LeftWinger

Hmmmm....two prospects and a pick....Well, one would have to be Nyquist. No way in hell will I give up our 1st round pick...NO WAY! Nyquist, Ferraro, 3rd round. And that is ONLY if Iginla re-signs at $5M for 3 more years, so we can get Datsyuk to stay a couple more! Tatar - Datsyuk - Iginla sounds magical to me for the next 3 three years! Do you think they would take Cola from us?

Crazy is right...wow, overpayment for sure!

Easy Cupcake.... I don't know who said future Captain, but it was Helen St. James that said top 4 minutes, and it was Babcock who (allegedly) told Dan himself that he had guaranteed ice time... You will have to excuse the excitement of the die hard Wings fans, this guy is coveted by 30 teams...the last three UFA's that were coveted by 30 teams we lost out on. So it's a bit enthusiastic and exciting to know that your Detroit Red Wings are the frontrunners to land the most coveted player since the Olsen Twins...Just calm down gobot.

Ok, so I cannot let this go. I suppose it could be just a coincidence that they did a focus on Dan Dekeyser during the 1st period. We also now know that Mickey knows his family, has skated with Dan on many occasions and said he hopes to be calling his name for the Red Wings soon... This is like when your mom and dad asks you what is the one thing you want for Christmas, then for weeks they refer to it in a hundred different ways, how it would be so useful and practical and fun to have, over and over and over. You are so excited for it, that when you actually open it up on Christmas morning, you are filled with joy, but you have the weird feeling that it wasn't even that big of a surprise... BTW, I now Danny wore #5 at WMU, obviously cannot have, but I mentioned #15 the other day, would be the closest thing to 5 we have. I also put the request in with Dan's sister (via my buddy) to have him choose #15...doesn't mean anything, but I couldn't help but feel some kind of pride if he picked it.... If this signing comes to fruition, I will have a weird feeling of being the guy who was on his bandwagon for over a year and pretty much willed him to the Red WIngs....ok, ok, not really, but I have been talking about him for a long long time, and if it happens, I will be so happy! I can't wait! Well, as much I agree with your point about the Winter Classic, You could replace the word Wings with Leafs (the other team who wants him) and that sentence would have the same meaning.... Just remembered that DeKeyser will have the opportunity to play in a Winter Classic next year have he sign with the Leafs. Playing at the big house in an original 6 winter classic in front of friends and family? Sheeeeeeeeez sign it. I hate the way that looks just as much as I love the way your original sentence looks! Lets hope it doesn't come down to that! Yuck!

Telling you, Vancouver needs a center and we have one that is a UFA this year who wants too much money....Val for Burrows...get it done! Throw in #93 to team up with the Sedins and give us their 1st rounder. to VAN: Val Filppula, Johan Franzen to DET: Alex Burrows, 2013 1st round pick. Book it! Get it done!

Have some good flashbacks! edit: DAMN! I still cannot figure out why when I try to post a video in here it just shows the link and not the video!!!!!

Absolutely! I do not expect him to come in and be an All Star...I just want him to be a Red Wing for life! Get him under contract now and he can grow into an all star, or even just a star. I expect him to have growing pains here and there, I ecpect him to be a healthy scratch once in a while, but the point is to get this kid in our organization and he can be part of the growth of this Defense. Barring injuries, Kronwall and Ericsson are going to lead this D, with a super young core of Smith, Dekeyser, Kindl & Lashoff for years! If Q continues to develop better skills and re-signs here after next then this D is in for some great years together! Even if they sacrifice one of Kindl, Quincey or even Big E (which I doubt) this D is on its way up...a half of year and things are looking up already considering the loss of Lidstrom and Stuart was supposed to cripple us for the next 40 years...

Iginla next? Clowe? Semin? Let the games begin!

I think Babcock needs to experiment with #93 on the 3rd line and see if Brunner is good with Datsyuk...

Exactly! This has a ton to do with why Detroit convinced him to go back to college for another year. Every analyst out there said he was ready last year to come out. So if Detroit were to be the front runner, they would have had to have a spot for him. Last season, they had ZERO spots available and this year they have top 4 minutes....Now, I know you cannot predict injuries, but I can imagine the conversation between Danny and the Wings brass included the fact that "next season we will not have Stuart and more than likely not have Lidstrom. Go back to school for another year, try to win that championship and then we'll have a spot for you next year..." Think about it, even if they had landed Suter, they still lost both Lids and Staurt, had no idea that Kindl would mature so much (I know I didn't) and they also had to use Lashoff because of injuries....so even with Suter they knew that they would have a better chance at Danny this year than last, if NHL icetime was/is going to be the deciding factor...and the fact that Danny took their advice a went to College instead of just signing on with a NHL club for the icetime (which he could've gotten somewhere last year) proves to me that he is really REALLY interested in being a Detroit Red Wing and not just anywhere in the NHL...

Well, with Danny D not making a decision until Wed. I guess we can get Cola a couple of games in (at least one) to get him going again...Although, with they way the Wings played last game, I cannot condone any lineup changes...including Howard. Let Monster start in Phoenix tomorrow...

They knew back in 09 that without Malkin the Wings would have gone up 3 games to 0 and most likely won the Cup again. They had to change the penalty to a roughing, so they wouldn't have to suspend him....fast forward to today, same thing, Ducks are not as good without Ryan and I am sure the refs have been told, unless it's a "goon" type player, do not assess a instigator...cross check or not, Ryan chased Smith all over the ice asking him to fight, he ignored the play and started the fight with Smith, if that is not an instigator then what is? Imagine if someone like Probert did that? He'd get 2:00 for cross-checking, 2:00 for instigating, 5:00 for fighting and a 10:00 misconduct...PLUS be suspended for the next game... I think the better question to Fraser would be for him to review the video and ask why Ryan wasn't given the instigator penalty...because that is exactly what he did. Instigate a fight. Problem is now, if Babcock decides to dress Tootoo, everytime he steps on the ice and hits someone, he'll get a roughing call because the refs will just black list him as being put into the lineup to avenge the Ducks meltdown from the game before....I hate Gary and the NHL Brass...this league needs to be run by NHL people, not lawyers....

Maybe that is something we should as the ref, Kerry Fraser on NHL.com....was it an official instigating penalty? edit: No, they gave him a cross checking penalty, not an instigator. That is exactly what happened to Malkin, except at first he was given the instigator, then "The League" changed it to a roughing penalty and said "We need out stars playing on our biggest stage..." So now I just assume you would never see an instigator penalty in the last 5 of a game unless it's on Tootoo or someone of his nature...of course that is what the ruling was made for, to stop fights like the one that happened with Ryan....staged fights, message fights...etc....but the rule is only used when it involves a goon.

Either way, you are right!

You are Welcome! That being said, the Wings are a 12 month dedication! That is why we are the best fans in the world...

I'd rather have Pierre than Edzo that's for sure! But honestly, do you think FSD could pay Pierre enough to entice him from his job at NBC? Besides, like I said before, it would be so hard for him to focus on talking Red Wings and not sucking the teet of the Penguins anymore... Considering that we are talking about Pierre McGuire.....but ya, still not a walking Encyclopedia...

Yes it is! ARGH! But dude, sit back, enjoy the coeds! We aren't going anywhere! It's cold here in Michigan! Besides, if he waits until Wed to decide just think about all the "sites" you have missed looking at while having your face in the phone!

Yes, but it was probably also hard to tell Chris Chelios no as well, but Suter did. And Suter grew up knowing Chelios with his uncle playing with Chelly for a bit and both being Wisconsin Alum....I am sure Danny D can pass on Gretzky and Coffey. Both of whom, if asked, would have nothing but praise for the Red Wings organization. Coffey for obvious reason, and Gretzky has already said he think Zetterberg is the best player in the world... Possible....they have a lot of young stars now, but soon enough they are going to have Cap issues. Hall and Eberle's $6M cap hit each kicks in next season. Gagne is an RFA, Paajarvi is an RFA...Yakopov, Hopkins and Schultz are all due up in 2 to 3 years as well and will ALL get raises upwards of $5M+...it's going to be tough to have the same team in two years as they do now...

Encouraging news here...nice to see that the news I got from my buddy that Babcock said he has a spot seems to be true...Top 4 minutes sounds like a good deal for him! Kronwall - Ericsson Smith - Dekeyser Kindl - Lashoff (White/Cola/Huskins) Top 4 minutes, PP time, Play in front of family...same amount of money and years that anyone else can offer....no brainer. But Damn! This whole process just drives me nuts! I know other teams like Anaheim and St. Louis have probably a better chance at winning a Cup this year, but its not like (if the Wings make the right deadline and off season moves) the Wings won't have an opportunity soon to win one either. Get him here for the two year max deal and then get him re-signed long term after that! He will be top 4 here for a long LONG time! Yes, maybe not this season or next, but it does make Kindl tradable...Then again, with White and Huskins UFA's and Q to be healthy by playoffs if not then next season, we would have a VERY solid D corps going forward with no need for changes for a long time...especially with the kids ready to step in GR. Next Season: Kronwall - Ericsson Smith - Dekeyser Quincey - Kindl (Lashoff/Cola) ...Ouelett, Sproul, Almqvist, Backman, DeHaas, Nicastro, McKee...I am sure I am forgetting others....We will be set for a long time on D and we can focus on getting a top 3 scorer here via UFA or trade and get Datsyuk signed for 4 more years... I hope this helps you out a bit, it's from the Hockey's Future website...that was from 2012. This one s from just this month...

I will be super upset if he is not a Red Wing...I do not know what the decision is all about. The teams can offer him the exact same contract terms and offer him ice time. If he becomes something other than a Wing, my buddy and his girlfriend are going to have to remove me from their phones...I will be relentless in my dogging of his decision!

Between the "Pillows"...er I mean Benches with Alyonka....

Wow, check out this young future Stanley Cup Champion!

It seems to make the most sense. Without taking in to affect my feelings toward him coming here you have to look at the facts.... Hometown kid....Idolized the Wings growing up...Wings cannot be outbid by money or length. Wings want him bad. If he does spend some time in GR next season, his former Coach is there Head Coaching. Has a teammate at WMU (Mike McKee) that is also Red Wings property and will eventually be a teammate with him again...The fact that when he was wanting to come out last season as a Sophomore, he took the advice of Red Wings brass to return to college for one more season, so he holds Ken Holland and Jim Nill with the upmost respect. He is very good friends with Jill Nill and his son. He has spent two or three years at the Wings rookie camps, playing with guys that would eventually be his teammates...Then throw in what I was told yesterday by my buddy (thru Danny's sister) that Babcock promised him a spot in the lineup...this is just a no brainer. But, in the end the team he chooses is going to be a team he feels is the best fit for him...I just hope that its Detroit...

Bottom line is, whoever replaces him HAS to be a Hockey guy...I can't have my Hockey Analyst also doing Baseball and Basketball like Keating does. I just don't think Eliot is enough of a hockey guy either, even though he just does hockey for FSD. Whoever sits next to Ken Daniels in the booth on the road HAS to be very VERY hockey savvy and knowledgeable.... Now for between the benches, if they wanted to put Alyonka Larionov the gig, I wouldn't object at all...