LeftWinger

I am VERY guilty pf being too critical when it comes to the Wings and Ken Holland especially...but that being said, after watching the last exhibition game, I am VERY encouraged by our kids. Not only the ones that are here now, but to name a few, and forgive me if I leave a name or two out, Jensen, Sproul, Oullett, Mrazek, Nestrasil, Marchenko all looked like they belong in the NHL. Sure they would make the rookie mistakes, but from what I seen of them against TO, they looked like they were ready to make the step. With what I saw, I firmly believe that this team can easily survive without (and no, this is not a bash-fest) Franzen, Ericsson, Quincey, Kindl to name a few. Cleary actually looked like a good grinder out there (blah, I will wash my mouth out after saying that!) and would, along with Abby and Miller, make a pretty good 4th line shutdown group. I would perfectly happy with a opening night lineup that looked like this: (healthy of course) Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Mantha Nestrasil - Weiss - Nyquist Jurco - Sheahan - Tatar Miller - Glenny - Abby (Cleary, Callahan) Kronwall - Dekeyser Smith - Sproul Oulette - Marchenko Jensen ( I know you don't want a good prospect sitting, so put Lashoff here and let Jensen get even better in GR) Mrazek Howard Gone via trade or waiver or GR are: Franzen, Helm, Andersson, Kindl, Quincey, Ericsson, Gustavsson and Ferraro. Reality this is not going to happen, but I would be happy with that starting lineup come opening night (if they were all healthy enough to start that is.) But, I do think the Wings are a bit underrated compared to other years. Hopefully that plays in their favor.

this is hilarious....its like the Hockey Gods are telling Holland, "You don't want to improve your team and just re-sign the same scrubs? Well chew on this!" On a positive side, we are going to see to start the season how we really don't need these injured players (except Dats) and how our kids are the way of the future...and the future is now! Kronwall (before he gets injured) - Danny D Quincey (Wish he would get injured) - Oulette Kindl (Ditto) - Marchenko Lashoff I am not sure if Sproul is still injured or not...but if he is healthy, scratch Kindl and lets go!

...short answer....Franzen, Howard, Zetterberg and Kronwall. In no particular order... I only wish I was kidding, and hope it doesn't happen, but this is what I am expecting and will not be surprised at all. Looks like Andersson, Ferraro, Callahan and Jurco all have a job come October...

What most of us are forgetting is that if not for injuries to Sammy, Cleary and Bertuzzi last season, we'd wouldnt have seen what Tatar, Sheahan and Jurco could do because of the type of coach Babcock is...imagine this, playing all last season with those three instead of the kids...ugh...now lets go with the same defenseman this year? You got to go with the best and waive the rest...

Mike Babcock - "Even though Kindl is the worst player in the NHL, and we couldn't even trade him for a used tampon, he is going to get his minutes, there is no prospect going to come in and take his job. He's not just a plug..." ok, so I paraphrased...

regarding Helm....you guys all laughed at me when I stated last season that a trainer in the staff behind the scenes had told a guy I work with that he plays pick up hockey with(ya ya, I know how that sounds) that he is a wuss and will sit with a hang nail. We are seeing it again. This guy is made of balsa wood and he should have been traded over the summer...of course teams also probably knows he is a wuss...

yep...moved there last year.

didn't see this anywhere, but didn't have too much time to look everywhere, according to Kahn, Sproul out with shoulder injury...super.

Ya, like I said, I am all for someone making it and making this organization better. It would be a great story to make it to the NHL and become a solid 10-15 year player after not being drafted. I wish him all the luck! It's not like a 5'8" guy hasn't defied the odds before either. I am just still very frustrated with Holland and it's taking awhile to get it out of my system... No offense to Hicketts, and like I said he probably is already better than Q or K...

...so another small left handed defenseman....5'8"? He may put some pounds on, but he ain't growing much taller....plus he's left handed...yet he is still more promising than Q or K... Good luck Joe...I am pulling for anyone to bring something better to this organization, Lord knows Holland isn't.

I don't know why everyone is up in arms....we ALL knew this was going to happen to the same players this year and the years that follow. Ken Holland hedged his lack of pursuing players or as we all know it as "low-balling" them on the hope that no way the injuries will happen again....well guys, well Kenny, now what? Datsyuk...OUT....Barbie Doll....OUT....our prized rookie...OUT....Alfie.....OUT....Ericsson...OUT! Wings4TheCup - Mild Shoulder strain? A 2nd degree separation is not a mild shoulder strain...stop being in denial... Datsyuk is fragile, our whole "core" is fragile and it will get worse. Can't wait for Danny flippin Cleary to be on the 1st line come opening night...that is before his knees explode. Ken Holland hoped that his team would be healthy and he would look like a genius, but he is just looking like hunk of crap GM who has, by low-balling players, ruined Detroit as a favorite destination for players to come...Hey Kenny, Pav and Z and Kronwall and Howard are nowhere near Yzerman, Fedorov, Lidstrom or Hasek, so that is why nobody "takes less" to be in Detroit anymore...you screwed us as fans and you totally tarnished the image of Hockeytown. Get well soon Pav...take your money to the bank, but don't bank on Holland trying to make this team better for you to win again in the next three years....what's next, trade Mantha for a 4th line center because ours are all hurt (will be) ?

Problem is, with certain players, history has shown that these type of injuries linger. That's all. No Panic. Now if our young stars start falling down, panic. I am not worried about losing Helm, he is what he is and isn't that important to this team anymore. Howard and Franzen, when then get injured are in the same boat, are what they are, already peaked and are less important now than they once were. Datsyuk worries me when he gets injured and our kids as well....Z is a must to stay healthy.

I hope so.....but this is just what most user here were in fear of. Sure its not a conditioning thing, just a bad break, but so was when he got elbowed in the face and missed a lot of games last year, that was not a conditioning thing either. Ericsson is already out, Alfie is out (even though he isn't signed, but if he were healthy, he would be signed.) Barbie Doll Helm is living up to his reputation...again, not his fault, but a bad break, still he is a magnet of bad breaks, thus his reputation. I won't give it too long until Franzen, Howard, Gustavsson and at least one more defenseman is out as well with "bad breaks." That is just the way it went last season and so far we are well on our way to another injured season. Not to even mention what happened to Mantha, he most likely wouldn't have started in Detroit, but it doesn't hurt us any less... I wish that we were all wrong in our fears over the summer, and I still do. Its early, the injuries, although bad, don't seem to be season altering as of now, but I can just hear it now when Datsyuk is under-performing come January and its all due to the lingering shoulder injury....I hope not, but I am fearful everytime one of those players get hit....Z included...

no...nobody saw this coming... Get ready for more from the same players.

great news! No doubt his hands were tied being an RFA, hopefully he proves his underpayment and gets that pay day next time. Although I could be wrong, but I think he still may be an RFA after this contract too... anyhow, in two years time with Q gone, I look forward to: Kronwall - Smith Dekeyser - Sproul Ouellet - Marchenko I know K and E may still be signed, but we cannot hinder the kids... Geez, in two years defensemen Jensen, Backman AND Nedomlel will ALL be out of exemptions as well! Gonna be a log jam in a couple of seasons...

This is ALL on Holland. He cannot continue to believe that players should take discounts because "We Are Detroit" or they are local kids. The ONLY players that come here for discounts or re-sign here anymore are players that either have had their longer career's here or players that cannot get signed ny anyone else, plus, for some reason, Holland OVERPAYS his useless vet's and low-balls his top talented RFA's when the market dictates otherwise. Danny D should get and deserves to get paid like comparable RFA defensemen out there PLUS get paid better than players that are WORSE than he is. There is no way Danny D should deservedly get less money than Kindl, Quincey OR Ericsson. Way to treat one of the ONLY players to choose Detroit over everyone else, even if it meant passing up better places to play. Way to show this kid, who is arguably the best defenseman you have on the team (or don't have yet) that you intend to make him feel wanted for life. I don't blame Danny if he just hold's out as long as it takes to get a deal, then split when he is a UFA. Holland continues to prove to everyone that his priorities are out of whack. He needs to give Danny a similar contract to Gardiner and then deal with waiving Q or K if it comes down to re-signing Alfie at an over-inflated contract. Danny D is going to be the leader of the future D-Corps, now is not the time to sour your relationship with him...and I wouldn't doubt that behind closed doors, the relationship is going south...I only wish my buddy still dated his sister maybe I could get some inside thoughts on their opinions of Holland's negotiation tactics now!

No Leino....we got Cleary, Quincey, and Kindl. Oh....hey Ville, you interested? Even the soft Euro would hurt less than those three on the roster.

trading mrazek and keeping Howard would be the worst decision since "the choice." don't make another mistake like that! btw, get DD signed! If you have to waive Q and K to free up enough money, do it. Danny is better than either of them.

Ericsson hurt? No! Say it isn't so! This was to be the year everyone stays healthy! Why?!? What a world, what a world! ...get ready for more and I won't be surprised.

not only did I live my first 42 years in the same area, I also bought my parents house. So I never moved out of there since 1971, they moved and I bought it. Even my kids went to the same elementary school I went to. In 2013, we moved to Hart, Mi. 230 miles away from where I lived and grew up and started my family. the person below me hates flying and would rather drive, even if it were over 2000 miles. (I know I would!)

oh, but Danny should take less because Q and E have more seniority than he does. Oh, and its Detroit and he is a hometown kid, he should be honored to play here....blah, blah. Danny deserves more than Q because he is better.

I saw this thread and I think "it moved."

Protect Mrazek over Howard all day... I believe that a team can only lose ONE player, so if someone picked up Franzen, then no one else can be picked (of those left unprotected.)

Fortunately I didn't have to look at him from below the wing. He was riding in style in 1st class though! In all seriousness, it would be great to have him return to a better form. I do wish for nothing but the best for all of our players...yes, even Franzen. But if there wasn't someone to complain about how fun would debates be? BTW, in my 25 years at Metro, and meeting hundreds and hundreds of players (NHL, NBA and NFL)(especially in the early to mid 90's when only two NHL teams had planes and the rest all flew Northwest (#screw Delta)) the ONLY player I wanted an autograph from (and got) was #24 Bob Probert! Oh, and Rowdy Roddy Piper!