stevkrause

Ugh, this is starting to look like it may happen, crap... Gallant?

If he wasn't lazy, he could have used his green ring and stolen the power from a newt to do so... but he was just too damn lazy to take the initiative...

If he worked harder, he could have cut the bad one off and grew another...

Yea, a 32yr old Lang and a 25yr old Wolski, same thing... let's also gloss over the fact that he joined the Wings DURING their changing of guard and barely played one full season with the likes of Yzerman... but keep swinging with useless, off-mark comparisons... Laziness was never Wolskis problem, it was scoring consistency and maybe night life... so, if anything, he'd fit more in the category with Cleary and Eaves, not Leino and Grigorenko... even more reason why he'd be a great fit here...

I think it would be a team effort, just being around everyone in the Wings locker room and seeing what they do day in and day out, the hard work, professionalism, etc of the whole team... with that said, I think Dats, Z and even Holmer while he's still here could be great examples for him the most...

Really, that's what you do as a GM? I wasn't aware you had experience in an NHL front office... are you interviewing anywhere, or currently employed? The writing was on the wall about Raffi since last year and although unexpected at this exact time, this would have been the last year of his deal anyway, his body was breaking down and he actually did the Wings a favor, as he was not worth his contract anymore... also, a good GM's "plan" is not set until the end of camp and even then its never fully set, if a GM stops looking at different possible scenarios, he's stopped doing his job. There is zero chance that the Wings front office is unprepared for this...

I'd rather give up potential goals for because a guy couldn't convert on his backhand, than give goals up because a dman was on his offside and couldn't effectively clear the puck up the boards... as already touched on, it isn't an end all, be all case either way, but it has far more effect on D, than it does up front... Also, forward on the point for the PP is how SH goals are scored, unless you have a stud that could play both positions if they wanted to... And to who suggested we need a guy on the off side of the PP who's a righty to take one timers in the slot, we already have him, he just needs to be re-signed and given the chance on the PP... I feel that I wasn't clear enough earlier in this thread, although I feel I said it at least 3 times......... he needs consistency and leadership... tell me where those were going to come from in NY?

First off, he's played a good deal of RW, just because he's a left handed shot, doesn't make him a LW and also, handedness is FAR less important up front... I will agree with you on D

they only made the playoffs 2 of the 4 years he was there, both as low seeds, and also they didn't do well in those playoff runs... When he joined the Avs, the organization was in the start of their downfall... that's hardly a good situation to develop in... He would flourish here, I'm convinced of it

You had such a good post going, showing good, solid, rational thought and cognitive reasoning... and then you ruined it all with that last line... As Wings said... go sit in the corner and think about what you said.

He's their whipping boy, because NY fans are idiots... he hasn't even been there a full season and has bounced around on lines... I can't say this enough, the guys just needs consistency and leadership around him and he will flourish...

I'm not sure why you got negged for an honest opinion that was in no way out in left field, or hostile... evened that up... Agreed, unless NY isn't going to buy him out and our only option is to trade Hudler for him, in which case, then I'd be ok with it and I'm not one of the ones that hates on Hudler or is willing to give up on him yet either and I think he still could have a great bounce back season...

Yes.

EDIT - I think the league got it right - 4 games reported. The league better get this one right, the puck was already on the stick of his teammate and Horton even looked up, then back over to make sure he wasn't offside when Rome blindsided him, that was a textbook definition of a charge (more than 3 steps away) and now Boston is out one of their top 6 forwards for a bottom pairing/7th dman... If the league wants to get this right, they'll suspend Rome the remainder of the playoffs

He's not a burner like Helm, but he's faster than Franzen and for their build and size, that's pretty good... also, his defense isn't bad, just rough around the edges and once again, look at the situations he's been in, he can't be blamed for that... it's not a mistake that he was a 1st rd pick and I don't think he'd be a project, one training camp on Z or Dats wing and we have a steal, I guarantee it...

Agreed... short of a big TRADE there are no FA worth making a big signing over, a mid-high end such as Wiz or Bieksa if they can be had for reasonable price, but high end, no. Richards is not even what we really need, just another passer... if we're looking up front, we need to go sniper, not play maker

Are we talking about the same player? For his size, he's pretty damn quick... defense can be taught, look at Bertuzzi...

He took shifts/games off, contract hold-outs, darting for a chance to make more elsewhere... and all this to the organization that essentially smuggled him and his entire family out of Russia... His number does not deserve to be retired and he should not be brought back here just for sentimental reasons when he has no place on this team... With that said, he still had a great career here and those moments should not be forgotten either and this is a GREAT story, but lets not let something all warm and fuzzy cloud the memory of what he put the organization through when he tried to, and then when he finally did leave... Agreed and this is what the focus of this topic needs to stay on.

I'd be fine with us trading Hudler for Wolski straight up right now, then they can buy out Hudler at less if they want to, or roll with him... I personally think Hudler could still be a valuable player and DO NOT WANT TO turn this into yet ANOTHER Hudler thread, but I think Wolski would really find his niche here and could be huge for us... I'd even be willing for the Wing's to eat the additional 1m in salary for that trade off if needed... To be honest, I'd rather roll with them both, but I'd take Wolski over Hudler right now and I think he could turn into a 70+ pt a year guy here, maybe more...

Just imagine this up front... **DISCLAIMER - LINES ARE SUBJECTIVE, ONLY SET UP THIS WAY FOR FORMATTING PURPOSES, NOT LINE COMBOS** Daniel Cleary / Pavel Datsyuk / Wojtek Wolski Tomas Holmstrom / Henrik Zetterberg / Johan Franzen Jiri Hudler / Valtteri Filppula / Todd Bertuzzi Justin Abdelkader / Darren Helm / Patrick Eaves Cory Emmerton / Jan Mursak If that doesn't get you pumped at the thought of the different line combos, depth, size and options it would give Babs, I don't know what would...

Exactly, also Colorado during their worst years, Phoenix for less than a year and then NY for less than a year... if that's not some horrible situations for a player, I don't know what is... no consistency or stability, no leadership and no real management in any of them... I have no doubt in my mind that he would explode here... EDIT - I almost forgot add all of those factors with the fact that this was for a kid breaking into the league at 21... he probably wouldn't even be out of our farm system until now had he been developed here... he's only 25 still and just needs that structure, this could be one of the biggest steals ever if we could make it happen...

AWESOME!

http://www.thepostgame.com/features/201106/popeye-jones-son-rising-star-not-basketball

Great post on all points! Also, with the current sale of the Pistons, there's ZERO chance of them moving downtown, as it simply makes zero sense from a business perspective, considering that the new owner OWNS the Palace, whereas, he'd have to lease the Wings home - that's a cut and dry decision there alone.