StevieY9802

No to Zherdev. A lot of people have already said it and that's his bad habits. He could be such a great player. Sykora, Prospal, Grier, Sundin and Tanguay are on my list. Pyatt maybe. Williams I don't really want but I would accept him back. 40-50 pts gets you almost what Hudler got last year, and he can play the point on the PP. My problem with him is that I just don't see him being successful in the playoffs. He's only had one shot really in 06 and lets face it no one did well that year except Hank. But I just don't see it with him. They need to do something now. Not cause of anything to do with the team just for my own sanity I need some real Red Wings news here. We are in the time of the summer where things really slow down. Need something!

Hasn't received an offer, doesn't mean they haven't talked. It could still happen. Wings probably weren't going around offering contracts too much with Hudler' thing not taken care of until the last few weeks.

The youngers guys will be there before going to GR. I read a while ago McCollum might be starting there. I'm psyched as it's a close drive for me. I'll go down there to see a game or two.

Yup I'm there with you. Drake would have been the closest thing but he was just a 4th line checker. He played a role but that was it. I don't get all the people who say the Wings NEED a figher or enforcer or goon or whatever you want to call them. This team has gone to the 3rd round, won the cup and lost in game 7 the last 3 straight years without one. So they don't NEED one. While I would like to have a guy who can bring some physical play and yet still play a checker type role those guys are tough to come by and the Wings seem to be looking for offense first right now.

I understand that and if he wasn't such a ****** with his antics I would be with you on that one. But in his case I wouldn't risk it.

But Bertuzzi, if healthy mind you, could still score. Not saying he was a classy player but he was not one sided. Was that Chris Simon you were mentioning earlier? The guy who crosschecked Hollweg to the face one year and the next year stepped on Ruutu's leg with his skate as he was skating off the ice and was suspended 55 games between the two instances. How does that help the team? Again I understand the argument but an enforecer is different. Joe Kocur and Darren McCarty could fight but gave you solid checking line minutes back in the day.

No Downey wasn't but what else did he bring to the team? And he didn't even fight that much.

sounds right. But how does that help them when the guy would be in the penalty box all the time? I understand having a guy who will stick up for your teammates but give me someone who can give solid minutes on the 3rd or 4th line too. A goon doesn't do that.

Yes it is just the average of the contract. That's why Hank can get paid 7.4mil next year but his cap hit is just over 6mil because he's only getting paid 1mil a year in each of the last 2 years. The NHL WANTED it this way. They didn't want teams getting around the cap by renegotiating or to have players get paid differently each year so teams can get around the cap that way knowing when they will have more cap space then others. In theory it's good until the Wings figured out just front load the heck out of a contract. So this is the NHL's fault not the players, the teams or the NHLPA's. I wouldn't take the NBA's model. Keith Van Horn had to come out of retirement, sign a deal with NJ so that Nets had a enough salary going the other way to Dallas. Then Van Horn sat on the bench in Dallas. They have their own ways around the cap it's just they don't hide it with the mid-level exception and all of that. The next CBA teams will find ways to get around it too. It'll be interesting to see what happens when the CBA expires. I'm just waiting for another lock out.

As many have said the NHL just had not reason to look into the Wings cause they were the first to REALLY front load a contract. Hossa's deal and Pronger's deal just gave them something to go after. But again nothing will happen because how the heck do you prove it? Yes we all know that the Wings, Hawks and Flyers are planning on at least buying these guys out if they don't retire early but you can't prove that with evidence. Although I have to say Pronger's deal is the biggest red flag I mean the dude is making about 7.5 for the first few years, then 4mil and then 525k in each of the last 2? And again I think I said it before this is the NHL's fault. They didn't want contracts to be renegoitated mid-way, which I am all for btw, and they didn't want teams getting around the cap by having different cap hits every year so they took the average. But my guess is there will be a clause that stops certain length contracts in the next cba. At least by a certain age you cannot sign a contract for X amount of years. 23 year olds can sign for 12 years if they want but 30+ year olds can't?

So Sundin will take 250k more than Williams? sorry won't happen. Could he take less money to come here? yes but not 1.5mil. keep dreaming.

thankfullly those classic series keep being posted on youtube so I've been enjoying those since I don't get the NHL Network.

lmao!!!!!!

No way... If he's thinking the deals coming from teams like Florida and Phoenix aren't to his liking what's he gonna get from the Wings?

Didn't do a god damn thing? Give me a break dude. Ty Conklin won the outdoor game plus 24 other ones. He won 25 games. That's half of their wins. You really think that didnt help them get into the playoffs? You think Jimmy Howard does that? Take away Hossa's goals and the Wings score 249 goals and give up 240. Yeah maybe some guys step it up without him but 40 goals worth? I doubt it.

yeah he's still gone. Why sportsnet would say he's staying and not question why he would walk away from 5mil per tax free for 2.5mil is crazy. But as has been stated it's a GREAT deal, if it's true, IF or WHEN he comes back. Had he stayed at 2.5mil for 2 years then in 2011 he would be getting a bigger raise. Now in 2011 he will still have to play for 2.5mil.

I could very much see that in the next CBA. The NHL brought this on themselves though. They didn't want guys getting different cap hits each year as a way to get around the cap so they made it the average of the contract. Didn't take long for GM's to see how to get around that.

yeah you overreacted just a bit there just like he said people would. Devereaux? Trade to get Kopecky's back? You really think that's the same as Jason Williams just because they all used to be Red Wings? Now I'm not crazy about Williams coming back either but those 2 aren't the same thing. If Williams signs I'll wait and see what happens before I say if it works or not. Ken Holland knows more than me or anyone else on this board so I'll let him do his job and then if it doesn't work, say my piece.

For cheap I would take him. I was actually thinking about him a while ago but didn't think they would go after him. He will want to prove himself after the playoffs last year where he was a healthy scratch. I'll wait and see what happens. Again I'm a fan on a message board so I'll let the real guys take care of it and then wait and see hwo it works out.

I think you just proved his point though.

Well first DUH NHL! I knew this when he signed it. Hossa will not play till he's 42. Anyone who thought he would is stupid. He won't be nearly as affective after age 38 and everyone knew this. As far as Hanks deal I can see him more likely to play till he's 40. Yzerman and Larionov did it and I think he could do the same. Won't be as dominant but still can contribute. Franzen I'm not as sure about. But he did start as a checker so he could go back to that MAYBE.

You put thought into your post instead of saying the world is ending and the Wings are going back to the way they were in the 70's and early 80's, and Ken Holland sucks for not magically finding a way to keep depth and all the guys who left.. what's wrong with you? Are you sure you belong on this board. I agree with most of your stuff. This team will be fine. Their defense is one of the best 7 in the league honestly. And their top 6 forwards are better than most teams in the league. And 9 of the 11 forwards currently on the roster helped win a Cup 2 years ago. If their team defense and goaltending improve, as I think I've said 100 times on here, they won't miss last years offense as much since defense and goaltending wasn't a word used by the Wings much at all last year. Granted they do still need to replace some of that offense. As for Williams I don't know about him. He was good in 06 but hasn't been the same since that hit, even though he didn't do terrible when he left here. And come playoff time I don't see him producing. On the offensive side of things I would rather take a shot at Sykora or Prospal on one year deals but that's me and just my opinion.

I would take him for the right salary on a one year deal, which is probably what the Wings are offering. I don't want Jay Williams back but we'll see what happens there. Wings will get a couple guys signed in the next couple weeks I'm guessing.

Everything I've read was this was McDonough who wanted Hossa while Tallon wanted Havlat.

I've been subsribed to his videos for a while. Recently he put up the 2nd and 3rd rounds from 96 and the Avs and this Flyers series from 97 and just today the first round of 98. He has the entire Stats/Wings series from 98 too. It's great to look back at those old games.