ltgator333

With what's left out there, ok.

Amen. I kinda wanted them to sign Comrie because he was one of the few still out there, sure I think he wouldda been ok for the second line but there WAS a lot better than ok out there then it got signed elsewhere.

Filpulla is untested as an NHL centerman. He will be good, but he's not ready to shoulder the responsibility of centering a scoring line yet. I don't really see him being a center full time in the NHL anyway, just like Zetterberg doesn't center full time in the NHL, despite the fact he's capable enough to do it.

I don't think Mike Comrie would be a terrible player to pick up, Gelinas wouldn't be terrible either but I still think they need a real-deal center for the second line. Gelinas isn't a center. Anaheim isn't going to give Penner up, and Buffalo is in no position to give up Vanek, and he's not a center.

I'm not pleased. That's all I can say about it right now.

You use an effective check to nail the guy he passes to once in your defensive zone. Pokechecks are fine, but he's not got all the reach in the world for one. I didn't see him doing much of that. Hooks and holds are great- for minor penalties. What I'm saying here is Hudler's a potential goal scoring machine, beyond that I don't see it. And I don't see a one-dimensional player, on the offensive side that is, fitting into Babcock's world very well. Ask Robert Lang about that.

There will be a bit of a rivalry next year, but what happens next year will determine whether or not it grows.

ZING @ Lang

I don't think it did. He was a solid defenseman. The wings had/have better defensive-defensemen, but only Lidstrom could rival him on the point. He's a loss and I'll miss him but hey we got Rafalski now, no worries.

He can't skate down opposing top forwards. If they get a jump on him, he's not going to catch them, and if he does it's not like he can put an affective check on them. I also didn't see much of Hudler stealing pucks. Where's his defensive prowess?

Yeah I think that he could be more of an offensive weapon if coupled with a playmaker like Pavel, but the flipside is now Pavel has to backcheck harder to cover the holes in the neutral zone that Hudler's gonna leave.

Oh man don't say that you'll jinx him!! I have to admit it crossed my mind though....... I think in swapping Schnieds for Rafalski the wings actually got better defensively. You can't replace Matty's shot though, unfortunately.

I'm hoping we can retain Bert too, the wings need a second line. It's been hard to keep up with all the movement this offseason, it's been fairly active. Apparently GM's are getting comfortable with the way things are again.

If Hudler leaves it will be a loss, but if he's looking for over 850k he's out of his mind. I think something a lot of these guys don't realize is that it's all well and good to make the big bucks, but it's something even better to be able to hold your head up while doing it. As in playing for a club that wins, night in night out. I agree with anyone who says that Hudler, despite his size and skating ability, could have 40 points next season easily. I'm just not impressed with the other aspects of his game- if the puck's on his stick and he has a shot he's dangerous, other than that he's a non-factor. I'm not sure that really plays into Detroit's system. Perhaps they should've traded him. He'd fit in great in Pittsburg or Atlanta I think, and we could've gotten a second rounder for him.

This is about what I'm thinking. For a low salary and it sounds like he has something to prove, I'd think he'd be worth Kenny looking at closely. About the skating ability being on par (if not slower than) Lang, I have to give JA a one up on Lang- he's got something to prove. He's got to prove to himself and everyone that he can still play in the NHL. That can be a powerful motivator to give it 110% all the time.

First let me say cheers to Osgod and his 'natterin'. If that DOESN"T bring a bit of a smile to your face, then.... JR eh? I hate that guys guts, but he'd definitely give us a new LGW official whipping boy now that Lazy and Sucks is gone. That and who knows he might have a little gas left in the tank.. when's the last time he played for a GOOD team?

I've played some roller hockey, and a few times even pond hockey, but nothing formal. Just a bunch of guys (and a few times a chick) havin fun. At one point of time I made my dad's year and got him some street hockey goal pads, me and him would go at it one on one just penalty shot after penalty shot in the driveway, it was great. I learned some respect for the old man's trapper hand, very quickly. But playing in a league is on my list of things to do before I die get to old, slow and fat to do it. Think I'd be a great 3rd line penalty box occupant winger.

Well I would encourage people who are upset to make their voices heard to your respective state representatives/senators. I probably will myself. Bottom line is these people in Lansing ARE disconnected with what's really going on out there, and the only wake up call they could possibly get is us complaining. A lot. As for the Granholm vs. Engler debate... in Granholm's defense, but I'd like to make it known I did not vote for her, Engler did have it easy. The national economy was good, and the big 3 were doing a lot better than they are now. Engler did a good job I think, was he a better governor I don't know- the only way to tell would be to put him back in office right now I think. Which can't happen, so who knows. Aunt Jenny has pissed me off though, her inflexibility is costing every one of us. If she's so adamant about a balanced budget that she's going to tax seats at sporting events, why doesn't she take a pay cut to help out? You can't tell me she's NOT rolling in money.

I would agree with that. Why not?

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=211462&hubname=nhl For what it's worth. It's still creepy seeing him in that jersey.. oh well.

Well you can beat the what-if's to death, but I think not. Yzerman was done, he said some things last season that I thought I'd never hear out of him, and I knew it was comin to a close. Maybe they would've though, but we'll never know.

Fetisov's busy, and he did that once.. ended up throwing a bench onto the ice while he was coaching in NJ. Larionov is too laid back, he'd make a sweet like behind the scenes coach, or an assistant but I don't think Larionov's gonna give anyone hell when they need it. ..now don't get me wrong I like both of those guys, Larionov's one of my favs but. I wish they had picked Slegr back up at the time, but then he ended up playin in Germany or some s*** so he couldn't have been all THAT good. Back on topic though I have never understood the 'sour grapes' mentality out of some of you around here regarding former Red Wings, especially ones like Shanny and Feds that did some good things for the team and for us as fans. Sure Feds didn't leave on good terms but yaknow what I wouldn't boo the guy if he came back. Wouldn't even cross my mind. Same goes for Shanny. I mean, what do you guys want, a Stevie Y or Nik Lidstrom out of every player? It don't work like that, we're dayum fortunate (lucky) that those guys played here their whole career, or in the case of Lidstrom possibly his whole career. They moved on, yeah it still trips me out to see Feds in a Columbus BJ's sweater and as I stated initially it still is a 'wow' to see Shanny in a NYR sweater, but that's just how it goes. How many of you have worked 15yrs at you're current job doing the same thing the whole time, or will be? Exactly. Some times it's just time to hit the road and see what's out there.

Anyone think he'd look good in Detroit? If he could get along with people, wouldn't be a bad 2nd liner at all, in my opinion..

omg.. I can't believe I hadn't seen that before.. that IS priceless cheers man!

Not surprised either. A little off topic but someone needs to make some blockbusters and spice the news up a bit.. c'mon this deal's a gimmie.