imisssergei

Per TSN... June 14, 1996 Detroit Red Wings traded Bob Essensa to the Edmonton Oilers for future considerations.

Yes Stevie would have went over for Gretzky. However, the team isn't suddenly a much better team with Wayne. They might have put up a few more wins, but back then the Wings were pretty bad because they didn't have anyone around Stevie. Bringing in Wayne and shipping out Stevie wouldn't have been a huge upgrade. The Wings still have the chance draft everyone they did, possibly not Primeau or Lapointe, but evenso, the Wings still get everyone else. Seriously, do some research before you start spouting off things like that. Lidstrom - 3rd round pick in 89 Fedorov - 4th round pick in 89 Drake - 6th round pick in 89 Vladdy -11th round pick in 89 Primeau - 1st round pick in 90 Osgood - 3rd round pick in 91 Lapointe -1st round pick in 91 And just a lil' FYI.....Detroit Red Wings traded Dallas Drake and Tim Cheveldae to the Winnipeg Jets for Bob Essensa and Sergei Bautin, in March of 1994. In 1996 Detroit traded Essensa back to Winnipeg for future considerations. Bautin played 2 more games in the NHL, one with Detroit and one with San Jose. It was June of 1993 that the Wings traded future considerations for Draper. Those future considerations turned out to be a dollar. Drake had nothing to do with the Wings getting Draper as Drake was part of a separate deal the following March.

1. Get. 2.Rid. 3.Of 4.Gary. 5.Bettman.

You could use a lot of those arguments against Stevie prior to '97. IMHO Mats is a first ballot guy. However, all it would take for him to be a consensus first ballot HOFer is a Cup.

You can't compare Yzerman and Favre retirements. Stevie was forced out due to injuries, Favre decided to leave. Regardless, hockey players do this too, their teams just handle it differently. Hasek, Neids, Teemu, Sundi, Sakic, Forsberg.....

I was listening to a sports cast at the end of the season 2 years ago. The guys were breaking down all of the Detroit sports teams, and focusing on the Lions because it was right before the draft. It was pretty interesting. They got into the finances of the NFL. They didn't have the exact numbers because they weren't available, so they used the previous season. All expenses included (payroll, charted flights, ect.) they proved that not just the Lions, but EVERY team in the NFL is a profitable team before a single snap in the regular season. When you factor in ticket, merchandise, and concession sales, their profits just soar to a gross height. The reason the Ford's don't care about putting a good product on the field? They are making money hand over fist as it is now. I don't think you can put the Lions in the category of a team no one cares about. Someone said something about Michigan being a baseball town. I disagree. In any given weekend, MSU, U of M, and the Lions will sell out their home games. As big of a hockey fan as I am, I have to say that Michigan is a football state, hands down. Just look at the facts. The Wings, Tigers, and Pistons have all done fairly well in the past few years. Yet there is still more die hard Lions fans than any other team in Michigan. It's crazy to think about what would happen if the Lions ever had sustainable success.

Wasn't there a big stink about this last season or the season before? I thought it was Phoenix who raised their ticket prices when Detroit was coming to town to make more money from all the Wings fans, and in part to help keep Wings fans out. I thought they also did something like only selling single seats to people from Michigan or something like that.

Wings still win the Cup without Hasek. They could have pulled it off in 02' with Darren Pang. Vincent 'Red Light' Riendeau.

I give Ozzie the respect he is due. But he isn't an elite goaltender. Roy, Brodeur, Sawchuk, Hasek (buffalo years only imo) and Parent. Those are elite goaltenders. Ozzie isn't going to steal you games, but he will keep you in them. I don't want to hijack this thread, and turn it into a goaltending thread, so if you wanna talk more about it, PM me.

Bulls***, the Wings were dominate that year. I'm not saying that Hasek didn't help, but he wasn't the reason the won the Cup. In 02' the Wings could have won the Cup with a mid-level goalie (i.e. Osgood).

Matty came over in that deal. Avery wouldn't have stuck with the Wings anyhow, while Matty gave the Wings some much need puck moving help on the blueline. Good deal IMHO. Los Angeles Kings traded Mathieu Schneider to the Detroit Red Wings for Sean Avery, Maxim Kuznetsov, a 1st round selection (Jeff Tambellini) in 2003 and a 2nd round selection in 2004. (per tsn) Two separate deals there. Cheli- Chicago Blackhawks traded Chris Chelios to the Detroit Red Wings for Anders Eriksson and 1st round selection (Steve McCarthy) in 1999 and 1st round selection (Adam Munro) in 2001. (per tsn) Ranford- Tampa Bay Lightning traded Wendel Clark and 6th round selection (previously acquired from the Detroit Red Wings - Kent McDonnell) in 1999 to the Detroit Red Wings for Kevin Hodson and 2nd round selection (previously acquired from the San Jose Sharks - Sheldon Keefe) in 1999. (per tsn) I'm not sure why tsn doesn't have Ranford listed in this deal, but this is the deal that he come over in. I can't really think of any really bad trades that Detroit has made. The simple fact that you can argue with most of the 'bad deals' just goes to show how much thought the front office puts into trades. EDIT: I hate it when people say that without Holland the Wings wouldn't have won the last few Cups. Bulls***. He inherited the 97' Cup team. In 98' the Wings were uber motivated. Was Holland a big part of the staff that built the teams that won? Yes, but with or without Holland, the Wings win both those Cups. You could probably throw '02 in there as well. The '08 Cup is one that you have to give Kenny a lot of credit for.

It's part of the CBA, the league and Union are supposed to ensure that it is being enforced. If the teams don't step in, then someone has to. In this case, the league is doing it's job, or at least acting like they are.

Plain and simple bulls***. Regardless of who it is, rules are rules. It doesn't bother me that it's a Duck who is benefiting, rather that rules are being broken to give money to someone who clearly doesn't deserve it. Bulls***.

Great fit in L.A. yes, but they still need to sign Kopitar and O'Sullivan. I'm thinking Atlanta, or Pittsburgh.

Modano may be past his prime, but he would still be more effective than Brown or Pominville. Umberger is vastly underrated, and Stafford has huge raw talent.

I didn't read the other responses, so sorry if this is a repeat. What I think separates the Wings from other NHL teams is consistency. And not just with winning, or drafting well. With everything. The Wings style of play has been the nearly the same since Scotty took over. Yes, I know it's not the exact same system, but the Wings puck control, Euro style of play is what I'm talking about. Add in the stability of the franchise. The front office, scouts, coaches, everyone has an easier job to do when the system is the same. Take a team like Atlanta. How many coaches have they gone through? Too many system changes to expect a competitive team. The Wings can turn out these lower draft picks that become stars for a few reasons.... 1. The Wings have some of the best scouts in the league 2. The scouts know exactly what they are looking for 3. Since the right players get drafted, the coaches are able to develop the talent properly 4. The players drafted are drafted to fit a system that has been in place for years, which gives them the time to develop.

No way St. Louis makes Canada's squad. Don't forget Spezza, E. Staal, Briere, and Nash....just to name a few I'd take before St. Louis. How did Modano, Rolston, Cole, Umberger or Stafford not make the US squad? Brown and Pominville are good, but come on. I won't go any further, cuz I'm too lazy. I'm going to go with Russia, they have the players that have the skill set best suited for a 3-3 tourny.

Come on now, Crosby is better than average in the defensive zone. It isn't like he is Rick Nash now. And no one on Detroit has the skill set that Crosby does. You gotta give credit where credit is due.

Hossa said things like the Pens were his number one choice 'right now'. Once the Pens couldn't get the deal done before the deadline, Hossa's thinking changed. He went to the team that has the best shot at the Cup next year. He will take out an insurance policy on himself to compensate for any career ending or other serious injury that may effect his contract next year. Brilliant move on Hossa's part. If Pens fans want to boo someone, it shouldn't be Hossa. It should be Malone. He is the guy that forced the Pens to make a choice, and pretty much dismantle the team. Had he just taken a paycut to stay, the Pens would be in a good position to win the East. Now who do they have? Satan? Wow, there is someone you have to watch out for

That makes much more sense.

That doesn't sound right. Detroit has been in the auto industry for more than 100 years. I would think it would say something about the winter classic.

There is no way that Yankee fans would have a problem with the Yankees wearing a blue top (BTW the Yankees don't have black as a color, they have navy blue) with the pinstripe pants. Anything the Yankees do is always going to be fine. Another great example is the Red Sox. They have went through numerous jersey changes. Yet, somehow, fans still seem to find a way to watch. There is a point to restyling the jersey....$$$$$$$$

While the base colors haven't changed, the style has. Things like the font on the front of the jersey of the grey. Back in the days of Sweet Lou and Gibby it was printed 'detroit', now it's cursive 'detroit'. My point is THINGS CHANGE. The Wings will get a third jersey at some point. It's just a matter of time. And seriously, no one would be so offended that they wouldn't watch. Don't try and lie, you know we would all still watch. You guys have to remember one thing. Selling third jerseys is an extra source of income. And it's ALWAYS about the money money, yeah yeah.

No he wasn't watch it again. Flip is bent over at the waist, on one foot while shooting the puck. He gets pushed in the back, which sent him flying. Orr was tripped, he didn't jump.