DickieDunn

Holmgren wouldn't want to breakup the set. It's have to be a 3 team trade with Boston so he could get Brendan and Reilly Smith in exchange for Luke and Brayden Schenn.

I thought he was just a health scratch. If they want to put him on ltir, assuming whatever is wrong with him justifies it, they can just recall him and do it.

Babcock's job is to come up with a plan, communicate the plan to the players, and put them on the ice in proper situations. It's up to the players to execute. As far as effort goes, it's not there sometimes. Anyone who has ever played sports knows that sometimes you get to a game and you just can't get up for it, or you're doing what you can but your energy level isn't where it should be. Last night I think a lot of guys were looking forward to the break, either because they were playing for their country or because they're getting a bit of a break. In that it's no different than you or I mentally checking out the last day of work before we're taking off for a week on vacation.

They certainly aren't executing. Either they're not working hard enough, or they're not playing smart hockey, take your pick. Are you saying that a coach who has won at every place he's been and is the only triple gold coach in hockey history is sending them out without a strategy to follow? Because if you believe that's the case, I know a Nigerian prince who needs help smuggling his money to the US and if you help him he'll give you $1,000,000.

If only the players would actually execute the strategies. You're acting like this is NHL '14 and Babcock is actually controlling what they do out there. All he can do is tell them what he wants done. It's up to them to actually do it.

Like I said the 4th D spot is the problem. Smith and Kindl haven't progressed, and Quincey is Quincey. They have a ton of D prospects, but no immediate help there. If they could swap Marchenko or Kindl and a pick for a top 4 guy, I'd do it in a second, I just don't know how many of those guys are available.

Who's better?

There are generational players like Lidstrom, Orr, Shore, and Harvey. Then there are elite guys like Pronger, Chara, Konstantinov, and Suter. Then there are #1 guys. They're not elite/top 5 or 6 in the league guys, but they're better than 90% of the other defensemen in the league. Kronwall falls into this group. Name 25 defensemen who are better than Kronwall. Not about the same, or "maybe you can make an argument about it," clearly better. If you can do it I will change my sig to whatever you want for a month.

No, because I don't want Filppula on my team for $5 mil He was hurt for part of the year. The rest of the time he just didn't care.

weak call

You miss year after year of hoping THIS YEAR he'll finally do what we all think he can? You must be a Lions fan.

We've seen enough of Filppula's up and down crap. If he strings together 2-3 straight years of production, I'll agree that he's more than an average NHL forward. Until then, he's just another inconsistent skill guy. His complete disinterest last year made me glad to see the last of him in the winged wheel, and I really don't understand why anyone wants him back.

2 words: F--- NO

Quincey isn't as bad as a lot of people think, and a lot of the hate has to do with his salary, but to say he's their 3rd best d-man is just ridiculous. He's an average d-man who takes too many penalties.

Step away from the bong, dude.

I thought that was a bad contract when it was signed and nothing I've seen has changed my mind. If the Sabres use a buy out I expect it to be used on Leino.

11 points in 44 games, mostly playing on a scoring line. Bertuzzi can't score anymore, and he doesn't play with any kind of physical edge. It looks like he's just playing out his contract. He's just a big, cuddly, tobacco chewing teddy bear,.

Ask the Rags how that works

He wouldn't be the go to guy here because despite him scoring 30 goals, he isn't a better player than Datsyuk or Zetterberg. The last 3 years, not counting this season, Vanek played 2 more games total than Franzen did. Vanek played 80, 78, and 38 games. Franzen played 76, 77, and 41. I don't care about his pace. By that argument Nyquist is going to be a 30 goal guy next year, so we don't need to sign Vanek anyway. Finally, Vanek reportedly turned down 7 years $50 mil. Even if it was because he didn't want to play for the Isles, I don't see him taking that much less to play for someone else, and reports that I've seen have all said he's looking for that type of deal. Which is my point. He isn't worth that much money for that term. I've said that I'd give him $7 mil for 4 years, even though I don't think he's worth that much, but no way in hell should he get that much over 7 years. Are you talking about the Wings trading Vanek later? Would you trade for a 25 goal scorer making $7 mil a season? I sure as hell wouldn't.

People complain about Franzen's cap hit, and Vanek doesn't have very far to fall before he's scoring at the same rate as Franzen. The last 3 years, Franzen's 82 game paces have been 28.6G and 60.5 pts. Vanek has been at 31G and 71.5 pts. Given that he won't be the go to guy here, it's very possible that his offense drops off a bit just because of his role, and it will certainly fall off as he ages. 72 points and average defense isn't worth $7 mil, but given that's the market, he'll get it. So fine, pay him that, but there is no way in hell they need to pay him that over 7 years. I don't want a 36 year old Vanek scoring 22 goals and under 50 points taking up that much cap space with another year to go on his contract.

Vanek isn't a 40 goal guy anymore. He's a 35 goal guy. Centers add more value than wingers. Power forwards add more value than non power guys. Compared to other players who score a lot who have signed contracts recently the guys who signed long term high money deals have been younger and brought something Vanek doesn't. Softer goal scoring wings on the wrong side of 30 have either signed 3-5 year deals for high salary or long term deals with lower cap hits. Further, I don't think Vanek puts the Wings over the top as favorites when they have Tatar, Nyquist, Jurco, and Sheahan coming up. The way Tatar and Nyquist ate looking they may hit 30 goals next year. If the Wings are going to spend that much I'd rather see it go to defense.

I'd pay Vanek over 5 years, just not 7. If he wants 7 years from me he needs to drop his salary at the end of the deal.

They're welcome to him at that price. But they won't, because they're smart.

Cleary clears $925k.

Assuming everyone is healthy and they make the playoffs, they'll a hell of a lineup. That 4th D spot is the only worry I have. If they can flip a pick and a prospect for help there, they can absolutely make a run.