kipwinger

I don't know about that. Jeff Blashill heaped praise on Hoggan, Paetsch, and Evans for being decent AHL players, but more importantly for being on ice leaders, advisors, and mentors for young players. I don't hear anybody complaining that 38 year old Jeff Hoggan was just given a new contract despite the fact that he'll almost certainly not play in the NHL, and if he did...he would suck. Cleary is in the exact same position, he just makes more money. Who cares? His salary doesn't count against the cap, he's likely not going to take up a roster spot (barring HUGE injury woes), and if he does it will only be temporary and will only cost 900K. He was signed because he's not ready to stop playing, the organization wants him around, and because (here's the most important part) both his wishes and the organizations' could be satisfied without negatively impacting the big club in any way (nobody loses a roster spot, no money against the cap).

Gotta think he wanted to go to Buffalo for some reason. Otherwise every GM for a contending team would have cleared the decks for the guy. I would have traded B. Smith a month ago if I new that I could have Cody Franson for 3.3 at 2 years. Kronner-E Dekeyser-Green Quincey-Franson Yes please. Brendan can go turn the puck over for Toronto if Babs loves his compete level that much.

Barring MASSIVE injury woes, I'll be surprised if he plays a single game for Detroit. And if such injuries occur, Dan Cleary will be the least of our worries. Last year, he actively took a roster (on the big club) spot away from another player. This year, he'll be doing that in GR. I care more about the former than the latter.

Would it blow anybody else's mind if Cleary was claimed off waivers when he's waived after camp? What if Bill Peters pulls another fast one and claims Cleary like he did Nestrasil?

Lol. About as quickly as Kane's will be. Sports is a business, and the people that run sports teams operate them as such. Every fan wants championships, new stadiums, and flashy free agents. You do that by winning and putting butts in the seats. And sometimes, to do that, GMs are willing to ignore the ethical imperatives. I'm not saying it's right, I'm just saying it is what it is. Businesses exist to make money, not to enforce the social good. Expecting them to do the latter, rather than the former, will always disappoint. Our very own Mike Illitch does plenty of unethical things in the name of our team. Nobody calls him out on it. So lets not pretend its just a Kings or Hawks problem.

I'm really happy about this. Glad to have a hockey guy who is higher in the pecking order than St. James. Hopefully it will up her game a little bit. I always thought she got away with sucking because nobody else at the Free Press knew anything about hockey.

You never know. Throwing oodles and oodles of money at someone can change their minds pretty quickly. Easy to stand on virtue until they put that offer on the table. Fortunately for Kopitar and Stamkos they'll get locked up LONG before that's ever an issue.

Kopitar will not leave the Kings. Just like Stamkos won't leave Tampa. Both teams are good, and will give those guys what they're worth. Pretending that Kopitar will leave is basically hockey porn. It's a nice fantasy, but it ain't real folks.

Why are you trying to talk her out of something she wants? You're saying the money whether its a Abby, Datsyuk, or Gordy Howe sweater. It's a sunk cost. So what difference does it make? Seems like you don't want her to get an Abby jersey because YOU don't want one. Which defeats the point of giving someone a gift.

If the success of video game GM modes, and Capgeek, and fantasy hockey, are any indication, quite a lot of people find drafting, developing, building, trading, signing FAs, scouring the waiver wire, and other personnel moves extremely interesting. Think about it, when you play video games, or participate in fantasy sports, is the actual game play the funnest part? Or is it all the stuff you do in the lead up to the season, or the game, what's satisfying?

Think of it this way. Vladamir Putin is the Vince McMahon of an entire country. One of the biggest and most powerful countries on earth actually. Awesome.

Putin is such a heel. I love this guy. It's like if Gary Bettman laced up some skates and beat up a bunch of children. It's comedy gold.

Some guy in the comments section said, "is it just me or do Green and Smith look alike?". Someone responded, "you can tell Smith by the vacant look in his eye". Lol

Apparently you're not the only one. Per Henrik Zetterberg today: "There's a lot of guys in here who've been through the same stuff for many years," Zetterberg said Thursday. "I think now with the additions of Green and Richards, and the new coach, it's given us a little fresh start. Obviously, it's going to be a different voice behind the bench and sometimes you need that." Zetterberg clearly felt it was time for a change after 10 years under the hard-driving, abrasive Mike Babcock. "I want to thank Mike for the time he had here, but I think both him and us probably decided it was time," Zetterberg said. http://www.wingingitinmotown.com/2015/9/3/9258235/henrik-zetterberg-says-it-was-time-for-mike-babcock-to-go

I completely agree. It was Stevie's team, and it should have been. I'm not suggesting that Fedorov should have been made captain or anything. I'm just saying that when you're already "the guy" on a team, wanting to be recognized as such may make you narcissistic or egotistical, but it sure doesn't make you entitled. Fedorov earned everything he ever got in hockey by doing what was asked of him (which was significantly more than what was asked of just about any other Wings...except maybe Lidstrom), and doing it better than anyone else. Entitled is when you want the payoff without having to do the work. Fedorov did work son!

I never understood that whole contract demands = entitlement argument. He didn't hold out for more money. He wanted to leave because he was tired of playing second fiddle on Yzerman's team. He wanted to be a leader, he wanted to be "the guy" on a team. And he was quite clearly capable of being that. He was, after all, the best player on earth. Being the best, wanting to be recognized as the best, and wanting to prove it by carrying your own team, doesn't scream "entitlement" to me. It seems like the exact opposite. IMO he would have been entitled if he chased big money while riding Yzerman, and Shanahan, and Hull, and Lidstrom's coattails. When he first came into the league, Crosby was entitled. He hadn't earned anything, and wanted the benefit of the doubt all the time. In his mind, he was a star when he was still a rookie. Fedorov was never, ever, that way. Like I said before, he worked his way to the top and left because he could never be recognized for it on Yzerman's team.

Are people forgetting that fedorov grew up in the red army system? From the time he was a child he trained under the harshest possible conditions. I mean, insanely harsh conditions. And then came to the U.S and played for...the most demanding coach in the NHL. Where he worked his way into being a premier two way forward, and at one point the very best player on earth. He may have been arrogant, but that doesn't make him entitled. I'd say he earned every single thing he has, and doesn't have, in life.

I'm good. I've got EA Sports UFC already. That game is awesome. I use Ronda Rousey and beat up on all the dudes. It's super life like.

Like I said, it takes all kinds. I'm like you, but some folks probably aren't. But I don't think anybody, regardless of their personal preferences, can deny the allure that the management aspect of the game has for a ton of fans. It's WILDLY popular. Like I said, look at the popularity of fantasy sports, or the "armchair GM" function on GAPGEEK (RIP). Whether it appeals to us personally, it's obviously something that tons of people really get into. And personally, I get really juiced up for it as well. Hell, outside of the playoffs, the biggest events in hockey involved roster management. The draft, free agency, and the trade deadline all get more interest than the all star game or the NHL awards.

Well it takes all kinds. But I suspect you may be in the minority there. If it was all about the game play for most people, why bother picking a particular team? Or making trades/FA acquisitions? Why think so much about a fantasy draft? Might as well just do it all at random if the most satisfying parts are what occurs in real time. But I'm genuinely not criticizing you here, because I know that people like different things. It's one reason why people either love or hate baseball. Because all of the interesting stuff happens before the game play. Before the ball is in motion. If you're the kind of person that loves the fluidity of real time sports, baseball is probably torture. But if you love the planning, preparation, strategy, etc. you probably love seeing the outcome of your critical thinking.

I realize that Detroit hasn't been good literally forever. I'm suggesting that this upcoming season, for instance, will probably be more interesting for me than the 1999 or 2000 seasons. Even though these were heyday years of the Wings "dynasty". I like the question marks surrounding an upcoming season. Going into it with Cup or bust on your mind is fine (especially if you haven't won in a long time), but it's a little less interesting when you've seen a ton of them. I love the competition for spots, the youth movement, the goalie debate, the new coach, the emerging stars. All those story lines are more interesting to me than anything we were talking about heading into the 2010 season (for instance).

I may be in the minority, but I actually think the recent rebuilding years 2003-2006 and 2011-Present, are far more interesting than the contending years. There's more to think about, talk about, speculate about, and (quite frankly) ***** about. Watching your team win the Cup is awesome, but I don't want to see it every year. Or even be a real possibility every year. Sometimes you have to struggle a little bit in order to work through it and know what optimism feels like. IMO being a fan of a super team is lazy. And boring. Which isn't to say that I want our team to be the Chicago Cubs of hockey. But I don't want us to be the Yankees either. If you choices each season are A) compete for the championship, or B) be disappointed, then you're missing out on a ton of awesome fan experiences.

Do you think RFA Petr Mrazek is going to make 5 million dollars? I don't. I don't think that's remotely probable, regardless of the season he just had. Everyone always thinks that good young players, with tons of potential, are going to make a fortune after the ELC runs out. They might for other teams, then don't for the Red Wings. Look at Nyquist and Tatar. Both are on reasonable bridge contracts. Mrazek will be too.

Why would they regret it? They got good production, for less than market value, and then traded him for futures. They got everything they wanted out of the deal. I don't think there's a problem signing and hometown discount. But if I were going to do the organization a solid and take less money, you bet your ass I'd want a no trade clause. No way would I do them that favor without some insurance for myself.

He's really that heavy. He's 5'11 and 285 lbs.