puckloo39

oh please, no...

Not that you probably care what I think, but that was a very good post.

That's exactly what I was thinking. We have other players who can step in and gain a few more minutes. I don't think we will miss Schneids as much as we think. I like him, but oh well... it will give some of the young guys a chance.

I am generally not defending Dom, so much as trying to point out how silly some of the arguments and complaints about him are. He doesn't actually need anyone to defend him, since he hasn't done anything wrong. If Hasek should take less money than everyone else to help the team -- then they all should, if that's the theory. Kronwall should renegotiate his contract, and so should Datsyuk, and return money to the kettle so Kenny can get someone great to put us over the top. You are correct that the $4.5M for Dom and Bert will not the reason the team doesn't get better. this is exactly what I was talking about. ^ ^ ^

I love the whole concept of "'Dom should take less money to help the team... because he's old... because he might get hurt... etc. etc. etc." Why? Or more to the point, why don't they all take less money, it's the right thing to do! As I've said before, if he plays for peanuts, Dom's a chump in some people's opinions. If he signs for even remotely what he's worth, he's greedy. Either way, someone will complain. He might as well do what he and Holland consider a reasonable deal. I would say, no one will be complaining when we win the conference and head into the playoffs next Spring -- except people DID still complain this season, so what are the odds of that? The Wings know they won't get anyone better in terms of fit with the team and performance than Hasek. Let's just say he decides not to sign with Detroit? Then who do you get with the same credentials, for the same money? We all know over-paying a player isn't a guarantee of success, so who do you go after for $2.5M with Hasek's skills and savvy? Not that it matters, the Wings are going to sign Dom. PS - Packer? You are the man!

Don't waste your time. People who don't appreciate Hasek never will, despite his contributions and obvious worth to the team.

that's a shame about Schneider -- but he has to decide if he wants to play for Detroit, or make more money. I hope it all works out well for him (except when he plays vs Detroit), I really like the guy. As for Dom, the deal outlined in this thread is more than fair. There is nothing he can do to please everyone - he plays for peanuts and he's a chump, he asks for decent money and he's greedy. Take your pick. So, Dom might as well do what he and the Wings consider fair and reasonable. If he signs for this deal, it's not Dom breaking the bank. All the other three UFAs have to do is come back for the same money and we're all set. As has been stated, we won't find another goalie who will play at the level Dom does - plus bring the confidence to the team that he does - for less. In fact, some less competent goalies play for $2-4M more than he's reportedly asking. Bargain to get him back one more year, no matter how you slice it. I hope we get Bert back for the price stated, and I would love to keep Markov, too. Bye, Matty!

I like Preissing, as well. I first saw him play in San Jose - he contributes every shift and I think would be a good fit as a Red Wing. Don't know what he commands in terms of salary, though. I love Matty, but it depends on how bad Schneider wants to be a Wing, and how much moolah Kenny has to offer, I guess.

Baskin-Robbins is on me, kiddo.

HC? want to take a walk with me and SWF? We're clearly not intelligent enough to agree with this poster, so you may be wasting your time here. I don't know nothin' about no rocket surgery or brain science.

Yay! I do wish there was a way to keep Markov, though. Maybe they still can. I saw little bits of Vladdy-ish behavior in him toward the end of the season. I liked it. I think Schneider is gone, sorry to say. I can't blame him, really -- when you're an NHL athlete, you have to get what money you can while it's there and while you still have a body that can take the pain. I hope and pray we get the real Bert back in the Fall if he and Kenny can work it out, all healed up and ready to snarl.

Psst... SWF? Just walk away quietly... it's better that way. Trust me on this one.

Try actually reading my posts before you assume what I think or make judgements about me. Complaining about Hasek not being very good is just plain silly. He was good enough to get the Wings to where they hadn't been since he left in 2001, wasn't he? Debate that, if you can. I don't defend Dom (he doesn't need it) unless someone is just posting nonsense. Then, I say something. "Hasek plays like an idiot." Oh, my God. Whatever... I love it when posters expound on the goals Hasek should have stopped and how horrible he is, when there's no way any of us will ever actually understand how difficult it is to do what he and Ozzie do -- at the level they do it. It's especially amusing when all the evidence and stats show that Hasek was among the top three goalies in the league. But, but.... he's horrible!! Far from being a negative factor for the Wings, Dom is the one who gives them confidence. All you have to do is actually read the comments from the Wings themselves to see what I am talking about. He does have his moments, when he makes mistakes. Dom also admits it, unlike most goalies in the NHL. I can't picture Curtis Joseph, for example, ever admitting that he made a mistake. Dom also is there to cover up the mistakes of his teammates, which happen roughly 10 times to his 1 on-ice error. But if you're determined to dislike Dom and see only the negatives, whether it's him or any other player -- all you're going to see is what you want to see. That's fine. Just don't expect everyone to agree with you. And you don't need to attack me just because I don't agree with you.

Let me put it this way. We are not getting Luongo or Brodeur, nor would any of the young goalie prospects be able to get the Wings to the third round for the first time since 2001. Hasek did. If Kenny plays his cards right, we get Dom back for one more year. If he doesn't for some reason, what exactly did you have in mind? The WIngs can't afford a pricey goalie, even if there was one available, and also keep other key players. Like it or not, Dom is probably coming back. Aside from Dom and Lidstrom, the rest of the team needed to play better in the playoffs. I don't care what you say, Hasek is the reason the Wings were even in a couple of games in the playoffs long enough to wake the hell up and play hockey! Why don't you try giving some credit where it is due? Soft goals? Please. Dom let in a couple, sure. So did the esteemed Brodeur, who didn't make it to game 6, round 3. So did Luongo, so did the wundergoalie, Giguere. So did Kipper (remember???) So did Emery. Hasek also was the victim of goals scored on him by his own defense and deflections and flukes no one could have stopped. So what? Oz and Hasek are not good enough sadly for you, so you're going to have a full season to complain about having a top three goalie for millions less than other teams who won't win the conference, and the leagues best backup. I'll never understand the attitude of some people toward goalies in Detroit. Never good enough.

I'm with ya, all the way. Thank goodness for Kenny Holland!

Me, too! As you say, with Dom taking such extraordinary care of his poor old carcass, I expect he will have another healthy season, because of his diligence. So, he's less of a risk than Bert and Hank with their bad backs, or Kronner --who is just a train wreck, due to either bad luck or just the way he plays, or something. Ozzie was hurt more than Dom, and made $200,000 more for the games he did play. Not his fault, just saying.... Following the threat of injury as a rationale for reduced salaries, Bert, Hank and Kronner should take less, since they are very likely to get hurt again, too. Or, they could forgive the part of their salaries when they are not able to play, like Hasek did. Bertuzzi, $5.3M - overpaid, though I love the guy anyway and have faith in him to come back stronger in the Fall Hank, $2.6M - underpaid, if he shows up next season as one of the Eurotwins again Kronner - I forget, but it's not league minimum, as I recall... All they have to do is take a reduced salary because their injuries might recur, and we can afford Schneider. Right? You know I am just yankin' your chain a little bit, but people saying Dom should play for rookie pay because he might get injured just doesn't make sense, unless everyone plays by the same rules, saalry-wise. Hasek is not worth a couple of million, when he's the reason, with Lidstrom, that we got to game six, third round? SInce there isn't anyone else decent we can get for the money, I'd say so.

Dom won't expect $6M, and an idiot is far from what he is. You really don't know by now that he's not playing for the money? The rest of the unsigned players need to take less to stay in Detroit, take Dom's example, if they want the team to stay intact. If the Wings want to win, they need to look back at 2002 and see that key players took reductions in salary, in order to get the players they needed to win. Dom is doing it, where is everyone else? As for what Dom "deserves," none of them deserve as much money as they make. I think fair is fair, however -- and for Dom to be the only one singled out to take a financial hit, while everyone else waltzes off with 3x or 4x the money he's paid, especially considering the role he's expected to play, is not right. Dom is no more likely to get hurt than Bert (who got paid how much?), Kronwall, Zetterberg... make a list. Dom was completely healthy last season except for two or three games... the old, sad argument for him taking less money because of his groin has just about worn out, I think . Let's see Bert play for $750,000 because of his back, or Kronner return half his salary since he can't stay uninjured for more than a game or two at a time... doubt that will happen, either. Raycroft can't "replace" Dom. The Wings can't find anyone else out there for the money they are willing to pay Hasek who can do half the job he can. He knows it, and that's why he agreed to come back. Kenny will get it done. And then everyone will have one more season to complain about the Dominator winning games and keeping the team in games they don't "deserve" to win.

I've thought that, too. I like Markov - we need a little bit of snarl out there. I also love Schneider, don't get me wrong. But also agree about Kindl getting a chance. Who says the off-season in hockey isn't interesting, eh?

this isn't directed at you, Production Line... I'm only quoting your post to make a point -- I doubt that Dom is the problem, really. He played for a ridiculously low sum last season, when you consider what he brought to the team. The Wings got past Round 1 this playoffs for the first time since 2002. It was not a coincidence that Hasek was in net, IMO. In 2006-2007: Kipper raked in $3.5M. Luongo commanded $6M, Giguere $4M. Heck, even "I can't get past the 1st round to save my life" Turco made $6M Miller (Buffalo) made $2M, and Emery - who is probably worth more - made $925,000. Dom made $750,000 before the bonuses he earned by getting the team to within four games of the Cup, a reported $900,000. Take that, along with the fact that the refused to collect $3M or half of his salary in 2003, and I'd say the Wings owe him a couple of bucks. Dom's not an injury risk - less of one than Hank, Bert, or Kronner in reality. So the argument that he should play for peanuts on the chance that he might be injured doesn't cut it for me (nor for agent, Ritch Winter, apparently). I don't think it's Dominik Hasek's job to be the one to make sure the team stays together by playing for nothing. That's Kenny's job, to get the rest of the unsigned player into the fold. It's also up to the rest of the players - if it comes to that - to take a little less as well, if they all want to play in Detroit. Like Hasek did.

Ansar Khan's take I think Schneids is gone, sorry to say. Honestly, the salary Hasek accepted last season was really ridiculously low, when you look at how he played -- so I think he should get a bit more this season. I get the "reason" for his playing at less than a rookie salary, but he's proved he can do it to all but the most unrelenting critics. Bert's the one I am interested in. I am waiting to see just how low he will go salary-wise to stay in Detroit. Good luck, Kenny!

I would love that, for Vesa's sake. He's a great guy and really fun to watch, just like Kipper... he's paid his dues in Nabby's shadow and stepped up for San Jose when he was needed. TO will fall in love wth him, I predict. And I won't be surprised at all to see Toskala become the franchise player in TO. If Dom wasn't coming back, Vesa would have been my #1 choice in Detroit.

JMO, I lost all respect for Iginla in the playoffs. I wouldn't want to see him in a Wings jersey anymore than I would Foresburg. Iginla is a talented player with poor attitude and behavior. Calgary can (and will) keep him.

Hope Ray's surgery is successful. As for Gerber, he'll be second fiddle in Ottawa from now on. Emery is the man. I feel kind of bad for Gerber, but he won't ever be #1 there unless Ray is physically unable to play. I don't feel bad for Ottawa, however -- they can go ask their new GM who's bright idea it was to overpay Gerber.

I like Vesa, hope he does well in TO. San Jose has a habit of trading away good goalies, so we shall see.

Hasek's a Red Wing???? j/k