LeftWinger

Isn't the off season exciting? Especially knowing that Holland HAS to make a move or two? I still say either sign or trade for someone to play with Dastyuk as a pure scorer. Put Filppula on his line as well as it seemed they had a bit of chemistry together, move Zetterberg to line 2 with Franzen and Bertuzzi, Helm would center the 3rd line with Cleary and Eaves, then Abby can center Holmstrom and Miller, with Mursak as the 13th forward... I know everyone is posting names and line combos everywhere, but let me just say that if the Cap goes up to $64.5M, before ANY UFA's are signed, Holland has $25M available to sign/trade for players! Awesome! I know Holland wouldn't take on the long term contract, but man with that money I would love to see Kovalchuk on Dastyuk's wing next season! I am not sure Jersey would want to trade him away, unless they are looking to get out from under that contract... they only have 11 fwds, 5 D and 1 goalie signed next year and ONLY have $7M avail in cap. Even if the Cap goes up $5.1M that still isn't much to re-sign the like of Parise, Greene and Hedburg, let alone the rest of the open spots. I am pretty positive Kovalchuk would accept a trade to Detroit... of course I am pretty sure it would cost us at least a roster player AND some high end prospects/draft picks to acquire him...but WOW!

Here's a good question concerning RFA's....Let say Nashville offers Weber a contract and he turns it down and elects arbitration, if he gets rewarded a contract that Nashville doesn't like, then signs somewhere else (Detroit for example, ...just saying ) do the Preds STILL receive the compensatory draft picks?

Hey Kenny, this alone, makes me want to see Wiz on the Wings even more! even though it looks like Wiz hurt himself somehow, man that was a donnybrook with Tootie... I would love a trade to (try to)replace Rafalski, PLUS sign Wiz to round out what would be the best defense corps in the league! (spoken through red glasses) Lidstrom Kronwall Stuart Bogosian Wiz - Kindl Smith Heck they could even sign two UFA's and leave Smith in GRR, but I have a feeling they are gonna make this year Kindl's make or break year...

A couple things I look at when I see Wisniewski and also the same things really make me want to see him in a Wings jersey next season and for a LONG time. He has shown that (so far) he can excell in a system that relies on scoring from defense, and the prototypical team for that is Detroit, so you can only guess that he would continue that trend, also, every team he played for in the West, when the Wings went up against him, he physically punished the Wings (it helps that Chicago and Anaheim were huge rivals and adds fuel to the fire) so you would think that if he continued that trend as well, he would be nothing but pluses for the Wings. I mean, he is no Shea Weber, but he does have a snarl, clears the front of the net, sticks up for his teammates, rarely ever gives up an opportunity to check someone, PLUS he has shown that he can score some points, this could be a huge opportunity for Detroit to get the type of defenseman they have been seeking since Konstantinov was hurt. (disclaimer: I am in no way saying Wiz is just as good as Konstantinov.) I for one, am hoping among hope that he is a Red Wing next season and on a long term basis... (heck with all this Wisniewski talk, he almost deserves his own thread....almost)

Well he damn well better sign someone in the "first wave" He is losing his #2 defense-man from last season, you cannot make that up by adding 2 or 3 "fifth wave" players.... Holland HAS to land a legit top 2 d-man PLUS fill two other spots on D. All we have under contract is Kronner, Stuart and Kindl.... Smith is not coming up. He needs to get Lids signed (if he is signing) and then get three more starters because Kindl is not ready, even if he was, Holland would still need TWO more, ONE being Rafalski's replacement. He's got $25M in cash (if the cap goes up to $64M) and he better spend it! In the FIRST WAVE... Are you listening Holland?

Another thing that makes this bitter-sweet, if Holland decides to take a pass on Ericsson and Salei, this defense is in line for a shakeup that we haven't seen the likes of since Holland acquired Chelios AND Samuelsson back in 1999. Every year since then it's been one guy here another guy there. The three biggest that showed up were Hatcher, Schneider and Rafalski, but all at different times, if Holland decides to go UFA hunting he will need 2 if not 3 NEW players on D...

Yes, the D looks even better with Suter there... ...but you have to figure that how good Nick played this season, if he re-signs, then plays just as well, why wouldn't he play another? I know its only one year at a time for him, but he played another Norris deserving season this year, maybe he will last as long as Chelios.... I do like the idea of Wisnieski for 3-5 years and getting Suter for 3-5 next year... Just imagine this in 2012-2013 Stuart - Kronwall Wiz - Suter Lids - Smith Kindl But I have a feeling that is Kindl hasn't made top 6 in the next two season, the Wings will trade him... So imagine THIS! Stuart - Kronwall Wiz - Suter Ehroff - Lids Smith (ok, ok I wake up now....) Heck, if Holland decides to just keep his forwards status quo and re-sign Eaves & Miller, that could be THIS years defense minus Suter, they could always offer an aging D-Man dying to win a Cup (Jovo) a one year deal, then land Suter next off season... God I love the off season! It's fun to play armchair GM! Well, honestly, if Kronner can learn to put up 50-70 points per season (like Lids) AND still lay on some kronwalling, who needs Weber?

I don't like this team with Hudler on it at all, BUT I am all for getting Wisniewski and another UFA D-man to make our D the best in the league, so if that means spending most of the Cap on a D paring (along with Lids coming back) then I can endure Hudler again (:puke: ...oh, excuse me) and as long as we have a few million left over for Trade Deadline help, if needed...

Just a useless thought, what ever happened to Barret Jackman? He went from ROY, and now I never even hear his name...I see he still plays for the Blues, but....hmmmm....not so dominating as expected. Sorry, I thought of him after looking at the Dany/Andrei Markov thread over there, I remember when he beat on Dany that one year he was here... anyhow, back to the originally scheduled thread topic...

Ya, I think you posted this twice. No thank you on Fleischmann, especially at $2.9M, we already have a small, soft overpaid, underskilled forward for that price... and our back up goalie will be under a million...

Sounds good, but Richards makes nearly $8M now, why on Earth do you think that you would sign here for $6.7M? Or anywhere for that matter for $6.7M? Not unless you are looking at a "Cap Hit Ken Holland Special" that averages $6.7M but pays him $9M for 6 years and $1M for 6 years or some weird math equivilant that works out to be a lot more...

Sorry to inform you PredsFanTheBayou, but he is not gonna come out and say he DOESN'T want to be in Nashville, how would that sound? He isn't even gonna say he wants to see what happens come July 1st. He is be PC and so he doesn't lose faith from fans or his teammates, but in a business, anything can and will AND HAS happened. We've experiencede both sides of that puck: 1. Chris Chelios hates Detroit so much that he would accept a trade there...oops, March 1999, Chelios waives his No-Trade Clause and is traded to Detroit. 2. Marion Hossa tells everyone in the free world that Detroit is where he is gonna end his career, he is gonna a Red Wing and he is going to take less money to stay here. He says it's not even a question, we are just working on the details...oops, July 2009, Marion Hossa signs a "lifetime" contract with the Chicago Blackhawks, chooses to leave Detroit... I am not saying it will happen, I am not saying it won't happen, it may not even be Detroit where he goes, but prepare yourself because it COULD happen, and if it does, you guys will turn on him just as fast as a Louisiana.....well you understand.... Oh, let me give you another example that needs no explanation, just one word.....Fedorov....

That is fine, but then you force them to pay them $9M and then they could very well lose Suter next off-season. Then again are 4 first rounders worth giving up.....

What? It's not out of the question...

Lids signs for $6M then offer $9M and 3 yrs to Weber (I hope that would be enough (what is the most a player can make?)) If Nashville matches then they would surely lose Suter next off season, if they do not match, then we lose how many first rounders? Anyhow, trade Hudler away and even with the $15M tied up in Weber and Lidstrom, Holland still has roughly $11.5M to finish up the D, (which I would still love to see Wisniewski) and maybe get a solid scoring winger to play with Datsyuk (Tanguay? Jokinen? Dunno) For example purposes, I chose Tanguay and MacDonald as a back up ( I realize I could be off a bit on their salaries.) CAPGEEK.COM CAP CALCULATOR FORWARDS Valtteri Filppula ($3.000m) / Pavel Datsyuk ($6.700m) / Alex Tanguay ($2.500m) Tomas Holmstrom ($1.875m) / Henrik Zetterberg ($6.083m) / Johan Franzen ($3.954m) Todd Bertuzzi ($1.937m) / Darren Helm ($0.912m) / Daniel Cleary ($2.800m) Drew Miller ($0.800m) / Justin Abdelkader ($0.787m) / Patrick Eaves ($0.900m) / Jan Mursak ($0.550m) DEFENSEMEN Nicklas Lidstrom ($6.000m) / Niklas Kronwall ($3.000m) Brad Stuart ($3.750m) / Shea Weber ($9.000m) Jakub Kindl ($0.883m) / James Wisniewski ($4.000m) Brendan Smith ($0.875m) GOALTENDERS Jimmy Howard ($2.250m) / Joey MacDonald ($0.550m) CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter) (these totals are compiled without the bonus cushion) SALARY CAP: $64,500,000; CAP PAYROLL: $63,108,711; BONUSES: $0 CAP SPACE (22-man roster): $1,391,289 ...again, just guestimating on some salaries, also still not sure how many first rounders we'd lose to sign Weber at $9M... I realize this lineup doesn't do much to address our lack of grit problems up front, and you would especially NOT want your $9M Weber fighting, but I'd say our D gets mean and tougher for sure.... EDIT: Whoever negged me, please explain why...because Hudler gets traded? Also I said I just used Tanguay as an example...Mods, you should make it so when someone negs someone they have to explain why...

Agreed!

BOoooooOOOooOOO!!!! Hissss!

I would prefer Wisniewski over Markov, he wouldn't cost as much and besides, who is gonna score goals next year? Besides the urgency on D all of a sudden, they still need a pure scorer...

Here is why someone would take Hudler, he is young, has potential, in a contract year and if he scores 20, $2.875M is fair... he just doesn't fit here...

Lids should take $5.5M to $6M. Still will leave Holland $19M!!!!! (after he trades Hudler!) I could imagine, maybe, just maybe he could offer something to Richards after all? Maybe?

Yes, if all that happens, plus the cap goes up $4.1M!?!?! Holland would have over $25,000,000!!!!! to spend....when is the last time he had that much to spend?!?!?! Screw it, Ehrhoff, Wisniewski & Babchuk! add those to Lidstrom, viola! Lidstrom Stuart Kronwall Ehrhoff Wisniewski Babchuk Kindl Do it Kenny!

Now this is exciting, at least now we know something is gonna happen, either a trade or a signing of someone significant. I cannot stop looking up salaries and stats and hits and teams!!!! The thing is, now Holland just doesn't have to shore up the defensive end of the line, but now he is going to have to find away to replace Rafalski's points and powerplay minutes... Ehrhoff makes sense, what about Kaberle? Wisniewski scored 51 points, now offering him $4M doesn't seem out of the realm. Holland is gonna have to scoop someone up in the first week, if not the first day of UFA, just to make sure he fills Rafi's spot as best as he can...

Please OH please DO NOT give in to Ericsson's demands! Just go and try to land Bieska or Wisniewski or Brewer.... But now is the time to convince me Ken, that you ARE the All Powerfull Wizard of GM's... If you really have magic, it is now time to weave it! As of now, here is our confirmed D: Stuart - Kronwall Kindl - ??????? ??????? - ??????? Yikes!

Mathieu Schneider....

Wow, tricky is right! Not only do we need to get better than Salei and Ericsson, so we need to find a top 4 d-man? Well, at least it opens up $6M more! OF course now Lidstrom can sign a contract for about $5M, since he will STILL be the highest paid d-man on the Wings! Lidstrom - Stuart Kronwall - ?????? Kindl - ????????? ?????? Yikes!