mmamolo

I dont really buy the 'flu like symptoms' thing to be honest. The guy didn't look or seem sick Sunday. It would have had to sprung up out of nowhere yesterday for them to keep him off the flight. If I'm not mistaken they flew out Monday morning. So the timing seems weird. The only thing that would make a bit of sense if it was the flu is that on a flight like that they wouldnt want it to spread to the rest of the team. To me, if he woke up with the flu bad enough to keep him off the flight he probably had the flu during Game 5. If that was the case he would have been taking some shifts off when it was 3-1 to rest up. Something doesnt make sense to me.

Lebrun Twitter ALso notes that Modano will warm up with Datsyuk and Holmstrom. This means one of two things: 1. Datsyuk's wrist is healthy enough to take face-offs or they trust Modano enough to take the face-offs for him. Which allows them to go with: Datsyuk/Modano - Datsyuk/Modano - Holmstrom Cleary - Zetterberg - BErtuzzi Miller - Filppula - ABdelkader Draper - Helm - Eaves Or, 2. They will switch at some point in the game to something like: Modano - Filppula - Datsyuk Cleary - Zetterberg - Bertuzzi Miller - Abdelkader - Holmstrom Draper - Helm - Eaves I would imagine they want to be able to roll option one as it makes them stronger down the middle

Title says it all

I wanted him on this team before these comments...now I'm all over it even more. If the cap can make sense man, you gotta like it

If my memory serves me I believe Ericsson actually salary this year is about $1.25M so if the Wings plan on keeping him you'll see his cap his probably in the neighborhood of what the OP listed. I'm also a fan of the Bieksa signing although I don't know about $5M per. It may take that to get it done but I dont know that he's worth $5M. I believe his cap hit is $3.75M so I wouldn't think he'd need that big of a raise. But you do bring up a good point that it may take that much money for Vancouver to not be able to keep him. Also, I believe there are better options than Erik Cole but that's just me.

I think I would tend to agree with this just maybe not to the same degree. I think it's a little bit different to compare game 3 to this one. To me Detroit dominated all of Game 3 only to come up short where as although SJ dominated for slightly more than 2 periods the Wings dominated most of the 3rd.

At times diving can take players out of the play but that only really matters if they dive at absolutely terrible times which doesnt happen too often. I think it's more of an advantage when teams start diving so much that it gets them off their game. Vancouver did it in Round 1 and focused more on that crap than playing their cycle game etc during games 4 and 5 and it cost them. Refs don't hand out too many diving calls so it's not a huge swing. Take the Thornton/Franzen play from last night. No way that should have been a penalty for each. That dive was flat out ridiculous.

One of the posts above mankes a good point that winning this type of game can definitely swing a series. The other thing to think about is now you've planted a little seed of doubt in the Sharks' heads. Although they are a great team they have still yet to get over the hump in the playoffs and shed the choke label. They're going to start feeling the heat a little bit now

The other issue is that if Franzen can't go does Babcock think Modano is the better option than Hudler. Maybe, maybe not

Tampa Bay is definitely playing really well and they have some nice pieces but there are two glaring problems with this team moving forward (beyond this year - long term future): 1. Dwayne Roloson is 41 years old. Sooner or later they need a legit replacement 2. We see teams make runs like these because their depth players play way, way, way above their abilities. Their third line is just ridiculous right now. THe problem is we've seen a ton of third lines do this one cup runs before. Edmonton 06, Anaheim 07 etc. Problem is although they have insane chemistry during the cup run these types of players cannot sustain that chemistry or production. Dominic Moore and Sean Bergenheim are playing way above their abilities and are just riding the wave of momentum. They're good players but the chances of them repeating this run are very slim.

After this post I think I have a not so secret crush on 55fan...

I raised the Cap $3M and put as conservatively estimated salaries as possible (meaning in most cases they should definitely be enough to get it done). I plugged in certain UFAs that I like and think would work well here and are also from teams that are either going to have tough decisions to make in trying to keep them or they are in one way or another some what replaceable based on other players currently on those teams' rosters. Also, this roster is supposed to be realistic in the sense that we're just flat out not going to see wholesale changes to the core of the Wings. You will not see guys like Filppula, Kronwall, Stuart or Cleary moved. I'm assuming that the bulk of the current players will be brought back with the exception of Miller, Modano (retire), and Salei. Then there are options if Draper and Osgood do decide to call it quits as well. CAPGEEK.COM CAP CALCULATOR FORWARDS Todd Bertuzzi ($1.937m) / Henrik Zetterberg ($6.083m) / Johan Franzen ($3.954m) Tomas Holmstrom ($1.875m) / Pavel Datsyuk ($6.700m) / Daniel Cleary ($2.800m) Jiri Hudler ($2.875m) / Valtteri Filppula ($3.000m) / Justin Abdelkader ($0.787m) Patrick Eaves ($0.800m) / Darren Helm ($0.912m) / Raffi Torres ($1.150m) Arron Asham (or Kris Draper) ($0.800m) / Jan Mursak ($0.550m) DEFENSEMEN Nicklas Lidstrom ($6.000m) / Brad Stuart ($3.750m) Niklas Kronwall ($3.000m) / Jonathan Ericsson ($1.350m) Brian Rafalski ($6.000m) / Kevin Bieksa ($4.000m) Jakub Kindl ($0.883m) GOALTENDERS Jimmy Howard ($2.250m) / Evgeni Nabokov (or Chris Osgood) ($0.800m) *obviously we all know the NYI situation with Nabokov so you can insert any name here. The price range is the point CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter) (these totals are compiled without the bonus cushion) SALARY CAP: $62,400,000; CAP PAYROLL: $62,258,711; BONUSES: $0 CAP SPACE (23-man roster): $141,288

I love 55fan's constant blind faith. At least she always puts a positive spin on everything around here. Despite what I said above I do have to say it's pretty weird that just because of what Philly did last year it seems like every single time a team goes 3-0 now every one in the sports world acts as though there's a legitimate chance the trailing team can now make the come back. I'm not saying we shouldn't believe it can happen or cheer for it to happen. But let's keep some perspective here. Just start with one shift, build on that and try to win a period, then a game, and so on...

I posted something similar in another thread - that with this being potentially the last game of the year they absolutely should put Modano in the line up. However, I don't particularly think it should be at Hudler's expense as he played well last night. Regardless, Modano has to play in Game 4. No matter how they view the series, the Wings organization should do right by Modano and play him in what could easily be his last NHL game and last game at the Joe. If the Wings do in fact lose we should be given the chance to give Modano a proper send off in what will almost for sure be his inevitable retirement this summer. It would be a classy move and at least put a silver lining on an otherwise disappointing series. I say send him out in the right way. Give him the respect he deserves for coming to Detroit and trying to accomplish something (even though it just didn't work out)

Personally I think this team has the talent to do it if they were to play their game but I honestly don't think it will happen so I voted no and I that they'll get swept which is especially frustrating because I'll be at the game Friday. I'm even driving all the way from Toronto for this so before any of you get on me for 'not believing' that should be enough evidence that I still beleive they can do it - I just don't think it will. Ultimately, everything is going the Sharks way right now. They survived the LA series when they probably shouldn't have. The bounces are going their way right now and the PK issues aren't going to be solved in less than 48 hours. The Wings have had way too many opportunities to be in this series (hell, they could be leading this series if bounces had gone the other way) and they haven't taken advantage while the Sharks have and that is the difference between winning and losing in the playoffs. In the end, teams win the cup because they don't leave the results of games up to how those bounces go. They overcome iffy penalty calls, deflected shots that end up in goals, and all of those other minor things by simply doing more. The Wings just aren't doing enough right now to win.

Not to mention he replaced Schneider who left for Anaheim and got more money than the Wings would pay. When he is on his game he is still a very solid defenseman. He's not what he was when he first came to Detroit but at that time he was worth more than $6M.

All I know is I'd like to see Modano get in a game. If he does in fact retire (which is obviously looks as though he will) the Wings should send him out in style and get him in a playoff game on home ice so the crowd can show him some respect for what he tried to do

I believe the Wings lost two extremely close games to a team that was playing to the best of their abilities while the Wings were playing near the bottom of theirs. I believe that the long break between series will become an advantage as this series goes deeper and the amount of overtime games played and reliance SJ puts on their top 9 forwards will wear their team down. I also believe, despite the shot totals, the Wings have made Niemi look better than he has played by shooting mostly from the perimeter and giving him more 1 and dones than they give most goalies. I believe tonight you will all see a faster, more determined Wings team that will generate traffic, scoring chances and be the Wings team we're all used to

girls are weird

When you complain about injuries on the current roster adding a guy with the significant injury problems that Gagne has had, no matter what kind of salary you could get him at, it would be a massive risk. Even if you got him for $1M and that affords you the ability to get other players if you are getting him you're getting him for a reason - he's supposed to fill a need. When he gets injured your need is exposed. If you feel the current roster already gets injured too often it just doesnt make sense to add another often injured player.

If Modano gets into the line up I wouldnt mind seeing Modano - Filppula - Holmstrom. If I remember correctly that line was together briefly and had some chemistry. It puts two strong skaters and stick handlers together with a net pressence. Also, both Fil and Holmstrom are good down low and Modano can be the shooter. That also allows something along the lines of: Hudler - Datsyuk - Cleary Franzen - Zetterberg - Bertuzzi Modano - Filppula - Holmstrom Draper - Helm - Eaves Miller, Abdeldaker I don't necessarily think ABs should be out of the line up but if he is going to sit I would start the game with those lines. It's also good because you could flip Dats and Flip and not miss a beat. Or you could switch Hudler with Franzen in case putting Franzen and Zetterberg on the same line is too much as they are both coming off injuries.

You get all in a huff about some one saying something a little gross and you have the nerve to post under the handle plopster? Now, that's unsettling! I feel bad for your significant toilet

Spizzirri on Hockeybuzz.com is saying the Wings practiced this morning with the folliwing lines: Franzen-Datsyuk-Holmstrom Cleary-Zetterberg-Bertuzzi Abdelkader-Filppula-Hudler Draper-Helm-Eaves Despite blogging for the unbelievably uncredible Eklund, Spizzirri is actually a decent read most of the time and has some good info. But take it for what it's worth Also, from Ansar

Man, why hasn't Babcock thought of that! What an idiot!!

I just like the fact that one of the main gripes the OP had was that the Wings are injury prone and then it goes on the suggest that Holland tries to sign Simon Gagne. Wow