mmamolo

Agreed. In his prime he was worth the drama. Besides, everyone keeps saying how Kovalchuk wants term on this contract. Once the deal is signed you're set. Even if he wants out, you can get value in return. Even if Kovalchuk turned completely sour and refused to play another game in detroit after signing a deal he is so good that a bidding war would start and you'd get value. Players like this can only cause trouble when contracts aren't signed....well, for the most part.

If you're going to make a claim the very least you could do is back it up. I'm not saying you shoudl go look it up but it would have been nice if you knew the answer before shooting your mouth off. On top of that, trades are all fine and good but no way does Chicago make a trade with us and at the end of the day you have to give up assets to acquire anyone via the trade route. Why would you chose to give up assets when someone who is producing, working hard, fitting into your system, and has become much more than a patch wants to re-sign? If you actually think there are players on Carolina worth taking over Bertuzzi at his price tag your dreaming. Talk about an absolutely ignorant post and even more ignorant response.

It's the same story as always Depth vs. One Superstar. It's unfair for everyone to be judging the Red Wings offence based on this season to date. With all of the injuries and the below average offensive numbers for Datsyuk and Zetterberg (our primary point producers) it's not fair to assume all of these trends will continue. For me, when healthy we still have a very solid offence and I dont think we NEED to add a superstar. That being said, it would be nice to do it. As I mentioned in my earlier post I would rather a tier 2 top six guy like a Frolov (or whoever) to sign and then we'd be able to retain any of Bertuzzi, Holmstrom and co. I would much rather see something like: Frolov - Datsyuk - Holmstrom Franzen - Zetterberg - Cleary Bertuzzi - Filppula - Miller/Abdelkader Draper - Helm - Eaves or whatever combinations suits you better

At his price tag? Such as???

1. Osgood signed his contract at 35+ which means even if he were to retire his number counts against our cap. 2. No way Osgood retires after this season 3. I would much rather re-sign Bertuzzi and Holmstrom and then try and sign another mid level/top six forward than go get Kovalchuk. I'd rather Hudler came back and we had more depth. 4. With Helm, Abdelkader, Eaves, and Miller all one more year older and experiences you'd like to think their contributions would increase. That doesnt necessarily means point production but overall play. Obviously too, with Leino signed, he's not going anywhere so hopefully he finds his stride and even turns into a modest contributor so the need for a Kovalchuk over Bertuzzi/Holmstrom/Hudler(or new signed player) isn't really there. Plus Satsyuk and Zetterberg's production can only increse from this season moving forward. 5. If your lines were to happen I can't see why both our primary goal scorers would be on the same line. To me it wouldn't make sense to have Datsyuk not playing with either of Franzen or Kovalchuk. Despite the fact Zetterberg can score he is also great at working down low and can play the set up man. The top two lines in my mind would be something like: Kovalchuck - Datsyuk - Cleary Franzen - Filppula - Zetterberg or Franzen - Datsyuk - Zetterberg Kovalchuk - Filppula - Cleary 6. No way do we go with Howard/Larsson as our goaltending tandem. Even if Howard plays the playoffs and does well with the number of sophmore jinxes in this league Holland would want a stable back up. They'd sign someone and let Larsson continue to season before going with two very young, inexperienced goaltenders.

I was pumped when we signed the guy last summer because I felt he had unfinished business in Detroit and I also thought he had an unfair rep. That beign said, he has exceeded even my expectations. He has acted like a consumate professional, has been a great team guy, scored some very timely goals, played excellent defensively, works hard, creates chances, I mean the guy is doing everything right (penalties aside). At $2M/yr or less there is zero chance Holland walks away from this guy. Bertuzzi has turned himself and his game into that of a model Red Wing

Not to get off topic here but someone mentioned putting Leino in the shootout somewhere after the big three. I actually think that would be a great idea. It would put him in a scoring position, with a little pressure, and if he scored I'm sure it would feel good to beat an NHL goaltender in a quasi game situation. It could help his confidence. Who knows...I say it's worth a shot. I dont know if I can handle seeing Cleary just skate straight in and let off a drinky wrist shot again.

I definitely agree. I think this next string of 5 games are all must wins. Granted it may be unrealistic to think we'll go 5-0 but each game needs to be looked at it that way. The LA and Phoenix games are the absolute most important with Minnesota being right behind. Obviously we're behind Nashville but there's a fair sized gap.

Even though I agree with what many have said in this forum I think if Maltby wants to play next year Holland will oblige him. Personalyl I see him reupping for a year at like 500k. Younger players can fill his role and I'd hate to see us lose Miller jsut to keep Maltby but if one thing has been proven in this organization it's that loyalty always wins

I definitely think it was a league mandate to call more penalties to increase scoring...at least at opportune times. I definitely think, for the most part, ppl would agree that the short end of the calls doesn't awlays go against the Wings. It's the inconsistency that bothers ppl. I can handle differences between different refs style of calling games but what I find hard to take it when one refs calls situations differently within a game. Not to mention the Alex Burrows situation. As a Wings fan, since we're chasing the Canucks I by no means want them winning games but that phantom interference call may have been the worst I have seen this year and it essentially cost the Canucks the game - or at least set the stage. To me, as a die hard Wings fan even, that call outraged me more than the Brad May no goal call a couple of months ago against Dallas.

I'd agree with this statement. I think the problem is Osgood is being held to a higher standard - and so he should be. We need him to step in and steal games. The more he does that the more he'd play. Had he stolen that game against Chicago a while ago, where he let in 2 soft goals (some may say only 1), I think we'd have seen him a lot more. Someone mentioned how the soft goals deflate this team and unfortunately Osgood has real bad timing for soft goals. WIth it being as tough to score as it is right now for us we cant have goals that our players feel are soft going in. Whether you think some of the goals Howard lets in are soft or not it doesnt really matter because for the most part the Wings seem to respond well after Howard lets in a goal while they don't respond so well when Osgood does. Maybe they just expect more from him

That's true and he's right about having any one guy sit too long. Problem is points are at a premium right now and we need everythign we can get. If Howard gives us the better chance to win and is the hot guy right now you gotta ride him. Really splitting time between goalies is only really a luxury the top teams in the league have and that's not us right now. Although I udnerstand what Osgood was saying, I dont think it needed to be said in the media. Best thing Osgood could do would have been just embrace the opportunity and prove all of his nay sayers wrong.

Strangely I feel like this is a situation where OSgood is going to accel and show us all how good he can be. I think he plays best when he's angry and has something to prove. He knwos what he can do and he loves proving it to the world. Here's hoping anyways. Wings 3 Caps 2

1. First, I agree Osgood should get more starts. However, he was complaining when he wasn't starting and now that he is he is complaining again. He sounds like he is making excuses for the eventual s***ty game he'll play tonight. Personally I still believe that he can be great for us and I hope he plays well but it certainly sounds like he's conceeding to defeat tonight. He shoudln't care who he plays - here's his chance to show everyone who should be starting game in and game out. 2. Despite how poorly the Wings were playing in front of him he could have made a strong case for himself by playing well in relief against the Islanders. His team certainly didn't help him but that doesnt mean a goal or two that he let in weren't weak. He, just as well as any other goalie in the league, knows you have to make the most of your chances and he didn't do so last week. 3.Earlier in the season when the Wings looked to Osgood to bail them out of some games he didn't. Howard then got some starts and bailed them out at times. Right now Howard has been giving them a better chance to win so he got starts. Despite how poorly the Wings have played in front of Osgood, which certainly hasnt been every time he's been in net, Osgood is the goaltender we should be looking to steal us points from time to time. A soft overtime goal against Dallas a couple of months ago and a disgusting start against the Leafs don't exactly inspire confidence. 4. If Osgood expressed his displeasure outside of the media maybe he'd get more of what he wanted. I really can't understand why he's so upset he's starting tongiht. To me, he should be thrilled. After complaining about not playing now he's complaining about playing the Caps. Clearly Babcock could do no right in deciding who gets the start today. Either he goes with Howard and Osgood says 'of course I'm riding the pine again' or he goes with osgood and Chris says what he said in the media. To me it's ignorant. His job is to play when he's told and to play to the best of his abilities. Despite having earned the right to have the benefit of the doubt in the playoffs his regular season play over the last couple years (give or take) has worked th opposite for him. Right now he doesn't deserve the benefit of the doubt in the regular season. Based on his play he needs to prove he can be a top tier regualr season goalie. In the playoffs he doesnt need to prove anything. Finally, all of this is not to say Osgood as sucked. But he certainly hasn't played as well as we all know he is capable of. I believe in the guy and would like nothign more than to have him dominate tonight...which hopefully is in the cards. I'd liek to believe this is when Osgood does his best; when everyone doubts him. Prove them wrong and then we'll really have a problem ppl would love to have - two dominate starting goaltenders. Not to take anything away from the amazing contributions Osgood has made to this organization but to single him out as the ONE SINGLE PLAYER abvoe Lidstrom is absurd. Lidstrom is the ultimate professional and team player. On top of that he is maybe the greatest defenseman to have ever played this game. He gives this team a chance to win every time he is in the line up and puts his team above himself at all costs.

In my mind there is absolutely zer chance of Miller sitting when Williams comes back. Abdelkader will be moved down to GR, Williams plugged into the second line most likely, and Miller shifted down to the fourth. THere may be some different line juggling to balance things a little but with how Filppula and Williams were doing to start the year I think they'll stay together. Adding Cleary onto the other wing only makes the line that much better. Plus, as well as Miller has done with the Wings so far, and I'm loving him right now, he is not a top six forward. He's a bottom six and most likely only a fourth liner. So he'll be moved down accordingly and the depth chart will follow suit.

Really, I have a hard time not seeing any of Eaves, Bertuzzi and Miller not being back. Each of them has delivered well above expectations and each look as though they have the drive and attitude to continue to improve under the Red Wings system. Also, considering their cap hits they are extremely effective and are a very significant factor in how well the Wings are currently doing.

hell, I'd even throw in Carman just for the hell of it...although that might nix the deal from Atlanta's perspective...as he'd be a salary dump from our forum

I read an interesting post: hockeytraderumors.com

I wanted to get ppl's thoughts on Dan Hamhuis. As he is set to become a UFA this summer and it apepars Nashville may not want to give him the money he wants would ppl welcome him to Detroit? If Lidstrom reitres? If Lidstrom returns? If yes, for how much? term of contract?

Ya the Ovechkin title is a waste of time. For that amount of money it'd be tough to really say any one wouldnt go. I mean that is intense.

From what I have heard Olympic rosters are set in stone right now and the only way Franzen could play for Sweden (assuming he'd be ready by then) would be as a replacement to an injured current member of their roster. Although that sounds unlikely fo rmsot rosters, keep in mind Peter Forsberg is currently on the Swedish roster.

Living in Toronto I have to say Exelby is that last thing we need. He takes bad penalties, turns the puck over, and isn't even that good at what he does. I would never want him on our team. That being said, whoever mentioned that Hamhuis will probably get more money than he's worth, given the roster spot he would fill on the Wings, makes a lot of sense

Ya he is also a rookie and in contention for the Calder

Im glad Ericsson is playing. Even though I knew this meant Janik would be returning to GR it still sucks. I would have loved to see Meech or Lebda scratched in favor of keeping Janik in the line up.

Usually in situations like this there are three sides to the story: Burrow's side, AUger's side, and the truth - which usualyl lies somewhere in between the first two. There are a few problems with this situation. Obviously there isn't enough evidence to support Burrow's claims and that's fine. But for the NHL to completely absolve Auger is wrong. At the very least Auger made three very questionable calls at an extremely important time of the game. For the NHL to come out and absolve him they are agreeing with the calls despite how poor we all think they are. To me, I can understand officials making poor calls from time to time. They are human and have their off nights just like a player will. But when the NHL comes out and says that calls are right 99.999% of the time and blindly stand behind their refs is ridiculous. It insults out intelligence as fans. It'd be like Babcock coming out after Tuesday's loss to the Islanders and tryign to convince us Wings fans that despite the loss every player on our roster had superb games. Just because we're Wigns fans doesn't mean we have to buy every piece of s*** Babcock would throw our way (in this outlandish scenario). The same holds true with the NHL. Just because we're fans of hockey doesn't mean we'll eat up everything Bettman and Campbell throw our way. Had the NHL reprimanded Auger for the poor calls, and even just given him a slap on the wrist, I would have been far more satisfied with the situation. Although hockeybuzz.com is a terrible site, I found a pretty good article on this story if anyone wants to check it out. Eric Engel's Rant