LeftWinger

I am still willing to bet MIke Peca winds up here for a year. BUt Malhotra sounds interesting too! Not too impressed by Grier, but he is a big body. OF course the user who posted that having a black man in a WIngs uniform is good PR? WTF are you smoking? How about having a "Good Man" black, white or red? I didn't know Holland was into "Quotas" in order to sell more tickets. If you think by signing Grier that you are gonna stimulate the "black" audience, think again. Do you remember Nathan Robinson? Thank you. It' not like the Red Wings need a facelift or a image makeover in the world (like we did by electing Obama (an USA non-citizen BTW)) and need to appeal to minorities. on the other hand, I wouldn't put it past Buttman to create a "Tiger Woods" (much like the PGA did) and make a black man the face of the NHL. Oh wait, he tried already and that failed, Iginla. It just doesn't work, either you like Hockey or you don't, black or white...

I'd rather have Ward than Lebda or Meech, but that is just me...

that is why you sign him NOW before he has a chance to come up and have a career year. Tell me, it doesn't make sense to re-sign him after a great year in the AHL rather than have to re-sign him after a great year in the NHL? If Justin has a great year in Detroit, he'll cost you more to re-sign him than if he has a great year in the AHL, he won;t cost you as much, if that is not good business, then you need to go be GM for the Hawks. You kill two birds with one stone by keeping him in GR. He gets quality 1st line playing time PLUS when you have to re-sign him (although he will get a raise) it won't cost you as much as it would if he had a great year playing on the third line in Detroit. I wouldn't be surprised if Holland gets Helm and Abby inked before they become RFA or possibly even before the season starts. Helm is already gonna get a nice increase in pay because if his great play in the playoffs the last two seasons, but he'll cost even more after this season if he has the year he is projected to have...

Its nice to see Holland sewing up all these RFA's to be! I still believe Abdelkader will spend the entire season in GR (unless he gets a deal now as well) just because he'll be cheaper to re-sign if he doesn't spend an entire year in Detroit. Nothing personal, just business. Sure wish we could've gotten a hold of Hedman, but our corps look good for years to come. We worry about replacing Lidstrom, obviously you cannot replace the best defensman in the world and in the History of the NHL (well top 3 at least,) so we'll just have to hope we can get someone to step in and be half of waht Lidstrom was. (I don't think its gonna be Kronwall either.) anyhow,great news on Kindl, lets hope he sees some time up this year and playoffs and then becomes full time next year! edit: Am I the only one, or is anyone else ready for the "kids" to play? If they can maybe sign a cheap UFA (Peca or Betts maybe) and then bring up Oulahen and McGrath to fill out the 13 forwards. Sooner or later the "rebuild" is gonna come (lol, like we'd actually have to rebuild ) but you what I mean. I think it would be very fun to watch (if those two can make the team out of camp that is.) Maybe we woouldn't be the favorites every year (for now!) but there would be alot of young hunger on this team not seen since about 1993...

Ok, we all know the Hudler situation, so this topic is about the remaining RFA's and UFA's for this season, and (since there will be a LOT more money available) next season: 2009: RFA: Ryan Oulahen, Evan McGrath UFA: Randall Gelech ...Oulahen has been discussed on this forum a bit, but what about the other two guys, does McGrath have eligiblity left? Is he ready for the NHL, if not here then with someone else. Has Gelech seen his last season in this organization? Can HE be re-signed and still remain in GRR? Now here are some VERY important players for next year! 2010: RFA: Darren Helm, Justin Abdelkader, Derek Meech, Daniel Larsson, Jakub Kindl, Johan Ryno, Sergei Kolosov, Jamie Tardif, Mattias Ritola, Jermey Williams. UFA: Holmstrom, Maltby, Lidstrom, Lilja, Lebda, Kris Newberry, Doug Janik. I think the 2010 crop of Detroit FA's is more pivital to the depth and long term success of this organization than even the 2009 crop in which we've lost so many UFA's and soon one RFA. I know that most fo the RFA list still have GRR eligibility, so re-signing them won't be an issue nor will it effect the Cap. But knowing Helm is gonna be "here" all season, he is bound to get a raise up to about $1 to $1.2M, especially considering his worth to this team come playoff time AND that he is projected a third line center/PK'r. If Abby spends his year "here" as well, he could also get into the $1.2-$1.5M range (which is why itis best to keep him in GRR, so you can res-sign him at $1M (saving some Cap room.)) Other than those two, Meech may or may not even be here, you have to make decisions on Holmstrom and Lidstrom. And what if Hudler comes back next year... edit: Well as I was writing this, it came out that Holland did, in fact, sign Oulahen and McGrath, so that is great news! That just leaves the decision of keeping Ryan in the NHL or risk waiving him... Also what about Gelech's future here?

J-Ho? 35-40 wins? Hypothetical is right, if Osgood get injured, there is no way Howard wins 35-40 games. Loses maybe. Bottom line, Howard = Crap, so if Osgood goes down, you better hope there is a playoff goalie available at the deadline, if not, we're doomed. Red Wings - Osgood + Howard = No playoffs or First round defeat.

soon it'll be read in a Chicago newspaper that their gramma can beat up ours!

I am a little perplexed on the ONE year deals though. Does that make them UFA's next year or is there still am age requirement to become a UFA? If there is, then they will be RFA's and then that would add even more monkey wrench's to the Cap next year. If Oulahen is still around, not only will he have to clear waivers AGAIN, but I would assume that McGrath with be out of options in 2010 and will either have to make the club or clear waivers too...

This is good news! It kinda answers a couple of questions in my recent thread too! So, now does Oulahen get a spot up here or does he get waived, he is out of minor league options...

Here is why Abdelkaer will spend most of his time in GRR this year. RFA. After this season Justin will be a RFA and will NEED to be re-signed, for he is a huge part of our future. Now, with Hudlers departure upcoming, that only gives us 10 forwards on the roster, so we'd have to sign 2 or 3 UFA's (or bring up Oulahen for one of those spots.) Now, this is from a business stanpoint only, and I tend to believe that along with being a great GM, Holland is also a VERY saavy businessman. Lets say Abdelkader comes up and contributes more than expected, lets say he plays as well as or even outplays Helm (who BTW is also an RFA in 2010 and will get a nice raise) then when it comes time to re-sign him he has to get a large raise compared to if he spends most the time in GRR, he would be cheaper on the CAP next year than id he spent the entire season in the NHL. You may even get hm re-signed for $1M or less if he spends most of his time in GRR, to where if he came up here, he could very well get over $1M and maybe bigger offers from other teams. Either way, you have to keep Helm and Abby in our organization, altough there is no avoiding Helms $1M plus raise this season, at least you can avoind Abby's for a couple two or three years if he stays in GRR this year... ...so without Hudler and Abby this year here is what we look like: Cleary - Zetterberg - Datsyuk Leino - Filppula - Franzen Holmstrom - Helm - ??????? Maltby - Draper - ??????? ??????? (Meech maybe) a decision has to be made on Oulahen, if Holland re-signs him, he either gets a spot of has to clear waivers to play in GRR, if Holland doesn't re-sign him, we'll losr him with no compensation because he won't sign anywhere for enough money to get us a compesation pick, so, what do you do? (without Abdelkader we still have $2.5M roughly (before any defensman trades as well.))

They can have Hossa and Kopecky, wish there was somehow we could throw a 1st and a 3rd at Chicago to get Patrick Sharp! (ya ya I know, cap issues, but I'd rather trade someone away to make room for Sharp than Hudler or Hossa.)

Oh Drake! Those figures are nice, but wrong. According the Beatles, "ALL You Need Is Love." INXS gives you "WHAT You Need." And we thought you ran this place professionally! Now wonder the world is in such disarray and in a severe depression!

watching these, it just proves that no matter how much Buttman and the NHL try, the ONLY things that Cindyrella has in common with Yzerman is a Cup and a C... on a side note this goes to show you that you cannot have a top 10 goals by Steve Yzerman. Of his nearly 700 goals, a good half of them would be HIGHLIGHT real. Anyhow, how can there be two top 10 goals list without this one?

first of all, I didn't know he was a FA. Second of all, $1.4M? That is a nice cap hit for him, I wish there was a way we could aquire this guy. I think he would score a few more points than 11 in Detroit... IF Johnson were on the block, who would you offer to LA for him? maybe if Hudler-gate wasn't going on, we could have tendered him a little bit of a larger contract to come here. After all, we will need someone to replace Lidstrom eventually. SInce we couldn't somehow get a hold of Hedman, maybe Johnson could've been that guy. edit-Sorry if this was already covered, went back 5 pages and didn't see it...

Except Draper is signed until 2011...

of course none of this has anything to do with playing in the cesspool called LA Kings. Put Lilja on LA and Johnson on Detroit the past two seasons, who outscores who?

Ahhhhh, wish in one hand and sh*t in the other... oh well. I am sure Holland knew Johnson was available, but I am also sure he knows better than we do if he'd fit in Detroit. Holland must be very confident with his current defense and the likes of Kindl, Kolosov, Smith and company as sucessor's to Lidstrom/Rafalski. Of course witnessing the emergance of Kronwall and Ericsson, can you question him? I am willing to bet Piche rises into the top 5 in prospects this season in GRR and becomes one of the next Wings within 2 or 3 years.

How about we just stop talking about him all together? I can see it now come opening season, ONE game day tread and 15 Hossa threads! Dudes, as much as we enjoyed having him, he isn't a "Wing for Life" anymore, There are certain players that qualify for that, only one has started and ended as a Wing For Life and that is Yzerman. Lidstrom is going to be the next and then that is it. It remains to be seen if Zetterberg or Franzen will be here until they retire (with their contract signings it seems so) but until the day comes that they DO retire as a Wing, there will only be Yzerman and Lidstrom... BTW, Mr. Hossa, I have met Steve Yzerman & Nick Lidstrom (plenty of times) I consider myself someone they would say hi to if they seen me, I watched them their ENTIRE careers in the NHL, you Mr. Hossa, are no Yzerman & Lidstrom! Anyway, Hossa scored 40 goals for us, that is it. That is all his history will leave us. Luc Robitaille and Brett Hull were "Better" Red Wings than Hossa. Larry Murphy is a "Better" Red Wing than Hossa. Steve Duschene was more important to this team. For Gods sake, Keith Primeau meant more to this team!

anyway, the log jam at Defense would have been cleared if we somehow could get ahold of Johnson. I'd get rid of Lilja, Lebda & Meech to accomodate Johnson, then bring up Kindl or even recently signed veteren Janik up to be the 7th defensman.

Amen! G.D.! I wish the mayor and city council would get their heads out of their assess! How long until Detroit is a desireable city again? How long until it just dissappears? The bad thing is, the citizens of Detroit don't even care about their city, for the most part. They all want what "they got coming" to them but don't want to do anything for themselves! "Where's mine?" Wy don't you get a f'ing job! McDonalds is hiring, thats better than ZERO! You almost wish you could go through with sweeper and just get rid of the scum! G.D. this city could be so great! Can we have the US Government take over the city?

Sorry, but everything that Holland CANNOT do is because of him... So whatever. And each day this goes on, he is worth less and less in my book, so for this forums sake, hudler best leave or he will be in every single post this season because of his greedy, me first attitude. He WILL be the whipping boy...

the longer Hudler-Gate goes on, it looks more and more like we'll have 4 or 5 Griffins up this year permanently -OR- wind up with someone like Peca...

Does it really matter? What matters is, when Fedorov was focused and on his game and not being lazy, he was easily the best player in the NHL (Yzerman, Gretz & Mario included.) Of course I am a little bias towards him, but nobody can argue it. Although Fedorov was 90's, while Gretz/Yzerman/Mario were basically 80's, you still cannot argue his accomplishments in the NHL. I am truely sad to see him return to Russia and possibly never grace us again. (well, unitl he is inducted into the Hall AND gets #91 in the rafters!) Funny, even though we are the same age, I still picture him as a kid in the NHL, no matter how old he gets. I surely hoped he had come back to Detroit one day, but it really doesn't look like it's gonna happen. Its too bad too...

It's not like he said, "It's nice to FINALLY be in a REAL hockeytown." or something!?!? Geez! Who is Hossa? He came here to try for a Cup, he left, whoop-de-doo! I think I felt worse when Brett Hull left! I think I miss Jiri (not so fast) SLEGR more! (you guys thought I was getting soft on Huds didn't you!?! ) Bottom line, Hossa came in like a tornado, left like a sprinkle. He may help Chicago, or maybe he'll come up one game short again! Either way, Hossa is gone. He made a helluva a lot of money for what little he did here (not bitter.) I think we all felt a million times worse when Fedorov left, he was, at least, one of our own, we drafted him, he defected from the Red Army for us, he grew up here, he went from Calder runner-up to 2 time Selke, Hart Trophy, Pearson Award & 3 Time Stanley Cup Champion in front of our eyes! Hossa only scored 40 goals... My question is, as good as Zetterbeg and Datsyuk are, how are we gonna replace Fedorov? Truthfully, we have never really made up for his loss... Anyhow, Go Wings! Forget about #81, he was only a rental...