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If we got Buff then we'd have the stuff.

Exactly Dabura! People keep complaining about the fact that Pulkkinen is "one-dimensional" (which he isn't nearly as people claim...), but I'd love to have a guy that concentrates mainly on the offensive side of the puck. Like you said, we have more than enough two-way, defensively sound forwards, give me a guy that can put the puck in the net. Pulkkinen IS that guy. I truly believe that he couldn't have been used much worse last season. The fact that he was playing the middle of the ice the majority of his power-play minutes is mind-boggling to me. Blashill used him on the left side of the ice, whether it be the left point, left halfboards or left faceoff dot, he was always there waiting to get off that nasty one-timer. Assuming he will continue to be used in that same fashion, he will be a weapon on the power-play. Give him 3rd line-minutes with the likes of Sheahan and Jurco and he will figure out how to produce 5 on 5 as well. He has produced at every level of hockey he's ever played. The fact that people are doubting he can get it done in the NHL with a measly 34 games under his belt, producing at a similar clip as Tatar and Nyquist when they entered the league, after tearing up the AHL, is a little disturbing to me... Like I've said before, I'm rooting for the kid, I think he has the potential to be a very good Red Wing. Time will tell...

I'm assuming "Buffy" = Byfuglien...? If the Jets do move Byfuglien, it probably won't be for all that much, as he's on an expiring contract and he's going to Get Paid next summer (so, you can trade for him, but don't expect to have a shot at keeping him past 2016 if you're not willing to give him big money and long term. And even if you do offer him big money and long term, there'll be other teams offering just as much as you're offering, if not more.) This piece, written by a knowledgeable Jets fan for a knowledgeable Jets community [Note: I'm not implying that you folks aren't knowledgeable], suggests a realistic return might be Pulkkinen and a defenseman... Believe it or not, I wouldn't necessarily pull that trigger. While I really, really, really, really, really want to see us swing a trade for Byfuglien, and while it's fashionable to say Pulkkinen isn't going to be an impact player at the NHL level because "zomg he's one-dimensional," moving two of our better young assets for only one guaranteed year (or less) of Byfuglien would not be a total no-brainer. And, about Pulkkinen: he shoots, he scores. He puts up points. I like points. I like scoring. Every team needs producers, us more than most (especially at even strength, where we're absolutely toothless). Five goals in 30 games projects to about 12 goals over a full season. If we assume he plays good minutes with quality linemates for a full season and that he takes even just the slightest step forward in his development, he's probably good for 15-20 next season (2015-16). 15-20 goals for $735,000 is the kind of bang-for-your-buck you need if you're going to build a serious contender with staying power. If he becomes the power play hammer of death we all know he can be, 25 goals isn't out of the question. Again, the kid scores. He lives to score. He loves to score. He's gifted. It's not like "Yeah, well, he's not gonna have time to get his shot off, and NHL goalies are the best, so he's not gonna score. He's just so one-dimensional." I love one-dimensional. I want one-dimensional. We have more than enough 200-foot players who can play all four positions at the same time and backcheck in their sleep. Give me a specialist who specializes in something as amusingly trivial as putting the puck in the other team's net. ("When would would we ever have a need for that?") I'm not saying all this as an argument against pursuing Byfuglien. (Byfuglien puts up points. I like points. I especially like defensemen who put up points. I super-especially like defensemen who play against the opposition's best players every night and still manage to put up points.) I'm saying we shouldn't knock Pulkkinen when he's obliterated the AHL and played in fewer than 40 NHL games.

Yup, I hate a player that wears the uniform of my favorite team. That was clearly what I was getting at in my post. God forbid anyone has a dissenting opinion about a player on a discussion board.

I feel like nyquististhefuture, LeftWinger and MrazekFanBoy are all the same person

How exactly does Holland "sound different"? Every single off-season, pre-season, training camp, Kenny has always said that so and so prospect will be given every opportunity to make the Red Wings... They never do, and for good reason. These kids need time to develop. Larkin will turn 19 next week, he has played one season (35 games) of college hockey and one partial playoff (6 games) in the American League. As high as we all are on this kid, and as good as he has looked every step of the way, I don't think he is ready for the grind of an 82 game season at the highest level, against the best players in the world. He would absolutely benefit from a full season in Grand Rapids, and I'm very confident that he will get that...

I wouldn't trade pulk for buff (and you can count me as cautiously optimistic re: pulk) simply because we likely wouldn't be able to re-$ign him with the amount of raises players will command in the next couple off seasons.. granted Quincey comes off the books next year and of course Richards, so it's certainly possible but we'd have to make sure any player signed long term is a great fit. Getting rid of pulk isn't worth that kind of a one season or less gamble, imo. You just don't deal his kind of potential for a possible rental.

I don't want to trade Pulkkinen for a rental unless we have a chance of resigning him. Its one thing if come the trade deadline we are a D-man away from being legit cup contenders, but if we're not I don't want to do this trade. Not saying Pulkkinen is going to be a star, but he has an upside and we own his rights for quite a few more years.

I don't think tearing up the AHL carries the kind of trade clout that the people who want to trade him seem to think. Every negative and every question mark you see in his game, NHL GMs also see. He really isn't any more one-dimensional than Nyquist or Tatar, or dozens of other NHL players, but regardless he is an undersized skill winger, not a great skater, not great defensively, not very physical, excellent offensive upside but not guaranteed, won't stick in the NHL if he can't be at least a decent scorer, and he needs to be on an NHL roster next year, regardless of whether he's capable or not (since pretty much any team would take a chance on him if they could get him for free off waivers). None of that spells high trade value. Modest value. Considerably below Mantha, even given his lackluster year. We're not going to get a Buffy-level player for him, despite what some people think. (And before anyone says "package", which is just LGW slang for "s*** we don't want anyway"; if Pulkkinen is the biggest piece we still wouldn't get anything all that great.) Sure, if he completely sucks he could lose what value he does have, but if he's even modestly successful (like 12-15g) his value will go up. He is one of the haters. He was welcoming you, not mocking.

There is an interview for slovak portal http://hokejportal.netwith Jurco. Summary, they are close to 2-years contract, because he has some medical problems, and in case of possible injury during a season, he would like to have more opportunity to convince redwings, that he is a right player for red wings. He also mentioned, that he welcome Blashill as a coach, because he (blash) knows him, and he will not probably try to make him a 4th line player

82 game in the NHL might do bad for his development. Jurco got screwed big time. I blame the org for that. He should have been in the AHL last year. His confidence level is a mess right now. But he's got to move on from last year and somehow play liek an NHL player this year and move on. I honestly feel liek Nyquist and Tatar was very lucky to be in the AHL all those games that they were. When they were called to play here full time they came booming. It worked out for both parties.

kickazz, as I stated above, Pulkkinen isn't nearly as one-dimensional as some people claim. He works his ass off in all three zones, and he absolutely does back-check. Chances are he's not going to be a Selke candidate or anything, but it's not like he watches the play go the other way and just coasts back... All of this "one-dimensional" bullsh*t is exactly that... bullsh*t. People think just because he was an offensive machine in the American League, he doesn't get involved on the defensive side of things. That simply isn't true... Not a single person is saying that Pulkkinen should get 19 minutes a night against the other teams top lines. As far as I know, everyone including myself think he should and are expecting him to get 3rd line minutes and along with the power-play. My bet is, Pulkkinen is no worse than Nyquist or Tatar defensively or on the back-check when they first entered the league. Both are probably better at this point, and like them, Pulkkinen will improve in that area as well...

To change things a bit...do you guys think that Larkin has a legit chance of making the opening night roster? Dats is out until December by the sounds of it. If Larkin has a great camp and tears it up in the exhibition games, I think he should make the team. Other years I recall Tatar and Nyquist having good camps but not making the team. This year Kenny sounds different. I think Larkin has a real chance of making the team if he is indeed ready and deserves it. I was thinking of some potential lines... Zetterberg-Richards-Abdelkader Nyquist-Sheahan-Tatar Jurco-Larkin-Pulkkinen Miller-Glendenning-Helm

If it only took Pulk and XO to land Buff, I'd be all over it. Anyone who wouldn't make that trade is crazy.

I agree. I have really tapered off on bashing him, I really have. But sometimes no one can even critique anyone without that kind of backlash.

Yes... Join the haters. We have cake.

8M? Jesus. What is that? 1M for everytime he intentionally dives or knocks his own helmet off each game?

Danny's sister sounds like an inside source to me. Wow though, who could've possibly known/guessed he was going to choose us. Wow. You called it bud! Thanks for sharing.

I don't care if he can drive the play. We've got enough playmakers. We need finishers. I'm hoping to see if Pulkkinen translate his AHL goal-scoring talents into the NHL level. EDIT: Same reason I want Franzen on the ice, if he's healthy and effective.

Link? Going into his draft I remember his issue was work ethic and foot speed. I also remember Mantha being the one teams asked for. But we'll never know for certain will we?

Plus you could counter the argument and say maybe we called up Jurco TOO early and should have kept him in AHL an extra year because look at his perfomance last year. He came into the roster at much young age than Nyquist and TAtar and his nunbers were disappointing. Just playing devils advocate.

Nothing unusual about it teams are going intro arbitration with the lowest offer and players with the highest. I think they'll meet somewhere north of 6. Holtby had two good seasons his rookie one and now the one under Trotz. But he for sure hasn't proven enough to be in the King Henrik, Rinne, Rask, Quick and Price class.

Due to the bump, I read some of the earlier comments in this thread, specifically with the issues around Pronger being eligible for the HHOF even though he isn't "technically" retired. To be clear, retirement is not part of the eligibility criteria. The actual requirement is as follows: "Must not have played a game in a professional or international hockey game during any of the three (3) playing seasons prior to his or her election."

My sister passed away about 3 weeks ago from cancer. A couple of seasons ago she had a chance to go to a Wings game. My dad had been in contact with the Wings people and they were trying to work out who she might want to meet if she got the chance. It was up to me to ask her who she wanted to meet. Of course, we were trying to surprise her so I didn't want to just come out and say "Hey you're probably going to get to meet one of the players, who do you want to meet?" So i would ask, "Hey Care, if you got to meet anybody on the wings who would you want to meet?" "DAN CLEARY!" she'd exclaim. So a couple of days later I would ask again. "DAN CLEARY!!" was the answer I got again. She knew they were going to be going to the game when she went down to Ann Arbor, so I tried again, "No..Seriously....If you really got to meet one of the current Wings players when you go to the game, who would it be?" I could not have given her a bigger hint without flat out just telling her! "DAN CLEARY!" So she and my dad and uncle went to the game and had a good time. Then the game was over. As they are trying to 'leave' the building, my uncle is leading the way with directions on where to go with my dad and sister following him. She still has no idea. They end up in an area where she figures they aren't supposed to be. "Are we allowed down this way?" Finally they end up standing against a wall with a bunch of other people with a Wings/arena employee telling them to just wait where they are. "Are we meeting players?!" She had finally figured it out. While they were waiting she felt she had accidentally bumped into someone behind her. She turned to say she was sorry to them. But nothing came out of her mouth. It was Nicklas Lidstrom that she had bumped into!! (This was during his last season when he wasn't playing due to his ankle) He saw she was trying to apologize and told her it was no big deal. Other players like Pavel and Zetterberg had walked through the hallway where they were waiting. Finally Dan Cleary came out and asked "Are you Carrie?" I don't remember much of what else happened (I wasn't there, just heard the stories afterward), but he was super nice to her, took a couple of pictures, and signed some things. The jersey says "To: Carrie Best Wishes Your friend, Dan Clear 11" He also had a signed bobble head sent to our house a couple of weeks later. I always teased her about wanting to meet Cleary over anybody else, but she really enjoyed the whole experience

The first thing you need to know about Cory Emmerton is that he goes by the nickname Emdog