LeftWinger

It is for this reason, I cannot root for this team. They need to create an illusion that they have so many fans that there is no room for opposing teams fans. This is pathetic. Sorry Stevie, no offense, and I hate the Hawks, but I hope game 2 is the last we'll see played in Tampa.

I certainly hope you are right, because I'd like to see Green here for about $5M-ish range. I'd also welcome Franson or a trade to bring in another D-Man. Going with all kids for Blash's first year could be disastrous.

I am not a betting man, but are you suggesting that Mike Green will not get at least $1.5M more than Jeff Petry on the open market? I believe they are in better positions to get more, unless they take less to stay where they are at.

not to mention our former coach, but I said as soon as he went to TO that there would be no way Weiss, Smith and Jurco would be traded there now. They had to be the most in the doghouse than anyone! Weiss would never waive his NTC to go and play for him again anyway. (Well I cannot say never because I don't know what he is thinking, but you get the idea.) Anyhow, related to the subject. I mentioned that with this signing that Phanuef may be our cheapest option now, Franson, Green, Martin, they are all going to get at least $7M on the market. They may take hometown discounts to stay where they are, but if they hit the open market, look out! Outside of just rolling the dice with the kids, I believe the only way to improve the D without destroying the cap is via trade. With the doghouse gang most likely NOT going to TO, now we really have to become creative if we want Phanuef or look at other options and other teams. We can save that discussion for a "trade scenario" so we don't change the subject again here. I say good for Petry, it's his "prime" contract, so he should've tried to get what he could! I am 99% sure that Holland wouldn't have offered him anywhere near that to play here, especially since he is from Ann Arbor, Holland would have tried to get a double discount out of him! Here's something we have to think about also. Even though they are both RFA's (Smith now and Dekeyser next year) how much are they going to cost us? Even going to arbitration may work more in their favor over Holland's. Also, even though KFQ was probably gone anyhow after next year, can you imagine they amount he will probably get as a UFA? Not that he is any better than Petry, but you have to figure Q will ask for at least what Petry got, if not more depending on how other D-men sign this year. I hope and pray that the KFQ experiment is over after next season...unless, of course he has a year that makes him into an elite d-man...

lest we forget the horrible teams Roy and Brodeur played for...those teams were just as good if not slightly better than us during that era. I believe they both need to be up in the rafters.

Wow....that's a ton of money. But cant be mad at him, cash it in! UFA'a are going to cost a ton this year...maybe Phanuef will be our cheapest option? Outside of the kids that is...

Mrazek winning...nice to see Nyquist won the regular season POY. We got talent boys and girls! Next up Calder for Larkin or Mantha or AA or Bertuzzi! LOL! If they come up in different years, then how about all 4!

Both teams also have a Nick Jensen.....

I know I was very hard on the guy, but I can guarantee I never called him a homosexual or called him any kind of criminal. I am willing to admit that I probably called him lazy and floater all the time not knowing or realizing that all along he had these head issues. And like I said, even when I first started hearing the term "head issues" I thought that it meant he wasn't interested playing hard anymore and jumped all over him for that. But, since I heard about the concussions a couple of season's ago, I realized that that was the reason for his play. I am not apologizing for my view of "The Choice," but I do admit that if I had known about the concussions, I may not have been so hard on him...maybe. I might have been hard on him to get off the ice and retire....but like Harold said, there are plenty of players that I cannot stand, but would never be happy about an injury ending their career or quality of life....not even he who shall not be mentioned...

The good news is, all the "names" that have been mentioned as interviewee's for the Wings job are all gone....its inevitable, Blash will be our coach.

Kip, no new leaf per say, but when I realized that it was head issues due to concussions a couple years back, I kind of let up on him a bit. I was really hard on the guy before that. I was really only hard on him the last couple of seasons because he kept wanting to play when he had no business (health-wise) being on the ice. My buddy Dan skates with a couple of the trainer's for the wings in a pick up hockey league and he told me a couple a seasons ago that they believe it was head issues. We all pretty much figured that as well, but me personally, I thought at first that it was head issues in the sense that he really lost interest in the game. But when it came out that it was concussion issues, I kinda backed off. I do wish he could beat this and go back to 25-30 goals again, but history shows that it just doesn't ever work out that way... I am sure he will go to training camp with full intentions to be playing, I just hope he doesn't hinder his health or the team in the process. He will need to make a decision soon enough so the Wings aren't exposing good young talent to the waiver wire to save him a roster spot.

We are ALL excited for a new start. I am sure Blash will do things most of us will question or put down. I am not saying that I won't, I probably will, but not right away. Nobody is perfect, but it just seems that with Blash being so familiar with "his" players, that he would be more apt to play them more and keep them together on lines that worked. Face it, he isn't walking into a team with Yzerman, Shanahan, Fedorov, Larionov, Hull, Robitaille, etc...he is walking into a team that has IMO TWO legit superstars on it that he has to put his players around. I fully believe that sooner rather than later (or forced in by injuries) we will see the like of Pulk and Tatar and Nyquist in the top 6 all night every night. I got a feeling that players like Smith, Jurco and even Ferraro are going to get different ice time than under Babs. I even see Dekeyser getting a bigger role with his familiarity from WMU.

I know what everyone here is expecting to hear from me, BUT, I really would like to see him back 100% and scoring 30 goals again. If he could, then that would eliminate the need to get more offense this summer. Before his issues, he was a top 6 guy, but then shortly after the contract he started with his concussions and has not even been a shell of himself since. For his health and family I hope he makes the right choice, even if he goes through camp and feels good, you know there are players out there that will target his issues and lay a huge hit on him first chance they get. This is said very often for those with concussion issues, but it speaks volumes, one more hit and he could have permanent brain damage. What's more important, the game or the children? Don't make it so you cannot enjoy your children and don't be selfish and become a lifetime burden on those children by becoming unable to function by yourself and needing a lifetime of assistance. IMO, hang em up, but I do wish him the very best.

is this game on tv anywhere?

Speaking of the Lightning and their measly $1.4M available cap, their D has 6 players signed, now unless Ohlund is going to be on LTIR, they need to find a way to re-sign RFA Andrej Sustr. He will probably want more than $1.4M and if he goes to arbitration, he will probably be awarded more than that as well. Detroit wanted him pretty bad when he was unsigned before, could that be someone Holland goes after again? Even though signing him means losing a draft pick. Maybe in a business deal, Yzerman would take Smith in exchange for Sustr. It would cost Yzerman much less to re-sign Smith than Sustr...besides, he owes us from the KFQ for a 1st deal...

Yes, but when Pulk was out there with Dats, he scored. He is a top 6 sniper, that is his role. I'd rather him stick with Dats and become a huge threat than see him rot on the 4th line. I have no doubt Blash will play the kids a bit differently than Babs did. But you're right, you must earn that spot, and if he struggles, then change it up. Heck, Jurco is known for his hands and scoring ability (before he got in the dog house) maybe he could it up there with Dats. He is a bigger body as well... My point is, I don't want to see Abby and Helm in the top 6 when far better offensive players belong there, and that is what makes me so excited for the coaching change, a new approach to players.

I still have Howie and Helm to an extent! (as long as he stays out of the top 6)

if this next season ends the same as the season did when we had Hossa, I'd call that Jack Adams winning season....and I think outside of the disappointment of losing game 7 in the finals, most if not ALL of us would be on cloud 9!

Well, at least we know who Number9's whipping boy will be this year...

...and now those great prospects are and will soon be on HIS NHL team. Plus he will still be spoon fed great players by the best organization in pro sports.

The Future right there!

It would take far less to get Wiz than to get Phanuef, BUT is Wiz the guy to turn our D around? Not saying Phanuef is, but now that Babcock is in TO, he may want to try to get some of "his" players on his new team...ie, Miller, Glenny, Helm, Abby, KFQ, Big E... I would take a trade for Wiz, as long as there is another D signing, like Green, Martin or Franson. I am also ok with seeing if Weiss can produce under Blashill, assuming he is the next coach, but forgot about Soderberg being available via UFA. I can imagine a line of Nyquist - Soderberg- Zetterberg would be fairly productive, and would probably have good chemistry...for some reason... I'd take a trade for Wiz, sign Mike Green and sign Soderberg. That, for me, would be a great off season. Trade away Weiss, Kindl and give Babcock his Andersson back. EIther trade him there or let them sign him as an RFA and get a little compensation...or keep him to compete with Ferraro and Callahan for the 13th/14th spot. Tatar - Datsuk - Pulkkinen Nyquist - Soderberg - Zetterberg Jurco - Sheahan - Helm MIller - Glendening - Abdelkader Ferraro (Andersson or Callahan) Kronwall - Green Ericsson - Wisniewski Quincey - Dekeyser Jensen Mrazek Howard

can't wait to see the line of AA-Larkin-Mantha next season in GR! WOW! ...and if Hyman comes here via UFA, oh boy! Katy bar the Door! The rest of the NHL is in trouble!

so, how long until Hyman becomes a UFA now? Anyone hear any more on that?