krsmith17

What I'm more confused about is why you (frank) think for some reason that Green is unaware of the history in Detroit, or what McCarty brought to this team back in the 90's... Or that for whatever reason McCarty isn't or wouldn't be okay with Green wearing his old number... I'm sure Darren doesn't have any issue whatsoever with Green sporting number 25. In fact he recently said in an interview directed at Green, "hey, Mike Green, there's a lot of points left in that jersey. I expect to see them out of you this year.", then he went on to say, "I couldn't be happier for someone of his caliber, and character to wear my number. I'm proud of that, but I expect him to put a lot more points up. I got all the fights out of it, he doesn't have to fight, he just has to score goals on the PP'...

I would have put my money on Verrier, although he was a healthy scratch in the second game, against Chicago...

Yup, I'm sure Darren's goal in life was to make the NHL and then throw it all away for drugs... Do you honestly think his addiction was a choice? I don't know about you, but I know more than enough people with addictions to know better. Anyway, I'm done with this conversation. Green will look great sporting that number 25.

Again, what's your point? Where did I say anything about people with addictions being great?...

Ummm yeah, what's your point? Drugs are awful? Does that make a person that does them awful? Hell no!

Is that what I said? I just don't look down on people because they have an addiction... It's kind of sickening seeing people that do...

I don't think by an stretch that McCarty's number should be out of circulation, but to call him a "druggie idiot" is ignorant as f***... He was a fan favorite and a huge part of all those Cup wins. I personally love(d) McCarty, he was definitely one of my favorite Wings of the 90's. Drug addiction or not, he deserves the respect of the fans of Detroit.

Nosek is a decent young player, but I don't ever expect him to crack the Red Wings lineup. There's just waaay too many guys ahead of him. I don't think he's a top 6 player at the NHL level and our bottom six is overloaded as it is. None the less, he was a great pickup for Grand Rapids for a few seasons. Maybe he'll find a home on another NHL squad ala Andrej Nestrasil.

I'm not a fan of either number really, although when I do think of 72, I automatically associate it with Athanasiou, so it would be weird if he decided to change it now. But I really don't like 71 on Larkin, although I'm sure it would grow on me if he decides to keep it. I'm thinking he will switch back to 17 next season though, once he's up in replace of Richards...

Mantha pots another one from Larkin and Saarijarvi. 3-1 Wings! 3-2 final.

Quick start. 2-0 Wings! Mantha from Athanasiou and Larkin, and another one for Nosek from Svechnikov. The big guns came to play today! Lines are switched up a little. Athanasiou - Larkin - Mantha Bettuzzi - Nosek - Svechnikov Betz - Turgeon - Nastasiuk Polei - McGlynn - Etchegary Prochino - Russo Hicketts - Charfield Stanton - Saarijarvi Paterson Mancina

I believe this team is a lock to finish top 3 in the Atlantic Division, baring major injuries to key players. I see the Wings and Lightning fighting neck and neck for number 1, and Montreal finishing number 3. There is a huge drop off after those 3 teams, and I wouldn't be surprised if all 5 of Toronto, Ottawa, Boston, Buffalo and Florida miss the playoffs this season, with the Metro Division taking up the two mild card spots. My projection for the East looks something like this... Atlantic 1. Tampa 2. Detroit 3. Montreal Metropolitan 1. New York R. 2. Pittsburgh 3. Washington Wild Card 1. Columbus 2. New York I. I expect a pretty seamless transition from Babcock to Blashill, and a rejuvenated group under a new coach. Their coaching styles are very similar, but by all accounts the way they treat the players is night and day, which should make a huge difference. I think Datsyuk and Zetterberg can maintain the level they played last season, hovering at around a point per game pace or slightly under. The question isn't how they'll play when they're healthy, it's how many games they'll be healthy for. Nyquist and Tatar should continue to develop into key players for this organization, putting up 60+ points each. I expect all three of Sheahan, Jurco and Pulkkinen to surprise a lot of people this season, all eclipsing the 40 point plateau. We have an extremely deep forward group, and I think we will see major improvements on the back end as well. I wouldn't be surprised to see DeKeyser - Green emerge as the number one pair by Christmas. I think our power-play will be lethal again this season, and will only improve with the additions of Green and Pulkkinen (used properly). We have two really good goaltenders that should push each other all season. I think this team is legit and they will finally be able to prove it in the post season. Anything short of 2nd in the division and Conference Final will be a disappointment to me...

I knew he wore 19 with UofM, and 21 with USA, but he wore 25 with the Griffins, and in Red Wings training camp. I just assumed he was taking number 25... 71 is completely random and there must be some mistake there...

Brendan Smith f***ing SUCKS!!!

Bill Roose - "Red Wings rookie Dylan Larkin, who has been assigned number 28 by the NHL club, will now wear 71 when he's with the team this season"... WTF? I was under the impression he was going to wear 25 with the Red Wings? Where did 28 come from? And why the f*** would he wear number 71? And also, "when" he's with the team "this" season???...

I'd say it's a 95+ percent chance that Abby resigns next season. I would be absolutely shocked if he signs elsewhere. Not gonna happen.

This contract that he received this season has absolutely nothing to do with the contract he received last season. This is for all intents and purposes strictly an AHL contract. I know it isn't structured that way but Ken Holland and Jeff Blashill both know where Cleary will end up after training camp. He is without a doubt Grand Rapids bound. If he is still that passionate about the game of hockey that he is willing to put his pride aside and play minor hockey, who's he really hurting? Forget about the past two seasons and look at this signing objectively for what it is intended. It's a depth signing for Grand Rapids. And I'm sure Holland sees this as a great opportunity to instill some of that great Dan Cleary work ethic that he's seen over the years into a player like Mantha. Was it a "great" signing? No, and I don't think a single person would argue that. My point is, it's not a bad signing by any means, as some are suggesting. And THIS signing (not last year or two years ago) doesn't affect the Red Wings in the past, present or future. Anyway, I'm pretty sure we've both said all we could possibly say here. I'm done. All the best to Dan. I hope he plays 50 games with Grand Rapids, puts up 30 points and provides leadership and shows the kids what it takes to be a pro.

I know for a fact that both Draper and Maltby could have signed similar contracts to play in the minors if they wanted to. And I'm sure any of the others would have been a welcomed addition in Grand Rapids as well. The difference is, they chose to hang up the skates and take on a role within the organization. Something Cleary clearly isn't willing to do just yet. Who knows, maybe it's something he would never have any interest in, although I believe he would be very successful in an off ice role with the team.

I was fixating on the quote because you seem to have a problem with what he said, when there was nothing negative to take from it whatsoever. Whether you said sour or salty, what's the difference really? Anyway, the Cleary quote aside, he obviously does believe that he can contribute on the ice at some level. Otherwise he wouldn't have been looking for another contract. Like I've said many times, I agree that at this stage of his career he would be much better suited taking on a role other than player within the organization. However, I wouldn't doubt that once he is sent down to Grand Rapids and if he does play for the Griffins that he would be quite capable of putting up some points at the minor league level, all while mentoring guys like Mantha, Larkin, Athanasiou, Bertuzzi, Nastasiuk, etc. Sure we already have quite a few vets down there, but none with the pedigree, work ethic and determination of Cleary. I think you're so fixated on the past two years that you're not seeing clearly what this contract truly represents. No one outside of maybe Dan himself, believe that he will crack the Red Wings lineup. This is purely a depth signing for Grand Rapids, and I for one have no issue with it. Again, if we lose a player of any worth (not including Andersson) because of Dan Cleary's (this years) contract, I will be disappointed. I just truly do not see this signing hurting the team going forward in any way.

Okay, we clearly disagree on that comment that Cleary made. I just can't understand how you would interpret that as him being sour in any way? It is absolutely a generic hockey player response. So why was Cleary "sour" when he said it, but others are not? You're right, there aren't many players that would say "Man, this is some bull****. The coach doesn't respect me! I deserve minutes!". And Cleary wasn't one of them, so again I ask, how was what he said considered getting sour? There is not a single word there that could possibly be misconstrued into being any sort of sourness... Here is the entire quote and what I took from it... "No one wants to watch when they're healthy," (Fact, every hockey player wants to be in the lineup every single game.) Cleary said "But we have a good team here and you just have to do your part, (It's a good team, implying that maybe he feels that he isn't good enough to be in the lineup every night) and when you're called upon be ready and be professional about it." (He needs to work harder to get in the lineup and be ready if / when his name is called. Doesn't get any more professional than that in my opinion.)... I completely understand how bonuses work, which is why I said I don't believe Cleary's bonus from last season will affect the team's cap in any way this season. Datsyuk will start the season on LTIR. I'm still of the belief that Franzen won't play this year, but even if he does, there is a ton of cap space to start the season. There will always be injuries. And if we end up having to waive Andersson at some point this season, Cleary's contract would definitely be worth it in my books... I get the frustration in the past, but this situation is entirely different and I truly do believe that the best players WILL play this season and coming seasons. Now if Cleary is on the final 23 man roster to start the season (he definitely won't be) and Ferraro is waived and claimed, I would be pissed. But like has been said many times already, this signing will not affect the Detroit Red Wings in any way, shape or form. If he wants to play, he will have to play down in Grand Rapids.

Frank, you always suggest that these franchise players are worth any amount of money, and they should be given a blank check, never taking any sort of hometown discount. I disagree. I believe they should take somewhat of a moderate discount to help out the team that has already given them so much. You believe Kopitar can make $10-10.5M on the open market? So do I. But why not take a slight discount (something around $7.5-8.5M X 8 years) with a team that will continue to be a competitor for years to come, increasing your chance at another Cup or two? After all, that is every players ultimate goal, is it not? Hockey is a team game and players that put themselves above the team, are usually the players that lose out in the end (on Championships). Both Toews and Kane already have 3 Stanley Cups each, so they're probably not too worried about when they'll win their next one. But I wouldn't be surprised if the Hawks don't win another Cup now that those two ginormous contracts kick in this season. $21M is a ridiculous amount of money being paid to only two players, taking up 30% of the teams salary cap. I believe the Red Wings do it right. They take care of their players and treat ever single one of them with respect. The players know this, and are willing to take discounts to increase the chances of bringing home a Stanley Cup. Many players have done it in the past, and I believe many more will continue to do it in the future. People are worried that Abdelkader will bolt after this season over a couple million dollars that he will inevitably leave on the table this summer? Won't happen. He will take a discount to stay in the best run organization in all of hockey (sports). Of course it doesn't hurt that he is a Michigan native and spent his entire career there, but I believe the same would hold true if he were a Minnesoda native as well. Players that play in Detroit, for the most part want to stay in Detroit. Anyway, that was slightly off topic... Regardless, I believe the Kings and Kopitar will come to an agreement before next summer and he will remain in Los Angeles for years to come. Same goes for Stamkos in Tampa. Even if one or both did happen to become available, there is no way Holland would be will to pay either of them what they will likely get on the open market. And I'm quite okay with that. As much as I would love to have either of these guys in red and white, I would hate to lose a handful of guys for one. I know many will disagree, but that's my take on it...

I should have pointed out in my previous post that none of it was directed at you, Jesusberg, other than that first sentence. Maybe we do have a different view on Cleary's quote from last season. When he said that "no one wants to watch when they're healthy". To me, that's just a fact, and something every single player would say, if they were a healthy scratch, whether it's for 1 game or 50 games. No hockey player wants to sit on the bench, and Cleary is no different. He absolutely wants to play, and I'm sure his goal is to play 82 games with the Red Wings this season. Is that a realistic goal? Hell no, but I'm sure when he signed that contract he had no intentions of playing in Grand Rapids, even though that's likely where he will end up. One thing's for sure, the numbers I suggested, is not Dan's goal for this season. I said last offseason, and again this one, that I'd like to see Dan Cleary take on a job within the organization; some sort of training / strength and conditioning position. My point is that, like you said, it's not the end of the world, that Cleary is back in a minimal role in the minors, guiding the kids for one last season, like some (not necessarily you) seem to be suggesting... I don't believe his bonus from last season will affect our cap at all this season. I can however, somewhat see the concern with him affecting the 50 man roster. But realistically, whoever that 51st player that doesn't make the cut is, chances are would never make any sort of impact with the Red Wings anyway. Who may we lose? A Marc McNulty type of player? Whatever...

In no way does he sound the least bit sour or "salty" in that quote... People can hate on Cleary all they want but this signing does not affect the Detroit Red Wings in any way, neither short term, not long term. I don't even believe that the argument of him taking a spot from a young prospect, such as Nastasiuk holds true. If Zach can't beat out Dan in a battle for a spot in the lineup, he doesn't deserve the spot, plain and simple. I'd be shocked if Cleary plays any more than 20-30 games with Grand Rapids this season, and he surely won't play any more than 5-10 in Detroit... Typical LGW, looking for something, anything to complain about. But, hey it's been a long offseason. Bring on development camp / training camp / pre-season... and of course regular season!

I became a Wings fan in the late 80's - early 90's, the sole reason being Steve Yzerman. I was also a huge Fedorov fan, and I agree that he may have been a better player than Datsyuk, but to say that he was THAT much better is crazy to me. There style of play couldn't be further apart in my opinion, but their overall effectiveness (no matter what era you place them) is/was very similar. I would give Sergei in his prime the slight edge over Pav in his prime, but it's definitely not as far apart as you seem to think. A lot of people mistake Datsyuk for being a small, weak Russian player because of his size, but he's anything but. Pav has got to be one of the strongest players in the league to knock off the puck, and that isn't just because of his amazing stick, it's the way he uses his body to protect the puck. There's not a doubt in my mind that Pav would have been just as, if not more successful in the 90's era of hockey. In saying that, Fedorov is and always will be my favorite Russian player to ever play the game (Konstantinov and Datsyuk tying for second...). Maybe / hopefully Svechnikov will someday be in that same category...