Shaman

They are prospects and picks, which is exactly what the Wings need right now. The way the CBA is set up there is huge reward for players on ELC and 2nd contracts for teams. The wings can dump some players, get prospects and picks, and either develop them or flip them for young more NHL ready talent around the time of the draft, and have a team that like in 2008/2009 could make big moves because of a favorable cap situation. Teams that have been winning are teams that are willing to build around youth, with some vets, and are willing to part with players that are going to ask for raises above their production capacities (think like Jordan Staal, 3rd line center, with some second line upside gets 6 million, Pens flip him to Carolina for the 8th overall, and prospects)

People keep saying that teams won't overpay for players like White and Flip, but Murray and Morrow are defense's exhibits A and B for why the Wings could burn some fat from the system and get a kings ransom while doing it.

Way too much for an aging star that gives no promises of resigning, the team is in a transitional period and giving up youth would be the worst move possible.

Still an overpayment for a rental, two roster players, a prospect and 2 draft picks?

Except Dallas has 2 more ROW than the Wings. Again, if Morrow is worth this much, than Flip, White, Cleary, Cola, etc could net the Wings a nucleus of players and picks to build a young team that can compete for many years to come.

Don't worry Cola, you'll be back to the safety of the LTIR soon.

Some days I wonder why I am on these boards, then I see posts like that, and realize I couldn't live without the people here Frk, Pulkkinen, Jarnkrok, Jurco, Sproul, and Ouellet.... the farm is in the best shape its been in a long time.

I think its a baseline for the team, because I really feel that the over performance of Kindl, Ericsson, and Lashoff make this a zero sum gain. What I mean is, if all three were playing like they were projected to at the beginning of this season, the team would be a lot closer to the bottom.

I actually disagree, this team healthy (IE with Sammuelson, Calo and Bertuzzi) is worse on paper than the one with Lashoff, Andersson, Nyquist and Tatar, who are either over performing given their roles and skill sets (Lashoff and Andersson), or giving 100% in a role a boneheaded coach gives them (Tatar), or just giving the defense something more than logo hunting to think about (Nyquist). With the number of road games left, the wings anemic road special teams play, and the fact when Helm and Sammy come back to the line up, neither will be worth as much as they would be at 100%, I don't see how the Wings will surge as you believe they will. Also, given where they are in relation to more talented teams, I wouldn't say Detroit given the state of their team, and the management decisions are under performing.

Yep, it really pushed Nashville over the edge for their first cup... oh wait. The point is, hes not really what one would call a rare player, and he was worth a first.

Okay, what some people also seem to miss is that the current CBA really is built to reward young teams, With the really favorable ELC rules, veteran teams are not the best way to win in the cap world. Add to this that Gaustad got a first round pick in return (a career fourth liner with decent face off ability) should show you that Cleary, White and Flip could all fetch a first rounder or even more.

Chicago, Anaheim and Minny would beat Detroit in a 7 game series, each have better depth, better goaltending, and a better offensive setup. I need not mention the dreadful state of the Wings' special teams on the road and being the road seed in any of these match ups.

With the gross overpayments seen last trade deadline, coupled with the depth of this draft and ELC contract rules that make young stars very cap friendly, that may not be a terrible thing. Imagine Holland gets drunk, trades a few assets (Fil, Cleary, etc) gets a few extra first and second rounders... a team built on the back of youth with a few key vets around to mentor them? I like that idea a lot.

With so little separation between 3rd and 12th, a second line player who is defensively responsible and a good puck mover would be one of the top assets on the market.

For a fine player like Scott Gomez we will have to give them Flip, a first, and I'm pretty sure Holland will have to mow Doug Wilson's lawn for a few months.

How don't you see it? This year the standings are tighter, there are a lot of teams that with a player like Fil could go from a border line team to a legit contender. With few sellers and very few top forwards that are UFAs on teams that would be willing to part with them, I could see bidding wars that would end up with a few teams coming out like bandits.

Paul Gaustad, a pending UFA last season fetched a first round pick. A guy who had 17 points, and I believe his career high was well under 40 points. This season there will be very very few sellers, and a second line winger/center will fetch a kings ransom. Mark my words.

The Wings right now are not beating the teams they should be beating. Edmonton and Columbus shouldn't be giving them problems they have been. On top of that its been pointed out that the Wings are really low on goals scored, averaging only 2.68 goals per game, and giving up 2.59 per game. If the Wings can make a move at the deadline that will help them in the future at the expense of a player whose style is very well represented in the line up and in the minors, especially this year when massive over payments will be the order of the day, I say go for it. Now if Gaustad is worth a first overall, I think Fil will be worth at least a + prospect, a first and a 3rd.

Abdelkader still on the 2nd line...

http://vimeo.com/61659067# Pretty awesome stuff.

Didn't the wings get bounced by the sharks without much effort?

Those teams for the most part were hard working teams with hot goalies. Nothing against Howard or the Skaters, but those teams as was pointed out all shared a certain makeup that Detroit doesn't have.

The problem with that line is you fail to take into account the Wings currently are tied for most games played, The Wings could fall right back to tenth with 28 points once all teams that are blow us catch up to the same number of games played. The other problem is the Wings have been terrible on the road and the lion share of games left are on the road.

Its where the most negative people from LGW go. If you remember Mindfly, he seems like a reasonable and restrained person there.

I wonder if babcock is doing this as an elaborate middle finger to Holland... if you give me a s*** roster, I'll give you Abdelkader on the second line