LeftWinger

...if he is going to stay in Detroit, he may as well play and make money. Sure, after years and years of $7MM plus per season, he shouldn't have money woes, even if he hung them up today. Even once he gets 40 he probably won't be commanding the top salary and if he wants to still play, I am sure he won't play anywhere else but here, so if you are gonna stay in the States, then why not play a game and make some cash. I don't foresee him EVER again making less than $4MM per season, so even at 45 years old, if he can maintain at least a Chelios type playing ability (which he probably will at 55! LOL!) he should stick around and be Captain for awhile...

...the only argument I have is, in my opinion, NO WAY does Messier rank above Yzerman... Not a chance... :rotflmao: :puke: ...problem is, if Yzerman played with gretzky half his career, he'd be #3 or #4 in scoring behind Gretz, Howe & Lemieux... ...Messier was a beneficiary of great teams in the 80's compared to Yzerman's teams in the 80's... ...and to say that Messier was a better captain? LOL! Look at the teams he captained, all teams with great line-ups, well except the time he spent in Vancouver and well, his GREAT captain skills didn't prove too good there... By FAR Yzerman was a better Captain and player than Messier! ...you're just stupid...

...I knew I forgot someone!!!!!! ARGH!!!! Heck put him on the 2nd line, screw sammy! LOL!!! ...well, my friend, since most of his salary will already be paid by the trade deadline, I would say that he would maybe cost us about $2MM or less to employ for the rest of the season. Of course you sound like you know all about the game, so you probably already knew that. ..Then he is a UFA after 2008 so he will resign here for a couple of years at a very minimal salary and retire here, and his #91 will be raised... ...he doesn't have to, he needs to stay healthy and when he becomes a Wing again, he'll be a third line center so he won't be expected to save to team, but add the extra scoring that we lacked (power play) in the Anaheim series...

...this could actually be a tampering issue. Bettman has no business telling Liepold who to sell to. Bettman just doesn't want one of "HIS" teams to move to Canada. This should piss Canadians off even more! Lets not fire Bettman, lets hang him!

...your deadline aquistion is going to be Fedorov. I wouldn't mind adding Selanne at this point for some added scoring. That wold definately give us 3 above average scoring lines and then this years version of the grind line (Drake probably with Draper and Maltby.) Fillpula Dats Holmstrom Selanne Zetts Sammy Franzen Hudler(Fedorov @ deadline) Grigs Maltby Draper Drake (Kopecky)

...not a big deal. Quincey/Kindl will fill in great in the 7th position...

...anyone have an opinion on Mike Johnson? How is he compared to Dallas Drake? Should Holland be calling him?

...dude, get over it, that was America's Team for the moment. They never ever returned to their greatness or even came close to competing with the rest of the world on a international arena, until that is, the Olympics were watered down with professional players, now it's like watching a bunch of different all star games. Totally bogus, I give no credit to ANY medal won by a team that is filled with NHL players... ...sure 1980 was a cinderella story, and yeah, it was America's Team. But that was the past, just like everyone on here ******* about others living in the 90's with the Wings, we cannot, as Olympic fans, live in 1980 forever... ...fact of the matter is, behind the Canadiens, the Wings are the second most popular NHL team in the WORLD, so there actually is water to the term "America's Team." I will tell you, we are more of an America's Team than the Atlanta Braves EVER were, allthough that was their marketing term for most of the 90's... ..and it will be a cold day in Hades when the likes of the San Jose Sharks surpass the Wings in popularity (outside of San Jose) in America, let alone the World... ...right, but that is Bloomfield Hills, not Detroit. When I go to Chicago, I stay and play in Chicago. Same with Toronto. I want people to be able to come here and stay IN the city, have fun IN the City, not the Suburbs...

...I totally agree, too bad Kwame and his croonies don't give two s***s about the city and because of that, Detroit is not the media mecca that it could be. I went to Toledo twice last week and for pete's sake Toledo, yes TOLEDO is a nicer city than Detroit. I looked around and couldn't find one broken out window or barred up doors. Sure there were some buildings that weren't occupied, but they didn't LOOK abandoned, like MOST of the burned out, busted up old Hotels and apartment complexes in Detroit. If Kwame (I don't care if I spell his name wrong) and the city council would actually care about this city, instead of just crying about afirmative action and what the USA isn't doing for them, they could actually make this place desirable. I tell you what, if Dennis Archer was allowed to do what he invisioned (city council voted against most of his ideas) this place would be rocking! The original idea to put all three cansino's on the river was great! Who decided not to? they are so far apart, you cannot safely walk from one to another, so you are pretty much stuck at one place all night. No mass transit system. The new DTW termial in Romulus is one of the biggeset and best in the country and yet, it is not connected to the city what-so-ever. Could you imagine the visitors we'd get if, for one, the city was nice to visit, but also just flying in for a game to see. They could fly in, catch the train to the city, walk to the Ballpark, Stadium, Arena and casino's and drink and party, then take the train back to the Airport, hop on their return flight and have a wonderful time here. They would ALL make money, the City, Northwest Airlines, Red Wings, Lions, Tigers, casinos. But most of all, Detroit could be a desired destination, with or without the big three. It all starts at the top, so Kwame and city council, c'mon, how can you let Toledo be a nicer place than the "D?" ...sorry about the political rant, but even though we are America's team, could you imagine how much more popular we'd be if we had an American Class CIty, instead of slum capital of the world?

...the year when Kenny says we need to get smaller and softer is when we'll sign a huge gritty enforcer. For now we'll have to cope with getting bigger and grittier and signing small, grossly underweight (for their height) Europeans or old, past their prime players... ...although, I am very interested in seeing Grigs, he sounds like he is built like a bull, hopefully he isn't afraid to finnish a czech (LOL) sorry had to spell them that way!!!

...when are they gonna sign adam Hall?

...first off, Drake is $550k, so he is even a better deal. Just bustin ya a lil bit! ...Holland is not done. Adam Hall, Peter Forsberg & Feds at the deadline...

..you know what is funny, how many people wanted to do that to Pronger this year? Not as funny as when the Philly fan fell in the Penalty Box with Domi though!!

...and yet, I cannot tell you who LT is, let alone who or what league he plays for. I would have to guess NBA, but I am in the dark. I HATE soccer with a passion, but would vote Beckham just because I don't know or could care less who the other guy is...

...as did Chelios... As would Holmstrom if he signed with Nashville...As would (if he was able to play) Konstantinov if he played ANYWHERE... That is part of the fun of being a fan, making fun of the opposing players and calling them a bunch of names. I know plenty of people who say they hated Steve Yzerman, but put him on their team and the story changes. It's the same in all sports... ...I still want Adam Hall to sign here as well...

...Adam Hall before McCarty... you're right, they abso-freaking-lutely suck! The only reason he gets people to watch is because of him being McCarty. The poeple who watch aren't even fans on that music genre, they are Wings fans...

..well, hudler ain't gonna make it either. I'd rather have Drake than Hudler... Stuff Hudler! Trade him!

...you sir are demented... ...anyhow, scratch Markov off that list, we have 6 starting defencemen already and plenty of reserves... Lidstrom - Kronwall Chelios - Rafalski Lebda - Lilja (Stuart/Quincey/Meech/Kindl) ...what comes next is Adam Hall to round out the 4 lines w/Kopecky as the 13th forward... Too bad we can't use Hudler...

...well, if the Wings are still interested in someone who can step onto one of the top two lines, and if most people beleive that will be Yashin, then where does Grigs go? Not unless they trade Hudler and keep Kopecky in GRR, then Grigs can be #13 in the depth. I do believe he will be better than that though. Maybe if they sign Yashin, he nd grigs can be on a line with Dats. Hmmmmm, maybe... ...we'll see, but as long as Drake stays healthy, then this looks to be a steal at $550,000. I still wouldn't mind seeing Adam Hall here, but I am not Ken Holland...

...ok, so I didn't think this would happen. I guess I am ok with it, he does like to hit and stir things up! Now lets just get Adam Hall signed and we can have a real HUGE hitting line with Hall - Drake - Franzen. Now that is a #3 line... Filpulla - Datsyuk - Holmstrom Grigs - Zetterberg - Sammy Hall - Drake - Franzen Maltby - Draper - Cleary (Kopecky) Lidstrom - Kronwall Chelios - Rafalski Lebda - Lilja (Stuart) Hasek Osgood ...like I said, just get Adam Hall signed and our team looks pretty good. Two lines of pure scorers and two lines of viscious checking with some goals to boot! If Holland signs Hall, I can be very happy with this off season, conidering we never got that "Top 6" forward...

...a lot of the same people were mad when Dom re-signed last season and when Bertuzzi was traded for. NOW, a good amount of those mad people are in support of Dom (considering how good he did) and were mad when Bertuzzi left. We need a #3 center, we need size, we need a little bit more scoring (especially when we get to the playoffs,) Eric could be that guy. I look at it as the same risk with Bertuzzi, at a much cheaper price tag...

...dude, in all reality, Eric would win on that one. He has the better shot of staying healthy AND hooking up with Jessica Alba... ...anyhow, sure the Wings would be ok withour Eric, but, just like Bertuzzi, if he can give us a little more of a physical presence while racking up 50-70 points, then I would say the Wings would be that much better. Besides, we are in dire need of a third line center, and just imagine him out there with Franzen... Could be nice, then again we always have Hudler... :rotflmao: :puke:

...but Bertuzzi wasn't a risk?

...ok, the funny thing about Eric is, a lot (not all) of us were crying when Bertuzzi left, but hey, a lot (not all) of us said oh well because he could be one hit away from another injury. Well, this has been said about Eric for a long time, plus Bertuzzi did't really use his body and size too much to his advantge in the playoffs, so the burning question is: ..if Bertuzzi were to sign here for $3.5MM would you rather pay him that kind of money to be a shadow of his former self OR pay Lindros $1MM to be the shadow of his former self. I think Eric's shadow is better than Bertuzzi's shadow and at less than 1/3rd the price... ...basically the same player for $1MM or $3.5MM, you choose, plus Eric actually would WANT to play here... ...I am still in favor of Adam Hall, so lets ad Lindros and softy Yashin to the mix. Also, at least Eric wouldn't mind being the #3 center if they do decide to split the euro-twins up. Put Hall on a line with him and that'd be a huge combo to contend with... ...ok, I am on the bandwagon. Hall, Lindros, (yech) Yashin (only because with Dats he could return to form)

...I am not bashing Euro's, but bashing Holland's tendacy to sign European players over North American players with the same or worse skills. Most the time overpaying them as well. A few threads ago, I simply asked the question why Holland may not of shown interest in Comrie, and I suggested, mostly in jest and frustration that it was because he wasn't born in Europe and likes to hit, etc... ...somebody mentioned that Comrie was a cancer in the lockeroom and he wasn't a team player. Now today, a news article suggest that the Wings can have Yashin for $4MM and someone earlier said that they wouldn't want then to sign Yashin because he was a cancer in the lockeroom. Well, then I suggested that my theory was true, seeing that Comrie and Yashin are comparable, EXCEPT for the fact that Comrie is North American and likes to hit and sometimes fight if he has tom, PLUS he signed for only $3.5MM. SO, the obvious reason then that Holland would be interested in Yashin and NOT Comrie, since the cancer and scoring parts are similar, MUST be because Holland has hard-on's for Euro's. Not that Euro's suck, but Holland sucks because he could have had Comrie for $500,000 less and Comrie actually has some grit, yet rumor has him possibly offering Yashin $4MM and Yashin is as gritty as a wet sandwich bag...