YoungGuns1340

...and Kopecky at offense.

Now THATS an energy line. Wow.

With 29 points, Hudler nearly has Filppula doubled up.

Hudler and Cleary are awesome together. That was an interesting line of Datsyuk, Hudler, and Cleary.

I'm pretty sure they were ONE point ahead of us at some point that season during the first half, but I don't think they were ever any further ahead than that.

No. It IS Impossible that all three of them can come back. Re-signing all three of them is basically us going out and adding 7M dollars worth of payroll to our current team.

You think Detroit is still going to put all their effort into going after Franzen and Hossa July 1st when huge offers are going to be thrown at them? The beauty of free agency is that you more or less know how things are going to pan out in terms of who's going to re-sign and whos going to test the market BEFORE July 1st. If Franzen is going the Stuart route and just has to get a few kinks figured out on the dawn of the free-market, thats one thing. But if hes taking the Mathieu Schneider approach and is going after the highest bidder from a decent team, you can be damn sure Holland is going to be considering his other options. You don't lose two goal scorers (yes, Hossa is gone, hes not going to take several million less to stay with the Wings just because we're the Wings) and go into July 1st not thinking about who your back-up options are. Same thing with Sammy, although replacing him is a much easier issue. Somewhere lost in all this is the fact that guys like Hossa, Franzen, and Sammy all have a choice in the matter as to whether or not they stay or go. I think Holland is the best GM in the NHL, but you simply don't sit around asking players to take several million dollars less to stay with your team and expect them to do so. Its nice to believe "Franzen isn't going anywhere" but it was just a few years ago that Franzen was trying to squeeze a few extra bucks out of Holland late in the season as an RFA. I'm surprised no one seems to remember that.

Did I miss the part where this thread was about who we definitely think and know Holland is going to sign. This is about who we WANT. Cool it with the knee-jerk ego-inflating criticism. 1. Leino has to be re-signed 2. Hudler is not going to be traded when we can take him to arbitration. 3. Abdelkader is not ready to join the NHL and will not make the team. 4. Franzen "not going anywhere" is not a decision that is left to Holland alone. 5. If you're familiar with the players I suggested, then you would know the difference between signing a guy like Cole (whos gonna be coming off a terrible year) and Cammy is fairly substantial financially speaking, and as such, would be accounted for under a cap.

I take it you're not very familiar with the East this year. The only reason the East doesn't have 70% of the top 10 teams is because at least 3 - maybe 4 - great teams play in the same conference. Philly, Pittsburgh, the Rags, and even a Brodeur-less Devils team are awesome this year. I'd put any of Philly, Pitts, or NYR even or ahead of Chicago in terms of dominance - and thats the West's 3rd best team for all intents and purposes...which is not even including Boston and Montreal. If you look at the West, its 3 teams deep. If you look at the East, its 5-7 teams deep depending on how much leeway you give to the Devils and Caps given their inverse positions in the standings. The fact that Boston is doing well in a division that is better than ours (top to bottom) says a lot.

There isnt a snowballs chance in hell that Chicago is better than Boston, and I wouldn't even say Detroit is better than Boston either. They are most definitely for real. Easily the best team in the East - bar none. I would put them right up there with San Jose. They're basically a team that is maturing at the right time. You name it, they have it. Awesome offense, energy, defense, goaltending, great system, a coach that works for them - they're that well-oiled machine that spells playoff success. If it weren't for them being such a young, inexperienced team playoff-wise, I'd say they have a better chance than Detroit does to win the Cup this year. They remind me a LOT of the Pens last year.

Can't talk for long, just popped in to check out the GDT and MAN, as Datsyuk goes, so do the Wings. As Lidstrom goes, so do the Wings. Basically, if Datsyuk and Lidstrom are playing their game, the rest of the team follows (more or less).

With the cap possibly going down, GMs wanting multiple years on the contract - at least 5 - and with crazy offers like those to Malone, Gomez, and Drury bombing big time, no GM is going to throw 10M at Zetterberg. 9M I could see, but not 10.

I'm not a big fan of Crosby, although hes impressed me more and more as his career has gone on in terms of his offensive talent. All I have to say, though, is that the Yzerman/Crosby comparisons have to stop here. Steve never would have been the 2nd man in punching with his gloves on. I'd rather see Sid make someone's heart stop from a wicked slapper or something.

Lebda is replaced by Ericsson Samuelsson is replaced by Grier, Bernier, Burrows, or Lundqvist Kopecky is replaced by Neil, Moen, Nichol, or Orr Chelios is replaced by cap space. If we lose Franzen, then Cole, Knuble, or Cammy. And Helm can take Hossa's roster spot, not his spot in the line-up though.

Im pretty sure Sundin WAS waiting for the Rags to clear cap space recently, but I see your point. I've lost respect for him. A Vancouver Canucks team with Sundin still doesn't scare me much.

Yeah. It kinda pisses me off that much more, knowing what this team could do if they brought it even half the time.

I always maintained that this team could win every game with a full effort. Every game. But its a question of motivation. Lets face it. Its a lot easier to get up for a team that is currently considered the best in the league, and is doing so with McLellan on the bench. Thats motivation for our squad, and for Babcock as well. I'm sure he didn't want people to start thinking McLellan was pulling the strings behind the cup. As for whether or not the Wings can continue this, I doubt they will in such a dominating fashion. But I think this will earn us some wins with 2+ goal differentials. Ultimately, I still think the Wings need to make some space for one or two guys who can remind the team that not everyone has had such a fulfilling career and that you need to work hard for your wins.

Damn. Thats something we haven't seen all season. Can't believe I missed 90% of this game.

Thats sick. Hopefully we can build on it. Hopefully the Wings realize how much easier the game is when you play well defensively.

Sweet. I'm happy Datsyuk was able to dominate his game. I was starting to wonder about him. Awesome time to come through. Even if San Jose was tired, this is one score you just can't deny. No doubt the fact that San Jose is crowning itself the King of the league right now had an effect on how well we played. Motivation and desire - its been our problem all year, but not tonight.

The fact that its 6-0 is awesome, but I want to hear more about the shutout. Did we really shut San Jose down or was luck on there side?

Can someone tell me how the game has gone? I've only caught the last 5 or 6 minutes here.

Man, I should go to christmas parties more often! We are lighting these guys up! Can someone give me a rundown of the game? Awesome defense? The superstars played like superstars? Whats the deal. 4 points for Datsyuk? Damn. Thats it Pavs!

Check out this thread entitled "Ducks Lacking Passion", posted here circa April of 2008: http://www.letsgowings.com/forums/index.ph...&hl=pronger And an ironic quote from an LGWer: It's not crazy to assume that this a similar thing can happen in Detroit if changes aren't made.

Rafalski's contract - essentially the NTC part of it - screws us over way more than Lilja or Stuart's contracts do. Stuart is getting bashed more than he should. Hes not an especially smart player, thats the reason hes a #4 Dman. But he brings a great element to our game.