Datsyerberger

Regular fighting isn't really part of the Wings philosophy. Given that, is Ericsson's relatively limited fighting just a lack of willingness for him, or perhaps instructions to keep it down? I swear I remember him being more of a hothead in GR than he ever has been here, and that's generally not a switch that's flipped on/off without good reason. Is it simply possible that the Wings org doesn't really want a lot of fighting? Remember, for good or ill the PP is our enforcer.

Weird, I agree with this guy. He's right, though. Given the crop (or lack thereof) of UFAs this year, it may be better to sign a couple older-but-still-good guys to a 1 year deal than to blow our wads (of cash, obviously) on guys with large holes in their game (Wiz, Pitkanen, etc), spend the longer term bucks next year (when/if) Lidstrom is gone.

Yep, there's no denying that Hudler had a very good half without doing a lot of twisting to support such a negative argument. There's also no denying he blew goats the first half. Good with the bad, and all that.

Then it should be demonstrable with a logical reality. Objectively align your opinion with the rulebook. Show where the rule on charging has absolutely no chance of being enforced on this play.

I disagree, it was charging, by my interpretation of a subjective rule rather than a numerical quota that no longer exists either in the rulebook or in the way the officials call the game. Want to disagree with me? It's subjective. And ultimately subject to the people who run the disciplinary stuff. I think it'd be fair to say that charging played a factor in their decision based upon the length.

I'd like to point out that you guys are wrong about what defines charging. The "3 step" bit is obsolete and no longer in use due to the changes in speed of the game. Here's the main bit on what defines charging in 42.1 In other words, it's very subjective: if it looks like traveling to the viewers with a say in discipline, then it's charging. This assumes some sort speedy movement over a distance (regardless of strides) into another player for the sole intent of hard contact. Obviously, this doesn't come into play all the time; if it's called as such it's usually because the action has been deemed to be headhunting. Meanwhile, it was definitely interference. Almost 2 seconds late, which if nothing else should be enough to back off the hit some. Throw in interference that late with heavy follow through like Rome's hit and you've got very obvious interference. Throw in the rulebook supporting disciplinary action for any interference and you've got a case for suspension. Throw in borderline blindside (Rome starts off his stride from a diagonal position to Horton, and while his initial movement was north-south, by the time he's impacted Horton his movement is almost directly east-west), possible charging, and unnecessary follow through and you've got a recipe for a healthy suspension. I'm all for physical play and I love big hits... if they're clean. What Rome did was careless, dangerous, and just stupid. The rest of the playoffs is just fine.

Like I said, statistically, he's among the bottom half of 2nd liners in the NHL, and level of play wise, some of those players with similar scoring to him are as hot and cold and defensively crappy as he was last year. As I pointed out, I wouldn't want him on my second line with his level of play last year (but I'm also a spoiled Wings fan). He just meets criteria. I also don't want to give him more anything unless he earns it, so don't put words in my.. uh.. text box.. thing.

Well, technically speaking that's probably true, though not really to the unrealistic expectations of this forum. Hudler was around rank 150 at .51 PPG. This is definitely 2nd line territory in the NHL, though the lower chunk of 2nd liners that consists at least partly of 2nd/3rd tweeners. While Hudler doesn't put on a defensive clinic by any stretch of the imagination, he probably (sadly) has more defensive commitment/skill than a fair number of people in that scoring range. So yes, he was probably in 2nd line territory. That doesn't mean he's an ideal 2nd liner on a contender... just means that he meets the criteria. Wings fans should be looking for more depth in the top 9 so Hudler can operate on a 3rd scoring line sort of role, or for Hudler's play to improve significantly next year so he can fully hold down a 2nd line spot... he's not suited to a 3rd line checking role at all. Ideally, both happen.

2 solid UFA defensemen, 1 UFA #6/7 dman Lidstrom - UFA Kronwall - UFA Stuart - Kindl/UFA UFA/Kindl or 1 very good UFA defenseman, Ericsson, UFA #6/7 Kronwall - UFA Lidstrom - Ericsson Stuart - Kindl/UFA UFA/Kindl or 1 very good UFA defenseman, Smith, UFA #6/7 Kronwall - UFA Lidstrom - Smith/Kindl Stuart - Kindl/Smith UFA or 2 good UFA dmen, Smith or Ericsson, UFA #6/7, trade Kindl Lidstrom - UFA Kronwall - UFA Stuart - Smith UFA Possibly add a scoring winger to any of those scenarios if cap permits: Hudler - Datsyuk - Cleary Franzen - Zetterberg - UFA Bertuzzi - Filppula - Holmstrom Abdelkader - Helm - Eaves Draper/Miller/Emmerton/Whoever if cap or availability doesn't permit: Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Holmstrom Bertuzzi - Filppula - Franzen Hudler - Helm - Cleary Emmerton - Abdelkader - Eaves Draper/Miller/Whoever Note that one of the UFA d-men can be acquired in a trade rather than UFA if available. I personally find defense scenario #2 the most realistic and viable, which probably (hopefully) means add a winger as well. However, if Smith impresses enough, I think Kindl moving is the best option if a cup chase is the idea. Wasting Kindl as a #7 isn't good for value, Smith - Kindl pairing would be a train wreck, and Smith and Kindl on different pairings spreads our defense a bit thin unless A: one of Smith or Kindl is amazing, B: the d-man we acquire for top pairing is incredibly good, or preferably C: both. I also feel: Kronwall - Stuart Lidstrom - Smith UFA - Kindl is viable if Smith is impressive enough.

Pitkanen is an abysmal #1, but he plays much better if he's not "the guy", in my opinion. He seems to do better without the pressure and against weaker opposition. He's more of a fit on a contender than he is to try to build around.

Would like it to be Bieksa, don't think he's leaving the Nucks. That leaves Wiz or Babchuk. Either way, Pitkanen + Wiz/Babchuk = goodbye defense, though at least some grit and puck movement will be there. I actually don't mind Babchuk. Here's an interview from him a handful of years ago when he said "lol no u" to the Canes putting him back in the AHL. Rather insightful fellow, actually. Seems rather ambitious. Not a bad thing... if it's focused well. http://www.russianprospects.com/public/article.php?article_id=525

I disagree, sir. Lmfao or rofl is more appropriate.

Or we could just get Pitkanen AND a right handed shot and knock out two stoners with one bird. Or something like that.

And that raises the question: Why the f*** would you take a train to Omaha?

Obviously, the NHL will be appealing. They're apparently very surprised they lost the case. They must not have been aware the judge drinks Labatt.

Somewhere around halfway between Syracuse and Scranton, a little closer to Scranton I think. South NY state, near the border to Pennsylvania. Uhhh.. you know how NY state has that wiggly funny shaped part in the southeast, then the southern border becomes straight along the Penn border? It's something like 50 mi, maybe a little less, East/Northeast of the part where the border becomes straight. Yea.

tl;dr, GMs pay for offense. Sometimes stupid amounts, but they do it. And if there's one thing Hudler's got...

Franzen's cap hit is ~$4m, not $5m. Still, I agree mostly with your post. Franzen's cap hit is lowered by his contract being super long term + hometown discount, even Cleary's is a bit of a deal at this point. Laich being paid $4-5m will be worth the money... on the right team. I don't think we're that team, though. We need a different type of offense/play than what he brings (even though I have great respect for both his style of play and his off-ice personality. I certainly wouldn't be unhappy with him).

Offense numbers are all there is to hockey. No lies.

To be honest, given the contracts a large number of players with similar production to him (and many of those with just as unspectacular other areas of the game), I can live with him at $2.8. It's not great, but people should go look at the contracts (and play) of some non-ELC players in the same production range for perspective. It was overpayment for this year, but if he even halves the difference between his production this year and the production that earned him that contract (which would put him in mid 40s points-wise) 2.8 will be quite decent. Bargain if he manages to bounce back fully next season. Good thing about being a Wings fan... we're blessed to not really have any bad contracts. A team that can be fixed with tweaks is nice. I went with 2-3m. The low end of that (2-2.2m) with his play this last season and the upper end of that if he significantly improves next season.

It's a matter of appearances, really. Here's the thing about Ericsson that almost every Wings fan can likely agree on: Ericsson is boring. He just doesn't do much of anything to get noticed or get on a highlight reel. He's not physical, he's not involved in much offense, so it's more likely that Ericsson is going to show up on a highlight for a goal against than a goal for, even if his GA/60 is lower than some of the other d-men on the team. So that's what people see. In reality, he's usually solid positionally, he's relatively safe in that he doesn't commit a particularly high amount of brain cramps, he's not particularly strong for his size but is otherwise a good athlete so he can eat plenty of minutes, and he's a good skater for his size. He's a usable bottom pair guy. He has enough tools that if he put it all together he could possibly be a #4. But for now, he's incredibly unspectacular. He doesn't have too much happen against, but he doesn't do much either. He's just... safe. That's about it. Safe with some upside, maybe. It's a problem with LGW members looking for players that do something in every position.. because that's just what fans do. Babcock, on the other hand, is fine with a guy that can safely eat about a third of the games minutes (as long as he has more specialized/skilled guys that can be potent offensively and be matched defensively against the other teams' best players). I'm happy enough we got an NHL-usable player with our last pick in a draft. If he can develop into a #4, awesome. If he remains a #5-6 and is willing to stay here for a good price, that's still fine. I'm glad Wings management can scout/draft/develop that well.

And you will quite literally have to do so in the physical sense to get him from them. No. The team with the pick for Larsson wouldn't want a 2nd liner, an overpaid guy and a bunch of late round picks, they'd want real high end talent right now. Kronwall, Pulkinnen, Tatar, and Smith. Don't like it? That's why trades for such high picks typically don't happen.

You do realize that was a joke post, right, eva? The whole idea was to put Phoenix in a division with 4 huge O6 teams and see if they have problems with ratings then.

IF Washington doesn't re-sign them, other teams will pay in the $4-4.5m range. Not-so-longshot that some bonehead pays him near $5, but I'd call him going for $4-4.5 almost certain. That's a lot to pay for Dan Cleary v1.5

Actually, no. The best option for travel all-around (calculated travel distances) with current conferences and roughly similar divisions is: East: NE: Det, Tor, Mtl, Ott, Buf (1 move, Det for Bos) Atl: Phi, Nyr, Nyi, Njd, Bos (1 move, Bos for Pit) SE: Pit, Was, Car, Tbl, Fla (1 move, Pit for Atl) West: Cen: Cbj, Nas, Dal, Chi, Stl (1 move, Det for Dal) NW: Min, Wpg, Edm, Cgy, Col (1 move, Wpg for Van) Pac: Van, Sjs, Phx, Lak, Ana (1 move, Van for Dal) or NW: Min, Wpg, Edm, Cgy, Van (1 move, Wpg for Col) Pac: Sjs, Phx, Lak, Ana, Col (1 move, Col for Dal) The first one is better for travel, the second one is better for whiny northwestern canadians.. I mean divisional rivalries. NAS-> SE is a way worse option travel-wise. DET and CLB are the best option for all but 3 of the East teams, with them splitting it roughly even (slightly in CLBs favor). However, the BJs are a significantly better option for the Cen/majority of the West, and so is Nashville, and them together are a better option for the rest of the division than Detroit. Based purely on travel, Detroit should be the one to move. It's also the only option that gives the NHL a good reason to put Crosby and Ovy (and Stamkos and Malkin) in the same division.