Dabura

You're not playing fair. If we're going to include Semin, it's not Ryan Vs. Filppula + future players + Semin - it's Ryan potentially+ Semin Vs. Filppula + future players potentially+ Semin. The two Semins cancel, and what we're left with is Ryan Vs. Filppula + future players. Players like Flip are rare. Players like Ryan are just as - if not more - rare. Filppula is sort of the prototypical 21st-Century Wing. Bobby Ryan is a 25-year-old power-forward, one of the premier forwards in the game today. He's got, what, something like five straight 30+-goal seasons under his belt - and he's only 25. We don't have anyone like him in our system. We're not going to draft someone like him. Here's opportunity knocking. Again, I like Flip. So I'm honestly not trying to be just a plain old jerkoff when I ask: How many goals did he score against the Predators in our first-round exit? And is the answer not a wee bit troubling?

And who's to say we can't have Ryan and Semin? Does trading for Ryan rule us out for Semin?

Semin can score. When he feels compelled to. That's it. He's lazy, underachieving, soft, plays weak-at-best D, etc. Ryan is good for at least 30 goals, guaranteed (barring injury). He's a physical power-forward. He hits. He plays a good two-way game. He blocks shots. He's got great hands. He's 25. Every other team in the NHL has the Wings' top-sixers figured out (or, at least, they know in theory what you need to do to shut them down). Box them out to the perimeter, rush and rattle them, take away their time and space, outmuscle them. We need a guy (or two) who's going to help fix that by giving our top-6 a new dimension (or two). Semin would be content to take shots from the perimeter, just like all our current "scorers." True, he's got a great shot, but I'd prefer a guy who'll bulldoze through the front door instead of slinging pebbles at the windows. I like Flip. But I'm not sure why so many here would sooner sacrifice their first-born child to Satan than see Flip traded. "Crosby, Malkin, and Eric Staal for Franzen - ok. But only if it's Franzen. If they're asking for Filppula - forget it. He is a wing for life. He has [glittertext]Alternate Captain Potential[/glittertext]." I'm not trying to get down on the guy. It's just, Filppula + a couple prospects + a pick is absolutely worth it for Bobby Ryan (provided Smith isn't one of the prospects. Though even then I'd at least consider it.)

Link? Ryan >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Semin

You forgot the trade deadline. "We like our team. Because of parity, every team in the playoffs has the same probability of winning it all. Just look at the Kings last year. I think there's also a feeling that we're an underdog; no one seems to be picking us to get past the second round, if that. I think that has us extra-motivated to go the distance." (Out in the first round, in six games.)

Ryan is absolutely the better option.

Thanks, that what I thought. Wonder if Kenny's looked into Lucic. He's not officially on the block, but, like Ryan, his name has popped up now and then and here and there over the last couple of years.

Is this a really new development? Last I heard, it was the other way around (i.e. that Nash is the pipe dream and Ryan could be had for something not entirely ridiculous).

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1251612-nhl-2012-free-agency-who-is-the-better-fit-for-the-red-wings-ryan-or-nash ^^^ That.

Bobby Ryan plz.

Our top-6 is crap.

I hope we hang on to Mursak.

DO WANT

What if we make 'em think we want Kane but then we steal Wheeler. The ol' bait and switch. Didn't see that one coming, eh, Winnipeg?

Gan Dirardi.

We need to make a trade. Or two. Thoughts. Ideas. Angles. Go.

We need him.

COUGHgirardiCOUGH

I think this might be the best post of this young offseason.

Says the Wild fan in disguise.

Good move.

Yandle it is....

Good stuff.

Isn't that the idea, though? That he could've/should've anticipated the situation? I'm not bagging on him, but...I don't see the issue with asking what's up with us being in this D hole. I think he's great at his job. Hell, he's amazing, straight up. So what gives? What gives is, I think, he slipped up a bit.