GoWings1905

Hossa is everywhere tonight. Well most games, but especially in this one he looks terrific.

How do we go about getting Gaborik on Datsyuk's wing next season? Nothing against Alfie, but I would much rather have Gaborik.

Yes, especially when Franzen scores one in the final 23 games of the season. He lived on the playoff beast fallback for years and now he doesn't score there either.

Fair enough. I do agree with you about the Blues and drawing the Blackhawks in the first round was just unfortunate. However, I think you have to achieve and maintain playoff success before a team can be declared a model.

The Blues? What's that blueprint: how to lose in the first round every season?

With Henrik Zetterberg as his center that entire season, no less.

Any chance Emmerton can take Joakim Andersson along with him?

Exactly. The Blues have probably the deepest defense in the league, outside of maybe Chicago. If Miller couldn't get that group out of the first round, he sure as hell wouldn't be able to with Kindl, Lashoff and Quincey in front of him.

The Hiller that couldn't even keep a starting job on one of the best teams in hockey?

Miller isn't going to sign for a 50/50 timeshare. Besides, that is a ton of money tied up in goalies. The Red Wings have far bigger issues to address.

That's just deception. Legal hockey move.

Not that I want Babs to leave at all, but I do think this will be his last season. Ten years is an eternity with one organization in today's world and Babs has always talked about how the message gets stale after awhile. If Babs is done, I want Blashill to take over. Groomed in Grand Rapids and most of those players will be with the Red Wings already or close to making it. Clearly is effective at player development with the success Grand Rapids has put together the past two seasons. If the Wings could get Tippett out of Phoenix, that would be the only external choice I would prefer over Blashill. He coaches every team up and would have far more to work with in Detroit than that terrible situation in Phoenix.

Why do refs fall for that garbage? Clear embellishment by Krejci. But it's 3-1, so again calling penalties by the score.

3-1 Habs! Penguins and Bruins both gone on back-to-back nights. Someone please take care of the Blackhawks soon.

The Pens are a joke. How do you win only one cup and collapse so frequently in the playoffs with that core of players? I hate to give Chicago credit for anything, but at least they continue to build incredible depth to support the high draft picks acquired from tanking. I definitely want the Rangers to win it all now.

Hossa

Lose in five, unless Mrazek turned into a sniper.

Vokoun or Nabokov starting over Howard? One didn't play a single game in the NHL and the other is 38 with worse numbers than Jimmy last season. Putting your eggs in that basket is about as far-fetched as the notion that Monster is an upgrade over Howard. Miller couldn't even get a stacked team out of the first round with one of the best defenses in hockey. I like Ryan Miller too, but he's at best marginally superior to Howard and will cost more to sign in free agency. Miller isn't going to fare any better here unless Holland upgrades the defense too, which now is less likely because of how much Miller will command. Give Mrazek the backup job and let him push Howard next year. As far as trade chips, depending on the urgency to "win now", you have to look at some of the prospects on defense. If you can package one (I would prefer it not be Sproul) in a deal to get some proven help on defense, then the Red Wings should consider it. Otherwise you are left with more of Kindl/Lashoff or signing stopgaps until all of them are ready. Not to mention, there's already Smith, DeKeyser and Ericsson on the roster going forward.

Superstar? Probably not. Hossa is absolutely an elite two-way forward, though.

I would gladly take Boyle as a stopgap veteran. Moves the puck well, right-handed and can help out the power play. The Wings just need something different than Quincey playing 20 minutes per game. They got very little offensively from the d-men last season. Kronwall - Smith DeKeyser - Boyle Ericsson - Marchenko Then in a couple years you have the wave of Ouellet, Sproul and maybe Backman all ready to play in the NHL.

You don't worry about what the players are going to be like at 40 or 42 with those long-term contracts. I will take Hossa being the far superior player going forward and when the deals were signed in 2009. I regret the Franzen signing in 2014, let alone what he might be doing six years from now.

Pav scored three goals in five games too. If Franzen was doing other things in the series, then OK, maybe I can overlook a very inopportune turnover. What other conclusion could people draw from Franzen if he isn't scoring? He doesn't kill penalties, isn't physical and doesn't set his teammates up for scoring chances either. Despite his whining to the media, Franzen's one job on this team is to put the puck in the net. One goal in 23 games -- there's an effort problem involved in that for a player that logs as many minutes as Franzen, yet contributes nothing else while being on the ice. I've given Franzen the benefit of the doubt before, but he has been a bum in the playoffs for four years now. Playoff Franzen isn't suddenly going to reappear with age and an already questionable work ethic. Franzen gets all of this backlash because he earned it; not due to Cleary and Sammy no longer being around.

The Rangers play back-to-back in Games 6 and 7 against the Flyers. Then they have to turn around after one day off and play three in four nights to open the series with the Penguins. Funny how that always seems to work out when Pittsburgh is involved.

Chicago is going back to the SCF. They will cruise past the Wild while the Kings/Ducks beat the hell out of each other in a long series.

I'm pretty much fine with everything Holland said, except with the major exception being Franzen. I didn't expect Holland to ultimately buy him out, but it needs to be done. Don't really want any of the UFA's back except Alfie. The Wings need to upgrade from Quincey whether via trade or free agency. Even if that's just a stopgap veteran until some of the prospects are ready, they desperately could use a puck moving d-man that contributes offensively. Sounds like Marchenko, Ouellet and Sproul will all get a shot to make the team, which is great news for the end of Kindl and Lashoff. It would be nice if the Wings could get some size in the top-six on the wing (Franzen doesn't count) because clearly that was lacking against Boston. I love Nyquist and Tatar, but you can't have all players in that mold. Maybe Jurco gets there eventually as with his size.