LeftWinger

...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?

I asked about the $8M a few pages ago, and a few pages earlier than that I said, the only way he goes to TO over DET is if the offer was two-fold...I was really kidding about the two-fold thing, but I guess that is what it took for real...wow!

So, I stepped away for a few....is anything official yet?

Now reading that Blues may still be in the mix...I wonder if they have a jet that can land at Metro and depart from City within 3 minutes?

Was TO's offer $8M per season? At least he's going to be a rich losing coach...

Don't believe the flightaware info...if you read it, they have it arriving at Metro (KDTW) in Romulus and departing 3 minutes later from City Airport (KDET) in Detroit...not possible. Not saying he isn't going to be a leaf, but still, the info is wrong.

Aaron Ward says his sources Babcock OUT of Detroit... TO, STL, SJ still in?

I don't know, but I am really ruining my day of house work! Wife is gonna be pissed! Bob McKenzie says, Babcock OUT in Buffalo...Cannot imagine him choosing TO over Detroit, unless the money is two fold!

I'm telling you, he is on the phone with LeBron right now...

Wait, what? Toronto media stirring the pot? If Babcock choose any team outside of Toronto, I cannot wait to hear the BOOS from the "fans" in that city first time Babs is back in that building!

I agree gcom, but if Babs is here for 5 more years, will Blashill wait that long to inherit the throne? That being said, if Babs can convince Holland to dump Smith and get Green and Martin (or still make the deal or Phanuef) I think more Stanley Cups are in our future, and whether its Babs or Blash, that is the bottom line. Which ever coach is here, it's on Holland to take the D and turn it into a Stanley Cup D...and even though we have great kids, promoting two of them to the NHL now, is the wrong thing to do.

Still $5M a year, which Detroit can match, BUT for 6 years is the bad part. We's for sure lose Blash and then we'd be stuck with questionable line combos or another 6 years and never really see what Pulk and Jurco can do...let alone see Mantha, AA or Larkin on a top line. Heck, Weiss, Smith and Jurco would be all but gone with Babs here, and Howard would too come deadline day...I say let him go to Buffalo, let him try is hand at building a winner instead of inheriting one, plus he gets Jack Eichel, a franchise player. I am not mad if he goes, I would be mad though, if Blash leaves our organization, he knows the kids better than anyone....Nyquist, Tatar, Jurco, Sheahan, Mrazek, Pulkky, Ferraro, Callahan, Marchenko, Jensen, Ouellet, Sproul, AA...Who else would be better coaching those guys? Maybe when the decision is made, Babs can call LeBron and get his help in making the announcement... If Babs take Detroit offer, say goodbye to Blashill...say hello to Abby on the top line and Helm on the 2nd....again... of course if Family wants to stay in Oakland County...then, he will take the lessor offer...

The exciting thing about Babcock leaving would be the new coaching approach. Especially personel and line combos. Maybe this revitalizes Weiss's career? Does a 2nd line of Nyquist - Weiss - Zetterberg make for great combo? I know the overall sentiment is to trade Weiss, but that was under Babcock, and I think well all can agree, that Babcock did have the ego that made him utilize players the wrong ways sometimes. This also changes the approach of what NEW players are drafted and pursued in July. Not that Holland doesn't ultimately control the situation, but I am 100% sure he considers his head coaches opinion very important as too what kind of team he wants on the ice. I can also see Blashill and Holland meeting with his captains and leaders and asking their opinions of what changes need to be made. Maybe Datsyuk has an idea of who could take this team to the next level. We all know we need to upgrade our D, and if that's signing Green and Martin to replace Zidz and Smith (if traded) or whatever, but I think that just the new approach to coaching and the willingness to put players where they belong (Pulk on the top line, Jurco off the 4th) will dramatically change our offense. Like I said in other threads, it would be nice to get that #2 center from somewhere, but with a new coach and approach, is it worth seeing if Weiss can produce in between Z and Gus? Also, the fact that Detroit (having allowed these teams to talk to Babs before his contract was over) is asking for three 3rd round draft picks in three years as compensation is also huge, especially this season with Buffalo having the 2nd pick in the 3rd round, that's pretty much TWO 2 round picks for Detroit, and even the following two years will be pretty high picks in the 3rd round as Buffalo will take a few years to get in the top 10 of the league, if they ever do. So that is great in itself! So, for this off season, we possibly get a high 3rd round pick for Babs, trade Kindl, lose Cleary, Monster, Cole, Zidz, sign Green, promote Blashill, steal another 1st round at the draft and maybe even make a deal for another defenseman. I like(d) Babs, but time has come or change and I wish him luck in building a team and am SO excited to see if Blashill's success with our kids can continue in Detroit! Tatar - Dats - Pulk Nyquist - Weiss (if not traded) - Z Jurco - Sheahan - Helm Miller- Glendening - Abby Ferraro(if not waived) (Andy if re-signed or Callahan if not waived) Kronner - Green Ericsson - Martin(or Smith if re-signed) Dekeyser - KFQ Jensen Mrazek Howard (if not traded) I think 25 years in a row is a given, but maybe even more!

what I don't understand is why we're discussing draft picks in the free agent thread....

Ugh.....I don't want to lose Blashill....I say just go to Buffalo Babs, take the challenge! (and take Jimmy with ya!)

I'd like Babs back, but sure would hate to lose Blash in the next year or so...how about we give Babs a contract a year at a time until Blash is ready to come up? I almost hope Babs leaves, because ANY new player we get he is not going to take Abby off the top line or Helm off the 2nd...He'll continue to put Pulk on the 4th and Big E in the #2 spot. I am about 70-30 in favor of him leaving... Blashill would bring in a new atmosphere and he would utilize players differently...

Dylark? ...and I got a ton of crap for Diesel... So, anyhow, its so awesome to see him in that #5 spot! Anyone hear anything more about Hyman turning UFA?

I understand that, but Green and Franson would be MUCH better than what we have now. Not unless you could trade for one, I'd be ok with that too. But who could you get for any combo we could offer? Weiss/Smith/Jurco/Sproul...Would that get you a top pair guy? If so who? If not, then who would get you one?

Well with the news that Washington is expecting their UFA's to take discounts to re-sign, Green just may become one of Holland's July 1st signings... I say go for it big time. We need a legit 2nd line center and a top pairing D-man. Throw the money at Green and either Franson/Martin. This D needs serious upgrades, not kids coming into the top 4. If you need to trade one of the top 4 "kids" then so be it. Get value while it's there. Trade Weiss (if he waives his NTC) Smith, Jurco and Sproul. Sign Green and Franson. Give FranZEN his shot at returning (but I doubt he'll play) but either at the draft or via UFA, Holland needs the 2nd line center. Let Cole and Zidz retire. I was all for re-upping them, but they are just too fragile. Give Pulk a spot in the top 6 and let Andersson (if he is retained) Ferraro and Callahan battle for the bottom spots. Tatar - Datsyuk - Pulkkinen Nyquist - NEW CENTER - Zetterberg Helm - Sheahan - Abdelkader Miller - Glendening - Ferraro Andersson(Callahan) Kronwall - Franson Ericsson - Green Quincey - Dekeyser Jensen Let Marchenko and Ouellet play HUGE minutes in GR and be our callups when needed. (and with Big E still here, we will need callups!) regarding Rychel, I'd be ok with offering them Jurco along with one of Ferraro or Callahan.

I think if they don't make the deal for Phanuef, they should go after Martin and Franson... Not sure who'd they dump to fit them in, but those 2 in our top 4 would tremendously improve this team...theoretically...Let Zidz go, trade Kindl and Smith maybe?

Just don't let him sign where we want to trade Smith and Weiss.... Rumor: Weiss, Smith, Jurco for Phanuef...so ya, no Toronto, he won't want nor play any of those three!