wingsownnhl43

Osgood had a poor game 3 or 5 last year in the SCF, I cant remember which. Every goalie has a bad game every once in a while, keep dreamin.

This is as close as I can get with no Holmstrom, Maltby, Hudler, or Samuelsson. http://tinyurl.com/rd4ehy

Nice work but even this wont cut it. The minimum legal roster is 22 players. Under this scenario, we would need to sign two more players to the league minimum which would put us about .7 over the cap.

If if and buts were candy and nuts, we'd all have a merry Christmas..

I know negative threads usually pour out at negative moments, but I decided to bring this up now, in the midst of a 3 game win streak. Is it just me or has Tomas Holmstrom noticeably started to decline? To me, he seems to be in over his head out there. His time should be done on scoring lines or during five on five play. Moving further, it be nice if were able to move his 2 million plus salary, or restructure his contract to open up some cap room.

I dont know if this has been posted on here. If you go by this list and ignore the media hype of Crosby/Malkin, this should be a short series given the Wings superior depth, defense, and goaltending. Who is the NHL's best player From the May 25, 2009 issue: 1. Alex Ovechklin, Capitals LW-51% 2. Nicklas Lidstrom-Red Wings D-11% 3. Evgeni Malkin, Penguins C-7% 4. Pavel Datsyuk, Red Wings C-7% 5. Jarome Iginla, Flames RW-5% 6. Henrik Zetterberg, Red Wings C-5% Poll was completed just before the playoffs, and players could not vote for a teammate. Penguins C Sidney Crosby tied for eighth (1.9), Devils G Martin Brodeur also at 1.9% was the only goalie among the 13 players who got multiple votes. Based on a survey of 324 NHL players.

The question was indeed who is the NHLs best player. There is no article just a poll.

i think Datsyuk and Zetterberg should BOTH be on Malkin. Malkin is more of a threat in my opinion than Crosby. Then put the Hossa, Filppula, Cleary line on Crosby.

Here is what I'd like to see. If everyones healthy can play (hopefully) Franzen-Datsyuk-Zetterberg Cleary-Filpulla-Hossa Hudler-Helm-Samuelsson Maltby-Abdelkader-Holmstrom Lidstrom-Rafalski Kronwall-Stuart Lebda-Ericcson Osgood Line 1- I load up the first line and put Datsyuk, Zetterberg, and Frazen together for a couple reasons. 1. Last year Datsyuk and Zetterberg successfully outplayed Crosby and Malkin which was a huge reason why we were able to win. Both Datsyuk and Zetterberg havent been as good in these playoffs as last year, so put Franzen on their wing to try and add a spark. 2. D and Z are two of the best defensive forwards in the game. Both are Selke finalists. Put them together, along with Franzen who is also a very good defensive forward, and match them up against either Crosby or Malkin, preferably Malkin, and shut him down. We shut Malkin down last year and it was another reason why were able to win. Malkin has not been matched up against a player of Datsyuk or Zetterbergs caliber, let alone both of them. Couple that with one of our two shut down defensive pairs, and I think Malkin or Crosby, Babs choice, can be neutralized. Line 2- Cleary has earned the right to be on a top two line and basically, Holmstrom has earned the right to not be on a top two line in my opinion. Put him with Val and Hossa who have showed some great chemistry together in the last series. Cleary, Val, and Hossa are all very good defensively and are more than capable of going against either the Malkin or Crosby line. In my opinion, Hossa will be a man possessed this series. Not only is he eager to win a cup, but now he has to prove everyone right on his offseason decision. I look for him to have a huge series. Line 3- We've seen this line in the Chicago series. Helm has been big. Samuelsson scores clutch goals, and so does Hudler. Line 4- It is what it is I guess Defense One of the top two defensive units in the league anyway you slice it. My only concern is injuries coupled with the crap game 1 and 2 schedule. We need Lidstrom and Ericcson healthy. We cant be having our guys logging the kind of minutes they do, without them, on back to back nights.

Solid post. I agree with pretty much everything you said. Michelle was a horrible fit for the Penguins and it seems like Bylsma has taken the Pens to the next level. Reasons why the Pens might win. 1. Bylsma is the perfect fit for Crosby, Malkin and the Penguins. 2. Experience factor. Not only have the Pens been there but theyve added Feditenko, Guerin, and Kunitz. Three players who have won. 3. The Wings injury questions along with the three games in four nights fiasco. It will be different this time around. I think it's truly a pick em series.

Great news considering the minutes that would have been played by Kronwall, Stuart, Rafalski, and Lebda on back to back nights. Go wings!

I love this. We heard all about how "great" Pittsburghs team defense was last year and now we're all starting to hear it again. Did you guys forget that we just beat these guys 11-12 months ago? Their defense is actually worse this year without Whitney. Pittsburgh just happens to have a great offense that helps disguise how awful this defense really is. Theyve already let up 3 or more goals in this playoffs nine times, and MAF is actually a pretty solid goalie. Come on people.

would be our......... 5th defensemen... ??? enough said.

I easily take Lidstrom and Rafalski over him.. probably Kronwall, and with the way Stuart has been playing this playoffs...

As of right now, for next year, this is how our roster/cap situation looks Pavel Datsyuk Henrik Zetterberg Johan Franzen Valtteri Filppula Daniel Cleary Tomas Holmstrom Kris Draper Kirk Maltby Darren Helm Nick Lidstrom Brian Rafalski Nick Kronwall Brad Stuart Jonathan Ericcson Andreas Liljia Brett Lebda Derek Meech Chris Osgood Jimmy Howard This is 19 players, and 3,229,347 million under the cap. We would need to sign at least three more players to fill out a legal roster. Assuming the cap stays the same, I see no feasible way to re-sign Marian Hossa. If the cap goes down, there is definitely no way we re-sign him Rafalski, Cleary, Holmstrom all have no trade clauses. Even if we traded away Filppula, we'd be only 6.2 million under the cap. If Flip was traded and we slot Hossa in at 6 million, we'd be 200 thousand under the cap and still have to sign 3 more players to fill out a legal roster. The only feasible way that Hossa remains a Red Wing is if the cap goes up AT LEAST 3 million. Here is my only scenerio. Cap up 3 million... We have 6.2 mil in cap room with 19 players on the roster. 1. Trade Flip... 9.2 mil in cap room, 4 more players need to be signed. 2. Sign Hossa to a long contract. 6 million dollar cap hit. 3.2 million in cap room, 3 more players need to be signed. 3. Sign Leino to his current figure .875. 2.325 cap room, 2 more players need to be signed. 4. Re-Sign Hossas fellow countrymen, Tomas Kopecky to 500 thousand. 1.825 in cap room. 1 more player to fill out a legal roster. 5. I think Hudler is going to be looking for a pay raise. I dont see him signing for less than 1.825. Even if he would agree to 1.5, thats only .325 in cap space. So re-sign Samuelsson to 1.2. 6. Now we have .625 in cap space with 22 players under contract Holmstrom-Datsyuk-Hossa Cleary-Zetterberg-Franzen Leino-Samuelsson-Kopecky Helm-Draper-Maltby Meech Lidstrom-Rafalski Stuart-Kronwall Ericcson-Liljia Lebda Osgood Howard Lastly, if the cap does go up at least 3 million, it comes down to this... Either keep Filppula and Hudler or -Re-Sign Hossa to another long term contract ( I don't know how i feel about having 3 10year plus contracts in the cap world) - Get compensation for Hudler, being that he is a restricted free agent. - Get returns on Filppula, being that he's traded in this scenerio -------------- Upshot, We would be losing two 25 year old players, and re-signing a 30 year old player. However, I think bringing up Leino and letting Hudler walk will be a wash. I love Filppula but we would get returns on him, and get compensation for Hudler, so if we do Re-sign Hossa we would get value that could replace Hudler and Filppula. Ive crunched the numbers a few times and to me, it comes down to Hudler and Filpulla or Hossa. Note: This is ONLY if the cap goes up at least three million. Otherwise, Hossa is as good as gone.

Not if you listen to 97.1 the ticket. They still talk about resigning Hossa as if we have an unlimited amount of cap space.

I agree with you. I bring that up because trading Filppula is the ONLY possible way to keep Hossa. Otherwise, the re-sign Hossa discussion needs to stop because its not happening.

I hate to bring up a salary cap question about him in the midst of a Cup run. But given the fact that we've kept Abdelkader and Helm in the lineup over him, and that these guys are already more productive than him. If we choose to send him down, and he clears waivers, can he go to Grand Rapids and not affect our cap figure? I think we are much better off with Helm, Abdelkader, and Leino in Detroit, which will also relieve a little cap space if Maltby is off the roster. ** Note. Given how loyal this organization is, I highly doubt we cut him and if we were to do that I know his salary would still count against the cap. That is why I mention waiving him knowing no other team would pick him up. This way he stays within the organization.

I agree that the Wings should not underestimate the Hawks. However, if you think Anaheim was truly an 8 seed I have to question your sanity. Anaheim pretty much has the same team as the one that won the 2007 Stanley Cup and were one of the top teams in the second half. I think they are a better team than Chicago is, and you guys are very lucky that we took care of them.

Anyone have the audio to that song he wrote a couple years back... get your red on?

It's amazing that just last year we were able to discuss these two in the same debate as Crosby and Ovechkin for the leagues best player. Now, if you were to say that you would sound like a lunatic. This playoffs Crosby and Ovechkin have proved how valuable they are while Datsyuk and Zetterberg are matched up with the opposing teams 3 and 4 defensemen and 2nd line and cant get anything going. PATHETIC. Big players make big plays in big games. This is a huge series and our Euro twins are NO WHERE. If we are to win game 7 this two need to wake up from the coma they are in and play some hockey. Right now, they dont deserve to be discussed in the top 5 players in this series, let alone the world. Disclaimer:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: I am hammered drunk right now and understandably PISSED off. I may not agree with what i said in this thread tomorrow morning. I hate the ducks. If we are to lose to any team in this playoffs PLEASE NOT be the ducks. The end of the game showed how classless they are. F Getzlaf. F Perry. F Pronger. F. Niederbiatch.

He is not injured. He is simply being marginalized by a bigger, and more physical team. If we get passed the ducks, no other team in this playoffs will be able to stop us.

I think alot of people were calling for Hossa, Mule, and Flippula to be put together while reuinting Datsyuk and Zetterberg. If you thought these changes would result in the series being over, you must not know that much about hockey.

right on par with this one.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyNw0O2A0rY Screw cups, this man was robbed of an amazing life. That ESPN video truly is touching.

Everytime theyre together they are dominant. Why arent they together? I dont get it at all.