Dimaline312000

Thanks but No Thanks. Drapes has been a great player but his age is catching up with him and he hasn't been as good as he was when he was younger. Let's bring someone up from GR that can fill his spot.

Ok but what if Lids does Retire?? I think bringing Smith up next season would be a great idea regardless of Liddy staying or not. Need to start thinking Youth and Smith is a strong player who definetly needs to improve in a few skills but I think he would be good. The only thing I wonder is wasn't this is first season in the AHL would they bring him up that quick? Oh well only time will tell.

I'm a bit suprised at the news but it really make me wonder if Liddy is retiring too and Raf just didn't want to lose a line-mate like Liddy. However it also makes me think that now that Raf has retired maybe he won't want to leave the Wings looking for 2 good D-men to try to fill in their shoes. I wish Brian all the best but now I'm really excited to see what happens.

This is exactlly why I was hoping that the Wings would be the ones going to the Conference Finals to face Vancouver. I just think that Detroit would have been able to match-up better with the Canucks than the Sharks have so far. It really looks like the Canucks are going to win it all this season as hard as that is for me to deal with it looks like it's going to happen. I just think it would have been a better match up if the Wings would have been able to play Vancouver in this round.

I like the idea of having Doughty for sure as I have him on my top Defensive Line with Jonathan Ericsson on NHL 10 for PS3. I'm not sure if I agree with signing Eaves and Miller. I could see the Wings signing one of them but I personally don't think that they will sign both of them, the same goes for Draper. Drapes is a great faceoff guy as you stated but his age it looked is starting to catch up to him and I can't see signing an older player like him Just for faceoffs. Emmerton being up is one of my orginal ideas for sure and I like that he could be a 3rd or 4th liner next season. I hope Lidstrom does stay for one more season and he is the type of player that would take a pay-cut to bring in another star player. Ozzie is one player I'm very up in the air about. I love Ozzie always have and always will but with his health and all I'd rather see him hang it up and let's go after a different goalie or at least keep MacDonald up for an entire season. Is Smith ready to come up? I know he's spent seasons in Wisconny but isn't this his first season in the AHL with the Griffins? Would the Wings bring him up that quick. I mean I know it hasn't been that quick but they've seemed to keep a lot of players down in the AHL for a lot longer than Smith has been so far. It's a great idea to have Smith up and I fully support it as long as he is prepared and able to make the jump. As much as I hate that the Wings aren't still playing I do really enjoy all the speculation about what next season's team will looke like, I always have.

All great points made. I would love to see players like Smith and Tatar come up and get more than just a couple games NHL experince. The main reason I didn't bring them up in the start of the thread is becasue I was more thinking about the next one to two years first and I know Smith was drafted in 07 and probably could come up I wasn't sure how he was progressing becasue I really didn't pay a whole lot of attention to the Griffins as I should have this past season. My main focus was on wondering if Lidstrom is going to retire as well as Modano, Draper and Ozzie. If the team felt it necessary to go out and get a big name free agent(s) to fill some holes I would definetly support it. The biggest reason I bring up players like Mursak, Emmerton, Kolosov and Pyett is becasue if I'm not mistaken they are some of the few players that have been with the Red Wings organization in GR for quite a while and in my opnion derserves a shot but like some of you said they may not be the type of players that are able to fill the holes in the Wings roster that will happen eventually if not this off-season. Also I can't see those 4 players willing to play in the Minors for too much longer and I hate to see the Wings get these young guys and spend all these years developing their skills only to trade them or waive them and lose them to another team. Obviously I support whatever the Wings do unless it's just insane and crazy. I just hate to not give these guys a chance to see what they can do in the NHL. I'm all for having depth on the roster in case of injuries but that is what the draft is for you draft players year after year and even though they can't always go right to you AHL affliate right away as long as they progress they will be there soon after thus adding more depth to the roster that the Wings can tap into in case of injuries and whatever. I stand by my orginal statement that I think we need to start bringing up some of our prospects as long as they are the right fit for the Red Wings roster.

I know it probably won't take 5 years for all the players above to Retire but I wanted to give ample time in case someone wanted to pull a Chelios. What I'm concerned about is the Future of the Detroit Red Wings. Now when I say concerned I don't necessarly mean worried but all those players are near retirment given a season or two. What would you like the future of the team to look like? Now if you asked me as I've said before in numerous threads on here I tend to favor the youth movement. If you would have asked me about 5 to 7 years ago I would have said keep the older guys but with a lot of the NHL starting to bring in their younger players and the younger players are preforming really well I think it's time for use to do the same. I think the Wings are a great team for developing their players nice and slow but I often wonder if it's to slow. I think it's time for the Wings to start brining up some players from Grand Rapids. I really like Emmerton, Mursak, Pyett and Kolosov. I know they are young and they have to get the experince but I'm a big believer in allowing players to get a few games experince to be able to come up one day. I know Emmerton and Mursak have and I think but cannot recall positively if Pyett and Kolosov have had a chance to have any amount of ice time with the Wings yet. Watching them in GR and at Training Camp I've been very impressed with all of them and I think they would be good replacements for some of our players who are on their way out. I obviously want what's best for the team but I hate to see us continuing older veterans year after year and just waiveing out young guys that are due to come up. As for the goalie, I'm confident in Howard being our Starter I think he has been fabulous but we do need a back-up for Jimmy and once Ozzies gone whos it going to be? MacDonald is a good choice but he's not old but he's up there. I like McCollum but he has been a very up and down goalie if he can stay consistent for a full season I could see the Wings maybe giving him a chance in the NHL, once again it's one of those things where I'd like to see the Wings bring younger players up instead of signing some older ones. However Tommy is nowhere near ready to come up so we'd have to get another if Ozzie doesn't stay and we can't keep MacDonald. How does everyone feel about the direction of the Wings once we part ways with Liddy, Homer, Drapes and Ozzie what would you like to see done and what do you think the Wings will do?

Thanks sorry, I slept during Grammar Class, lol.

I wouldn't mind seeing Detroit try to get in to the top 10 or even 15 and maybe get Armia. He may have to build into his body a bit more but that can all be done as long has he sticks to a good workout plan, and I'm sure the Wings would see to that.

I would have definetly loved to have Yzerman as our GM and send Holland packing. Kenny has done great things for this team and organization but I feel it puts to much emotion in his signings in keeping players that he shouldn't and such. I think Yzerman knows what it takes to win and having that certain balance of players on the team. Having the older veteran players but also mixing in the right amount of younger less experience players. I guess you could make a case about this as to who is the better GM but really the GM can only sign the players he can't make the players play any better. Granted Holland could've signed different players that we might have gotten a lillt more milage on this season and previous seasons but I can't say he is a worse GM than Yzerman but I would have much rather had Yzerman as our GM.

Another Old Geezer is not what this team needs. I wouldn't sign Jagr for $250,000. It's fine to get a player like him but as I've said I truly believe this team needs to get younger.

This is a great thread to talk about what I would do and what I think should be done and why I would have rather had Yzerman as our GM instead of Holland not that I'm positive that Stevey Y wouldn't do the same thing as Holland would do but anyways. Draper was a good quality player and maybe he still is. I felt he was fairly consistent this season and in the playoffs but this is time to start bringing in some youth; not that we don't need veterans but Draper is one player I think we could live without or replace with someone like him but is a bit younger. Ericsson is a player I would love to keep. I think in time that he could be a huge asset for the Wings and I understand that the Wings did offer him a deal and he declied it which I think is stupid. It's something I hope that young player would never do and let his play go to his head. Yes he's a good D-man or will be in a few years but he has to realize the situation and know that he isn't a #1 Star on a roster like this. If he wants to play for the money than he should go but if he wants to play for a team that is a good consistent consideration when the playoffs come to the a Cup contender you take the best deal you can and go with it. Anoher season or two and he may be more developed and once his contract would be offer maybe his play would have picked up enough that he can get more of the kind of deal that he wants. I hope we keep him because I really think this team needs to start getting younger. This team needs some type of Spark.

I voted I don't care but if I really had to pick a team it would have to be San Jose. See I can't really win with this series. There are two types of teams I hate in the NHL Canadian Teams and California Teams. Vancouver will probably win and maybe there are most deserving of it but I hate Canadian teams most and not that this would help much I wouldn't minds so much being able to say that the Wings were knocked out by at least the Conference Champions. I say Conference Champions because I'm truly rooting for Tampa Bay. My best hope is that this series goes all 7 games even though I don't think it will and Tampa Bay wins in like 5 or 6 that way they have a small rest but not enough time to get rusty than they play a team that is tired and beat up and hopefully the Bolts can take advantage of that.

I'm not suprised, a player like he was isn't easy to change his ways in his personal life.

I was shocked when I saw it on NHL.com today. What a shame RIP Derek Boogaard.

I could be wrong but I can't see him going to Slovakia to play for a Bronze Medal.

Yes I'm already counting down the days until I go up the the NHL Prospect Tournament and Detroit Red Wings Training Camp. I'm very excited already, It's going to be a long road of summer and I can't stand summer. Just thinking about the past few times we've been up there and that really helps me get through summer and the off-season. Feel free to post whatever comment you want, I just wanted to share becasue I'm already looking towards September (My FAVORITE Time Of The Year)!!!!

Last night after the game while I was lying in bed I got this feeling of what I call summer feeling. I get it every year but it's usually after all the playoffs are over but this time I happened after the Wings were eliminated. I'm pretty sure I've said this before but I hate summer and when I got that feeling I just feel sick. However I stand by my orginal statement as this loss has nothing on the horrible feeling as the 09 Cup Finals where we lost in Game 7 at Home. Summer may not have officially started yet but that feeling is here and I'm sure it will get stronger when all the playoffs are over. Now I probably shouldn't feel this bad becuase over the years I have taped a bunch of Red Wings and other Hockey games and I have them to watch during the summer months and that does help ease the pain a little. I'm not really sure what happened other than the fact I think San Jose just out played us. The Wings could have very well been swept by the Sharks but they dug in and played hard it just wasn't meant to be for us not this season. I don't think San Jose has any better coaching or more depth I think it was just a case of them out playin us again.

I don't think he will and I don't think he should. It seems to me that he still has at least one more season of quality hockey to play. I hope Liddy stays one more season!!

I'm cheering for Tampa Bay now and not just becasue of Yzerman. Tampa Bay is one of if not my favorite East Conf Team they have been for a while. I hope they can step it up and Win the Cup for Steve and for the city.

I like them, I think they are funny as Hell!!

Niemi you're Finnished!! Lol!!

Here is how I'm looking at it. Let's say the Wings lose, now in my honest opnion nothing can hurt worse than the Game 7 in the 09 Finals. When we lost the Cup at Home in Game 7 it hurt so bad I wasn't right for a week, I was so upset. So win or lose this loss if it does happen I don't think I will ever feel as bad about this as I did in 09. That left a lifetime scar far worse than the ones on my body. So I'm really hoping that they can win and I do beleive that they can do it but when it does hurt and it will I will recall the 09 Finals and think that was the worst one. Let's Go Red Wings!!!!

Is this article even for real?? I mean come on how many times are ya gonna use the Wings Are Too Old BS. If Vacouver thinks they are just going to walk into next round and zoom straight to the Cup then they are even more stupid than I orginally expected. No matter who winds tonight I expect a great West Conf Finals. I give full respect to the Canucks for having a great season and a great playoffs so far, maybe they win the Cup maybe not but it sounds to me like they are counting their chickens way to fast. Even if they make it to the Cup Finals Boston and Tampa Bay are both great teams. Now I admit match up wise Vacouver would probably have the advantage of either Boston or Tampa but they need to focus on the next round first before they even think about a Cup. I'm sick of hearing about the Wings being to old, we've already taken that s*** and threw it out the window. Now I'm rooting for any team but Vacouver even more because I don't like Canadian teams and now thanks to this article I HATE the Vancouver Canucks, and hope someone puts them away in the next round. Go Wings!!

This would be a great victory if the Wings could do it. If they play they way they did in Game 6 it will be very interesting. However, I'm sure San Jose isn't really panicing and they are going to come with their best game. If both teams can start of fast it's going to make for a great game but I would expect probably another one goal win for whoever. Let's Go Red Wings!!