TheOwl

Osgood is the worst goaltender in the history of the league. Detroit won't make it past the first round, believe it.

Crosby is over-rated simply for the fact he needs good players around him. All you hear is they have no one to play with Crosby. Unlike Datysuk, Crosby doesn't make the people around him better.

Well, since 5 of the top 10 goalies in Save% make less then Franzen (one making 1.3, a little more), it would be easily possible. Or trade Flipulla instead. The top 10 goalies in this league aren't the goalies making the most money. The traditional top goalies like Nabokov, Lundquest, Luongo, Guigere, Flurry, are all playing incredibly mediocre. A top 10 goalie in this league can be bought for under 1.5 million a season, that means a few draft picks, maybe one of our forwards, or even a prospect. If Osgood is playing, we have zero chance of winning a cup anyways. If a goalie can be got, like Anderson, or Rinne for Flipulla, or draft picks, or whatever, it should be done. Conklin needs a real back-up.

Yes, but we have a lot of people who can score, and if we lose this season, it'll come down to goaltending. If you actually think Osgood will turn his season around, then sure, you're right. But if you think rationally and look at our GAA, Osgood's overall stats, you should be a lot more worried about shaky goaltending (Oh, Osgood lets one in 16 seconds into the game) then losing one scorer. It's a better long term solution to trade one of the UFA's, instead of getting nothing. The team is built to win a cup this season, and I have no doubt that they will lose with these 2 goalies. Trade Franzen, get a top 10 goalie, and the team is set for D, scoring and goaltending for the next few seasons. Our, keep Franzen, then lose him to UFA, then you still don't have a goaltender, and lost a top 3 Detroit goal scorer. You lose a lot more by not trading him, especially if Detroit doesn't win the cup.

Yes I completely agree. Hudler could get us a 1,2,3 round picks if someone offers enough, and if they don't, we get Hudler for around 2.5 million or something. Room could easily be cleared for him. But if we lose Franzen, we basically lose a 35-40 goal scorer for nothing. I think Holland should look deep into this team, and whether he thinks it can actually win the cup this year. I don't think they will, simply because of goaltending. In a 7 game series, you know Kipper, or Mason, or even someone like Turko will steal a few games. Look at last years series with Nashville. It's not that difficult to shut down the scoring to 1-2 goals a game. The question becomes do you think Osgood and Conklin will let in less then 2-3 goals each game? If at any point it becomes obvious that Hossa will re-sign for Zetterberg's salary, it would be nearly impossible to get Franzen as well. Why not trade Franzen and some other guy for a goaltender? Detroit has enough scoring, and Detroit will never lose a high scoring series with Hossa, Z, Dats and the host of other secondary guys. If a decent goalie can be traded for Flipulla, or Franzen, then Holland should do it.

Backstrom would be way better, but the Wild would likely never trade him.

He's not terrible, no one is saying he is, but for his 3 million dollar cap hit, we aren't getting much. On another team he would probably make 3 mill max, but for his money you could replace him with 2 equally good players. Franzen or Flipulla? Leino or Flipulla? Hudler or Flipulla? Wouldn't almost everyone take the other guy? And that's what it'll probably come down too. Losing Hudler, Leino and Franzen. I would rather take Sammy, who has out produced Flipulla in every season and play-off. The cap problem is immense, and trading Flipulla for a 1st round pick means we could keep one of those other players. He's not great, he's just a mediocre forward who isn't performing all that well. The money could be put to much better use. No one can deny that. And to put it in perspective, Flipulla is the 3rd highest payed forward this year on the roster. He's got his raise, he's got his contract already, and he's still under performing, while people like Sammy, Hudler, Franzen are putting up career numbers (career numbers which far surpass Flipulla's). Other players are stepping it up to earn a roster spot, Flipulla isn't.

If Pittsburgh misses the play-offs, and Malkin wins the MVP, it'll be the biggest travesty in hockey. Ovechkin, Datsyuk and Thomas, or even the Kipper should win it. Kipper although I think has a better shot at winning the Vezina then MVP, without him Calgary would be screwed rather then having a lock on the Northwest. Malkin and Crosby's point totals are 100% meaningless if they can't even get into the play-offs. They both suck as far as I'm concerned. It takes a real MVP to turn talent into success, and Pittsburgh is a joke.

He sure is. I think if he can finish first in +/-, 3rd in points, he should win. But I also think Detroit will need to win the Presidents trophy for Dats to get MVP. If Boston wins the President trophy it'll be hard not for Thomas to win. But honestly, without Datysuk this team would be 4th or 5th in the West.

That was a few years ago, can you remember one game this season, or last season, where he totally fumbled the puck and lost Detroit the game? He's a different player now, and he does kill penalties. I would take Hudler or Sammy rather then Flipulla any day. Flipulla is worthless. Really, theirs a chance Hudler and Sammy could re-sign for Flipulla's total cap hit. Either way, Sammy and Hudler right now are more effective hockey players. You can't wait forever for someone to get good. I think the same people who think Flipulla will be a star one day are the same delusional people who think Osgood will come around and win us another Cup. The problem Detroit has is, this team is a lot better then last years team, and anything other then a Cup will be a disaster. Well, Boston and San Jose both have much better goalies, much better D-lines. Honestly right now, if it was Columbus vs Detroit in the first round, with Ozzy starting, I'd bet every cent I have on Columbus. One good goalie will knock the Wings right out.

Now Mason is a real goalie. Why do people think Ozzy will play any differently in the play-offs after having the worst stats of any goalie in the league during the regular season? Things don't magically get better.

Well the worst Save% in the league actually shows the brilliance of these haters. The haters are right, the cold hard facts say so.

Yes, but it really doesn't matter. You can make all the excuses in the world, poor D, bad give-aways. But it still all comes down to GAA, and Save%, for which Ozzy is bottom 5 in the league. Those are the facts. Whether he plays well for a half a game, or 59 and 59 seconds minutes, it doesn't matter. The stats don't lie. Ozzy can't steal a game, he's just a liability.

Typical Osgood game.

Hossa, Datysuk, Zetterberg = Best line in hockey history!!

Stupid Kronwall!

RE-SIGN SAMMY!!!!!

Not good? What teams are good? SJ, Boston, Detroit? Is that it. Columbus has a very good team, and one of the best if not the best, goalie in the league.

Listen junior, your the one who said Flipulla was better (or will be better) then Franzen. And you haven't defended that position at all, with facts, stats or anything. Franzen is the better player now by miles, it's like comparing Dustin Penner to Malkin or something. The avalanche did beat a pretty good team in the Wild in the first round also. And their is a huge difference between assists and goals. And not all assists are even equal. A lot of people get assists from just happening to be on the ice. Datysuk is an excellent play maker, when do you see Flipulla making an outstanding pass? Comparing Datysuk's play making ability and Flipulla's has nothing to do with Franzen. What stat shows that Flipulla is better, in any area of the game, then Franzen? Go home. And I hate on Ozzie because he sucks this season. Your hating on Franzen for no reason.

The one goal I'll never, ever forget was Robert Lang's goal with 30 seconds left versus San Jose in the second round of the 2006-2007 play-offs. Game 4, San Jose lead 2-1 in the series, and with 30 seconds left in regulation, Lang scored, overtime, Detroit one, and eventually won games 5 and 6. That one goal was worth whatever Green can do. Stick a 4th forward on the ice as a D-man and he'll put up Green numbers. Highly over-rated D-man, but a great scorer. LANG FOREVER!

Yeah, Franzen's 22 goals this season is worth just as much as Flipulla's assists. Franzen is better defensively, offensively and physically. Plus he's making a third of what Flipulla is making. Franzen for 3.75 mill, or Flipulla for the same. No one, not even the hater that you are, would pick Flipulla. Franzen is a much better player in every area of the game. Franzen has a ton of highlight worthy goals. And if all Franzen's goals are just tip ins, how come Homer, or Cleary don't have 22 goals already? They play on the top lines as well. It's about goals. 10 assists isn't as good as 10 goals. Franzen is highly under-rated.

Flipulla over Franzen? You're crazy man. Franzen is worth a lot more then Flipulla. Did you even watch last seasons play-offs? Who scored the most goals per game? Franzen? Yeah, real over-rated. Stop the bs.

Datysuk and Zetterberg should for sure stay on the same line, they've been dominating the score sheet. Hossa too, he plays real well on his line. When Franzen gets back stick him on Hossa's line.

Mickey and Kenny are by far the best hockey announcers. The coverage is never overly biased, or positive towards the Wings. It's all very modest, funny and entertaining. Seems like everyone working for the Ilitch family is the best in the league at what they do.

The East is such a weak conference. 10 teams fighting for 8 play-off spots, and 5 teams with no hope. Only Boston and Washington even have a chance of making the finals. Their all getting fat off those failing 5 teams. Montreal, New York are both such a joke. Neither have a chance at a cup. Look at the West standings, even the worst team is only 6 points oyut of a play-off spot, and 9 points out of 5th. Any team could make the play-offs. And as far as I'm aware every western team has a winning record against the east this season except St. Louis and Anaheim.