YoungGuns1340

How so? Both guys can still contribute. Especially Knuble. Greg Johnson was the walking dead when he was "signed".

By Dallas Drake, I mean a former Red Wing coming around for a 2nd tour of duty.

Draper, Maltby, and Holmstrom aren't going anywhere. Why is that so hard for people to understand? Not dumping veteran players who are past their prime is one of the reasons Detroit has been able to attract so many great veterans to the organization year after year. Not to mention, the media would be all over Detroit if they were to dump one of these guys - the last thing Detroit needs right now.

Hes not horrible defensively, but he isnt half of what Hossa is. And according to Sens fans, hes soft. No thanks.

Is that why they both had 3 points in the Finals? Crosby was as bad as Hossa offensively, worse defensively, and other worldly in terms of his immaturity.

I agree with most of what TheOwl said. 1. Too many players forwards playing on the PK to the point where it seems like a lot the guys that get PK time (Maltby, Franzen, Hossa) have gotten out of the habit of doing the little things right on the PK, simply because they play on the PK 45 seconds a game, instead of 2:45 seconds. 2. Too many top forwards focusing on defense instead of scoring. I loved Zetterberg's defensive work, but it got to the point where Franzen, Hossa, Filppula, Hudler, Datsyuk - the whole lot of them were more concerned about defending than they were about taking an offensive risk or two. 3. No. Third. Line. In the playoffs, this was rectified a bit, but during the regular season, and through portions of the playoffs (mainly due to the line juggling), the Wings would have 3 scoring lines, and the the Line of Futility. I'd like to see the Wings go back to having a bona fide 3rd line that hits, forechecks, cycles, and scores the odd goal. It makes no sense to be stacking the 3rd and 4th lines either with scoring forwards (Leino, Sammy, Hudler) or with pylons (Maltby, Draper, Kopecky). Kenny needs to find a couple more guys like Helm, and get back to having a 4 line team, where each line has its own role. Scoring. Secondary scoring. Energy. Utility.

Howard is contracted for less than Conklin was signed for. I'm simply putting together the roster that would be hypothetically be cheapest, as I can't see Conklin signing for a paycut, when he has warranted a pay raise.

Thats for putting out the fire, Doc. And yes, you have it right. When I said "flying off the handle", I was insinuating that the majority of folks on this board are ready to welcome Hossa back with open arms so quickly, that they haven't stopped to realize that its going to take more than Sammy, Hudler, and Kopecky to keep Hossa at 4M. That says nothing about Kenny Holland, but everything about the folks on here who are acting as if this is merely an exchange of Hudler and Sammy for Hossa. Hank(6.1) - Datsyuk(6.7) - Homer(2.25) Mule(4) - Filppula (3) - Hossa (4) Cleary (2.85) - Helm(.6) - Leino(.5) Draper(1.583) - Maltby(.88) - Minimum Wager(.5) Minimum Wager(.5) Lidstrom (7.5) - Raffi (6) Kronwall(3) - Stuart(3.75) Ericsson (.9) - Lilja(1.2) Lebda(.65) - Meech(.5) Osgood (1.4) Howard(.71) Total: 59.073 1. In this scenario, Leino takes a 375k paycut, which is unlikely to happen, but for the purpose of showing an instance where the Wings could cut corners... 2. At best in terms of salary, Lilja goes on LTIR next year, and Detroit gains 1.2M in cap space. If Lilja is healthy, then again, in terms of salary, Lebda would have to be traded, which I doubt would happen considering he only makes 150k more and is a significant upgrade over Meech. In short, AT BEST, if Lilja goes on LTIR and Leino takes a paycut, with Detroit cutting Sammy, Downey, Mac, Chelios, and Kopecky, and trading Hudler, then you're looking at 57.873 in salary. And thats assuming if Lilja starts the season on LTIR, that he stays on LTIR. And last but not least, this is with Hossa taking 4M, not 5M.

The only way the Wings have space is if Lilja goes on LTIR, and if thats the case, then Denis Gauthier would probably be the most sensible replacement in that kind of role. Slow, heavy, but hard-hitting and shot-blocking. 182 hits and 104 shot blocks in 65 games sounds about right. If Lilja goes on LTIR, and the Wings can get Gauthier for 1M or less, I think that would fit the bill.

Great post. I've said this same thing over, and over, and over again, and nobody seems to listen. Its going to take more than just "lose Sammy and Hudler and we're golden!" Glad someone else isn't flying off the handle about this. And its also nice to see someone recognize that our veteran players aren't going anywhere unless they themselves decide to.

Howard is ready for the NHL.

Crosby will be lucky to get an "A". "Bitterness aside" the reason Crosby wears the C is because the Pens are devoid of veteran leadership that ranks with the likes of Iginla, Sakic, or even Pronger, and because its part of a marketing scheme. Team Canada doesn't need Crosby's face to draw their team any attention.

How quick people are to forget how much whining Pittsburgh did last year (and this year as well). Its comical, really, to see all this stuff about how "classless" Detroit is. This, the organization that actually puts for the effort year in and year out, to compete, instead of bottom-feeding in the standings and the subsequent high picks; the organization that actually lets fans of other teams buy tickets to its hockey games; the organization that hands out Stanley Cup Rings to winners of Cups from decades past. The organization that treats its fallen employees as fallen family members. And above all, the organization that has players clamoring to wear their jersey year in and year out.

Maybe its that whole other part where Lappy is actually can hold down a regular roster spot, pot a few points, and plays a damn good PK?

I wonder if "snipers" Franzen and Hossa are feeling like s*** for not potting a god damn goal in 2 games where they had a chance to win the Stanley Cup. If theres one thing that pisses me of about Red Wings Country, its that whenever we get booted out of the playoffs, its never the forwards fault - always the defense or goaltenders.

Best showing since 2002. Hmm, seems to me that showing featured one of the two teams in the Finals this year as well.

This thread is a riot. Four pages of babble about Hossa taking $4M per, and yet the article cited is pure speculation, and the reality of the fact is that Hossa would actually have to accept a contract thats easily 2/3 of his worth, even in a penny-pinching future.

Homer is not going anywhere. I'll bet my family on that.

When he was young, injured, in the clutch and grab era, and surrounded by a bunch of lazy floaters. Yes.

I wanted the Wings to add Lappy at the deadline. Not only is he gritty and energetic, but his work on the PK for the Avs last year was phenomenal. He'd help out the PK in a lot of ways. He is everything Kopecky is supposed to be. Dump Kopay and sign up Lappy. Who cares if hes had a decent tenure with the Avs? Drake was the bane of Detroit's existance during his years with the Blues.

Leino has the talent of an NHL 2nd/3rd liner, and hes 26 years old. Theres nothing wrong with him saying no to Grand Rapids. He has every right to want to play with the big club.

You mean the excuses thread?

Hahaha. Thanks. Now, do you want Hossa back? Do you think Rafalski would waive his NTC to come to Atlanta?

1. False 2. You're an idiot. He signed with us TO WIN A CUP. He was the only one on the playing roster WITHOUT A CUP. He was the guy above all other guys that was SUPPOSED TO WANT IT MOST. He didn't. End of story. Pathetic display.

I'm not sad. I told everyone who would listen during the off-season that you cannot retain an entire cup-winning roster and expect to win back-to-back cups. The hunger will not be there. So right now, I'm feeling justified and ******* pissed that a collective group worth 56M couldn't pull this thing off.