Opie

Instead the game needs the drama of the league turning the other cheek for the Hawks but not NJ or the other teams it has happened too? Puck Daddy Plus one of the posters also points out it happen to Buffalo recently (I was unaware of this one):

Yes because faking an email is very hard for instance mine is harryhoudini@yahoo.com. (Almost Famous anyone?)

I am less worried because they are not 18 year olds and almost all of them will have had Playoff experience. Helm and Ericsson have been NHL ready (IMO) so two of them you have to take with a grain of salt and say at most it would be 2 rookies. 1) Howard will be the back up and barring injury will have minimal impact or be gone if he can't handle back up. 2) Abdelkader I don't believe will be highly relied on to score, any thing from him will be bonus. He will have to run over people, that and defense will be what Babs asks of him. Again, all my opinion but take it for what it is worth, about 15 seconds of your time! EDIT: Sorry and Leino is a 25 year old proven talent, not proven in the NHL but the Wings know what he is capable and if not for the depth of the Wings could have played last year. He was considered consolation prize for the Brunnstrom chase, even though I think that was a smoke screen and the Wings got their guy.

Just about to post the same question?

AHHH Sorry! MY BAD!

Was hoping for 3 or 4 as well, I really felt like he look seasoned enough to garner a longer deal. Hopefully turns out to be another Franzen/Sammy/Cleary, as in Detroit Steal at an older age not skill wise.

I would say Col won that trade by a long shot, an aging forward who has not had "IT" since leaving Edmonton, for the teams leading scorer on D who has decent potential and a definite offensive upside, and another good defenseman in Preissing if he remains healthy, and a pick. I would take it if I am Col, I mean sure the King got a veteran presence, but at a decent cost as well. And it is not like he is going to come in and be a setup man for the youngsters, he will be an expensive defensively sound Homer, with a a better shot at the dots.

I am not sure too many prospects can do what Ericsson did last year, he really should have been up a year ago!

Both Bernier and Quick are young goalies with potential and the Taylor kid who was behind Bernier last year has a phenomenal glove hand but needs positioning help! They have a lot of young goalies which is why it was even funnier to watch Cloutier in Manchester, these young kids were coming from everywhere making great saves, and then he would get a start and look like, well, look like Dan Cloutier!

Really are you sure that is not Flip, seeing as Huds is very very rarely a center on the Wings. Maybe before you try to make fun of the rest of the forum you should have your s*** together. BTW he was the 5th highest scoring forward on the team in the regular season (PTS and G, assists he was 4th, unfortunately his +/- was 7th though). But don't let a little thing like his stats get in your way of evaluating his talent! Must of been all of that ice time on the PP right, oh wait no one needs PP scoring, you are right he is a waste> Or what was it you meant my the rotflmao icon? Ooops!

Um isn't saying he was the second best on his pairing also saying he was the worst on his pairing? Seeing as there are only 2 in a pairing. Not sure what your point was. Edit: Gotcha, you were saying he wasn't the end all be all of defenders and then went on to become it, I thought you were saying when he stepped on the ice the first time he was the Lids we all know. I think that is what you meant?

Agree, go some where were effort and defense are not needed to win THE cup, because they don't have THE Cup. He can go get paid and just be on the bench, his on ice effort won't matter, just the name on the back of his Jersey! KHL anyone?

WOW, selective rule enforcement is the first sign of lots of bad things to come. If the inconsistency continues and rules continue to be enforced at the whim of Bettman, Campbell, BoG, whomever I wouldn't be surprised at all if the owners or players association makes a stink real soon! Especially in this case where if the postmark is after July 1 the players would be losing out on a lot of money, especially Versteeg and Barker. EDIT: I know the NHLPA is investigating, but if one of the FA's claims he didn't receive it and contacts the PA don't they have to act on his accord? Plus since they can't be mailed they must be faxed or courier delivered isn't Tallon still in violation? This is so weird why is it that rules the NHL has are so hard for me to understand, even the ones that are cut and dry and say things like: No instigating in the final five minutes or a suspension. Tie downs have to be used or suspension (yes I am fully aware this would have taken Z with Malkin and don't care) Offer sheets must be faxed or delivered by a courier by July 1 or said FA's become UFA. Why are these rules so damn complicated? Better yet why is every ******* rule in the NHL so inconsistently enforced, this is bulls***, burn the rule book and make every violation a "Discretionary call"! Even when the game ends, what size the rink can be depending on who is building it, how big nets are, shot clocks anyone, only for teams the league deems fit!

Not questioning your numbers but can I have a link, the nhlnumbers one seems to include Hossa and Madden? Maybe not bonuses?

Right now Chi has about 11m left, with 11 forwards (10 NHL level) under contract, 6 D (4 NHL level) and 1 NHL level gaolie. Versteeg at 3 is possible for them, I would wager Versteeg at up 5 is a possibility. Using NHL numbers so my numbers may be slightly off! This year the big 3 RFA's for them are making 1.9 Keith and .875 (Toews and Kane) it is likely that the latter 2 could be making 10x' s that much and Keith could be making upwards of 3 x's his salary. EDIT: \ It is not his year that they are in cap hell, it is next season when they have 3 D (1 will get paid big time)under contract and 5 forwards (2 will get paid big time). Sure they will have a lot of space to sign Kane, Toews, and Keith, as long as they don't mind playing 4 v 5 hockey all year long or with a crap load of AHL talent!

For some reason I need to add that if not for him whiffing, not hitting, missing his poke check on that rugrat Kennedy the Wings win the series, but he shied away from the hit, and Kennedy of all people scored. God I hate that cheeserstache he wears! Worse than Crosby's by a long shot!

I agree, he would be a great invite, I was more thinking out loud with the contract statement, not assuming you meant offer him one!

+1 Although Sammy back at 1.5 would make me feel a little more comfortable. D Z Cleary Mule Flip Sammy/Huds (The MFS line was great postseason 07-08) Leino Helm Sammy/Huds Homer Draper Malts/UFA OR D Z Cleary Mule Helm Flip Leino Draper Sammy Homer Huds Malts That line up sucks nevermind! Unless you replace Sammy with Yelle D Z Cleary Mule Helm Flip Leino Draper Huds Homer Yelle Malts Didn't do the cap numbers just thinking out loud, I guess what would you call it, thinking on my keyboard?

Versteeg is RFA, no s***! Stewart would be a nice Traverse city invite! I don't think the need to offer him a contract ahead of time is really necessary, as in the Cleary situation.

I would love to see him in street clothes all year, because that would mean the 4th line would be friggin awesome. However, sadly I see him taking the roster spot. Again not that I don't respect and love what Malts has done in the past, but he was past his expiration date last year!

Yes but they would have to move another contract to sign all 3 of those RFA's. Hossa's deal being reasonable is the bad thing about this, basically they signed him to a great number for another team. They can not keep him at that number and hope to keep the 3 RFA's, even with Madden's deal only being one year, the two of them combined are going to be the cap hit for one of Toew's or Kane. Keith will be a little less, but not by much. They will have to find away to dump Hossa and one of Campbell or Huet to keep all 3. OR the 3 will have to take very long term cap friendly contracts which as already pointed out would be disastrous mistake for them, they would be signed right through their prime to a low end contract when they could be worth more a lot more than 1 mil at age 32-34. They will likely (as is the pattern with most youngsters) sign a 6-8 Mil deal (which IMO they are worth) for 4-6 years. Then sign the cap friendly long term deal!

Fantastic post!! HE and Maltby HAVE TO be on the 4th line, no other place for them. I respect and love them for the wings they have been, but they are brutal out there! Remember in 07 when Homer could actually score on a wrister from some where other than in the crease!

HUGE, Massive, Large, gargantuan, titanic difference, Chi just signed him for 12 years, Det and Pitt did it for a year and pit did it for 3 months. You have a contract that very well could have a NTC in it (no one knows yet) for 12 years at 5.2 a year. What if no one wants Hossa because he fails in the post season, or gets hurt and is really never the same guy. Or he could go on a tear and lead the Hawks to the cup singlehandidly and then there is no way the Hawks get rid of him. Making Hossa work for one year =/= making it work for 12 years! How do you know those guys are life long Hawks? They have been on the team what 3 seasons now? EDIT: No one will want Campbell and Huet when the cap goes down, especially if that high priced of a D-man is basically your 4th forward on the ice!

Well, Holland offered Hossa contract reg season, he turned it down, Holland knowing his numbers and having a good idea of the cap, went to mule with a deal Mule liked, he signed and therefore it was all but over for Hossa. No link needed as it was common knowledge throughout the season Holland was working with these two to get one done before post season and the other done in the summer.

WOW nobody learns from others mistakes any more! 4 mil a year for this guy, wow how long can you get paid for being a big guy with potential? This guy has been in the league 9 years and has 304 pts in 527, .57 ppg EDIT: and turns 30 in 2010! s*** Sammy has 208 in 466 and only made 1.2 last year, .44 ppg