Bannedforlife

Actually the article speculates that the Penguins will be buyers.

We have what it takes to keep being the best in the regular season. We lack certain qualities in the playoffs. Hossa has most of them.

pwned... As for the trade, I'd much rather give up Hudler than Filppula, but honestly Atlanta needs Filppula much more. Howard I couldn't really care as I don't ever see him becoming an elite goaltender. I think we would also have to give up Kronwall, not so much to make the trade happen, but rather to ensure we have enough cap space to sign Hossa and Zetterberg.

Nice, first post! Wings 3 (Zetterberg, Cleary, Rafalski) Sharks 2 (Michalek, Thornton)

Holland said that??? Oh, it's so ******* on!!!

I don't think that he is coming to Detroit, but I do think that it is within the realm of possibility. And I hope that he is. I think to acquire him as a rental would take Hudler, Sammy, mid to high level prospect (Quincey, Meech, Smith or Kindl) and a pick or two. I think to acquire him already signed to a long term contract would take all that plus Kronwall. So. Do I think that we have the assets to match offers that other teams could put together? Yes, I do. Do I think that Holland would make that trade? Not likely...

I think the roster will look exactly the same as it does now, except everyone will be about 3 months older by then and sporting full-on 5 o'clock shadows. What does it look like in my dreams? Zetterberg - Sundin - Holmstrom Fillpula - Datsyuk - Cleary Hudler - Forsberg - Hossa Maltby - Draper - Franzen Downey Lidstrom - Kronwall Rafalski - Blake Chelios - Lebda Lilja Hasek Osgood Hells yea!

Does anyone know the contact stipulations that would allow Hasek and Chelios to receive their full bonus amounts?

Can that be negotiated with Hossa's agent BEFORE we pull the trigger on the trade? I'm not sure that it can be, but I really have nothing to base that on.

That's not what I said. I said Hudler, Sammy (who cares, really?) 1st & 2nd 2009 pick, mid to high prospect (Quincey, hopefully, but perhaps up to Kindl if that's what it takes) Realistically, that's about what it'll take for anyone to get him. And to be honest, I'd be willing to part with that for a rental of Hossa's caliber. Then, I said Kronwall, conditional upon Hossa resigning with Detroit. The reason I threw that in there is because it will more than likely sway the bidding in our favor and give us the chance to sign Hossa on our terms. If we can agree on a reasonable salary and term (7.5-8.0 for 5 years) then great, we'd be set at forward for years to come after we resign Zetterberg. At that point we can't really afford to keep Kronwall anyway. But if we can't agree on a favorable salary and term, then we cut our loses, keep Kronwall, and just be satisfied that we gave it our all for the cup run. Do you think Hossa can be had for less? I'd like some of what you're smoking...

You're bad at math... Datsyuk (6.7) + Zetterberg (9) + Lidstrom (7.45) + Hossa (9) + Everyone else (0.0) = 32.15 mil I think the cap this year is 52 million. I think there's a chance it could happen (albeit a miniscule one) How about this for a proposal though? Hudler + Sammy + 1st and 2nd round 2009 pick + mid to high prospect (maybe Quincey on up to Kindl perhaps). Then, if Hossa does resign in July, we also give Atlanta Kronwall. That would work out for both sides on several levels. Most importantly for us, we would be able to play Kronwall in this Cup run, giving us the best shot at a cup we've had since '02. Then, if/when we resign Hossa, dumping Kronwall's salary would allow us to absorb Zetterberg's contract in '09 (since Hasek will most likely retire after this year, but most certainly after next year) I think that we would be giving up enough to acquire Hossa, and even though we would be very low on talent we would still keep all of our picks for 2008, which is supposed to be a very deep draft year. Holmstrom - Zetterberg - Hossa Filppula - Datsyuk - Cleary Maltby - Draper - Franzen Drake - Kopecky - Downey That's pretty tough to defend against, IMO. Or we could do, Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Holmstrom Cleary - Filppula - Hossa or Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Hossa Cleary - Filppula - Holmstrom or even Franzen - Datsyuk - Holmstrom Filppula - Zetterberg - Cleary Kopecky - Draper - Hossa Maltby - Drake - Downey We'd have so many options we'd be giving teams fits during the playoffs, at home and away. The real problem with acquiring Hossa and signing him long-term is the message that it sends. That would basically be like telling Lidstrom that we prefer him to retire at the end of his new contract. It would also send the message to our younger players that we really have no room and therefore no interest in keeping them around after their entry-level contracts are up. But on the other hand, if the chance to acquire a player of Hossas talents presents itself...

Then how do you explain the fact that when the NHL used to do it, the All-Stars won 13 out of 22 times? Sounds like the All-Stars not only have a good chance of winning, but are more actually more than likely to win.

They don't call it the "Hockey Hall Of Pretty Good" for nothing...

I wonder if Markov was out there???

Zetterberg - Sundin - Holmstrom Filppula - Datsyuk - Cleary Hudler - Franzen - Samuelsson Maltby - Draper - Kopecky/Drake Downey I can dream, can't I?

I'd throw a huge private party off the coast of Spain on my 200 foot yacht. Then I'd pull me a Fredo. I'd get drunk and bang models 2 at a time by telling them I'm a Hollywood producer and that I'm casting for my next movie. That's what I'd do if I were the GM.

I think you guys missed the real surprise in that article.

I can see him signing one-years until we win another cup and then hanging em up.

I don't know. Can your mom skate?

Happy Gilmore anyone? Weren't there people on this board that wanted us to sign this clown?

Yea really. That's gotta be the oldest line in hockey!

It's called not putting yourself in that position in the first place by making absurd off-season signings (Todd Bertuzzi anyone?)

Oh come on now!!! It's Lionel Hutz, attorney-at-law, representing one Homer J. Simpson!

We've plenty of hearsay and conjecture. Those are kinds of evidence.

Didn't he have a really good pre-season?