russianswede919293

In my opinion there is no issue. Howard, Larsson, and McCollum are all 2-3 years apart developmentally. They will each get their shot, and if they blow it the one behind them gets theirs. I think Howard has shown he COULD be a great goalie. But he is far too inconsistant down in GR for me to be comfortable with him as an NHL starter at this point.

I think that is a good trade for Montreal. He will play 3rd line with Latendresse and S. Kostitsyn Good trade Habs.

750,00 for Chelios and 525,000 for Quincey... Just so everybody knows, if you go to NHL numbers and plug in the numbers for a roster without meech the cap still comes up above the ceiling... They need to get rid of somebody who makes more than Meech or more than one person.

Make that 2 men's opinions. I agree 100%. When Hank won the Conn Smyth he brought it over so everybody on the team could touch it because he is a team player and cares about the team more than himself. Pavs didn't get cocky about his multiple awards his speech was, id like to say more but my english short.... Its all about the team for both of those guys...and when your best players, pavs, lids, hank, are guys that give up what they could have for the team it trickels all the way down to Downey and McCarty signing two-way deals to be here. Players want to play in Detroit...period...that is a good thing. Lids only makes 7.45, Datsyuk 6.7, LESS THAN BRIERE AND DRURY?!?!?!?! And I bet Hank is right around 7 also. Its a great organization that top to bottom is about two things... 1) Winning the cup 2) Team Unity and Loyalty

hockeybuzz.com has an article claiming a sundin decision is imminent and that it will be to go to the Habs. http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=16557 If this is true, I expect a Habs v Wings cup finals.

I am basing all my figures off the team I expect to have be the 23 players. and the salary figures on nhlnumbers.com. Forwards (13)- Hossa (7.4), Datsyuk (6.7), Filppula (3.0), Cleary (2.8), Zetterberg (2.65), Holmstrom (2.25), Draper (1.583), Samuelsson (1.2), Hudler (1.015), Franzen (0.942), Maltby (0.883), Kopecky (0.5), Downey Or McCarty (0.575) Total Hit: 31.498 Defense (8)-Lidstrom (7.45), Rafalski (6.0), Stuart (3.75) Kronwall (3) Lilja (1.25) Lebda (0.65) Chelios (lets assume 0.7) Quincey (lets assume 0.65 like Lebda) Total: 23.45 Goalie (2)-Osgood (1.417) Conklin (0.75) Total: 2.167 Grand Total: 57.115 With an Upper Cap Hit of 56.7, that means with my ASSUMED Chelios and Quincey contracts only trading Meech is not enough. SO...there will either be 2 trades, my numbers are assumed too high, or a higher paid player will be traded. Only time will tell

The Wings have 3 options to be the future in the net. 1) Howard 2) Larsson 3) McCollum (Who I think truly will be the future goalie of the Wings) And luckily they are all three behind each other in steps of progress...so when we try Howard, if he doesn't work Larsson is almost ready, and if we try him and he doesnt work McCollum is almost ready...they have goaltending depth for the next 4-5 years.

Better Think Twice http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/20...way_deal_w.html

http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/2008/08/wx..._to_resign.html Mac thinks he'll be back too. He is just looking for a better offer than a 2-way deal.

I just cannot see Yzerman in any role on any other team. I think that he will sit tight and wait for JImmy Devellano to retire, then Holland gets promoted and Stevie is GM...

Fedorov. The way that he could move aroud the rink with the puck and that shot. He was one of the most fun players to watch and made some of the prettiest plays. As a 5 year old kid...he brought me into hockey and the WIngs.

I'd be surprised as hell if Mac went to play in Russia. He is currently working on getting back into his children's lives after his issues. I think that he will play in the NHL. I am with NFM that I don't blame him for wanting a little more than 100,000. He has maybe 1 or 2 years left in him, and he is essentially broke right now. He will play one or two more years in the NHL/AHL then he will probably retire and get a job as a coach on some minor level or a scout or something of that sort to keep some income and stay involved with hockey is my guess. Right now he is winding down what was a very respectable career, and trying to do what is best for himself and his family, and that includes making the most money that he can right now. Who can blame him. Hockey players are people too.

http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&a...rticleid=379694 Wings on 7 Times

Is there a link, I haven't seen this anywhere.

A little off topic but I got a Thrashers Hossa Reebok Edge Jersey for $35 today

My question is that since Bowman was a member of the Wings organization do the Wings get compensation???

I hope he ends up on Long Island again, but I could see a guy like him ending up in the KHL as well.

This is what I think would happen. Ken Holland is a classy guy, and I think that Lilja is better served for his career playing every day at this point, so I could see him saying, Andreas you would be our #7 D-Man and 1.25 is too much to pay for that, we'd like to trade you to a team where you can play every day, and honestly I think if I were Lilja I would be happy about that, but we can still fit under cap by trading a Lebda or a risking Meech to waivers as well, so I don't know. Plus day 1 of camp somebody could get hurt, then nobody goes...Ericsson in the minors frees up enough cap to keep everyone, it will all be a matter of who wins the role of #6,7,8 D-Man and #13 forward come September. Also Howard v Conklin will be fun to watch this September too. We have some good young players fighting with some veterans in camp and it should be a fun pre-season this year.

I don't want to change the thread from Filppula to Lilja, but seeing as its in regard to where Filppul's contract leaves the Wings I think its acceptable. I MOSTLY agree with you here NFM. But as I said earlier I wouldnt be surprised if Lilja was traded. But I don't think they'll say tomorrow, hey Andreas good bye. I think that what could happen is if Lilja is outplayed at camp and becomes a number 7 defenseman they could trade him. I think the more likely scenario is that they keep all of Lebda, Lilja, Meech, Quincey up and use Meech as a 13th forward 9th defenseman and have Mac and Downey as 14th forwards that get called up from Grand Rapids, but I also wouldn't be surprised to see Quincey have a strong camp and make the d-pairs so: Lids-Raffi Kronner-Stuart Lebda-Quincey Lilja Chelios In which case I think its possible you could see Lilja traded. The only reason I wouldn't be shocked to see him traded is if he loses the battle for the last spot on the point in training camp, which is a possibility. Stating that a guy was brought back, but outplayed and pused to the press box by a younger player and then trading the player that was brought back initially to a place where he will play, is not something I think the Wings would get flack for. So I guess my point is Lilja's fate is in his own hands, but if he is outplayed in camp he could be gone, not because he was a sign and trade, but because he lost his spot. It easily could go another way, and Meech or Lebda could be traded as well...We will see.

I could see Lilja being traded to make room, but according to nhlnumbers.com there is 0.610 million left but that puts ericssons 900k into the figure so make that 1.510 million under cap since ericsson will be in grand rapids. So that is 1.5 million for chelios and either McCarty or Downey. So expect Cheli to sign a 1 year deal at about 700 k and then Downey and or McCarty to take the league minimum, leaving a "tiny" meaning almost nothing, room under cap.

Very good deal. Glad to have him for the long term. Could definately turn out to be a steal.

I think that at this point in his career Kopecky is un-met potential, but I see something in him that makes me think he could be a solid 4th line guy on this team, I hope he finds it. He was really starting to come around before the injury last season, and I think that is why I still want to see what he has left and not get rid of him.

Your welcome, and to the other guy, if its too long for you you don't need to read it, I didn't really repeat myself too often, and I felt and valid explanation was needed. If I said, Nolan is hard to get along with Snow is not a bad GM, it would have not had the same effect as my post in my opinion.

I see Meech being let go in favor of keeping Lebda and Quincey, there is a 23 man limit. And I see McCarty over Downey so Downey in Grand Rapids if he is willing, and Meech in Grand Rapids if he makes it through waivers.

Darren Helm=Jonathan Ericsson Meaning he is more than ready to be a starter on this team, but there are too many players under contract, and the fact that he can go to Grand Rapids without being exposed to waivers...That means he, like Ericsson and Howard, are not per say bound for Grand Rapids, but it will take one hell of a training camp to take their bags off that bus. That being said I expect the rosters, t the start of the season to look like this (assuming Kopecky is ready: Datsyuk-Zetterberg-Holmstrom Franzen-Filppula-Hossa Cleary-Draper-Samuelsson Hudler-Kopecky-Maltby D-Mac Lidstrom-Rafalski Kronwall-Stuart Lebda-Lilja Quincey Chelios Osgood Conklin At first injury call ups are Helm or Ericsson And they could even surplant somebody from the roster by years end, but they have the short end of the stick in the waiver exempt world of finding an apartment in GR.