Wingseroo

Actually yes Hudler was a top scorer on this team last season think he nesteled into the list comfortably... Sammy was in the past a top 2 line goal scorer did not have a good year last year...

When have the Wings ever really just set Hudler up on a top 2 line and let him play? When? Give me an example of at least 40 games length... Otherwise your argument means nothing their is no reasonable sample which to base it on... This was the year for him to move to the top 2 lines... If I were Hudler I would not sign a 5 year deal for 3 mil per, even if he maintains his scoring at around the same level that is kind of a low deal in your prime... I think the wings offered him 2.5 or so per on long term and sub 2 mil for 1 year... Everyone around here talks about offensive skill not being the end all be all of the NHL, well it is... There is a premium paid for offensive skill tht is not matched for grit or defensive skill... Offensive skill gets paid because there are a million guys that can lace them up and hit or give up the body, but only a handful with the skill set they crave...

I take it you prefer to make 5 dollars at McDonalds vs 10 dollars at Burger King, because well you know McDonalds is #1 burger chain...

Well said!!!

How is this anymore confirmation? It confirms he signed a contract and it confirms arbitration will still be heard... Exactly what changed? And yes if I were Hudler I would seriously look at a 2.5 mil 1 year deal, I do not think I would sign a 5 year deal for that... He could stop progressing and make anything a bad signing but if he keeps progressing you are talking comparable players in there mid 20's for a long term deal would be looking at 4 mil I would say... 2.5 mil for 1 year yes, for 4 or 5 years no way...

Wings are cap strapped... Meech can back up as 7th d man or 13th forward, makes $483 cap hit... You can not replace him for a cheaper price... Trading Meech makes no sense he is the guy if someone gets hurt he replaces for the tilt, and after which the Wings call up one of the 2 way guys to cover for whomever is injured... If not Meech you have to sign 2 guys at least for league min. Or you can find a guy to do the same job for more... Not in response to the quote, but I guess I am one of the few that prefer keeping a 6 year young, faster, better all around talent in Lebda over Lilja... If I was counting on Lilja for top 4 minutes maybe, but for 3rd pairing no way...

Agree...

Hudler can only become a free agent if after the arbiter rules they decide not to honor it... In all likelyhood Holland would not do that he would take him into the preseason if he did not like the number then move him... There are no no trade clauses for this... He will be a RFA who has had an arbiter rule... By signing the Russian contract he has created a block from being traded to any team the Wings choose, and also maybe he has created the situation where Detroit will just not honor the arbiters ruling and let him become a UFA... Home town discounts come from older vets, you can not expect a young guy facing his first and in pro sports more often then not last big payday and just except less, it isn't logical...

Holland never offered him 3 mil... I think Hudler would take 3 mil 1 yr so fast make your head spin and have UFA next season... I do not think Hudler wants to sign for a long time at 3 mil per, if he keeps progressing he will be in line for Gionta money (BTW for those wondering look them up Gionta's last few seasons the numbers are pretty much what Huds had last year and he is small)... Detroit is deep at centers and 2 way players... They are not deep at scorers and play makers...

I think it was guarenteed he would get more the problem is the Wings wanted him for less then that and very likely are/were looking at trading him if his number crossed over 3 mil... Hudler doesn't want to get traded to the LA Kings so he signs this has his agent go to arbitration, and then either Wings pay him and keep him or he plays in Russia or if they trade him its to a decent team...

If they signed Hossa they would have let Sammy and Hudler walk and would have had to do something like buyout Homer... They would have had to dump salary just to fit his 5.2 in he didn't want let alone a 6+ mil... More of a focus on Hossa... Oooops he is gone... focus on Huddler... Oooops he is gone... Its that kind of situation...

Ok wait Ken Holland is quoted as saying Wings couldn't offer anything close to what Dynamo's did are you going to stick by that 2.5 to 3 mil number? And honestly if I were hudler I might sign a 1 yr deal for 2.5 but not a 5 year deal for 2.5 per... Looking at what it seems like the Dynamos are offering vs Ken Holland statement that their offer was much higher then the Wings I do no believe those Mlive numbers were correct, and they were only rumor when they were put out...

People keep talking about a rumored 2.5 mil offer for Hudler, from everything I am seeing today I doubt he was offered over 1.5 or so...

That is strange since they have people named George in Czech and most Cyrillic (Russia Romania, Slovakia, etc...) speaking countries I thought it was Gerald or Jerry... I am pretty sure Jiri is Gerry or Jerry regardless of your translator program... Czech is a mix of German and Cyrillic...

Russia's appalling economy? Ours isn't so great anymore...

To be fair even if they lose one of them next year they are getting a whole bunch of 1st rounders from the team that signs them... Of course maybe people let them take them all to arbitration then wait to see who gets shed...

Well the game and the rules are pushing back to an offensive style.... This will be hard, the league is trying to open up more ice for the young offensive stars... Scoring has been going up a little over the last few years... Nature of the game... The Wings just need more focus then last year... Funny I remember in the 80's when a 3.15 GAA for a goalie was good... They want that time back...

No getting around it Kovalchuk and Frolov will be very wealthy by this time next year... Man to be a UFA and just at the prime of your career... And almost everyone else of note is over 35... I bet a few guys like Hejduk get re-signed before the end of the season... And the other side of the coin I see 4 or 5 goalies that will be taking some huge paycuts next year... Except Luongo I do not see many of those guys coming close to their previous contracts...

Correct me if you think I am wrong here, but Hudler is a RFA that is going to arbitration, and people are discussing players that are way down every GM's list to replace him... I find that head scratching...

Its not FLip vs Huds... Its Homer vs Huds... I will say once again I cant remember anyone who the Wings have spent more time developing then Hudler and now that he is on the brink of his prime you say get rid of him... It is time for him to be set on a top 2 line for good and played there... Its harsh to say, but if there is a guy that might be a detriment to the Wings in salary and performance this year it will be Homer...

Yeah everyone is looking at this as Hudler is the problem... Honestly this is Pro sports and Hudler is the up and coming young guy that it is time to pay and Homer is an aging champion eating cap space... Salary cap leaves little room for loyalty... You might see one of the Red Wings first really hard dumpings this off season...

Ok some of the team names seem to be a quandry for people... Senators just about every sport has had a Senators in it at one time or another... The concept is of the Ancient Roman Senator... That is what they are trying to capture... Blues has come up a few times... Rythem & Blues, you know Muddy Waters & BB King? The music Rock & Roll is derived from? Yes St. Louis has a history with R & B... Red Wings, honestly I don't think anyone knows on this one... As in the old saying "A riddle, surrounded by mystery, wrapped in an enigma", but really here is a link http://proicehockey.about.com/od/history/a...wing_origin.htm I see Coyotes you say what do they have to do with hockey? What does the desert have to do with hockey? Why has no one asked what a Thrasher is yet? O6 teams Sharks Caps they could burn the rest and start over as far as I care, and they probably will mess up the Caps and Sharks Unis down the line... P.S. I am not fond of team names that are not identifiable nouns...

yeah it was going to 6.5 per on front end and 1 mil per the last 4... I can go find a link... You can call the average of it 4. whatever, it was going to be a 5 or 6 year deal worth around 38-39 mil pure and simple... Chicago signed him to the same type deal except he get around 8 mil ea of the first 4 years and then it drops a bit next few then some buyout years... Detroit offered Hossa 6.5 per for around 6 years and then a very easy buyout after that... Holland didnt offer him 4 mil for this year he offered him like 6.5 mil this year and for a handful more...

why does everyone keep calling Hossa's offer from Detroit and Chicago 4.5 mil or 5.2mil, he was offered a 6 year 39 mil contract with 4 cheap buyout years from detroit and something like an 8 year deal for 58 mil or so with 4 buyout years...

Ok lets get some clarity here... Chris Higgins signed for 2.25mil per with the Rangers... Do you believe Hudler is viewed as better or worse then Him? (using a some what comparable RFA) Look I am pro keeping Hudler... I do not think there is anyone in the Wings system right now they have spent more time on developing then him... At a certain point you have to pay when the time comes... I would prefer he doesn't get 3.5 mil a year for the Wings sake, but I also realize that in the midst of all this he was Holland's fallback plan for Hossa not coming back... The guy to move into the top 2 scoring lines to generate offense... Why develop guys with that much time and effort just to let them squirt away when they become RFA's... Why are you afraid of what the arbitrator will say? You develop good players have to pay for them eventually... I am going to go out on a limb and guess they give Hudler a 1 year 2.75 mil deal and either revisit next off season or the end of this season... I don't think he will sign multi years for that price, but 1 year sure...