jawbreaker

I read that Yashin is willing to come back. Who is ready to pay the bucks? Who needs first/second line center? I think that Atlanta should/could be considering this option. They need some offense, which begins and ends with Kovalchuk. Plus, they have some room under the cap. They could give him Holik's money. If Yashin can stay healthy, and find even a slight motivation, then Yashin + Kovalchuk could be pretty damn scary duo. Other crappy teams probably don't need him (ok... Islanders need some firepower, but this is unreal). Thoughts?

This is pathetic... The Series are 2-2, and somebody wants to fire Kenny, strip Nick... hell, lets trade Z and Dats for some prospects and picks... lets rebuild...

Almost all Russians, who are playing in the NHL are pretty damn good. Russian clubs are paying really good salaries, so a lot of 3rd, 4th line players are going back home. Even Yashin, and Markov left. Russian clubs can pay some bucks even for AO, Malkin, Datsyuk. AO received an offer from one club, it was about $9M. Datsyuk made 4M, when he was in Dynamo, and would probably get now even more. If you think that there is NO taxes, then they could make a lot more than they are making in the NHL.

I would still like to say something. Howe, Lindsay, and Abel formed one of the best lines ever. Then came Delvecchio. They were dominating the league. Won many Cups, and Regular Seasons. So at that time they were the best in the league (not just in our team). They were absolute elite of the whole NHL. Ozzie just doesn't not fit in those shoes. Like it, or not, but Osgood is just good starter/great backup. What kinda stats would he have on the another team? In Detroit there was basically a Hall of Fame playing in front of him: Nick, Fetisov, Murphy, Coffey, Konstantinov; plus great two-way forwards Yzerman, Fedorov, Larionov, The Grind Line. Oz would get his jersey retired with this kinda stats (wins), but in some other city. Only #5 will be retired in the near future. Feds has some chance (5%). If Feds doesn't make it, the others will have NO chance. Dats & Z could make it, if they will keep dominating the NHL, and will bring couple of Cups home.

If you look at my first post in this topic, you will see that I'm against retiring Shanny, Cheli, and probably even Feds (and Feds was a lot valuable to the Wings, than Ozzie). Yes, he has spent some time with us, and probably will retire as a Wing. The point is not about TOP 3, or TOP 5. All I wanted to say is that previously retired Wings were "the greatest ever" in their position. Chris Osgood is not that good. Shanny is not that good. Cheli... well maybe, but he will be always remembered as a Hawk, so no, Feds... he was great, and the best player in the league at one time... but I would say rather no, than yes. Nick is the only one, who really deserve this. Plus, it's seems so unreal to retire Ozzie's number, and not to do the same thing with #91. Ah....yes, he left... and it wasn't nice. But in 20 years nobody will remember why, and how he left. I would just leave them both out! But if anybody wants to retire Oz number, they should retire #91.

Then you gotta hope that we will be crushed by Nashville, and the Caps will not pass the 1st round, too. 'Cause then we will see Datsyuk & AO playing for the Team Russia.... and probably on the same line!

All palyers that are retired by the Wings were the greatest players of their era. They are all legends. Do you actually think that Ozzie is THAT good. I could say that Roy, Marty, CuJo, Hasek are living legends, but it's funny (or even pathetic) to compare Ozzie with them. Wings are retiring only legendary players, and #5 is the only one, who is that good. Osgood is great goalie, but he doesn't have a chance to make even a TOP3 of his time. Retire his number for one Cup (as a strarter), William M. Jennings Trophy, and Vezina nomination? I don't think so...

Read from TSN, that the twins would get (are worth) 6-7M each... Pathetic, not over 5M for them. We should get Z for 6-7M, and we probably will get him signed for that kind of money. Datsyuk is having a slightly better season than Z, plus he won't take more than #5. He will be probably signed for the exact same number as Dats. Imagine: we will have Dats + Z for 13-14M, and the Canucks will have twins for the same money.

AO will get his Hart for sure, and that's great! But he is not the best player in the league (just the most valuable). The best player in NHL is Nick. On the other hand, the MVP of the Detroit Red Wings 2007/08 is Pavel Datsyuk. Yes, he is more valuable (not saying that better), than Zetterberg, 'cause injured player can't be more valuable than the healthy one. Nick is not the Wings MVP this season, because he is playing his usual game, but Dats is better than ever. If you will remove AO from the Caps they would be 30th in the league, but if you remove one our leaders, then we would be still in the playoffs. So AO should get Hart & Pearson.

Nick will be the only one from the Wings. Fedorov would be second, but he will probably never get it, and because of that Shanny, Ozzie, Cheli doesn't have a chance either. These guys were great (Cheli is still great), but they are pretty far behind #91. Best Wings in the 90s: Yzerman - no comments Nicklas Lidstrom - probably 2-3 greatest D ever, and the best one to ever wear the Wings jersey Sergei Fedorov - The BEST player in the playoffs, won more awards than #19, one of the best two-way players ever (Hart, Selke, Pearson, and 2nd in Art Ross in the same year are telling it all). Brendan Shanahan - major reason why Detroit won 3 Cups, but not the biggest. Scored 40 in three seasons out of 9 with the Wings. Great power forward, maybe Hall of Fame, but not the rafters for sure. Chris Osgood - Won one Stanley Cup as a starter. Solid goalie, but not the greatest of his era. Despite that he has a lot of wins, I doubt if had such great success in another team. Lets imagine that Ozzie would be in the Sabres, and Hasek in the Wings... He might be in the Hall of Fame one day, but it's not sure. Chris Chelios - One of the greatest D of his time, but he should be retired as a Hawk. But he might not get it there for the same stupid reasons as #91 in Detroit. There are some other great players, who gave a lot to the Wings, but somewhat of under-rated: Slava Fetisov - one the greatest D to play the game (I think that he is not so far behind Nick), but spent his best years in Soviet Union. Spent only 3,5 seasons in Mototown, but added great leadership to win two Cups. Igor Larionov - One of the smartest (if not the smartest) players ever. Brain of the KLM line, and the Russian Five. Great leader, mentor. I think that his heart was really Winged, it's a shame that he did not retire as a Wing. And maybe Datsyuk would never be as good as he is, if not Larionov.

Not trying to protect anybody, but Yashin is the leading scorer with 12 pts (6+6) in the playoffs, and his line is the biggest reason why Lokomotiv is in semi-finals.

I have to say that Dats have scored points and carried this team even without Z, and Gino is putting some "decent" numbers without Crosby. So it's not that easy.

Good deal for both sides. Still wondering how our scouts managed to miss him...

It is not from the lock-out season. It's from the 2000/01 season, when Dats played for Ak Bars Kazan. During the lock-out he played in Moscow Dinamo with AO.