Any trades coming from the east.

[WindsorPlaya 0]

Was just on the NHLPA's website reviewing the rosters of teams from the east since our trade partners will likely come from that conference. Don't see too many trade possibillities but Montreal is very intriguing now that Shanny is gone. I know they have been mentioned before but one player I would really target now is Alex Kovalev. Not gritty but has good speed, skill, size and scoring touch. I would love to see this guy on our top line playing with Dats or Zetter. He is also very good on the power play. Seems like a perfect replacement for Shanny and addition to the team since we are very thin for scoring wingers.

Question: Do you think Montreal would ever move him to Detroit and who would we have to give up?

[Covenant 0]

Was just on the NHLPA's website reviewing the rosters of teams from the east since our trade partners will likely come from that conference. Don't see too many trade possibillities but Montreal is very intriguing now that Shanny is gone. I know they have been mentioned before but one player I would really target now is Alex Kovalev. Not gritty but has good speed, skill, size and scoring touch. I would love to see this guy on our top line playing with Dats or Zetter. He is also very good on the power play. Seems like a perfect replacement for Shanny and addition to the team since we are very thin for scoring wingers.

Question: Do you think Montreal would ever move him to Detroit and who would we have to give up?

I don't think so. He (from what I can remember) is VERY pricey, and perhaps a core component to their ability to score.

[HANK THE TANK #40 0]

Why doesn`t Holland sign some one like Valclav Varada from Ottawa? He is a great penalty killer plays with grit, he`s not afraid to through a hit? Sign `em

[JeeSpot82 10]

I think the most likely candidates for trades (in general) are the Devils and Lightning thanks to their ever-so-generous offers. I find the Devils especially intriguing.

They're already teetering on the verge of blowing the roof of the salary cap with three really important pieces of their puzzle left to sign, and they certainly won't be getting the league minimum.

So someone's gotta go. I have a hard time believing it would be someone who was just re-signed, as that's kind of a shady thing to do unless it was understood they'd be on the way out. You can throw the five- and six-year deal folks (White, Elias, Langenbrunner) out the window because no one will acquire that length in this NHL.

So, players who don't fall into the "JUST SIGNED" or "REDONKULOUSLY EXPENSIVE" categories are

*John Madden (3.9M)

*Dan McGillis (2.2M)

*Sergei Brylin (1.5M -- he still plays?)

*Richard Matvichuk (1.4M)

*Jason Weimer (950k)

But to afford their remaining RFA's, I can't see them NOT shopping some of the bigger guys on that list (read: MADDEN). However, Madden is obviously one of the best PK guys in the league, so perhaps they'd rather part with Gomez (Likely), Gionta, and Paul Martin.

I wouldn't mind Gomez, especially for the right price. And I wouldn't mind Gionta (I can't wait to hear the fallout on these boards about his size...) because he finishes. I can't say I'd be too upset to see either in a Wings uni, but I don't know how likely either is.

Oh and I'll take Madden, too.

[Diluvian 0]

I think the most likely candidates for trades (in general) are the Devils and Lightning thanks to their ever-so-generous offers. I find the Devils especially intriguing.

They're already teetering on the verge of blowing the roof of the salary cap with three really important pieces of their puzzle left to sign, and they certainly won't be getting the league minimum.

So someone's gotta go. I have a hard time believing it would be someone who was just re-signed, as that's kind of a shady thing to do unless it was understood they'd be on the way out. You can throw the five- and six-year deal folks (White, Elias, Langenbrunner) out the window because no one will acquire that length in this NHL.

So, players who don't fall into the "JUST SIGNED" or "REDONKULOUSLY EXPENSIVE" categories are

*John Madden (3.9M)

*Dan McGillis (2.2M)

*Sergei Brylin (1.5M -- he still plays?)

*Richard Matvichuk (1.4M)

*Jason Weimer (950k)

But to afford their remaining RFA's, I can't see them NOT shopping some of the bigger guys on that list (read: MADDEN). However, Madden is obviously one of the best PK guys in the league, so perhaps they'd rather part with Gomez (Likely), Gionta, and Paul Martin.

I wouldn't mind Gomez, especially for the right price. And I wouldn't mind Gionta (I can't wait to hear the fallout on these boards about his size...) because he finishes. I can't say I'd be too upset to see either in a Wings uni, but I don't know how likely either is.

Oh and I'll take Madden, too.

I totally agree! I think Gionta and/or Gomez would be great additions to this team regardless of Gionta's size. Madden as well. Looking at our roster and the way it looks like it's shaping up I see a hole that needs to be filled on the wing position. If Fischer comes back which is a possibility our roster could end up like this.

Forwards

Lang, Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Draper, Filppulla, Williams, Cleary, Holmstrom, Maltby, Franzen, and Samuelsson

Defensemen

Lidstrom, Kronwall, Schneider, Chelios, Lilja, Lebda, and possibly Fischer

Goalies

Osgood and Belfour(Most likely)

That leaves them with 2 roster players needed I believe. They have to either bring up Hudler and Kopecky or trade them because they will most likely be claimed off of waivers. This is why I believe a trade will go down.

[JeeSpot82 10]

I think that Hudler is on the team opening day. I know no one is gaga about him and his stature, but the team has no other option. I doubt he has much of a trade value due to his size, BUT someone WILL claim him off of waivers. I think that to increase him as a trade commodity (assuming the Wings want that), he'll have to get big club time and put up numbers to make other teams believe he can produce at that level.

I personally don't mind Hudler - I know its a completely different world than the NHL, but I saw him play a few games with the Griffins and he looks really solid. He was always the best player on the ice.

Kopecky is in the same boat. I know he's goes in waves where he's really good and other times he's invisible. That's not really the type of player the Red Wings need on the ice (because we already have one, his name is Robert Lang). He has no value on the trade market but will be snatched up by the Bostons and Washingtons of the world. He's on the roster, too, but probably jumping in and out of the lineup, something like a Mark Mowers type character.

I also think that if Hudler (or Kopecky for that matter) are on the team that they need to get top 2 line time. What's the point of bringing in Hudler, Kopecky and Filppula if they play 4 minutes a game? That notion will be troubling for Wings fans, but you gotta jump right in to adapt. There's no training wheels in the NHL (except maybe call-ups, and Hudler's had his share of those already).

Forwards: Z, Datsyuk, Homer, Lang, Willy, Hudler, Drapes, Maltby, Sammy, Franzen, Cleary, Filppula. Kopecky is 13th man.

Defense: Lidstrom, Lilja, Kronner, Cheli, Lebda, Schneider. At the moment I wouldn't be utterly surprised to see Kyle Quincey get the 7th spot (or alternating for the 6th). There is a youth movement afoot in Motown, and why not shake it all up.

That said, I love our defense. I know I'm in the minority there.

Lidstrom is the best defenseman of this or the last few generations.

Lilja (while an awful lot like a parking cone) isn't bad enough to be run out of town, especially when paired with Nick Lidstrom. But then again, I could look like a big time D-man with Nick.

Schneider isn't worth the money he's getting, but that's why he'll be on the team because the rest of the league thinks that, too. And he's not a bad 2nd PP Unit Quarterback.

Chelios, while older than most homes in the area's foundation, is still a very capable defenseman who WANTS to be here and made an effort to prove it.

Kronwall is nothing short of amazing already.

I love Brett Lebda already. He's not afraid to jump up into plays and rarely gets caught in bad positioning. And he was a rookie. You match him up with Lidstrom, Chelios OR Schneider and you have a mentor-protege combo that certainly can't hurt.

I'd almost rather not see Jiri Fischer back, but don't take that the wrong way. I'd give almost anything for him to be able to come back healthy and there'd be a spot for him on my roster ANY DAY, however, since no one can seem to figure out what happened to him or guarantee it won't happen to him again, I'd rather see him alive and well in the press box cheering on his team than on the bench in danger of losing everything.

And I swear to God, if someone else goes down due to injury and they sign Jason Woolley again, I'll throw my laptop across the room. Last season when Fischer went down I was hoping it would be the opportunity Brett Lebda had EARNED by playing his ass off early in the season. But no, they signed Woolley. And played Rivers. And traded for Cross. I see no possible way Brett Lebda ISN'T on our team this season, from start to finish. That's why I'm not psyched on someone like Markov.