Jesusberg

The possibility of Nyquist at center popped into my head, but I'm not sure they'll go that route unless they really have to. He played some center in Maine, if I'm not mistaken. Though, TBH, I'm not even sure Nyquist will be on the Wings next season. I see Cleary and Miller leave, and Tatar and Andersson taking their spots. I think the season after, with Bert and Sammy leaving, is when Nyquist will be on the team permanently.

I kind of wonder if Babcock is dog housing him a bit BECAUSE they know he's leaving. I highly doubt it, because it's basically sabotaging the team, but... In terms of the red text, can we be "intelligent" and immature? I still feel like sarcasm has its place on the internet.

The irony behind that quote saddens me , lol

Do we have important people posting in here now? Did I ever tell you guys about the time that I wrote for Hockey's Future...? On topic, I feel like he's all but gone. As someone mentioned, when's the last time we heard a funny quip/quote from Dats? It feels like he's already got a foot out the door. Without signing Flip (who wants 5 mil???), we're going to have a big void at the C position.

I'd like to see some changes, but I really don't picture them happening until 2014-15. I think the team lets Cleary, Miller, White and Huskins walk. They'll most likely retain the RFA's, Filppula and Brunner. Next year's line-up will probably be... Franzen-Zetterberg-Brunner Filppula-Datsyuk-Bertuzzi Tatar-Helm-Samuelsson Abdelkader-Emmerton-Tootoo Scratches: Andersson & Eaves Kronwall-Ericsson Quincey-Smith Colaiacovo-Kindl Scratch: Lashoff Howard Gustavsson Ideally, I'd like to see Cola bought out and someone like DeKeyser brought in. Not too sure how likely it is, but I'd use my amnesty buy-out on him. I'd also use the other one on Samuelsson and put Nyquist in the line-up, but I really feel like Holland will let the contracts ride out.

Given the quip from Datsyuk on Abs being the "guy who pulls the piano", I wonder if they should start playing Billy Joel's "Piano Man" whenever he scores. Granted, we won't hear it often, but I think it'd be cool. Still don't like this line

Spoke to Johan about 30 minutes ago. He asked that some of the "Mule haters" (his words, not mine) put in their retainers tonight, so that he can pull them out and drop them on the ground. Also, said he was going to pot two points. Viva la Mule!

I have a feeling he's going to get somewhere around 4-4.5 million for 3 years. Right around that time, Mrazek should be pushing him and we'll be able to see if he's a legitimate starting goaltender. At least, that's my hope.

Right now, I think Letang, Kronwall and OEL would be the finalists, with Letang getting the nod. Still half a season to go, though.

He looked ugly early on. Stupid penalties, seemed to always be a step behind the opposition... since then, he's seemed much more composed. Not entirely sure he'll ever be able to jump into a top 4 spot, though. I still wonder if his impressive play could translate into him being moved. Knowing Holland (not saying it's a bad thing), Kindl will be qualified and stick around for another 2-3 years.

This frustrates me just as much as anyone, but I think it's pretty clear that this team is in a rebuilding mode. While any play-off team has a chance to win the cup, this is probably the furthest I've felt the team's been from being a real contender in some time. I'd rather not mortgage the future or the rebuild just to kind of half-ass a chance at Stanley. Cleary is walking after this season. Bertuzzi and Samuelsson will be making way after next season. In that time we're going to see some of the younger guys (Tatar, Gus, Andersson, Sheahan/Ferraro) jump into the line-up. Now, if Cleary and the others are re-upped, then I'd probably lose my mind, but for the first time in a long time, it feels like we're going to get a real influx of youth in the next 2-3 years.

Last night wasn't just about talent, though. He put forth a good effort, got in the right places to score and looked to be a step quicker than in previous games. Take away the goal, and he still created lots of chances and had a solid game. Really hope he can continue to push it.

He was floating in Chicago, but he also just got back from being injured. Before his injury, I thought he looked decent. People are just pissed off because he isn't scoring goals, but he still had 9 points through 12 games. He's played on a line with two guys who are in the top 25 players for SOG. Give the guy a few games to adjust from the injury, and if he's still floating and doing crap all, then ok... but before the injury he looked fine to me, especially at under 4 million.

Ellis > Peters > McCollum. No one wants to trade for our scraps.

Per Pierre LeBrun: https://twitter.com/Real_ESPNLeBrun/status/307257505581506560 Two years, 5 million per. Kinda hefty, if you ask me.

I know his name's been mentioned in connection with Carolina, but I'm not sure where he'd fit on their blueline. I think the most management gets for him is a 2nd/3rd round pick, and that's being optimistic. "It only means nothing to the people who want to ignore simple FACTS." Ok, so 6 of the 10 top +/- players last year were Boston Bruins. I guess they were just individually awesome, and not part of a collective defensive juggernaut.

I think the most telling thing during Babcock's post-game interview was something along the lines of guys "bringing in energy, not sucking it out" and about a team sport "not being about you, but about the team". White really seems to be in the dog house.

Not sure, but won't the deadline be pushed back because of Sochi? I'm not sure on this one, but I think I read it somewhere.

Avs matched the offer. I'm shocked. http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=657948&navid=nhl:topheads

Not that I'm surprised, but if this move goes through, Calgary's first pick in the draft will be in the 4th round.

I really don't see the Avs matching. That high of a qualifying offer and Duchene + Landeskog are up for new deals that year, as well.

I'm all for this as well. Tatar in 2010-11 and Tatar in 2012-13 are two very different players. The guy could barely stay onside during his stint a couple years back. In his 11 games with the team this year he's looked poised, fast and shown he's got a great set of hands. Even if Gus takes another year in GR (it's a real possibility), I'd be fine with it so long as he improves in the same way Tatar did.

I've been of the mindset to keep Flip because we're going to need depth at center in the near future, but he seems to only be effective on the left wing. Really wanted to see a Filppula-Pulkkinen connection one day. That being said, I'd be up for moving him if it could shake things up in a positive way.

This. They basically kept Meech over Quincey. They were battling for a spot during the pre-season and Meech outplayed him.

Filppula hasn't played well enough to run his own line with Tatar and Nyquist, but I'd like to see Nyquist-Zetterberg-Brunner Filppula-Datsyuk-Tatar Could switch up the Griffs, but I think Brunner and Z shoot enough and Nyquist could be the playmaker of the line.