marcaractac

the contract works out to 4.5 mil per year..... its a smart deal for tampa. they get the biggest chunk of the contract out of the way before they need the cap space to sign their upcoming players to extensions. nothing wrong with the deal at all. the guy is a warrior. he can score, has loads of grit, and the exact type of guy any team would love to have in the playoffs. 4.5 million per year is very reasonable.

I think it is a good signing actually. Sure the first 2 years looks really bad, but the contract only averages out to 4.5 million per year. Malone is only gonna continue to get better, I think, and by the time the first 2 years are over, it's gonna look like a great signing. Plus, this contract sets up the eventual extension for Stamkos up perfectly. It's just the first 2 years that makes it look bad.But it's kind of smart considering they have the cap space to burn as of right now, so why not pay as much of that contract the first couple years as they can.

precap era that would totally be possible haha

Everyone seems to think we only have money to spend for this year only. IF we did get Hossa (not saying we will), the 09/10 season would be the only difficult year salary-wise. After that, Lidstroms big contract is off the books, and I'm willing to bet that if he doesn't retire then (which I think he will), he will take a cut in pay just because he is getting older. If we can squeeze a player of his caliber in our lineup, and just have 1 year to worry about sqeezing him in, then I say go for it. If worse comes to worse, we can trade him after one year and get great pics and/or prospects for him, assuming we can't really fit him in 09/10, although I think Holland can. Holland is very creative with salaries, and I think if Hossa contatcs Holland about a deal, than Holland will damn well listen. Is we lose Stuart, Holland won't go after a new DMan, unless something really good comes up, ala Brian Rafalski. Other than Stuart and resigning Flip, we have nothing big to worry about, except for depth guys really. Sundin is not gonna be signed on July 1st, you can all quote me on that one. So if a Hossa or Rolston type player falls through, they can always go for him. But Holland has money to spend this year. If he can find something that he can squeeze under next years cap, I'd guessing he goes for it. starting 2010/2011, Lidstroms salary will either be gone, or start to shrink. We have space for a long term deal. The Lidstrom thing is just REALLY easy for all of us to overlook. On top of all this, Hank's new contract could be set up so he makes less money on the first year and slightly more on the rest. That to could also free up space for the 09/10 season. There are many creative ways that it could work out, without having to lose anybody. But we will just have to wait and see on July 1st!!

I'm sure if he looks good at all in the AHL the Wings will sign him up anyway

YAYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!! CAN'T STOP THE PAIN TRAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Too bad Lucic is only 19 and won't be a UFA for a long time..... That would be my dream come true to see a player like him in the Winged wheel!!

I don't really think we need to sogn any goalie really. Although Holland will probably sign a veteran to help out in Grand Rapids. As far as the idea of having a goalie come in to push Howard at camp, I personally think Larsson is good enough to do that anyway. I would not be suprised at all to see Larsson come in and steal the show at camp.

Awesome. Good to see he is sticking around. Perfect role for him to be a part time player. Sure he didn't look so good in the playoffs, but I bet anything he wasn't fully recovered from his leg injury. Either way, he will continue to be an excellent mentor for the kids we got coming up this season. Our D remains in good hands!!

Just looked it up, and Laraque is a UFA. I can't see him sticking with the Pens at all. I'd love to see him in the Winged wheel! Much like Downey, he to has a great personality. You can never have too many great character guys on a team. He'd definitely make for some good entertainment, and thats not even referring to his fighting!!

Lilja is a great fit with this team. It's sad that many people don't see logic in that at all. It's like, who do you people expect to have on our 3rd pairing? He is a real good 5th/6th Dman, and we can never have too much depth there. Even is he spends a lot of the season on the 2np pairing, I have no issue with that either. As long as we have a legit #4 by the trade deadline (much like this past season) then I'm all for it.

It's not like they'd be spending your money. What would you rather see? Us go into next season without an enforcer and have our stars get hurt because they have nobody to stick up for them?

Having Tucker on our team would be great, but if we got him he'd be the only guy we get really. Personally, I'd rather see Holland sign Sundin to a one year deal. It would be a perfect fit. 1 year is all he wants, one year is all the Wings have an ass load of extra money to spend. Kopecky is gonna take Drakes spot anyway. After his play towards the end of the season, I really look forward to how much better he can get.

Laraque Isn't he available now? He is also a decent 4th line player excluding his fighting as well. Could be a good fit for us. I'd take him over DMac and Downey, although we all know DMac will be sticking around in a depth role, which I'm sure nobody has any issues with.

I can't WAIT till next week. I'm flying to St johns Monday morning, and I will be going to Harbour Grace for Canada Day. It's gonna be great! I hope I can get an autograph!! Dan is the MAN!!!! I can't afford to trip out at all, but nothing will stop me!! lol.

The Habs will be doing that soon if they keep things up the way they are going.

I'd say trade Malkin. they can get so much back for him. Staal is gonna be one hell of a player, and one of those types that are built for the playoffs. you just cannot trade a guy like that.

Honestly seeing that makes me want to puke. Reminds me of the design of the current Calgary Flames jerseys.... they look like s***

From all I've seen nobody has had a turn out in a city for a Stanley cup celebration in a long time. 1.5 million people parade compared to all these teams doing parkinglot rall'y? no contest lol. every time a team does celebrate big the city seems to always get trashed (look at the habs after just winning one round). Proper to the people of Detroit!!

mine is 60.2% done. When it's finished, I will leave it seeding for a really long time when I am working, and not home and stuff like that, but will pause it when I am online because my connection isn't the greatest and it slows it down a lot.

I'd love to see the local 4 post game coverage. other than a few youtube clips i havent seen any of it. I only saw the CBC postgame, but they never showed anything funny, or any red wing drunkness.

I'm experiencing the exact same thing. It is definitely growing slower for me. I used to always shave every 2 or 3 days. It has been 6 days now since I shaved and it is still not long enough for me to have at all. I barely have any stubble. It's as if i only shaved about a day and a half ago. It's weird. I'm also thinking about growing mine back, but keeping it very neatly trimmed. I look like a little kid. It's weird, I look at pics of myself before the playoffs, and I look totally normal, but when I look in the mirror it just looks so strange and wrong. BLARGH!!!!!

I totally agree there. I can really see a Kopecky/Helm/Abdelkader being a 3rd or 4th line for our team down the road, and a really good one to. Kind of like what Maltby/Draper/DMac were for us back in their days.

There is always a risk. What if Ozzie got hurt during the end of the season? We'd all be s***ting bricks then heh. I'd definitely say Howard (or Larsson) will back the team up at the start of the year, but if it doesn't pan out all to well, we'd have to go out and sign an older veteran, much like what Calgary did this past season with Joseph.

I think Howard is ready to be brought in to the NHL as well, but I think it will all come down to Larsson. What if he shows up to camp and steals the show? I think it is very possible. The guy is a great young goaltender, and in all honesty I can see him being our #1 down the road over Howard. I still think Howard has the best shot at being our #2 at this point in time, but I think training camp and the preseason will decide who goes where.