Richdg

While cleary is worthless, Abby isn't bad. No he isn't a scorer. But he has the speed to keep up with datsyuk, hits, retrives the puck, and feeds it back to datsyuk If we could find a shooter to play with Abby and Datsyuk that would be a decent line. Cleary on the other hand...... ditto is all I will add......

Hell no! If any GM this Apil came out and boosted he picked up those names, he should be fired on the spot. not a scorer. 12 G is his career high IIRC.

LOL.....I love how guys get taller during the broadcast. Boll is 6-4 according to Ken/Mick. Now Andersson is 6-3. Both are listed as 6-2 on the offical sites......

Double edged sword. Nicky could do things that most others couldn't do. Like passes up the middle. Others now think it is ok, becasue after all Nicky did it. remember when he first started and Bowman would jump all over him about passes up the middle in front of our own goal.....

Hey, Franzen does a good job on the backcheck, then misses an open net.............

Oh for the good old days when a Wings Avs game were the best games of the whole damn season. The hatred, the passion, the blood, the heros and goats....... The cold night in 97 when the Wings finally figured out what it takes to win a SC.... or 4...... Claude lemieax in the turtle position..... Shanny clotheslining Roy....... Vernon kicking Roy a$$........ The good old days, long before NHL became the no hitting league........

Yes and it is playing well overall. Still some youthfull mistakes, but we are fine on D. Bringing in an old exensive O first and only Dmen doesn't make us better. While we might score more goals, we will give up many more. The cap hialne is a nightmare and would keep us from finding Forwards which is the real need.

This is a hard one. What would you expect Holland to say? Our team is crap and we can't make any moves becasue everyone wants our only 5 NHL ready guys? Public convo's like this shoudl never be counted on to much. Most GM's in most sports really don't say a lot.

No. Our d is fine.

I don't understand why so many continue to think a 4 milion per year cap hit is a good deal. It isn't. Add in that we have the same cap hit from him for 7 more seasons after this one YUCK! He is also 33 now, mening he is leaving his prime. He is only going to get worse from here. He is on a sub 20 G pace over a 82 game season. The numbers will continue to deline and the so will the games played. I have even tken heat over franzen on this very forum. I have said more than once that every year he has a 3 week stretch where he is the best player in the game, then nothing the rest of the time. That has always been the case with Franzen. Flashes of brillence, then nothing but darkness-and not the good kind either........

BOO the Saders!!!!!!! Does Mcgraw still play for them?

So our 3 best scorers-2 of which are future HOFers can't score a goal in the shootout, and Howard is to blame? Is that correct? In 2 of the last 3 seasons, Howard was top 5 in GAA while playing 60ish games each year. How is that not great? Oh ya, it was all Lidstrom. as of today, Howard is 5th in SA. While having a GAA of 2.83. That is pretty damn good.

We have a bad habit of playing to the level of our competition this year. There is NO reason we shouldn't get 10 points out of the next 6 games. But I am afraid we will only get 6-8. Hel the BJ's are missing ther etop 2 Dmen and can't score.

Cool. I have always thought that OZ and NZ would be the next 2 countries to develop the spot. BTW.... GO BULLS! (S14 rugby ref for those that don't know....)

That is the point. Everyone can be moved in the right deal. Hell Gretzky was. To let a great player walk away for NOTHING is dumb. Be it retirment, free agency, whatever. To not know of said future plans and not have a plan in place is criminal.

For those not familier. he is 26, 6-1/225 LH shooting LW. The last 1.5 years the ML used him as a checker/penalty killer. But 2 years ago on the scoring lines he put 30 in the net. Only carries a 2.8 million cap hit. If he could be had for a guy like Filppula-toranto does have some cap issues coming next year and needs a C, he would look great on datsyuk's left wing. 25 goals+ per year would not be to much to expect.

Coming into the year, most of us really didn't know what to expect this year. far to many question marks. I thought anywhere from 6th to 10th is where we would finish up. baring changes I still think that. But we are also seeing clearly what our needs are. the D is coming along just fine. G is set and strong. We have several good small play makers. We lack big scoring forwards. In fact we need 3. We have 6 guys, that when healthy can provide 3 strong pairs of small playmakers: Dat, Z, Fil, Brunner, Tatar, and if they bring him up Nyquist. But they need some size to be put with them to work the best. Cleary can't do it, Abby is a checker, Andersson checker, Bert-done, franzen-lazy, sammy-walking MASH unit. That is about 15 million spent on 6 guys that can't do what we need. But it also is the amount needed to pay 3 good power forwards. the trick is, how to free up the money and aquire the players needed. We could have 3 good forward lines with the right moves. See below: Power forward-datsyuk (playmaker)-Brunner (sniper) Nyquist (playmaker)-Z (sniper/playmaker)-power forward tatar (sniper)-Filppula (playmaker)-Power forward 4th line piece together out of Abby, Andersson, Sheahan, helm, Emmerton, TooToo, eaves, etc.... Now if you look at potential numbers of the top 6 that we have, yes datsyuk and Z are 70+ point guys. Brunner looks like a guy that can score 25-30 goals. tatar is a 20+ goal scorer. Nyquist is a passer and so is filppula. The question is who and how? Would Umberger waive his NTC to come play on a line with datsyuk? Is Buf getting ready to sell off? if so would Stafford fit in on the 3rd with tatar and Filppula? Many possibilities, now Holland needs to get to work and find us the right mix of power forwars to go with the small skill guys.

so in your world 0 is great than 1? Interesting...... Sorry but that is how dynastys die. If datsyuk is worth say 3 #1 picks now, and becomes worth only 1 because he is gone after 1 year, take the pick. You have a 63% chance of getting a guy that will be a career NHL player. That is better than nothing.

That depends. We need o find out about Datsyuk first. Is he staying or going home. If he is staying then you can let Filppula go-trade him. If Datsyuk is going then resign Fil and we still have money left over for another player.

Hey Kiwi, a question. how much is hockey followed there in NZ?

Hmmm this will be 2 seasons. BTW its great SEASONS not 2 great playoffs which is why Franzen got paid. Also now you are saying Franzen is a better player than Zetterberg. Well the #'s you are using are. Never mind they play on the same line...... Think there might be a problem with your logic here? Not to mention Datsyuk........ A true fail attempt.

ya, and playing with cleary and abby, this becomes a real possibility.......

No, they have similiar skills. Hossa uses his and frnazen does not. That is the difference. If we could merge Cleary's heart and effort with Franzens natural God given talent, we would have a 50 goal scorer. But at 33 years of age, that just isn't happening.

Last year was really Clarkson's first on a top line. before he was used as a checker/goon. Now he is scoring at such a pace, there was a story a week or 2 ago about the devils telling him not to fight anymore. he is on pace for 37 goals based on a 82 game season. With a Datsyuk or Zetterberg feeding him the puck, he could get 45+ goals per season.

Again, we are debating something that we don't know one way or the other. I would never ever if my life depended on it trust and agent. They only care about their clients contracts. That is it. Holland and company need to find out one way or the other, and do so asap. if next year is going to be his last, we need to know so we can find players to take on his roles/money. if he plans on playing for 5 more, then there is time to build around him for another cup. Either way, we need to know. The next question would be, if he is planning on leaving after next season, do you trade him? Again, a hot button, but a worthy question. If 2013/14 is it, then move him for more younger talent.