eva unit zero

Especially when the offer sheet he signed, and was matched by his club, makes him an underpaid player as far as his market value at the time is concerned. Wonder what kind of contract he was being offered by the Wings at the time?

Fedorov has even said would have signed Fedorov did NOT want more money. This has been explained over and over. He left for LESS money. Fedorov agreed to a five year deal worth $50m, but when he showed up to sign he was presented with a 4yr, $40m deal. That was later reduced to a 4yr/$38m deal Fedorov has said he would have signed for the total value of $38m if it had been for 5 years; the length was the sticking point and the money was not an issue. If Fedorov had signed that $38m deal and it had been for 5 years, then his cap hit would have been $7.6m before the 24% adjustment coming out of the lockout, making his cap hit 5.776 after the lockout. This would be evened out by a slight reduction in the new contracts of Zetterberg and Datsyuk, as well as the Wings never acquiring Robert Lang.

The box that it would open? Please list the names of all players who played on the Wings, during or prior to Fedorov, who were equal or greater players as Wings than Fedorov. I'll give you a hint...most of the list is already hanging from the rafters. Retiring Fedorov's jersey does not open any kind of Pandora's box; he was one of the five best players in the league for his entire prime, and he spent all his best years with the Wings. That can be said about two players he played with; Steve Yzerman and Nicklas Lidstrom. As far as Osgood...Sawchuk is the only goaltender up there. Osgood is the only Wings goaltender who comes close to Sawchuk in terms of career accomplishments with Detroit, which in and of itself is a pretty strong endorsement. But let's go further and take a look at the major career stats that have been tracked since Sawchuk's day. I'm talking about W-L record, GAA, and shutouts. With Detroit only, here's how Osgood stacks up against Sawchuk. OTLs will simply be lumped into losses for this purpose. Stats for Osgood are current through the Ottawa game. Sawchuk: 734 GP, 351 W-243 L-132 T, 85 SO, 2.44 GAA, 43636 Mins, 1774 GA Osgood: 487 GP, 280 W-139 L-46 T, 36 SO, 2.40 GAA, 28009 Mins, 1120 GA, 12129 SA, .908 Sv% Osgood is signed for two more seasons after this one. Figure he averages 25 wins per season to the end of his contract; that would make him the all-time wins leader on the team. He would also do so with a significantly better record than Sawchuk. If he plays anywhere near as well as he has the past few seasons, he will have a better Detroit career GAA than Sawchuk did as well. The only thing he won't have is shutouts. In other words, Osgood will have won a higher percentage of his starts having allowed fewer goals per game than Sawchuk and having likely been much more consistent in doing so (a goaltender with few shutouts and a low GAA typically has a much smaller variance in the number of goals allowed from game to game than a goaltender who has a large shutout number, as a percentage of his wins, paired with a higher GAA, a combination that can be an indicator of streaky play. Evgeni Nabokov last season is a good example of this. he had a couple of hot streaks, and won a lot of games due to playing a ton...but Martin Brodeur played just as many, won only two fewer playing on a much weaker team, and posted a comparable GAA with fewer shutouts and a far superior save percentage. Yet the Vezina race was far closer than the statistics suggest it should have been. Nabokov probably should have been 5th or 6th in voting and yet he nearly won the trophy because he played a lot and due to that fact he was inconsistent and not always perfectly reliable, while Brodeur was the rock he has always been. This is not to say Osgood has always been a steady rock and Sawchuk was inconsistent, but Osgood's stats are actually alarmingly close to Sawchuk's in every area except for shutouts as far as what they've done in a Detroit uniform. If Osgood averages 29 wins per season from now until the end of his contract, he passes Sawchuk's career wins total both as a Red Wing and overall. Hopefully that puts the jersey retirement and Hall of Fame talk into perspective, as 30 wins per season is a perfectly reachable goal for Osgood if he plays 45-55 games.

How many times do you see a first line forward who is a defensive liability, and is not top six on his team in goals, assists, or points at the end of the season? That combination is pretty rare. Usually such a player is a Tomas Holmstrom type of player who brings an indispensable skill that keeps him his top-line position he would otherwise not have...Latendresse has no such specialty skills. Wouldn't you consider that kind of player overrated? I sure as hell do.

The question about Hudler's role on Zetterberg's line is exactly how he fit on the line in terms of his role. When Hudler played on the third or fourth line, he was the guy offensively; he created all of the offense singlehandedly every rush down the ice. Now that he is playing on a scoring line, it's a different situation. Hudler is not used to playing with players who are just as capable as he is or moreso offensively, so his situation was an unfamiliar one. I still say a Franzen/Hudler/Hossa or Cleary/Hudler/Hossa line would be worth experimenting with. Hudler and Hossa both have been having troubles that have stemmed from trying to force chemistry with their linemates, linemates who have existed with each other in roles where one was a two-wat forward serving as a playmaker and scorer and the other was a grinder and havoc-creater. The third player, Hossa or Hudler, has been used to being the offensive engine on his line in a certain manner and is now playing second fiddle in both cases, so is trying to find his role on the line as far as the line's chemistry. Possible line combinations that could be put with my preferred experiment of 2/3) Franzen/Hudler/Hossa: 1) Datsyuk/Zetterberg/Holmstrom and 3) Cleary/Filppula/Samuelsson 1) Holmstrom/Zetterberg/Samuelsson and 2) Cleary/Datsyuk/Filppula 1) Filppula/Zetterberg/Holmstrom and 2) Cleary/Datsyuk/Samuelsson

People on here act like Latendresse is some kind of star forward. Kindl is a good defensive prospect who could be a top-pairing two-way defenseman down the road. People have a very realistic view of Kindl's potential; on this board, Kindl probably even gets shortchanged. Latendresse gets star treatment on LGW...like he's some kind of established power forward. Here's his career stats. 153 GP, 32g-24a-56pt. Most of this has been done playing on the first line due to injury fill in time playing for Chris Higgins. Latendresse gets a lot of love around here because he is considered a power forward. Justin Abdelkader is a better player and a better fit for the Wings.

I didn't like the cocky smile, but I have to object to the description of Jagr's salute as a cocky move. Jagr's salute after each goal was saluting his deceased grandfather, for whom he wore the #68. You can think what you want about the player; and he had his share of cocky moments; but that particular idiosyncrasy had nothing to do with cockiness.

Jimmy Devellano said that Fedorov would have won the Norris if he stayed on D. This was at the beginning of Lidstrom's streak of Norris nominations. If Fedorov would have been the best defenseman in the league all those years Lidstrom was...it really makes you wonder how great a career he could have had if he had stayed on defense after Bowman tried it out.

I don't know about the Lilja bashers, but I've already addressed this topic logically. Granted, I did it from the point of view with Holland attempting to field a roster of 23 skaters that included 13 forwards and 8 defensemen, so the cap situation was different. As far as who to plug into Lilja's spot, that is a complicated situation. While Lilja is certainly a capable hitter, PKer, and shot blocker...those units don't disintegrate if he goes away. The Wings have Lidstrom, Rafalski, Kronwall, Stuart, Lebda, and Meech slated to return as of right now. This leaves two open spots, currently held by Chelios and Lilja, both of whom are UFAs for next year. One of those spots will be taken by Jonathan Ericsson. Whether it is Chelios, Lilja, or neither who returns is the question. I don't expect Chelios back, especially if the Wings repeat. If Detroit wins the Cup, Chelios goes out on top. The only logical reason to replace Lilja would be to clear cap space and to open roster space for a young defenseman who is not currently as good as Lilja at what Lilja is good at, but will be a better overall defenseman within a few years. If the reason for dumping Lilja is to get a player who is better right now, well that isn't going to happen because the Wings can't afford to pay for another defenseman of that caliber.

Latendresse is overrated. I said it then, I continue to say it. I would take Abdelkader over Latendresse then, and I would do it now. Better player for Detroit's system, and a better player overall. Latendresse might be slightly more capable offensively (we'll see) but Abdelkader is significantly more complete; he's a much better skater, much better defensively, and much more versatile. I'm not even getting into the Kindl debate because they are completely different players and Latendresse was drafted just after Abdelkader in the second round, so that's who he should be compared to.

Honestly, after seeing this video I would have to say that Morrow's "slew foot" is not a penalty. If you watch Morrow's head, he is watching the puck the whole time. It seems to be an accidental collision; the referee made the correct call by not calling a penalty on the play. What we still don't see is what Peca did. But it will get sorted out, and the ref clearly made the correct call with regard to the play on the ice.

It looks like Peca is able to get back up and then tries to block the shot; the slewfoot didn't have any effect on his ability to defend as far as what can be seen in the video. As far as Peca's offense...there is too much time that is unaccounted for from 1:15 until the end of the video when a potential offense could have occurred for this video to be viewed as anything other than evidence that Peca was knocked down and a goal was scored shortly thereafter but not as a direct result. Peca may well have abused the ref, and typically refs don't make that kind of s*** up. Hopefully the NHL is using better camera angles.

I will put it to you this way; if you are projecting scoring totals after two games, you are going to get ridiculous numbers. If Hossa's numbers after the first ten games don't show him scoring more than 20 points for the season, at that point we might want to start becoming concerned. And, BTW, when you can find me calling out Lilja or Samuelsson for their subpar play during the season so far, you can continue with your retort about evening out the flak; otherwise, please do not address me as 'we' in that regard.

The Wings assumedly will try to make a roster of 13-8-2 fit for next season, as they tried for this season. Chelios is probably gone after this year. Ericsson is up after this season. Lidstrom, Rafalski, Kronwall, and Stuart are all on the roster. So this leaves three open spots. Lilja, Lebda, and Meech are currently in those spots. IMHO, Meech is a better defenseman right now, today, than Lebda. If forced to choose between Lebda and Quincey I would choose Quincey. I will again say what I have said all offseason since the Stuart signing...the defenseman who should be departing should be one of Lilja or Lebda. This does not mean that it will be, but that is who it logically should be.

I think the point was that the team was considered a Top 10 team at the time Michigan would beat them.

It wouldn't have been this down if Carr hadn't retired. Part of that, of course, has to do with Coach Attitude running off players who would have been his most talented players, had intended to stay and ended up transferring out or declaring because they weren't guys who fit his type of offense and rather than try and adapt to the talent that he had, Rodriguez preferred to say 'OK, we're doing it this way whether we have the players to do it or not." And the answer of course is that Michigan did not have the players to do it. If Rich Rod was willing to adapt his offensive scheme to a QB like, say, Ryan Mallett....then perhaps Michigan would be in a much better position. But instead, he basically forced Mallett out of the program because he was wooing Terrell Pryor, who ended up at OSU anyway. Coach Rod is definitely right. He turned West Virginia around, and now he's turned Michigan around. Unfortunately, Michigan was already good. Hopefully, we can get the Wolverines turned back around again by the end of the season.

If you are measuring performance purely by the scoresheet, then yes, Hossa has been average. Personally, I think he has played quite well. You are also not accounting for the fact that when Lang joined the team, he had already played most of the season, and was one of the best players in the league that year (leading the league in scoring at the time) while Hossa joined the Wings in the offseason. So Lang had been playing and had a rhythm, so regardless of whatever meshing needed to be done, he had his personal tempo going. Hossa had skated a few preseasons shifts and that was it. He played four preseason games, and ended the preseason out with a groin injury for the final preseason game. Give him time to get back into game shape from that injury. Don't call the signing a bust because he hasn't hit 50 goals by the second game of the season. He's still been one of the best forwards on the team so far.

If I'm coaching young kids, and I see them acting like immature brats and using the stick as a weapon, I can tell you who is missing their next shift or two with an explanation of what they did wrong.

Matthias was never behind Torquato; he would be behind Helm and Emmerton though, and would be fighting for position with McGrath and the like.

I didn't see the Richards thing, so I can't comment specifically on the incident. But I personally consider cross checking to count as using your stick as a weapon, which is why I have never even once done it to an opposing player. Regardless, if your team is getting destroyed on the scoreboard and you choose to use your stick as a weapon against another player to try and get fired up, that's dirty and there is no place for it in hockey; be you Iginla, Richards, or anyone else. Now if you go and lay a clean hit or get into it physically without laying the lumber on a guy, and challenge him to a fight, that's fine. It's the dirty stuff, and the intent to injure that I have an issue with. And Iginla has a history of losing his cool and pulling that kind of s***, which is why I have always had a mixed opinion of him. Great skills, but he needs to get his temper under control. And the time of the game means nothing, however Iginla doesn't pull this kind of s*** unless his team is down by a few goals getting late in the game...so the time is obviously a factor.

I watched the second half of the game, and I saw two near-goals from 'grinder' Kopecky. That's more than I saw from 'scorers' Datsyuk, Filppula (granted, this is after Flip's goal), Samuelsson, Holmstrom, or Cleary in the same period and a half of hockey. It's also more scoring chances than Draper and Maltby had, for reference. Kopecky is not a superstar, but he is a good player. If he wasn't a good player, Leino or Helm would be skating in his spot.

I personally can't stand losing either. But to turn your stick into a weapon at any stage of the game is unacceptable, especially if done because the other team is simply beating you. Perhaps I have developed that from the fact I am actually trained in armed combat, but I don't think the stick should ever be used against another player regardless of the reason. So what if Iginla was pissed off that his team was losing. That doesn't make him a great leader. The ability to attack your opponent, by itself, is not leadership. And the way Iginla did it in the examples being mentioned here? That's not leadership either. Leadership, when involving physical altercations, would be something like what Datsyuk did in the finals. And "Sore Loser" in the context presented here is bad because it indicates that a certain player or players is/are not going to simply play out the game; rather once it appears they are going to lose they are going to start headhunting; this is where the problem is, the intent to injure. Iginla does this, most old school enforcers did this; Iginla is a worse offender because he is actually going to be on the ice.

Yeah, let's rip Sammy mercilessly for the icing, and ignore the scoring chance he created.

The nearest comparison I could come up with to that was the benching of Fischer in 2003, when Fischer outplayed several defensemen who were not benched in that series. The only justification for it is if he wanted to move Hudler to Filppula's line and try a Hudler/Filppula/Samuelsson combination and it was not as a reward for Cleary.

Yes.