Jesusberg

He wore 18 in Grand Rapids... I doubt anyone will object if he does the same with the Wings this year.

I honestly think the Wings are just beyond comprehension and the media has given up - just chime out stock answers. Every article for the past 10 or so years has discussed their decline and need for a youth movement.

Was just going to suggest that Nyquist could start the year in GR, but he's only got like 2 games of waiver exemption left. I think DK's on the team regardless, and they'd waive one of Emmerton, Eaves or Tootoo before running 6 defenders. Going to suck seeing Gus spend another year in the AHL because of a boneheaded contract.

I don't really get the Modano comparisons. I get the age comparisons, leaving their lifelong teams, etc... but really, Modano had a freak accident. He was jumping onto the team as the 3rd line center, and things just sort of fell apart. Alfie's going to be on that 2nd line and given ample time on the PP. I feel like 50-60 points and a healthy season is a real possibility.

I think somewhere like Phoenix, Carolina, Washington or even Winnipeg would make more sense. Nashville has like 14 forwards, and Clune/Hendricks address their "enforcer" role. As far as Franson, I can't see Toronto moving him to a divisional rival. Not to mention, Quincey would probably be the most likely candidate to be moved the other way and I'm not sure why Toronto would want him over Franson.

Meh, who cares? I liked him an all, and would probably prefer him for 3 years over Alfie for 1-2, but the Red Wings have some scoring coming their way soon. Tatar and Nyquist are here, Jurco, Frk, Pulkkinen are on their way and someone like Tvrdon could be a dark horse and surprise people with his goal scoring ability. Good luck to the guy - just not against the Wings

As mentioned, the price tag would be hefty. With the team buying out Ballard, there's no reason to move Edler. The jury is still out on guys like Tanev and Corrado, so I imagine they'll want to bring them along a bit slower. I actually think Edler is a very good player; players PP, PK, hits and blocks shots. His positioning is questionable at times, but I think he's right on that line bordering a #1 guy. Having a bad year doesn't break a guy, IMO... I think he's a real solid defender.

It would appear that way. It's a bit odd, since I would think it would make more sense that the club should be awarded a buyout IF it were player-elected, not club-elected. In that case, they may be getting blindsided by the players, and not vice versa. Unless of course, it's saying that a team only needs one player-elected arbitration, but an extra one if it's club-elected. But there's no real clear mention of player-elected arbitration as it pertains to ordinary course buy-outs. At least not explicitly from what I've read.

I've still been going over a bunch of the CBA stuff, (seriously, do they purposely make it more difficult than it has to be?) and I've noticed that in the language, they mention the team can only qualify if they have more than one player in arbitration. That specific arbitration is found in section 12.3(a), which is actually club-elected arbitration... so not what Smith is currently going through, as he elected to go to arbitration. As far as I can see, there's nothing about player-elected arbitration. It also reads: (a) Club-Elected Salary Arbitration For Players With Paragraph 1 NHL Salaries plus Signing, Roster, and Reporting Bonuses Greater Than $1,750,000 In The Prior League Year. So none of the RFA's in our system seem to apply here. Clearly, I really want to find a way to get rid of Samuelsson. Smith's arbitration does not seem to be the answer, though.

I don't disagree that Quincey is solid - I think it's more about the fact that he's pretty much expendable now. During the playoffs, both Smith and DeKeyser were used in more situations, more prominently than he was. He's still going to be a serviceable defender next season, and he's good at all the little things. I think people had too high of expectations when Quincey got here. The team gave up a 1st rounder and paid him 3.75 per. He's not the guy who put up 38 points in Los Angeles; not in Detroit's system. He's a stabilizing influence for Smith who can block shots, uses smart positioning and eats up minutes. Should DeKeyser have a solid season (and I think he will), I don't imagine the team is going to re-up Q. Ericsson and DeKeyser are going to be re-signed. They'll likely let Lashoff play on the bottom pairing and use Almquist or Nicastro as the #7.

I'm pretty sure that in 3-4 years, a possible Smith-DeKeyser pairing is going to be the best one on the team. They're going to compliment each other very well.

I saw/heard something about an internal cap, too. They've still got Stewart and Pietrangelo to re-sign.

It was brought up by another member here, but Samuelsson avoided the compliance buyout period because of his pectoral injury. There was (or is, not sure) a chance that he could still be bought out using an ordinary buyout, where the cap hit would only be 1 million this year and 1 million next year. 11.18 Ordinary Course Buy-Outs Outside the Regular Period. "Clubs shall have the right to exercise Ordinary Course Buy-Outs outside the regular period for Ordinary Course Buy-Outs in accordance with Paragraph 13©(ii) of the SPC. Each Club shall be limited to no more than three (3) such Buy-Outs outside the regular period over the term of this Agreement pursuant to Paragraph 13 of the SPC. However, in the event that a Club has only one salary arbitration hearing pursuant to Section 12.3(a) in a given League Year, such Club shall not be entitled to exercise such an Ordinary Course Buy-Out outside the regular period." http://cdn.agilitycms.com/nhlpacom/PDF/NHL_NHLPA_2013_CBA.pdf However, considering that Smith was the only one to take the team to arbitration, and today was the deadline for player-filed arbitration, I think this window has passed as well

Actually, wasn't today the deadline for player-elected salary arbitration? Which would mean that we don't have the two necessary hearings for the 2nd buyout period. These rules make my head hurt.

God, I hope so. Sign Gus and hopefully Andy files - then they have the two necessary players going to arbitration.

I really don't get it. People on this board keep talking about wanting to get bigger, and that lines composed of 5'11, 180lbs forwards are going to get destroyed. So we have a 6'2, 220lbs winger in Abdelkader who, while he isn't going to create a ton of offensive, is going to create a lot of space for Zetterberg and Datstyuk (if he's on that line). Is every one really that head over heels for a guy who might be 10 pounds more than Abby, or is it just a "the grass is always greener" mentality? His point totals from last season leave something to be desired, but there's a big adjustment between the various line mates he had. Before we go ahead and write him off as being ineffective in the role, maybe let's see what he does on Dats' wing from the start of the year.Just like I can't predict that he'll be successful, I don't think anyone else can predict he won't. I do know that the plan seems to be to have him there, and that he showed on several occasions that he is capable of being a net-front presence and puck retrieval type guy.

He's not if both guys are healthy. Helm and Andersson above him, Ferraro and Sheahan below him... "EmDog" would appear to be one of the certain odd men out on this roster.

Pretty sure Andersson is not exempt (3 years since signing in April of 2010), but Gus still technically has 2 games of exemption left. So he would appear to be "safe".

You're right about Andersson and Tatar, but last I checked Nyquist can still pass through waivers.

I'd add Andersson into that mix. I really think he'll be on the team. I think there's even a chance that the team may try to protect Helm a bit, at least at the start of the season, and use him on the 4th line and Andersson on the 3rd.

Reading over every thing, it's my understand that two players would have to take the Red Wings to arbitration in order for the team to buy-out Samuelsson. There is no "regular buy-out" period - just a second buyout period that can only happen if the arbitration does. So basically, Holland would have to low-ball two of the guys (let's say Andersson and Smith, I think Nyquist would be awarded the highest number) until they filed for arbitration. Seems like kind of an ugly situation. Edit: Did I mention I really don`t like Mikael Samuelsson right now, or Holland`s decision making last summer...

Does anyone have any concrete evidence of a regular buyout period in August? I'm not trying to discount any of the links posted, but anything I've seen on legit sources (capgeek, etc) only makes mention of the buyout period that ended on July 4th. I'd love to see Sammy bought out, but I'm not sure if it's possible.

When the alternative is, "we'll waive you and send you to Grand Rapids/Toledo" you don't think he would?

I only really see three ways of moving Samuelsson... #1: A team is desperate to hit the cap floor and needs to add. #2: The Wings attach a prospect with him to entice another team to take him. #3: The Wings agree to retain some of his salary in a deal with another team. Either way, I think they're going to have to move him. There's just no space.

| Seriously, looking at this video, tell me he doesn't have 20 goal upside on Pavel's wing. And more than whatever points he puts up, he can create a lot of room for Dats and Z. He's got the ability to make some power moves to the net, he can be a pest and has a better shot than people think. His biggest issue is consistency, which I think will come with more confidence. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyKYbrNpRh0