JeeSpot82

Helm out of the lineup, too...

We'd have to sign him before attempting to trade him, as he will be a restricted free agent at season's end. From the sound of that article, Holland isn't interested in even signing him. Low draft picks aren't even worth the headache those negotiations would be, considering everyone is seemingly unhappy with the situation.

Just read the article at the beginning of the post - never once does it mention loss of consciousness, halted breathing, or cardiac arrest. In addition: the TSN story (http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=236340&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_nhl) claims that he "never lost consciousness, never stopped breathing" and adds that the condition was "never life threatening." I'm curious where everyone else is getting the bogus details. EDIT: In finding older reports by the NY Daily News (good reporting, guys!), I see the cardiac arrest quotes. The New York media likes to do that - claim unsubstantiated hearsay as fact and publish the hell out of it.

He didn't go into cardiac arrest. He was injured during the game, and the pain got steadily worse before getting very bad in the locker room. The team doctor thought it was his spleen, and the two of them were driven to the hospital, where Sean Avery walked in under his own power. Not really as dire as NY Daily News has made it seem. Nevertheless, a very serious thing to happen to anyone, especially a man in his 20's - and I wish him a speedy recovery.

Also, I wasn't paying attention as closely as I should have and know that Helm is being groomed to replace Draper - so it's fitting that Draper 2.0 play with Draper still on the shelf. I recall Helm playing in the middle of February - there were a few games he and Ritola were playing at the same time. My concern was mostly because the Wings have already used 3 of their 4 emergency call-ups for the playoffs (I think) and perhaps this would count against that count. I don't really know how that works though, but I assume that in an injury situation - it's much like the regular season, where you can have ups and downs to the AHL without any recourse. I can see Babcock wanting Ericsson around for the playoffs, too.

So Justin Abdelkader won't be playing again? I thought the idea of signing him was to have him around on the big club. Holland said yesterday he won't be sent down to the Griffins, and that he'd be with the team through the playoffs. Maybe they don't want to over-use him, but it seems like he'd do a fine job filling in without having to call up another player from Griffins.

Am I the only one who thinks that he won't be playing as a regular? Joining the team is quite different than supplanting someone from the lineup. Yes, it will be nice and nostalgic to see his name and number on the scoresheet, but I can't imagine he'll bump anyone from our roster when everyone's healthy. I agree with some of you that say he'll get in a few games toward the end of the season to see where he's at, but I have a hard time imagining he'll be anything but an insurance injury replacement come playoff time. Sorry to say, because I'd give just about anything to have the late-90s version of Darren McCarty back (or STILL on the team). If it were up to me, I would have found a sucker to take Mikael Samuelsson off of our hands and dangled Kopecky on Trade Deadline day to create a tiny bit of wiggle room -- if not for McCarty, for someone coming IN last Tuesday.

No one in the NHL was about to do the Red Wings any favors - particularly other teams in the Central Division. I'm surprised the Kings (who are obviously out of the race) parted with Stuart for two picks. And I have to imagine that other teams could have snagged him for less if they were so inclined. It's not like The Red Wings didn't get Fedorov because they don't have a Theo Ruth-calibre prospect lying around.

What's most apparent during this game is that my trade deadline hypothesis rings true: Pierre Maguire is a total ******.

It also means that he'll be able to participate in the selection of players who aren't voted in as starters, meaning that Osgood has a chance to appear as a backup. And if he wasn't hurt, Homer.

Look at the teams in the waiver order: 1. Washington - been content with Kolzig being their starter for 10 years, and he plays enough to warrant NOT paying over a $1M for a backup. 2. Buffalo - didn't get rid of Biron to add another "starting-calibre" backup to watch Ryan Miller play. 3. Phoenix - may legitimately need a better option than Auld/Tellqvist. 4. Edmonton - Roloson and Garon are having a mini-goaltending duel. 5. New Jersey - Brodeur and Weekes. 6. Atlanta - I wonder how long Lehtonen is on the shelf. 7. St. Louis - what with Legace and all... 8. Florida - do they want a high priced duo with Vokoun already commanding $5.3M? 9. Calgary - Kiprusoff could legitimately play in 400 games this season. 10. Pittsburgh - looking for something to push Fleury. 11. Los Angeles - survey says! Arguably most in need of a goaltending upgrade. 12. Vancouver - they've got some guy named Luongo, who I hear has promise. 13. Dallas - Turco and Smith make a pretty darn good duo. 14. Islanders - even Garth Snow won't add dollars to the crease with $67.5 million dollar man back there...

http://blog.mlive.com/redwingsinsider/2007...k_to_russi.html Evidently, the team intends to make Grigorenko a qualifying offer in June, because he's an RFA.

1. Filppula - Datsyuk - Holmstrom 2. Franzen - Zetterberg - Hudler 3. Maltby - Draper - Cleary 4. Samuelsson - Kopecky - Drake 13th: Grigorenko 1. Lidstrom - Kronwall 2. Rafalski - Lebda 3. Chelios - Quincey 7th: Lilja 1. Hasek 2. Osgood Call-Up Order: 1. Ellis / Kindl 2. McGrath / Ericsson 3. Helm / Meech (although I'm certain he'll be gone on waivers given this scenario)

http://www.redwingscentral.com/camps/2007-...etroitMain.html Kyle Quincey will wear #4 Derek Meech will wear #14 (this means Shanny's number is back in circulation) Dallas Drake will wear #17 Igor Grigorenko will wear #21 As for call-ups: Brett Engelhardt #23 Carl Corazzini #27 Mark Cullen #29 Brad Ference #32 Mark Hartigan #44 ..among others.

I can't help but wonder if Grigorenko will still switch to 34 once he makes the team (assuming he does). Like last season, Filppula was 41 in camp, but 15 when called up - but he PREFERS 51, so he switched when it became apparent he was staying with the Red Wings. Grigorenko has always worn 34, and something tells me they're giving him a lower number so he stands out a little bit on the crowded ice.

Well wishes for Pisani. Like many others, I've been diagnosed with a similar digestive disorder - it cost me two seasons of college hockey, but (except for flair ups once in awhile), I'm as good as new, and I'm sure Pisani will be too. It's a beatable thing, and everyone should wish him well.

He wears 51 because that's what he wore for Jokerit in Finland, not because Josh Langfeld came around and took 15. He requested to wear 51 when he was told that he would stick with the big club last November. He won't be switching, because he's semi-famous in Finland for being #51.

Add to this conundrum that Derek Meech is subject to waivers and cannot be sent down to Grand Rapids. That means 8 defensemen (9 if you count Ference, which you shouldn't - he was signed strictly for Griffins depth). Quincey played well enough in the playoffs under huge pressure last season to earn a spot on this roster. Meech can't go anywhere (and at the moment, isn't signed - he's an RFA). Brett Lebda is a great defenseman who loves to chip in offensively yet doesn't sacrafice any defensive responsibility in doing so -- the kind of defenseman we don't really have. Andreas Lilja stepped up big time in the playoffs last year as well, and should be given a shot to play regular minutes this season and see what he's got. Compared to the contracts signed this summer by free agent defensemen, Lilja is a BARGAIN at one million and is possibly the only trade bait we'd have on the blueline.

Balance, getting involved in the play, not floating his ass around the ice, not giving up on plays when passes don't hit the tape of his stick, put some hits on people and NOT end up on his ass himself.

Bryan Rufenach. No goaltenders taken.

The Blues just took Jim Nill's son.

Any of you think that he's been on some crappy teams because he's a crappy goaltender? If he's run out of non-playoff-bound Boston and Toronto, what makes anyone think he'd be welcomed in success-addicted Detroit? What we DO need is a quality minor league backup tender for Jimmy Howard in Grand Rapids for this season because Liv is jumping ship back to Sweden. Raycroft doesn't really fit that description... I'm curious to see who the team signs for that role.

Great idea. Now my manhood can read LGW without feeling inferior!

Good news, indeed, for the Wings. And I'm all for it. However... Bad news for the league. In just a few years, we'll be right back where we started before the lockout.

I wonder when everyone in the hockey world will stop kissing his ass about how great of a defender he is. I've long thought he was the most overrated player in the game, and not to derail the discussion about his suspension, but he obviously isn't the kind of guy we should have winning awards and being admired. Any ability he has is being quickly overshadowed by the inability to keep a cool head and play a clean, gentleman's game.