Hairy Lime

First off, the OP's suggested trades are beyond ridiculous. I might take Semin for Tatar and second-rounder, because he is right-handed shooter, but? But as to Selanne, didn't Anaheim's GM say he was untouchable? But he is a righty, and this team desperately needs a right-handed shooter. I'm telling you. So I would not scoff at him.

Yeah, when a team trades an elite player, it's fair to question why. And then when the team he was traded to wants to trade him halfway through the season, red flags go up. But the only thing that gives me hope for him is that in Philli, as I said, he was in an unhealthy environment. And with Columbus, he just never wanted to go there, and you see that with a lot of high-profile athletes when they are traded to a losing organization, so I almost give him a pass on that. Is he immature? No question about it. Can people question his work ethic? Maybe, but I hear differing opinions from Flyers fans. Some thought he he played too passively, and didn't back-check hard enough, while others hated to see him go, and thought he was growing as an all-around player, so It's hard to tell. But I see so much potential in this kid, and see him really helping Detroit win, that it's hard for me to dwell on the bad stuff if there was a way to bring him in to the fold. But I don't think you have anything to worry about, because I honestly don't expect Ken Holland to do anything significant at the deadline. I would welcome Carter with open arms, maybe only one of the few Red Wings fans that would, but It's probably not going to happen. But right-handed shot like his certainly would help. We'll see what, if anything, Holland does. It will be interesting.

And what would be even better is if they actually won a few of them. But at least they're trying. I miss Kocur.

First of all, I had no idea you were a woman, nor do I care. And what do you not understand about "in terms of what Detroit would have to give up'? I know that Carter makes more money than Ryan; I'm saying that Detroit would have to give up less in term of players/prospects to acquire him. Am I speaking in Latin? Carter would be the cheapest high-profile player available, again, in terms of what Detroit would have to give up. Would I rather have Ryan? Sure, and If Holland could make it happen and not have to sell the farm to do so, then by all means. Secondly, Carter in not prone to injury. He's had 1 season in his first 6 were he played less that 70 games. Zetterberg had two. Carter has played in at least 80 game in 4 of his first 6 seasons. Kronwall, Filppula and Franzen have only played in at least 80 games once. You're going to have to define "injury prone" Thirdly, You're right, no one can have any idea if any trade will work, but I think it would be worth the risk. And if you think one player can have a dramatic effect on a locker-room, especially a locker-room like Detroit's, you listen to the press too much. Polarizing players make great scapegoats if a team underachieves, but it is never one player. These are professional athletes and this THEE professional team. Carter can only make this team better. Nothing else. We will obviously never see eye-to-eye on this: You see a selfish, lazy, 'injury-prone" prima donna, that will somehow destroy team chemistry. --- I see a player in need of a little guidance, who is a 30-50 goal scorer, and will drastically improve Detroit's chances of winning the Cup. Agree to disagree.

Ok, I am going to try and simplify it for you as to not go over your head: Carter wants out of Columbus. It's also no secret that Columbus wants to trade him. The second a player wants out of an organization and everyone knows it, that gives other teams leverage in negotiations. Sure, Columbus does have to deal him, but they WANT TOO! They will not be asking for the kitchen sink like Anaheim would be for Ryan. As to "boning other guys wives", who knows if that is true or not. But you had better get off your moral high horse, because Detroit used to have player named Brendan Shanahan, ever heard of him? Ask Craig Janney about him. But hey, if Detroit could get another right-handed sniper, fine. But it won't come as cheaply(in terms of what we will have to give up). But since everyone KNOWS that Carter will destroy the locker-room, which does not say much for Detroit's locker-room that ONE player could "tear it apart", I will say that I KNOW that he will behave and mature here. How do I know that he will? I don't, just like you don't know he won't. Does evidence favor your argument? Maybe. But in Philly, he was in a pretty divisive locker-room to begin with, with some pretty big egos and personalities ... and they still went to the finals! Imagine that? Detroit has a pretty ego-free locker-room, except for maybe Franzen, so I see nothing standing in the way of his maturing. Detroit has no right-handed shooters in their top six forwards. If you think that that doesn't remove a dimension from their game, you are sorely mistaken. It limits shooting options. How many times have you heard Mickey Redmond say: "If he would of been a right-handed shot, he would of buried it". The one thing Detroit's top-six forwards have going for them, and why they haven't been completely limited, is that Datsyuk, Bertuzzi, Zetterberg, and Hudler all have pretty good back-hands. But you put a potent right-handed shot on either one of those top two lines, preferably both, you will see the scoring chances go up. I guarantee it.

I'm taking about what Detroit would have to give up, not salary. I bet you hated the idea of bringing in Chelios, Drake and Berttuzzi, too, huh? I'm not sure that they fit the "squeaky clean" image that Detroit seems to demand??? Goodness gracious, I didn't know that the Red Wings were trying to adhere to the morals of the church of latter day saints, I thought they were in the business of winning cups? I guess adding a 40 goal scorer would not help that cause, since he's a "bad apple'. Carter would fit in just fine, as you will see when Holland trades for him. Wait and see.

Do you really think everyone in the Red Wings locker-room got along? You, and many other prudish Wings fans, have been spoiled by having guys like Yzerman, Lidstrom and Dastyuk around all these years, and think that every hockey player must follow their example. Give me a break. As I said, one bad apple don't spoil the whole bunch, and Carter is not Heatley.

I have seen him play, and numbers(and my eyes) don't lie - he's a pure goal scorer. Does he need to work on his attitude and his all-around game? Sure. But I remember a time when Yzerman didn't play defense, either. He's a young guy; give him time. You're pretty quick to right off a guy, aren't you. Also, I'm not suggesting giving up a whole lot. Carter wants out of Columbus, so if they ask for too much, walk away. But for Holland to not at least test the water would be asinine.

Anybody who thinks that Carter would not be a great addition(and give Detroit that much-needed right-handed sniper)probably needs to watch another sport. Hockey is not your game. Character/Attitude problems? Well, I guess LA should of traded Kobe Bryant years ago? I will admit, I like players with good character, but I also like to win... and besides, the worse thing I heard about Carter is that he likes to chase teammate's wife's. If you have a faithful wife, you have nothing to worry about. Would I rather have a player like Bobby Ryan? Sure, but the price would be a lot steeper. One bad apple don't spoil the whole bunch. Get 'er done, Kenny!

Injury prone? Hardly. Questionable maturity? Maybe. But if he can keep putting up the goals that he has in the last 4 seasons(29, 46, 33, 36), I'll take his immaturity and that contract. Besides, Holland likes exceedingly long contacts. Do you want the power play to improve? Do want a high-profile sniper and possibly not have to give up a boatload to get one? Do you want to win? Carter is the Shanahan type sniper(minus the fighting)that this team desperately needs. He would excel in Detroit, no doubt about it., and I would not be surprised if Holland does inquire about him.

This team is in desperate need of a right-handed sniper, and besides being left-handed, there is no way Columbus will deal their franchise player. I don't care what some people say, Jeff Carter would be the ideal acquisition.

Yeah, Conks is not the greatest back-up, but the power play is more inexcusable than anything. Seriously, not since McLellen left has that power play not looked completely one-dimensional, and that's even when it was #1 in the NHL. Mike Babcock's coaching ineptitude is mind-boggling. I am miffed at how many people think he is even a semi-decent coach. Keep riding the success of a good team, Mike, and keep fooling the gullible masses. I don't care where Detroit is sitting at the moment, Babcock is a buffoon, and he has played zero part in ANY of Detroit's success. Oh, and Commodore is STILL a horrible fighter. I'll take a guy who is at least willing to drop 'em than not, but I would much rather have Konopka or Asham in the line-up. And after saying all of this, I still think Detroit is going to win this game ... maybe? But if they don't get a right-handed sniper at the deadline and this team keeps listening to Babcock's "coaching", I don't like their chances in the playoffs.

If Detroit could get something decent in return, I think it would be idiotic not to at least think about it. I've always liked Zetterberg, great defensive-forward ... but he has always been as slow as molasses and he's not getting any younger. Jeff Carter is disgruntled in Columbus ... Zetterberg for Carter? I'm sure it wouldn't be straight-up, but I would consider it. But Holland is loyal to a fault, so it's very unlikely that we will see Zetterberg traded, even for Ovechkin. Even some of the fans here are being completely unreasonable. Zetterberg was a steal in the draft, works hard, has a boatload of character and is one the genuinely good guys in the NHL ... but he is NOT Steve Yzerman. He is not untouchable, or at least he shouldn't be. I think Zetterberg has the ability to turn things around, and also has a lot to offer the Wings, so it's not like I wouldn't go back and forth ... but if it was the right deal, and I believed it increased Detroit's chances of winning(and Detroit was able to get a little younger in the process), I would pull the trigger. Sometimes hard decisions have to be made ... someone should remind Kenny Holland of that.

At 3 million a season, I think I would pass. Not enough bang for the buck.

I couldn't disagree more. Jurco AND a 1st rounder for a 36, soon to be 37, year old defenseman who is always one hit away from a five-min major or a multiple game suspension and a injury-plagued $5'000'000 bust? No thank you. I'd much rather keep Jurco and the 1st rounder. I'm open to trading Jurco and a 1st rounder (even though I would like to see Detroit draft and develop more great young talent, like you see every other team doing), but the return would have to better than that.

I sure hope this is just a rumor. Fireable offence if true, not that Ilitch would have the balls. Surely Holland can do better than this? No, he probably can't.

Concerning your comment about Drake, I think the exact opposite. Would that Red Wings team have won the cup without him? Maybe, but he sealed the deal. He brought a level of nastiness that the previous Red Wings teams under Mike Babcock lacked. Big hits fire up your team, and he delivered a lot of them in those playoffs, and it seemed like the rest of the team followed his lead. Players don't like playing against guys like Dallas Drake, because, well, they don't like getting smoked. You want to make your team as difficult to play against as possible, something all of the Detroit teams since then have not been. I think next years team, which, on paper, was a better team with the addition of Hossa, suffered because there was no attempt to replace the snarl Detroit lost with the retirement of Drake. It also didn't help that Detroit played the whole season without an enforcer, and that pretty much every team they played against took as many liberties as they so pleased. Downey only played in about 40 or so games that championship season, but pests and agitators knew that there was somebody who would hold them accountable if they misbehaved. The extracurricular stuff was limited in the games he played in. Even having Mac, as limited as his diminishing skills were, helped team morale. So I believe that adding a tough-nosed forward who is not afraid to muck it up, like Drake and unlike Abby, would go a long way to strengthening Detroit's chances, and that Dallas Drake was more valuable than you're giving him credit for. Some of the most important plays in a game are the ones that don't always end up on the stat sheet.

"Toughening up" is something that should of been addressed when the Wings were trying to repeat, after Drake retired, when Kopecky kept falling on his ass while Downey was relegated to Grand Rapids. Yeah, that season was fun to watch... Thanks, Kenny. But as to this season, have to wait and see who the buyers and sellers are. I'd love to add a player like David Clarkson, but NJ won't deal him if they are in a playoff position come the deadline, and maybe not even if they aren't. Chris Neil would be a good addition, and I'd be more than willing to give up Abdelkader in a package for him, and I don't care if he IS 8 years younger. I can't stand Abby! But again, would Ottawa part with Neil if they are fighting for positioning? I also like the idea of adding Morrow, even though I think he hates the Red Wings. He's a more talented Dallas Drake. But what would Dallas want in return? He's an unrestricted free-agent next season. Detroit does need to get a little harder to play, but the days of Holland fleecing other teams is long over.

Sad thing is, we have a guy on our team that USED to hit like that, but not anymore, or at least very rarely:

Oh man, back when we didn't have a team full of powderpuffs ... and we had an intelligent coach - -( no, that comment has nothing to do with this game. He's just a mediocre fraud; always has been. But we've won a cup despite him before, let's hope we can do it again.)

I'd like to have him, if the price wasn't too steep. But he is certainly not a player Detroit absolutely needs. I'd love to see New Jersey fall out, then maybe they would listen to trade inquiries for David Clarkson? <b>HE</b> is what Detroit needs.

We tied it? Good. I had to turn the game off. I have trouble watching grown men made into other men's *******. It makes me think of what it might be like in prison. Red Wings=That skinny, young, scared pretty boy first-timer, who was a good kid that just got involved with the wrong crowd. Every other NHL team, except for maybe Buffalo and Montreal=that 6-foot-4, 350lb bald dude, that they call "Bubba".

See, these are the games that make Wings fans say: "Were the f*** is the Red Wings' enforcer?!" Or at least, "why the hell are they a bunch of *******?" I hate games like these, and Holland for leaving his players so unprotected. Because as you see, If the refs let the other team get away with the extracurricular stuff, they will take full advantage it, because they know that there will be no push back...not from this team. Scotty Bowman, please come back!

Lets face it, we are The Islanders' *******. They own us!

Franzen with the tko on Montador! Can't wait 'till these two teams play again. Still wish we had an enforcer, though. Yeah, I said it!