Nightfall

To close the Franzen and Hossa complaining party..... http://www.freep.com/article/20130307/SPORTS05/130307002/detroit-red-wings-wingin-it-in-motown-marian-hossa-johan-franzen I agree with that article.

Wow, more Franzen vrs Hossa discussion. Look at this thread's comments. http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2008/11/red_wings_will_have_to_choose.html Seems that many people like to make a decision in hindsight. Franzen was a dominant power forward when he signed his contract.

Bouwmeester is not the missing piece this team needs. People keep yelling for Holland to play the kids, so I say lets do it.

I am cautiously optimistic that Dan is going to make a good impact with the Wings. Maybe not this season, but probably next season. Still, at this point, its great to have a top prospect on the team.

Yea, the Pens have won 3 in the last 20 years while the Wings have won 4. The Pens also tanked for 4 straight losing seasons and drafting Crosby and Malkin as a result. Meanwhile, the Wings have made the playoffs all those years. Wanting to win the cup and actually winning it are two different things. We shall see if this gamble pays off.

I am still trying to figure out how Fleury is a weak goalie. He has won a Stanley Cup before. Its not like he choked against the Wings in 2009.

Frank, you and I have had our differences, but I agree with you. The Wings playoff streak is nice, but I would rather see the Wings really compete every few years than just make the playoffs and die in the first or second round every year. The problem is that Wings fans as a whole would hate to see them tank for 2-3 years just to rebuild.

I would rather stand pat and build through the draft than make a run at a cup while mortgaging our future. In the past, without the salary cap, you could get away with losing draft picks. Today, you cannot do that.

I have to agree with this.

In the new cap era, the playoffs are not guaranteed to any team. It will come down less to money and more to chemistry. I too worry about this team when Dats and Z are gone, as any team should be worried when they lose their horses. If Chicago lost Toews and Kane, they would be screwed. If Pittsburgh lost Malkin and Crosby, they would also be screwed. The premier players are just that, premier players. As for Iginla, I am glad we didn't get him as a rental. We have given up enough picks in the last 20 years, and as has been said before, you have to build up your team through the draft now. If there is anything the Wings have been good with, it is has been getting good deals with late round picks.

I have to admit, this was a damn good post. I really cannot say you were incorrect in any of your assessments. We really cannot say that Holland is a great post cap GM just as we can't say Yzerman is the same in Tampa Bay. The truly good GMs of the cap era are the ones that make the playoffs every year IMHO. Thats really all you can ask for. You cannot predict how a team will gel. You cannot predict chemistry. The days of the dynasty are over in the NHL. The new dynasty is making the playoffs, which the Wings have done for 20+ straight seasons, which is a record.

I cannot like this enough. People need to stop with the "Holland better get this done or its his fault" mentality. Holland has done everything he can do. Danny has to make up his mind and sign. Holland can't make him sign.

I don't see how Holland can do much more than he already has. The money is the same. Holland has promised the kid to start in the NHL. Its not like Holland has something he can offer the kid that 15 other clubs aren't offering. His favorite team is the Red Wings so that factors into his favor. The point is that it isn't on Hollands shoulders at all. He has done his due diligence. If the kid signs elsewhere, that his choice. Not Holland's fault for not being Obi Wan Kenobi. "Sign here Danny (waves his hand)."

Who is also comes with a $3 million per year lower cap hit.

Thats the downswing to Edmonton. Don't get me wrong, I don't think that Edmonton is a good spot either, but Danny could easily see them as a better option than Detroit.

This would be nice, but I don't know. Its possible.....

Think of it this way..... You are Danny and you are looking for a team that is going to compete for a Stanley Cup. Look at Detroit. They are an older team with a pedigree for making the playoffs and winning 4 Stanley Cups in the last 16 years. Then you look at Edmonton, and they are a young up and coming team that looks like they will compete for a cup in the next couple years. Edmonton may have a bigger upswing in his mind than Detroit. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if he signs with Edmonton over Detroit. Its not like Edmonton is a toilet team with no upswing. Now, if Danny chose Florida over Detroit, then I would be more concerned.

I would rather see a player of his caliber play a full season in the AHL getting top line minutes than play in the NHL getting 9-12 minutes a game on the 3rd and 4th lines. Plus, playing in the AHL will help him with his development and confidence.

If a local kid who grew up loving a team, and that team offered him the max deal and guaranteed ice time, and the kid turns them down, how would that be Kenny's fault? The organization has made it to the playoffs 20+ straight years with 4 Stanley Cups to show for it and 6 appearances in the finals since 95. The pedigree of this team speaks for itself. Don't get me wrong, I hope Danny comes here, but if the Wings lose out on him it won't be Kennys fault. The kid has to make a decision that is best for him. Maybe another team is going to offer him first line minutes with other benefits. Maybe he has a girlfriend that lives in another state and he is going to go play near where she lives. There are no guarantees, but I won't blame the organization if he chooses to go elsewhere. The Wings made their best pitch to get him. That alone should be enough.

Maybe we can pickup Jeff Finger while we are at it. I say pass.

Damn, I should have registered this account.

I fail to see how trading our leading goal scorer over the past two seasons at a modest $4 million in cap spending is going to make this team better. Aside from that, I have to agree with your list. The issue here is that Colo, White, Sammy, and Bert are all been sitting. The only one that could be moved or sat is Cleary, which would allow one young kid to come up and play. It isn't like you are making a move for a youth movement or anything here.

There is going to be a pretty gross overpayment for stars thats for sure. The NHLPA warned this would happen. The stars will get all the cash while the rest will go to scrubs. There won't be much of a middle class in hockey thats for sure. If Dats and Z were up for contract renewals today, they would sign for $8 million per year each easily.

I agree with you. It is going to be interesting to start tracking this kind of thing. Look at the Tampa Bay Lightning who have their future tied up between a couple different players. That gamble hasn't paid off yet either. The Blackhawks are doing pretty well with salaries tied up in Sharp, Toews, and Kane though. Every team is going to have strong points and weak points.