LeftWinger

I hear ya, and if he would re-sig for the $1M to $1.5 we have to play with, then sigb him up. Most people here are looking for a fresh blood type player. BUT using Sammy as the filler we look like this: (lines are subjet to change) Datsyuk - Zetterberg - Cleary Franzen - Filppula - Samuelsson Leino - Helm - Abdelkader Maltby - Draper - Holmstrom Meech (McCarty (yech)) Lidstrom - Rafalski Stuart - Kronwall Ericsson - Lilja (assuming he'll play) Lebda Osgood Conklin (if he'll sign for the same, I am not trusting Howard, but it's a wash in salary basically) I am also assuming Leino re-sigs for a modest raise of arouind $950,000...

Taking my sons to their first ever Detroit Red Wings game! Too bad it was Nov. 11th against the Pitts. Yeah, that one! But they still enjoyed the experience and it was an exciting crowd! A 10 and a 5 year old don't get too caught up in the whole rivalry thing! But honestly, what a hell of a season! UPs, downs, WInter Classic, Dastyuk and Lids say F/U to the all star game. A rekindled rivalry with Chicago, winning streaks, losin streaks, we had it all! Injuries, Marion Hossa, and with that being said, we came within two goal posts, a couple of bounces and a Bettman from repeating as Stanley Cup Champs!

Who has, I read nothing but good tidings...

point is, he wants a raise and we cannot give it to him.

Riddle me this.. just kidding, but Hossa signs a 1 year deal somewhere else then comes back after 2010 for his $6Million cap hit when Lids comes off the books/significantly lowers his salary? Kopy, Sammy, Huds should ALL be allowed to walk. Re-sig Conklin only if he plays at the same rate of pay, sorry, no offense, but need the extra cap room, so no raise. Let Howard go on waivers, or trade him right now. With the $1.5million we have (after Helm/Leino/Abby/Conklin/Erisson are factored in) we can a a reliable 3rd or 4th liner for sure...

Well, then if Abby stays in GRR, we have $2.3M in cap space. If you see Sammy staying, he's gonna have $1M to $1.5M, that leaves $1.3M to $800,000 for Hudler. Hudler can get more than $1.3 elsewhere, even if he did want to stay in Detroit, do you want to give your entire Capspace to Sammy and Hudler? Plus that makes 13 forwards and 8 defensmen with 2 goalies. You are going to have (assuming Lilja can play) Lebda and Meech sitting every night for the "D" and who sits on "O"? Sammy? Leino? Let Sammy walk, let Hudler go and take the pick(s.) With Abby staying in GRR, that allows Meech to be used as the 13th forward or 8th D-man. Ledba will be #7. They will both sit most nights in this scenario too, but without Hudler and Sammy, Meech gets a better chance of playing and Ledba doesn't have to compete with Meech for "D" time. You still have $2.3M to sign a UFA that could put us back over the top this year. Sign someone (NEW) for $1M to $1.5M and that leaves you room to call up Abby without putting someone on LTIR... Sorry, Hudler (and Sammy) nothing personal, just business...

GOD NO! re-sigging Hudler will handcuff us! He is done here in Detroit, get the compensation picks, even if it is only a 2nd and 3rd. L8R Hudler!

Chicago has roughly $15M available under the Cap. They need to sign 5 forwards, 3 defensmen and a goalie. Don't think they are going to use $6 to sign Hossa. Besides $6M is a Detroit discount, hes worth WAY more on the market, so is Chicago going to get into a bidding war and sign him for $8M? Especially with the two kids needing contracts next season? Doubt it...

No. After brining up Ericsson/Helm/Howard/Abdelkader, re-sigging Leino at a modest raise of $950,000, we will only have $1.5m left. Hudler will get more than that, he won't take less. Sammy could be the one to re-sig at $1,000,000. If you re-sig Conklin, he would probably as for a raise, Howard's cap is only $717,000. Assuming Lilja is healthy enough to play, Meech can double up as your 13th forward and 8th defensman with Lebda being the 7th. You pretty much have to decide whether to offer Sammy a million to be #12, or look elswhere, because Sammy will probably get more than that somewhere else. Again, HUDLER IS NOT GOING TO SIGN FOR $1.5M OR LESS. GOOD BYE HUDLER! Even if you keep Adbelkader in GRR, that will give you $2.3M. Are you going to give Hudler the remaining cap space you have? Let him go...

2009-2010 Detroit Red Wings FORWARDS Pavel Datsyuk $6,700,000 Henrik Zetterberg $6,083,333 Johan Franzen $3,954,545 Valtteri Filppula $3,000,000 Daniel Cleary $2,800,000 Tomas Holmstrom $2,250,000 Kris Draper $1,583,333 Ville Leino $950,000 Kirk Maltby $883,333 Justin Abdelkader $850,000 Darren Helm $599,444 DEFENSEMEN Nicklas Lidstrom $7,450,000 Brian Rafalaski $6,000,000 Brad Stuart $3,750,000 Niklas Kronwall $3,000,000 Andreas Lilja $1,250,000 Jonathan Ericsson $900,000 Brett Lebda $650,000 Derek Meech $483,333 GOALTENDERS Chris Osgood $1,416,666 Jimmy Howard $716,666 ...this is the roster (after bringing up Helm/Howard) if we assume Lilja can play, giving Leino a modest raise to $950,000 and bringing up Abdelkader and using Meech primarily as the 13th forward/extra Defensman. This officially (according to capgeek) leaves us $1,529,347 to round out our 4 lines with someone. This automatically removes Hudler from our roster since he is going to get more than $1.5m, same with Sammy. It also reflects losing all of our UFA's. WIth Kopecky's agent saying he is testing the market, we may as well say goodbye to him. So who would come here and who would you offer $1m to $1.5m to? *-Notice this also reflects Lebda as the 7th defensman, so we are covered for a short term injury if a forward or D-man goes down. Meech/Lebda

Such a negative nancy! Say goodbye to Hudler dude, face it, he sucks.... NHL 2009? I wouldn't even be able to tell you the first thing about NHL 2009. Nothing wrong with posing a question about a cap hit for a tandem that had great chemistry together. There's no doubt we need something new here and I said if Hossa doesn't re-sig... If Hossa doesn't, what do you think we are going to keep the same team that lst last year mins Hossa? NO. McCarty is not gooing toplay in Detroit, Hudler is gone, Sammy, Kopecky, Chelios, Conklin, gone... Maybe you should play the NHL 2009 a bit more and see what it's like NOT icing the same old team every year without making ANY changes... Go back to bed and try again, right now you are no better than all the pens trolls that hung around here...

I wouldn't doubt if the NHL only rasied the cap by so little just so the Wings CAN'T re-sig Hossa. It's not out o the question for Bettman ad the boyz to try to handcuff the Wings. Although, this also handcuffs his pretty boy team the Pitts as well. Anyhow, if Hossa does not resig, then what kind of cap hit wouldit take to get Tanguay and Yelle both together here? I kow Tanguay made over $5 million last year, is he due a raise or is he at the where his salary starts to go down? Yelle only made $750,000 in Boston and is 5 years older than Alex, but if we could get them both for a $4 million cap hit, would they be worth it? They had great chemistry in Colorado together...

Copy that! Thats a Helluva raise from $725,000 to $3 million....

More and more, it is looking like Hossa won't be around. I just hope they also let Hudler go so thay don't waste any of the $4.5 million they have on Hudler. Re-sign Leino for $900,000 and use the $3.6 million on two UFA's (not our own.) Good bye to Hossa (if a deal cannot be done.) Goodbye Kopecky Goodbye Sammy Goodbye Hudler Goodbye Chelios Goodbye McCarty (Frick! I cannot believe they are still willing to pay this guy! Hell if you are gonna re-sign McCarty then resign Downry as well if he'll play for GRR.) Question is now, who can we pick up for $3.6 million combined?

BEST possible scenario for US! All of a sudden, I like Pronger! CANNOT wait until Crysby tries to flop all over the place with Pronger! I would LOVE to see Pronger smash Cindy's face into the glass like he did Homstrom! Hey Cindy, it;s just genetics!

Jiri Hudler - 255GP 52G 75A 127Pts 33+/- 90PIM's Val Filppula - 235GP 41G 53A 94Pts 34+/- 92PIM's They only way Hudler stays is if he takes a huge discount over what he is worth. His agent will definately bring up Filppula's contract as his worth. If he want's $3 million, let him test the market. He is definately worth $3 million, but not here, I'll take the 1st & 3rd picks in exchange...

Ahhhhh! It was only a matter of time before I arrived to put my wish in! A lot of you have probably already read it, so I will spare you names and picks, but I think Holland should trade up, at ALL costs to the #1 to land Hedman! I'd hate to see Hedman end up in the wasteland of the Isle or Tampa. Maybe that is why Tampa says it isn't trading the #2, because they know Deroit is getting the #1 and taking Hedman, so they know they are guaranteed Tavares! Ok, now back to reality....

Yes, thanks for the questions and answers! Hmmmmm, Zeke, your avatar looks very familar, ho long have you had it?

It all depends on who the Isle really wants. If they are set on Tavares, then deal with the Light. I am just hell bent on getting Hedman, somehow, someway! How about throwing in Andersson or Kindl or Smith? There has to be some prospects we could package along woith Hudler and Kronwall to get Hedman! PLEASE KENNY GET IT DONE!!!!

Ok, is it too early to start the Official Draft Day thread? Of course I am going with my trade scenario to the #1 or #2 spot to get Hedman!

Well, both Isles and Tampa want Tavares then, so New Yrk is going to have to make up their minds, would Tampa take tat trade for the #2 if the Isles select Tavares? Maybe throw in an attractive prospect like maybe Andersson or someone of that nature to sweetin the pot. I just wish upon my wildest wishes that somehow Detroit gets ahold of Victor Hedman... I hear you about the buzz, if they ARE entertaining ideas fora trade, they'll get more in return from someone who wants Tavares, but I don't know, the offer I put out there is a lot too! Dig this one though, Tampa already thinking about trader Lacalvier (sp) how bout they trade him and their #2 to ISles for their #1? Then Detroit trades hat I said to Isles! Sorry that stuff is off topic, but getting a hold of Hedman is theonly change I would want Holland to make on D, so say no to Ohlund...

No.... that actually means that the Defense is set in his mind and knows exactly what he wants to do. I am telling you guys and you are prolly getting sick of it, BUT: Trade our #1, #2, #3 picks this year, rights to Hudler (or sign and trade) ad Nik Kronwall to the Isles for the #1 overall in which we'll draft Victor Hedman! Opens up mone for Hossa, and our Defense will be "set" for the next 20 years, with Ericsson and Hedman being our #1 and #2 after Lids and Rafi are retired. Next year our D looks like: Lids/Rafi Stuart/Lilja Ericsson/Hedman Lebda (or Meech) Offer whatever it takes to get that #1 pick! (short of Z, Dats, Helm, Abdelkader, and people with NTC's)

Here's the thing, Leino isn't re-signed yet, doubt he'll get $1.1, he might get $900,000 since he hasn'y proven he deserves a raise, Kopecky is not re-signed, Abdelkader has GRR eligibility left and Downey has not re-signed. It is still gonna be hard, but have faith in Kenny that he will make the right dicision. He is not going to pull a Adam Oates trade here, he's going to do what is best for the team. You could easily clear out some space by traing Kronwall, rights to Hudler, a few of our draft picks to the Isles for the #1 pick tomorrow and draft Hedman.

Hmmmmm, does that officially take him out of the number retirement game? Too bad, Fedorov will always be a Red Wing, no matter where he plays! I guess this also dispells the rumor that he isn't in it for the money! I guess he wanted the $3.8 million over winning anther Cup! Honestly I think the rumors two years ago that had him pretty much being traded back to Detroit, and NOT actually getting traded, killed him. In all the interviews that season, Fedorov was perky, talking about how he would welcome a trade back to Detroit, like he was getting his NHL life back. Too bad Columbus f&cked him by asking for the moon from Holland, then shippinh him off to Washington for pennies. Sure, this could've have been Washington's year coming up, but I believe his heart was set on coming home, and when they didn't bring him back, then when teh Wings signed Hossa and had no cap space to sign him, he lost all interest in the NHL... Good luck Sergei! You will always be one of the best players to EVER where the Winged Wheel! Oh, and thanks for introducing us to Anna Kournikova!

Here's my Message to Kenny: 1st, 2nd & 3rd round pick, rights to Hudler PLUS Nik Kronwall to Isles for #1 pick netting us Victor Hedman (Talk about Nick Jr!) D set for the next 20+ years...