haroldsnepsts

I'm guilty of it too but it's just another example of how you can't read too much into what these guys say to the press. It's the actions that matter, not so much the quotes.

That's the head scratcher for me. I thought they said something about getting faster, instead they got slower and grittier. Old habits die hard I guess.

One of my problems with Kindl is that for him to look decent he has to play really sheltered minutes. Last time I looked it up he got the most offensive zone starts of any defenseman in the league. He may come out of the game smelling like a rose but it stretches our thin blueline even thinner, and they end up making gaffes.

What exactly are the Blues doing here? Didn't they just get bigger and slower? Have they made other moves this offseason?

This doesn't bode well for Holland getting rid of Kindl like I hoped. Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive 1m 1 minute ago Blashill also likes Kindl's abilities and wants to give him a chance to resurrect his career here.

Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive 1m 1 minute ago Couple notes from Jeff Blashill's availability: Said he likes Smith's offensive potential and will give him shot on PP (in camp) ...

Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive 3h 3 hours ago Holland: Richards might start as No. 1 center depending on Datsyuk's ankle. When Datsyuk healthy, Richards No. 2 center and Sheahan No. 3

I don't think it's a slam dunk deal. I've never been much of a Green fan but this defense desperately needs someone who can move the puck and be a threat offensively. Even if he was a 3rd pairing d-man who played miserably towards the latter part of the last season, Green still put up more points than any Red Wings defenseman. He also had more goals than any Red Wings defenseman. Even with his defensive shortcomings Green will hopefully help keep the Wings from getting pinned in their own zone for so long, in the way that Rafalski's long bomb outlet passes used to keep the other team's forecheck honest. And a right hander on the point who can actually fire a slapshot should definitely help. The Wings apparently plan to pair him with Dekeyser, who Babcock called the eraser because of how he fixed his partners mistakes. Hopefully that will help. But Green is also injury prone. Or his production might drop, and if he's not producing then it's certainly not worth his downsides. It's not so much that Green is a slam dunk as it is the defense so desperately needs what he hopefully would provide. Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive 3h 3 hours ago Holland said plan is to pair Green with DeKeyser.

Bob McKenzie ‏@TSNBobMcKenzie 5m 5 minutes ago Brad Richards' playoff bonus is $250,000 for winni

You need to post a source on statements like this.

I am too. And I can't see Richards coming here to be the third line center behind Sheahan. I mean, if I think of it as swapping Weiss for Richards it kind of seems like a win. But I wouldn't have considered this a pressing need relative to the blueline or scoring winger.

Hopefully any number available other than 90. EDIT: beat to the punch. I'm really surprised Green would accept shorter term. Good signing by Kenny. Hopefully Green stays healthy and this turns around some of the Wings UFA luck. The icing on the cake for this deal would be ditching Kindl.

For the right player no one on this team should be untouchable except Datsyuk and Zetterberg.

That occurred to me after I posted. I can't really think of a time I saw Smith with an impressive slapper. This team is definitely lacking in guys with good slapshots from the point. Smith's offensive strengths seem to come on the move carrying the puck, though that can also be a bit of a highwire act. Hopefully it's at least a little better? I'm a fan of DK, but I've seen him almost fall over trying to take a slapshot from the point. It probably is a case of if it ain't broke don't fix it since they had the 2nd best PP in the league last season. I'm mainly just curious to see how he'd do out there.

At the very least I'd like to see him get a chance on the PP. Dekeyser is reliable out there and makes nice passes but doesn't have a very good shot. And while Kindl (when he's going through his good phase) can get a shot through traffic, he's a major risk out there on the point. Could Smith really be worse?

Wow. It's starting to look like the rebuild in Toronto may be real this time. It's hard to know what to really make of players like Kessel and Phaneuf in the toxic environment that is Toronto, but even if it wasn't their fault, changing of the guard will hopefully change the culture in that lockerroom.

I thought it might be worth taking a chance on him last time for a one year deal to see if he could get it together on the Wings. At this point though, it's pretty clear he is what he is. No thanks.

That blog is actually pretty hilarious. He's so bitter he sounds like a jilted ex-girlfriend. If Holland signed a player to a 5 year $25 mill deal "against his better judgment but at Babcock's insistence," then Holland should fired. Not that Gave could possibly actually know that was the case anyway.

It's definitely opportunistic by the Kings, and if the rumors are true about Richards I'm guessing Lombardi is extra pissed after having a heart to heart with Richards last year and giving him another chance to get it together instead of using the buyout.

Honestly by making Weiss a winger I think he may have been trying to put him in a position to succeed by giving him less responsibility. Weiss simply wasn't good. It's telling that with a new coach coming in, Datsyuk injured, and no pressing cap issue, Holland still went ahead and bought out Weiss. I'm guessing Flip was up there too.

Hamilton's three years younger than DK as well, so it seems unlikely Dekeyser will overtake him as a player.

Like with Samuelsson, I think it was just that White's contract expired and Kenny understandably had zero interest in re-signing. I think the buyouts were just the three you mentioned, Cola, Tootoo, now Weiss. I didn't really see enough of Weiss in Florida to know if this was doomed from the start, but Holland's track record the last few seasons have not been great. Though he did ok last season in picking up Zidlicky and Cole.

No worries. Just want to make sure that all the trades and signings are legit. And props for actually putting "re-signed" and not "resigned."

source?

Please include sources when posting about signings and trades. Pierre LeBrun ‏@Real_ESPNLeBrun 34m 34 minutes ago Brendan Smith two year deal with Red Wings at $2.75 M aav