When Lang leaves this summer...

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Filppula.

Honestly , Calder-Filpula-Hudler/Cleary would be a pretty good line

[Kp-Wings 3]

I realize he is lazy but I don't understand what happend.

He wasn't like that in washington. He just bam became lazy just like that

Actually, I think he was like that in Washington. His point totals were so good because he was playing with guys like Jagr, Bondra, Nylander, Gonchar, etc. No offense to Calder and Hudler, but there is a production difference in these players. When Lang played with all those superstar players, he scored points mostly based off of their play, or something like that. I guess just playing with all-star talent just made him look good.

What I'm basically implying here is that Lang is not a very good player, and we can all see that. He takes lazy penalties, and has been amid in scoring slumps all year. If he doesn't want to work, than tough s*** is all I have to say. It really frustrates me watching him anymore.

[Hockey13Playa 240]

I think Datsyuk will stay, and getting rid of Lang will held fund the Datsyuk deal. Datsyuk will come around this year in the playoffs. I believe we will be looking for a new goalie, and a couple guys on defense. Osgood and hasek are old news. Same as lilja.

You're crazy if you think Hasek and Osgood are both going.

Sorry to break the news to you but as long as Hasek doesn't retire, he will play for the wings next year.

As for Osgood he has another year on his contract.

Actually, I think he was like that in Washington. His point totals were so good because he was playing with guys like Jagr, Bondra, Nylander, Gonchar, etc. No offense to Calder and Hudler, but there is a production difference in these players. When Lang played with all those superstar players, he scored points mostly based off of their play, or something like that. I guess just playing with all-star talent just made him look good.

What I'm basically implying here is that Lang is not a very good player, and we can all see that. He takes lazy penalties, and has been amid in scoring slumps all year. If he doesn't want to work, than tough s*** is all I have to say. It really frustrates me watching him anymore.

Yeah now that yo usay it, I guess that is true. I never really payed attention to who he played with for the Caps, and that does make a difference. I guess he was overrated then when we looked at him.

[LSSU Hockey 0]

Briere

[wingslogo19 281]

Briere

I would love to see Briere in a Wings jersey, i just don't see the Sabres not re-signing him

[kylee 727]

I would love to see Briere in a Wings jersey, i just don't see the Sabres not re-signing him

that would be amazing.

(but i love langer)

[wingslogo19 281]

that would be amazing.

(but i love langer)

But i know you'd take Briere over Langer right if we had the choice

[Ozzie30 170]

The cap is projected to go up 4-5 mil next season, that's plenty of room to re-sign datsyuk and put a nice down payment on Bert. Once lang is gone, the wings will be working with 8-9mil to sign bert and calder, and give dats, markov, and schneider raises. Can that be done?

So the concensus is promote from within? Flipper is good, but can he anchor our second line at this point? I have my doubts, but if you follow the money, that may be their only option....I was actually getting excited about the possibility of gomez. (or briere)

[eva unit zero 271]

Actually, I think he was like that in Washington. His point totals were so good because he was playing with guys like Jagr, Bondra, Nylander, Gonchar, etc.

Lang was outscoring all those guys. Lang's big year in Washington happened to be one of Jagr's WORST, and Jagr was traded before Lang was.

The reason Lang was putting up gaudy point totals has nothing to do with being less lazy. it's the fact he was playing 25 minutes a night every night.

It's like Fedorov's 120 point season. People were upset he never replicated that, when his 83 point campain in 02-03 was actually a comparable scoring rate per minute played. It's had to keep up your scoring pace playing 20 minutes when you scored 120 playing 28 minutes a night.

[rick zombo 3,739]

The Lang money should be spent on a scoring winger.

Even if the Wings resign Bertuzzi and Calder, they'll still need 1 scoring winger, and a physical stay-at-home defencemen.

Flip and Rex will be fine playing up the middle, either could play on the second line. They need capable wingers.

And re-sign Pavel, and Todd, Markov, and maybe Calder.

It would look like this:

Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Bertuzzi

UFA Scoring Winger - Hudler - Franzen

Filpulla - Draper - Grigorenko/Calder

Kopecky - Cleary - Holmstrom

Sammuelson

Lidstrom - Markov

Sarich - Kronwall

Chelios - Lebda

[eva unit zero 271]

The Lang money should be spent on a scoring winger.

Even if the Wings resign Bertuzzi and Calder, they'll still need 1 scoring winger, and a physical stay-at-home defencemen.

Flip and Rex will be fine playing up the middle, either could play on the second line. They need capable wingers.

And re-sign Pavel, and Todd, Markov, and maybe Calder.

It would look like this:

Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Bertuzzi

UFA Scoring Winger - Hudler - Franzen

Filpulla - Draper - Grigorenko/Calder

Kopecky - Cleary - Holmstrom

Sammuelson

Lidstrom - Markov

Sarich - Kronwall

Chelios - Lebda

This roster, before considering the UFA scoring winger or goaltenders, already would cost around 44 million. Goaltenders push that to 46 million. That leaves a million--minus any bonuses that carry over--to spend on your top six winger. More likely is that Grigorenko goes to the AHL, and the other twelve forwards you mentioned are the regulars, and we either sign or call up a 13th forward like Ellis.

[Kp-Wings 3]

Lang was outscoring all those guys. Lang's big year in Washington happened to be one of Jagr's WORST, and Jagr was traded before Lang was.

The reason Lang was putting up gaudy point totals has nothing to do with being less lazy. it's the fact he was playing 25 minutes a night every night.

It's like Fedorov's 120 point season. People were upset he never replicated that, when his 83 point campain in 02-03 was actually a comparable scoring rate per minute played. It's had to keep up your scoring pace playing 20 minutes when you scored 120 playing 28 minutes a night.

So you think that if Lang played more minutes he'd score more?

Sorry, I just don't see that happening. He's been horrible all year long on the second line. And doesn't the second line average about 20 minutes a night anyways? I'm sorry, but I feel Lang is really overrated. He shows no effort when he plays at all, and acts like he doesn't want to be here.

[eva unit zero 271]

So you think that if Lang played more minutes he'd score more?

Sorry, I just don't see that happening. He's been horrible all year long on the second line. And doesn't the second line average about 20 minutes a night anyways? I'm sorry, but I feel Lang is really overrated. He shows no effort when he plays at all, and acts like he doesn't want to be here.

Lang was the team's best forward at the beginning of the season, and when he was playing with Hudler he was scoring plenty.

His failures this season have to do with the fact he has been on a line with Cleary and Williams all year. Cleary's scoring ups and downs are direct RESULTS of how Lang was playing. If Lang was hot, Cleary was along for the ride. If Lang slumped, Cleary couldn't score. Lang has been no different this year than any other year of his career--he's always been streaky like that. It's just being noticed more this year because he's in the final year of his contract, as is Dats, and people have been trying to size up whether keeping Lang for about 3m might be a good alternative to paying Dats 6-7m.

[rick zombo 3,739]

This roster, before considering the UFA scoring winger or goaltenders, already would cost around 44 million. Goaltenders push that to 46 million. That leaves a million--minus any bonuses that carry over--to spend on your top six winger. More likely is that Grigorenko goes to the AHL, and the other twelve forwards you mentioned are the regulars, and we either sign or call up a 13th forward like Ellis.

OK.

As long as they get a guy like Sarich, and let Lang walk.

[TheLegend19 1]

I have a question.

How do we KNOW that Lang will leave. How do we know that we will not re-sign him? Has The Red Wing organization, or Robert Lang said this? Because it seems like common knowledge around the boards.

Depending on what happens in the playoffs, I think anything could happen.

Finally, someone makes this thread worth replying in.

[Zion 93]

I'd love to see Huds and Flip promoted and Lang's salary used to resign Datsyuk, Bertuzzi and Calder.

[bellarina 1]

Dats will resign

Let Lang go

Resign Bert

Just my opinion

[OsGOD 3]

This is the best April fools joke thread hands down.

I heard the same thing laster year at this time about last year being Ozzies last year in the red and white and Manny was going to remain #1.

Lang will be back... our playoff success for years to come depends on it!

I will wait until we let him go for sure before I say, he definitely will be gone. People have a HUGE tendancey to incorrectly jump the gun on these boards.

[glasgowcelticwing 18]

Save our money and promote Filppula. Do you really think he needs another year of 11 minutes of ice time?

I agree why go bring in a big name player when you've got a class act ready and waiting, the money would probably be better spent elsewhere.

[redwingfan19 293]

we have enough Centres already. We need and enforcer that can play, a rugged stay at home d man and another big winger or 2.

[Heaton 1]

No one.

The Wings aren't going to have 3 #1 centers on the same team.

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

Lang was the team's best forward at the beginning of the season, and when he was playing with Hudler he was scoring plenty.

He and Hudler tore it up off the bat, but now he's slumping again. This has just been a down year for him. He was awesome last year, he put up 60 points as the third line center, but this year, even after being promoted to second line duties, his totals have suffered big time.

[eva unit zero 271]

He and Hudler tore it up off the bat, but now he's slumping again. This has just been a down year for him. He was awesome last year, he put up 60 points as the third line center, but this year, even after being promoted to second line duties, his totals have suffered big time.

Just for reference, Lang is only seeing about 30 seconds more ice time this season than he did last season. And that is with seeing about 1:15 more at ES--which means a 45 second REDUCTION in PP time.

Also, consider this--his linemates most of last year were Williams and Yzerman. His linemates most of this year were Williams and Cleary. I wouldn't say Cleary this year has been a better player offensively than Yzerman was last year. So basically Lang is playing on a comparable line with comparable time, but is seeing less PP time and is playing against better defensive pairings more often.

Think about it for a second--add two thirds of Lang's points to reflect the amount of ice he was getting in Washington, and he's an 80 point player this season.

[Heaton 1]

Except it doesn't work that way.

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

Also, consider this--his linemates most of last year were Williams and Yzerman. His linemates most of this year were Williams and Cleary. I wouldn't say Cleary this year has been a better player offensively than Yzerman was last year. So basically Lang is playing on a comparable line with comparable time, but is seeing less PP time and is playing against better defensive pairings more often.

Fair enough, less PP time and all that. I think Cleary was marginally better than Steve was last year offensively, but you also need to take into account that he's been with Hudler and Calder for the last ~15 games and was as up-and-down then as he's been all season. Those are far and away superior linemates, but the pattern is the same.

Think about it for a second--add two thirds of Lang's points to reflect the amount of ice he was getting in Washington, and he's an 80 point player this season.

Diminishing returns, anyone?