RyanBarnes!

I know, hence my rant. What's left for him to learn in Russia?

http://www.allsports.com/nhl/redwings/stor...shNotebook.html What did I tell ya? I think he's ready and good for 40+ pts in the AHL.

That's besides the point I'm trying to make. If not for the car accident Grigorenko would probably have spent next season in Detroit. The reason he isn't, I take it, has to do with him rehabilitating. He could rehabilitate in the AHL just as well. RSL pays a bit more I'd imagine. peace Maybe. This is strictly from a hockey point of view though. He's done with the RSL already.

That's besides the point I'm trying to make. If not for the car accident Grigorenko would probably have spent next season in Detroit. The reason he isn't, I take it, has to do with him rehabilitating. He could rehabilitate in the AHL just as well.

I think that is a mistake. What's left for him to learn in the RSL? If not ready for the NHL, he might as well get accustomed to the Northamerican play in the AHL, especially if he is looking to spend his future in Northamerica.

Kopecky is horrible. How can he justify a place on the team when every season he gets injured all the time. The only reason he played physical this year was because he was on a line with Barnes and Vandermeer. He's never fulfilled his potential as a scorer and he is shy with physical play. Bootland had more goals then he did and played in 22 NHL games, why give up on him now. Don't we have enough soft players? Agreed, i would keep Bootland and Robinson they are the only two with NHL experience. Can someone please tell me how the Wings tell Bootland to concentrate more on his offence last season, so he scored 14 goals and had 20 assists for 34 points and was a +5 on a s**t team but then they turn around and say he had a bad year. And 1 more thing he was a -8 with 14 points when he was called up by the wings and he did just fine. So i think he improved last year. And Kopecky has, what 7 goals? And he may get signed? I'm hoping they're serving notice to Bootland is all Unbelievable. This is a biased organization. It's the Kenny Holland disease.

http://www.theahl.com/AHL/News/2005/06/10/1081530.html The Flyers organization looks pretty deep. Goalie Niittymaki got the MVP. Carter had a great post season after turning pro in April.

I agree, bring Grigorenko over. Give him time to adapt to the NA style, it would probably benefit both him and Grand Rapids.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?ID=126557 This guy is putting on quite a show. He had 48 saves in Philadelphia's last double OT win (2-1). He had a shutout in the first game (1-0). Next game is being played Wednesday.

Thibault isn't nearly as bad as your are making him out to be. While Cechmanek's numbers are better, he was on a way better team longer than Thibault. What happened when he moved to LA? And if you want to judge by numbers, Lethonen's numbers are easily the best, but he's played 4 NHL games. And Boucher is better than Thibault??? I have no idea what you based your list on. Skill? How do you know Miller is better than Thibault? He has only played in the AHL. You said Thibault has yet to pan out, yet was on the 2002-03 all-star team. I'd trade Legace for Thibault in a heartbeat.

uh Dipietro kinda has bub. He's been doing pretty damn good for backstopping such a sh*thole team. And Miller hasn't really been given much of a shot....more of head games. They've treated him as the "you'll be the starter soon" on one hand and "you're third string, get back in the minors" on the other. But the way Miller's playing in the AHL this year...they don't really have much of a choice when the NHL comes back. Goalies need time to adapt. The Islanders have been taking it slow with DiPietro and so should the Red Wings with Howard. Most top prospect goalies will need at least 4-5 seasons before they pan out. Look at Theodore, Thibault and Giguere for example. lol@Thibault.... Thibault has yet to pan out Look beyond his stats for a minute. He's a good goalie on a poor team. The following are the fourteen best goalies currently on the non-playoff teams from 2004. Roberto Luongo Jean-Sebastien Giguere Roman Cechmanek Dwayne Roloson Marc Denis Jamie McLennan Martin Gerber Martin Biron Ryan Miller Kevin Weekes Brian Boucher Manny Fernandez Kari Lehtonen Mathieu Garon According to what criteria? Lehtonen, Miller, Gerber and Garon are yet to prove themselves as starting goalies. What have Weekes, Chechmanek, McLennan and Boucher done? Their stats are comparable to Thibaults. Especially when considering Chicago has one of the worst defenses in the league.

uh Dipietro kinda has bub. He's been doing pretty damn good for backstopping such a sh*thole team. And Miller hasn't really been given much of a shot....more of head games. They've treated him as the "you'll be the starter soon" on one hand and "you're third string, get back in the minors" on the other. But the way Miller's playing in the AHL this year...they don't really have much of a choice when the NHL comes back. Goalies need time to adapt. The Islanders have been taking it slow with DiPietro and so should the Red Wings with Howard. Most top prospect goalies will need at least 4-5 seasons before they pan out. Look at Theodore, Thibault and Giguere for example. lol@Thibault.... Thibault has yet to pan out Look beyond his stats for a minute. He's a good goalie on a poor team.

uh Dipietro kinda has bub. He's been doing pretty damn good for backstopping such a sh*thole team. And Miller hasn't really been given much of a shot....more of head games. They've treated him as the "you'll be the starter soon" on one hand and "you're third string, get back in the minors" on the other. But the way Miller's playing in the AHL this year...they don't really have much of a choice when the NHL comes back. Goalies need time to adapt. The Islanders have been taking it slow with DiPietro and so should the Red Wings with Howard. Most top prospect goalies will need at least 4-5 seasons before they pan out. Look at Theodore, Thibault and Giguere for example.

That didn't work out too well with Konstantinov though. How about all Russian Red Wings players/prospects stick to the bus?

I don't care much for the Wolves. Fedoruk however, is a personal favorite. I hope the Phantoms win Broad Street Bully style. Have you been following the Calder Cup closely? How are Coburn and Bouwmeester doing?

Go Philly!

More grit (and size), that is the ultimate solution to all problems in this entire organization including the Red Wings. And it has been for quite a while now I might add.

Hakan Andersson has stated that the Red Wings will bring Franzen over once the season begins. Franzen recently signed a new contract with HV-71 of the SEL, but it included a clause that will permit him to leave for the NHL if given the opportunity.

WC: Kronwall continues to play impressive. He leads all defensemen in goals (3) and has the best plus rating in the tournament (+10). He has totaled 6 pts so far. He had a goal and an assist when Sweden beat Switzerland in the quarterfinal (2-1). Zetterberg assisted on Kronwall's goal and is looking better and better. Franzen has only played one game, but managed to score Swedens only goal (1-5 vs USA). However he was involved in atleast one goal by the Americans, so that kind of even things out. Needless to say Sweden played horrible that game.

Kronwall picked up 3 assists in Swedens 7-0 win vs Denmark yesterday. He's off to a good start, but Sweden hasn't exactly played the best of teams yet. EDIT -it was 2 ass not 3.

Kronwall scored a goal in his first game back on the National team today and Franzen scored a goal and added an assist. Russia still beat Sweden 5-2 to win the final series (2-0) of Euro Hockey Tour. Zetterberg did not participate in the finals due to a cold. Datsyuk played both games but didn't do a whole lot. The line of Afinogenov/Ovechin/Malkin had an excellent showing in both games.

Way to go Barnesy! Our boy continues to improve every year.

Apparently Kronwall is having some sort of shoulder injury, but he is expected to play at the World Championships.

From what I've heard they're leaving a spot open for him. Sweden's team is not very star-studded however.

Expect Tolsa to make a huge leap in Detroit's prospect rankings. He is similar to Zetterberg in many ways.