Andy Pred 48

Every year we seem to have someone or some tabloid reporting that the Wings are getting old and past their prime. Well one year these pundits will be right with the prediction it's only time catching up which really isn't that hard to forcast. Thi year is gunna be a' lets get thru it best we can and see where we end up'. The likes of Helm, Abdelkader, Ericsson, Leino and hopefully Howard will have had a full season of playing time under their belts and be better off for it. These guys are our future for the next 5-10 yrs. We have some very good prospects coming up as well, who i think you will see in the line up now and then. The area where Kenny has to be shrewd is the free agents. I think he did a good job with his signings considering the $ he gave for them. Its next years free agency where the Wings will be big players and looking at who will be available now makes me think that kenny is already planning to maybe get a big fish or 2 then. My only regret is that he didn't go after Bouwmeester last year, as we will need a dominating blueline presence when Lids hangs them up, and Im not sure we have that calibre in the making with our D prospects at present. Still, we will have a good year, and will probably go 2 rounds in the post season. Any further and this current roster is over acheiving, that isn't a rundown on the boys just a fact when looking at the other rosters out there.

After they both had promising rookie seasons, the pair have made good solid starts to the new season. Both are a healthy +- so far , which is something the Wings org likes. I think both are eligble for the draft this year so will be interesting to see if they get picked up. Another Michigan naitive to keep an eye on this year is a young D playing on the Spitfires with Watson, Cam Fowler. Turns 18 in Dec, has spent the previous 3 years on the US Nat under 18 team before joining Windsor this summer.

This is da ja vue, a solid first period followed by a missing D in the second as the Rampage blow in 5 goals. Griffs blow a 5 on 3 full 2mins, although a equalizing goal was waived off. Bright spot for Griffs and ultimately the Wings, Tatar is making his debut and is looking a class player. Very nice touches, was robbed by Montoya but has assisted on Delmores goal. I can see this kid being a Wing before he is 20.

Larsson's stats for the game must be wicked, 6 shots 5 goals, pulled!!

I just mentioned this on the match night thread. Hope it gets corrected, ive got Big E in my pool over here.

The Wings keep Tatar in Grand Rapids instead of sending him to the OHL. Yet 2 games in and he hasn't been on the roster yet, not sure if this is what Kenny and Co wanted from the farm team or is Thomas injured, anyone have any info on the situation. You don't think that Babs is gunna want him kicking his heels in the pressbox at Van Andel for much longer, this kid needs to be playing regular games. Unless there gunna fastrack him to the Joe!!

Just a quick point, not trying to get our boys any ghost points, but Raffi's empty netter is listed as un-assissted. Yet I could have sworn Big E passed to Zetta who then put Raffi away with a slick pass for the goal. Surley these 2 will be credited assists when the game is looked at by the NHL.

Apart from the guys already mentioned I think these will be very good Wings in the near future. If Smith stays healthy he will be the next big star on the D and I think the surprise package could be Nestrasil, a power forward in the making. 1/ Brendan Smith 2/ Joakim Andersson 3/ Andrej Nestrasil 4/ Dick Axelsson

Did you notice that like May with the Wings, Mitchell has changed his # to 24 as well.

would you also say that him and Howard are also the reason we have 2 losses? Its a team game, you win together and lose together.

look we can all make stats say what they want us to say. Whilst a Redwing; Ozzie's best year in GAA was the 07-08 season when we won the cup, he had a 2.09gaa and a 0.914sv% as well, which was his 2nd best after the 0.917 he posted in the 94-95 half year season. Last year the 08-09 was his worst on both accounts. A 3.09gaa and a 0.887sv%. Now I know that the Wings were offence laidened last year and defence seemed to be and 2nd afterthought, but Oz played just 3 games more than his best stats season of 07-08. Yet he allowed 53 more goals overall. An increase of 1 goal a game. But if we take a look at his Playoff record for the past 2 years he has been nothing short of sensational. 42 games, a combined Sv% of 0.928 and a GAA ave of 1.78. Now if only Oz could bring that to the regular season, everyone would be happy bunnys!

0-1 end of first. griffs outshot their hosts 12-5 but trail by the odd goal.

Yeah, Mayday also not icing. Wonder what the thinking is on those 2 not playing. Mind with Crosty, Tardif and Newbury the griffs do have a presence out there.

Look Im not jumping on any bandwagon or Oz haters gang, but I don't care what people are saying, we had the same probs last year. Piss poor goaltending and sloppy defence. 4 goals on 15 shots is at the very best beer league stats!! We had enough chances on the PP to have put this game to bed, should have been a 5-1 scoreline before we had the 5 min brainfart passage in the 2nd which now sees us 3-4 down. Not sure, but did it start going **** up when Ericsson left the ice? Still 20mins left, but we gotta start to up the anti and protect Oz better, and hope Oz can make the saves.

Good on ya mate, I'll be with ya, gotta see what Tatar has got.

Where do these guys get their info. I have read reports on last nights game v Leafs, but i have to ask the question where do these reporters get the info from. Surely they weren't watching the game? There is one point in question that makes me wonder, and its very minor I know but consider the facts. quote; Gustavsson's best save came in the third period when Johan Ryno and Jan Mursak got free on a breakway. The Swedish goalie calmly slid across his crease to block Mursak's shot, eliciting the largest cheer all evening from the crowd. The above quote has been reported in 3 different reports by various reporters. Well having watched the game live over here on a live feed via the Leafs network i can clear up the facts. Mursak broke away down the right wing with speed and Ryno going down the left with him on a 2 on 0 breakaway. He then feed a tape to tape pass onto Ryno's stick who fired a one timer that Gustavsson did save with his pads. Now call me petty, but as Mursak is 5'11" and Ryno is 6'5" I can see how these 2 players must have confused the 'attending' reporters!! What do we believe from these guys? For what its worth, I felt that the young guys overall did well, Ritola looked good and I thought that Delmore had some good wheels and could be more than a call up guy, if Meech or Lebda are let go. A big plus is the puck skills of Leino, I think he could fill the void left by Rex and some.

I would have thought the Org would have tried to keep Cheli in the system somewhere. maybe player/coach for the Storm and get him cutting his ready for a bigger role with the senior side in a couple of years.

Cloutier earns a 2 way deal with GR and Toledo is all I can see happening at best for him. If I were Howard I would be more worried about Larsson at camp.

I think that this has signalled the end of Homers top line 5 on 5 mins. I wouldn't be surprised to see Bert on Pasha and Z's line with Leino on the 2nd line. Its gunna give Babs even more headaches. How would it pan out with Homer on the 4th line, where really speed is what is needed on our chq line. It could also mean spliting up Dats and Hank again, Im glad I ain't Babs. Funny how things turn round with just one signing. With the speed of Helm Draper and Eaves that could be a great Checking unit on the 4th, But then you have Williams, Cleary and Homer/Malts as the 3rd line. Here's my suggestion for what its worth. Zetta Dats Mule Cleary Flip Bert Ville Helm Williams Eaves Draps Homer Malts 13th

This year is all about filling/pluging holes, hence the 1 yr deals. Next year is when the Wings become big players in the UFA mkt. We will still have a more than competitive team that will make the playoffs, gotta feeling that we wont win the central this year thou.

He is one of, if not the strongest player in the league.

According to Cap Geek we now have $1.319m left which includes Abs. Could we now say that Abs will indeed be starting the year in GR, easing up a further $.85m for the cap. If Kenny was to be so bold and trade Meech for picks, another $.483m becomes available. We now sit looking at having a possable $2.652m to play with. Not sure but that should be enough to get us a bottom end top 6 forward at least. Before I get carried away, can someone inform me as to how Liljas salary goes if he is put on LTIR, can we add his whole salary of $1.25m to the $2.652m which would give us nearly £4m. I wonder what trick Kenny will perofrm next? Prospal and Roy for a combined £2.5m? Now that would put me at ease till Oct.

Shoots right to if I recall correctly.

Well for what its worth, I think a move for Maxim would do him good. He had a good rapour with Pasha whilst both were playing for Moscow Dynamo in the lock out year. At what cost would he be willing to play for? I'm sure some KHL team will offer him more than he could make in the NHL. He has great hands, and if all his injuries have healed has the speed to back alot of D men off to deep. On a line with Dats and Mule could be just what could see him flourish. He's only had 3x20+ goal seasons so far and only hit 50+ pts twice, not a $3.5m player by any means but I suppose most of his time with his only NHL side has been on poor teams. You only have to look at Sammys record before he came to Detroit for evidence of what a move to the Wings can do for a player. Pre Wings PL 188 19+30 = 49pts -11 : With Wings PL 278 67+92=159pts +49: What is interesting with Max's stats is the 2 big pts years he has had he was +25, whilst stuggling when not scoring heavy with a -52 rating. Jury is out on him for most fans but could he be the next Redwings project? At 29 he has some years left in him and after all Sammy was 28 when we picked him off the scrapheap. If Lilja is put on LTIR, would the $1.25m be enough to use in getting Afinogenov, worth a gamble or not? I'd take a chance for a year, after all its next season when we'll be big players in the market.

Well we could pick up Andrew Peters from Buffalo, Andre Roy from Calgary and Mitch Fritz from the Islanders who are all UFA's. Don't think it would cost that much either. Put them on the 4th line and wait for the fireworks to start. We can then keep Abs in GR as the front office would prefer and sit Malts as the 13th fwd as most on here want. We have $1.8m cap space at present we trade Meech for some pick/s giving us a $2.3m cap space. Peters and Fritz we give $.5m and Roy $.7m (he has got some offence) on 1yr deals leaving us a cap space of $0.6m. With Lils looking highly doubtful we can put him on long term injured list giving us a further $1.25m cap hit. Hence keeping Lebda on the roster. When/if Lils is ready we can trade Lebda. Simples!! Oh yeah, one minor drawback. The 4th line will be a - 30 by XMAS!!!