dallas27

Cap relief is the biggest leverage here. The Wings could send considerably less talent over for either of those players just because of the cap relief. That's assuming the Flyers wouldn't be able to find it elsewhere.

It doesn't matter what happens, the next year (or two) will be stop-gap years, Holland said so himself. That's why you get a Jovo for one year at whatever money because it simply doesn't matter, he's only going to be here for one year. Mr. Holland did say he'd be willing to trade for a defensemen. If he could somehow pull off getting Cam Fowler and one of Ryan Getzlaf or Corey Perry I'd s*** my pants. Keep telling my friends it's gonna be a different 2-4 years than what we're used to but they are adamant it's not going to be. They aren't going to suck by any means but they aren't going to be the perennial favorites they usually are.

Probably the least watchable SCF in a while for me, which is also bad for the NHL if you're trying to market it. Maybe I'm just used to Red Wing hockey and am crazy spoiled in that regard. All Boston has to do, which is really the only thing they are good at imo, is goon it up and they take the series. If they shy away from just playing physical they'll bow out in five like I originally thought. BUT, they throw 500 checks a game they have a shot. The fan base for each team is equally as biased and annoying so that's a wash for me.

Don't think I saw any mention of Oscar Klefbom. Mocks I saw had the Wings selecting him. *edit* That may have been before the new ISS rankings came out, jumped from 26 to 10 I think it was.

I'd rather see Tatar than Mursak, that's just me though.

I don't think there is a switch, it's just a matter of playing better at home. Whether that be looser, tighter, trap, whatever. Babcock and co. have to figure it out, and figure it out soon. The difference between Vancouver and Detroit [this year]? Vancouver is 25-8-5 at home. Detroit is 19-11-5.

I got through about a page and a half before I couldn't read anymore without posting. A) If this happens anywhere other than Montreal the NHL doesn't have to deal with the threats of losing sponsorships B) For the "he knew what he was doing" crowd...he didn't. By no means am I bragging but I know how the internet works; I've played junior a hockey - and in all honesty probably a higher level of hockey than most everyone here - and the game moves extremely fast even at that level. I can imagine how fast it must be at the NHL level. That being said, you don't have time to think on the ice. If you think you are dead in the water, plain and simple. The game of hockey is knowing where to be and sub-consciously knowing what to do in that situation. This is why goalies, and I know firsthand, have reflexes as quick as cats (thanks sports science!) or at least the good ones haha. But you either have this, or you don't. And that's what makes the best players the best. If you were to personally ask Hank or Pavel what they were thinking when they made so and so play I would be willing to bet their answer would be I don't know. Or they are just gonna feed you the same lines of bulls*** they give reporters. There will now be two sides to this if anyone replies. The people that have never played a game of hockey in their life and will argue to the death that he knew exactly what he was doing. And on the opposite end, the people that will agree with me as they have played hockey . I'm not trying to be a jerk by any means, it's one thing to watch and understand hockey but it's totally different to have played the game and understand it. C) I would not have given a penalty, saw nothing wrong with it. But for the sake of it, let's call it interference. D) Why can't we be friends?

Hit was no different than Kronwall's hit on Havlat imo. On a sidenote; I wouldn't be surprised if Kronwall is suspended for a hit in the future

Anyone go to tigers fest? Haven't been that cold in a looonngggg time but was damn well worth it. Baseball season can't start soon enough. On a sidenote, vegas gave them 12:1 odds of winning it all. Good bet.

I am more inclined to believe that the pairing of kindl and salei may be the worst in the nhl opposed to an indication of his talent level. After watching them in person yesterday they just don't work well together and don't support each other.

If it ain't broke don't fix it?

Normally I agree with you but not here. Franzen is 31 and Getzlaf is 25, you know as well as I do that's a huge difference. In order for them to even consider I feel you gotta throw some youth at them. So long as it's not The [Tatar] Sauce.

This isn't meant to be a serious trade offer (because the team involved simply won't) but I'm interested to see what everyone thinks; Detroit gets: Ryan Getzlaf Anaheim gets: Johan Franzen Valtteri Filppula

It absolutely is, you can tell Bob Probert wrote this book. There are times when he'll be talking about one thing, go off on something unrelated, and then go back to what he was originally talking about all in one or two paragraphs. And I definitely could have done without all the "you knows?" he used. Yes, Bob, I know. That's why I'm reading your book. But I thought it was good. My uncle was addicted to cocaine for a while so I can kinda relate to what Bob and his family went through. Props to Dani for sticking with him through all the s***, not many would. *edit* Everyone should read it just for the paragraph where he goes off about how much of a effing ahole Bettman is and how he ruined the game. I've never laughed so hard. Right on Probie, right on.

Having played, what you call high level hockey, as a goalie that's precisely what I did. Football may be a more violent game but the question is are hockey hits harder than football hits? Yes, I think they are. Again, hockey may not be as violent as football but it doesn't mean a hockey hit can't be harder than a football hit.

But in the NHL you have 215+ lbs skating towards you at 30+ mph Football players are ******* anyways. Oh no, you sprained your ankle. Lay on the field for 20 minutes only to get up on your own and walk away. I highly doubt any football player would sacrifice their body to block a 100+ mph slap shot either.

Nobody as dangerous as Kovy on the point on the PP, imo. Malkin would be the next that comes to mind. I've faced some hard, hard shots (up to Junior A) but I can't begin to imagine how fast and hard Kovy's slap shot is.

With the cap @ 58.5 million FORWARDS Ilya Kovalchuk ($6.000m) / Pavel Datsyuk ($6.700m) / Tomas Holmstrom ($1.500m) Valtteri Filppula ($3.000m) / Henrik Zetterberg ($6.083m) / Johan Franzen ($3.955m) Daniel Cleary ($2.800m) / Darren Helm ($0.850m) / Kris Draper ($1.583m) Justin Abdelkader ($0.850m) / Drew Miller ($0.650m) / Patrick Eaves ($0.650m) Mattias Ritola ($0.511m) DEFENSEMEN Brian Rafalski ($6.000m) / Nicklas Lidstrom ($4.000m) Brad Stuart ($3.750m) / Niklas Kronwall ($3.000m) Andreas Lilja ($1.000m) / Jonathan Ericsson ($0.900m) Jakub Kindl ($0.883m) GOALTENDERS Chris Osgood ($1.417m) / Jimmy Howard ($0.717m) CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS ROSTER: 22; PAYROLL: $56.799m; CAP ROOM: $1.701m BONUSES: $0.000m Kovalchuk contract = 10 9 8 7 7 6 5 3 3 2 = 60 MIL @ 10 YRS Miller, Eaves, etc has stated they want to play / stay here. I'm going under the assumption they will play for a less money. Plus I can't imagine giving Helm, Eaves, Miller, Abdlekader, etc a million dollars or more, at least not at this point. I'm not one for Lidstrom getting around $6 million. After 19 glorious, can't be appreciated enough seasons, he shouldn't be looking for that big of a contract. He's seen people take hometown discounts for the betterment of the team, it's time he should. Don't get me wrong, he's earned and deserves whatever he asks for, no question. He's still one of the best, arguably the best, positional defenseman in the game. But his points are dipping just as fast as his age. Part of that $7.45 million he was getting was for 70-80 point seasons on top of his normal defensive self. I think $4 million would be a perfect number for him. Anything more I say go after Anton Volchenkov. And finally, the odds are better Kovy will be a Red Wing than Flip getting 70 points, to whomever said that. If Flip has the ability to get 70 Hudler has the ability to get 95.

FORWARDS Ilya Kovalchuk ($7.000m) / Pavel Datsyuk ($6.700m) / Jiri Hudler ($2.875m) Johan Franzen ($3.955m) / Henrik Zetterberg ($6.083m) / Todd Bertuzzi ($1.000m) Kris Draper ($1.583m) / Darren Helm ($0.850m) / Daniel Cleary ($2.800m) Justin Abdelkader ($0.850m) / Drew Miller ($0.525m) / Patrick Eaves ($0.500m) FWD ($0.500m) DEFENSEMEN Brian Rafalski ($6.000m) / Niklas Kronwall ($3.000m) Brad Stuart ($3.750m) / Anton Volchenkov ($3.750m) Andreas Lilja ($1.000m) / Jonathan Ericsson ($0.900m) Jakub Kindl ($0.883m) GOALTENDERS Chris Osgood ($1.417m) / Jimmy Howard ($0.717m) CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS ROSTER: 22; PAYROLL: $56.638m; CAP ROOM: $0.162m BONUSES: $0.000m Without the cap going up. If it does bump Kovy up to 7.5 million. Yea, I trade Filppula (enter Flip lovers) but in this pipe dream I get Kovalchuk and Volchenkov in return. Sorry, I'm taking the latter and not the former on this one. But even so, Howard will be an UFA after next season. He's going to be getting more than 0.800m...as much as I want Kovy here, Howard will be due for a somewhat hefty raise.

Isn't this the pot calling the kettle black? P.S. I can glitch wrap Flip to 200 points in a season in NHL 10. P.P.S Everyone email Bucci asking if Valterri Filppula is a legitimate goal scorer. Let's hear what an expert has to say.

Dunno if it's been posted but it made me lol

No goalie skates? Tsk, tsk.

No crap it is, glad you could figure that toughie out. But the point remain the same; potential only takes you so far before you actually use it. Worthless comparison or not, potential is potential. I have it, you have it, everyone has it. Filppula has shown no potential for finding the back of the net, or shooting for that matter. For the past 3-4 years it's been "oh, just wait, Datsyuk never shot the puck when he first came into the NHL. Filppula will be fine." Well...we're still waiting. And it has to happen soon. If you bothered to read further down you would have seen that I was not ragging on him at all. Take your Filppula blinders off because for God's sake should someone have constructive criticism about him. Except the Red Wings

I'd rather have those ~.65 ppg rentals and shed the 3 million ~.65 ppg forward to make a serious bid for Kovy assuming Lidstrom either retires or takes a nice, hometown discount.

The worst thing Filppula did was score his infamous "Bobby Orr" goal. Vaulted him to unjustified superstar status to many here. After you read that don't jump right into his playoff performance. That to come later. But no more of this potential talk. I had a ton of potential, played Junior A, probably could have went pro if I get a break here or there. But alas, I'm sitting here at work typing this message. Potential only gets you so far. It is what it is, he's a 3rd line center on this team. And that's not a knock to him. I've always considered him a jack-of-all trades guy. Does nothing excpetional but does everything well, he's an excellent depth player. And that's perfectly fine with me. But I'm growing tired of him looking like a deer caught in headlights when he gets a scoring oppurtunity. I cut him a break on the open net vs Pittsburgh because as a left handed shot and at the spot he was in it was an akward angle to put in. But still, that's something you have to bury. He won't be a 60 point player on this team, most definitely not on the third line. He hasn't proven himself to be a top two line center either. Even so, I don't think he can get 60 period. 50 sounds more realistic. Maybe a 15 goal 35 assist guy. He doesn't have the scoring touch to get to 60, and that's something you can't teach. Yes, he's an awesome playoff performer. Well worth his steep (imo) price tag in the playoffs. But at this point if the Wings don't start putting the puck in the net they are in danger of not even making the playoffs. Bottom line for me is I'd be content with Filppula on the team but ecstatic if the Wings brass could move him to get someone who can put the puck in the net night in and night out.