BlameGame

Yeah and that "rest" has really helped his game. In all honesty, this team has too much of its cap % spent on defense. Having one #1 defenseman is fine, spending $14 million on your top pairing is asinine. It worked for Anahiem and it worked for last years Red Wings because they had young guys and stars making pennies. It doesn't work out that well when you're up against the cap. To have $21 million tied up in your top two pairings would be fine they were playing great D but they are not. If your defense is mediocre than you need a goalie of all star proportions to bail them out and guess what? We don't have that. We have Conklin, who is serviceable, in the mold of Legace and Osgood. If the Wings flop this season, which is highly likely, the change needs to be made. Guys like Luongo, Backstrom and Bouwmeester don't come around every season. Unless Lidstrom takes a discount to play for about $5 mill per season, theres no way this team can survive with this much cap devouted to D. - Trade Kronwall + for Bouwmeester - Trade Kronwall for picks - Sign Backstrom in the offseason - Wait a season and sign Luongo. - Lidstrom retires on top. - Lidstrom takes massive discount. - Keep Lidstrom, get rid of Rafalski. Theres literally not one excuse for the piss poor effort on the part of the D corps(Starting with Lidstrom) and the goalies(Particularly Osgood). The top two pairings also have either Z or Datsyuk on the ice when they're out there and Hossa. Theres no excuse what so ever and the blame particularly rests on the back end. Let me also add that this team could "Survive" with out Nick. The problem is, Rafalski isn't a defensive defenseman who can score 60+ points. Hes a one way defenseman that rivals Gonchar in his hayday. It would be like replacing Lidstrom with Mark Streit. People complaining about the fourth line, Lilja or Flip need to get real.

For the purposes of fantasy trading, sending Kronwall and (Cleary or Flip) would give us more than enough space for Bouwmeester. Cleary's three million dollar cap hit till 2012/03 is BRUTAL.

Hes been medicore since game 1 of the season. He didn't "Age" between the cup/norris win and than or now. The visor isn't effecting his play this much either. Both are just excuses. Replace Lidstrom with Pronger/Bouwmeester and imagine how well this team would be doing.

Its not much of a dream, a no trade clause doesn't mean a player can't be traded. A no movement clause does. If Raffy doesn't want to be moved, he can be waved. If he doesn't report to Grand Rapids he would be considered officially suspended and his cap space could be used for another player. Who said anything about Kronwall for Bouwmeester straight up? Kronwall is still a bargain and signed long term. Kronwall for a couples months of Bouwmeester and the opportunity to sign him before hes a UFA is a fair price.

Kronwall, Draper, Maltby, and Osgood will never be made to feel "pressure". Kronwall has a five year deal and the other three have four cups a piece, they will be kept around until they're Chelios' age on principle. Which is the main problem with this team, its too loyal.

Trade Rafalski for Kubina... then trade Kronwall for Bouwmeester at the deadline. Problem solved.

The blame falls solely on the shoulders of Nick Lidstrom. 90% of the fan base makes the case for the guy being the "Best player in the world" or they're pissed when he doesn't win a Hart but his play isn't any different from last year and this. Hes just being exposed for what he is, a good defender with great offensive abilities. Lidstrom ISN'T the best player in the league or this team for this matter. And its argueable if hes even the best defensive defenseman on this team (Lilja). At this point Datsyuk seems to be the only one that can't be blamed, hes pulling his weight.