Opie

Richards didn't go for cheap if it was Det that traded it would have cost Howard (future netminder in Det) Huds and if not a top ranking d prospect (not Ericsson) And so that you know Foote had to waive a NTC, and very rarely do teams in the same division trade.

So lets see, signing the second highest point getting d-man in the league was doing nothing in the off season. Ye of short memory, thou shall not smoketh to much bongeth!!

You are all saying he let them get away, like Det was every other GM's first call and Holland said, nah, you know what I will pass, go ahead and offer him to another team, but thanks for thinking of me!

Don't forget to come back and tell us how rooting for your new team is in 3 years when they suck and the wings are still a powerhouse!!! BUt don't come back here if the wings win a cup, I would rather you loathe the wings than bandwagon your ass back over here. Don't type s*** unless you mean it! Sorry to see you go leftwinger but you said it yourself:

Lets see if we can package 3 of the Holland sucks thread, 4 of the goalie threads, and 5 of the bring back x player, in a deal for a first rounder from Ana!

Very very clever, I now see your point and retract everything I said!!!! /sarcasm

I say to both of you, what move that was available at last years deadline that could have been done to help the wings overcome the loss of Kronwall and Schneider. Holland would have to be able to tell the future to predict last year. The team had one of the top 2 d's in the league last year, and then in the playoffs lost 2 of its top 3 d-men. Do tell me if I am so stuck in the past, what would you (I assume do to your vast knowledge you are in line for a gm job somewhere) have done last year. I have no problem with people saying there are needs that need addressing, as I have said that, when people say "Off with Hollands head" that is not logical and it shows a complete lack of understanding. Some teams won't deal with det, see Carolina, No one in the west is going to help make det any better than it already is. Very few eastern teams that are in the playoffs are going to deal anyone. So those of you that were calling for a Ryder trade, sorry that is not happening unless Dats is going the other way as they only appear willing to give up Ryder for Hossa in return. Sticknmove I already told you that your credibility in this discussions is gone seeing as in one of your posts on this subject you have the wings not winning the cup since the 90's. You do realize this is the salary cap era right? Holland has Cleary and Zetterberg to worry about signing in the near future. Maybe Hossa wants 9 mil a year, you, me, and anyone else on here has a clue what goes on in the war room. However instead of trusting in an org. that has always played the UFA and trading in a way that has not hurt them, instead of freaking out and saying why hasn't he traded x for Hossa. Like it is that easy, like all Holland has to do is walk up to Waddell and say "Hey, Sammy and Meech for Hossa!" and Waddell will go "Sure why not, it isn't like I am going to get better offers." You overreact and your posts show as much. Proof: Lets say Hossa signs here, your post would look something like: OMG, this is the bestest thing ever, we pwned the league. Then Hossa busts and ankle and is out for the playoffs and then your post would look something like this: OMG Holland sucks he shouldn't have traded away the franchise for an rental player who got hurt. Do you know how I know this, not because I can see the future but rather I can see the past, I can go back and make inferences from your posts. I could start in the Ozzie/Hasek threads, but I have made this post long enough already!

Guy like Hossa, you mean like Datsyuk and Zetterberg? NO!< not those two why would anyone appreciate them, it is not like they are top 25 in league or anything right now, bunch of bums!!!!!!!

Oh I am sorry, but the constant ranting over this team sucking, players on this team sucking, the GM sucking, the owner sucking, blah blah blah, that is your idea of original. Look at the number of threads that in the beginning of the season Howard was trade bait, Osgood washed up, Hasek sucks, Flip sucks, Hudler, Lilja, Rafalski, Datsyuk, Zetterberg, so on and so on. Most people on this board over react and then change their opinions. The only person on this team that has not been dogged on is Lids, but that is what you get when you are bar none the best player at your position. You want a team that does things differently, find another team to root for, this team is a contender every year, plays top notch hockey, and has the same trading and UFA tendencies every year. They play it safe to keep the young talented prospects around so that they don't mortgage the future for a rental player. Their goal is not a shot at the cup this year, but a shot at the cup every year. You obviously are too young or weren't watching Hockey during the dead things era, it would have taught you something called perspective which based on your posts you have none. All you want is your team to win every year, you don't care about next year until next year gets here. Even if the Wings go out and get Ollie from Fla and Hossa from Atl they could lose the cup, then next year you professional second guesser, arm chair GM's, whatever you want to call yourselves would be on this same board next year griping about the fact that Holland traded the future for Hossa who signed with another team. And then we would have to read all of the Fleischman-esque threads about how Holland f***ed up. You cannot have your cake and eat it too, physically impossible. I will make you a deal, if the wings make no moves and win the cup you must attach a Ken Holland is a genius and I am an idiot quote to your sig. And if they make no moves and lose in the first round I will attach a Ken Holland is an idiot and so am I quote to my sig. Edit: to stay on your sig for the whole of next season!!! If they win the cup after making a move well then neither of us is wrong, the move was necessary and Holland did his job! Oh and BTW: Scotch or Vodka but rarely Whiskey.

I am not sure they have enough to land both. Ryder or Higgins (from what I read Higgins is more coveted by both Habs and Atl than Ryder) plus a roster or top prospect for Hossa, leaves them with what to deal for Feds? Columbus is going to want something roster wise. I see them getting one or the other.

Has buffalo become the new boston???

Cannot sign until next year!!!!!!!!!!! Is under contract through this season! Edit, because I sunder is not english!

StickNmove, before you lose more credibility in this discussion you may want to edit that 90's comment to '02, but that is only if you want to look like you know what you are talking about. Offsides if you continue to use logic and post with common sense you will be reprimanded!!

I was on the opposite end of the spectrum, so tired of people calling him a failure that I wanted people to understand he is one of the best in the league, but seeing as you already knew that I wasted a lot of kbs with that post! He has tried to fix those issues but was not willing to pay Danny Markov 4+ mil a year for 3 years (or was it 4 he wanted), he was unwilling to pay Bert 4 mil a year, and seeing as no one else was willing to pay Markov, and only Burke was willing to pay Bert I would assume he played his cards right. Do you think Det is the only team looking for a power forward that can score, an enforcer who can at least kill penalties or do something other than throw fists, do you think Det is the only team looking for a Solid stay at home defenseman who can play the PP PK and be a top pairing in case of injury.

Well one of them was less than 5 seasons ago, but yeah ten years was a close guess. If you really honestly think or expect them to win the cup every year you are delusional, no offense meant man. The way pro sports have turned you will be very hard pressed to see teams like the Old School Canadiens or Islanders or Oilers, it just isn't going to happen. Now do I want my teams to win it every year, hell yes! Am I upset when they don't, Hell yeah! But I can look back at the season and say, this year has been a success, Holland has put things in place so that next year I have the ability to hope the team wins it. Where as if I was a fan of say Florida, Tampa, Philly, L.A. Kings, Toronto, Buffalo, etc.... I would look at next season and say "Holy f*** we suck again" which is why fans of most teams think Wings' fans are spoiled. Because for the last 15 years the team has been a top contending team, besides the Devils and Wings name me one team that has been as consistently successful over that time frame. Now name me GM's in that time frame who have held their job as long as Holland, How many teams have made busts of trades in that time frame. ATL last year got hosed for making a big deal at the deadline that screwed their team in the post season to the tune of a sweep by the almighty RAGS!!!!!! Sometimes it is not the move you make, but the move you don't make. Would I like to see Hossa in the Winged Wheel you bet you socks I do, but I don't know if Holland couldn't work his salary into the wings plans. And don't give me that crap about you don't care about next year as long as they win it this year. Because next year you will probably be on here saying the same thing. Edit: I am not sure letting go of Bert was a failing grade, same with Calder, Lang was a good move and regardless of his status on this board was a playoff performer and without him this team probably doesn't leave the SJ series last year.

That is definitely your opinion, and seeing as you are a goalie I would consider it a biased opinion. But to tell you the truth this decision has nothing to do with your opinion or mine. The league is trying to expand its' audience, and most Americans want to see scoring, not great defensive plays, yeah the occasional brilliant save will make highlight reels, and people will ohh and ahh for a little bit. But the overall goal from the lockout has been developing a brand of hockey that will appeal to a broader audience and a game that is faster paced and more offensive than the current product. Hence all of the changes. Also it is not that the pads are SO BIG that they block out the sun, but a lot of goalies use pads that are way to big for them and hockey pants that would fit Andre the Giant let a lone a skinny pencil necked 6'2" 185 netminder. I was at a Manchester Monarchs game and the goalie's pants were so big (How big were they, lol) that their was at least 8 inches of spare room around the waste of the pants. Goalies have purposely gone out and got the biggest pads and pants they can fit under the rules, it is not about getting equipment that fits them or is safer, it is about covering as much space as possible. And as a goalie I hope you understand the principal of angles, and that if a goalie is in his crease and covers, lets say for the sake of argument, 70% of the net. If that goalie takes one step off of his line in a direct angle towards the puck he covers more of the net. Goalie pads extend far past the edge of the leg, ribs, arms, and shoulders. Some goalies have found ways to stuff their pads so that the flaps of their pads stay up to create even more blocking surface How big are you, 6' 180 pounds (I guess based on an average human size) why on earth would you wear 38" pads other than to cover more space? Why do the pads need to be square, when the Human body is not? Why do the pads need to extend beyond the body? Why does JS Giguere who is smaller than Marty Broduer (I would say it is pretty widely accepted that he is one of the best goalies of this era) need to wear bigger pads than Broduer? I'll answer this one, because he is not as good and bigger pads make him that good, not only is that not fair to the game it is not fair to Broduer. I want the instigator rule gone, I want 10 minutes of 4-4 OT, I want lots of rules changed, but they are not needs or wants of the NHL!

Pretty harsh words for a guy who has built a contender for the past 15 years, but then again your right, I mean look at all of the success Philly has had recently with their buying and selling philosophy. I assume the 88 in your username is the year you were born, graduated or the number you wear, if it is the former you missed the Dead things era and really can't appreciate what you are witness to right now. For those of us that watch and rooted for those teams, think that rooting for a team that won 3 cups in 12 years, and is a perennial power house is a pretty nice thing and Holland, in my book, gets a lot of credit for that. But who am I to try and bring logic to a discussion board.

I am so happy reading these posts. I was unable to watch the game last night and was coming on here to see the reaction. Seeing the score I had to wonder how he played. 35-31 is not too shabby, but could also have been a couple of 5 hole squeakers or something. Good to see he is playing well and I hope he is able to take over the reigns in a couple of years. I said it when Ozzie got his extension, this would be a great learning situation for J-Ho, not only style wise, but also what it is like to play goalie in Detroit.

And even then it isn't really that entertaining more frustrating. Kind of like watching scrambled porn on tv back in the days before internet!

Where is the Band aid Letsgogriffins logo from a couple of years ago Matt. Or was it Letsgowings, either way I think some one had photoshopped a bandaid into the logo.

This kid is leading the team in minutes right now and Lebda is leading in shots (7:39 2nd)

Well played, very well played! That would mean it used to be 7 so my memory is not what it once was.

If I remember correctly the original question was 6 but since the Jets have changed it would be 5. Those are the 5 I thought of but didn't give it much thought if there was more.

Trust me, after watching him in Boston, PASS!!! This guy will get smoked at the Blue line, if a shifty player is coming down the wing and is lined up with Gill, the goalie better be ready for a break away!!!

Ahh the Kings good pick up!!!!!!