LeftWinger

...reality says $8.5 million is an AVERAGE cap hit, not unlike Zetterberg's $6 million AVERAGE cap hit. Reality says Hossa is better than Hudler, Filppula and Franzen combined. Reality says let Hudler walk for draft pick compensation rather than Franzen for nothing. Filppula is already signed, if you don't plan on trading him, then Hudler will be out. Reality says, do what is best for the team and that is losing Hudler and getting compensated for it. Nothing personal, just business... ...as much as the argument goes that the Wings won a Cup without Hossa already, they could certainly win again without Hudler. If keeping Hudler and Filppula means not a chance on Hossa, then adios guys, Hossa is our man and he will EASILY replace the both of them... ...cap world reality, sometimes you got to let go of your favorite players. Kiss him goodbye now, because Hossa will take his money...

...well, Leino is on an 82 point scoring pace, Hudler is not. Given a full season, Leino will probably be as productive as Hudler, but we will not know until Leino has a full season here. ALthough, you lose some of the offense of Filppula with Helm, but Helm has prven his worth and can step into a 3rd of 4th line role next season. This roster will more than likely stayed intact trougout the playoffs (even if they sign Leino, Hossa & Franzen by July 1st.) The trade will come in the off season, and if Flip puts up similar numbers again in the post season, that'll only increase his worth... ...here's the choices, Filpulla and Hudler for a $6 million cap hit or Hossa and Franzen for an $8.5 million cap hit... ...that should be a no-brainer, even for all the Hudler ball-lickers out there... ...not even mentioning the reutrn value, you lose Hossa adn Franzen, You get nothing, you lose, good day sir! ...you trade Flip and let Hudler walk, you get probably a 2nd rounder for Flip and you get a 1st and a 3rd for Hudler because he is worth and will sign for about $3 million. Thats potentially 2 first rounders, 2 sescond rounders and 2 third rounders (including our own pics) in the same draft! Hate to see them go, but BYE BYE Flip and Huds!

...thus is Gary Buttman's Cap world. You lose your players evetually! ...Lose Flip for a draft pick, lose Huds for compenstaion picks, sign Hossa, Franzen & Leino... ...in the cap world, you have to do what makes most business sense. Leino and Helm can make up for the loss of Flip and Huds, and won't cost more than $1.5 million as opposed to at least $6 million in combined Flip/Huds salary...

...no matter, it doesn't matter to me where he plays (as long as it's not Detroit) I am just saying what I was told by people who talk to him everyday... ...maybe you're hoping the leafs pick him up?

...he'll be traded in the off-season, probably near draft day or around training camp, and probably for no more than a 2nd round draft pick... ...you guys do not understand, you let HUDLER walk! Franz walks and we get nothing in return, Hudler walks and we get compensation draft picks!!! With the salary he is worth, we'll get at least a 1st and a 3rd for Hudler. These guys are right near each ther in scoring, Franzen was more valuable in the last post season, and they will BOTH get AT LEAST Filppula's salary! What makes the best sense for the team? Franzen for nothing or Huds for picks? You cannot have both (all three actually) and even think about Hossa. Let alone paying LEino, Howard, Helm or Ericsson, all of which must be in Detroit next season (not sure on Helm, but Ericsson and Howard are out of options, Leino is a RFA.)

...there WILL be, there WILL be! Sign him now fro 5 years 875,000 each! IN 5 years, Drapes and Malts will be since retired, Cleary won't be making as much (he'll be a UFA.) Then, if he proves he is worth it, give him his million dollar contract! ...Leino is the real Deal, he'll more thatn offset the loss of Flip and Huds...

...we cannot keep Filpulla, Hudler, Franzen. That will take up nearly the entire cap room we have left. (9.4 million.) So you have to choose either Hudler or Franzen. ...if you don't trade Flip, you can only get 1 out of the 3 FA's signed because you HAVE to bring up Ericsson (he no minor league options left) same with Howard and Leino will sign somewhere else because he agreed to spend 1 season in GRR becuase of the cap issues and willnot re-sign to play in GRR again. SO that leaves you chosing Hudler or Franzen, siging Huds, means you lose Franzen for ZERO, NADDA, ZILCH, at least if you sign Franzen, you get comepnsation picks from Husler signing elsewhere. And if he signs for what he is worth around the league, we'll get AT LEAST a 1st and a 3rd round pick in return. Which one makes more business sense? So goes the Cap world, eventually you will lose somebdy, I'd rather get something in return for my loss, I don't know about you! ...trade Flip, you gain $3 million in cap space, $12.4. Hossa's cap hit will be $6mm, Franzen's cap hit will be $2.5 that leaves $3.9 for the rest of the youngin's AND Leino, Sammy & Kopecky...

...if he DOESN'T get claimed, he WILL go to Russia. I work with 2 very close family members of his and this is what they told me, I tend to believe them, but maybe he'll change his mind and go to the minors. The Russian team he played for during the lockout has ALREADY told him if he doesn't get picked up, to come back the US, back to the US, back to the USSR... (sorry, couldn't resist!)

...trade Filpulla, that opens up $12.4 million dollars for next years Cap. Sign Hossa to a long term deal with an average cap hit of $6Million. Give Franzen a long term that averages $2.5Million against the Cap. That leaves you $3.9 million for one year deals to re-sign Sammy at 875,000, re-sign Leino at the same $875,000, re-sign Kopecky at the same $500,000, then bring up Ericsson, Helm & Howard (or re-sign Conklin at the same price.) In the end all these salaries equal about $13MM, but Holland The Magician can get the numbers crunch to where it's closer to $12 million. ...you's have to say goodbye to Filppula for a 2nd rounder and say goodbye to Hudler to RFA, getting a 1st and 3rd in return when he signs somewhere for $3MM... (of course McCarty & Chelios say goodbye.)

...look for Manny to go play in Russia... You heard it here first...

...not going to be able to sign all three, but I maintain that the best business move is to Sign Hossa and Franzen and let Huds sign somewhere else. Then Trade Flip... ...Huds will get every bit of the $2.6 million needed to score a #1 AND a #3 in return as compensation. That is better than siging Huds and letting Franz or Hossa walk for nothing in return, plus the fact that Huds trade value is fairly high right now... ...you won't be able to get a player in return for Flip (not that he is not worth a player) you'll have to settle for a draft pick because of the Cap... ...to sum it up: Trade Flip for a 2nd rounder. Allow someone to sign Huds and claim your 1st rounder and 3rd rounerfrom them. Sign Hossa to a Zetterberg type deal and Franzen to a Filpulla type deal, all, of course, in that special way that Holland can in order to fit it under the Cap... ...let Sammy walk (or sign a sub-million dollar contract) and bring up Leino in Huds spot, Helm in Flips spot and Abdelkader in Sammy's. (or if you want to keep Lebda on, bring Meech up to the wing and let Lebda be the 7th defensman because Ericsson will be here next season and he'll be takig Chelios' roster spot.) That leaves Kopecky as a 13th forward splitting time with Meech or Abdelkader... ...it all makes sense!

...Hossa AND Franzen! Dump Filppula AND Hudler...

...why is it Franzen or Hossa? At the current rate of point production, Hudler is going to cost more than Franzen so it should be a question of Hossa or Hudler not Franzen. The answer should and WILL be Hossa. Letting Hudler sign elsewhere makes the best business sense for the team, since losing Hossa or Franzen to UFA will get the Wings NOTHING in return, but Hudler will get them drafts picks as comepensation. It is not outrageous to believe that considering Filpulla's $3.5 million contract, Hudler can and will get AT LEAST the $2.6 million somewhere else getting the Wings a 1st and a 3rd round draft pick from the team that signs him... ...If you are looking at losing one of either Franzen or Hudler, even with Hudler producing more than Franzen, it makes better business sense to lose Hudler for picks rather than Franzen for nothing. Just an FYI, Franzen is not playing his best in this contract year (playoffs yet to be seen, and also he took off in March last year so we'll see them as well.) but, right now he is probably looking at a salary of around Filpulla's, which if that is the case then Hudler will probably get that as well, which will not allow us to even think about Hossa. Now if we let Hudler walk, resign Frnzen to $3MM and trade Filpulla for a draft pick or two, that SHOULD (without crunching actual numbers) allow the Wings to sign Franzen AND Hossa(with a contract similar to Zett's in order to have minmal effect on the cap,) then bring up Helm to replace Filpulla then Abdelkader/Leino to replace Hudler's roster spot. (this is betting that Sammy re-signs for MUCH less than he is making right now. Which is quite possible.) That's makes the lines: Hossa Dats Homer Leino Zetts Franzen Cleary Draper Sammy Maltby Helm Abdelkader(Meech) Kopecky (re-sign at a modest rate) Lids Rafi Stuart Kronner Lilja Ericsson Lebda (Meech) * Team can always keep Abdelkader in GRR and place Meech up front if they decide they want to keep Lebda around... Osgood Howard (unless Conklin re-signs, then Howard will be lost to waivers) ...now I know there is only $9.4 million dollars availble for salary cap next season, but with the right number crunching and terms they can fit this scenario under. Of course with Hossa taking up about $6 million on the cap hit. It can be done, it must be done, but they must waive goodbye to Filpulla, Hudler and of course Chelios, McCarty. ...so my choice is Hossa over Hudler and Franzen stays no matter what...

...yep, I am skipping it! What do you bet Dan O'halloren will be reffing that day too? ...wonder if there is a website that posts their schedule?

...or how about the Datsyuk call against Anaheim the year prior that lead to the Neidermeyer goal that killed us?!?!?

...he did the same thing his entire playing career! Cindy is well on his way as well! I don't think I've seen anyone cry as much as Gretzky until now with Kathy Lee Crosby... ...But yeah, someone should photoshop a couple of his looks tonight, I kept waiting to hear the Joe play a crying baby sound while showing Gretzky on the big screen. That would have been sweet, but we all know that the guy who picks the music at the Joe just isn't that clever or cool...

...I am willing to bet Hossa will sign for a long term deal where he makes less next year and then more when Lidstrom either retires or re-signs for MUCH less. Franzen will also be re-signed, but in order for all that to happen, they need to trade Flip for a 2nd and 3rd draft pick and allow Huds to sign somewhere else for 2.6 million and get us a 1st and 3rd round pick as compensation. If those picks are all in the same year then that will be two 1st round picks, two 2nd round picks and three 3rd round picks! Sorry Huds and Flip, but signing Hossa and Franzen and letting you guys go just makes more business sense than re-signing Huds and keeping Flips $3 million on the books... ...nothing personal, just business...

...Good! He'll get us a 2nd roud pick in the off season! Maybe a third too! Let Huds walk and trade Flip. Sign Hossa.

...I bet Gretzky wishes that Dan O'Halloren was reffing this game and that was Holmstrom that drug his foot into Bryz's stick on that winning goal! Look at it again, Cleary doesn't enter the crease, but interfere's with Bryz's stick on the winning goal... ...O'Halloren, NO GOAL!

...quote of the night! Reporter to Babcock: 'Ozzie has said he like the guys to play a little looser how do you respond to that?' Babcock: 'Well there's an easy way to do that......................................................................." Long pause. "SLAP! Ozzie you are sucking this year!" That's how I read it! on a side note, Marion Hossa MUST be re-signed. He is TOO good to let go! He makes the game look effortless! Sorry Huds and Flip, but I'm signing Hossa...

...at this point Hudler will probably cost more or just as much as Franzen! So, get Franzen signed long term and let Hudler sign somewhere else. If he signs somewhere else for anywhere between 2.6 and 3.9 million, we WILL get a 1st and a 3rd round pick from that team. That there is more valuable than signing Hudler and letting Franzen walk. Hudler will more than likely get that 2.6 million. Get Franzen signed the front loaded way Zetterberg was, let Huds, McCarty, Chelios, Sammy walk and get Hossa signed to a similar Zetterberg contract. Must trade Filpulla in ANY scanario so we can get that $3 million off the books. Filpulla should get us a 2nd round pick. At the very least a 3rd. ...To me Hossa is just too dominant to let get away! The efforless way he scored his goals against St. Louis, especially the shootout goal, you cannot develop that kind of skill. Of course Hudler is also awesome at the shootout, but as I stated above, not signing Fanzen gets us nothing, not signing Hudler gets us (possibly) a 1st and a 3rd round pick in exchange. Nothing personal, just business...

...early to mid 90's. Was traded for one Igor Larionov...

...all good lists! ...without looking up rosters, here are some I DO remember, see if you do too! ...Alain Chevrier ...Miroslav Frycer ...Terry Carkner ...Rick Zombo (you all remeber him!) ...Kevin McLelland (spelling) ...Chris Kostopolis ...Basil & Chris McRae ...Randy McKay ...Dave Barr ...Murray Craven ...I can picture a few more faces, but cannot put the name with it! There was on guy from Dearborn, a tough guy who played a year or so with Probert and Kocur, for the life of me I cannot remember his name! It's easy but it slips me! I come back when I remember it ot just get flustered and look it up, hopefully someone can remeber him before I come back! -edit - Ok, so I had to go and look him up. Jim Cummins! Man, looking over those old 1985-1991 rostors I cannot believe the people that played for us and I forgot about! Torrie Robertson for one! Some guy named Tim Friday, I never even heard of! Classic! The list can go on and on!