kipwinger

I agree with most of what you're saying, except that I don't like Smith in the top four. Against decent competition he turns the puck over A LOT, rarely creates offense, and frequently blows zone coverage. He'll get better, but until then he'd be my third-pair puck mover until he shows (like Ericsson eventually did) that he can play the game safely. Until then, he's not ready to play defense on the second pair and his offense isn't good enough to make the turnovers and shoddy zone coverage worthwhile.

I've always loved Gaborik, and for the right price (significantly less than he makes now) I'd still take him. But honestly, I'd like to see a Jeff Carter/James Van Riemsdyk type of guy. Those two aren't going anywhere, but you get the idea.

I agree with your point, however I'm not particularly interested in "blaming" anyone. It's not therapeutic for me to point fingers. The roster could have been managed better, and the coaching could be better, but immaterial right now. We've got a team that could (and should) go on a run down the stretch. There's no reason for this team to miss the playoffs. Add a puck mover to the second pair (moving Smith to the third and Kindl off the team for good) and a scoring winger with some size and there's no reason we shouldn't compete for the Cup. But to do so requires that tough decisions be made. Moving the right combination of vets, prospects, young guys, and picks. How deftly Holland does that will say a lot more about his talent than all the FA singings in the world. Likewise, how well Babs can coach a young team that doesn't coach itself (like he's had since he joined the organization) will say a lot about his talent as well.

Same as we need this year. Big forward that can score and a second pairing puck mover who's better than Smith. That's it.

This is just like every other Babcock cliche. It's not saying much to say "the best players will play" when there's no competition for jobs at the moment. Bring Dats, Z, and Weiss back and there will be, and I'd be amazed if "the best player played". He might as well say, "the best player (who can effectively alleviate cap constraints) will play". Which is no different than two months ago when Tootoo and Eaves were waived. Talk is cheap. It's time for Holland and Babs to actually DO SOMETHING to prove that "the best players will play". And that doesn't mean waiving Sammy either.

I wish this would work, and I sure hope it still will...but given how bad Franzen, Weiss, and Alfie played together I'd be real hesitant to pencil them in together.

Yeah, this is what I'm thinking too. The amount of money they've invested in him keeps him there for a while, and the amount of money we'd have to pay him (including his bonuses) means we don't go get him. There is no way we trade for a guy that makes more than Dats or Z. Just not happening.

You're off your rocker man, but I do appreciate your enthusiasm.

Weiss is a natural center and has never played the wing consistently in his professional career. How would putting him in an unnatural position, in an unnatural system make him feel more comfortable and "get him going". Better to put Z on Weiss' wing if you're trying to coax along his offense considering Z produces better on the wing than he does at center.

I like this. Except swap Helm and Sheahan (considering Helm learned how to score goals out of nowhere) and drop Tootoo for Miller (since you've already dropped one of our better PK guys in Andy). I like it because you've got a guy who can carry the puck into the zone on each line (Dats, Weiss, Helm, Sheahan), a guy who plays well without the puck on each line (Z, Franzen, Tatar, Abby), and a guy who's most successful when playing with the puck (Jurco, Nyquist, Tatar) on the others. Miller is obviously there for defense and special teams so who cares what he does with or without the puck.

Weiss does have an NTC if I recall correctly.

I wonder if Zetterberg ever gets tired of answering questions about Datsyuk in the media. I'm not sure if the sports writers realize this, but Zetterberg is a REALLY, REALLY, REALLY good player too. Yet, nobody ever asks Datsyuk what it's like to play with Zetterberg.

Gotcha, mine were their current goal totals. I'll give you this, your team can hit. I didn't tally my hits yet, but I specifically put Okposo, Simmonds, and three hard hitting defenders on their to make sure they'd be tough to play against.

I agree with Dickie about Green. I just moved to Washington D.C. in November and I watch a lot of Caps games. Green is ******* horrible. He plays zero defense, he's no good on the PP anymore, and he makes way too much money to be in and out of the lineup on a weekly basis. No thanks. I disagree with Dickie about Weber. He's hugely overrated defensively. Sure he can score, and he's pretty good defensively, but like Letang he's an offensive defenseman dressed up (and paid) like a two way guy. He's not. Plus, take a look at all the guaranteed money he gets based on insane bonuses. There's no way the Wings should bring in a guy who's going to make almost 30 million dollars a year for the next two or three years. And they definitely shouldn't gut their promising young forwards to do it.

Said it before I'll say it again, I love Brian Lashoff. Despite never scoring, and being on the ice with linemates who never score, he's still a respectable -2...ya know...because he actually plays defense. A far cry from the defensive ubermensch that are Kindl and Smith.

Cool, thanks for the info fellas.

I like your gusto, but you just gutted your penalty killing. Miller and Andersson are key components in one of the league's better PKs. Agreed. I mean, it's entirely hypothetical. I was just trying to explain why I don't see Sammy as "unmovable" the way many do. Also, because it's possible doesn't mean it's probable. Also Also, I still don't want Fleischmann. I just think that's the kind of move Holland would do.

Aha, so barring an injury to a player who makes a decent amount of money the Wings would be able to add nobody because we're up against the cap?

I mean, he's definitely in a hot spot, but personally I don't think it's as bad as everyone says. Holland has always been reluctant to move potential, but if he is willing and can find the right deal around a young player, prospect, or pick then I don't see the vets being a problem. Here's why: If you're Florida and you're willing to trade Fleischmann for prospects and picks and Detroit is the right match for you, but the only way to make it work is to take Sammy as well, then you'd be stupid not to do it. Sammy's cap hit wouldn't matter because you've got plenty of room. You'd only have to pay about 1/3 of his salary because actual salary is pro-rated for the season. And finally, he's not under contract so he doesn't hurt you long term. Basically, You'd lose Fleischmann's bigger salary for Sammy's smaller one, and you'd gain the prospects and picks which wouldn't count against you financially until next year (at the earliest). At which point Sammy would be gone to free agency or retirement, and it wouldn't matter. Also since Sammy isn't playing much (at all) and he's getting paid either way, I don't see it being a hard sell to convince him to waive his no-trade clause to go "earn" his money soaking up the sun in Florida for a couple of months. Using the same formula you could potentially move anyone. Hell, if you can get clear of Sammy then everyone else would be a piece of cake.

Unless something has changed, the last I heard was that Florida was trying to dump salary for prospects and picks. Given that Fleischmann has another year on his contract, and if the prospect-pick combo is still what they're after I could definitely see Holland offering our 2nd and a second stage prospect. Not a Jurco, Sproul, Mrazek type of prospect, but maybe a Marchenko, Pulkkinen, Ferraro type. Those are exactly the kinds of trades that Holland will make. It's that whole "offering something of value" thing that really jams him up.

Legit question here for the forum. How does the roster expansion work after the trade deadline? I mean, how do the rules work to ensure that there is no cap circumvention? I legitimately don't know the nuts and bolts of this one.

This is my darkhorse trade deadline pick. Tomas Fleischmann to Detroit to play with Weiss. Calling it. Ugh.

I absolutely love Anton Volchenkov, always have. But he makes way more money (4.25 million) than he's worth at this point in his career. The only way I'd consider it is if the Devils were willing to retain some salary. Plus he really doesn't help our transition woes, which in my opinion is the biggest shortfall of our defense. At this point he's a third pair stay at home guy, with excellent penalty killing skills. We really don't need that at this point as Lashoff, Ericsson, and Kronwall all kill penalties and Lashoff can do the work on the third pair for MUCH less money than Anton.

What are the numbers beside their names? Those aren't their current goals, is that a projection for the season?

Well that certainly makes me feel optimistic...until they crush my dreams that is. But until then I'm going to foolishly hope that we're trading for Okposo.