ogreslayer

I guess it was smart that they didn't put a year on the logo... Like they've done in past years:

I heard that he's going to spend his retirement attending gun shows

Well it's not like the salary cap will end up going down significantly, leaving them to cut a huge amount of salary when the season actually starts. Oh wait....

Not really on the roster but part of the broadcast team so I'm counting it... Would love to sit down for a couple of ginger ales with Mickey Redmond one day.

The twist, evidently, in the NHL's latest proposal is that they're not asking for a salary rollback but instead increasing the amount of a player's salary that goes into escrow. So instead of the NHL saying "We're just going to shave 24% off the top like we did last time" it's more of a "We're going to withhold 24% more in safekeeping for you, you know like tax withholding, and you might actually see some of it back after the season. It's what the government does, right?" type of thing. If they're going to have that many teams over the new proposed cap, I wouldn't be too surprised if the cap hit turns into an actual dollars paid per season minus escrow amount in order to get the half of the league currently well over the proposed cap below it along w/ buy outs.

I would imagine they'll have a buy out process similar to what they had in 2005. Back then, teams could buy out players at 2/3rds the cost of their remaining contract, which wouldn't count towards the cap but the player couldn't resign with the same team. Back in 2005 the Wings bought out DMac, Hatcher, & Whitney if I remember correctly.

2 years for a $2.7m/year cap hit? We shall see: http://onthewingsblo...-a-i-a-c-o-v-o/ Supposedly he wanted a 3 year offer, the Wing's initial offer was 1: http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2012/08/24/report-detroit-offers-colaiacovo-two-year-deal/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

If the WC is lost to a lockout, I would love it if the the Wings & Leafs do go ahead with a rebranded alumni game and donate proceeds to their respective arena staff who are the ones that really get royally screwed in a lockout.

I automatically think of players who had their career end early so the natural answers for me are Vladdy & Fischer. Beyond that, I would have loved it if Larionov could have spent his entire career in the NHL. I think if he could have played more in the pre-clutch & grab NHL, he would have been considered one of the greatest of all time.

It will be this guy: No, not the ****** with the facial hair of a 12 year old. The other guy.

Consider the source, and the bad spelling, but Bucci just sent this out about an hour ago: I guess mystery solved now on who it was that offered $7.5m/year. https://twitter.com/Buccigross/status/238093289876774912

Better off seeing what Brunner, Gus, or even Tatar can do over signing Kostitsyn. His peak was 53 points in his debut season with Montreal and it's been downhill ever sense.

Yeah, I really don't think that's going to be an issue this season the way the CBA talks are going.

So is that money pre-lockout figures or does it represent a post-lockout 24% salary rollback already?

This... At some point in the cap world, you have to get significant contributions from young players either still on their entry level or second contract. The Wings have been able to hold off for nearly a decade on that front for the most part, but going into this next season (whenever it starts) it's pretty clear some of the youngsters are going to have to step up. The other option is to nearly empty the prospect cupboard on the Bouwmeesters, Yandles, or Ryans & potentially cripple the organ-i-zation going forward. Unless a deal too good to pass up drops in Kenny's lap, I do see the Wings rolling with what they have, including a UFA d-man signing or two, until deeper into the season.

And if Eaves can't go, I could see something like this: Mule-Pavs-Brunner Flip-Z-Gus Cleary-Helm-Bert Sammy-Abby-Tootoo Miller Still think depending on whether or not Kenny can grab a dependable & skilled d-man once the CBA's settled i.e. grab one off a buyout or trade w/ a team that has to get under a new, lower cap, the Wings might end up going with 8 d-men on the roster. Grab 2 UFAs to rotate with Kindl in the 6 hole & have a little insurance against injuries on the blue line. At this point the GR callups would be who, Lashoff & maybe Almquist? I don't see Kenny or Babs being all that comfortable with that. Plenty of callup options for forwards, not so much w/ d-men.

Just waiting now for the shoe to drop on training camp & then maybe the Winter Classic. Have to think that Mr. I is just fuming over all of this.

By all reports, Brunner doesn't have to pass through waivers either but Mursak would have to. So by that logic...Mursak up/Brunner down. OK that's settled then, roster set: Cory Emmerton & Jan Mursak are your 2012-13 Red Wings #13 & #14 forwards! Congrats to both! Under normal circumstances, the whole "we would have to put player A through waivers but not player B so player A stays" might work. Given the Wings' needs this season, I think there's a greater chance that we see more of "Player B is clearly more talented than player A so let's take our chances because player B's going to the top 6" type of thinking.

OK, given the current discussion I'm changing my biggest surprise of the season to.... First, Kenny goes insane & trades off Pavs, Z, Mule, Fil, & Smith for Jay Bouwmeester and one of Olli Jokinen's Big Macs that he left in the Calgary locker room. After fan backlash, Mr. I fires Kenny & replaces him with Pierre McGuire. Still with me? No other GM will deal with the Wings new ******-nozzle of a GM so the Wings have to rely on just existing roster players & are forced to call up the youngsters from GR. Because Helm is what makes the bottom 6 what it is, that vaults Emmerton into the #1 center role. He still responds with 50 goals & 105 points in a 60 game, lockout shortened season & beats out Evgeni Malkin for the Hart, Ross, & Richard trophies. And THAT would be the absolute biggest surprise of the 2012-13 season. Not gonna happen but it would be a real surprise if it did

In counter to that argument... Brett Ledba: Games played per season 2005-06: 46 2006-07: 74 2007-08: 78 2008-09: 65 2009-10: 63 Sometimes you have to play someone because a lack of other options. The Wings already have at least 13 other options ahead of Emmerton as of right now. Who have proven themselves much more in the NHL than one Cory Emmerton has, are key PKers for the team, & have shown in a pinch that they can move up beyond the 4th line & still contribute.

Right. As the roster stands right now.... There are 4 out of the top 6 spots taken for sure: Dats, Mule, Z, Fil Babcock's already said he's starting Brunner out in the top 6, so 1 more spot to fill there unless he really s***s the bed in camp You've got what I would call 3 tweeners to move between the top & bottom 6: Clears, Bert, & Sammy Move one of those tweeners into the top 6 and you still have 7 forwards for the bottom 6: Say Sammy to the top 6 & Cleary, Bert, Helm, Abby, Miller, Tootoo, & Eaves for the bottom 6 There's your 13 forwards right there. With the most glaring hole being the top 6, I don't see that Emmerton has a chance of making the team IF they decide to even carry 14 forwards because the only value he holds is as a 4th line center. Nyquist is the logical choice there IF they carry 14. Emmerton only makes the team if Eaves can't go or for some reason Kenny can't/doesn't re-sign Abby.

Not saying he's gonna make the team, champ, just saying that he's got a better shot than Emmerton does which is realistically 0% at this point.

If the Wings do carry 14 forwards & they want someone who can add to the bottom 6, there's a better chance of Sheahan making the team at this point then Emmerton. Sheahan brings more size, can cycle like a demon, & has more offensive upside too. Given the current state of the defense though, I wouldn't be surprised if Kenny signs 2 cheap UFA d-men yet & goes with 8 d & 13 forwards given the lack of d-prospects the Wings can call up from GR in case of injury while still having the likes of Sheahan, Tatar, & possibly Nyquist to call up if a forward goes down.

The only reason Emmerton got as many games as he did last year was the need to plug someone into that 4th line center role with Babs wanting Abby on the wing. WIth the glut of forwards on the team at this point, it looks pretty clear that you can pencil in Abby making the move to center full time & taking that spot. That pretty much leaves no role for Emmerton to play. As it stands right now, there are realistically 5 forwards competing for the 12 & 13 spots in Eaves, Nyquist, Brunner, Emmerton, & Mursak. You might be able to make a case in adding Tatar onto that list & maybe give the likes of Sheahan, Jarnkrok, & even Pulkkinen an outside chance too. Eaves is a proven commodity in the NHL & probably has a spot if he's healthy. I really don't see Emmerton bringing more to the table than Nyquist or Brunner given that those 2 would need to plug holes in the top 6 from time to time if not taking on a full time role there. Could Emmerton do that? I doubt I'm not the only one who would say no to that question. Barring any trades, he either makes it through waivers & plays in GR or winds up getting claimed by another team. Same with Mursak too. The way I see it to start the season.... Mule-Pavs-Brunner or Nyquist Fil-Z-Sammy Clears-Helm-Bert Miller-Abby-Tootoo Eaves (Nyquist if Eaves isn't healthy)

Could the Wings use JBo? Sure. Not worth opening a crater somewhere else in the lineup...like the top 6...to get him though. Kenny's better off going with a cheap UFA to split time with Kindl in the 6/7 spot or wait to see what happens w/ the CBA. The need may be there but I have a feeling the price is nowhere to what Kenny would like.