_SP_

From what I could see in the video, Jensen took an unnecessary, minor crosscheck to the back from Bertuzzi. Then, Jensen crosschecks him above Wing (jerking Bertuzzi's neck), pushes Bertuzzi in the face while Tyler is fixing his helmet, and then pushes him again in the chest/belly. Play continues and Bertuzzi is riding Jensen as he is heading towards the net. Jensen crosses the crease and Bertuzzi pushes him in the back after he enters the crease (which he very well should do, Jensen essentially ran over the goalie). Jensen gets up, drops his gloves, throws the first couple of punches, they both exchange a few others, and Bertuzzi gets yanked to the ground, tries to regain his balance, and the fight is broken up. If Jensen got injured, it was his own fault. He initiated the fight and was as much an instigator during the whole scene as Bertuzzi was. Sucks, but Bertuzzi shouldn't be getting blamed.

Wow, you showed him. Anyway, I hope the Red Wings get a trade (Samuelsson, et. al.) done in time to bring him back. PTO's don't lock him into the team, right? He'll have to negotiate another contract if he wants to play in a regular season game, yeah?

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEGOOOOORRRRR. (Yeah, I know it is with an I. But that would look weird.)

As a 23-year-old white guy, I assure you... I would NEVER be caught dressing like this idiot. Really? Saggin' cargo pants, a wife beater, sunglasses inside, and a hat cocked sideways like an rrr-tard? Kid would get beat up in a heartbeat, where I went to school.

Except you're comparing a guy signing essentially his first NHL contract to a guy who has made a TON of money of the years. So, no, the comparison doesn't make sense at all.

Smith DIDN'T help them by losing to Detroit in the heat of a playoff battle, against one of the team's trying to steal their spot. And he's signed to a hefty deal. I think Johnson's progression with Connecticut is key, too. He's gotten better at each level of competition. He was also the best goalie in their system. But yes, those two games DEFINITELY helped his status, in my opinion. And he faced 100+ shots against NHL competition and did very well. It was a good tryout and I think he passed the test. I think Johnson's better than Gustavsson.

He stepped up big in the late game against Detroit, which he won. In his two April starts, he earned 3 points. Compare that to starter Mike Smith who went 4-2-2 in April, including a big loss to Detroit, and, yeah, I'd say he pushed them into contention. If Mike Smith beats Detroit for the other game, you're talking about a big swing in how things played out. You seem to forget- if Phoenix wins that game, Detroit finishes with 54 points and Phoenix finishes with 53. Not a difference-making swing there, but Phoenix lost to Colorado as well after that, when they were pretty much guaranteed to finish behind Detroit. That game was instrumental in how things played out. So, yes, I'd say that Johnson pushed them there in April with his big win over Detroit. If they lose that first game, they fall even further out of the way. They lost to the second-worst team once they were eliminated... you're talking about a potential +4 point swing for Phoenix and a -2 point swing for Detroit. Any other questions?

He's actually a quality backup goalie. He came over from Phoenix and really helped push the Coyotes into playoff contention late last season. He's a guy I thought should have been locked up for 4-years, even if it was for a slightly higher contract (950,000+). The guy has the head for the position and still has a lot of room to grow as far as physical requirements.

Thanks for the correction. With the friendship Tatar and Brunner have, it'd be fun to see them on a line with Andersson Edit: I think you're wrong too. "regarding both the out-of-waiver-options players that are Gustav Nyquist, Joakim Andersson, Tomas Tatar and Brian Lashoff, as well as Danny DeKeyser (he's been okay--hands are fine, but is understandably a step behind) and the Wings' "next wave" of prospects:"

Same price??? Did you NOT see what Ottawa gave up for Ryan?? As far as Clarkson goes... 5-year deal is a LOT more than the "same price" as a 1-year deal.

Are you sure? I thought he had one more year??

Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Franzen Abdelkader-Weiss-Alfredsson Nyquist-Andersson-Brunner Miller-Helm-Bertuzzi Emmerton-Tootoo Ericsson-Kronwall Quincy-Kindl Dekeyser-Smith Lashoff I just want them to find a way to keep Brunner. His game is already on par with Samuelsson and his upside is a LOT higher. The Red Wings should file a grievance against Samuelsson in regards to his "injury" that won't allow them to use a buyout.

I'm on board with the people aligning with this style of thinking. I just don't understand how you give nearly $5M to a guy that has only performed exceptionally well when flanked by really good wingers (Booth/Horton). Even then, he isn't much of a two-way player, and isn't very good in the faceoff circle (although, I will admit, he's finally reached 50% over the past two years). I suppose I would be okay with the money if it was over three years and not five, but I think this signing will turn out to be a move that fans point back to in a couple of years and wonder why the Red Wings jumped the gun. I may very well be wrong. In fact, as a fan of the team, I WANT to be wrong. But when I hang up the sweater and look at this objectively... I think it has all of the makings of the subject featured in another popular thread: an overreaction. I think the Red Wings jumped the gun and way overpaid in both years and dollars for a guy in a limited pool. If it was $5.9 over two years... fine. But $4.9 over 5? Not a fan.

... said the forklift driver.

Quite honestly, the average fan simply doesn't understand this concept. I post quite a bit about money and financial aspects of sports, because that's what my background is in. Our fellow fans might be advertising specialists, HVAC installers, car dealers, registered nurses, personal trainers, etc. They would understand things that I don't and be able to explain them to me while I stare back like a deer in headlights. I might not understand the full impact an Achilles injury the way the trainer would or discuss the team's marketing plan the way the advertising specialist does; the same way they likely don't understand the business aspect of the sports world. I don't fault them and I certainly don't look down on them- we all have a better understanding of what it is we actually do day-to-day. Sure, anyone can play Be a GM Mode on NHL12, but playing arm-chair GM is a heck of a lot different than running a multi-million dollar business, which is a big part of Ken Holland's job. Hell, most posters have never even seen an NHL contract, let alone read every line. It's so easy to read the numbers on the ticker at the bottom of the TV screen, but it's so much more complicated than that. Even the salary cap is complicated- teams don't simply sign x number of players for y amount of money and come up with z salary total (x*y=z)... there's so much more involved. That's why I try to stay out of financial discussions- I know that I know what I'm talking about, but a) I'm completely anonymous to everyone on here and b) I don't like being lectured to anymore than anyone else on here. It's hard explaining accounting and business concepts to people that don't do it everyday. But I want to commend you for this post, you did an excellent job of describing the general concept of free agency in the big four sports. I think many folks on here will be appreciative of it, even if they aren't in the financial world. For everyone else: Just remember, free agency doesn't come down to whether or not Holland wants to pay x-dollars to b-free agent. So cut the guy a little slack, he's competing with 29 other teams over a laundry list of factors that go into each and every contract. It's not just a matter of whether Holland appreciates a player's value or not.

The maximum base salary that he can get for the ELC is $925,000. From there, you have to consider A/B trigger bonuses. Normally, those scale as the pick heads down. One would presume that his maximum salary would be less at pick 20 than pick 18.

58. Not bad for swapping two spots. Save a little money too.

They're assuming Franzen's contract. Just getting a replacement-level player for that would require the team to chip in a prospect. In my opinion, Sheahan's gotta go. He'll run out of waiver options before the team has an opening, especially with Jarnkrok coming and Andersson coming into his own. And he's got a bad rep with at least one inside scout that I'm familiar with. Nonetheless, here's one thing I try to do when making out a roster: Never short-change the opposition. It's more realistic to give up too much in a mock and be kindly surprised than to suggest another team would give up a really good player for next to nothing. At least you all reading the mock would get an understanding of what I'm trying to do without blowing it off for creating a fantasy roster without any stipulations. My initial offer to the team would be Franzen and Sheahan for Stafford. That's a top-six lefty for a top-six righty. That's a 33-year-old with an extensive contract and a solid center prospect for a 27-year-old with a team-friendly contract. Numbers come into play with deals like this. Franzen has another seven years on his contract- that's a huge responsibility for a team to assume, especially one that's rebuilding. I figure in this scenario the Sabres buy him out after the following year. Making an owner assume another team's $15 million responsibility likely requires a lot more than just a center prospect. Which is where Frk and the pick come into play.

I think that the Red Wings sign Lecavalier to a modest contract. With him still getting paid by the Lightning, I believe that he will rank environment and chance to win another Cup above a huge payday. He's got his money guaranteed; so 2-year, $4M/yr sounds like a fair deal to me. If he wants to play for the Red Wings, then there's no point paying top-dollar. I believe he'll either come to Detroit or go to Montreal. Either way, both teams will probably be able to sign him without breaking the bank. Next, I think the Red Wings swing a trade with Buffalo for RW Drew Stafford. Stafford, according to rumors, has been trying to get out of Buffalo since before the trade deadline. It's clear they're trying to rebuild again and I can't see him wanting to stick around for another project. For the 6'2", 200lb right winger, the Red Wings send LW Johan Franzen (comparable contracts), C Riley Sheahan, RW Martin Frk, and a 2014 3rd Round Pick to the Sabres. This trade allows the Red Wings to avoid a decision to buyout Franzen next year (while easing the burden on the logjam at LW) and the Sabres pick up a potential top-six RW, a 2nd-line winger, and a pick next year. The cupboard is bare when it comes to top-flight wingers for the Sabres and Frk would fit nicely into their rebuilding plan. Sheahan needs to get out of Detroit's system after his arrest. I can't believe he's still with the organization after the video went viral, but a new beginning gives him a fresh start and a solid chance at making a 2013/2014 roster. The team trades D Colaiacovo for a 2013 5th Round pick, while it uses one Compliance Buyout on winger Mikael Samuelsson and one Ordinary Buyout on winger Todd Bertuzzi. Neither player could be traded during the draft and their contracts don't fit with the Red Wings' plan. Kenny Holland has stated that he wants to bring in a top-4 defensemen (likely an offense-oriented right-handed guy), but short of moving Kyle Quincey's contract, I don't see how that happens. Maybe something comes along after the season starts (trade deadline?), but for now, I think one big signing and one big trade is enough. The team re-signs most of it's restricted free agents (LW Nyquist, D Smith, C Andersson) to three-year deals while signing unrestricted free agent RW Damien Brunner to a 2-year, $3.2M contract. Everything else stays the same. So the Red Wings finally get to pair Zetterberg with Datsyuk for good while adding a right-handed power forward next to them who can score himself. Lacavalier and Abdelkader make for a big second line. Lacavalier organizes the offense, Abdelkader blinds the goalie, and Brunner looks for the open, wicked shot on goal. The young kids give the Red Wings an impressive third line full of speed and skill. The fourth line, orchestrated by a healthy Darren Helm, gives the team a physical, defense-oriented line with Miller and Eaves flanking the rejuvenated center. Emmerton and Tootoo round out the roster. CAPGEEK.COM USER GENERATED ROSTER My Custom Lineup FORWARDS Henrik Zetterberg ($6.083m) / Pavel Datsyuk ($6.700m) / Drew Stafford ($4.000m) Justin Abdelkader ($1.800m) / Vincent Lecavalier ($4.000m) / Damien Brunner ($3.200m) Gustav Nyquist ($2.175m) / Joakim Andersson ($1.875m) / Tomas Tatar ($0.840m) Drew Miller ($1.350m) / Darren Helm ($2.125m) / Patrick Eaves ($1.200m) Cory Emmerton ($0.533m) / Jordin Tootoo ($1.900m) DEFENSEMEN Niklas Kronwall ($4.750m) / Jonathan Ericsson ($3.250m) Kyle Quincey ($3.775m) / Jakub Kindl ($2.400m) Danny DeKeyser ($1.350m) / Brendan Smith ($1.900m) Brian Lashoff ($0.725m) / GOALTENDERS Jimmy Howard ($5.292m) Jonas Gustavsson ($1.500m) OTHER Buyout: Todd Bertuzzi ($0.625m) Buyout: Mikael Samuelsson ($0.000m) ------ CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter) (these totals are compiled with the bonus cushion) SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $63,348,333; BONUSES: $1,010,000 CAP SPACE (23-man roster): $1,961,667

Well, if you're playing hindsight, then those drafts where the Red Wings picked guys that ended up being significant steals (Datsyuk, Zetterberg, etc.), should be changed to reflect that, too. If the team had better scouts or a crystal ball, then those guys like Erik Cole and Datsyuk would have both been drafted in the first, regardless of where they were still available in real life. Otherwise, there's really nothing to be depressed about... stuff happens.

I think they pick him. I do believe this is out there for trade speculation. Imagine you're a team looking to trade up to #2 or #3 for Mac or Drouin, and all of a sudden the Avalanche are talking about taking someone other than Jones there at #1. What do you do? If you're completely sold on a particular player, do you hedge the farm? I think it's a bunch of smokescreen, but we'll see. Everyone had Luke Joeckel pegged #1 for the NFL Draft and suddenly things changed as the draft got closer. You never know.

Yikes. What does this mean for Datsyuk?

Hi, my name's _SP_, and I'd like to remind you that were in the beginning stages of the Red Wings' off-season. This is the time where many people play, "What if?" and toss around different scenarios to pass the time between the end of the season and Free Agency/Draft/Training Camp. If you don't like the concept... well, there's about 200 other active threads on this forum. I'm sure one of them will suit your desires. IF Mario said, "Hey _SP_, we're looking to move Malkin. What would you give for him?" My response: G Petr Mrazek, C/W Riley Sheahan, D Kyle Quincy, and a 2014 1st Round Pick. I would not agree to touch top prospects like Tatar, Nyquist, Jarnkrok, Sproul, or Ouellett. They get an excellent goalie prospect and a top-4 NHL defenseman.

Just a personal observation. I obviously don't have the experience that the Detroit scouting department has, nor the resources to speak with him on a daily/weekly basis and critique every one of his plays. I just am making as best of an educated guess as I can, as is everyone else. Hell, for most of us, we're all painting Tatar as a top-six forward next year... he may flame out and not be up to the NHL challenge. Nobody knows. I just look at the roster for the next few years and see just a couple of question marks: right-handed wingers and "proven" goalies (or as proven as a prospect can get). I am a season-ticket holder, in Toledo. I try to go to as many Walleye games a possible. So I have a fairly good feel on most of the players that come through Toledo, but I'm simply just a fan making observations. I would say, though, that I make logical assumptions and usually over-value other team's players in projected trades- I don't want to be seen as a person trading cupcakes for gold.

Depends on what you think of Coreau, Paterson, and McCollum... I personally think they're overrated. Beyond Howard, Gustavsson, and Mrazek, I'm seeing some question marks. Bringing in another quality goalie like Hackett never hurts.