frankgrimes

I fully agree before going after forwards we need to fix the defense and thanks to the damn cap going down it won't be easy.

Well look at their team: - no true number 1 goaltender (maybe Reimer?), no first line center - 24 7 media pressure - an ownership that will not last long Rogers and Bell are two giants who don't like each either. If I am him I'd stay far far away from this team.

I think a good commissioner is someone, who can get the players and owners on board not some former New York Lawyer or people using their position for political agendas. Also a commissioner can't be a loud guy, I think someone like Gretzky or Messier would do wonders for this league. A guy like Burke is best suited for small markets and with adding the last piece but not for rebuilding teams or media trollhouses like Toronto.

Listen, I know our defense won't improve this season but seeing how Alex will be an RFA next season and probably the last elite defenseman avaiable Kenny should break the bank and his offersheet attitude in order to get him to the Wings. 7 years 56 million $ + 12m signing bonus there is no way the Blues could be matching that. Thoughts? The guy is a top 5 defenseman in this league and would shorten our rebuild by a lot.

Thanks for the input forgot about that, you are right. I think Weber is making the most, closely followed by Crosby but anyways I absolutely hate the new cap its a joke.

Yes I would. Howard is good but certainly not in the top tier so getting an elite defenseman which are extremely rare and hard to get would be well worth it. I think it is easier to get average - good goaltenders than to get elite defenders.

TSN yesterday had a list of his record with the Leafs and basically save for their GF the franchise has been in the 25 - 30th ballpark under him. He may not be a bad GM but he is just too focused and non hockey related stuff, he wasn't there when the team needed him the most for two years in a row. Like I said I think using a franchise for your political agenda is not the way to do it and especially not with some gigantic suits namely Rogers and Bell coming in. I don't know much about Nonis but thought he "failed" in Vancouver, so the pressure on him is going to be enormous now. As for him being the next commissioner I highly doubt it, Stevie Y would e the obvious choice for that position.

Thats the point, nobody safe for the loved ones and some friends would pay a dime to see us playing. We are non professionals these guys are the 1 % best hockeyplayers on the planet, they are making that much because well ....you guess they are that good! As long as people are willing to pay a good amount of $ to see these guys, they are going to make a killing. Compared to some others sports especially baseball, soccer, basketball hockeyplayers are underpaid.

Signing bonuses are not forbidden, so if your team can't lock him up before that he will be RFA and therefore offersheets might come *cough* Flyers *cough* 20m the first year means 12m signing bonus + 8m annual, signing bonus doesn't count against the salary and so it shouldn't. Given the poor elite defenseman UFA classes I think a lot of guys will be surprised on how much Pietrangelo is going to make. Maybe 8m was a bit high but anything south of at least 6,5 would really surprise me, this guy is a stud, someone yu can build a team around. Pietrangelo is good, but I'm not sure that two seasons justify making him the highest paid defenseman in the league. To be worth that money he'd have to be a perennial Norris candidate. Plus we'd be giving up 4 first-rounders in compensation. Even if he did become a Norris candidate, it wouldn't necessarily solve all the Wings' potential problems, so any or all of those could be lottery picks.RFAs just aren't worth targetting. That would be shea weber 7,8 + 20m signing bonus. So Pietrangelo would be in the same ballpark and skillwise he already is plus he's younger. For sure it would be a big price to pay and only be doable if the management thinks we don't need a rebuild if we are going to rebuild and let's be honest here, it has to happen in the near future the 4 st rounders would probably top 10 picks every time. There are some nice prospects like Jones in the upcoming draft so if we miss the playoffs - which is likely - it would be a nice kickstart add to that Pietrangelo and boom first pairing for years to come :-)

I think Nonis is going to be the right choice and he is also is more of a hockeyguy instead of someone using the club for his own agenda. I mean if you are a GM and you are not working on improving your team on an UFA day for two years a new ownership won't like something like this. Wish this would make Dion avaiable but I highly doubt it. Senior adviser = well the guy is still on contract so we have to pay him anyways, let's make him a SA.

Same here if you can play in your homeland, infront of your loved ones and not having to think about lockout every 5 years and make more money, it is a wise decision. Pasha at this point can do whatever he wants, he has given me years of joy watching his magic on the ice, first class athlete if he wants to stay in the KHL it wouldn't even hold it against him. His Co GM called him cattle, owners broke contracts so why shouldn't players.

Honestly, Lu doesn't like the pressure in Vancouver and now might join the 24/7 media trollhouse named Toronto ? On top of that he'd be playing for a GM who is using the Maple Leafs Franchise for his political agenda and always talk mentality,, this won't end well. I have absolutely nothing against Luongo but the right choice would have been either Florida OR Tampa.

No offense towards your organization but like you said your team is not going to spend a lot of money? So could St. Louis afford to pay him 20m the first year and then 8 per for the remaining 6 years? Yeah I agree with you Pietrangelo is an elite defenseman and an absolute beast, he would look very good in Red & White :-)

two things 1. free center ice or GET BENT 2. lock "us" out in 5 - 8 years again after all the NHL(PA) are doing everything for the fans right?

I swear if we are going to lose Pasha because of this lockout, I'd be done with this poor excuse of af a national hockey league. Kovy mentioned before he wouldn't accept a paycut and why should he? He has signed the contract in good faith if others can break contracts, so can he. Devils offense will be pretty much non existent there guys are going to be Zubrus, Elias and Clarksson, Marty 1 year older and financial trouble hardly something to look forward.

Might take some time and as some GMs are calling it rebuild/tool thanks to the stupid salary cap.

Pasha hardly wanted the "A" so what makes you think he'd be interested in wearing the C? Zetterberg iwas the obvious choice but he is filling big shoes. Yzerman and the perfect human were everything and more one could ask from a guy wearing the C. Sent from my BlackBerry

Thanks so much Holmer, what a great player he has gone through a lot of trouble for this team. One of the very best infront of the net. It is the right decision, enjoy your well earned retirement, sad to see you go. Time for the next generation of Wings under Z

Pasha just being Pasha, amazing to see this game guy again. Whoever made his hands was perfect, way to go Dats.

As much as I don't like to see it I think Franzen is as sure as gone.

I hope they are staying away from the thank you fans crap. Want to do something for the people you've let down and fans? Give them a freaking paycheque for all the months they've been missing, because you two couldn't decide how to split 3,3 billion $$$$$$$$$ for months and months. Yes, I am happy we're going to have a season but sour taste is sour taste. I think a lot of credit should go to Beckenbough, one heck of a mediator. Give something back and make Centerice free at leas t till the playoffs.

Bring back Pasha asap. Wow thats a really good deal for both sides but why not SOME weeks before? Sent from my BlackBerry

Well you have fans like that on every team/nation. People are mad and get pissed off easily it happens Sent from my BlackBerry

Hardly an easy name to spell :-) Well I did root for the Swiss and Fins just because I like the underdogs but Sweden USA should be a good one too. It is almost insane how much pressure these Canadian U20 has on their shoulders. One thing is for sure if the USA are going to think it will be easy against Sweden they are in for a rough awakening.

Decertificate already this thing is just nuts. 'The lockout didn't make any sense from the beginning and it just keeps getting better and better at some point all you can do is laugh at both sides.