stevkrause

Are you referring to Downey?!? because if you are... he's gonna be 34 this year and has been in the league for almost 10 years... hardly a "kid"

This is an exact e-mail I sent to the NHL front office the day after the All-Star game this year - To whom it may concern, I am writing to you in regards to the All-Star weekend and ways to improve the Skills Competition and the game itself. As a die-hard hockey fan and former junior hockey player, I feel I am very in touch with the roots of the game and other fans and non-fans alike, as I have spoken to may people about these issues as well. I also made several suggestions to VS. about their coverage in early 2006... not I am not saying I am the cause for these changes, but they have made every single one of these changes and look at the ratings... On any note - I loved the new concept for the breakaway challenge and the concept to make it more like a slam-dunk contest with a panel of judges rating their moves... however, as it was the first year doing this, I feel the execution lacked GREATLY. For starters - No goalie, there is no one defending in the NBA and as was glaringly obvious with Nabokov's charge out of the net, it screws the players up (you will also notice from video that Ovechkin's eye's came off the puck on his spin air shot, to focus on the goalie) - Now, you do not want to leave a wide open net, as this leaves way too much open area, so here is the solution - you create a target with holes in it, much like a shooter tutor and points get added or docked, depending on if they actually score on the fixed point and also... better judges please... Next, fastest skater - I understand the worry of injury crossing over behind the nets, but the straight shot took away a LOT of the excitement, it really killed this event. In order to correct this and reduce risk - still a full oval, but with pylons for a course not cutting as close to the boards. Next, bring back rapid fire - Highlights the goalies and is exciting. Finally, the relay section... this was boring and everyone looked out of place - simple solution, bring back the 3 on 0 breakout - this was VERY exciting, showed true skills and was an emphasis on team related reaction. In conclusion - events: Rapid Fire Accuracy Event Fastest Skater Breakaway Judge Event Hardest Shot 3-0 Breakout

no, I understood what you said completely - my reply was in support of yours, just kinda adding on to it... it was in agreement with you - I know that usually when someone replies on this board, it's to argue something or say they're wrong, but I was actually agreeing with your original point, haha I know, it's rare on here, haha

people often underestimate Downey's intelligence, he is INCREDIBLY calculated in EVERYTHING he says and does Those comments were just another calculated response from Downey and yes, they were jabs against Woywitka, basically calling him weak and knowing that it will get back to him and hopefully entice him to go after Downey to prove himself next time they play... which is when Downey gets retribution - without drawing a penalty for instigating. He just brings so much to the team and you can see how much more fearless they play when he's in - one of the greatest reasons we NEED him to stay on the active roster, well over Drake when Cleary returns... he never takes stupid penalties, knows when and where to pick his spots, stands up for team-mates like none other, always skates hard, is as honorable of an enforcer as there is in the league, can handle himself with anyone in the league and on top of it, he's not a defensive liability....

He looked awesome paired with Rafalski last night, a perfect compliment in styles - Yes, they were playing a slightly less than average Blues team, but I think it still says something that he LED, yes, LED the team in shots with 5 and was a +1 - especially with limited minutes

agree to disagree on origin, but yes, it doesn't explain that at all and is BS

They've been split for close to 15 years... so, yes, they are different... and many Slovaks would take offense and agree, there's a lot of bad blood between Slovakia and the Czech republic

I just saw this and I was scrolling through the replies and couldn't believe it got that far down before someone pointed out that he wasn't a Czech... He's Slovakian.

well... he's done his last full AHL season, but he will be back down for the rest of this year and playoffs... Holland's already said he's going back down once everyone's healthy and I think he'll probably even go back down as soon as Nick is back, as they will opt for Lebda until Chelios is back

exactly... I strongly dispute him needing another year in the AHL - once everyone is healthy, he goes back to the AHL this year, but I think he deserves his shot full time next year (08-09), there is simply nothing else the AHL can offer him in development and he's just kicking his wheels down there. He has proven he's NHL ready and will only develop the way he can, at the NHL level...

haha, yea people seem to forget that... also, people don't seem to realize that he plays a VERY physical game, I think he's just playing it safe right now, because he doesn't want to be caught out of position with wild, open ice hits...

With how Meech and Ericsson have been playing (yes, I have never been happier to have been eating my own foot about Meech) someone has to sit... I know Babcock likes sticking with guys that have been around, but Lebda has been flat out horrendous lately and especially with the lack of size, I'd really like to Ericsson stay in and Lebda be the scratch... Kronwall-Rafalski Stuart-Meech Lilja-Ericsson

hell, 2 of those games he was paired with career AHL'er Garrett Stafford and then with Quincey... not exactly like he had a lot of help either (not a bash on Quincey, he's just no Nick or Raffi) I think he'll be AMAZING with Raffi... nice compliment in style and game

DANG it feels good to be right! Confirmed: ESPECIALLY with how well Meech has been playing, it's gotta be Lebda- "Babcock said Ericsson will play Wednesday. He said he hadn't determined who would sit out. It could be Derek Meech or Brett Lebda" As reported on MLIVE

It was me who said that... I thought I read somewhere that he was not, I stand corrected - thanks for the heads up also, I agree completely, I think he's gonna go on a tear when he's back with GR, I'm pretty sure he will earn a slot with Detroit next spring

no... people were implicitly saying "sent down" - people don't get the roster expansion... plus, they always only dress 6... can you name the last time they've dressed more than 6???? that would leave an incomplete front 4 lines...

I said this on the first page, then agreed with someone else on the 2nd and now again with you on this page... NO ONE IS GETTING SENT DOWN PEOPLE - ROSTERS ARE EXPANDED, QUIT USING THIS ARGUMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : sorry... I feel better now...

thank you... I said this earlier, but no one seemed to see it...

no one has to go down, after the deadline, the roster is not limited - they'll all stay, just a lot of healthy scratches... hell, Ericsson will be up for the playoffs too, because he was not on GR's clear day roster, so he'll serve them no purpose there for playoffs...

pairings are subjective... I was more just referring to who will be in and who will be out...

and they won't be - I'm not talking about playoffs, I'm talking about for Wednesday night... keep in mind that by playoffs, everyone will be healthy and most likely, even Meech won't be playing - this is the playoff D: Lidstrom-Rafalski Kronwall-Lilja Stuart-Chelios

I'm all for Brunnstom, but we need to see how he does in camp first, I'm all for signing him, but maybe keeping him in GR for the start of the year, if he's ok with that, let him adapt to the N.A game... if all the hype is legit, he'll be up here full time by December at the latest anyways... I'm also fine with letting Lilja walk if we give Ericsson the full time roll, but if we don't re-sign Lils and put in like Meech, I'll be pissed... we need some size back there... also Kindl will not be NHL ready for at least another year, maybe 2... he has a CRAP load of raw ability, but was pretty shell shocked in GR this year, last I heard he was DEAD last in +/- I think Stuart needs to stay as long as there isn't some adaptation problem (which I don't see happening) he is EXACTLY what we need in theory - puck moving dman with a blast on the point and has a mean streak I'd have no problem with our lineup being Flip-Dats-Holmer Cleary-Z-Brunnstrom Maltby-Draper-Franzen Hudles-Kopecky-Sammy/Downey Lids-Raffi Kronners-Stuart Ericsson-Chelios Meech and Lebda fighting it out for 7th dman spot...

Like I think was already mentioned, I'm most concerned with locking up our assets first - extending Zetterberg and re-signing Cleary and Lilja top priority because they are UFA after that next priority is locking up both Filpulla and Ericsson with long-term deals, as they are both RFA After that is done - depending on how he does here: I wouldn't mind seeing Stuart re-signed long term, as long as it comes in at 3 a season or less Next, re-sign Downey, Quincey, Oulahen and Koopmans Once this is all done, I would like to see them gauge what they can spend cap wise and then go after these guys in this order (if they're not re-signed by then): *Keep in mind - I'm omitting guys that we obviously can't afford and if these guys actually wanted to come here for a reasonable price, they're no brainers (i.e. Marian Hossa, Markus Naslund) LIST 1: Brian Rolston - UFA Jarrett Stoll - RFA Vaclav Prospal - UFA Marek Svatos - RFA Michael Ryder - UFA Daymond Langkow Miroslav Satan - UFA Also, depending on what we've got in the 4th lines roles, I would LOVE to see these guys offered a deal, if the price is right: LIST 2: Georges Laraque - UFA Todd Fedoruk - UFA Matt Bradley - UFA Finally, if we don't lock up Stuart and/or Lilja - I would like to see us go after one physical defensemen from these guys: LIST 3: Brooks Orpik - UFA Andrej Meszaros - RFA James Wisniewski - RFA Shea Weber - RFA Wade Redden - UFA Christian Ehrhoff - RFA All said and done (considering retirements as well) - if they go out and get at least these signings down (plus maybe trading away Samuelsson - a guy can hope...) our roster for 08-09 would look like this: Filpulla - Datsyuk - Holmstrom Cleary - Zetterberg - (List 1) Franzen - Draper - Maltby Hudler - Kopecky - Downey/Samuelsson/McCarty?/(List 2) Lidstrom - Rafalski Kronwall - Stuart/(List 3) Ericsson/Meech/Lebda - Chelios/Lilja Osgood Howard that looks pretty damn good to me... personally, I would like to see an off-season trade as well shipping out Lebda and Samuelsson - I like Lebda a lot, but I just think there are too many guys that deserve the shot more than him and Sammy has worn out his welcome...

1. Markov was also asking for a no-trade clause of at LEAST 3 years, maybe more... that was the biggest hindrance of the deal, Holland already said that, they would have signed him if it were 2 years or less... 2. The cap room is not a factor, you're right... but it will be when Zetterberg and Cleary get their raises next year... the years Markov's contract would have been around for... 3. yes, that is why the Kings paid most of his salary... that's how the salary structures go... but guess what, it's still a business and paying less=more profit, simple math... I was just adding that in as an extra point The main factor here is that Markov wanted a multi-year deal asking for too much, which is why he is not here, simple as that...