DSM

Robert Lang or maybe Yuri Butsayev?

No way we keep Williams over Miller. I also think the Wings will explore other options this summer before resigning Bersoftie.

When it's all said and done, you can thank Gary and the salary cap.

I missed him during the playoffs last year, when he disappeared... I really would not be excited to have him back.

Aaron Downey.

I doubt this means that he is staying. If that is what he was awarded, I'd imagine he's still going to Russia. Why work at Kroger for for $6/hr if you can work at Meijer for $12?

Problem with him is that he has 2 choices... 1. Take a drastic paycut with an NHL team and try to get back to the numbers he had 2 years ago... or 2. Sign for truckloads of tax free money in the KHL... You decide!

Have you guys calling for Afinogenov ever heard of the KHL? This guy brought nothing to the Sabres except scoring, and he stopped doing that. He's worth $900k in the NHL, and probably about $2.5M tax free minus what he'll need to spend on his own difibulator in the KHL. Kotalik is probably mulling over the overpayment offers that he has gotten from mediocre teams. Does anyone remember the summer of 2006? We lost 54 goals with the loss of Shanahan and Yzerman (58 if you count Mowers... which is like counting Kopecky) and we added no one. We did fine the next year.... Some remaining options to consider and their salaries from last year: PJ Axelsson (75-6-24-30) - $1.85M Stephane Yelle (77-7-11-18) - $750K Matt Ellis (45-7-5-12) - $475K Dominic Moore (81-13-32-45) - $900K Tom Kostopoulos (78-8-14-22) - $900K Dean McAmmond (62-5-11-16) - $900K Blair Betts (81-6-4-10) - $615K Mike Comrie (63-10-17-27) - $4M Petr Sykora (76-25-21-46) - $2.5M Brad May (58-1-6-7) - $600K Rob Niedermayer (79-14-7-21) - $2M Manny Malhotra (77-11-24-35) - $1.5M Michael Peca (71-4-18-22) - $1.315M Brendan Morrison (81-16-15-31) - $2.75M Scott Nichol (43-4-6-10) - $750K Mike Grier (62-10-13-23) - $1.775M Travis Moen (82-7-9-16) - $925K Dan Hinote (51-1-4-5) - $1M Taylor Pyatt (69-10-9-19) - $1.575M It's pretty much down to these guys, minus a few unfavorable former Wings (Williams, Bertuzzi and Calder), possibly unafordables (Tanguay) and some guys that were in and out of the minors. There's also Mike Sillinger.... Of those listed I would be content with most, but most confortable with Moen, Peca, Grier, Betts, Niedermayer, Axelsson or Yelle in a Red Wings uniform next year.

I would rather just bring in a couple of forwards that are more physical than the 4 we lost combined instead of brining in more inconistent softies. Afinogenov desperately needs to go to the KHL.

Lol. Thank you for the ab workout. I always HATED when he was on the PP point.

Nice knowing ya.

I love how everybody is afraid to lose a 40 goal scoring playoff no show... Remember Brendan Shanahan?

What this is now, is the cap catching up with the Red Wings. We will now be penalized for paying players for their contributions 11/12 years ago. I'm not saying that Maltby and Draper aren't useful players, but they would be making half of what they make here on any other team. It was also pretty pathetic to only be able to carry 22 players and not be able to call anyone up on short notice so we could keep a geriatric defensemen. I won't mention that the sacrifice we made for that became one of LA's top Dmen.... oh wait... I just did. I'm sure Ken Holland would love to bring back all 3 of his top FA forwards, but he has now reached a point where he has to choose. Pretty much, choose one: Hossa, Samuelsson, or Hudler. If it were me, Samuelsson will be the cheapest option. That will allow us to bring in maybe 1 or 2 quality 2nd/3rd liners to fill the other spots. Obviously our offense will suffer a bit, but it will allow us to bring in some more muscle which is something we lacked up front unless Helm was in the line-up. Hossa is going to be expensive, and Hudler will end up getting a Scott Penneresque offer sheet that will be unrealistically matchable. Our Offense would look like this: Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Holmstrom Franzen - Filppula - Cleary ? - Leino - ? ? - Draper - Maltby/? Those ? could be filled by resigning Kopecky, other UFA's or Helm and Abdelkader. However, knowing how the Red Wings are with youngsters, Helm and Abdelkader will most likely be sent down again... Atleast to start the season. Leino has to be on the time next year. Kopecky will probably be cheap. Our D is mostly unchanged: Lidstrom - Rafalski Kronwall - Stuart Ericsson - Lebda/Lilja Meech Only difference is that Chelios is FINALLY GONE and Ericsson will be a regular. In Goal: Osgood Howard/? Conklin will get a decent offer and Howard can't go back to the minors.

I'm not only blaming this loss on Hossa, but also Mike Emrick. Had Gary Thorne called the series, it would have been a sweep.

Yep.

Yep.

RASUCKSKI

I work nights and unfortunately go in at 11PM. Sucks.

Maltby, Kopecky and Samuelsson aren't going anywhere. When you consider this final spot, it's the #13 spot. Last year, that spot was shared by Matt Ellis and Aaron Downey. Basically, the top 12 spots are filled. I now consider it a battle between Leino, Helm, Downey and McCarty. Here's my predictions for the 4: Helm - Probably a 95% chance he goes back to GR. He will play 15-20 minutes a night, every night there rather than a handful of minutes and possibly being a healthy scratch at times with the big club. Besides, more development never hurts. Leino - I don't know much about this guy, but I think he's gonna be an odd man out. McCarty - Egh, love the guy but I thought he looked slow last year in the playoffs. Downey - Probably has the biggest chance of getting the spot. He was an excellent fit during the season last year and plays a disciplined game. I think the spot might be his to lose. And yea I know he didn't play in the playoffs, but look at our depth.. and theres also this thing called the "trade-deadline."

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/20...ing_toward.html In a nutshell: -Drake close to retiring -May bring in replacement or could be replaced by Kopecky who may not be ready in time for camp -Stuart talks continue -Lilja close to signing for just over 1mil a year for 2 years -Chelios close to signing -Zetterberg talks -Holland think Howard is ready but still wants to bring in another veteran goalie ??? -Holland wants to offer both Downey and McCarty 2 way deals, but not till July 1st Ok, Discuss.

"At forward, Holland hopes to learn in the next couple days whether Dallas Drake will retire. He must sign Valtteri Filppula, a restricted free agent. He does not anticipate making a move with Darren McCarty or Aaron Downey until later in the summer. The Red Wings will carry an enforcer on their roster. They believe opponents might take even more liberties against their skilled players next season now that they are the Stanley Cup champions." 2 words: Aaron and Downey.

I don't think the 10 dmen will be an issue. I don't believe that Stuart is going to resign, and even if Ericsson has an awesome camp he will still be put in GR. Lidstrom-Rafalski Kronwall-Lilja Lebda-Meech Quincey/Chelios They've already pretty much stated that Chelios is moving down from his #5/6 post into the #7/8 post. Which, IMHO is useless.

And I thought I was the ONLY person who didn't!!!!

I watched the regular season, and thoroughly enjoyed when Downey was in the lineup.

If he would come cheap I guess he couldn't hurt. There are a multitude of reasons for his buying out: A. He hasn't exactly been the best goaltender for that team. It happens. B. He is no longer worth the $3mil, especially while Tampa was starving for cap space after blowing it all on Richards, Lecavalier,St. Louis and Boyle. That effectively allowed them to put a quite crappy team infront of Denis. C. In a rebuilding stage, they want to ice Smith and Ramo. That said I can agree that he isn't the best option. If Detroit is going to go after a UFA goalie, they should be looking at Conklin, Auld or possibly Kolzig first. If unsigned, goalies in Raycroft and Denis' position are going to end up trying out at another teams camp or will end up in that new Russian League.