LeftWinger

..there are lots of chances in hell, and just because you like Hudler doesn't mean it won't happen. Right now he is expendable, it's either him or Filpulla playing, who do you choose? Hudler has a bad case of the Greg Johnson, Stacy Roest syndrome. Too much talent to crack the lineup, if he stays in Detroit, he'll get spot duty until he becomes a UFA, then it's bye bye! Especially with Grigorenko coming over to play and he WILL play in Detroit, at least for the first couple of months. His contract says if he doesn't make the big club he CAN go back to Russia to play, so you can pretty much give him a roster spot. That leaves Hudler and Filpulla.... Choose... I choose filpulla and so does Babcock. Hudler will be packaged and Sergei will be a Wing again. ...The New Russian 5 power play... Kozlov Datsyuk Grigorenko Markov Fedorov ...you have to admit that, on paper, looks deadly. Follow it up with Holmstrom, Zetterberg, Bertuzzi, Lidstrom, Schneider. Wow! ...bottom line, Sergei and Slava will HELP this team. Sure we could use MORE grit, but I think we had enough to win the Cup this past year, we just fell short on goals...

...then you should've remembered the fight Shanny also got into. He barely made it to the Joe in time to play after he had been traded from hartford... ...my first game was WAAAYYY back in 1979. I was only 9 so I don't remember much, I do remember them re-hanging Gordie's #9 that night. I am not sure of anyting else, oh yeah I do remember the tickets were free because they could barely get anyone to come to watch them play...

...ie, the Chris Chelios trade in 1998, dude you just described it to a tee. He came from Chicago (within our division,) although he listed Detroit as one of the teams he would waive his no-trade clause for, he was VERY upset when the trade happened, I remember it like it was yesterday. Oh and guess what? He was an aging veteren that we didn't need. Stop hating on Sergei because he pissed you off when he left, dude, you quit living in the past and realize that Sergei can help this team in the short term. Soon enough, Hasek, Lidstrom, Draper and Maltby will ALL be retiring and then the Wings will lose the final pieces of their Stanley Cup core. Lets win a couple more Cups with this team and then rebuild... ...or, better yet, why don't you become GM, then you can attempt all your playstation trades. Even better yet, why don't you just create yourself on this team and score 300 goals and win ALL major awards? ...bottom line, this team was tied for the most points in the NHL, they made it all the way to the Semi's when they weren't supposed to get out of the first round. If you had the playoff scoring of Fedorov and Kozlov, we beat Anaheim AND Ottawa. These guys wil not cost as much as signing a Ryan Smith or Scott Gomez, s*** dude, we have a great crop of young talent that will take this franchise into the next 10 years, but until we flat out lose in the first round or don't even make the playoffs, we don't need a huge overhaul. Feds and Kozzie would add the talent we need to get back to the SCF's. You know it to be true...

...lets put it this way, if Fedorov & Kozlov are on the team that lost to Anaheim, we don't lose. Both Feds and Kozzie were/are power play specialists, one of those guys would have scored at least ONE powerplay goal in games 5&6. Add these two to the team for pennies on the dollar (compared to what they made pre-lockout) and we have a GREAT chance of winning the Cup in 08'... ...Sign Chelios, sign Schneider, sign Hasek, sign Bertuzzi, sign Kozlov, trade Hudler for Fedorov, then sign your 7th d-man and 13th forward with the money you save by paying both Fedorov and Kozlov the money you paid Lang and Markov last year. Unless Markov will sign for less money, but I doubt it...

...not sure if anyone hsa created a thread or if it should be posted here or somewhere else, but here is the draft order. Starting with the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, the Stanley Cup runner-up will receive the 29th pick, the conference finalists will get the 27th and 28th picks, and each team eliminated prior to the conference finals will receive the next higher picks. The draft order of the first 14 picks was determined by a lottery involving the non-playoff teams on April 10 [2]. Under the weighted lottery system, the club with the fewest regular-season points had the greatest chance (25%) of winning the Draft Drawing and could pick no lower than second at the 2007 Entry Draft. The winner of the drawing would move up a maximum of four places, with all other clubs' draft order being adjusted accordingly (no team moving down more than one spot). As you can see the Red Wings get the 27th pick because they were eliminated in the conference finals. 1. Chicago Blackhawks 2. Philadelphia Flyers 3. Phoenix Coyotes 4. Los Angeles Kings 5. Washington Capitals 6. Edmonton Oilers 7. Columbus Blue Jackets 8. Boston Bruins 9. St. Louis Blues 10. Florida Panthers 11. Carolina Hurricanes 12. Montreal Canadiens 13. Toronto Maple Leafs 14. Colorado Avalanche 15. Edmonton Oilers (from New York Islanders [3]) 16. Anaheim Ducks (from Tampa Bay Lightning [4]) 17. New York Rangers 18. Calgary Flames 19. Minnesota Wild 20. Pittsburgh Penguins 21. Phoenix Coyotes (from Dallas Stars [5]) 22. Montreal Canadiens (from San Jose Sharks [6]) 23. Philadelphia Flyers (from Nashville Predators [7]) 24. St. Louis Blues (from Atlanta Thrashers [8]) 25. Vancouver Canucks 26. St. Louis Blues (from New Jersey Devils via San Jose Sharks [9]) 27. Detroit Red Wings 28. Washington Capitals (from Buffalo Sabres [10]) 29. Ottawa Senators 30. Edmonton Oilers (from Anaheim Ducks [11]) Here are the top ten North American and European prospects: Skaters: North American European 1 Kyle Turris © Alexei Cherepanov (RW) 2 Patrick Kane (RW) Mikael Backlund © 3 James Van Riemsdyk (LW) Lars Eller (C/W) 4 Keaton Ellerby (D) Maxim Mayorov (RW) 5 Karl Alzner (D) Joakim Andersson © 6 Sam Gagner © Simon Hjalmarsson (RW) 7 Jakub Voracek (RW) Nichlas Torp (D) 8 Angelo Esposito © Sergei Korostin (RW) 9 Zach Hamill © Maxim Goncharov (D) 10 David Perron (LW) Evgeni Dadonov (RW) Goalers: North American European 1 Jeremy Smith Joel Gistedt 2 Trevor Cann Mark Owuya 3 Antoine Lafleur Marek Benda ...I am not a huge follower of amatuer hockey, but I know a lot of our outstanding members are, so let's get the discussion going on the future instead of all this "I hate Pronger/McCreary/Bettman/Holland/Sergei/etc..."

...sorry, I only listed the players that I found already listed on the site I got my info from. I already said I am not the smartest amatuer hockey guy, but yeah, I look at what you pointed out and laugh my a$$ off too!!!

...that is what I am expecting, but maybe Holland will pull a rabbit out of his hat. A choose a Fin...

...uh, once again, game 5, you had 7 freaking power plays, INCLUDING A 5 ON 3! All you had to do is score 1 power play goal and the last minute goal by Neidermayer means NOTHING!!!!! You win 2-1... You go to Anaheim up 3-2 and for pete's sake score only 1 freaking powerplay in Game 6 and guess what!!!!!!!!! YOU FREAKING WIN THE SERIES!!!! Boo Hoo Kris!!!! I am mad we lost!!! Good, so are we, why don't you give some of your OVERPAID, UNDERACHEIVED salary back to the fans who pay to watch you miss the net 9 out of 10 times!!!! YOU SHOULD BE MAD!!!!! YOU LOST!!!! ...YOU GET NOTHING, YOU LOSE, GOOD DAY SIR! I SAID GOOD DAY SIR!

...what else is he gonna say? "Gee, I am so glad we got eliminated! We played hard, but I sure am happy we didn't win the Cup." Hey Draper, maybe actually get a couple of shots on net instead of shooting the puck nine miles wide everytime and we could have possibly been in the Finals again. One power play goal is all you needed, one goal. One power play goal and game 5 is ours and guess what else? One power play goal in game 6 and we win that one too!

...who the f**k is Bernie Gallant? Why don't you go back to Hockydb.com and re-get those names. It's obvious with that kind of screw up, you don't know jack about former Wings players! ...second of all, Fedorov has still got skills. He is still one of the fastest skaters and best defensive forwards in the league. So maybe he didn't score 30 goals in Columbus, but he also didn't play with the exact same talent he had here OR he would have here. Who would Fedorov look better playing with David Vborny or Henrik Zetterberg? I think he may get a few more goals/points playing with Zetterberg or Datsyuk. Of course maybe that Bernie Gallant guy didn't utilize him the right way in Columbus... p.s. I'd gladly welcome Marty Lapointe back as well... also, I do believe in your list of trading young Wings to bring back the past ones, Lidstrom and Holmstrom ARE old Wings. To the guy that said 'He's almost 40" So is Lidstrom, Yzerman was over 40. Dom is over 40. Ozzie is getting there. Fedorov is cast from the same stone as Larionov, who, by the way, if he hadn't retired, could easily being STILL playing. Fedorov can and will be effected well past 40...

...it was just time to move on for him. He wanted a change of scenery, he already had MVP, Selke's, Stanley Cups, All Rookie awards. Noone got super pissed at Shanahan for doing the same thing! Now it was Sergei's time to get paid, all while going somewhere he could also party all night after the game. Where's he gonna party in Detroit? The Post? Yippie! Super nice little hole in the wall, but no limelight! Fedorov is a superstar, he needed to rub elbows with other superstars. Crap, look who he was linked with while in Anaheim, Tara Reid for pete's sake! The ultimate party girl. Who wouldn't want to move to Southern California, make $10Mill a season, play a game for 3 hours and go hang out with movie and rock stars? I say good on ya Sergei! No disrespect to the Wings or the Illitch's, but the man spent 20 years of his life in the SOVIET UNION!!!! He is a freakin millionaire in a free country, do you blame him for NOT wanting to spend his freedom in the AWESOME city of Detroit? Wow! What a nightlife here in the D! ...Sergei, I'd welcome you back in a heartbeat as would 99% of the people that boo you at the Joe. Raise your glasses folks! Hears to seeing #91 back where he belongs in March 2008! Hmmmm, I wonder what Fedorov's shadow of his former self would look like playing with Datsyuk or Zetterberg? Hmmmm? For those of you who for some god-forsaken reason ALWAYS say "Lets give Lindros a try for a Million." Then why not give Fedorov the shot? I'd rather spend the cash on him than 3 Lindros'

i wonder if Chrissy and Salamii talked about physics after this hit....LOL! ...hey chrissy, your nose fits pretty good in between the glass partitions!! LOL! *****!

...my point is, suspend a ref once in a while, maybe he won't turn the other cheek when a player is actually hurt...

...my question is, what happens to these refs who blatently DO NOT make the call? Look at the official in the video, he is watching the entire play, first of all, not only was it a blatent forearm to the head, it was also a very late hit, he had already shot the puck, and went to skate after it. Very late hit, the ref watched the entire play, seen the hit, watched the guy crumble to the ice and slide semi-unconciously into the corner, only to turn his head and watch the play continue, when the player didn't get up only then did he stop the play. There is tough play and there are cheap shots, I think eveyone who is not living in south LA knows which one this falls under. Pronger should have been suspended for the rest of the series AT LEAST. Hello, NHL, REPEAT OFFENDER?!?!?! If I ever see this guy in public, I will call him a c*cksucker right to his face! Hopefully he'll have his wife with him (does he have any kids?) If he does, he need not look too far when his son grows up to be a homo, it's hard to look up to someone who is as gutless as Pronger is... ...I don't see a difference between Prongers 2 hits, and Bertuzzi's attack. All three were intent to injure, they should be banned from playing. PERIOD....

...I am not sure you are too far off base. Especially with the Bettman teams comment. Just look at the last 2 Cup winners and even this years finals. What better way to try and promote the sport where their wouldn't normally be support than to make them the Champion of the league. Sometimes it works, sometimes it don't! Tampa has fairly good support, but look at Carolina and even Florida after they made it to the finals, their fan support sucks unless they are actually in the finals. Look at Anaheim, even if they are handed the Cup, do you think the great people of Southern California will really give two sheets about what they do from now on, unless they are handed back to back ones? Look how support for the Kings waned after they made it to the Cup finals when Gretzky was there to now. Heck, you really didn't see has many Av fans around here this season, especially AFTER they were excluded from the playoffs... ...Bettman will never learn, of curse as long as his pockets are growing, he doesn't care, just ask William Clay Ford about that! ...not only is Bettman watering down the league by spreading the players to thin around the continent, he is also watering down what it means to actually EARN the Cup, by handing it year after year to teams that wouldn't and shouldn't be in the league, let alone competing for the Cup...

...looks very European. Fast, streamline, like a Ferrari. Prolly make our players look ***. Oh well, we went through a couple of season with the glow puck, we'll have to put up with theses until they decide to go back to the original... They will...

...no, let him pull a Rolosson and re-sign for huge bucks and fall WAAAAYYYY short next season... ...we're fine with what we have. It's time for youth, it's time for Osgood to finish up his career with the well-deserved #1 spot all season next season and let Howard be B/U. We've already lost Liv after dicking him around his whole Wings career, lets not do the same with Howard... If we need someone, we should address it at the trade deadline.. ...spend our money on the big holes we need to fill...

...I agree. ...lets go a step further. Dump the coaching staff, Hire Larionov and Festisov and any other Ov they would like to bring in! ...I am so pissed at Babcock for not pulling Hasek until 1:00 left!!! We frickin had possession in their zone with 2:30 to go!!!! HELLO!!!! ...ok,ok Sure, now is the time to cut our ties with the oldies and go young... ...Hasek would make a great Goaltender coach...

...you have 2 birthdays, your actual and March 26, 1997... ...you know where Dave Strader got his start... ...you know what PASS sports was... ...you remember when most of the world pronouced it "Yei-zerman" ...remember when Mickey was bald! ...own at least 1 "Bruise Bros." VHS tape... ...wished they had never traded Adam Oates... ...What the HELL were they thinking drafting Joe Murpey over Jimmy Carson? ...What the hell were they thinking trading for Jimmy Carson!?!?! ...Goodwill Games in Seattle... ...Hit em' with your purse Bernie!!!

...here we go! Off-season, almost as excitng and disappointing as the regular season can be!!! ...The debate begins! Who WILL we sign, we WON'T we sign, who SHOULD we sign! I am a little naive, but who are OUR UFA's? Hasek, Chelios, Bertuzzi, Calder, Schneider. From there I am lost, are there any others?

...Ahhh yeah, but Fedorov WILL be back... Trade deadline 2008, watch...

...I don't mind losing, but getting screwed by the refs sucks! The NHL should be ashamed of the refs in this series. Two BLATENT too many men on the ice last game by Anaheim, NON CALLS. This one is a clear from deep in our own zone, bouces off a guy skating into the bench, TWEET! instant whistle. Persuuing powerplay, Hasek CLEARLY has the puck in his equipment, ref waits for it to drop out of his equipment, TWEET! GOAL! ...I guess the lockout was supposed to make things better, oh wait, better for the teams that don't have any business even being in the league, let alone hoisting a Cup... ...you, Illitch farts millions of dollars every year, he should call the refs and the NHL out, take the fine, who gives two fukcs about it, it is so blatently obvious that the NHL wants Anaheim in the Cup final it makes me want to puke. Of course the LA area is a much larger media mecca than Detroit, but sheesh NHL, gimme a break! You want a good series or do you want to show UNINTERESTED people that their local team is in the championship? Go ahead Bettman, ask how many people in Carolina and Tampa give two s***s about their team NOT making the playoffs or back to the finals? Giving these expansion teams a free ride to the Stanley Cup not only robs the REAL fans of good hockey, but it also TAINTS the glory and tradition which is EARNING, ACTUALLY EARNING the Stanley Cup... ...that's what happens when you put a lawyer in charge of a sports league. We need a hockey guy running hockey, not Dewey, Cheetum & How Law Firm... ...this has been pathetic ever since they suspended Pronger. I am will to bet Bettman lambasted Colin Campbell behind closed doors for suspending him. The NHL can **** off as far as I am concerned...

...well, if I had to judge by the 1st period. Playing like sh*t, looking like sh*t, not gonna win... ...fortunately, there are two more periods and momentum can switch on a dime, so, I am still optimistic!

...NO! Jesus! All I am saying is, it's not the end of the world that the Wings lost, it won't be the end of the world if they lose game 6! Having faith has nothing to do with it! But, obviously for some people it does! So go ahead, have your fiath that they will win 6 and 7 and the Cup, what happens if they don't? Do you lose your faith in them? All I am saying is it's only a game, there are things that are more important out there. Hockey is entertainment, fun an escape from the everyday drag of life, but oh God, please don't put these hockey games importance up there with being alive or having a family. When you die, the Wings will play on, and guess what, odds are they won't win the Cup! Sheesh! Losen up guys, if they lose they lose, they'll play again next year. WTF, I need a drink! LOL!

...wow, u r k00l dudez! I am far frum whining, g! may-b I mis-n-terprid the faith thing, dog, but don't go n be callin me all dem namez... Save dis sh!t 4 ur warz on myspace... And u bein catholic has nutting to do wit faith. I am not making fun of religion... ...anyway, I didn't say the couldn't do it. If they don't, not one person should feel horrible, because they did far better than they were predicted to do. Just because you had higher expectations than most people, good on ya! You prolly are one of those fans that if the Wings don't win the Cup every year, they had a sucky season..... word to yo mutha