Shutemdown

Taken from The Detroit Free Press, Tuesday, September 9th: Marian Hossa is still looking for somewhere to live, but he's beginning to feel at home with his new team. Hossa took the ice at Joe Louis Arena on Monday for the first time as a Red Wing. After a weekend of apartment hunting in metro Detroit, he joined several fellow Wings for a voluntary practice at the Joe. It was the first chance for some players to meet Hossa, who stunned many in the NHL by signing a one-year, $7.45-million deal July 2. Hossa turned down more money and long-term deals to come to Hockeytown. "It's my decision, and I try to get the best chance to win the Cup, and I felt like this is the team to be (with), and that's why I sign with Detroit," said Hossa, who has scored 299 career goals and 648 points for the Ottawa Senators, Atlanta Thrashers and Pittsburgh Penguins. His decision to sign with the Wings opened a floodgate of media criticism in the days that followed. Some wondered how Hossa could turn down long-term job security and tens of millions of dollars. Some considered him opportunistic, jumping on the bandwagon of a defending Cup team with most of its parts still in place. Some wondered why he didn't return to Pittsburgh, which lost some key players, but returns three stars: forwards Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. "I don't care. People can say what they want," Hossa said of the criticism. "It's my life, and I make the decision I like." What factored into his decision to join the Wings? "Obviously, it's a winning situation," Hossa said. "That's the No. 1 thing. I want to win. "Basically, it's simple. There was a few teams in play, but my decision was between Pittsburgh and Detroit. Detroit won because the team stayed together and it's a strong hockey team, a strong organization. Don't want to take anything from Pittsburgh. I had a great time there, unbelievable young players and great group. But I just feel, you know, a little bit better chance here." Hossa is staying with Tomas Kopecky, his fellow Wings forward and Slovak, until he finds a place to live. "Kopy's taking good care of me," Hossa said. "He doesn't cook good but, you know, he's still taking me around." As Hossa spoke with reporters, Kopecky walked over and held out his hand and jokingly introduced himself. Kopecky later joked that Hossa was a terrible houseguest because he will "leave the lights on during the night." Hossa said it has helped to have a friend on the team. "I could ask him so many questions," Hossa said of Kopecky. "He's a close friend of mine. ... He's helping, especially in the beginning. It's a big plus." Hossa isn't concerned about whom will join him on a line. Coach Mike Babcock plans to have Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg center separate lines this season, so Hossa could end up playing with Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom. "I haven't talked to the coach about anything," Hossa said. "I just got here. Obviously, it's his decision. It doesn't really matter who (you) play with. In this group, everybody's a great player." NOTEBOOK: Kopecky said he hopes to play in a couple of exhibitions and be 100% by the time the Wings open the season Oct. 9 vs. Toronto. Kopecky had surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left knee in April and spent the summer doing rehab. "I have no big problems with the knee," Kopecky said. Asked if he had any setbacks over the summer, Kopecky said: "It was more mental. A couple days I had to take off because I was just fed up with the rehab and I was going crazy at home."

It's easy to say something like that, but it's obviously a biased opinion. Years and years ago, before there was any Pavel Datsyuk or Henrik Zetterberg's in the league, Marian Hossa was one of my favorite players. Still today, even if he were still on Pittsburgh, he'd rank in my top 5 all-time favorite players. (Being Slovakian, I always rooted for fellow Slovaks). But saying he's obviously not as good as these two is taking it a little far... they're literally like Hossa-prototypes. If anything he's right on par, if not even better. It's easy to say Pav and Hank are elite stars in the league, but they're still young and still coming into themselves, whereas Hossa has been an established superstar in the NHL for awhile now and boasts the stats to prove it. In theory, disregarding the organization's loyalty to their homegrown talent, Hossa should command the same amount as Datsyuk and Zetterberg. It won't happen... but to say he doesn't deserve that much would be unfair.

I'd still like to think that whenever these decisions need to be made, the team will try hard to retain all 3 players. Just like Opie said, nothing against Mule at all, but Hossa wins the argument over who the better player is. It's just a given. I'd hate to wave g'bye to Franzen, but keeping Hossa would be clutch. I'm hoping they'll figure out a way to keep them all. The only way I can see that is if a couple things happen... 1.) Players retiring-- If the Wings have another great season, it may be on a good enough note for some players to consider retiring. Maltby just had twins, and is getting older. Chelios will once again face the "Should I retire yet?" bug. 2.) Salary cap raise-- IF, and I say that very sparingly... IF the cap rises yet again, it will allow the Wings more wiggle-room when it comes to re-signing their big guns. If the cap can increase a couple mil, it would be completely possible to retain them all while keeping the team (for the most part) intact. 3.) Players move-- Who knows what will happen when we finally get to this point where decisions have to be made, but if there's a legitimate chance at keeping all 3, the Wings might look to move a different player on the team. For instance, Ville Leino is in our system but is still unproven. Trading away our rights to a player like that might free up space to re-sign others. Also, as we're seeing a logjam on defense, moving a defenseman or two would free up much-needed room. These are all just hypothetical. I only half know what I'm talking about when it comes to waivers and contracts, etc. So my reasoning could be way off. Either way, I think there will be certain options available that MAY allow us to retain all 3. And if we did... oh lord, watch out.

I thought this was funny: As Hossa spoke with reporters, Kopecky walked over and held out his hand and jokingly introduced himself. Kopecky later joked that Hossa was a terrible houseguest because he will "leave the lights on during the night."

I agree with your comments, and I believe that, for the most part, you're correct in your assessment. However, let me remind everyone of last February when Lidstrom suffered his injury, and then look at our record in that stretch. We were still fielding ALL of our offensive threats, we still had Pav and Hank out there, but it didn't matter. The main reason we fell behind was largely due to the loss of Nick Lidstrom. There are certain intangibles in every game, but the argument of whether or not this league is based around offense or defense SPECIFICALLY is a moot point. You need to put up some numbers and put your team on the board. You need to keep the opposing team out of your zone. It's an even mix of the two. No team that is STRICTLY offense will win a championship, and no team that is ONLY defensive will win a championship. It requires an even mix of both. If it came down to choosing one player, it's a toss-up and will always depend on the person, themself. Some people prefer high scoring games, others prefer solid defensive games.

Same here... where was the festival at? I'm Slovak, and I go with my grandparents to their church every so often. It's a Slovak Catholic church at 18 and Ryan, I think? I used to go to the festival every year. If we're talking about the same festival, I'm gonna be piiiiiiiiiiiiissed...

I always looked at Pav and Hank as equal in superiority. One has dazzling stickwork and puck control, the other is just a powerhouse that can skate right through people. Datsyuk was the wizard. Hank was the tank. Filpulla reminds me alot of a younger Zetterberg. He's got a solid build, strong legs that can skate hard. And his 2-way game reflects Zett's, too. I don't know if Flip will ever have the same puck control as Datsyuk, (which is hard for anyone, really), but his ability to hang onto the puck in traffic reminds me alot of Zetterberg. That's just me, though. To others, he may have more of a resemblance to Datsyuk.

I've been waiting for mine all weekend! It better come tonight...! >:0

Eh... I guess I'm just in the wrong then. I understand that these are forums, and differing opinions can spark DEBATES. The last 10 posts I had read were not merely debates, they were arguments. Why sit there and call someone else childish? Does it add to the "debate"? Yeah, I signed up for these forums to talk hockey with fellow fans, and even to debate my point on certain topics. That's fine. I don't log on everyday to tell people they're wrong or to hear people argue. Half of debating is being able to understand where the other side is coming from... conceding certain points and arguing others. If all it is, is "Well, you're wrong, and I'm right. You don't have any idea what you're talking about and I know everything." then it's pointless. Save your breath. You can argue your point perfectly fine without calling someone childish. There are means of having a CIVIL debate or argument. There is a difference between debating and arguing. These forums are more for dabating. Sure arguments break out, I guess my point was to say that the ARGUING wasn't getting anyone anywhere and it was unecessary. You can voice your opinion or argue your point all you want, but don't start directing those arguments towards the person, themself. Why rip on someone that just has a differing opinion? If it's crazy that I came here looking for FRIENDLY banter, then maybe I should just go elsewhere. I sometimes question why people make posts like this....

I wish Filpulla was playing on the second line. I think he could really come into his own playing alongside Z and Franzen. He seemed to be getting his confidence up in the playoffs last year, I wish he had a chance to play up there. His salary would reflect that of a second line center, as well. (I ONLY said that because everyone's on a salary-binge right now.) Hudler would still be WELL suited on the third line with Cleary and Sammy... and he'd be playing alongside his same line-mates as last year. Would it not make more sense to switch Flip and Huds? Flip could play with Zetterberg and Franzen, Hudler with Cleary and Sammy? Makes more sense to me...

Geez... It's so fun coming onto these boards and just listening to people bicker over PURE SPECULATION. Hey, let's wait 2 weeks into the season and see if the lines are still the same! What a novel idea... But that wouldn't make sense, we should all just argue about them now because they're set in stone and never changing. Pav and Hank will never play on the same line again in their careers and Filpulla is grounded to the 3rd line for the remainder of his newly-signed 5-year contract. Seriously, guys... I know it's the off-season coming off a SC win, but c'mon... is there any reason to cry about all this bulls*** when there's LITERALLY nothing we can do about it anyways, no one's going to change their opinion, and it's all just relative? Who knows... Filpulla could be on the second line before preseason's even up. NO ONE HAS ANY IDEA SO STOP CRYING ABOUT IT. Debate it all you want, just don't take it to the next level... we're all fans, this is the entire reason we're all here-- to talk about and debate hockey, primarily the DRW. Kthx.

Ok, two things... First off, let me get this straight. I've always thought that Hank and Pav had a chemistry that couldn't be matched. 2 Guys that have been playing for 10 years on the same line could only HOPE to have that kind of chemistry. It's like they know exactly where eachother are on the ice and know exactly where the other will be and where to pass, etc. That being said, someone just brought up a great reason to have the two seperated. (Which, after reading your post, it would seem you haven't even glanced at it.) It makes sense to split them up. Datsyuk plays to his best potential when playing with better players. Hank makes those around him better because he's that good. I know it's hard to imagine the twins seperated, but think about Franzen with Zetterberg. Pwnage. You don't want to lump all of your eggs into one basket. Distributing our two, arguably our two BEST players, into seperate lines just makes BOTH of those lines bigger threats. Hossa with Datsyuk will be crazy sweet. Our 1A line will have a goalie screen, an elite playmaker, and a laser of a shot from Hossa. Our second line will have Z, who can skate through people like they weren't even there, the Mule (who, if he can stay on board with where he left off last season, will be VERY exciting), and Mini-Huds... A playmaker, a mule, and a finisher (IMO Hudler has a really good finishing shot). As far as im concerned Hossa's not apart of the Red Wings franchise and never will be. Hes here to defend the cup then hes gone. I've actually said this in a couple other posts, but Hossa is making it seem like he really desired to come to Detroit, not only to increase his chances of getting a cup, but because he recognizes what a great organization it is, and he likes the style of play that we play (cycle the puck, puck possession, etc.). He's been quoted a couple times saying that he's very excited to play here, he really liked the way our team played in the finals and he wished he could be on a team like ours. Not just because we won, but because he saw so much determination and skill that he knew it was something special. He bought into our system knowing that by taking less money he's increasing his chances of a championship, and our system will reward him by offering another contract (hopefully). If Kenny Holland signed him knowing that he'd just come for one season and then leave, that's fine, but I have a feeling he picked him up knowing that it might turn into something more. Hossa will stay, I bet. I have a feeling he's really going to like it here. I know I kind of trailed off, but the points still remain. Pav and Hank are good when they're together, but that doesn't mean they both suck on seperate lines. Distibuting the power can only make each line that much stronger... And Hossa will be a question mark until later in the year, but with all that I've read about him and his contact with our organization, all I'm hearing is that he's pumped to play on our team, in our system, with our style of play, with our players. He's gonna like it here...

Nice, just bought one... can't wait for it to come. Now I've got 2 authentic jerseys (Lidstrom, Datsyuk) and 2 jersey t-shirts (Franzen, Hossa)... Jesus Christ I can't wait for the season... I'm going to the preseason game on the 24th vs. Montreal! Ugh... is it just me or does it seem like the summer flew by just from thinking about hockey and the upcoming season so much? Like MONTHS flew by. I can remember them winning the cup like it was yesterday. Yessir, this year we go for the gusto...

Just found this article on the Free Press: http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article...7/1053/SPORTS05 Someone in the comments after the article made a point that it still kind of seems, especially now with this article, that management is STILL a little shaky about this kid... What do you guys think?

Found this article on Redwingscentral.com earlier, and I know it's from a little while ago, but reading it just made me get excited all over again so I figured I'd post it: http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/2008/07/yzerman_on_wdfn.html Yzerman on WDFN: Hossa's coming in to win us over Red Wings vice president Steve Yzerman spoke to WDFN's Stoney and Wojo during their annual Radiothon fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society of Michigan, helping boost their informal fundraising total exceed $115,000 by donating four behind-the-bench tickets to the Wings-Penguins game at Joe Louis Arena, which takes place on November 11th, and a signed jersey to the cause. He just happened to talk about the team that employs him during his 6:47 interview, too, stating that he's getting his day with the Stanley Cup in mid-October so that he can bring it to his daughters' school, and he talked about the Wings' wooing of Marian Hossa: Bob Wojnowski: Now, how the heck did you guys get Hossa, were you as shocked, talking to Ken Holland earlier, and Scotty, were you as shocked as everybody else, or did you kind of have an inkling that Hossa would do what he did and come here? Steve Yzerman: You know, I was pretty surprised, really. In July the 1st, in the afternoon, we got a chance to talk to Marian and his agent, and, uh, at that time, he'd just left it with us that he was gonna spend 24-48 hours and kind of go over all the teams that he'd talked to, but we kind of made it clear that it would be difficult to do a long-term deal based on other contracts that we had to do over the next year, but the one thing his agent did say on the 1st was, you know, just don't close it out, you know, or, give us, we may call you back, and, sure enough, I guess they called Kenny, Kenny was at a gas station, he got a call, and when I showed up at the office a little bit later, they were literally on the phone, kind of tidying up loose ends on the deal, so it was a pretty pleasant surprise. Mike Stone: Steve, as somebody who is Canadian, spends a lot of time up there, you know, general manager of Team Canada and all that, are you surprised at all the abuse that Hossa has taken for signing this contract in Canada? People are just mystified. Yzerman: Heh heh, uh, you know, I don't know why, or how you can criticize the guy, I guess you can criticize anything nowadays, you know, like, if he'd had went to a team that was really looking hard for a player, and shoved huge money, he'd be criticized for going somewhere and chasing the bucks and never going to win, so he goes to an organization with a chance to win, and he's criticized to that. Without even talking to him, my own feeling is, he's signed, he's coming here with the intention that, "I'm gonna play really well, and fit in here, and they're going to want to sign me to a long-term deal," so I don't, and again, I haven't spoken to him with that, but it's just my feeling that, I know he likes the organization, and he likes the way our team plays, but his intention is to come in and win us over, and stay here. Wojo: See, I wonder if it's anti-Hossa sentiment that some people expressed, or just, "Oh, God, the rich get richer, the Red Wings," you know, and the Red Wings have become the big monster to the rest of the NHL to a certain degree, and you guys must feel to a certain degree that the rich get richer... Yzerman: Well, you know what? I, this is really unusual, passing up multi-year, pretty significant dollar deals, but, you know, traveling around, and talking to people within hockey and hockey fans outside of Detroit, I think everybody really admires the team and the way the team played this year, so I haven't really seen a lot of anti-Red Wing sentiment, and I'm guessing that if there was, they're not going to tell me anyway, but I think that, for the most part, people have been extremely complimentary of this team, how they played, and the style of hockey they played, so, you know, again, I just think that people, there are always going to be two sides, and people can't wait to find a reason to criticize. Stoney: When do you get your little visit with Stanley? Yzerman: I'm going to get it in October, actually. I talked to John Hahn, who's kind of in charge of scheduling, and I'd like to get it later on, once school starts, and possibly take it to my kids' school for a day. Wojo: Oh, that's a great idea... Stoney: Oh, my God, nice show and tell project! Yzerman: Yeah, and they go to an all-girls school, so I'm not sure how excited these young ladies are going to be to get it, but, hopefully, they, uh...Find it interesting. Stoney: I'm sure that they'll act with more decorum than Draper's daughter... Yzerman: Heh heh, actually, you know, I had an episode like that when my daughter was young, too, so be careful when you drink out of that thing. Wojo: Oh my God, now all those stories are coming out, and I don't think I want to hear all those stories, to be honest.

Dude... she would want you there. My suggestion would be to purchase a large cake for her... one large enough to fit inside of if you were to hollow it out... and then jump out of it at her birthday party wearing nothing but a bow around your neck. C'mon, man... she's counting on you to be there...

Be sure you're wearing a Red Wings jersey so he knows you're a fan! And get a picture!!

... and when he does, it's typically with a 2-minute penalty.

Alright. Datsyuk used to have the reputation of being invisible in the playoffs. He could have a stellar performance every year, and come playoff time, he would just disappear. That, however, is not the case anymore. He has gotten better with age. In Hossa's case, he's been a role-player in the playoffs for any team he's with since he began playing. To sit here and say he had a horrible playoff run 2 years ago, ok? Based on what? His own past performances? If that's the case, it's no argument at all... we all know players fluctuate, go hot/cold, and some of it could have to do with the team he's on. Specualte all you want, saying Hossa plays lackluster in the playoffs is absurd, just like saying Datsyuk is horrible in the playoffs. Both will be great contenders and both will have great seasons this year.

I think I just threw up in my mouth...

http://www.redwingscentral.com/stories/200...asonRanking.php That's the link, but I might as well just post it here, too. Jonathon Ericsson and Darren Helm have bounced Jimmy Howard from the top of Red Wings Central’s end-of-season prospect ranking. Ericsson, who started the season ranked eighth, and Helm, who started the season ranked 10th, sit 1-2 on the final report, knocking off Howard, who has been No. 1 on the list since midway through the 2006-07 campaign. All three are capable of playing in the NHL in the fall. Most of the other movement within the ranking is fairly minor, but recently-signed Finnish forward Ville Leino debuts at No. 11 and Belarusian defenseman Sergei Kolosov bounces back onto the list in the final spot at No. 20. Here’s a rundown. 01. Jonathan Ericsson (+1) — Mike Babcock loves him and with good reason. The mobile 6-foot-5, 218-pound blueliner boasts a 100-mile-per-hour bomb and should be logging top-four minutes in Detroit in a couple of seasons. 02. Darren Helm (+5) — Red Wings GM Ken Holland said after the Cup win Helm gave Detroit a fourth line. With his speed, hitting and tireless work ethic, he’ll give them a lot more than that in a few years. He’s a lock for Detroit in 2008-09. 03. Jimmy Howard (-2) — Howard has been inconsistent his entire career, and still hasn’t shaken it after three years in the pros. But despite a poor finish, he looks like a future star when he’s on. He’s ready for NHL backup duty. 04. Jakub Kindl (-1) — Kindl was ranked 36th among NHL prospects by a panel of scouts in The Hockey News, and there is no denying his raw skills. But parts of his game were exposed as an AHL rookie, and he has plenty of work to do. 05. Justin Abdelkader (-1) — He plays a hard, physical game and does so with a smile, and that makes him the future of the Grind Line in Detroit. He would benefit from a full year of AHL seasoning, with a few call-ups mixed in. 06. Brendan Smith (-) — Before he could gain any momentum, a shoulder injury knocked him out for half the season. But he’s a great skater with sky-high offensive upside, and a big sophomore year could be in the offing in 2008-09. 07. Jan Mursak (+1) — He’s a slippery little bugger with home-run type skills, and was a scoring-line forward on one of Canada’s top junior teams this season. His offensive prowess will be tested in the fall at the AHL level. 08. Cory Emmerton (-3) — Emmerton lost his footing as a blue-chipper in a year he should have challenged for an OHL scoring title, but mononucleosis is partly responsible. He will look to reassert himself in the AHL in 2008-09. 09. Dick Axelsson (-) — When Hakan Andersson raves about a prospect, people listen. And Andersson gives Axelsson glowing reviews. Beyond his all-world natural skills, Axelsson has to bulk up and stay out of off-ice trouble. 10. Kyle Quincey (-) — You know a team has a deep prospects depth chart when an NHL caliber defenseman is ranked No. 10. Quincey can play, albeit in a limited role, and his waiver status should finally give him an NHL job in 2008-09. 11. Ville Leino (NR) — The Red Wings hope Leino will challenge for an NHL spot in 2008-09. The Finnish SM-Liiga MVP is a fierce competitor with terrific puck-possession skills, but some wonder if he has the foot-speed to keep up. 12. Joakim Andersson (-1) — Andersson is a big, strong, two-way forward who has made outstanding strides. He looked comfortable during his brief time in the Swedish Elite League and is a lock to be signed next summer. 13. Daniel Larsson (-) — The Red Wings weren’t sold on Larsson coming into the season, but he forced their hand by winning Swedish Elite League rookie- and goalie-of-the-year awards. He could be third on the NHL depth chart in 2008-09. 14. Logan Pyett (-2) — The small but skilled power-play quarterback looks like another late-round steal. His future depends on how he measures up defensively against bigger, stronger pro forwards. He'll play in the AHL in the fall. 15. Mattias Ritola (-1) — Ritola made good strides as an AHL rookie, showing solid work ethic and surprising defensive smarts. He occasionally flashes hints of dynamic offense, and he’ll need to produce more in 2008-09. 16. Evan McGrath (+2) — Could there be light at the end of the tunnel for McGrath? He got his act together and had a terrific second half in Grand Rapids, and now, the door is open for him to become a high-scoring AHLer in 2008-09. 17. Ryan Oulahen (-2) — Oulahen is a class-act and a coach’s dream for doing the little things that help a team win. But he needs to start doing more damage offensively or get his nose dirtier if he wants to get a cup of coffee in the NHL. 18. Zack Torquato (+1) — It’s hard to get a good read on Torquato from last season because he was stuck on such a poor team. If Erie improves, as expected, Torquato will have a monster offensive campaign and earn a contract. 19. Johan Ryno (-3) — Ryno is at risk of completely falling off the prospect map. He left the AHL after 12 games to take limited ice time in the Swedish Elite League and has now signed with a second-level Swedish team for 2008-09. Not good. 20. Sergei Kolosov (NR) —Kolosov is still on the radar. The Red Wings are talking about signing him at some point, mostly because they like his hard-hitting style. Problem is, he’s totally unproven, and needs to find a home in a top league.

Alright, so I ended up posting in the other thread about Babcock and the new line combos, but it got read over alot, so I'm just going to start a new thread about it. Before I say anything else, I'm fully aware that he'll most likely wrap up in GR this season, and I know our roster is stacked from top to bottom, whatever. I just wish we could see Darren Helm in the line-up this year. I know he was brought up come playoff time last year, and I know that he wasn't a solid, gaurunteed spot on the roster, but does anyone else think that the kid REALLY earned a spot last year? Of our whole team, Helm was one of the main players I would get excited about when he touched the puck. That kid was a GREAT fit on our team. I know he'll flourish whether he's in GR or playing in the line-up, I just wish we were able to give him a spot right out the gate. Not only did he bring some much-needed speed, tempo, and drive to the team, but I feel he deserves it. He worked his ass off during the playoffs and really helped in our run to glory. Of all the players on our team, he was one of maybe 5 players on our team that never seemed to slow up or give up, and was playing HARD hockey from the second he touched the ice to the second he was leaving it. He really gave 110%. I can only hope this kid continues to get playing time... he's awesome.

Taken from the Detroit Free Press, August 25th, 2008. Chris Chelios intends on returning to Blackhawks some day "Aren't they satisfied with poaching Scotty Bowman? Chris Chelios had his time with the Stanley Cup last week and took it to his hometown of Chicago. Of course, he was asked if he'd like to come back and finish his career there. "You don't want to hurt anyone's feelings," Chelios told the Chicago Tribune. "I found a new home in Detroit, but Chicago is always going to be home. My parents still live here, and I intend on coming back home here some day and spending the rest of my days here, whether it's as a player or somehow being involved with the Blackhawks." Can't fault a guy for that. Cheli added: "Hopefully I don't have to look ahead that far and just worry about playing now." Chelios, 46, took the Cup to a Cubs game at Wrigley Field on Friday and said he also planned to hit U.S. Cellular Field -- the White Sox are his team -- and other spots. "We'll just do a milk run all over the city," he said. "I know I'm bringing it with the wrong team, but at least I brought it back home." He also was asked about that other Red Wings defenseman from Chicagoland, Brett Lebda, dropping the Cup and denting it during a party at Cheli's Chili right after the finals. "North Sider," Chelios said." Thoughts/opinions?

Both of your comments are very true, and I understand that getting more time in GR will prep him and only make him that much more solid of a player, I just wish we had more room / a spot for him. I really think he busted his ass and showed that he had what it took. I wasn't trying to discredit anyone on the team for not hustling, I understand that it was a full team effort to win the championship, but on top of all of that, throughout all 4 series, he stood out in alot of ways from the rest of the team. Everyone expects Datsyuk to be good. Everyone knows Zetterberg is amazing. When they make dazzling plays we all know it's because they're the s***. When Helm came up, no one really knew what to expect, and I think he did a good job of turning heads. After every game I'd acknowledge how well he had played and how impressed I was by some 21 year old kid stepping up in the playoffs. I know this topic is kind of random as is, and I know full-well that he'll be in GR. I just wish we could accomodate more minutes for him. He's proven that he can definately compete at an NHL level.

Honestly, I think having Hossa in Detroit is alot different than him playing in Pittsburgh. First off, there were a couple times while Hossa was still a Pen where he seemed like he didn't like it as much. He's used to being a stud in an organization, and he might've been overlooked a little bit because of Crybaby and Malkin. Also, I think he had some qualms with how the team was coached (Therrien). All of this being said, I've heard many quotes about Hossa saying that he really WANTED to play for Detroit. He seems like he'll be happy here. With all of our stars and our depth, there will be less pressure on him, and he can play without having to worry about as much. This team seems closer, provides seamless chemistry, and is backed by a GREAT front office and a great coach. Ideally, I'm hoping he'll want to stay for a longer contract just as much as everyone wants him to stay. He's made it clear he wants to play for Detroit, wether or not it's just to get a ring, we'll see. Either way, his stay here will be a good one, and I hope that the team can work something out with him. If he plays hard, and enjoys the system we have in place (who wouldn't?), I can see him desiring to stick around. Even if he did have a cup, who wants to WILLINGLY leave the Red Wings? He was getting like $80M thrown at him and he turned it down. Granted, no one wants to lock themselves into anything for 9-10 years, but the fact that he's already bought into the system and was willing to take less money than Lidstrom shows that he understands this agreement that if you buy fully into the system, you will be rewarded. I have a feeling that Ken Holland didn't sign him thinking he'd only be here for one season and one season, alone. He seems like the type of guy that would think 2 or 3 steps ahead to make sure he can work everything out... If there's anyone out there that can make it happen and retain all 3 players, it's Ken Holland.