AtomicPunk

Last year, on a down year with the Wild (ugh) he had 18 - 23 - 41 which could improve with real minutes. I think he got buried over there.

WOW. This guy can be a good player if he finds his motor. Someone has to wake him up and make him a 30-goal guy again. One year deal, i like it.

What this team lacks is scoring, and so we go out and get a 2-way center who puts up 50 something points in a good year. Granted, last year, he would have led the Wings in scoring (I think), but what we need is s scoring winger to go with him. It feels like, "ok, need a center, who's out there at center, ok, throw some money at him, hey, he signed, i'm done, let's go golf!" like he's dropping a bid on an Ebay auction. What I think everyone wants out of Kenny is CREATIVITY. To BE the smartest guy in the room like he pretends to be. To take other GM's candy. Granted, he traded the contract of Datsyuk, great, but it doesn't make us better. And it sure won't motivate me to scratch a check for season tickets.

Daniel Alfredsson and Stephen Weiss think signing Eric Staal is a great idea.

I'm ok with this signing, but it could have waited a little while, he's not going anywhere. Focus on the big fish, Kenny!

This just means we'll have to sign a washed up Eric Staal now. Kenny's hands must be getting numb from sitting on them for so long.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3OpYNAHsYU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vI5DZGsEpw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_gfxVBZtuI I could go on, and on, and on...

That being said, James Neal had career years with Crosby. He's not doing the same now without him.

Didn't say I would. Did they pay him that much? OK, they win.

I read last night of a bunch of Caps fans tweeting, BEGGING, someone to sign Mike Green. So I am hoping he needed a change of scenery and returns more to the offensive d-man he can be than keep on the course where people are begging the Wings to buy out his contract. Hopeful. I would like to see another centre. And maybe a scoring forward, or Joel Ward, who is a clutch player when you need a big goal.

Detroit being reported Mike Green 3 years 6 mill a year, and they have tried to trade for him SIX TIMES IN THE PAST.

Is there a trophy for "Most Homegrown Talent on Your Team?" Unless there is, I don't care where they are from, if they bring home a big silver cup. Obviously, we have no needs, so why would Holland be looking to improve any position? We did win it all last year, right? Oh, we didnt? Then there is room for improvement. Sad that Saad went to Columbus. That's a player we could have used. Young and clutch when it matters.

Bye. Now if Cleary gets re-upped, I'm going to freak out.

Konstantinov. Option 4.

Wait, this is a REAL thing? This might really happen? Make the guy a scout and let's get on with it. This has GOT to be a joke.

The point is, Cole would have been a great pickup 5-7 years ago. Zidlicky is past his "trade for" date. I'm seeing Tyler Seguin get traded to Dallas, I'm seeing James Neil go to Nashville, I'm seeing Kenny miss out on Burns a few years ago, not knowing he was even on the block, for example, not saying these players are perfect fits for the Wings, but other teams are managing to get it done. Now that we have an actual farm system and young players, trade a few picks.

The difference between them is confidence in their game and with the team. Howard seems to give up goals at the worst times. Like 2 minutes after his team scores or in the shootouts. I have no confidence in him in shootouts and I bet his team is starting to lose it a little with him too. Mrazek played very well and made timely saves (except for the last 5 minutes of Game 2 against Tampa Bay).

Holland deserves blame for sticking with over the hill players (Weiss, Cleary, Samuelsson, Cole, Zidlicky etc.) WAY too long and not finding the players who are on the cusp of blossoming and acquiring them. Usually by the time a player becomes a UFA, they are over halfway done with their career and we pretty much know what they are going to be. Younger players aren't worried about self-preservation and "life after hockey" and they give you 100%. A player who is worried about his health long term and his investment portfolio might give you 95% but he is always subconsciously holding something back and being afraid of getting injured. Brendan Shanahan mentioned this in an interview I remembered and I thought it was an outstanding insight. And no, I don't have a link to it. It was in a thing called a newspaper.

Patrick Lalime. Let's see if he keeps it going next year and hold up a team when their goalie gets injured. I think he's the man for the job but let's wait a little more to make sure he is more like Lundquist and less like Lalime.

For the Game of Thrones fans among us, that was like the Trial by Combat scene last season where the guy had him totally beat and then surprisingly lost in a crushing fashion.

My big problem with Holland is that he doesn't acquire players until they are past their prime. Weiss, Cole, hell even Bertuzzi would have been GREAT pickups had they happened 5 years sooner than they did. Instead we get the player that is about 50% of what they once were and preparing for "life after hockey". My thought is that Holland needs to identify assets READY to rise and pick them up before they blow up. I know, every GM wants that, but he's better than the rest of them, isn't he?

That was just a lackluster, no energy effort by the boys today. No speed, no backchecking, not a lot of support on dump-ins, and I despise this "pass it backward" thing they seem to be failing at. Get to centre, pass it back to the defensemen whether they have speed going or not, possibly turn it over in your own end...and I watched Stephen Weiss the last few games and I do not see how he is contributing at all other than letting the other players catch their breath and eating a few minutes. He stole the puck once today (then handed it to the other team) and I saw one good body check, but no puck possession, no speed, no obvious "intensity", not a threat to score at any time, I just am not feeling he has any positive assets at all right now other than being an active player to jump over the boards when it is his turn.

He's more of a factor out there than Cleary or Weiss, both of whom played yesterday...what a great signing Cleary was, with his ONE GOAL. (Sorry, it still irks me...)

I'm stressing about them falling out of the playoffs, with Boston and Ottawa in the hunt and them not putting it away, it's making me tense. Need to take care of business NOW.