Shaman

Do new contracts require the GM to be drug tested, if so, theres no reason to be worried, its obvious Holland is really high right now.

I don't know, you have to be a bit naive to accept more than you're worth when its coming from Chicago. Seems they have a track record.

So I should comment on his Twitter that getting an apartment on Michigan Ave probably isn't in his best intersts?

How long does Montador last in Chicago before they either bury him in the minors or trade him?

Steve Montador signs with Blackhawks, 4 years/ $2,75M per

I wouldn't be disappointed if the wings picked him up with another more offensive D man.

Jussi Jokinen 3 years 3 million a season with the Canes.

Ferraro is making his case to be a career AHL player.

Youth isn't a cure all. The problem you fail to see is that there is no one ready to come into the NHL from the Wings prospect pool that will fill the biggest holes in the wings line up. Sorry, but this really isn't up your alley. Believe it or not the Wings don't have a huge need for an offensive D man, that would be great, but their #1 concern is a very good defensive Dman. If the only question on the back end was caused by Rafi bowing out, you'd be 100% right give Smith a shot. Players in the minors do deserve a shot, but, the Wings have been brilliant at bringing them up when they should be, giving them some injury call ups, while letting them do first/second line/pairing duties in GR. The Wings have a lot of top 6 forwards in their prospect pool, a pretty good offensive defenseman, a few boom or bust offensive d prospects but no one that could walk on to the team today and fill their biggest gaps. Sorry if Detroit became the deadwings for a few seasons none of what you said would be true anymore. The Cup is ALWAYS the goal, if its not than there is zero point in trying to be competitive and the wings best bet is a fire sale, tanking 2 or 3 seasons, getting high draft picks and rebuilding. Because of the lottery system the way it is there is disincentive to be a middle of the pack team, you don't have the ability to attract FAs as easily, but you also don't get the 1-5 picks. That idea is s*** at best, either the wings need to be top 5 or bottom 5, middle of the pack is the worst place to be right now.

Reasons why this is wrong: #1 There is no defensive Dmen in the system to fill that need #2 Kindl and Smith are both huge question marks, Kindl because he has yet to take the next step thats been due since his time in GR. Smith because he really needs another season in GR to help round him out (done by him playing #1 minutes). #3 What if the deadline comes and Holland says for the third year in a row "Player X coming of the IR is our trade deadline pick up?" #4 How do you know we could win a trade? With all the moves made this off season I expect a lot of parity in the league, meaning come the deadline there could be a lot of buyers and very few sellers, which would again mean overpaying.

This is the addition I support, I am not against fighting, I just want the scoring on top of it... god... i miss Shanny.

And contribute on the score sheet.

Theres a reason why no team picked up Meech and why Brett "I blow" Lebda was in the roster over him. Think about it.

This kid and a couple others (Ironhook, Jurco, Tatar) are the Wings top 6 future. Can't wait to see them in the winged wheel.

Good defense, timely scoring, goal tending and health are all keys. Detroit seems to be lacking all of these at time. Everyone not named Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Lidstrom and Rafalski are inconsistent in timely scoring. The Wings defense has been suspect for two years same with the Wings health and goal tending. It would be nice for the Wings to get younger, but who in the system can step into the NHL tomorrow and produce? Smith, possibly Tatar and Mursak. Emmerton is more than likely a bust and the rest of the Wings prospects are 2+ years away. If the Wings wish to be competitive this year they need to add 2 defensemen, one a puck mover, and one more the stay at home type. Sorry but it wasn't injuries that sunk the wings, it was untimely mistakes and 0 clutch scoring.

The Wings won't get too far with that roster. Too injury prone up front, and the two biggest holes on defense haven't been addressed (the loss of Rafi's 50 points, and the need for one more solid defender). Other teams have the Wings' number they need to have some new look for next season or face the fact that they will lose early in the playoffs again.

*repost* I believe the cap went up 8% this season, if that trend continues to next season it will be close to 69 million dollars (5 million dollar increase) but lets say its a modest increase of 5% thats still a 3 million dollar increase. Wiz will be eating most of the Rafi contract that came off the books at 5 million, but there is still 1 million that is between that and Rafi's cap hit, add the 6.2 million that will be off the books from Lids, the 3 million cap increase and the 6.8 coming off the books from Stuart and Kronwall the Wings will have in the ball park of 17 million dollars to spend to resign Kronwall, Stuart and a third stud defenseman. So if they both take 4.5 million they leaves 8 million in cap space, more than enough for a #1 Dman. 5 year breakdown of cap hit percentage given a modest 5% cap increase each year: 2011-12: 7.8% 2012-13: 7.1% 2013-14: 6.7% 2014-15: 6.4% 2015-16: 6.1% If the league keeps going up at 8% a year this number is smaller and decreases faster, but, over the life of the contract his actual cap hit compared to the cap decreases. So this year it may be an overpayment but by the end of that contract he would be making the equivalent of 3.9 million in today's market. PS The cap ceiling has (inconsistently though it maybe) gone up 9% a season since the CBA has been enacted.

Ok for those of you who haven't gotten the Red Wings conspiracy newsletter here's the plan: This summer the Wings sign Stamkos to 8 million dollars a year for 10 years thus sending our next 4 first round draft picks to Tampa Bay. This would be a bad thing if it wasn't for the fact Holland has already planed for this. Next season Lidstrom will retire, in a freak turn of events (and some incriminating pictures taken December at the board of governors meeting by Jiri Hudler with some women he met in Russia and Kevin Lowe. This is why Hudler went to Russia people!) Lowe steps down at the end of next season and Lidstrom coming off of his 5th Stanley Cup and 8th Norris retires. Seeing a job opening in Edmonton he throws his hat in for the job and is hired on site. Edmonton tanks as expected, but, wanting to get assets for the future he and Ken Holland work out a trade. He trades his next 4 first round picks to Detroit for our fourth and fifth rounders, reasoning that because they were Detroit's they must be gold. Thus the Wings get Stamkos, for a pretty fair cap hit and still have first round draft picks every year. Don't tell the rest of the league...

I believe the cap went up 8% this season, if that trend continues to next season it will be close to 69 million dollars (5 million dollar increase) but lets say its a modest increase of 5% thats still a 3 million dollar increase. Wiz will be eating most of the Rafi contract that came off the books at 5 million, but there is still 1 million that is between that and Rafi's cap hit, add the 6.2 million that will be off the books from Lids, the 3 million cap increase and the 6.8 coming off the books from Stuart and Kronwall the Wings will have in the ball park of 17 million dollars to spend to resign Kronwall, Stuart and a third stud defenseman. So if they both take 4.5 million they leaves 8 million in cap space, more than enough for a #1 Dman.

Well the Wings next season just counting Lids probable retirement and the trend of the cap should have no problem signing anyone player they want. The question the Wings need to ask themselves is what must they do to keep the team competitive today in a league that is in upheaval? The answer is they may need to spend abit more for a D man than they would like that is the price teams have to pay to compete. As for this contract, I would say he got about 15% more than his fair market value, but, its a 6 year contract, should he continue to progress and the salary cap continue to rise at 5-8% a year this could be a steal in 2-3 years.

So with the UFA pool shrinking a lot does anyone else see a trade in Detroit's future? If so: Who will they target? Who will they offer in return? Who is untouchable?

The Wings can not go into next season with the team as it stands now, too many teams are improving especially in the Central for the Wings to stand pat and expect to retain their ability to compete as we the fans have been accustomed to the last 20 years.

Offer sheets= bidding war, so bigger pay day?

I saw this too, it would be amazing to pick this kid up, but I see the wings getting both Doughty and Weber long before they have Stamkos.

The list is no better than listening to Ekland.