b.shanafan14

Logo Hunter and Shinguard Assassin might be Sammy's best nicknames, but he and Franzen could both be called High-and-Wide. Sammy is just as bad as Franzen when it comes to missing the net. If I see much more coasting from Franzen this season (a given), then he is no longer Mule, he is Rosebud.

So much for wanting to stay out West . "One offer Doan has is a four-year contract in excess of $30 million"...........

Why do we compare every mediocre or declining player that comes to this team to Dan Cleary, are comfortable with the "reclamation project" stamp, and so confident we can fix things in our system and dressing room, BUT Semin, a player with tremendous skill who didn't get along the greatest on a young team like Washington is beyond repair?

Agree with gcom007: Don't blame Holland for this off-season, blame him for letting a winning team stagnate to mediocrity. Too many years "re-tooling" with old throw-away players like Bertuzzi and Williams. Too many 'alumni' who weren't great here in the first place brought back after their game had fallen off elsewhere, given the "but Cleary" stamp, and thought to be good enough (although, now bringing in a player like Semin is apparently not interesting?). The last 3 years of Lidstrom's career not taken advantage of, and 3 years of Datsyuk and Zetterberg's prime wasted by refusing to give them the wingers they need to maximize production and/or minimize wear-and-tear: scorers and workers. This team was going to be worse after losing Lidstrom and Stuart, period. However, the team should have been preparing in advance, instead of 'tweeking' the formula. I really believe Holland has been doing what he can and working his ass off this summer trying to fill gaps (except for waiting like every other GM on a long-shot in Doan instead of pursuing Semin), but its too little, too late at this point. As is, the Wings will be competitive next year like they were last year: get a low playoff seed, and then lose their first playoff series (and another year of D and Z's shelf-life).

Can't believe he is already 34... still wouldn't trade him for anyone. Too bad he has had sub-par wingers for the majority of his prime. Happy birthday, Pasha!

With so many forwards on the Wings already, we're looking for a big fish like Doan, Semin, Nash, or Ryan, not just another guy. That said, one year deal at that price is a steal; very little risk for a player who is worth it.

I'd love to be wrong, but it seems that is exactly what it is. Just like he should have been spending time between wooing Suter to extend an offer to Garrison, since we needed two top-4 defensemen anyways. Instead, we missed out on everyone. And now, we'll see Semin go somewhere while we wait for Doan to decide he is confident enough to re-sign with Phoenix. You'd think we had $5 mil to the cap and had to choose one or the other... and had only to choose and get the player, because EVERYONE'S first choice is Detroit...

Fair enough; I saw it as sign Semin OR trade for Ryan, not both. Either way, I would be wary of giving up too much in any trade. As I said somewhere previously, if we don't give up too many prospects or picks, Filppula could come back as UFA next season, and it could be great. Just don't want to get rid of a guy we developed into one hell of a player AND chunks of the future for a slight improvement. As far as who didn't score (in this case, Filppula) during our first-round exit to the Preds: who DID score? Not many.

No, but it is apparently going to cost us more than fair trade (which would be Filppula +, not +++) and all word from the Wings camp is "not interested" on Semin. This isn't about "can't trade Filppula no matter what" like you suggested above, its about including him with too many other assets for a player who is in no way better than keeping Filppula and future players while adding Semin. I say again: Ryan > Semin. Ryan > Filppula. Ryan << Semin, Filppula, prospects, picks. And IMO, Ryan < Filppula, Mursak, Tatar, 2nd.

Unlike Nash, Ryan has not been playing with scrubs. Perry-Getzlaf-Ryan has been one of the strongest lines in the league for the past few years.

Great article. I still don't see why he isn't even worth a shot, given he wouldn't cost us assets, he is the kind of winger D/Z have needed, and he would be in a stable, veteran locker room.

Based on? Ryan > Semin. Ryan << Semin, Filppula, Mursak, Tatar, 2nd (one recent suggestion)

I can't believe some of the packages people are willing to live with including Filppula. Great defensive forward, natural center but can produce near 70 pts at wing. Makes his own chances and improves his linemates. I have an idea: package him with two prospects and picks for similar production, less familiarity and guaranteed chemistry on/off ice, but more goal-scoring! I don't understand why we would be so afraid of Semin who could easily outscore Ryan on Datsyuk's wing and cost us only cap-space (which we have a load of). Semin's attitude on a veteran team with character like the Wings is worse than losing a character guy in Filppula, plus picks and prospects? And for Nash we'll have to give up even more.

Exactly. I don't get it. Not only hesitation on Holland's part, but published disinterest. I love Doan, and I'd love him even more with the Wings, but he isn't going to produce like Semin, and aren't we tired of putting all our eggs in one basket? Are we STILL so sure we're the top choice in all players' minds?

Realistic (negative) Prediction: Holland blows off Semin, who signs for less money and term than most expect elsewhere. Doan gets to July 16th (or later) and chooses either Pheonix or one of the California teams to stay close to family. Holland trades away too much for Nash or Ryan, or does nothing. Signs Lilja on defense. Holland says "we tried, but we like our team and didn't need to do more than tweak". Wings again put too many miles on Datsyuk and Zetterberg, while most others continue to be passengers. Defense is atrocious and the offensive production decreases. Improved goaltending backup in Gustavsson essentially wins games that Conklin otherwise lost last season, offsetting most of the lost points in the standing. Wings finish 6th, are out in the first round. Too negative?

Franzen, one of our top 2/3 prospects, and a first. Filppula should not be included, UNLESS the BJ are willing to take him as is (last year of contract) and you make it clear to Valtteri that this is a business move for the team and if he gets to UFA next season, he'll be back in the Winged Wheel (maybe a stretch, since BJ would no doubt throw the kitchen sink at him). Losing Filppula +++ forever is not worth it in my opinion. Fil is one of three forwards last season who showed up every single game. He is a great center, true, but last season played almost the entire season at wing and both increased production and made Zetterberg's line dangerous by shouldering some of the load. He is an obvious character player who is well-liked, and some have suggested him on the cusp of alternative captain. From what I've heard he seems like the Kronwall type of leader, and what I've seen on the ice, Filppula + would be a lateral move for more goal-scoring, and Filppula +++ would be an overpayment (in my opinion). Rick Nash is a better player than Filppula, but does he have a better future than Filppula, Smith, Nyquist, and our 1st (one suggested scenario)?

Yes, please. Right now it looks like the Wings have all their eggs in either the Doan basket or trade basket. Please, Shane. Please...

My point exactly, and yet: http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2012/07/red_wings_prospects_camp_notes.html Khan and others have said for a week now that the Wings have shown very little interest, and if it is somehow a tactic to get him signed low, he has half the league and the KHL throwing money at him, so why would he go for a team showing little to no interest? The Wings can negotiate without alienating. Hopefully they are just trying to keep it quiet, but staying in contact and keeping themselves in the mix. But if it turns out the Wings didn't so anything to get Pavel the winger he has needed for years, I for one am gonna be irritated. Even more so if we could have gotten said winger for our ample cap-space and instead chose to trade pieces away.

Drew Miller is 25 pits and doesn't play every. single. game. with arguably the most creative playmaker in the game. As far as Semin, it is so frustrating that the Wings are not only refusing to be aggressive, but are actually publically saying "we're not interested". He is worth a shot at least. I'm sure there is more going on behind the scenes, and with the supposed $10mil he was offered back in the KHL, the price may be too high, but at least do SOME courting. He had an attitude problem on a young Capitals team, but saying "no thanks" with a talented Russian winger with proven chemistry with Datsyuk is giving me a headache. All the eggs in the Doan basket, just like Parise and Suter. I love Doan, but he isn't going to give Pasha the scoring winger he has needed for years, and could very well go to back to Pheonix or elsewhere. And to me, a trade for Nash is going to break the lineup because of the high premium, and I'm worried about Anaheim wanting to move Ryan so bad; could be just to get pieces back, but maybe they also know something no one else does. Either player costs us at least Filppula and one of our top prospects. Everyone wants to kick the tires on Semin for a short-term before risking more, but Holland and company saying "not interested" is a huge disappointment.

Semin and Datsyuk were great at WC. Datsyuk needs someone with some skill and a shot on his line, Bertuzzi isn't cutting it, and a lot of the time, neither is Franzen. Have Pasha make a phone call and start negotiations at 4 years, $22mil. Why we wouldn't at least try is a complete mystery to me. We need defense, but one has nothing to do with the other. Sign Semin. He isn't the best, but he will fit, and hell, with all the reclamation projects everyone loves around here, wouldn't we just as soon reclaim a player like Semin, with the production intact and the attitude needing work, as we would a guy like Cleary?

I'm not a big fan of Semin, but can a player with his past production and potential be THAT bad on a team with a solid locker room like the Wings? He and Pavel had great chemistry at WC and we have the space to give him the pay, even if the term isn't long. Is he really so toxic that we aren't even taking a swing at him?

I would agree, but for one thing: if Parise/Suter tells us anything, its that you can't control everything. We threw the kitchen sink at them and they decided to go elsewhere. We need something that we can get.

This. A million times this. Never understood it. Basically said "The team sucks, but I'm in it for the long haul", two years later "eff this". He could have gone ANYWHERE, and gotten the same money. He embraced it, then gave up. Don't blame him for wanting out, but don't sign for long-term with an unstable franchise which you know to be completely unstable.

Good to see the kid has grounded himself plenty, but the likelihood of him breaking the lineup is nil. Brunnstrom, like Brunner coming up, is Top 6 or nothing.

Dear Mr. Holland, Please mortgage our future, we're panicking. -LGW ...Seriously though, we'll have to part with enough just to get Yandle, let alone Ryan. Is the package of the two worth two of our top 6, a few depth players, cusp prospects Nyquist/Smith, and picks? Because my guess is that would be the bill to get both. I'm all for Yandle if the price is decent, but let's not worry about trading half the team for another forward until Semin and Doan are off the board.