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I think blaming holland / babs for hypothetical situations that you made up in your head could be classified as insanity as well

I love people pretending they know what this kid will become. I put my trust in Holland and the scouts rather then a couple posters who think he is Ferraro or Emmerton Reading the scouting reports this kid could be exactly what we need, also a comparison to Kesler / Bergeron from TSN Bob McKenzie is good enough for me.

Actually no, quite different. There's no need to criticize everything. It's like when you hate a kid in grade 7 and he's eating a sandwich and even that pisses you off. "Look at that ******* eating that sandwich. Who does he think he is the president?"

I'll ask again, and maybe get an answer from some of the "Not a destination franchise" conspiracy theorists. I think fans think if they repeat it enough times it will make it so. The facts just don't support it. Who are all these high quality players who have refused to play for the Red Wings? Kesler didn't have Boston on his list, does that make them not a "Destination Franchise". He didn't have the LA Kings, you know the team that's won two of the past three Stanley Cups? I guess they aren't a destination franchise either. All the same fans bemoaning the loss of getting Kesler were the same ones whining we didn't get Bobby Ryan. How'd that work out for Ottawa? Made them a contender, eh? Luckily for Ryan, they were a destination franchise with a history of winning and a bright future. Who were all these big name free agents that the Wings signed year in and year out before? Do I like all the moves that Holland has made? No. But fans expect Holland to keep all the youth, keep all the stars, and still trade for top quality talent and sign every free agent on the market all while having low draft picks year after year. No franchise, in any sport, is a contender every single year for decades at a time. Get over it.

And also, you can't expect us to be in on every big trade deadline acquisition year in year out. Unless you want us to put out a roster depleted of youngsters, full of trade acquired veterans who don't have any chemistry because they've only been together for a year or so, rather than drafted and developed the Red Wing way, which means egos are put aside and they buy into the system. You can't expect to remain competitive in the salary cap era by trading away all your prospects and picks.

No thanks on Havlat, he hasn't been the same since Kronwall nearly killed him.

Welcome to the Wings Landon Ferraro 2.0

Just more proof that we got the wrong Smith. Typical Holland

Wasn't there just a thread where people complained we don't get enough home grown talent? Now people are complaining when we take a guy from Michigan who some are comparing to Ryan Kesler?

According the Tsn guys, he's Darren Helm but with better scoring ability. And a heart and soul player. Seems like a solid choice to me.

Could you be any more pessimistic if you tried really hard?

I like him already...

Yup. Holland should start ripping his shirt like Hulk Hogan, and roaring like the Incredible Hulk about how he's going to punch Franzen in the nuts and then trade for all the awesome players. Or he could say something about how he wants the team to improve, go deeper in the playoffs, and how he'd like a top 4 right handed D man. But he already said that. Except people hear what he says, and they think, for some inexplicable reason, that this mean that he doesn't care about the team improving, he just wants to make the playoffs and keep polishing his "streak" trophy and doesn't give a s*** all of a sudden about losing in the first round, and is out golfing instead of trying to acquire that much needed defensemen. FML

Well, for starters, Kesler only wanted to go to Anaheim or Chicago. Vancouver took what they could get for him under the circumstances. So part of it is that none of these guys ultimately want to play in Detroit. As painful as i may sound, would you rather live in Detroit playing for a bubble team or live in Anaheim, playing for a contender?

Yea I agree. Polak's good. Leafs blue line just got a little better IMO.

Pit might have been set on moving Neal west too

I always find the reactions to draft picks amusing because, come on, none of us knows anything at this point. In 2-3 years we'll start seeing who made good selections or not this draft. That said this seems like a solid pick, filling our need for a good center prospect. Sounds like he is a "safe" pick and I'm fine with that, in our development program he should have a very good opportunity to reach his potential.

Wow, they did pick Larkin. Thats pretty cool, this kid is about as Michigan as any of you guys could want. He's from freaking Waterford, played for the Belle Tire club, then for USNTDP in Ann Arbor, and now he's suiting up for U of M. Surely some of you guys know this kid?

Stevie Y's really starting to establish himself as a legitimate GM in this league. The Bolts are going to be terrifyingly good in a few years. They could use this pick to get Dan Cleary and it wouldn't matter. So much great young talent in their system.

Wow Jennifer Hedger is hot

Well they're closer to 12 than we are, that's for sure.

I understand the concern to a point, but Niskanen wasn't a Cheechoo. He was a very good defenseman for years, who has been improving each year, and had a breakout season. It's not like he came out of nowhere. He is the age where defensemen usually break out. If there was any player and age to take a risk, it's Niskanen. Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

Can we has Hossa? lol

I think that is great new for us. Terrible news for the Hawks, which is... Great news for us...

Holland sucks and he's lazy and he only likes to play golf and he hates the Red Wings, loves Dan Cleary and never offers fair market value to guys like Weiss, Suter, and Alfredsson. In related news: I've enjoyed coming here since 2003 and it would be nice to get back to a place where every single thread didn't degenerate within 3 seconds into a Holland bash.