Dimaline312000

With all this talk about Free Agency and the Wings needing to fill some wholes on the roster it got me thinking more and more about the future. More specficially our Defense in the future. After Lidstrom and probably Rafalski retires from the team. I know we are already talking about trading a Defenseman after training camp but what do we do in a few years when we lose our Captain and Best Defensman? Is Jakub Kindl ready or near ready to come up to the Wings within a year or so. I know we really have to see what is up with Lilja and I'll be interested to know who will be traded after Camp. What are the Wings going to do when the time comes to say goodbye to Liddy and Raf? Depending on who we do trade, I think that Kronwall will be on the roster for a while and I can see Stuart sticking around for a little while. I can see Meech staying just because of his ability to be a forward and d-man. Is Brendan Smith (our 1st round pick in 07) going to be able to come up the GR next season and if so how long will it take to develop him in GR? We have drafted 3 Defenseman in this years draft and knowing that the Wings like to bring up their players slowly and depending how how well they develop it may take longer or it may not. As far as the 08 Draft went it looked like we only drafted one defensmen Max Nicastro. He looks like he could be a good D-man in a few years. So looking at what we have and what we have coming in a few years what are our options on Defense to insure that our D is going to be close to as good as it is now? I know that it probably won't be as good in a few years as it is right now becasue Lidstrom is a great Defensman and it's going to be very hard to replace him but does our future look bright on the D?

Surely Detroit is interested in Kessel just like 28 other teams in the NHL. I highly doubt that he will come to the Red Wings. I would love to see it but I'm just not convinced that it is possible. Not with the Cap and all.

Thanks WingsFights for the Vids!! Man that was a great season for us. That was a awesome series to watch. It was definetly time for the Cup to come back to Detroit.

Ozzie is definetly Hall Worthy. He'll be close to Jacques Plante by the time next regular season is over or close to being over. He is a great goalie and I really wish he would have won the Cup again and got the Conn Smythe Trophy maybe that would have shut these nay-sayers up. Ozzie deserves to be in the Hockey Hall of Fame when he retires. How can you argue with 3 Cups not to metion everything else he's done.

Best of luck to Chelly on that quest but I'm not sure if that's a wise idea. I know he want's to play with his son but the question remains to be seen if he can actually hold out that long.

It will be good that have in in the system longer to hopefully give him a fair shot in the NHL. It may take some time but he should develop into a somewhat solid D-man for the Detroit Red Wings.

I'm glad to have them both back in the mix for at least one more year. They are a couple of good young kids and I think in time if they are given a chance they will do well in the NHL.

Happy Birthday Mr. Ilitch!!!! I hope it's a great one!!!!

Happy Birhtday Pavs!!!! I hope you have a great one!!!!

I'm most excited about Thomas McCollum.!! I think he is a good up and coming prospect goal tender and I say give him 2 to 3 seasons and he will be ready to take the reins as No. 1 Goalie. If Ozzie can hang in there that long; just enough time for McCollum to get fully developed I think he'll be able to be the Starting Goalie. I'm confident in Howard's ability to be a back-up but I just don't know how he would handle the responsibility of being the Number 1 guy. Larsson I think could probably be a startging goalie in a couple more years but I really feel that McCollum would do a better job. I see Pearce not sticking around any longer than his contract; if he even is around for all of it. I read somewhere that Ozzie and Howard were going to be in Detroit and the other 3 were going to battle it out for postions in GR and the odd man out would probably be loaned to another team. My vote goes to McCollum just give him some time and I think he can be the Numero Uno Goaltender in the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings in a few years.

That is just too funny. Blackhawks fans Don't want Hossa. I guess after everything that has happened over the past couple seasons Hossa has become more of a laughing stock. I wish him the best of luck but I don't see him getting a Cup in Chicago anytime soon. Like I said to all my family and hockey friends Hossa has a window to win the Cup with the Hawks. He has next season and then 4 to 5 seasons after once the team rebuilds. That is how I feel, I may be wrong though.

I have him on my NHL 09 Roster. He's a great D-man and I think LA is very smart to sign this kid. He will be good once he gets fully developed.

I say just let Hudler go. Not that he isn't a great player but save the Cap Space to possibly fill a hole at the Deadline. Bring Abs up permanantley and let's go with what we have. We are still a strong Cup and possibly President's Trophy contending team.

I hope I can get to some of those Original Six games; Home or Away.

Can't wait for the Wings Home Opener!!!! Is it October yet????

Exactly what I was thinking. It had to come from the Pens. Seeing as Bettman is Crosby's Illigitemate Father it's only fitting that his son's team pay his salary. Bettman I hope someone hits you upside the head with a hockey stick........... Preferably Lidstrom's Stick.

I definetly agree. There is no need to make a move anywhere right now. Let's just stay with what we have. Allow Abs to come up to Detroit and kee everyone we have now until the deadline and than if we need to fill a hole or we need a little more Offense or Defense or even if Howie doesn't work out the way we want him to maybe we will need a back-up goalie. I doubt that we'll trade goalies but you never know. I would just like to see us keep the Cap Space until later in the season and we really need something than use it a the time that it beneifits us the most.

Thanks for clearing that up. I want to be able to bring up as many AHLers as we can that we feel are ready. I'm still up-in-arms about Meech. It may work with him as a forward if Lils is healthy. Another thing I don't understand is why we may trade a D-man after Training Camp when we may lose Lidstrom or another D-man to retirment or something like that after this coming season. We should just stick with what we have and if we need to sign another forward that's fine but I don't see a reason for trading a position you're going to need to fill a season after. I sure hope they can clear this thing up with Hudler becasue like you said the Huds with the Lils situation would be hard for any GM to have to deal with. Holly might be able to handle one situation or even one at a time but this not knowing and for so long is probably torture. This mess is going to need to be cleared up ASAP.

Ok, still haven't got a response to this question..... If we do indeed lose Hudler; Are we at the point where we HAVE to sign a Free Agent or can we just stick with what we have an save the Cap Space for a Deadline deal or something like that????

It doesn't suprise me that this is probably his last season, he is coming of that age. I will enjoy his final season in the NHL with the Wings and wish him all the best when he decides to hang em up. He's been my favorite Skater for years and I hope that this season is Holmstrom's best season. We love ya Holmsy!! I hope you can retire a 5 time Champion but if not 4 Cups is Great!!

I just can't wait to see that game. I believe I'll tape it no matter what the score ends up being. I won't boo Hossa. I'm mad that he left and I think we could have worked something out but I'm not going to hold anything aganist him. Best of luck to him but I still think he has a window with the Blackhawks as far as when and if he can Win a Cup with Chicago.

Quite agree, I wouldn't like to see the KHL just be able to raid the NHL's RFA year after year. That would not be good. I'm fine with keeping Hudler for the right price. I'm just saying that if it's that big of a deal just let him go. This just seems like it is going to take a long time to get this settled and now the Wings have to wait for the answer when they could be filling a hole. Obviously if Huds isn't gone than there is no hole to fill but if he is gone than the Wings are stuck with what's left after a lot of the FA's have been taken. That's the only reason that I ask if the Wings can step in and stop this. I just don't want to see our team stuck between a rock and a hard spot late in the off-season with no move or signing available.

They look like some pretty good signings but I'm not sure when or if we'll see them in the NHL. Maybe a call-up here and there but it will probably take a while for them to make the step to the Wings roster if they ever do. Good signings though Wings!!

I hope this gets taken care of quickly. The way my local paper made it sound if the scenario goes one way it could take quite a while. Wings need to know what they have and what they can do. Do the Wings have any control over this? Can they step in and say to the NHL to not intervene and just let Hudler go? I mean if Huds comes back how happy is he going to be? IMO I don't want a player that isn't happy to be on the team. I hear the Wings are waiting for the Arbitration Hearing on July 30 but the longer we wait more and more Free Agents are going to be signed somewhere else and than if Huds is going we may be up a creek with out a paddle. Question:? If we do indeed lose Hudler are we at a point where we HAVE to sign a Free Agent for next season or can we just go with what we have??

I gotta say I like that idea. I still don't want Huds back. He's a great player and I wish him well wherever he goes but I'd pefer to just let him go and stick with what we have or pick up a cheap FA or save the space for a Deadline deal.