Opie

Even if Hossa has a subpar season by his and our standards, remember in order for the wings to have similar stats (not wins losses) as last season he just has to match Drake's output, If Hossa can't do that then there are some serious issues health, mental strength, some thing!

WOW, wasn't a week or so ago Babs was saying Leino would be down until he learned to use his body and go to the net, my how quickly this kid learns, no wonder he is Wings material!!

Trust me I do trust holland, I was just pointing out that those things could happen to make cap room and that Cheli being injured gives the Wings wiggle room right now, but when healthy room will need to be made, and the team now has depth at forward and d to use for consideration for who goes and who stays.

I only jest because I was able to catch quite a few Lewiston games, and although they were entertaining as all hell, other than Picard they had very few skilled players and a bunch of young guys who threw knuckles. I move from the area to Manchester NH (WOW the LA Kings have good talent in the AHL, not great but good) and the very next year they win it all. I know nothing in my first post let you in on that information, but I was mainly just kidding around, as I have a soft spot for the Q and Lewiston specifically.

While I agree one of the words from the bolded sentence happened, both couldn't. Either he earned his spot or was automatically given one. Either way that means in the mind of his Stanley cup winning coach, who posted back to back to back 50 win seasons, he was worth the roster spot. He was the Wings leading hitter last year, maybe, just maybe, Babs is thinking that while Hossa replaced Drake's spot on the roster he didn't take his role and Babs wants a forward to chase down D-men like Drake did. Instead of a Draper clone (compliment to Helm) or Leino who for all intents and purposes seems to be Sammy's replacement next year. Babs has come out and publicly said that Leino needs to work on using his body and going to the net, Leino admitted that going to the net in the NA rink is very different and much more important than in the Euro rink. A skill Flip had trouble with until last season (not a shot against him just stating it). But you are right the spot was just handed to him because hey why not, it isn't like they are trying to win or anything!

Currently the LTIR gives the Wings some wiggle room, not a ton but enough that they can play a few games and see what there best move going forward is, maybe Lilja proves to be irreplaceable, Sammy trade? maybe? Leino fills in for him, lot of things could be a possibility going forward, Quincey is more to help free up the log jam, I THINK!

Speak for yourself, I am proud as hell to be a Wings fan, they just won the cup, just had back to back to back 50 win seasons, have 4 of the top 20 players in the league on their team, best defense man in the world, 2 of the best all around forwards in the game, best top 4 D in the league, top offense and D from last season, they have done nothing but get better since last year. What in the world is so embarrassing about that. s*** when the C's won 24 games I was still proud to be a fan, you are embarrassed go root for another team! Try the Flyers, their style of play may suit you better and in April when they are playing golf you won't have to be embarrassed by them raising the cup with a bunch of softies! Great post!!!

So aren't the posts about how to run the team, considering the people that are doing it do a damn fine job. But oh well you are not the first and certainly won't be the last to call me annoying. Oh and another thing you forgot in your so eloquently worded Maltby and Kopecky comparison to Leino is money, Leino will make 375,000 more than Kopecky and as we all know when healthy the Wings are over the cap, but you thought about that I am sure. It is just that your like or dislike of certain players must have more weight in your mind!

WOW, that pylon, uh I mean Kyle got waived very surprised. This guy is not the same player in the new NHL. Very Derian Hatcher-esque player.

Damn it another year with out any thing to root for, that's just great!

Hey man, the Q is not that bad, well ok maybe it is!

I wouldn't say Malts is still great on the PK, he is probably 5th best on the team and that is not including Hossa.

Warning Serious question here: Why? Mac has been fragile, not the fighter Downey is, Looked Penalty prone in the Playoffs, and doesn't have the offensive upside that was his advantage over Downey?

Yeah I was more over comparing Malts and Helm directly as suggested by the OP, also the Hossa thing is up in the air. IF, huge IF, he is re-signed Huds, Sammy and possibly Mule could all potentially end up being casualties of the situation, unlikely but possible.

******* LOL, very well played, LMFAO!!!

Roll your eyes all you want but you are ignoring the fact that Holland only has one forward spot open right now and cannot move people around due to waivers and IR. But again, way to avoid my points and look at the comment that has nothing to do with the discussion! Well played again sir!

Trust me I feel the same way about Malts, however the facts the Wings are considering (Guessing here no inside info): 1. Loyalty 2. Helm playing 5-7 minutes a night in the NHL or 12-15 in the AHL 3. Maltby is on the roster or off of the team, unless they completely ignore #1 and waive him. 4. Malts last year will be next season, earlier if he retires, doubt that highly though. 5. Next years roster, the Wings will in all likelihood say good bye to Sammy after this season, especially if they can find a way to get Hossa long term, Huds could be a victim of a long term Hossa signing as well. Thus meaning Helm and Leino could possibly be huge factors in next seasons roster, thus point 2 comes back into play with these two.

GMR, The wings are currently handicapped due to the fact that Howard and Mac CANNOT BE SENT DOWN. That leaves only one forward spot, that forward spot has to be some one that can do more than punch a tomato can. You are correct if Kopecky, or Maltby go down, yes Leino provides nothing new, however if it is some one from the top 3 lines Downey can not replace anyone because he will move into the fourth line, and neither Maltby nor Kopecky can be moved up to provide what Sammy, Cleary, Flip, Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Hossa, Homer, Mule, or Huds can provide, therefore the 13th forward needs to be some one who can do more than throw a punch or two, that is why it is Leino right now, hence why Babs has him skating with the first line. When the IR situation clears itself out Leino will probably go down, or a forward will get traded if he is that good (Doubt it highly), thus allowing Holland to call up Downey or use Mac. However currently his hands are tied. But it is usually a good idea to treat the opening day roster as a guide for the rest of the season, I am glad to see logic is a weapon you use often!

AHH the Eva defense, don't answer anyone else's questions or their points and point to something else, well played sir. Good thing the front office doesn't think like you or this team would be the one championship and done Ducks. Or they would be like the Flyers. Good thing they just put the best team forward they can. You, sir, epitomize the spoiled Wings fan! I know we personally have gone through this debate many times, but the team just won a championship and you act like they have done nothing to get better and will get worse because Aaron Downey will be on the Griffins roster for opening day, instead of realizing the orgs hands are tied and they need the 13th forward to have other skills right now. Instead you focus on the old, tired, stale argument that the Wings aren't tough enough. Then this argument gets to a point in time where you admit you just like the style of play that enforcers bring. Then in another thread you start this same old, tired, stale argument. You should relax, as pointed out he was not cut, he was not traded for a bag of pucks, he was sent to GR, which by the way you should have realized was going to happen when they signed him to a two way contract.

Thanks for answering my question. No I did not forget that Downey was in the press box and Mac was riding Pine for 55 minutes a game. I also did not forget that the past three years have garnered very similar regular season results (which would be when Downey did play) and that the last two years the wings have made it to the WCF or beyond. So what was your point? Weren't Ritolla, Howard and Ericsson on the post season roster too, they had as much impact as Downey in the post season, was it fun watching them sit in the box as well. You are also forgetting that this is the opening day roster, nothing says none of the guys will go up or down. And at this point in time Mac, Howard and Cheli(can't anyway) are injured and can not be moved to the AHL. Thus there is only one forward spot open at this time, and with all of the forwards that are not waiver exempt, the Wings can not make a move to bring up a forward without some one having to clear waivers, the waiver clearing process is not immediate and if a couple of hours before the game Hossa, Homer, or Dats say their groin is still too sore, Bab has to play the 13th forward, if that is Downey the wings are screwed, if Downey were taking the spot of Malts or Kopecky that is a different story and I am all for it. However the Wings need to leave the most versatile forward they can on the roster. Like it or not that is not Downey. Sometimes your posts make it seem like you think the Wings are not playing an enforcer to intentionally and personally piss you off.

As fun as the championship or less fun or more fun?

Who got injured in 06-07 because Downey wasn't in the lineup, you are painting a worst case scenario as though it is sure thing that will happen. As a long time fan you should have noticed that the way to beat the Wings for the better part of the last 11 years was to rough them up. Didn't do anybody any good last year (note Downey did not play in the post season), or the year before. Downey is sent down due to Mac being injured, and a bunch of guys nursing sore groins, if Homer, Dats, Hossa, or any other forward goes down Babs is going to need Leino not Downey. Howard and Mac both are eating up roster spots as is Cheli to a lesser degree. You can not send some one down who is injured that leaves Babs and co with one forward spot. It is a very smart move to put Downey in the A, when all of the roster spots are open again I am sure things will change. However, because Downey isn't on the opening day roster doesn't mean he won't play all year!

The only option the team had really, with Mac being injured he is in the same boat as Howard you can not send an injured player down. Downey had to go, if they were both healthy the same move may have been made but one never knows. If D-mac is healthy again and stays up one can assume that was going to be the move all along, but as soon as Mac is healthy he could switch with Downey, who really knows. Edit: A decent player that I have got to think will be back on another team soon.

I still think they pulled off the biggest bait and switch of the year with the Brunnstrom thing. For all intents and purposes the wings were high on Fabian, other teams saw a Swede that Detroit was interested in and that had to perk a few ears. Then with everyone looking at their right hand the left comes in and scoops up what could prove to be a great signing of Leino. Holland is now a magician

2 people 2 posts, but one of them has been throwing around these posts on every thread, and that was more of what my rant was towards. Either way my reply to you was to say I get your point, but I still felt the rant was well placed, and you were probably typing this reply.