frankgrimes

LA Kings? They were considered the best team and not your typical 8th place team. So the answer to your question is last year.

Don't think so. What is the point of making the playoffs just to heavily lose in the first round? The goal for this organization should be to go the whole way which means winning the cup. This is not a Stanley Cup roster, period. I'd rather see some young guns developing and making mistakes why doing so, before cheering and be happy because they've kept the streak alive.

NO the D is not pretty good and is the main reason for concern. It all starts with the D -> move the puck to the forwards and create chances. Dubinsky and Hornquist are not avaiable, Stafford will come with a steep pricetag and doesn't add some much needed grit or defensive responsibility. Kulemin is a third line player, a great one at that but he won't help the Wings. The Wings need cap space - while the cap will drop to only 64,2 m next season - to sign Brunner and raise Howards salary, whatever capspace remains should be used to improve the D.

I know must be a dream right? Never worry about money and almost become a guaranteed Wings player. Hopefully his kids appreciate how lucky they were.

Predators - are looking to add not to give up offense Sabres - obviously sellers but the asking price for Stafford will be to steep Kulemin - doesn't add anything to this roster, he is a great 3rd line guy but I'd rather see some home grown talent there Dubinsky - BlueJackets traded NASH for him and their CEO of hockey operations stated more than once, that he is a big fan of Dubinksy.

Unbelievable how undervalued Suter has become, since he decided not to wear the Winged-Wheel. I mean, to each their own but I'd easily trade Kronwall for Suter (an elite player), which Kronwall is not. Having a real top pairing also makes it easier for the forwards to score. As good as Hank and Pavel are, they can't do everything so you need a guy moving the puck out of the zone, to create those highlight reel opportunities, the Wings don't have anyone capable of doing so, sad but true. This team is not a true number one defenseman away from winning the cup, they are a true number one defenseman, a shutdown guy AND a top winger away from being in the contention again. For better or worse being sellers at the trade-deadline might be exactly what the doctor ordered, get another first round pick and a draft a shuttdown guy + ´puck moving defenseman. I agree with people saying, that as Wings fans most of us aren't used to wait and see but I'd rather see a young and coming team then trying to make the playoffs at all costs and getting bounced easily in the first round again.

I do only expect them, to make the roster but not to be as good as their dad was. Nick is hopefully a first ballot hall of famer, 7x Norris trophy winner and easily a top 3 alltime defenseman. It would be simple ridiculous to expect his sons living up to that.

I really liked Tatars game, he has worked his butt off would have prefered him staying and Nyquist getting called up, instead of sending Tatar down but what can you do?

I started a similar thread some days ago, you can find it here http://www.letsgowings.com/forums/topic/73762-when-does-nick-jr-turn-pro/ would be cool, if the moderators could merge the two? Even if they aren't as good as their dad, getting them as solid roster players would be pretty impressive. But the Wings would have to make sure, that they have to go through the draft. So basically pulling a D and H Sedin one.

Looks like I didn't miss much. I don't know what it is with the Jackets but to me it looks like the Wings are having a hrd trime beating them for whatever reason.

How is he underrated? You know we had a guy named Nicklas "Lidas" Lidström.. I think Howard is a 3,5 - 4 M per year goaltender, unless he can provide more consistency and post great numbers till the end of the season. I am not saying he is a bad goalie far from it, I think at this point he is average - to above average he has the tools to become very good some day but Howy isn't there yet at least for me.

Clarkson would look great in a winhed wheel, would prefer him over Filps. That said I highly doubt Devils will let him go. Sent from my BlackBerry

hwatever I think this debate will come up everytime, some player gets serious hurt but at the it is their choice and freedom to wear some things or not to.

He isn't even in the same ballpark as Luongo save for the best and most consistent goaltender in the league. Everything over 4 m annualy will be overpayment. 5,6 would just be insane he is far from being elite, yes Fleury is better. Sent from my BlackBerry

I do not understand, why people are so focused on the AAV. These are the cap hits you are going to see going forward, because there is no real option to frontload them over X years. You also can not compare a post lockout AAV with a pre lockout one. Also it isn't your money so who cares Getzlaf is elite and will get paid such money for the next 8 years. That guy has won a cup, gold medal and is a force on the ice love the way he plays. Personally I already disliked the league post 2005 but after this lockout it will suck even more. NHL won't see any money from me for a long time. You can bet Toews will have an even higher AAV. Sent from my BlackBerry

Exactly my point :-) It is their choice, don't babysit them. Like you've mentioned, this is about hockey not about others ports. Hockey players are tough they know what they are doing and are smart enough, to be aware of the consequences.

No matter how you look at it, their streak is extremely impressive but it will mean less if the Hawks fail win the Stanley Cup.

If that's his pricetag no thanks, he not worth that much. I think 5 years at 4 would be the maximum I would do (given he is playing well till the end of the season), otherwise 3,5 for 4. Howard isn't a bad goalie but without Lidström and for him to command such a high salary it will be neccessary for him, to show more than flashes of brilliance. Luongo has won a gold medal, has goaltended his team into the Stanley Cup Finals, Fleury has a cup same goes for Ward so these three are better than him. At this point I even think Bryzgalov is better right now, he is just getting exposed by the Flyers run and gun system.

I hope the Monster will stay healthy and pull together some great wins, this should lower Howards demands a bit I guess.

Well most teams will just reduce their depth players but I highly doubt, we'll see some much needed top pairing defenseman moved. I don't understand why some people are so much against the idea of bringing in an enforcer, these guys usually play 5 minutes a game and are there for one job. Calgary just got one of the top 3 guys in the game, so they've become a tough team over night.

Unless he does something special I'd say he is in the mid 3 million class. I'd rank him slighlty under Fleury.

Great player but with the cap going down and a high asking price, there is nos way Holland does that.

These are the teams Wins need to beat, in order to make the playoffs.

Grown men, playing a tough sport so it should be 100 % the players choice, if they want to wear one. Having said that, as with Kevlar socks I think after the first major injury if they still refuse to wear more protection like gear they should pay a bit of their insurance by themselves (based on their salary).

I hope this is just Kenny not showing his cards, because that would just increase the prices come trade-deadline. This team as of now has no top pairing and not one top pairing defenseman. Every other team knows exactly, that the Wings do need one badly as do some other opponents in the East (especially the Flyers) but where are they coming from? No clue if people think Bouwmeester would be avaiable for anything less than overpayment they are in for some kind of reality shock. Not even Feaster would give away his biggest 3-4-13 chip for depth. You can bet the Flames would be asking for a top prospect + a first or early second. Although I am tired of hearing the crap about "the powerplay is our enforcer" (no it is not since 5 has retired) or "getting injured guys back will be like 2 trade-deadline additions" the team itself is average and average teams do not win the Stanley-Cup which should be the ultimate goal here. Could the Wings need a scorer? For sure but their biggest need going forward will be a shutdown top pairing defenseman and a real enforcer.