Howe's Bony Elbow

Let me be the first to admit: I didn't think the Wings had it in them to get past Calgary, let alone San Jose, when the playoffs began. Thanks for proving me completely wrong, Detroit. Thanks for showing me that this team that was supposed to be too old, too slow and too soft actually had more guts and determination than any Wings team in years. There is no shame in this defeat -- instead, there's hope for next year that with some key additions, we'll be back to hoisting the Cup again in no time. In the meantime, GO SENS!

I like Blake, I think he'd be a great fit for this team -- his salary isn't very large at all, and we could add size and toughness in another deal (s). I just don't see why the Isles would trade him -- they're playing well and are in a playoff dogfight. Why would they trade their best player? And what would we have that would even remotely interest them at this point? The only way I can see the Isles dealing Blake is if it's a directive from their crazy owner.

True, but these, again, will be very late picks, as we'll be finishing in the top echelon of the regular season again. I'm just saying we need to roll the dice this year, because we clearly have needs for the type of skills Tkachuk brings to the ice. It's a pretty high return for a rental, but imagine now what it's going to cost for a Guerin, pretty well the last quality UFA left. I really think the team needs an actual 'star' player for the playoffs -- our secondary scoring has been abysmal -- not some roster filler like Owen Nolan, say.

Hmmm, that's a lot of picks, but in the end, they're just picks. Giving up Metropolit is certainly no great shakes. I would've liked to have seen Tkachuk here, and that price didn't seem overly exhorbitant to me. Heck, if the Blues would've taken Metropolit, surely they would have accepted Williams???

I'd take Guerin over Tkachuk because (a) he scores more and (b) he's faster. If we're going to get a second-line winger to play with Lang, it'd better be somebody speedier than a zamboni. Plus, adding Guerin and his relatively smaller contract could mean we'd have room to add Gary Roberts, too.

Exactly. Why would we want to tie up so much money in a guy who would be a No. 6 or 7 defenceman? And why would we even be trading for a defenceman? Stupid rumour. And Hatcher's ain't too bright, either, if he's even commenting on it.

What a loser. Bet he can't wait for that next parade down Yonge St. the next time the Leafs win Game 1 of their first-round series. He'll have to hold his breath a long time, though, seeing as the Buds aren't going to see post-season action any time soon.

Take a gander: http://www.mlive.com/redwings/stories/inde....xml&coll=1 Well, I'm all for it if Forsberg has indeed found the skate that will cure jim of what ails his misshapen foot. I'm guessing Hudler, a high pick and some other asset is what lands us Foppa. Zetterberg and Forsberg on the same team: That would be an awesome thing to behold.

Joey looks like the second coming of Tim Cheveldae. His play kind of makes you wonder why the Wings were so concerned someone might grab him on waivers if they shipped him to the minors. Hell, we could've signed a Sean Burke if it meant goalie insurance for when Dom inevitably got hurt.

Good point. Still, other selling teams will look at this deal and say if Nagy can go for this much, Iwe can ask for that much more. Anyway, it's about time the Coyotes realized they're going nowhere and finally started trading off their few assets. If they are going to trade Doan, the asking price is going to be too rich for most teams' blood, especially the Wings.

Tjarnqvist and a first is a pretty high price to pay for a UFA like Nagy, who's even having a bad year. So what does that mean for anyone trying to pick up Doan? I don't think Doan's going anywhere anyway, but this trade makes picking up a Forsberg or a Guerin that much more expensive.

To clear cap space so that we can pick up a winger who can play on the top two lines. This would be contingent, of course, on the WIngs picking up Forsberg to repleace Lang. I like Lang, too, but it doesn't seem make much sense to carry Datsyuk, Forsberg and Lang on the same team.

Uh, I think we've got more than enough money freed up next year to sign Forsberg if we wanted to, especially with talk the cap may rise even more next season. And who says he wants "$6 million -- no more and no less"? What, exactly, don't you like about Forsberg's game? That he's injury-prone? Because, other than that, he's a spectacular hockey player who'd be welcomed on any team.

And why stop at Forsberg? I think if the Wings pull this off, they will indeed dump Lang and his chunky salary somewhere and pick up another 'top-6' forward, probably a winger to play on the second line (Bill Guerin, maybe? Gary Roberts?) Anyway, if this is the direction Holland's heading, then he's got more stones than I gave him credit for.

Really? You wouldn't trade Hudler and a pick for someone of Forsberg's calibre? And who says he'd be a renter? There have been reports the Wings would be interested in signing him to an extension if they acquired him -- and seeing as Detroit is apparently only one of three teams he'd be willing to waive his no-trade for, it's a good bet he'd re-up with them. Look, we all know Forsberg isn't the same player he was in the Wings-Avs heyday, but he's still an excellent player and, more importantly, a force in the playoffs -- something this team sorely needs. He's a true post-season gamebreaker. Sure, it'd be a risk to deal for him, given his recent mdeical troubles, but at this point it's better to roll the dice than sit back and do nothing or add a softie like Nagy (I don't think guys like Doan, Smyth or Bertuzzi are going anywhere). If I'm going to go to war against a San Jose or Anaheim in the first round, I'd like to have a guy like Forsberg on my team. And if it doesn't work out, don't re-sign the guy -- go after one of the marquee free agents in the off-season.

Yeah, Zednik's useless. Add Fedotenko and an actual scorer, then you might have something here. Holland did say he'd like to ass a couple of players: If he can come through with Fedotenko and, say, Guerin or Tkachuk, we'd look pretty good, but probably still not good enough to beat the Sharks.

It'd be nice to add a guy like Jokinen, but I don't see it happening at all. We don't have the assets to put together an attractive enough package -- unless we're willing to trade, say, Filppula and Kronwall, for a start. Let's keep the kids and just wait til the off-season and bring in a guy like Drury or Briere, I say. We could still deal a Hudler or lower-level prospect for a renter to see what kind of effect it'll have on us in the playoffs (not much, I'm afraid, ir we're going up against the Sharks).

Yeah, what's with all the love for Ben Eager? The guy's pretty much useless in the playoffs. This reminds me of how so many people wanted the Wings to trade for Mark Bell in the offseason. Why? What's so great about these guys, other than they're tough? Better to get guys who can actually play more than 5 minutes a game and are tough, like a Gary Roberts or Bill Guerin. Why even waste an asset on Ben Eager?

And the guy's a cancer in the locker room. He does have good taste in women, though (Elisha Cuthbert, rowr).

I remember rushing home that night from my part-time summer job (I was still in university) because I was positive the Wings would win the Cup that night. Aside from McCarty's beautiful goal, the lasting memory of that game is when Stevie raises the CUp with that kind of dazed smile on his face and the ENTIRE building seemed to go "YEEEEEAAHHHH!" at the same time. And then he took that stately skate around the Joe, on his own, with Cup held above him; it was sweet vindication for him, his moment. He was a winner and nobody could trash any of his achievements or his character anymore because his name was going to be engraved on that trophy. I watched the CBC feed of the game, and loved seeing the pure joy everyone in the building -- except for the poor Flyers, of course -- seemed to be experience. Just pure elation at finally winning the Cup, from Mike Ilitch to Joey Kocur. As for the other games, I was completely confident in the Wings the entire Stanley Cup final -- I knew the Flyers were pretty much a one-line team, and that their goaltending was a glaring Achilles Heel. And when Snow or Hextall let in softies throughout the series, I just pulled a Glenn Healy or Pierre Maguire and said, "I told you so."

Defence isn't a problem for us. We need a top forward. Gagne is unattainable, pass on Forsberg and his bad health, they won't trade their kids. That leaves Mike Knuble, who's got a fat contract. Which all means: No Flyers headed to Detroit.

I really can't see the Yotes trading Doan. He's pretty much the franchise, and I think Gretzky and his minions are going to do everything they can to re-sign him. Nagy, on the other hand, they'd ship off in a heatbeat, and if we wanted him , I don't think we'd have to give up much more than a Jason Williams or a decent pick or something. Unless, of course, there's a bidding war for his diminished services.

First of all, you're an idiot. Secondly, yeah, what IS wrong with that piece? I've read far worse drivel.

Yeah, much as I hate to admit it, Tucker would be a nice addition to our team.If the Leafs totally tank, we can probably tempt them with a Hudler or one of our prospects. I hate Tucker's guts, but I have to concede he's exactly what we need right now.

I thought Fedorov was great when he was a WIng, but c'mon, the guy's at the end of his career and getting paid way too much. And IIRC, you can't rework salaries to fit under the cap in the new NHL economics. But Nagy would be a pretty good addition -- he plays wing and can score, although he's struggled badly this season. A big con, though, is he's so injury-prone. Sneeze on the guy and he'll break his left tibia. Still, he's gotta be available come deadline time, and I think we'd be stupid not to inquire about him. I think he'd be worth giving up a, say, Hudler or a Joey MacDonald plus picks.