joshy207

However, around mid-season or at the deadline, we'll have much more money to spend as contracts are pro-rated over the course of the season. We could stand to acquire a $4-5M player late in the season, or a couple guys around $2-3M. And Holland will have the cap room in the future to take on those salaries late this year... Might cost us a pick, prospect, or NHL player... but might be worth it, too.

...but within a month, he went back to Europe where he has shown very little if any improvement. He would have been better served staying in Grand Rapids. There are more than a few forwards ahead of him now that weren't in September '07.

I guess our "luck" in getting Yzerman happened because the Islanders took Pat LaFontaine at #3. That's who Detroit really wanted, a local kid, very highly regarded. When he was gone at 4, Detroit snapped up Yzerman, also a top-notch prospect. I think it would have worked out well either way (LaFontaine was an excellent player) but Detroit definitely got "lucky" in getting Yzerman. All that said, the blogger does have some valid points... other teams have done much better in the draft, producing far more NHL regulars than Detroit has. However, the draft is not the only way to build a team, and for most of those years, Detroit used draft picks as tradeable assets. Now with the salary cap and the reduced time teams have to sign European prospects, drafting well is becoming much more important.

Kolosov isn't ready. He's behind Kindl on the depth charts. Both of them will log big minutes in Grand Rapids. Kindl will be a candidate in 10-11, Kolosov either that year or the following one. With Lilja's injury situation, he won't be traded. He may go on LTIR if he's not ready to go in October, which would allow the Wings to replace his salary. My roster: Forwards--Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Franzen, Filppula, Cleary, Holmstrom, Draper, Leino (re-signed @ 900K), Maltby, Abdelkader, Helm, and a 12th forward signed for $500K--let's use Downey for now. Defensemen--Lidstrom, Rafalski, Stuart, Kronwall, Lilja, Ericsson, Lebda, Meech. Lilja may start on IR or LTIR; Meech can fill in at forward as needed. Goalies--Osgood, Howard. This leaves $1,079,347 in extra room under the cap. This can be used for callups during the season (there's one open spot--two if Lilja is on IR), applied toward a replacement on the roster for Lilja if he goes on LTIR and is later activated; OR held for a high-priced, late-season roster addition, be it a forward, goalie, or whatever is needed for another run at the Cup.

It appears the Wings have re-signed a lot of prospects. Listed on "Latest Contracts" on Capgeek.com: — Randall Gelech, DET, $975k / 2 yrs (2007-2009) — Darren Haydar, DET, $525k / 1 yr (2008-2009) — Sebastien Piche, DET, $1.69m / 3 yrs (2009-2012) — Jordan Pearce, DET, $1.3m / 2 yrs (2009-2011) — Francis Pare, DET, $1.08m / 2 yrs (2009-2011) — Brent Raedeke, DET, $1.568333m / 3 yrs (2009-2012) — Brian Lashoff, DET, $1.568333m / 3 yrs (2009-2012) — Sergei Kolosov, DET, $1.055m / 2 yrs (2008-2010) — Logan Pyett, DET, $1.88m / 3 yrs (2008-2011) — Jamie Tardif, DET, $1.05m / 2 yrs (2008-2010) — Johan Ryno, DET, $1.845m / 3 yrs (2007-2010) — Jan Mursak, DET, $1.938333m / 3 yrs (2008-2011) — Evan McGrath, DET, $1.9m / 3 yrs (2006-2009) — Ryan Oulahen, DET, $525k / 1 yr (2008-2009) Also: — Cory Emmerton, DET, $1.87m / 3 yrs (2008-2011) — Thomas McCollum, DET, $2.5375m / 3 yrs (2009-2012) — Daniel Larsson, DET, $1.27m / 2 yrs (2008-2010) — Dick Axelsson, DET, $1.855m / 3 yrs (2008-2011)

As would everyone else in the world. My point was, no scout or GM can be knocked for not drafting these guys at 18.

Franzen wasn't even drafted until he was 24. He showed very limited offensive upside at the higher levels in Sweden. He scored 12 and 10 goals in his first two NHL seasons. Was Franzen a stud? No. He wasn't even on anyone's radar at 18. He was a solid defensive-minded forward until age 28, when he finally began to find the net with regularity. Lidstrom, you can't count. He was drafted in 1989 when the hockey landscape was entirely different. The European contingent in the NHL was much smaller, NHL salaries weren't what they are today, and you didn't really know if a European player was going to come to the NHL at all, and if he did, if he would stay for long. Teams were reluctant to use a high pick on a player they didn't have a solid chance of signing. Same thing would apply to Fedorov, Konstantinov, etc. Zetterberg and Datsyuk were late bloomers. Skilled players but they weren't ready for the NHL until age 22, 23, and even then, they put up modest point totals in each of their first two seasons. Not until their third seasons, in their mid-20s, did they become top-end players. Datsyuk wasn't drafted until he was 20. Both were very skilled teens, but needed the extra time to develop and blossom into the stars they are today. Neither were "studs" at 18. It's all a crapshoot. For every time Detroit gets lucky with a late-rounder, they swing and miss on half a dozen kids at least. Look at some of the unsigned picks and see how they never got any better, stayed in Europe, quit after a couple years in the minors, just plain didn't pan out.

The headline says 57.8 but the article says 56.8. Nice. Doesn't anyone proofread anymore??

Yeah, good catch. I just looked at the dates. 2007, 2008... not sure why they'd list them as recent signings?

Kolosov has also been listed as Siarhei Kolasau. He's (I think) from Belarus, so depending on which language is used, his name changes. http://www.redwingscentral.com/prospects/kolosov.php

It is an interesting idea. I think the NHL would only explore it if they determine the current hard cap system is not working well. I think if the NHL were to explore the soft cap option, they would look to limit how much each team can go over. Maybe 10%, 15%, or something like that.

The inflator was applied this past season also. So, the cap still rose slightly.

Which guy would you trade for Heatley... Datsyuk or Zetterberg? Because that's the only way Heatley would end up in Detroit.

Normally, practice jerseys don't have names and numbers, and are shuffled around every day. They're thrown in the hamper after practice, washed, and hung back up... but other than size (which I'm guessing the team has all the same size unless someone's HUGE) there are no identifying marks. I don't think the Wings are any different than most teams... It's probably like the black one you have, and someone's just trying to take advantage of a sucker who doesn't know any different.

There are 23 roster spots, but not all have to be filled. I don't think the Wings will be able to carry more than 21 players (with everyone healthy) next year. They may even have to go with 20 just to fit under the cap.

Rafalski has a no-trade clause. Kindl won't be a 7th defenseman in Detroit, he'll log big minutes in Grand Rapids. I don't see how the Wings can keep Hossa. I also think they'll have trouble signing both Hudler and Samuelsson. Holland will have to gut the team's depth to keep more than one of these guys, especially Hossa. Is he worth that?

You're almost $1.9M OVER the cap... keeping Hossa at $5M and not giving raises to Kopecky or Leino... and that's if the cap stays put at $56.7M. There are projections that it could be as low as $54.2M next year. Hossa cannot stay without gutting this team's depth. As much as I like Hossa and think he's a top-15 NHL forward, it's not worth losing Hudler, Leino, and at least three more players just to keep Hossa. Let's face it, the Wings are in a very tight spot next year.

I've never believed Holmstrom to be a "first line" NHLer. His style is third or fourth line--he's not a great skater, not a playmaker, until a few years ago wasn't a great shooter, plays a more gritty, grinding style and crashes the net--but he meshes well with Datsyuk, Zetterberg, and a couple of Detroit's other top-liners. Holmstrom cannot carry a line but he does complement better players. Therefore I see no reason to move him; at his age, salary, production level and talent level he's worth far, far more to the team as one of its players than as trade bait.

I think they have to let him go. They wouldn't have to totally gut the team to keep him, but there'd definitely be some filleting. As good as Hossa is, it's not worth it IMO.

Contract buyouts still cost the team money against the cap. I'm not exactly sure how it works; the last time buyouts were really used was right after the lockout--when the Wings bought out McCarty, Hatcher, and Whitney--and they didn't count against the cap at that time. Teams don't have that free pass anymore. Players who are bought out become unrestricted free agents and can sign with any team EXCEPT the team that just bought them out. I believe there's a one-year waiting period there.

It's been this way for as long as I can remember....... at least 20 years... and probably much longer than that.

While the NTDP was started in 1997, it really took a few years for it to hit full stride. Lots of players didn't want to leave home at 16 to play for a brand new program, so they didn't get all the top players. (They still don't get all the best ones.) As the program has evolved, it has produced more and better players that have made the NHL. (And so has the rest of the American developmental system.) You bring up a good point, there are lots more older American players now, which adds to the total. Guys like Modano, Guerin, Roenick, Weight, Tkachuk, Rafalski, Conroy, Jason Blake, Rolston, Schneider, Marchant, etc. are all playing in their mid- to late-30s. Most of them have a couple years AT LEAST left in their tanks. The US will probably never challenge Canada for sheer numbers of NHL players. Our top 25 is on par with the rest of the elite hockey-playing countries, but we don't have the depth that Canada does. It would be interesting to compare our under-25 players to Canada and the other countries, though...

I expect youth hockey numbers in Michigan will take a big hit next year. Some players who were on travel teams (more icetime, more expensive) will drop down to house (recreational) leagues, and kids from all levels will simply drop out because their parents won't be able to pay. Even when the economy improves, we still have some arenas charging $250-300 for an hour of icetime--that cost has to come down one way or another. Equipment costs can be controlled, middle-of-the-line gear is still good quality (kids don't NEED $150 sticks and $350 skates) and used equipment is always an option. But the cost of ice is a killer. The NTDP has an Under-18 and Under-17 team with (I think) 23 players on each roster. Almost all of the U-17s go on to play for the U-18 team each year, so it's basically 23 players out and 23 in each summer. Most go on to NCAA programs, some to Major Junior in Canada, and in rare instances, a player won't go on to play competitive hockey again. I believe the program started in 1997. The NTDP is one reason for the increase in American players, probably the biggest single reason. Coaching and training have vastly improved in the last 10-15 years, especially at the elite youth levels, so players are becoming more skilled and better conditioned. Hockey's expansion into non-traditional markets in the 90s has also led to the development of elite players... we're seeing youth teams becoming competitive at the National level from California, Texas, Arizona, and Florida, not just the Northeast, Michigan and Minnesota anymore. And kids from those teams are going on to play junior, college, and pro.

No, I don't see that happening. The number of youth hockey players in the US has been declining for the past 5-10 years. Hockey has become far too expensive for many families to afford, and the youth hockey season is too long and demanding for some people's tastes. Competitive players with aspirations of playing junior, college, or pro hockey are on the ice 4-5 times a week minimum, for at least 9-10 months per year. Lots of kids get burned out, and plenty of families are scared away from the time and financial commitments required. The increase in US-born NHL players can be attributed to the National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, MI. USA Hockey takes most of the top 16- and 17-year-old players and moves them to Ann Arbor where they basically eat, breathe, and sleep hockey, playing games against junior and college teams as well as in international competitions. (They do go to high school, too.) These kids are being fast-tracked to college hockey and the NHL and are also being groomed to represent the US in World Juniors, World Championships, and the Olympics. Other talented Americans are making the NHL from outside this system, but the majority of the increase comes from here.

Could be a hand injury maybe, wouldn't prevent him from skating or riding the bike but it would be tough to take faceoffs and handle the puck. Or, maybe it's just a coach's decision and they're saying it's an injury, to not embarass Draper. I really don't know why he would sit over Maltby or Kopecky, but he was interviewed on one of the local sportscasts before the first game and he was NOT HAPPY to say the least.