stillwater

What you say is true. That being said, I don't hate this as much as say, The Eagles.

I don't think it's terrible, but it's a head scratcher.

Funny thing is, the Wings won 4 Cups with the 4th line chipping in on goals in a big way, so no you don't rely on them but it's a nice bonus when they do. Was Boston and Anaheim stupid for dressing Thornton, no, but clearly anyone could've replaced him. All these guys you so desperately want the Wings to go after all the time are playoff nobodies. I'll admit that I'm not a big fight fan in hockey ... I used to be, back in the days when guys actually hated one another. Now, for the most part, it's just scripted crap and for the most part, pointless. You know going in, who's going to fight who ... what's the point in that? The last Red Wing fight that actually meant something was McCarty pounding Lemieux, for retaliation on the Draper hit the previous year. Give me fights like that, where guys hate each other. Don't give me Parros-Orr lining up and going before anyone has even started to sweat ... it's gong show nonsense. Looking back on the last 8 Cup winning teams, the only "goons" who have contributed the their team's SC run was Ben Eager and Thornton.

True enough ... and 1 goal in 89 games. Irreplaceable indeed.

Yeah, with the combined 1-goal and 3-assists in 47 career playoff games, those are clearly the guys you want in. Add the great Colton Orr and it's still 4 points in 66 games. Brian McGrattan ... never played in playoffs. John Scott, 4 playoff games, no points. I guess it's pussified to want to win games more than win fights.

Yeah, they've already got 2 guys to sit in the press box come playoff time.

Interesting indeed. Why are people so desperate to keep a player that no other team has even bothered to make an offer to?

You sir, with your $20 bet posts, are a troll.

I don't think you can lose a RFA for "nothing" ... there's compensation, right?

I wouldn't trade Dekeyser straight up for Bogosian.

Even with those guys they might be the NHL's worst team this coming year.

... and headed to UFA after this season.

As big a defender as I am of the Wings brass .... I would lose it if they resigned Cleary.

At crunch time last season, he was on the 3rd line ... add Alfie and Weiss and it's not too difficult to figure out.

Three years isn't enough for coming off of your first season? That's what they gave Datsyuk. I think you're probably right, but IMO, if he signs with a s***ty team just to achieve that, he'll soon be forgotten.

Perhaps, but the Wings offered him 2 and 3-year deals and he decided to test the waters anyway.

That being said, signing Alfie and Weiss clearly bumps him out of the top 6 in Detroit this year ... but why not sign here and prove you belong in the top 6 next year.

If it's not about money, he'd already be signed.

The Wings are in a good position cap-wise going forward ... that's a good thing.

Yeah, you'd think they'd want to get better.

Obviously not.

Thanks for the sound reasoning amid all of the insanity.

He signed elsewhere ... Flames

So, you're happy?

Was that sarcasm?