Doc Holliday

This team doesn't NEED anything but better defensive play which isn't going to happen by signing a free agent. Ericsson, Kronwall, and Stuart really need to step up their play because Detroit really suffered defensively and may not be able to rely on their goaltending to win them games. 1.7 million for an "enforcing" defenseman is really not what the team needs. Not by a long shot.

Yeah especially for that 1.7 million cap hit. What a steal for a mediocre defensive player who can fight great.

And just because he is a great fighter doesn't make him any better at defense. The guy is a pylon who can fight. Big deal. No, I'm just pointing out that fighting+toughness=/=good valuable hockey player. Every single compliment to player from you deals with their tenacity, toughness, or fighting ability, and it is quite silly. Lilja was one of Detroit's best PK defensemen and did very well for himself on even strength when he came back. Either way Lilja isn't coming back and I don't see how bringing in Walker helps the team at all. I mean, you give Franzen s*** for being a top 6 forward who doesn't hit often. Considering his injury history I don't see why you make the ridiculous assertion that Franzen would provide more by hitting instead of playing into the system that has won Detroit a cup, a WCF appearance, and a SCF appearance. How many "tough" teams have done more?

Lilja played as a #6 defenseman because it is hard to beat out Lidstrom-Rafalski and Stuart-Kronwall for a top 4 spot. Also I wouldn't touch Walker with a 10 foot pole. And Lidstrom is the worst fighting defensman in the league, big ******* whoop.

And to this day Steve Yzerman finds a way to f*** the Flyers over. First in 1997, now this.

Ah Lawrence Tech. Looking forward to that tryout.

Shortly after Osgood got sick, he started in a game against Nashville, and won 3-2. Who was in net THE NEXT THREE GAMES after that win? Do you honestly think Osgood was given much of a chance at that point?

And? Normally the team that hits most has the puck the least. Take a look at this wonderful hilight. Who got the puck after every hit?

The good news is Franzen shouldn't be putting his body on the line with his long contract and his performance offensively in the playoffs should be enough for people to get over the fact he doesn't hit as much as one would like. The team is about puck possession, not dump and chase. The top 6 shouldn't have to hit people often.

It's a shame you ruin a post with bile like this. Check my HFboards account. Who is in the avatar? http://hfboards.com/member.php?u=72843 In case you don't feel like looking.

That's exactly it. Don't act like I am bitter when I had no problem with Hossa leaving and would have enjoyed having him stay on the team, especially last year. And I wouldn't consider it a homer bias if I had said these same things when Hossa was here (which I did) and am more of a fan of Hossa than I am Datsyuk (which I am). Significantly better? The guy has done significantly WORSE. Because I judge Datsyuk as an elite all around player and not just a playmaker. Unless you disagree and consider Hossa to be primarily an assist man? And when it comes down to it Hossa does worse when it comes to producing goals, the thing that he was supposed to do on Detroit as a WINGER. The last two years he was solid defensively but was not a great offensive contributor. Datsyuk in 09 was not having a good year (funny how you ignore that I mention that) offensively but did very well on a struggling Detroit team in the playoffs. 1. There is a difference between bias and bitterness. You can argue bias with me but don't say "oh you are bitter" without anything to show for it, especially when there is overwhelming evidence to the contrary. 2. I never said Hossa was a choker, just a weaker playoff player than Datsyuk. And especially weaker than Franzen, the man who Holland essentially picked in front of him. Money well spent in my opinion. No one is disputing that, but I don't see how that will help when Hossa is having trouble scoring goals in the playoffs. Especially with a team that relied soley on its depth to win the cup in the first place.

If you can't have a discussion about a subject without attempting to attack another person's character then don't bother responding to me. I also believe Datsyuk underacheived in the 09 playoffs, but had a cup hangover and TWO great playoffs (not even including 07) to show for himself. Hossa has had one playoff year in which he scored at least .5 gpg and that was with a 100 point superstar playmaker to center him.

Well shouldn't Hossa have played close to his potential considering the amount of motivation and rest the guy had in comparison to his peers (Datsyuk had been in a WCF and SCF the previous two years while Hossa played a whopping 4 games in the 07 playoffs). Datsyuk at least had the excuse of complacency and fatigue from winning a cup the year prior and playing almost two full post-season runs. This is just childish.

I would rather not, considering Datsyuk is paid to be an elite defensive playmaker, and Hossa is paid to be an elite defensive goal scorer. Which of those have you seen more of the past three years? Sure I would love to have Hossa on this team, but the guy was unable to produce offensively for Detroit and Chicago. Also considering he has had much more to play for than virtually all of his teammates the past two years.

Minus his 2002 season as a rookie on the third line his ppg is much better. Their last three years: Datsyuk ppg: 264/244 1.08 45/50 .9 Hossa's ppg: 188/203 .92 56/64 .875 He still has been at almost a ppg pace the last three years despite his poor 09 post-season. This coming off a great cup win giving him two total for the career. Hossa was without a cup, signed a one year deal in order to get that same cup, scored 40 goals in the regular season, and talked about wanting a long term deal while playing against his former team. He severely underacheieved and in the goal scoring department suffered as well. Also considering Datsyuk has been able to perform brilliantly offensively without 100+ point playmakers centering him (which was Hossa's only ppg post-season), I would say he is a bit more reliable in the playoffs than Hossa.

Two way contract doesn't effect the cap so when it comes to the fans who really cares if it is one way or two way?

You are using poor logic to assume that Getzlaf was the only reason the line was doing well. The entire line as a whole was dominant. Without Getzlaf they faltered, and likely without Perry or Ryan they also would have faltered. Also if you would take Ryan Getzlaf over Sidney "I score 100 points every year and am in the top 5 in playoff ppg" Crosby then you have an issue. Hate him or not Crosby is arguably the best player in the league right now.

In a nutshell.

I honestly don't remember anything about that.

Since when?

Probably because most of his flaws were easily fixable but he never got fixed. Like his defensive game and his penchant for diving, embellishing, and fighting with gloves on. Got pretty annoying, but I still loved him on this team. AIR GUITAR TIME!!!

Zetterberg mucks it out in the corners and goes wherever he needs to go to score. That's why he is so good in the playoffs. He also hasn't played less than 60 games in a single season. The last time he played less than 70 was in 2006-2007. Youth is the only thing Getzlaf has which is what would be the key in building a team, but at the same time would Getzlaf be disciplined enough to be a two way player and shut down a guy like Crosby in the most important time of the year? The line he played on was frightening, not Gezlaf by himself.

Running around like a chicken with its head cut off does not qualify as being a "beast". Detroit lived and died on their special teams in every single game in the playoffs. They were not bested once at even strength.

I miss Samuelsson. The guy was clutch.