frankgrimes

Jim Nil? Guy fixed Dallas center problem in 12 months and has people excited about the team again while still working on a tight budget. Ray Shero would be a nice choice also at least being him in as an assistant the guy has tons of experience and isn't afraid to trade players.

Do people really think Burke will go into the season with the current flames roster they need defense. ? But if this is the final roster Hiller will need to play unreal that's for sure although I love the toughness of this team.

Blank cheques can make things happen ask Anaheim and Toronto about that. Four years before we could have had the captain and I also don't understand Holland does he really not see t hat the game has changed? Why is he so willing to tarnish his legacy? I think he would be better served as Vice president just my mind

Chiarelli guy knows how to build a team and the Bruins fans aren't happy with him

Hold your breath it still isn't over and Danny still hasn't re-signed with the team so it can still go downhill :-( this off season is not over yet and I'm extremely worried.but one thing it's for sure this has been the most challenging one since almost two decades.

Bruce is known for killing the confidence of his goaltenders especially come playoff time. Hiller is not that bad of a goaltender and I believe he could have a good year, if the defense improves.

4 more years of not having an enforcer or tough to play against team plus no direction.I feel so bad for or two superstars not only are they wasting their prime now also the last years of their career without another cup too bad

I'm sure he is already putting Mario's number on speed dial.no way he now re -signs with this team and I really don't blame him his job is getting harder and harder each year

Unf***ing real constant downslope since 2009 and yet 4 year extension 4 years ago we could have had the Captain and Kenny as VP so disappointed

Sean Monahan, Giordano and Hiller come to mind

Pretty balanced and fair article like the fact that the author is questioning some moves and not drinking the kool aid while still being fair.

Thank you I did too both acted like just usual people. If I were a player I'd do the same thing without the organization having to tell me.you don't want to give the media too much stuff to talk about. I'm very sure Bowman has already told the players how to behave.overall though I agree they are going to use the Wings and Leafs as a benchmark. The best parry for me was seeing Babs absolutely unleashing on the team that was something else!

Calgary may have a bad roster but for sure they are also going to have a very entertaining one with McGrattan Engelland and Westgarth nobody will touch their star players. And all of that in a McDavid year so their future may not be as bad and with Burke you can bet more grit help will be on the way The Panthers may have added a young Shea Weber if the develop him the right way

Alfredsson it's still a reliable player like you've said and that's why I would prefer seeing him winning a cup or at least not go out as a third liner. I know he can chip some points and provide tons of good leadership I just don't think it's a smart thing to do long-term wise. Reminds me a bit of the Iginla situation the guy wants a cup and then leaves a contender..so if Alfredsson is smart he signs there and goes for Lord Stanley one more time. If we would have had him back in 2009 it's a totally different story so in fact I am actually for and not against him :-) personally I just don't like the idea of him going out without a cup would be a bad ending to a great career.I mean he is by far the best player Ottawa has ever had!

Game 6 against the hated Avalanche 2002 Hasek absolutely outplayed Roy and Shanahan turned into beast mode.good do I miss this rivalry and wings team.

My god Boston blamed Rask, Habs Vanek and the Pens their coach. Keep blaming injuries for all I care and dream of hundred point sessions but don't act disappointed if that doesn't happen. But I can already envision the if only Alfredsson would have played more line but whatever keep believing...

Friend of mine who isn't into hockey asked me about the differences between the Winter Classic and Stadium series I told her one is a cash grab and the Stadium Series is a smaller cash grab, her response was so it's basically like euro and worldcups in soccer. Loved that response because it fits perfectly. Are the players required to do the 24/7 or can they deny access to their homes ?

Yeah and did their fanbases make a big deal out of it? No, wish they easily could have done and all their teams are better than ours with way more expectations. Their fanbases blamed the whole team and didn't use excuses for their failure that's the differense. Does a guy like Aflie really want to go out as a third liner ? I highly doubt it, just like I don't see Brodeur ever accepting a backup role (which he should if he wants to continue playing).

I don't see a direction and have given up looking for one. So whatever happens happens, hopefully it leads to some sort of direction in the long run. If someone comes to be asking what type of team we are my reply would be:,,Well the Detroit Red Wings stylewise who knows...<magic box>"

It's simple: injuries are part of the game (sadfully) every team has to deal with them Top contenders like Boston had to play without Seidenberg, also known as 50 % of their top pairing, a few seasons ago Pittsburgh was without Crosby AND Malkin for a long period of time. The Blues went into the playoffs injured and lost Backes for a good amount of time - it's part of the game. Some people are making it sound like the only thing holding the Wings back are injuries, that's clearly not the case. As a team gets older injuries are becoming more frequently so come back to the topic: will a 42 old Alfredsson reduce the injury problems ? Highly unlikely, he didn't have anything left for the second half of the season last year and it wasn't just because of injuries the guy was gased. Other teams have long figured out how to play against this team and the problems have been the same since 2009. Alfie is not a guy that can create space or tank his way to the net, he is another older perimeter player who badly wants a cup. I really like thim and would love sseing him a cup but it's not happening here, so I don't understand him nor Brodeur why are they putting their older bodies through this grind again ? Both are multimultimillionaires and they don't have to do it for money that's for sure.

Planet earth isn't lala land and on planet earth every team has to deal with injuries. If Alfie wants to be back he won't make a lot of money, because the Wings still have to re-sign Danny D and he can kiss the cup dream goodbye. If the team misses the playoffs - which is very possible - he will end his career on a bad last year. He deserves better but that's the reality and not lala land, where this team would make 94 or even crazier 110 points *laughs*

Expected it no other team is bringing their exact same roster back. Some of the top guys are going into the season with an identical one but nobody - except the Wings - is going into it with the exact same roster. It really takes balls and some superb job security to do that., when the team has barely made the playoffs. I just don't understand what Alfie is trying to do he wants a cup fine, but he won't unfortunately win one here and most contenders are set now, tough break.

Exactly the NHL had something unique and nice going and in typical manner they've destroyed it in 8 ! years. This thing could have gone on for decades unbelievable. LA and the Hawks have been involved last year, not even their fans are excited for this. Washington versus Chicago ? That's not even a rivalry it's nothing . I thought the NHL wouldn't be stupid enough to ruin the WC after they've ruined the Allstar game should have known better...sad because a few years ago I've loved the event.

Poilé robbed Holland pure and simple, there is no way of spinning this as a positive, period. You don't deal from a position of weakness to fix a secondary at best - for that time - situation. Jarnkrok was the best center prospect so if you package him it should have been for defensive help and not a few months of service. I didn't like the trade back then nor do I like it now it was clear at that time, that this time is far far away from being a contender as seen against the Big Bad Bear in the east. If the playoffs didn't open the eyes of some fans then I don't know what will. Missing out on top free agents in the grand scheme of things has to be an alarming signal it basically means, the organization is NOT going into the right direction in the eyes of top players. While drafting is important you can't build your team purely from drafting the mixture between draft and UFAs is key here. I also don't need a "better view" of what this team is, since 2009 I've seen this team getting worse and worse and last year they've barely made the playoffs. That to me is indication enough, to be go into the season with very low expectations and hoping to be surprised. Given that this is going to be the exact same roster I see no reason on why they should be doing better. btw. I'd rather see the kids develop and maybe miss the playoffs then getting slaughtered in such an embarraing fashion again.

I don't think so their owner is loaded with money and is their version of our own Mr. I. Their rebuild is exactly how should be done create a new core and add to it through the draft. Mark my words Buffal is going to be a damn scary game in a few years.