LIDDYGIBBY5

Wow, someone on the internet who feels that they need to call people names. I never thought that we would see someone like that. I don't care how a contract is loaded. What matters is the cap number. There are a lot of players that bring a similar cap number that produce more. I like Val, but I just don't think he brings enough for the salary he gets. He is the most tradeable regular player who will be under contract next season. I would like to move him if it means we can re-sign Hossa and Franzen.

I think that his additional points should come from earning PP time by his exceptional play. He doesn't produce the points he should because he can't break through. He hasn't EARNED those PP min's.

I like your cut and dry point of view on this except for one thing. He is payed to produce numbers that would put him fourth or fifth in total points. Not 9th among forwards and 12th total. What he brings and what he is supposed to bring are two totally different things!

I know a guy that get herpes from a stripper. You never know what will fall into your lap when you get up in the morning.

1. You can't blame two players for a team problem. They have been terrible no matter who is on the ice. 2. We can and should expect Z and Pav to block shots all season. If it was good enough for Yzerman than it is good enough for these two. Did you hear during yesterday's broadcast about Stevie going down to block shots in the pre-season? Talk about a way to teach your young players!

The problem doesn't seem to be positioning. They are usually in the correct spots, but just seem to be going through the motions. Not blocking shots, not forcing the play to the outside w/o allowing wide open centering passes, not knocking the hell out of someone if the get a chance. Yesterday's game looked like different team on the PK. They did all of the things I listed above.

If those numbers are accurate, it means that Fil is expendable. They have equal even strength numbers with non-equal even strength playing time. Huds produces on the PP and gets the time because of it. Huds also does it for less $$$. I'm not anti-Fil, I'm pro staying under the cap with the best players possible.

Holmstrom and Stuart were both out w/ injuries and weren't missed in the slightest. Does that mean that they are expendable as well?

It is classless to hope for an injury to an opponent. I can't even think of a word to describe a person who hopes for one for the team that they claim to cheer for. You are a classic D-bag.

Holland just doesn't seem like the kind of a guy to have a man crush on anyone. I can't see him keeping a palyer making 500K in the lineup for no reason.

The coaching staff doesn't think so or he would be sent down. If he was as bad as everyone seems to think, it wouldn't be a big deal if he were lost on waivers on his way to GR. Is it possible that they know something that all of us don't, or is it a conspiracy to keep good players in GR so the Grif's can win a championship?

He makes right around league min and will continue to. There are a lot of players with fourth line talent in the league, they all bring the same thing, but many of them won't mesh with what this team has.What we know is that he isn't a cancer in the locker room. He is never going to be a top six fwd. For what he provides and what he commands in salary, he is just fine.

The truth is we don't know how this will turn out because of one uncontrollable factor. Will the salary cap increase, decrease. or remain the same. If it does go up or down, by how much. If it goes up by 3.5 M that means we can re-sign Franzen for little to no change in the amount of cap space available. I still think that some salary is going to have to be moved. My vote is for Val. He has an up side and many teams would want him. Making the amount of salary that would have to come back less because of competition for his services. Kenny has to make an educated guess at what the cap will be next year and sign the right player before playoffs and then hope that the cap doesn't move up less than he anticipated. I really wouldn't want to be in his shoes right now. He could be forced to waive a player at the beginning of next season to get below the number if numbers don't go the right way.

Regardless of what happens with Hossa/Franzen/Hudler/any other UFA/RFA/; Fil needs to be gone. May it be at the deadline or in the off season. He is young and his stock is still high. Many teams have a need for a center with his skills. He just doesn't fit on this team.

Something tells me that you wouldn't be towing Bettman's line if it were Getzlaf and Pronger that were being needlessly suspended.

Shop him. If you get a quality return pull the trigger on a deal, if not then keep him around. I personally don't think that we are at a point were he needs to be moved no matter what.

That just sounds too logical. Are you sure that you can't turn off your brain for a few minutes and come up with a better story. Maybe it's a conspiracy. The defense secretly hate him because of his boyish good looks.

The same defense plays in front of Conklin as well. The only difference is the way the goalies respond.

I think that is the problem w/ Osgood. He is a great backup/ split time goalie. If you ask him to be a full time starter he has issues with it. It is hard to assess his time as a starter with NYI and STL because those teams weren't too good. He is one of those kind of guys that step up during tough times, and you have to love that. I just don't think that he is a starter who can bring it for 50 plus games. This franchise is in trouble when it comes to goal keeping in the next few years if Howard doesn't become something NHL worthy by next year. Or maybe they take a chance on Larsson or McCollum. Neither of those two are ready. I think that Ozzy is losing his edge and there is very little cap space for a FA.

Maybe this could be an even worse idea by playing in seven different cities that don't have NHL teams in order to get more fans "hooked on hockey" :puke:

No offense taken! I actually like to hear when people disagree w/ me for whatever reason. I agree with what you are saying about others in the franchise taking leadership roles. It is always tough to lose on of those special players that everyone knows have a huge leadership role on a team. But like I said, most of me feels that this story is just a poor attempt at journalism.

All though most of my common sense points to this not being very reliable, part of me is concerned for a couple of reasons. Losing Z would be a serious blow to the core of this team. You don't replace a player like Hank. He is amazing with and without the puck in all three zones whether on PP PK or even strength. If he stays, he is the future Captain. Secondly, if Holland feels that he needs to throw around 10 year deals to keep a player who has been quoted as wanting to stay, we could be in trouble! This could drive up the price for our other FA's. I hope that this is just a blogger who didn't understand what his source told him.

I don't know what is worse. Fighting like a little *****, or getting smacked around by a guy who is fighting like a little *****. I think both of them need to turn in their man cards!!!

I don't think it is really for Lids to say. You can't have too many people making equal to or greater than what Nick makes and still be with in cap restrictions. Ultimately, the number that Bettman gives is more important that the number that Nick "allows" others to be paid by Holland and Illitch.

I don't know if I am a fan of different size pads for different size people. Set a height and width limit for all of the pads and play the game.