Shutemdown

I honestly think that somehow, miraculously, Hossa will be around after this season ends and Holland will figure out a way to sign all three. Hossa took a paycut to come here for a couple different reasons. Yeah, he wants the best chance to win a cup which would arguably be Detroit. Also, Hossa has been saying he's excited to be with the organization and displayed the same characteristics that many of the team share: to take less money for the sake of the team. If he's already somewhat buying into the system, turning his head to MUCH larger offers, I think it's more than just a cup. Hossa knows that our team is soaked in tradition and respect, and he'll enjoy every second of this season playing next to Pav and Hank. By the end of the season, whether or not he's got a ring, I have a feeling he'll try to stick around just as much as Holland will try to keep him around. Once you go to the Red Wings... every other team just seems like second-best. And also... alot of people are thinking it will turn into "Hossa vs. Mule" performance-wise, but we can all safely assume that Hossa will put up better numbers throughout the season. This being said, I think the Wings (regardless) would try to retain Franzen. The DRW are well-known for homegrown talent and developing players in their system. I can't see them trading away Mule in order to keep Hossa, no matter who played better. The organization will hold onto their own above everyone else. Either way, I trust that Kenny Holland will work it all out and make the best decision possible. I'm just hoping to see him work some of his magic and bring back Hank, Mule, AND Hossa... Let's see 3 in a row!

Taken from the Detroit Free Press, August 20th, 2008: "It has been an interesting summer for the Stanley Cup champion Red Wings. They've lost more staff than players and will enter training camp with a roster arguably stronger than last season's. Goalie Dominik Hasek and forward Dallas Drake retired, and forward Mark Hartigan went to Latvia to play for Dinamo Riga of the Kontinental Hockey League. Drake was the only one of the three to play in the Cup finals. The biggest losses have come from the staff. Associate coach Todd McLellan was hired as head coach of the San Jose Sharks and took video coach Jay Woodcroft with him as an assistant coach. Consultant and former coach Scotty Bowman became an advisor for the Chicago Blackhawks and will spend more time with his son, Stan, an assistant general manager. Pro scout and former NHL head coach Bob McCammon retired, and assistant equipment manager Chris Scoppetto left to become head equipment manager of the Florida Panthers. "You've had success, and other people want your people," general manager Ken Holland said. "We had good people. I'm disappointed that we've lost them, but in every case they've got a bigger role, a bigger paycheck." The Wings made headlines this off-season when Penguins forward Marian Hossa rejected big money and longer-term job security to join the Wings for one year, $7.4 million. The Wings added backup goaltender Ty Conklin for one year at $750,000. The Wings also retained the services of defenseman Brad Stuart (four years, $15 million) and forward Valtteri Filppula (five years, $15 million). It has been a short summer for Holland, who recently spent two weeks at his summer home in British Columbia, part of it working on Filppula's new deal. "We tried not to leave all our business to the summer," Holland said. "That's why we signed Chris Osgood last October and Dan Cleary in February." Holland doesn't have much work to do between now and the start of camp next month. His only unfinished business is deals with defensemen Chris Chelios and Kyle Quincey and forward Darren McCarty. "We knew we had to get another goaltender," Holland said. "We felt we addressed it with Ty Conklin. We signed Brad Stuart and Hossa. We think we hit on all our needs. "In Hossa, we got a star. He chose us. He had bigger money, longer-term deals elsewhere. "A Stanley Cup champion team had the chance to keep their team together and add Marian Hossa," Holland said. "That's not supposed to happen with the salary cap." Although the Wings will head to camp without a glaring weakness, there will be plenty of questions to answer. The Wings have more legitimate NHL talent than they have available roster spots. Quincey, Derek Meech and Jonathan Ericsson will battle for the final spot on defense. The Wings will get their first look at Ville Leino, 25, signed from the Finnish league in May. He'll be vying for a roster spot against the likes of Darren Helm, Justin Abdelkader, Aaron Downey and McCarty. The biggest questions among those projected to make the team are: • Will forward Tomas Kopecky be ready to play after having surgery on his left knee to repair a torn ACL and MCL? • Can Jimmy Howard beat out Conklin for the backup job? • Will forward Johan Franzen build off a breakout 27-goal season, or will his late-season scoring tear prove to be a fluke? • With a long-term contract in place, will Filppula take the next step offensively and contribute 20-25 goals? Indeed, it has been a short summer." Not gonna lie... I got excited when they mentioned 25-yr.-old Ville Leino... I hope he gets a chance to play this season. He has the potential to be VERY good.

I would say it's a toss-up between Stevie Y. and Federov. When I was younger, maybe around 95-96, I remember meeting Federov at these tennis courts in Grosse Point. My cousin lived right down the street and apparently Feds was there all the time playing with his girlfriend. I just remember thinking he was a really nice guy and I had just been getting into hockey, so I think meeting him kind of inspired me to watch and support the Wings. Once I actually started watching, Stevie Y. instantly became my favorite player. He was young but I remember him tearing it up, and setting a great example for his team. Ever since, been catching every game. Win, lose, rain or shine, even when we were losing REALLY s***tily... I was still a fan!

Finally... someone else that can see what hockey really needs... I was so suprised when I came and read this, only to see that no one really mentioned or touched on what REALLY needs to change in the NHL. Unfortunately, there are COUNTLESS number of ways to improve it that I'm sure most could agree on. Spyder made some GREAT points... Now, if only these changes would ever happen, we'd be on our way...

Looking at the big picture, he's lived his entire life working to play in the NHL, to play at the highest level. He wouldn't just retire on a whim for no reason... I believe he has a personal injury or medical problem that may prevent him from being able to perform. I can't think of another reason for a young, 19-year-old to retire when he just got drafted and signed, while making big waves in the juniors. This kid had alot going for him, he wouldn't just walk away from it all for nothing. Either way, I hope he's alright and that he returns to play!

Here's the full article: http://www.hhof.com/html/exSCJ08_24.shtml Not only does it touch on his day of celebration with the cup, it also mentions that his old hockey team in Sweden, the Jarfalla Hockey Club, has created a scholarship in his name, which is presented to a u-16 player on the team that displays the same characteristics as Kronner at a the same age. My favorite part of the article is them discussing the scholarship and how it came about... this was a great read! : "Through hard work, humility and great talent, Niklas Kronwall has reached unprecedented heights as a sportsman," began the proclamation. "In 27 years, Niklas has already won two Swedish league championships, the World Cup, Olympic gold and the Stanley Cup, making him a unique athlete who belongs to a very small circle of Swedish hockey. We in Järfälla Hockey are very proud of the fact that Niklas had his hockey education with us, and see him as a great ambassador for Järfälla, both on and off the ice. We want to honour Niklas by introducing a scholarship in Niklas's name. It will go to the under-sixteen (year old) player who we feel best meets the many wonderful traits shown by Niklas Kronwall when he was at the same age: diligent work ethic, good sportsmanship both on and off the ice, having played at least five seasons in the Jarfalla Hockey system and showing the potential to continue hockey at an advanced level." The scholarship pays the recipient 5,000 Swedish Krona, or approximately $800 US. His old hockey club, Jarfalla Hockey Club of Sweden, gave him with a special jersey in honor of the Niklas Kronwall scholarship.

I don't know what exactly his plans are or what he's thinking, but no matter what team he goes to, he's not going to make enough difference to win a cup. Maybe 10 years ago he could have...

Calgary's going to have a great team this year! There's no doubt we'll see them in the plyaoff line-up. We'll see if Bertuzzi actually plays.

My two favorite teams (yes, I have 2) outside of the Red Wings, are the Washington Caps and Minnesota Wild. I've liked the caps for awhile now, long before Ovechkin graced their line-up. I was a big fan of Olaf Kolzig back in the day (2002) and also Chris Simon (even though he was crazy looking). I thought they had a pretty solid team. And now that Kolzig's gone, the only real reason I pay any attention to them is Ovechkin and Feds. But that's a good enough reason to watch a hockey team right there. Ovechkin is an army of one. Minnesota has always been, in my eyes, my only REAL backup team to root for. Every playoffs they make I hope they go far. I like the club alot, and although their players have been moved around alot, the team as itself stays the same. I've been from Michigan my whole life, grown up in the same house in Royal Oak for 22 years, and the Red Wings will always have my heart. If by some chance encounter they were to get swept off the side of the earth, though, I guess I could settle for one of these 2. Wouldn't even come close, though... I can never see myself EVER being this loyal to ANY other sports team in ANY sport. The Red Wings bring a sense of home to me... even when I'm traveling, the thought of the DRW brings me comfort and warms my heart. I say this with pride and sincerety in my heart: RED WINGS FOR LIFE!!!!!!

Some posts after the picture: Just watched Hossa skate at Marian Gaboriks' rink in Trencin Slovakia. There were a few guys including Gaborik just scrimmaging. It was really cool to watch. Any way some info on Hossa for ya.... He was wearing all brand new RED wings gear and even had his practice jersey with 81 on it. Looking like a million bucks I must say, get ready for him to have a big year for you guys, I spoke with him for a few minutes before and he cant wait to play in Detroit. He also was being interviewed by a local radio station and when asked what he does to kill time in the off season, he said vacuum... He said the noise reminds him of playing in front of a packed arena.. lol Hope this gets you guys a little excited to see him, I know I cant wait.. Haha, I thought this was hilarious: He vacuums when he's bored just for the noise of the vacuum... it reminds him of playing in front of a full crowd. Priceless!

Red Wings invite Swan to camp The Detroit Red Wings have invited former Anaheim Ducks second-round draft pick Bryce Swan to their training camp in September. The 6-foot-3, 198-pound forward will try out for a contract at the Red Wings’ prospects tournament from Sept. 13 to 17 in Traverse City, Mich. He will also get a look at Detroit’s main camp from Sept. 20 to 23. Swan, 20, was drafted 38th overall by the Ducks in the 2006 draft. He turned down contract offers the following two years and was passed over after re-entering the draft in June, thus becoming an unrestricted free agent. He has played four seasons with the Halifax Mooseheads in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, and at his best is a hard-working forward who goes to the dirty areas to score goals. He projects as a role player, but needs to work on his skating and play a more consistent physical game. Swan had a disappointing 25 goals among 49 points in 67 games last season, a 10-goal drop from his 35-goal campaign in 2006-07. He bounced back with a terrific post-season run, posting 11 goals and five assists in 13 games. Also found this: http://www.hockeysfuture.com/prospects/bryce_swan Talent Analysis Swan plays an up-tempo, rough-and-tumble, heavy-hitting game. He is a hard skater, and is a hard worker in the corners. He also has good drive to the net, and a hard slap shot. He is an adept penalty killer, utilizing his aggressive fore-check regularly to hem in the offense. Not a regular pugilist, the fact that he suffered an injury in a fight is indicative of the bad luck he suffered injury-wise. It should be noted that not one of his injuries was a result of his power-forward style of play, which should alleviate concerns stemming from last season’s “made of glass” demeanor. Future Swan will provide goal-scoring and size while trying to make sure his hard-nosed play doesn't work against him and force him out of the lineup with injuries.

Keep in mind, also, that he's coming here knowing that if he WANTS to stay, he'll have to show them he's worth keeping. Alot of people think that he's just coming in to win a cup, but he signed a year deal to play a FULL year, and he's already kind of said he would like to play here. Factor in who he'll be playing with (Pav and Z, the Mule, etc.), and it's even more enticing/promising for him to stay. I think he's going to come out guns'a blazin' and show Babcock and upper management that he's happy here, while earning his next contract. He knows that if he plays well, he stays.

Ok... so I Opie a small apology. I didn't mean to go on a huge rant and start calling you out. That definately wasn't my intention. It's very easy for people to squabble on ANY forums, especially sports team forums. As fans, we all watch the same games, anticipate the same trades or outcomes, discuss games, and speculate (in the off-season). However, with all of these different perspectives and strong opinions come disagreements and animosity, which no one likes. All of this being said, I will admit I only knew a small portion of you two's relationship, and thought that it was just another forum fight. I was merely trying to calm things down and point out differing views. Didn't mean to jump on anyone! And after I posted I saw your new post clarifying, so I'll just shut up now... This thread has gone WAY off-topic...

First off, why bother calling someone out on having comprehension issues or not paying attention? Could it be that your mindless insults to the POSTER and not the POST could be distracting to people? Honestly... people are more worried about responding to your posts because YOU ATTACK THEM. Stick to the thread and the topic at hand, bro. In turn, I'm sure other posters will be more "comprehensive" or pay more attention. Secondly, this isn't the first post that seems... controversial. Your sarcasm or offensively-based posts make others feel like you're attacking them instead of replying to their post. Maybe try arguing your point without actually arguing with the people who posted the reply? You stated that you'd rather see Malts in the press box. How is that NOT saying he shouldn't play? Sounds like you'd rather have him off the ice than on. That's a fair argument, and primarily true, but when people ask why, don't call them out for not being more attentive... Maybe you should clarify your posts before you start running your mouth to other people for misunderstanding, sir.

Just a couple of quotes about this guy I've seen floating around the league... "This guy is a 6'5, 16 year old defencemen playing for MoDo in the Swedish Elite League playing top minutes..THN listed him as one of the "intriguing" players in Europe this year with Brunnstrom, Kulemin, Morozov and Markov.. he was playing a regular shift with MoDo until he sustained a concussion recently..scouts say he is like a European Pronger but better. He is thought to be the only player who might contest Tavares for the #1 overall selection in 2009." "6'5 at age 16, he's only gonna get bigger. Skates like Kaberle too..." "I dont know about CHL but you are right about Victor Hedman. He is dominating the Swedish national team for 18 year olds and is playing for MODO in the J20 championships (with 20 year olds) at the age of 16. His older brother Oscar Hedman is drafted by Washington Capitals and has made a great season and I expect him to get picked up probably next year. Victor will probably need a few more years to develope but I am quite sure he will be one of our best defencemen in the future, if he just continues to develop. He is ranked as one of Swedens most promising players, if not even the highest ranked. But as I said, he has got a lot more years before we can tell how good he's really gonna be." Looks alot like Bertuzzi, doesn't he...? Could just be me...

Considering Hossa will most likely be on a different line than Pav and Hank, I'm going to say that they'll rack up more points than Hossa will. Although, Hossa paired with Flip and the Mule will really open things up. This will be very interesting to see how it all pans out. I'm going to say Pav, Z, then Hossa rounding them up. I'm really hoping Franzen can continue to be the force that he was... we'd be unstoppable.

The actual source of this comparison was an article I posted in another thread. They started off saying that Lidstrom is arguably the best Swedish player to ever play the game. Later in the article, they have a small quote from Steve Stamkos where he talks about this guy and that, although he's never personally played against Lidstrom, he shares a similar style with him. That being said, the article goes on to detail that this guy is still only a prospect, but boasts a 6'5", 215lb. frame. I'll have to pull up a profile on this guy... It's kind of the same comparison as (I think it was) Cory Emmerton being compared to a young Joe Thornton, as he has a wider skating stance and great hockey sense. All of this being said, it's very true... there will never be another Stevie Y. or St. Nik... many that come close, but still falling short.

I say trade Sammy away, and put Helm on the 4th line.

Yeah, it's hard for me to rank one or the other higher, or even to say that one outplayed the other. Point and case, they both stepped up and played VERY well in the playoffs. Rafalski, IMO, earned his spot with Lids and I thought Stuart/Kronners made a GREAT duo... kind of a one-two punch. Both made plays that had me thinking, "Damn, that guy's good..." I was a fan of Rafalski even back when he was on the Florida Panthers... he's been a great defenseman his entire career... it's good to see he's still got it. Overall, Kronwall makes the big hits, Rafalski is just solid all-around, and knows how to shoot the puck more and pinch in. Hands down, it gets me excited even THINKING about our defense, let alone our team... can't wait for next season. It's closer than it seems!! )

If you'll recall, Stevie Y. battled with a bad knee throughout his career and still led his team perfectly. If anything, our team watched him limp off the ice everynight, cringing in pain, and it inspiried the whole team to give that same effort and fight through similar pain. If Zetterberg can overcome his weakness just like Yzerman did, he'll wear the 'C'. If not, then it will go to Draper (assuming he's not too old or tired). IMO, Draper has the heart and personality to be the next captain, but his stats are diminishing with age, so we'll see. I'm gonna say Hank and hope that his either his injuries subside, or he plays through them.

This is seriously the funniest post I've ever seen, hands down. Assuming only a handful of people even understood that to begin with... haha. Lidstrom would need to be at LEAST a 6/7 that was indestructible and couldn't be the target of spells or abilities. Kronners would definately have trample. Draper and Helm would have flying. McCarty would be a 3/2 red creature with taunt.

Same here! Honestly, I kinda felt like Dmac was taking a spot that could've otherwise been filled by someone with more talent. Yes, he is a face of the franchise, a team builder and a character guy, but when all we needed was a bruiser to sit on the bench in case he's needed, Aaron Downey fills that role perfectly. He knows the team isn't necessarily dependent on his skill, therefore we'd have an "enforcer" there just in case, while keeping spots open for the rest of the team. At this point, nothing against Dmac, but I'd sign Downey and move on.

Sarcasm aside, I hate to ask you this, but when someone on our team DOES get run, who, then, will stand up to fight the guy who just took the cheapshot? Exactly. And then our players continue to get run... We need en enforcer... I've said it once, I'll say it again. I am fully aware that our players will get run no matter what we say about it. I understand that if a player wants to take a cheapshot, he's going to, regardless of who's on the ice. However, I can't understand what happens once the cheapshot occurs. There wouldn't be a fight to begin with unless both teams had someone willing to stand up. So who's gonna be our stand-up man? Datsyuk? Hossa? Hell, let's throw Huds at 'em. I dunno about you, Opie, but I'd rather have an expendable brawler to throw out there in reply instead of a bunch of stars that don't need to fight, let alone would accept the challenge.

Great article! Jeez... reading articles like that just make me wish the season was in gear already... I really hope Helm and Ericsson play this year... I love keeping an eye on all of our prospects... we have so many players to look forward to! It's like watching the future of our team develop... Can't wait until September!!