LeftWinger

Should've won it in 08. A couple guys had a great chance in 08. Z had that one shift in game 6 that made people vote for him. Still could've won it in 09, he was the best player on the ice.

...so using your logic Fedorov captained a team to a Cup victory. That's awesome, yet another reason his number must go up!

As was Fedorov an assistant.

Zetterberg was never Captain of a Cup champion.

NHL needs to maintain their stance and not bow down to the players. If the NHL are hardballers, which they are, they'll schedule the busiest schedule they can during those two weeks. I, for one, don't think professional players should be playing in an amateur tournament. I understand the debate about the best players in the world, etc...but I just feel it should be players that aren't in the NHL or the KHL for that matter. IMO, you either decide to play in the International Federation or the NHL. If you decide to sign the NHL contract and breach that contract, your contract is null and void and your ability to sign in the NHL again is blocked. Now if the NHL and the NHLPA want to work something into the next CBA, fine, but as of now, if the people who pay your exuberant salary say no, then it's no. You breach, you're no longer in the NHL.

Nic Hague.

Lol, you know its been a crazy season if I'm considered one of the life guards!

Doesn't say anything about Montreal in your post. It just says steering back to topic like you were saying people were getting off topic by not talking about Zetterberg. If steering away from Montreal is what you meant, then apologies, but your statement looks like what some folks thought it was referring to.

Forgot about him being in the top 100 OF ALL TIME. Another reason he deserves it. Retired numbers are ultimately for the fans to enjoy. It's so they can look into the rafters and tell their kids/grandkids that they saw that legend play. It really doesn't upset me that you and others don't think he deserves it, it will upset me if the team never retires him because he was one of the top 5 Red Wings of all time. He deserves it, earned it and for the fans, whom he loved (met him tons of times at Airport) and if the team doesn't do it, it's just another slap in the face and a big f*** you to the fans. You are jaded by him leaving and are only referencing the Cup teams for the most part. For over a decade, he lead this team and was probably the most unstoppable player on the ice. He was dominating this team and the NHL BEFORE the all-star team of 2002.

Seriously bitching about people talking ON TOPIC? Who cares what Holland said about Z, great! His number is going up! We're all happy for it! That leaves 3 more players that are ON TOPIC and you're mad nobody wants to talk about Z. If Holland already said it's going up, then there's nothing left to debate. If you ask me, all 3 remaining deserve to go up as well as 96. Honor your players that created this masterpiece of a run. If you ask me (again) the wings are too stingy about it. I'm not talking Colorado and Bourque but these 4 players and a couple others were direct reasons this franchise grew and stayed what it was for 25 years.

Lol, butthurt fans...sure the owners decide, but the only reason fans think he doesn't deserve it is because they're made at him...boo hoo. All the same fans that say he won't get retired also said he won't go into the HHOF. How'd that work out? Get over it. BTW, I'd love to see 96 go up there...

Wait, what is the title of this Topic? Oh ya, Fedorov is ON topic, so back to topic as well. Without Fedorov this team is not what it was throughout the Dynasty. It'll be a travesty if 91 is not retired. He said his time is done in Detroit. He was angry they screwed him, but guess what, each time he was traded he said he'd welcome a trade back to Detroit. He still lived here. You guys who are butt hurt because "no one leaves us!" Need to let it go. Fedorov was just as important to this team as Yzerman and lidstrom. He was just as good as a leader on the ice as those two, he was an A for a bit for Pete's sake...get over it. Guarantee if Yzerman becomes GM he would be on the side of yes. He knows how important Sergei was to the success of the dynasty. Without him, whole different team.

Don't feed him....Number9 is one of those guys who believe that NTC means they can never be moved. Unless he wants to. When in reality tons of NTC's are moved time and time again, even if the player doesn't initiate it. It's called, hey, if you want to play in the NHL, give me a list of teams you'd like to play for. If not, have fun in the minors. It happens ALL the time, it's business. Name me a player that would want to play for a team that doesn't want him? That NTC gets waived nearly 100% of the time.

Short answer, Jeff blashill. Long answer, ya, there ain't one, it's still Jeff blashill.

...and that's why it's stupid. Fedorov help make this team the champion it was throughout the 90's into the 2000's. Without him, NO WAY do we have the winning percentage that we had. He was a Hart Trophy winner, the same year he was a Selke Award winner. Then won another Selke. Led the team throughout the playoffs plenty of times. Ranks among the leaders STILL in damn near every important category. Still to this day, he was the biggest single game changer they've ever had. He could take over a game with one play and then he was unstoppable. He didn't try his hardest to leave twice...he was told to explore the market if you think you're worth it, and looked what happened, they matched an offer, so obviously at that time they thought they needed him more than however many 1st round picks they'd receive. The second time, they got mad because he wouldn't sign a deal in December, then when he settled his divorce and hired a new agent, he want to sign the deal and they pulled it and offered him less years which resulted in less money. The guy was having huge personal issues and they got mad because he wouldn't put them aside and sign a contract, all he did was ask them to wait until things got sewn up.

If 91 never gets put up there, it's a classic example of personal feelings over undeniable reasoning. There's a good argument that they don't win any of the first 3 Cups without Fedorov. If it never goes up, they may as well give out the #16 again, because that's how stupid it would be to not put 91 up there.

As should Fedorov's...Enough said.

I could still go for Fowler. Maybe our first for him and their first? Meh....it's all gonna happen soon! Who knows what we'll do!

If all the top centers are gone by #7 and Holland isn't really feeling Tippett, there's always the original plan to trade our 1st to Winnipeg for Trouba. They'd have 2 in the top 10 and we'd have Trouba. Maybe we could coax their 2nd out of them as well. Then maybe Hague will be there in the early 2nd. Wouldn't it be sweet if we traded #7 for Trouba and their 2nd and we were able to get Tippett and Hague in the early 2nd!?! I'd be in heaven! Smack! Wake up, you're dreaming!

So, what will become of Steve Yzerman Drive? Will they re-designate a road near lca? Will they rename Yzerman drive something like Lonely Abandoned Street?

But, Holland did take Mantha and Larkin which were both guys I wanted before the draft(s)

Again, my dream draft in the first 2 rounds would be Tippett and Hague. I'd take Tippett with my first pick and if I had to trade up to get Hague, I'm in. Disclaimer: I am fully prepared to be greatly disappointed come draft day.

And with tonight's loss, the fat lady has officially sung on the 25 year streak. The Wings opened The Joe with a loss, what are the odds they bookend the old barn with a loss in the final game? Sad...

Yep, thought so. Ya never know about how the canes would target him... They should target their own player for cross checking him into the goalie. But teams never see it that way... ...and that sums up our goaltending for the season. Ugh....