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I 99% agree with Gcom007 -- Steve Yzerman was pimping Zetterberg as the next captain before even Zetterberg's rookie season. Brett Hull was saying Datsyuk would become one of the best players in the world throughout Datsyuk's rookie year. Babcock had Franzen on a scoring line with Datsyuk in the pre-season three years ago, until he was injured. The offensive talent of these guys was apparent from the beginning -- it is not with Flip. The 1% I disagree with in Gcom007's posts is that Filppula *did* have an incredible post-season --- for him. 16 points and 13 assists might be close to his high-water mark for his career -- and he greatly benefited from playing on a line with Franzen and Hossa. But he never really "set them up", he just got them the puck and let them do their thang. That is not a "playmaker". But Filppula played with hustle and determination every shift, and that was great to see. He is an ideal defensive center who can make a difference on the score sheet -- he is no Jordan Staal (whom you can see glimpses of real offensive talent), but he is ideal as a third line center who can fill-in on a 2nd line and pull some major PK minutes. God help us if he becomes a regular on the PP, because he just does not have the talent to generate much there. The $3m contract after a years of 17 and 32 pts was inexplicable, and not even remotely close to a hometown discount. I was really disappointed in Flip for holding out for that much and knew it would create problems for the team. Many of us were all for Holland letting Flip go to arbitration, where he would not have been rewarded with anything close to $3m for a year or two -- was Holland really afraid Filppula would turn into a $4m+ player in a mere year or two?

The only time Hudler was ever on the 2nd line for more than a game or two was in the pre-season when he was on a line with Zetterberg and averaged a point per game. When you start running out of cap space you are not going to pick up another Zetterberg: someone who can put up big points, can grind it out and play good defense -- you need to focus on someone who excels at those aspects you need most, and count on the rest of the team to make up where that person lacks. This team needs to replace some offense, and has a plethora of defensive forwards to pick up any slack -- now Hudler was putting up those numbers, with limited minutes and was never a liability on defense (consistently a + player, despite being on lower lines).... and he was just starting to enter into his prime, improving each year. It's too bad, and I can't but help feeling Holland could have done better -- if he was willing to let Kopecky and Samuelsson go in order to sign Hudler, he needed to convey that message to Babcock this past year, who favored playing the other two over Hudler on a consistent and almost inexplicable basis.

Well, we all thought the Penguins were screwed last year after their free agent exodus... hopefully this will out this current team on a mission!

My only problem with that thinking is - if Hudler was worried the Wings would trade him if he signed for over $3m, why not just become a free agent and sign wherever and for whatever he wants (and the KHL would still be an option).

Was Hossa saying that? I am pretty sure I remember Holland making the offer to Hossa first, who turned it down, before Holland made an offer to Franzen.

Well, it looks like Holland was offering $3m, so he is clearly not the idiot half the posters in this thread hope him to be.

Bowman??? Nahhh... Bowman paid good money for Larionov and Kozlov. More like "good thing he didn't play under Jack Adams."

Because if he had even a quarter of those missing attributes (that we admittedly love) he would cost three times as much, IE. way more than the Wings can afford. I wouldn't mind a risk on someone like this, whom at least has the potential to make up a good chunk of the 200+ points we have lost from last year.

It was actually a swedish interview -- and he did say it, but more as a metaphor for how much he enjoys playing hockey at the pro level.

... and I forgot to add "And is getting better each year" to that. If that is not worth $3m to Ken Holland he needs to seriously consider stepping down.

Does anyone have an example of anyone earning $2.5m or less with close to 60 points, that is not on an entry level contract and gets less than 16 minutes per game (Hudler averages 13). Red Wings fans have developed a serious dissociation with reality here.

In all seriousness, why would Babcock play Draper, Maltby and Kopecky over Hudler in third periods when the wings were trailing? Let alone Filppula. It was flat out weird. Babcock would often go out of his way to not play Hudler. It just seems he was not on the same page as Holland. I would not have been surprised if Samuelsson was signed right away, given how much Babcock loved to play him. Instead, Holland was caught sitting on his hands.

Because Holland was probably offering him $1.5m, if anything. You really do not think he would have loved to stay if given a decent offer? Several of us were all for Holland letting Filppula go to arbitration -- he would not have gotten anything remotely close to $3m. He had played two full seasons with the Wings, scoring 17 and 36 points respectively. In what world would Hudler and his agent not think they deserved just as much, if not more, especially based on potential -- scoring twice as much, playing only 12-13 minutes a night so far and at the age of 25? What is the difference between Hossa and Bouwmeester? Asides from Hossa being much better? Holland admitted he had offers for the negotiation rights of Hossa at the draft.... obviously he should have taken one of them.... or he should have been willing to make a trade in order to seriously attempt to retain him. Unless you feel the only people capable of critiquing the president of the United States are a handful of old, rich, white dudes, than we can feel free to critique a general manager. Pointing out mistakes does not mean he is a terrible general manager.

The strange thing is he will be forced to play out his "arbitration" award when/if he returns -- so he might be a hell of a lot better player after a year or two in Russia, but has to play for a salary awarded after a 57 pt season in the NHL.

Holland and Babcock were on completely seperate pages in regards to Kopecky, Samuelsson and Hudler. Holland was prepared to let both Kopecky and Samuelsson go in order to sign Hudler -- but then expected Hudler to sign for essentially Samuelsson money. Sammy (and even Kopecky) had the spot that Holland seems to have had in mind for Hudler -- yet Babcock would not play him there. He filed for arbitration.

Sammy signed for $2.5m in Vancouver -- I assume he would have signed for less to not uproot and stay in Detroit. Holland should have assumed Hossa and Hudler were not going to accept his low-ball offers and made a choice -- either be willing to trade someone like Filppula, Draper or Holmstrom in order to have the space to make them a real offer, or prepare to let them go and get all you can for their rights. The clue to trade Hudler's rights was when you offered Filppula $3m when he was barely scoring over 30 pts.

They may have to do exactly that. Luckily Babcock has experience with it....

Are you seriously suggesting Holland would get nothing if he offered up exclusive negotioation rights for the #1 free agent in the league? I campaigned for Holland to trade either Lebda or Meech for picks instead of letting Quincey get away for nothing. Lebda and Meech are rather similar players, while Quincey had some size and PK abilities. That irked me as well (losing another asset for nothing).

I'm saying he should have realized Hudler would not sign for less than Filppula for the opportunity to play crap minutes for Babcock. Babcock went out of his way to not play Hudler, even when the team needed goals... so he should have just gone after the guy Babcock would actually play -- Samuelsson (or another free agent) and gotten some compensation for Hudler's rights.

Who was on MacLean's line that year feeding him? Hint: He had a Griffins franchise recod for assists that year.

The bolded really grinds my gears as well -- so now not only did we not receive a single pick for Hossa and Hudler, but Holland is now looking at losing some of them at the trade deadline to try and replace these guys.

Holland awarded Filppula with a 5 year, $15m contract after two seasons of 17 pts and 36 pts. Man, I hate that contract -- what possible argument can he have for not giving Hudler more after 42 and 57 pt seasons? He could have traded Filppula and Holmstrom, afforded Hossa and gained draft picks. Argh... I'm just pissy.

Heh... exactly $750,000 more than Jeff Finger. I hope Lidstrom would sign at $4.5m, which would be a huge discount.

How many goals does 'nothing' score? Picks from Hossa and picks from Hudler could go into a trade for an actual roster player... at least you have that option. I don't think next season has gone down the crapper, but I do think Holland could have done a much better job this summer.

And like I responded in that thread, Holland owed nothing to Hossa. Hossa was well compensated to play on a champion team and given every opportunity to succeed - which he blew. Holland pulled a wishy-washy, 'maybe he'll still sign with us, but if he signs with one of these teams, I'll get a pick for it' -- he needed to make a decision, realize Hossa was not going to sign for pennies on the dime, and trade his exclusive negotiating rights just like Bouwmeester's. Yes, I am suggesting Helm, Leino and Abdelkader will not be nearly as productive as Hudler (or Samuelsson, for that matter). First: Hudler has actually produced at the NHL level -- none of them have for any sustained period. Second: Hudler (whom is currently younger than Leino) scored 97 points in the AHL, years ago. None of them managed even close to that in the AHL in even this past year.