RedWingAbner

If Conklin is in net, 4-1 Wings. Wings outshoot Predators 41-20. If Wasgood is in net, 6-5 Predators. Wings outshoot Predators 41-6.

Proposed trade idea....Ozzie lovers, stop reading now.....(I warned you) To MIN: Valterri Filppula, Brett Lebda, conditional draft pick To DET: Owen Nolan and Niclas Backstrom Conditions on pick: a 1st if Backstrom both wins the Cup and re-signs; a 2nd if he accomplishes either; a 3rd if he accomplishes neither. Rationale: The Wild pick up a defensive forward with offensive potential + defenseman with some speed. The Wings pick up a goalie with something to prove and a Drake-type forward for a run at the Cup (Essentially, he would take Kopecky's lineup spot). Cap considerations: Filppula makes $3M for 4 more years, Lebda $650K for 1 more year; Backstrom makes $3.1M UFA, Nolan $2.750M for 1 more year. The Wings current injury situation would allow for this to happen as they will have about $3-4M in full-season salary equivalent room at the deadline. Would you make this deal? Would Minnesota make this deal?

So don't post, dumbass. It's a trade proposal.

If standing pat is adding a top-4 defenseman (Stuart), then I am all for it.

I was wondering about that too. We need the cap space anyway come deadline time.

Dumbest Idea Ever

Yes, he's almost as good as Bill Ranford vs. Colorado in 99. Two games surely means he isn't washed up!

Ugh. Crosby hate is one thing. 9/11 was carried out by Osama bin Laden and his operatives. It's not the media that is "pushing that," it's a fact. To say otherwise is to further insult the victims' families by trying to make this a game of Clue. This isn't Area 51. It's ground zero. Get a life.

The thing with Filppula is that he's not amazing. That's not a knock. He's good defensively. He's decent offensively. He doesn't really hit much. Is that worth $3 mill? You can argue that he'd score more with more time. But when given that time, he's only a 40-50 point player, folks. He scored an amazing goal in the Finals. Thank him for that. However, salary cap constraints call for tough decisions. Do you really think it's worth losing a 40 goal scorer (Hossa) or a 30 goal scorer (Franzen--projected) for a guy who has great upside? Use that upside. You can't keep 'em all.

I don't see how that addresses a need. Samuelsson is Cole, just cheaper. (This season) Osgood for Roloson is a wash. Filpulla could be used to get something we need (banging forward, defenseman)

The thing that epitomizes Legace to me is at the All-Star game a few years back. It was his first season in St. Louis; the broadcasters had him mic'd up. A shot from a big bomber (maybe Souray?) wizzed past him and went wide. Paraphrasing: The announcers said, "What'd that look like to you, Manny" Manny: "I don't know. I close my eyes on shots like that and just hope it hits me." Announcers: (laughing) "Do you do that often?" Manny: "It's my first reflex on hard shots to close my eyes; I've just always done it." I remember thinking, WTF.

This team scares me on so many levels. We need a goalie and a defenseman. I don't care if we have 9 "NHL Defensemen." Chelios is done; Kronwall has done his best 2001 Larry Murphy impression this year, and Rafalski seems a step slower.

I see the Osgood supporters point. Ozzie was awesome in the playoffs, so that means he'll be awesome again. Phew! Come to think of it, Chris Chelios should be good for about 45 points, Kris Draper can score 20 goals or so, and Darren McCarty can do it all-- a true power forward. Newsflash, Ozzie fans. Players go fast. Ozzie, regardless of how many games he's played this season, has sucked in about 99% of them. He's finished and is hanging on because he hasn't realized it yet. He's a great guy who did great things, but he's done. But hey, he's undefeated in July, and in games where he doesn't play, he hasn't given up a regulation goal. Stop using ridiculous stats to prop him up. Face reality.

Is this Derick Helm at least as good as Darren Helm?

To DET: Jason Smith and Chris Neil To OTT: Valtteri Filppula and 3rd Round Pick My thoughts: It is pointless to keep Filppula at $3M hoping he becomes (production wise) what Franzen already is. Essentially, you have an option here-- let him go now and use the "take" to benefit your playoff run, or swap him at the draft for a pick. Let's say Neil and Smith both walk (as they are UFAs). I'm ok with that if it helps us keep Franzen and Hudler while allowing us to roll with some depth in the playoffs. BTW, this is a cap-doable trade, and the incoming (abour $3.9 million) would be allowable if we subtracted Filppula and made this trade close to the cap (it would also, if completed at the deadline, leave about $900k to play with.

I think the best part of this is the salary-cap savings. No offense to Stuart (or Lidstrom for that matter) but having some big ticket guys out saves us cash every day, therefore paving the way to acquire someone more than a depth player at the deadline. For instance....if Stuart/Lids were healthy now, played through, and then got injured at the start of the playoffs, we'd be looking at Meech/Lebda/Ericsson. However, with some savings here and there, maybe we can bring in a decent guy in the UFA year of a $2-2.5 mill contract.

The NHL is missing out on a golden opportunity. Instead of the short stupid one's obsession with Cindy, why is the NHL not pumping Ovechkin as the savior of this sport? Consider: 1) People get more excited about goals than assists. No offense to the great passers, but people don't sing about Gretzky's 160+ in a season. It's a great accomplishment. But, the refrain is always "92 won't be touched" or "he's not close to the pace to shatter Gretzky's 92, but he'll end up in the high 50's or 60's. Ovechkin scores goals. More importantly, Ovechkin scores goals-- and loves it. Crosby's goal totals: 39-36-24-17* (as of 1/25) Ovechkin's goal totals: 52-46-65-31* (as of 1/25) 2) Ovechkin is a better offensive talent. Crosby tore it up in the Q. Woopee. In the NHL, he's an elite talent, but not the best offensive force in the game. He is not even the best talent on his team (Malkin). Ovechkin, on the other hand, was not joined by an all-star talent in Washington until Semin broke out. 3) Ovechkin is a showman. He can sell the game in two languages; his ability to win a crowd is amazing. Crosby is a milktoast, canned response pansy. You know what happens when someone interviews Ovechkin? I watch. I usually end up laughing a few times. You know what happens when someone interviews Crosby? I pause it after questions and can predict his response, verbatim. 4) Country of origin is no longer a major concern. The NHL used to be a North American league, and that's why Crosby is being pushed. Newsflash: The NHL has players from major powers (Canada, US, Russia, Sweden, Finland, Czech Republic, Slovakia) and is growing in non-traditional talent (players from Austria, Switzerland, France, Slovenia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Ukraine, to name some). Ovechkin is a guy that we can trot out around the world and sell the NHL as a truly international product. Crosby is boring in every language. 5) Ovechkin likes chicks. Crosby....doubtful. (Just kidding....maybe)

Some of you make a good point that more than 1 player needs to be marketed. However, the face of the game is one guy-- Crosby-- and it should be Ovechkin. BTW, Crosby found out about this post and Gary Bettman suspended me from watching one game.

Did anyone catch Hotstove where Al Strachan said if GM goes bankrupt, the Red Wings are done? I believe it was Ron McLean who then said (jokingly) that they could go to Kitchener. Thoughts?

Does anyone know of a shuttle from Miami Beach to the arena? My wife and I bought tickets and couldn't rent a car (my wife, the driver, requires hand controls). I know taxis are a possibility but that could run in upwards of $120. We are staying at the Essex House Miami Beach.

He implied that there was some misrepresentation of fact, thus, I must be an Obama supporter. I think that is a pretty clear indictment. Beside the point though. My original post was correct, Strachan said what he said and I have seen a few posts reiterating it.

I'm surprised as an obvious McCain supporter that you know how to use the internet. Nothing was out of context. Just paraphrased. Are you Sarah Palin?

Ranford wasn't acquired in the Clark deal. It was a separate transaction with Tampa for futures; Holland made four separate trades that day.

Kindof an aside, but screw the Oilers and Kevin Lowe. If you want to talk about an organization that has degraded hockey, it's that one. How is it that an organization who utilizes a loophole to sign (as a free agent) the greatest player of all-time away WITHOUT HIM BEING DRAFTED going to complain about how any team lands players? More recently, I distinctly remember the Oilers bitching and whining that "big market teams, waaaaaa, they overpay and we lose our players, waaaaaa, we need a cap to keep our own players." We lost a year of hockey so the Oilers could then trade away their captain Ryan Smyth, as well as jettison Chris Pronger (not a money issue specifically, but it shows that big market is not the reason people don't play in EDM), only to see the Oilers hand out those ridiculous offer sheets last year. f*** the Oilers. f*** Kevin Lowe. I'm not a Burke fan, but Jesus-- how many Cups would Kevin Lowe would've won if he wasn't the #3 defenseman on a hockey dynasty? Probably 0. How many has he won as a GM? 0. What a stupid prick.

We are not morons/the Colorado Avalanche organization. We will not do it.