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Ovechkin was really gunning for Malkin... really gunning for him. Pretty awesome, actually... Superstar War!

I think Lidstrom will sign one-year deals at hefty discounts following his current contract, but that does not help us for next year in trying to get everyone under the cap.\, much like Yzerman did. How's this for a scenario? Zetterberg and/or Hossa signs a one-year deal for next year at a discount to ensure we can get everyone under the cap, and then a more lucrative long term deal the following year with Lidstrom's new salary taken into account? Voila, no tagging issues. Will it happen? Probably not... awfully risky for the player, but it is a way to get around the cap.

Heh... are you employed by Little Ceasers by any chance?

I would not be suprised after losing to bottom-barrel teams like Toronto and Vancouver that the Wings utterly smoke the Rangers.

Thanks for the link, Eva... Yes, it is apprently not common knowledge, even among Colorado fans. Which is nice to bring up if you are ever arguing with one over who the better captain was . But my original point was those things happen, and I doubt anyone would question the merits of retiring Yzerman's jersey even if he had signed an offer sheet like Sakic had. In hindsight, $10m was too much for Sergei at the time, and it would have been crippling with the salary cap... so it ended up working out just fine for the Red Wings ultimately, just like with Shanahan walking away. It was not a "betrayel" of epic proportions and I hope Wings fans get over it soon and stop booing someone who gave so much to this organization.

Wow, great points. You're right, if Fedorov ever gets up there it will only be a matter of time before Devereaux is up there as well.

The Rangers at this point are kind of jerking him and his agent around, IMO.

I'm not sure where we disagree at all, actually. I have never implied Fedorov was any sort of hero for the way he left, just that both players left the team on bad terms. Ok, that was funny!

What on earth is debateable about Red Kelly? The comparison is both players left the team on horrible terms, Lindsay's being much worse, of course (at the time). Time and perspective can heal such wounds and I think it will with Fedorov as well. I do think it is ironic that Fedorov has been demonized for exercising the very rights Lindsay fought so hard to give all hockey players... the fact we do not do the same for Shanahan shows just how much more important Fedorov was to the team. Thanks for bringing up Sergei coming over from Russia and what it meant to the rest of the league, and the Red Wings in particular... it should not be overlooked.

It is obviously a ways away... and I doubt it will be Mike Illitch who has his jersey retired. If his jersey went up 15 years from now I doubt there would be many people booing.

They have recalled Helm (turns out Leino would put them over the cap for now).

Helm has been recalled from GR.

Aurie Goodfellow Kelly I would put those three up right now - do you disagree with any of them? They have nothing to do with Fedorov. Lidstrom Fedorov Should be the next ones. What is not "truly extraordinary" about Fedorov's time in Detroit? Howe, Lidstrom, Kelly, Lindsay and Yzerman are probably the only better Red Wings in history.

We've been posting on Goodfellow in the other thread, actually. There is something to be said for the first Red Wings All Star who lead them to their first Stanley Cup. I do think these early teams should be represented, and the fact Aurie's number actually was retired for decades and is not up there now is nothing short of shameful.

He certainly cleaned Vandermeer's clock in preseason, big size difference, but Vandermeer is no slouch.

I think ultimately it is not a "good" or "logical" reason, or it would have been addressed at some point by the Illitches.

"Black" Jack Stewart A player like him should be in before the secondary cup-contributors of this generation, but much better cases can be made for Aurie and Goodfellow -- I really think those early Cup teams deserve some representation in the rafters. Syd Howe is another guy that should warrant consideration, but again, not before Aurie and Goodfellow. The 50s dynasty team marks the best chapter in Wings history, and they should be well represented in the rafters: Howe, Sawchuk, Lindsay, Abel and Delvecchio all deserve to be up there -- and so does Red Kelly (weird that he is not). But they make up over 80% of the names currently in the rafters, which ignores a lot of other Red Wings greats over the years. The latest team should see Yzerman, Lidstrom, Fedorov and possibly Osgood go up - good and accurate representation. But those early teams are really lacking, and I would love to see the Illitches honor them.

Hudler is currently at $1m -- which is a great deal, but it all depends on what he asks for, as he could get offers close to $3m from other teams. He is not worth that to the Red Wings, especially if he can not crack the 2nd line.

I agree with you... Aurie and Goodfellow would be excellent representatives of Detroit's early Cups. Aurie Goodfellow Kelly There is no doubt in my mind those guys should be in.

Yup, anyone who fought as much as he did was going to have plenty of losses, but no one ended up getting the better of him at the end. Kocur, for example, may have been a better fighter and had a lot less losses, but comes nowhere near the amount of fights Probert had.

Ilitch retired Willie Horton’s Detroit Tigers No. 23 in July 2000, and Horton is not a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Yeah, it really is weird.... and a pretty awful blight of an otherwise classy owner. I keep thinking the Auries somehow had bad tiding with the Illitches, but there is nothing to suggest this. Larry Aurie died young, before Mike Illitch was anything. Could be as simple as an old man being stubborn... the Aurie family annoyed him and there is no chance in hell he is going to give them what they want.

Probert could play... no doubt about it, and was often Yzerman's wing (while an endorsement of Probert, it does highlight how bad that team really was). From reading articles later, it apears the responsibility of being an enforcer really took a lot out of him. The guy's fight card is amazing and he really is the greatest enforcer ever.

Here's a great in-depth article about it and one that really celebrates Aurie's career: http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/hock...secrates_aurie/

Retiring Draper would open the rafters up, however... unlike Fedorov. Osgood would go up for sure. Holmstrom has an equal case with Draper and Maltby is not far behind. Hell, we would probably be hearing McCarty's jersey should be retired. Draper should definitely be an "Honored Member" of the alumni association, which is actually pretty exclusive company if you care to look at the members and quite an honor in its own right. --- Sorta reminds me of the exclusive "7 Timer" club for hosts of Saturday Night Live (if you have ever seen that one).