak forever. I would like them to make a couple moves, stay competitive, and get into the playoffs. This season, the #6 and #7 teams made it to the finals. Anything can happen come playoff time.

If people don't like my opinions, I couldn't care less. We do all have one thing in common: We want the RW's to win SC's. That simple. The fact is our record has gotten worse every year for the past 4 seasons. The answer being provided to us is: bring everyone back and expect better results. Nothing works like that.

Danny D getting some love! ******* Roy!

I love you PredsFan, but the only way I'd like to see Shea win that award is if Ted Lindsay comes up behind him and bashes his head into the microphone.

I always feel confident in my opinion when posters like Richdg, DeGraa55, Leftwinger and frankgrimes have such a unified front of the exact opposite opinion. You guys are too predictable...

Don't have to read it if you don't like it, problem solved. I think it isn't so much negativity and more concerns - for all the right reasons - since 2009 this team hasn't even come close to anything near cup contention. Then Lidström retired and there was no plan B because we didn't get Suter. The problem is, Alife and co. aren't what the Wings need longtermwise a young team at some point needs to build chemistry in order to go forward and know the in and outs of their defensive or offensive linemates. Look at the Kings they grew together and even then, Lombardi saw his team needed a broader leadership group brings in Richards, sees the team isn't scoring enough brings in Carter --> first cup for the kings, two years he sees a top 6 need brings in Gaborik ----> cup #2. And what are the Wings -- a team that isn't even close the talent level of the powerhouses -- doing ? Sign one patchwork player after another instead of maybe risking the streak and build for the future. If the mojo around the league is really that the Wings aren't willing to overpay well then good luck getting any top ufa to sign here, it's not going to happen. Unless of course you are 34+. The needs for improvement have been evident since 2009 and that to me is enough time to make the neccessary move especially after losing an alltime top 4 defender. Armstrong has build a very good Blues team and yet he saw a chance/need and brought in Miller yeah it didn't work out but at least he tried. Thats what great GMs do they are willing to take risks, the Wings aren't a small market team and they shouldn't be run like one, our owner is willing to pay everything just to win with an almost blank cheque I simply expect better than bringing back Alfie and some patchwork signings come July 1. Holland once was regarded as the best GM in hockey time to prove it.. Also capspace is useless if you don't use it, is Niskanen worth 5,5 to 6 per ? Probably not but overpaying is part of UFA and trade deadline other GMs like Chiarelli, Lombardi and Bowman are ok with it, but Kenny seems to have a hard time adopting to this. Like some others I'm starting to believe Lidström did not even make the team as a whole better he also made Holland better than he might be. The leadership on this group is more than fine, when you have Z, Pasha, Kronwall that's enough to show the young kids how stuff gets done and how to handle themself. Alfie at least for me deserves to retire in Ottawa this team isn't going to compete for the cup anytime soon..so I don't understand this signing at all.

Mrazek needs to play against NHL competition. There's only so much getting ripe a prospect can do in terms of development, even if the option is available to spend another year in Grand Rapids. 20-25 games will serve Mrazek better than another season against lesser talent, which he clearly has already proven to have mastered playing against. Besides, any starts given to the backup could be huge in the standings if the Red Wings are indeed a borderline playoff team again. Throw out the contract situations and in terms of having the better goalie on the roster, I want Mrazek over Gustavsson. Mrazek is superior in net, cheaper and is in all probability going to be healthier than Gustavsson should he be called upon if Howard is injured. What's the sense in having an injury-riddled backup goalie around who isn't very reliable or consistent? Worrying about maybe needing a third goalie isn't much of an argument IMO. If it comes to that, most (if not all NHL teams) are going to be in trouble. I'm not saying this move ruins the entire off-season; it just doesn't seem like a necessary decision when you have a more capable player already within the organization. I don't understand wasting cap space on Gustavsson when Mrazek is a better goalie. The Red Wings obsession with seasoning players in the minors just because they can is excessive and annoying, especially when the big club isn't winning.

Puck bunnies give female hockey fans like myself a bad name.

I think it's a great to have them in one place and should be pinned. Mods?