Konnan511

Honestly, I see the Flyers choking with the pressure. Plus, i do not feel confident in Bob or Bobby Boucher in net. They have AMAZING defensive depth...but I think they have more bak end depth chart defense skill than top 4 DMan skill. Their top 2 forward lines and top pairing defense is probably the best in all of the NHL with us close behind.

The only reason i said two, is because the cap is continuing to rise relatively quickly, and as long as Illitch is at the helm, we will pay the most and always be competitive. Plus, the year after Lidstrom i think we'll be ok, but it's th proceeding years when our core is gaining age we will suffer the most. We have great top six forward prospects, but zero defensive prospects aside from Smith. Almqvist is looking like he has the potential to be a 4th/5th NHL Dman.

Well at least good on Backes to get in there and prevent TJ Oshie from getting messed up. Good teammate right there.

I think he could have been had for a 2nd and 4th at most. both teams got exactly what they wanted, though. Good trade for both.

Holland would turn that down because Filppula is the better player. Filppula is superior defensively, but Versteeg has a slight edge offensively. Yes, he's 24? Mike Fisher got the same trade value and he's much older. Ahhh crap, games are played on paper this year eh?

So no matter your age, 40-55 point potential gets you at least a first and another early round draft pick. Seems steep.

Agreed, they went with the win now at all costs approach for a decent young player.

Steve Yzerman agrees with me, I can officially die a happy man now!

Damn you! I was in the process of editing it.

Mike Fisher and Versteeg are both worth first round picks and more eh? This is why I am happy Holland is our GM. Sometimes the deals he doesn't make are the best.

See Zata/Franzen contracts. Our over loyalty gets hometown discounts. Plus, we re-signed Maltby, he just chose to retire.

Until you're a pro athlete, you have no idea what it's like to say good bye to the game you love. I'm not a pro athlete, but I've read enough psychology articles on pro athletes to understand their mindset. I wonder how many refunds are in order lol

#1) Maybe 1, hopefully at least 2, but I'll still be here rooting my heart out every night rgardless. #2) No, but hopefully I am wrong. Mrazek might be able to, though. #3) Yes. #4) Yes, except I think he'll be a coach.

I thought you were justifying Eaves' -7 since NYE with a lack of TOI, so I was comparing his TOI with Abdelkader, calm down killer.

Then think of it as an employee who reflects poorly on your company but is extremely effective at what he does and improves your company by being there (which he does since he still puts up a good chunk of points). Like I've said before, Cooke shouldn't be in the league, but the stuff he does is the exact same stuff OV, Mike Richards and Daniel Briere do, except when he does it it's under a microscope. But again, Mario wasn't arguing that those players shouldn't be in the league, he's arguing a whole game shouldn't be that style of hockey because it's a clear intent of removing a pound of flesh from your opponent.

I dunno, i just don't see it to be honest. He had a HHOF PPG pace, but he doesn't even have 900 points. He has the Hart and Calder and his all-star teams and probably his 1993 WJC performance will get him in the HHOF alone, but there are players with better numbers that still aren't in. His triple double gold club is amazing though. I guess I'm just looking at the numbers too much, because he would probably get into the HHOF on international awards alone?

We also had the second easiest schedule with weeks off between games. We need a physical, quick DMan who has a willingness to clear the front of the net.

Not without clearing waivers, which he wouldn't. I'd guess Kindl, Ericsson, and Salei would rotate off an on with Salei getting top 6 preference.

He still gets more TOI than Abdelkader and in the same span AppleFritters is a +1. With everyone healthy, i value Draper, Miller, and Eaves the same. With injuries, I value Draper and Eaves the same. In the playoffs, I'd value Draper higher than a few players in the top 9. But like I said early, any one of Draper/Eaves/Miller I'd be ok keeping. And I don't see Eaves as Cleary 2.0. Cleary is a better goal scorer and is more tenacious in the O-Zone. Cleary can fight through checks and battle down low, Eaves can't.

An America gets another future hockey player

Not at all. One player doesn't make a team. If they Wings had Cooke (ewwww) and he continually was doing dirty stuff, the Wings wouldn't be known as goons, just for having a goon. Mario didn't call out goons, he called out a team playing with the intent to take a pound of flesh from their opponents during that night. If I had a problem child, there is no reason I shouldn't be able to call out a family of O'Doyles. It's hypocritical, but it doesn't invalidate my argument. Smokers are right when they say smoking is bad, alcoholics are right when they say alcoholism is wrong. I do agree, though, his comments were melodramtic. But having Cooke isn't the same thing and it isn't hypocritical since Cooke can pot you 40 points a season if he really tried. he does the same stuff OV does and same stuff Briere does, and hell, even Mike Richards throws those exact same hits. Mario was right, and Matt Cooke is completely irrelevant. Cooke has never tried to Bertuzzi anyone and never began to pummel a guy he just blindsided that was clearly hurt. All of Cooke's cheapshots, you can find identical hits delivered by highly reputable players, but again, he's never suckerpunched or hit a down opponent who was obviously injured. Plus, Cooke can continually pot at least 10 goals a season and put up 30 points. Gillies has 9 goals in his entire 12 year career. Matt Martin, thus far in his early early career is a goon. Cooke is a dirty version of Steve Ott basically. So no, it really doesn't pertain to what Mario was saying. Matt Cooke walks the line and crosses it sometimes, but what Mario is arguing is that an entire game shouldn't be all about cheap shots. So either you (not specifically you) cannot see that or your (not specifically you) pure unadulterated hate for everything Penguins and Crosby is getting in your way. I hate Crosby and the Penguins as the next person, but at least I can see it from mario's/an owners point of view.

Hopefully only one of Draper/Miller/Eaves returns next season, doesn't matter to me which one it is. Draper brings better defense and faceoff. Eaves brings more offense and smiles. Miller brings more Michigan aesthetics. Whichever one is re-signed, I hope it's for a million or less.

Not signing a contract at or near the beginning of a season counts as a retirement in my eyes. PS, am I one of the only people who doesn't think he'll make the HHOF?

I'm really curious how you went from A to B on this one.

If Boyd Devereuax was on our team, we'd be invincible.