DraperFan MN

I'm a transplant who lives and works in Minneapolis, and this doesn't qualify me for anything, other than I get to watch the Wild more than most, on tv and in person. This team may capture lightning in a bottle, but they will bore their fans to death in the process. I'd rather let paint dry on my eyeballs than watch this team for an entire game. I think Lemaire is ridiculous as a coach, and if it wasn't for really good hockey people in this organization that somehow keep a decent level of talent in the organization, the honeymoon would be over. No matter what though, this is a hockey mad state, and they keep filling the seats. Which is another reason why this organization pisses me off so much. The "X" is filled every night, and they rarely go out and spend any money.

Well, I think I'm in. Too much good news and I emailed them about the one question I had if I were to buy a whole season.

I did get an email stating my refund is on its way...I'll check my paypal account in a couple of days. Apparently, China was in the middle of a national week of vacation last week which led to some delays....A lightinthebox rep told me this and after a couple of minutes of research, it checked out.

I just pulled the trigger. I went with standard shipping...if I get what theman19 received, I'll be very happy. I'll keep people posted.

Damn, a nice heated thread for summer time, so I might as well inject my two cents worth. Overall, I agree with with what Eva is saying. I've looked at the salary cap chart on this website in depth, and if Mac and Chelly are signed, getting rid of two young defenseman will leave them right about where they are now, if they both stay on the roster. With what has been reported previously, Mac's contract is going to be a two way contract, which could provide a bit more relief if he or another roster player (who would have to clear waivers) are in GR at any point in time, but it is not a lot of t-u-m-s. So with all that said, I think Lilja and his agent played his hand well this off-season, and he was aided by Stuart's reluctance to sign, so good for him. He had every right to play it like he did. However, just because he played his hand well at that point doesn't mean that Holland has to refrain from playing his hand now to put the Wings in a stronger position by maintaining (some would say upgrade) the blue line. Lilja's salary coming off the books without the defensive corp taking a hit in their level play is a good idea IMO, and I think the idea that Holland can't make that move out of some sort of weird respect for Lilja is ridiculous. This is a business, and Lilja does NOT have a NTC. If Holland can trade him and put the Wings in a better position, you can bet your ass he will. Now, as for the personal shots: Doggy, you do have a way with getting in your subtle shots and looking clean as a whistle on the other side. Eva has been around here a lot longer than yourself, and so have I for that matter. Eva is a positive and regular contributor to the site, and to call his posts stupid is ridiculous and conveys your own ignorance. Eva, you lost your cool, which wasn't cool. Last but not least, our mods are the best around, and they are a big reason why this site is one of the best team fan sites on the web, period. I've never been asked to be a mod, but if I were, I don't know if I would accept. They have to put up with and clean up a lot of crap around here while maintaining their neutrality and composure.

I think I'm tearing up a bit...

Is there anyone, anyone out there, that could set up a p2p stream of the game tomorrow night? I am a die-hard Lions fan as well, and hope springs eternal for me. I'm really hoping someone can set this up!

You're a State fan, what do you know Yeah, I checked the NFL Network....I didn't see it on the schedule, but I'll check again.

Ya know, this is a good point. He most certainly could have gotten more on the open market. It wouldn't be an employee friendly thing to trade him.

If I'm Holland, I don't sign Chelly and offer him a position with the organization, and then I trade Lils and Sammy. The Wings will have their choice of a young defenseman and forward to take their place. Their trade value will never be higher, although I wouldn't expect to get more than a 4th or 5th round pick for either of them, and the Wings could save somewhere between 700 - 900 K depending on which young guys they bring up. Helm should be on the roster this year, and who knows how Leino performs, and Ericsson could impress at camp. With that said, some tough decisions could be coming at the end of next year with regard to Hossa and Franzen.

Reason: They need to reintroduce the Blackhawks to the Chicago Metropolitan television viewing population

My favorite so far.

Matt, Nice work and layout, much easier to read than previous charts, and the bottom line information is all at the top! Also, cool roll over with the contract information. I also liked the flag for the player's native country next to their pic! Nice touch!

also.... Is anyone here an insider that could get the text of that article and post it here? Geez, could you imagine our top two? Holmstrom - Datsyuk - Zetterberg Franzen - Sundin - Hossa and then that bumps Flip down to the third line Fillpula - Hudler - Cleary McCarty - Draper - Maltby Now, I don't think this is EVER going to happen, but if Sundin did come to the Wings on the cheap, Sammy IS gone, and Kopecky, Helm, Leino, and Downey are all in GR to start the season.

Listen, He could pull a Kariya, and come to the Wings for cheap, cheap, cheap. The guy has made his money, and hasn't he already said that he only wants to go to a contender? In my mind, that eliminates Vancouver. I think there are just a handful of places which could give him a real shot. Anaheim, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Montreal, and maybe a couple of others could be debated. Vancouver just has too many missing pieces. Their blueline is not substantive enough to be considered contenders. Which is sad for Luongo.

I would give my left nut to get a copy of this game on DVD. I was working during this game and listened to the entire thing on the radio.

The fact we can have this thread, debate, and have a VERY difficult time with this topic shows how spoiled we are....anyway, here I go: 1. Yzerman 2. Lidstrom 3. Fedorov 4. Osgood 5. Shanahan 6. Draper 7. Datsyuk 8. Zetterberg 9. Holmstrom 10. Larionov Again, like others here, I think Dats and Z will rocket up this list.

Good point. If Rolston had signed here for less term and money he got elsewhere, that would have been a hometown discount.

Have to agree with SWF here. This article makes a lot of great points. They are working at locking up their core, just as the Wings have done in a way to help them keep their core together. The only mistake the writer makes is not qualifying "the most skill on the pp" being the best unit in the east. Pretty hard to look at the Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Hossa, Lidstrom, Rafalski unit as not being THE most talented overall PP unit in the league. Good God, that is a sick 1st PP Unit.

Two things about those line combos I cannot stand... Sammy is still on the team and Hudler playing on the fourth line. Hudler has just done everything that has been asked of him, and continued to produce at a high level in spite of his place on the team. There is zero reason why Sammy cannot be traded. Let Malts (some people would say Malts has run his course as well) be on a line with Draper and Cleary, and let Hudler, Helm, and Kopecky play on a line together. I wouldn't even consider one of those lines a fourth line, call those two lines 3a and 3b and give 'em equal minutes. (Obviously, that would be contingent upon game situations) I think ultimately there will have to be some movement in the forward corps as well as the back end, because Leino is coming over this year, and the speculation is that he could make this roster, I think Samuelsson and Quincey are the tradeable commodities. Sammy's salary is very cap friendly, and he just won a cup in which he actually played well. His trade value will NEVER be higher than it is right now. TRADE SAMMY!

I believed the Central was a better division last year, and this year, it will be markedly improved. Columbus and Chicago will battle for 2nd place and I believe St. Louis will place third. I just think Nashville has lost too much to compete. I think what Columbus has done will go a long way towards getting a playoff spot, but it will still be tough. I think Chicago makes the playoffs because they now have premier defenseman, but their hopes do hinge on Campbell's ability to deliver. Detroit, barring some major meltdown, wins the division obviously :afro:

I believe it was Young Guns.....

This is an understatement: Well, that was unexpected.

Amen, I was just thinking this as I was reading through some of the posts. Geeez people, he's gone, gone forever, let him and the rest of us live in peace!

...and you're wrong. Holland is already on record as saying that Chelly could be the 8th and more likely the 9th defenseman on this squad next year. His role is going to be drastically reduced. If Hollan holds true to that, and he is the 9th, that opens up two more spots. They are not going to lose both Ericsson and Meech. Ericsson is the guy they really want to make this squad, Meech is a surprise, Lebda hasn't lost his job, so Quincey is the odd man out.