LeftWinger

Well if they wind up keeping him, that is ok, so then who would be the backup plan? UFA's: Doan Semin Kostitsyn, A. Trade: Iginla Nash Staal Perry I guess I'd rather see him stay in NJ, than join St. Louis or Chicago or someone else that would hurt us...

Ya, that is what we are used to, but it's not like he doesn't have two big sets of shoes to fill in Lidstrom/Stuart... also, if for some reason Holland cannot get one or both Suter/Parise, I would like to hear something like..."We contacted those players, made an offer $*,***,*** and ** years and they weren't interested in Detroit..." That would be better than wondering if he even contacted them at all...I would love to hear the truth and know exactly what he offered. SOmetime he says, we contacted them, made an offer and they didn't like it, but that could mean he offered them $4M less than what they signed for... I believe again, the only ways they don't come here is if Kenny lowballs them or they just don't want to be here...if Kenny offers top dollar and Edmonton offers top dollar, I would think that Detroit would be their choice...I just hope Detroit outbids everyone...if Crosby signs for $9M per year for 10 years, Parise should fall right in around $7.5M-$8M. I think if Holland offered him $7.5M for 10 years, he would sign...Suter would cost a bit more I think...

No....you need the average team behind a few stars...just like someone mentioned the 4 or 5 Kings that are Stars...They will (Should) have next year Datsyuk, Parise, Zetterberg, Filppula and Franzen as 60+ point getters a few should get near 100...if they didn't have the average bottom 6 they have now and if they add another big body, they should be favorites again...

as much as we disagree on things, these are my exacts thoughts...matter of fact, I mentioned Nyquist a little earlier on and your idea of the bottom six is mine exactly (that is if we don't acquire a big man for the 4th.) edit: I know my dream roster in my sig says a bit different, but obviously of Doan is not acquired, Franzen moves back up, Filppula moves back up, Helm moves back up and Eaves moves back up, making Miller our 13th...

This was gonna happen either way...so far, it is all going to plan... 1. Cap went up! 2. Lids hung them up! (ya this was a bit to swallow, but geesh, folks on here (including me) were saying not too long ago that LIds either needs to take $2.0M or retire. So there ya go, he retired) 3. Stuart left. ...now we will see if the plan keeps going or if it has to change drastically. Bottom line, if Holland does indeed throw the wallet at Suter/Parise and he doesn't get them, its because they didn't want to be here and I think that is the ONLY way they aren't in Wings jersey's next season. I son't think their current clubs can out bid Detroit...Jersey for it's financial woes and Nashville because of Rinne's dumb ass contract and Weber needing to be signed...Speaking of Nashville, would anyone want Tootoo here for that 4th line hitter/grinder? Just curious...

Kenny has already said that he will be pretty much done with UFA within 15-20 minutes of July 1st...he knows what he wants, he probably has his backup plans in place and he already said if the price is right he will trade for rights at the draft. I fully expect GM's to sign players status quo as if the CBA will be settled on time. Now maybe they wont be offering sky rocket salaries in case the Cap comes down off the $70.3M a bit, but I can see Holland sending $8M offers to Parise/Suter and then lower offers to the 4th line big man ($2.0M?) #6 defenseman ($1.0M?) and goalie ($1.0M?) and still have plenty of room to re-sign Abby/Helm (less than $3M combined) and still be under the Cap if it falls to $65M-$67M...He has $26M to spend, if he spends $16M on the two big names, he can most definitely get the rest done for $6M-$8M...lets just hope if the Cap goes down, it's not lower than it was last season...if that is what Bettman wants, the NHL is doomed...he HAS to let Quincey and Hudler go though!

That all depends on whether or not Weber re-signs long term or just a one year...then again, and hold on to your mouse, ANOTHER team could tender an offer to Weber as RFA and Nashville could match or let him go for 4 fist rounders, I think they match no matter what especially if they lose Suter! If Weber only signs a 1 year deal, I think that it shows how much players want to NOT play in Nashville...remember, just last July Nashville offered their #1 defenseman $4.5M a year before an arbitrator awarded him $7.5M...he already knows how Poile works, he may just sign a one year (or go to arbitration again) and bid adieu next summer...

You know, I was thinking that, if for some reason Hudler accepted $3M, he would be ok on line #3, but ya, I think he wants $4.5M+ AND top line minutes...I just would rather see Nyquist here full time and not lose Miller or Eaves than re-sign Hudler...now if for some reason Eaves has to hang em up because of his PCS, then the boat changes for sure... Hey, maybe Holland is prepared to off Hudler a Contract so he can trade him at the draft? That would be great!

Why even waste his time though? Cant fit all these players on the roster. re-sign Hudler and unless he makes a trade or two, we are in for the same team, pretty much, as last season... edit: I'd rather take some of the money he is prepared to offer Hudler and extend Filppula for the next 5 years. Filppula will get $4M+ if not close to $5M if he continues his growth from last season. An honestly, Holland needs to work on Extendind Pav soon, he has two more years on this contract and if he waits until it expires, Pav will be 35 and then if for some reason Pav has to retire before the contract is up...Holland still has to take the Cap hit until the new contract is up. If Pav signs while he is still 34 (he is 33 now) the Cap hit would come off the books...You got to figure Pav will get whatever they sign Parise for...at least. BTW, thank Godness that Z is signed through 2021, so at least we wont have to "re-sign" him anytime soon! He will retire I would assume at that time...or do what Lids did for a few years. If they can do it, I'd like to see both Pav and Z amass 20 years. See where they fall on the all-time list and hang their numbers up next to #5, #19, etc...

Thanks! You think if Ilitch likes it that he'd throw me some cash? anyway, I like it and it kills two birds, not only does it have the Corporate aspect to it with the Cadillac division of GMC, it also celebrates the founding father of the city of Detroit...Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac. Not only do I see cars and trucks in the lobby, along with statues of great Red Wings of History, but a statue of Mr. Cadillac and a nice little history lesson of the city would be awesome! Whoops...my bad!

He may be worth $4M+ on 29 other teams, but he is not worth $3M+ here. Holland needs to address the #1 scorer and #1 defenseman issue all while keeping in mind that the Cap could very well decrease with the new CBA, so why on Earth would he offer Hudler any contract that would/could hinder him from keeping the guys he signs if indeed the Cap does go down? I would certainly hope that Holland would NOT offer Hudler ANYTHING over $3M, if anything at all...I mean come on, re-sign Holmstrom, re-sign Hudler...want to sign Parise and a 4th line big man, where the hell are all these players going to fit? You are going to push out Emmerton/Mursak and one of Miller/Eaves/Nyquist...let Homer retire, let Hudler walk. Sign Parise (if you can) and sign Moen (if you can) or someone like him. Say goodbye to one of Emmerton/Mursak and lets rock!

I don't know if it has been discussed, but apparently Pit is offering Crosby a 10 year $90M extension...Makes you wonder which one of Malkin or Staal will become available and when... I would take either of them if they became UFA's...

I would say that Weber is a fair comparison to Scott Stevens. Period. First of all, he is nowhere near Lidstrom offensively on consistent basis and he is nowhere near as tough as Grimson. But ya, I would say Scott Stevens is a great compare. If he only signs another one year deal, and the Wings fail to get Suter, Weber will be Detroit's prime target as a UFA next year...No way is he worth 4 1st round picks (or is anyone for that matter,) so he is not worth throwing an offer at this year...

I am thinking also, Holland probably asked Brad, which team to you want to go to and he picked SJ. So, that is what we got. We all knew Brad was leaving so that is not a shock. Lets hope Holland makes some magic on Draft/UFA day, that is what we are all looking forward to...we all know who "we'd" like to see be Red Wings...Let's hope Holland is able to add the 4-5 players he says he'd like to add! might I add, re-signing Hudler & Holmstrom will seriously impact our chances of "getting better" this off season...There is simply just no room, unless he trades some folks...(coughFranzencough)

While both deals stunk...there is a HUGE difference between the two...The Oates trade eventually got us NOTHING in return. Mckegney lasted only a few games and was dealt to Quebec for Picard and Adams, both of whom played a few games with Detroit and retired the next season...Federko didn't pan out either, he pretty much stunk according to most people and then retired. But looking at his stats for that season, 17 goals 40 Assists for 57 points, hell, that Hudler/Franzen stats there! And we all know how "great" Franzen is...Hell maybe Federko wasnt so bad afterall! anyhow, here is the huge difference...while acquiring Carson didn't seem to be the best deal (although he was playing 3rd line center behind Yzerman and Fedorov so I don't know how he was still expected to score 50 goals, hell he had two seasons here where he score 69 and 73 points all while playing behind Yzerman and Fedorov, but in the end, Jimmy was traded for Coffey who was traded for Shanahan, so that worked out pretty good if you ask me...

Gravey was never given time to grow here. You see what he did in Edmonton AND New York...He is also one guy I wish never got traded away, but indirectly he got us Shanahan so it's not like we failed without him...But ya, Vincent "I took a Dive" Riendeau farted here, along with Clark, Ulfie & Ranford. I think Racine did alright for the type of player he was on the type of team Detroit was back then, hell he may have fit in better with our D now!

because he screwed us over years ago! Holland offered him $3.5M that year and he said I am going to arbitration...well once in arbitration he bolted for KHL...AFTER handcuffing Holland for most the summer, when that $2.9M (his rewarded contract) could have been used on someone who could have helped this team...f#ck Hudler, let him go, don't offer him a THING!

:puke: You thought last season had glaring holes in the D? If Holland is "OK" with that defense then I.....I don't know, it won't be pretty. To me the ONLY reason Quincey was worth our 1st round pick is the return of another 1st AND a 3rd when he leaves as a RFA. Not unless Holland really doesn't know how to make a trade and overpays and gets low-balled in return... so far he has overpaid for Quincey and got lowballed for Stuart. Let's just hope he does the right thing with Quincey...and that is NOT offer him anything higher than the qualifying offer that he HAS to offer him. I am holding out hope Holland that you do what has to be done...You may not land Suter, but you cannot got with that lineup at D...you just cannot.

Wow, not exactly what I thought Stuart would garner in return...but whatever. We knew he was going no matter what, whether it was on July 1st or not, we basically got nothing in return except some trade fodder. Really though, Holland gave up a 2nd & 4th for him, now he is only worth a conditional? Crazy... BTW - HELL NO TO QUINCEY! Holland, THINK! A 1st and a 3rd! Sh!t, if Stuart was only worth a conditional, you could essentially be "trading" Stuart/Quincey for a 1st, 3rd, Condition, Murray. Letting Quincey go RFA would more than make up for getting squat for Stuart's rights.

Listen, it's no secret I do not like Franzen...you point out he has never topped 60 points. Considering his cap hit of $3.9M, 60 points is on point for that salary. BUT, Franzen, for some reason, is always consider our BEST scorer, our sniper, our go to guy. He is not. He is a 2nd or 3rd line center benefiting by playing with IMO the best player in the NHL in Datsyuk. If I can accept Franzen for what he is, then you can too. The problem is, he is expected to be all I described because we don't have any of those...We don't have a BEST scorer on the team, or a sniper or the go to guy. Datsyuk is the go to guy, but mostly for making plays, he needs the #1 Sniper/Scorer/Go To Guy to score the goals... If playing with Datsyuk, Franzen still cannot top 60 points, there is no way he should be even considered as a #1 scorer here and at $3.9M, he shouldn't be by any of us... Is he lazy? Yes...is the contract too long? Yes...Would I still shop him around? Absolutely! But if Holland gets his #1 man to play with Datsyuk and pop in 40-50 goals, Franzen can go back to being secondary scoring and when he nets his 50-60 points, nobody will complain anymore...ok, well, some will, probably me, but at least he won't be expected to be our "Sniper" anymore and by only putting in 55 points on the 2nd or 3rd line, maybe he won't seem so lazy anymore...who knows, with the pressure off a bit, maybe he'll top 30 goals and start having fun again... Franzen at 60 points @ $3.9M is good Franzen at 60 points @ $7.5M :puke: Take him for what he is...he is not a sniper, he is not getting paid like a sniper, this team NEEDS a real sniper, and it seems like they willing to throw out $8M or more to get one! Fingers crossed...get er done Kenny! Get er Done!

I don't think it would be Little Caesar anything...the whole idea of selling the name is to make money, not spend your own money on the name. Iltich would make no money by buying the naming rights from himself... I like these: Delta Centre Meijer Gardens Cadillac Centre PNC Place

Are we witnessing a Kings Choke? 0-2 in clinching games so far...Sure they still have another advantage to New Jersey, but if they don't take it in LA....Oh Boy...

Bingo! You should have thrown some money down in Vegas! The only one to mention Carolina! +1,000,000 for you! (ok sorry guys, last bump of the night....)

Ya, I started by just putting in random page numbers and found some beauty's by Mindfly and an old nemesis of mine OmnipotentHudler...once I saw that name, I was looking all over for this one user who also loved Hudler and really really hated me, all I remember is she was from Alaska...