Yzerman191

The only way Thomas doesn't return to Boston is if he gets a truly ridiculous offer (which isn't unheard of) that they simply cannot afford to match. He really has no reason to leave though; he's on a good team, he's going to make big bucks either way, and he's got a great defensive system in front of him to make his job a little easier.

If Osgood can't regain his prior form I actually wouldn't mind the Red Wings going for another goalie in the off-season. That's our achilles heel; we've got the offense, we've got the defense, but our goaltender can't compete if the guy across the rink gets hot (one of my biggest fears in the playoffs). However, without moving a player, we're going to have a hard enough time resigning Hudler, Franzen/Hossa (not including both), Leino, and Helm (by my count, that's at least 8M any way you look at it). There are some pretty interesting names out there though: Fernandez, Thomas, Khabibulan, Roloson, Anderson, and Backstrom are all UFAs.

I don't know; a few great games by Datsyuk, and a few off games by Malkin and they could be neck-and-neck. It's definitely unlikely, but it's a nice thought.

Terrible game by the 'Wings, and a terrific game by the Wild. If they can finish off their season playing like that every night then they're a lock for the playoffs. I think it's a little hasty to say Howard isn't NHL material. He has yet to have a great game, but tonight shouldn't be the nail in the coffin. His team played terrible in front of him, and the other team just played with too much desire. Flip and Datsyuk also had a pretty rough game. Leino, on the other hand, played great. He's a keeper for sure.

I agree that it's unnecessary to bring Osgood's name into this conversation. Those who do so are only provoking a flame war.

Why does Flip have more ice time than any other forward? He's looked terrible thus far. I've noticed three bad plays so far. To his defense, the whole team looks terrible.

Those are three of the less-important stats when considering the Norris candidates, IMO. First of all, +/- is an absolute joke. Second of all, points are definitely important in considering the Norris winners, but the trophy is still awarded to the best DEFENSEMAN. Sure, the winners usually put up some solid points, but they always have well above average defensive play. Green will not win it this year. Probably soon, but I just can't see it happening. It's like awarding the Selke to Ovechkin; sure, his offense is great! However, he's only mastered half of the skills required to win the trophy. I'm not positive Lidstrom will win it like years previous. I think a lot of it depends on how the season finishes, and whether his play declines or improves. I think, for sure, he'll be a finalist; if for no other reason, then he'll be a finalist based on reputation alone. However, people are so quick to point out all these other plays for the Norris: Chara, Green, etc. The thing that these guys have in common is that they make themselves noticeable. Green puts up tons of points, Chara hits and has a cannon of a shot. Lidstrom simply goes out, plays shutdown defense against every team's best player, and does it without being noticed. That's what's so respectable about him.

I think the roster stays mostly intact at this point in the season. Holland has repeatedly said that he's not in the market for a goaltender, despite our current situation. If a trade needs to happen to fit under next season's salary cap, I think it'll take place after the post-season. I seriously doubt a guy like Flip is moved before a legit playoff run. I bet we go for some defensive depth, or maybe a Drake-like player.

No surprise you had no response to the rest of his post, ESAD. Pretty typical of you. Anyways, this game wasn't lost because of goaltending, lack of an enforcer, or lack of talent. I think it was simply a lack of effort and sloppy play. Sure, Osgood had one you could really blame on him, but he had at least three or four that should've been goals. For some reason, and I have no stats to back this up, it seems like the defense simply plays better in front of Conklin.

http://www2.canada.com/windsorstar/news/sp...1f7c67f&p=1 I thought that was a pretty cool read. It pretty much states exactly what many of us have been saying this season. It also has a few quotes from Babcock, pretty much assuring that Datsyuk and Zetterberg will stay together as long as nothing changes.

If you can't distinguish between the two eras yourself enough to see the difference then none of us has any business arguing with you, micah. Anyways, what Clutterbuck did was definitely consistent with the definition of a charge. The guy saw the opportunity from a mile away, put his foot on the gas, and didn't let up. That sort of thing is dangerous. Say Lebda turns his back to Clutterbuck, for example. He can't possibly slow down in time, and he has no chance of moving out of the way. Hits like that have no place in the modern-day NHL.

Being a part of this organization for so long, Yzerman definitely knows what wins championships in today's NHL. With that said, tremendous defense has been a characteristic of almost every champion for over a decade. I think you'll definitely see players like Thornton, Richards, Getzlaf, and Savard - all of whom are very good defensively. Also, even though Crosby isn't a great two-way player by any means, I have a hard time believing he won't be there. Marleau is another guy who is great at both ends of the ice, and may earn a spot. I'll probably be rooting for Russia and Sweden. I don't feel any obligation to root for team USA. However, I'd love to see some of our 'Wings (Zetterberg, Lidstrom, Holmstrom, Datsyuk, etc.) get a gold medal. And man, I love the Russian style of play; the potential lines are insane when you have guys like Kovalchuk, Malkin, Datsyuk, Ovechkin, Kovalev, Semin, etc. I think for a well-rounded line-up, they'd be wise to pair one of their natural playmakers (Datsyuk and Malkin) with one of their natural goal scorers (Kovalchuk and Ovechkin).

Franzen is a better goal scorer, has a bigger body, and is great around the net (no where near as good as Holmstrom though). With that said, I sometimes question his work ethic, his defensive play, and his puck-moving abilities. Overall I think Hudler is the better player. Franzen has hands of gold, but Hudler also has the same problem that Datsyuk had in his first few seasons; he just doesn't shoot enough. He's got a tremendous shot, and could put up quite a few goals if he had some capable linemates (Hossa, now that Zetterberg and Datsyuk are back together) and some more ice time. He has greatly improved his skating, and I never question his work ethic. He's also defensively sound, and keeps himself out of the penalty box. And the biggest thing, IMO, is that Hudler is only 25 years old (compared to Franzen, who is 30). And just to throw some stats out there, Franzen plays 5 minutes more than Hudler every game, on average. Hudler is ahead of Franzen by 10 points with 8 more games played. Even without those 8 games, Franzen has played 822 minutes, whereas Hudler has played 722 minutes.

Absolute LOWEST at 5-5.25M? No GM in their right mind is going to hand Franzen a 6M+ contract after one year of top-six goal scoring. Especially due to the fact that he's almost 30 years old, he's not proven he can be consistent (one year isn't enough for me), he has yet to prove he can stay healthy, and he isn't good for much else aside from goals. I'd say your low range would be most GMs high range. The only contract I can see in support of this would be Ryan Malone, but that offer was from Tampa Bay, and I'm not sure their management even knows what sport they're involved in.

I'm curious as to some others' predictions for the individual awards. I think: Richard: Ovechkin, of course. Best goal scorer in the league by a landslide. Art Ross: Malkin. This guy is an absolute beast. Both Ovechkin and Crosby could potentially snag it, but I don't think any of the others get enough ice time to catch up. AO has the tendency to catch fire towards the end of the season and go on an absolute tear, so I could still see him catching up if he does. However, if the award goes to a Penguin, I can't see Crosby beating out Malkin for it. Vezina: Mason, but my guess is as good as yours. Unlike recent years, it doesn't appear that any of the top goalies (statistic-wise) are going to play more than 55 games. Also, both Brodeur and Luongo suffered injuries that nullifies their chances at winning another Vezina. Mason has a phenomenal save percentage, GAA, and win-loss record, but he's only on pace to play about 60 games, at most. Thomas is another guy I could see getting some strong consideration. Norris: Lidstrom. The fact that he can see the other up-and-coming D-men in his rear-view mirror doesn't negate the fact that he's still ahead of them. Chara and Green will both get consideration, but as long as Lidstrom's play doesn't drop off towards the end of the season, he'll take his 7th Norris, tying him for second overall. Hart: One of Ovechkin, Malkin, or Crosby has the best chance at taking the Hart. As much as we all wish people would stop underrating Datsyuk (who has slightly less points than AO with much less ice time and much better defensive play), I don't think the sports writers will vote Datsyuk above Crosby or AO. Pearson: Ovechkin. Selke: Datsyuk. Calder: Mason. Rarely does a rookie goaltender come into the league with such a high level of performance. Lady Byng: Datsyuk. Jack Adams: Dare I say, Todd McLellan? So what do you all think?

I think Lidstrom still takes it. His play hasn't been bad, he's just been more average than in years previous. However, oftentimes reputations play a huge role in deciding award winners, and Lidstrom's reputation as the best is still widely held. The closeness between Lidstrom and his nearest competition, coupled with his reputation as the best leads me to believe he takes his seventh (also his last) Norris this Summer. If Lidstrom doesn't take it, I can't see Green taking it. The award is, after all, still about defense, which is an aspect of Green's game that is heavily lacking. Chara takes it if Lidstrom doesn't. That's the same reason why I think Datsyuk won't get much Hart consideration. He's just widely underrated around the league. Malkin, Crosby, and Ovechkin all probably stand a better chance than Datsyuk does, regardless of how they finish in point totals.

Shedding Flip's salary would, in theory, make it possible to retain Hossa for 6M, resign Hudler (~3M), Leino (~1M), Helm (.5M), and have a solid backup goaltender (.7M). It would also perhaps leave enough room for another gritty role player. While I still think Flip has a lot of unlocked potential, Hudler and Leino both do as well. And if Flip is a casualty in our quest to keeping Hossa, so be it.

I don't know where you get your numbers LeftWinger, but Hudler will NOT make more than Franzen. Hudler is a RFA, and teams aren't exactly handing out offer sheets left and right, especially because the Red Wings would match any reasonable offer sheet. Hudler has no where near the bargaining power that Franzen has, and still has years left to make the big bucks if that's his motive. Worst case scenario, Hudler takes the Red Wings to salary arbitration (which has a history of dishing out some pretty conservative salaries). Franzen, on the other hand, doesn't have much time left to make the big bucks. And while staying on a successful team may be worth ~1M/yr less, Franzen hasn't seen anything but what many experts call the "model franchise." He's also on pace for over 35 goals, and he's one of the few players that ever hit the market which resemble a modern-day power forward. Also, with Hossa the numbers don't quite add up. That's a fact. Another fact is that Holland has always pulled off these miracles and found a way to make the numbers work. Perhaps Maltby or Draper retires, perhaps Flip is moved, etc. Regardless, if Hossa is signed, I guarantee Holland will find a way to make it work. Also, what is so bad about Hudler, LW? I can't see why so many people are so quick to ship him off.

Hossa is without a doubt more skilled than Franzen. If that rumored 6M is true, there should be no doubt in Holland's mind as to who he should sign. Throughout Hossa's entire career, he's proven he can stay healthy (moreso than Zetterberg, who signed a 12 year contract). He's also proven himself to be a point-per-game player, and one capable of just as many goals as Franzen is. There's also no doubt as to which of the two is the more defensively-responsible player. Also, I'm assuming last year dispelled all of the critics of Hossa's play in the post-season. Franzen, on the other hand, is only a year younger than Hossa and hasn't proven to be nearly the player Hossa is. He has yet to play an 82 game season (he played 80 games in his first season, but has missed at least 10 games in each season after that), and still hasn't even reached a full calendar year of top-six-forward skill. I've been an advocate for resigning Hudler, Franzen, and Leino, but if Hossa is really obtainable for 6M/yr then I can't really make an argument for keeping Mule. Hossa just offers skills so similar to that of Datsyuk and Zetterberg, and you get so much more for your money (assuming Hossa is only a couple million over Franzen). If Hossa signed for 6M, we'd have Datsyuk, Zetterberg, and Hossa for a combined total of 18.78M (compared to Crosby and Malkin's combined 17.4M). Not a bad deal.

Rafalski has a NTC. A NTC prevents a player from being traded, but not from being waived. Am I on to something here? In all seriousness, getting rid of Rafalski wouldn't solve much. We've (fans, coaches, and players) concluded that defense is this year's problem, not offense. The only reason we'd get rid of a guy like Rafalski would be to sign a better defenseman at a better value.

Too many people think they know both players' intentions. While it's apparent that Franzen is going to want to be paid, as this is his only shot, who says he'll command 5M? I mean, 3.5-4M cap hit over the rumored 5-8 year deal of Franzen's isn't exactly chopped liver. He's going to get paid, and I think he'll look at a number of factors: how great this organization is, how loyal the Red Wings are to their players, how much success he has enjoyed over his career, and the direction this team is headed in. Considering those things could easily lead him to the conclusion that it just might be worth 1M/yr less to stay. Like Ken Holland said in a recent interview, he's going to take the best deal for his money. If that deal is Franzen for 3.5M/yr as opposed to Hossa seeking 7M/yr, he's going to take it. If it's Hossa for 6M/yr, Franzen for 4.5M/yr, he'll probably grab Hossa. The obvious observation is that signing Hossa makes Ken Holland's job over the Summer a LOT more difficult. Just some quick calculations: we have 9.4M in cap space for next year. Signing Hossa for a very low estimate of 6M would leave us with 3.4M to sign Hudler, Leino, a backup goaltender, and a couple young forwards (say Helm and Kopecky). Even if Hudler signed for 2M, which would be very low, and Leino, Helm, and Kopecky signed for the league minimum, .5M, which would be extremely low, we'd be over the cap space. That's before bringing up a backup goalie. Thus, someone (Flip likely being the only one possible, as most of the other guys Holland would look at have a NTC) would have to be moved.

Maybe it's because most "Hudler ball-lickers" figure that Hossa and Franzen aren't going to sign for a combined 8.5M. It cracks me up when people on a message board claim to know what a player is going to sign for. Honestly, Hossa at 6M would be a tremendous discount for what he could get on the open market. Also, locking multiple players up in a Zetterberg-like deal is just going to cause problems down the line. If you think Hudler is going to sign for 3M, then you must have Franzen signing for AT LEAST 4M. Hossa certainly won't take less than 6M, and even that is a huge stretch. Losing Hudler at this point would be stupid. The little guy would be a bargain long-term for a 3M/yr deal. Do me a favor: check Zetterberg and Datsyuk's stats when they were 25 years old, then compare them to Hudler's. You'll see why some are so weary of losing him. I think our best bet is to nab Franzen for ~4M if possible, and Hudler for around 3M if possible. Sign Leino, add a gritty role player (Neil would be fantastic), a backup goalie, and a guy like Helm, and we've got a very solid roster for at least the next few years. If Franzen wants more than he's worth and Hossa's willing to take less than he's worth, grab Hossa and trade someone (like Flip) to make it possible.

Just did a little research; 15 of Hossa's 29 goals came from Datsyuk, which is understandable because they've been line mates for so much of the season. I don't think Hossa needs help scoring. I think, like any natural scorer would, he benefits from playing with Datsyuk, but I don't think he'd have trouble creating offense playing with Hudler or Hank.

If you remember correctly, the Oilers were in financial trouble and traded Gretzky because the Kings offered 10M in cash as part of the deal. Who says Gretzky wanted to be traded? And what about Gretzky gives you the impression that he played with no heart and determination? And who says he wasn't a good leader?

I've noticed on various message boards that fans of different teams all over the league have been noting our goaltending issues. Also, other fans have seemed to notice Lidstrom slipping a step from last season, and our team defense struggles. The Pens' struggles have been a dream come true to me. I cannot stand that team, especially after last year's playoffs. Unfortunately, I think they'll get their s*** together and grab a playoff spot, but I think they underestimated (or misunderestimated) their losses over the last year. Malone, Hossa, Roberts, Armstrong, and Conklin all played a huge part in their success last year, and for some reason Shero thought that he could just replace them with guys like Fedo and Satan. Also, they were hit hard with injuries towards the beginning of the season, which was the only time they seemed to play well. They've also got quite the dilemma, as Crosby, Malkin, and Staal, their three centers, make almost 22M combined. Anything can happen in the playoffs, but I'll be very surprised if we see another Detroit vs. Pittsburgh Stanley Cup final this year.