egroen

Which will hopefully work in Detroit's favor in the WCFs this coming year

So many GMs seem to be under a lot of pressure to just "do something" -- and this pressure I bet comes from owners. Holland has no such pressure placed upon him by Ilitch, so we are not seeing anything crazy like Kronwall or Filppula traded in order to obtain a Gaborik, Havlat or Heatley. I'm watching Bob Gainey in Montreal, and this guy is pulling what looks to be terrible moves all in an attempt to "do something".

I think Hossa was playing with too much pressure and simply did not handle it very well. With all the injuries and spotlight he tried to "do it all" and was basically rendered into an ineffectual puck hog and turnover machine.

This is where you have to give Holland a lot of credit -- he identified the better player (Hossa) and made the offer during the season. Hossa being Hossa did not ****** it up, so instead of making the mistake of Ray Shero and sitting on all his assets until free agency and waiting for Hossa to make up his mind (and possibly losing Franzen in the process like Pittsburgh lost Malone), he turned around and locked up Franzen for a great deal.

It sounds like Hossa was offered similar money from Detroit that he received from Chicago (a little over $5m per year) during the season -- he passed it up, and so Holland signed Franzen. In other words, we are not talking about Hossa at $5.2m vs. Franzen at $3.9m but closer to Hossa at $6m. In that case, Franzen is a much better deal.

Bouwmeester's negotiating rights garnered a 3rd round pick and Leopold from Calgary -- I just find it hard to believe Holland could not get something from Hossa's, especially when the timeline is now over a week ago -- and not 24 hours or so before free agency. Quincey could have been handled better, IMO - and with the benefit of hindsight was a better option than both Lebda and Meetch (though I thought as much at the time). I am also still bothered he lost Osgood to waivers, and Ellis was lost to waivers as well. For as much success as Detroit has had with late round picks, they sure seem to make very little effort in obtaining more of them. But these are such minor concerns, and my only other beef with Holland is the Draper contract. Complaining about Holland is like complaining your Ferrari gets poor gas mileage.

This one is a little "too classy" for me -- Hossa owed more to Detroit than was owed to him. No hard feelings, but he got his chance and did not come through when the team needed him to... he was also well-compensated for it. My only complaint with Holland is he is very poor at squeezing value out of outgoing players - frequently losing them for nothing.

Laperiere at $1.1m would have been a huge and more effective upgrade over Laraque at $1.5m.

I'm not sure the NTC situation in Chicago - but they need it to be next to nil. Campbell, for instance, could screw that team over with a NMC -- they may end up having to put him on waivers, and hoping someone will claim him at a reduced rate on re-entry -- or simply buy him out.

The Ruutus, Cookes and Otts of the world will not be deterred one bit from cheap-shotting our players, with Laraque in the lineup. That is what Detroit needs to be concerned about -- not having a lumbering oaf available to square up with Parros.

Toews, Kane and Keith are all too young to take deals like Hossa/Zetterberg/Franzen -- they are on the incline for as many as 10 years, while all these 30 year-olds will most likely be retired in 10 years. Crosby and Malkin signed hometown discounts at $8.7m, because under even the most conservative estimates, they will improve, and could improve by leaps and bounds. These guys would be idiots to sign long-term, low-cap hit contracts in a year when the cap is most likely going down.

As fragile as Havlat is, he did lead Chicago in points throughout the regular season and in the playoffs. I'm not sure Huet will ever be better than a mediocre goaltender.

I would want Shanahan before Bertuzzi as well.

Lesser teams than Detroit have benched Laraque in the playoffs... and I just think he is a terribly ineffective enforcer -- he is not much of a deterrent to the type of thing the Wings need to be worried about (cheap shots and the like) because he refuses to fight anyone that is not a bonafied heavy weight and is willing to go in a premeditated fight. Wings fans would crucify him after a week of watching our guys get run aand Laraque doing absolutely nothing about it.

Chicago could not manage to put more than 2 goals per game against an injured and banged up Detroit in the Conference Finals (missing Datsyuk and Lidstrom in 2 of them) -- Hossa alone is not going to significantly change that. Huet seems underwhelming, as well. This is Chicago's one-year window, just like Detroit had that window last year -- of having a ridiculous amount of talent on the ice b/c of entry level type contracts.

If Hudler is willing to sign for less than $3m you have to fit him in somehow. The Wings have a lot of offense to make up, and Filppula is not the one who is going to be doing it. Leino should be able to help, but he is actually older than Hudler, and accomplished far less. Hudler, alone, can make a 3rd or 4th line a consistent scoring threat... that is your downside. Upside is he gets paired with Franzen and sets him up for 40+ goals, potting 20+ goals of his own.

Hudler at $2.5m is a pretty incredible bargain for a guy who is most likely going to put up 60+ points next year.

LA

Find me a better and more clutch goalie at his salary (who is not on an entry-level contract). Wings are lucky as hell Osgood was willing to sign for so little.

Detroit has a lot of options at D and will probably sort it all out at camp -- Meech failed to impress like I thought he would last year, but he is cheap and versatile. Lebda has started to grow on me -- I'd like to see him stay, but if you absolutely need the cap space it is an option. I have a hard time seeing Lilja traded -- at $1m he is a huge value for the size and PK skills we tend to lack. Kindl had a great camp a couple years ago and almost made the team, and had a better season in GR last year -- makes $850k though Pyett is getting close, but aso makes $850k Kolosov is one who might get a strong look -- signed for only $525k and a 6'4 defensive guy who hits hard Lahsoff is a 6'3 guy who might be a Quincey Piche is a larger version of Meech If any one of these guys has a great camp, they could find their way onto the team full-time.

Orr is a marginally better hockey player than Downey, and was getting up to 10 minutes a game with the Rangers -- though he would never see a second of playoff time. I always thought Orr was one of the worst fighters I have ever seen (as far as actual enforcers), though the guy is certainly more than willing to go, but I think Downey is actually a better fighter. Laperiere is the guy who would fit in best...

I have a feeling this will be Maltby's and Holmstrom's last year -- Draper with two more to go.

Last year's team was one of the best we will probably ever see in the cap world. I'm still banging my head over them not winning it... you just will not see a team like that very often anymore.

Heatley's really making a lot of friends -- he should just go to the KHL.

And why not? They can certainly afford him now.