Dabura

Fair enough. I got the sense, though, that he really wanted to stay a Leaf. Granted, if that was the case, he probably should have manned up and faced the facts so as to avoid the situation he's currently in.

ZDH is the most dominant line in hockey; there's absolutely zero need to break it up. Before Hossa was signed, the second line was not where it should have been. Now, with the addition of Hossa, Flip -- a playmaker by trade -- will be flanked by two monstrous goal-scorers. I don't think it's a stretch to say that line could be the 1b to ZDH's 1a; it would be fast, physically imposing, full of finesse, and defensively sound. Unless something weird happens, I see Hossa playing with Hank and/or Dats only on the PP and in very special situations.

Canada's got speed, moves, size, strength -- and absurdly absurd scoring prowess.

[sALARY ARBITRATION] Holland: Flip, at this stage in your career, we think you're worth no more than 3.5. Flip: Yes but *pops VHS into TV, puts SCF goal on a loop* Holland: ...OK, that's all well and good, but-- Flip: --*pumps up volume* Holland: -___- Flip: -___-

I've got to think ZDH + Mule-Flip-Hossa will be the standard double-whammy. And while I don't expect it to lead to any scoring titles, it's going to be one hell of a top-6. I mean seriously. That's just absolutely ludicrous.

Good pick. His rapport with Hossa is a nice bonus.

Canada, easily.

I should add: ...unless we're talking Dallas and/or SJ. Does anyone know if they've expressed interest?

I honestly wouldn't be too surprised if he took a year off. He's said he doesn't want to be a late-season pickup, and it sounds like he doesn't like his options for this season -- current and foreseeable. If he's thinking along the lines of "one last run," I could see him holding out until next offseason, when his suitors may very well be different than the ones he's looking at now (none of which will go all the way this year, even with Sundin's services).

The Art Ross is a big long shot; his back will probably flare up at some point, the Wings' scoring will be more spread out, and really: his game is more than mad-crazy point totals. It's the two-way game he focuses on, and I'm content to watch him do so.

I just don't like seeing people like him in positions like his. He's a quality guy. As a hockey player, he's still got a ton of fight left in him.

Yeah, that was cute. I initially thought it might be self-deprecation of some kind, but I think he's actually shooting straight.

To be honest, I kind of feel bad for the guy. Montreal, Vancouver, New York -- I'm sorry, but if he's in Cup-or-bust mode right now, he's almost definitely looking down the barrel of "bust" no matter which of his top suitors he sides with.

Basically. I like how his whole shtick is about having perspective and intelligence, but Hossa's decision on where he would play his hockey in 2008-09 was a strange one. I may just be out of touch, but I don't think Hossa's decision was "strange." Unconventional, maybe. But strange? Strange would have been signing a one-year, 7.4 deal with Columbus.

This.

I actually don't care much for him. But he's good for the team; he's almost never given "the benefit of the doubt," but he works hard and puts up solid numbers despite this. He's only looking at fourth-line duty here because this roster's so absurdly stacked.

There are some good ones sprinkled throughout the crap.

Who's going to take it from him? Pronger would have to put together an extremely tight, consistent season, which I don't think he's capable of doing at this point in his career. Phaneuf would have to play absolutely out of his mind; he's good, but nowhere near Nick "Norris" Lidstrom good. Nidermayer may get some sympathy votes, what this this being his "final season" and all. But that won't be enough. Brian Campbell? Seriously? I think the only potential threat is what someone referred to earlier as "Lidstrom fatigue" on the part of the voters.

So now you're categorically calling my posts useless crap? I apologize for anything I did to derail this thread. I like to think I've made some decent points throughout the carnage, though. o wellz~

There goes any shot they had at establishing a dynasty.

You'll survive. There's always lockage and banination. I'm fine with either if it's for the...uh, greater good.

How's your money, by the way?

Here's your original reply: Your next reply: You completely missed my original point(s), instead preferring to go off on some meat head tangent about Gary "The Fist" Roberts and how he could totally kick Pavel's ass and how I totally know it and what Pavel was doing was, like, totally not enforcing because, like, GARY ROBERTS!!1 You're thinking in black-and-white -- e.g., Datsyuk is not a fighter, Roberts is TOUGH-AS-NAILZ. It doesn't matter. It certainly didn't matter then, because Datsyuk -- lightweight or not -- stepped in and sent a message, and Roberts didn't try another cheapshot like the one he pulled on Mule again. I keep pointing out the cheapshot because I find it amusing that you'd pull the "to be fair" card on Roberts' behalf, when, in fact, if anyone was robbed of "fairness," it was Mule. "Well hey man, it's a rough game. So there." Well hey man, Pavel was probably saying the same thing when he was socking Roberts with haymakers. But yeah, you're right -- totally not enforcing, totally not fair. It's these double-standards I'm attacking, y'see.

Special assistant to the vice-president, you say? coughALLABOARDTHEMARKETINGTRAINcough

I'll disregard your advice and stick with my point, thanks. If someone's going to insult my intellect, I'd like for that someone to at least have a handle on the basic tenets of English grammar. If that makes me a "cee oh cee kay," then lube me up, baby! ASDFkhwvqwsomethingGANGSTA, Kudos for going to college and being wealthy. Very few young, loaded Americans go to college, so believe me when I say I have the utmost respect for you. As for your ramblings about Roberts -- honestly, I don't care all that much. You thought it necessary to point out a few posts back that I wasn't giving Roberts "due props" or whatever, as Datsyuk totally would have lost had Roberts been operating at, like, TOTAL MAXIMUM POWER (GRRR). I thought it necessary to basically piss on this point's figurative face because all it was really doing was inviting fight fan circle-jerking (e.g. "Remember that time Roberts was, like, shooting lightning from his eyes? Too bad Holland's too much of a ***** to get some guy with lightning eyes, nawmean?") as well as honoring exactly the kind of s*** Holland tries to steer clear of (which, in turn, is one of the big reasons this club is competitive year in and year out). Roberts is a punk-ass ***** who took a shot to the back of a headcase's head. I therefore don't give a damn that he would've beaten Datsyuk in a fair fight. All that matters is that Datsyuk got the upper hand -- and rather literally, at that. No, Datsyuk didn't instill fear in Roberts, but Roberts didn't try s*** like that again for the rest of the series, which is all you want out of an enforcer's work anyway. If all of this strikes you as being so terribly "irrelevant," then you shouldn't have made that point about Dats and Roberts in the first place. Aaron Downey -- he's good for the locker room, good for morale. He's not a very imposing enforcer, though. Nor is he good enough to log any minutes in the postseason (dude's a huge liability. I'm sorry, but it's true.) Nor is he, then, essential; this team marched through the entire postseason without him. ("But they wouldn't have done as well in the regular season without him!" zomg!!1) Of course, I don't see why this debate's being had in the first place. One or both of Mac and Downey will likely be back. It's not like Holland's said, "WE'RE GOIN' SOFT! WAHOO!" It's important to realize, though, that players like Downey occupy the lowest rung on the roster totem pole. NN has said it, and I'll say it again because it's a great point: it's no coincidence that Bowman -- the Ultimate Coach, period -- favored "soft" teams.