If Hasek were to retire...

[raasc1dj 0]

If Hasek were to retire would you instantly go to the free agent pool or split time between Osgood and Howard?

[Guest Agalloch]

I'd try and get Backstrom, but everyone seems to hate him here for some reason. If he costs too much, I'd just play Osgood and Howard.

[Kp-Wings 3]

Some possible actions if Hasek retires:

1. Make a pitch for Giguere. While he will be expensive as hell, and I like to make pad jokes about him all the time, he'd still be a decent goalie to have.

2. Inquire about Vesa Toskala from San Jose. Surely a trade of something like Jiri Hudler, another prospect, and a draft pick could tickle their fancy.

3. See what other goalies are avalible in the free agent pool to split time with Osgood. Someone maybe like Jocelyn Thibault or another borderline type starter that can share the work load with Ozzie, then whoever is deemed starting goalie takes the spot come playoff time.

4. Play a Osgood/Howard tandem, if all else fails.

As you can see, I would like to look at all possible options before we resort to Howard. Howard is just simpily not ready, and will be eaten alive if given big minutes. The most logical plan would probably be #3, being that the Wings go out and find a borderline starter that's like Ozzie, play them both, and whoever plays the best can be the starter. Or, the Wings can go for one of the big names. We'll wait and see what happens.

[Guest Crymson]

If Hasek were to retire would you instantly go to the free agent pool or split time between Osgood and Howard?

Niklas Backstrom.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

You got Dom in 02 via a trade.

Work your butt off and pick up a goalie via trade Holland.

No Howard/Ozzie for me

[Kp-Wings 3]

Huh, I completely forgot about Backstrom. Probably because of all the rumors of him re-signing in Minnesota.

If he is avalible, he'd be great here. I'd love to see the Wings make a pitch for him.

[Guest Crymson]

You got Dom in 02 via a trade.

Work your butt off and pick up a goalie via trade Holland.

No Howard/Ozzie for me

Would you seriously trade ANYONE from this team?

[Kp-Wings 3]

Would you seriously trade ANYONE from this team?

I'd trade Kronwall or Hudler. Kronwall because he is awful, and Hudler because he'll have a hard time making it here.

Please note: I don't want all the Kronwall lovers coming after me because I don't think he's a good player. That's just my opinion. Let's keep this on topic. kthx

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Would you seriously trade ANYONE from this team?

Not nesscarily a someone. Picks etc. Hudler maybe, Hell theres weird GM's out there that would wan Langfeld and Bootland.

But , thinking about it , What the hell kinda goalie could we get for Hudler , Langfeld and Bootland

[puckloo39 5,686]

If Dom doesn't return:

Who says Anaheim will let Giguere go, since he is winning the playoffs all by himself? Giggy makes just under $4 millon, so how many players (and whom) will we have to dump to get him? Beware the Martin Gerber syndrome. Over-paying on a contract doesn't get you a great goalie, necessarily. Holland knows that.

I wouldn't mind seeing Toskala here, if he's available. He is making $1.3 Million, so he's at least more affordable. Who knows? Out from under Nabby's shadow in SJ, Vesa could turn into the second coming of Kipper.

Before I'd get either of these guys or anything else, I'd rather see Ozzie and Howard tandem.

But I think Dom will be back, anyway, since Nick and the team want him back, and so does Holland. It's all up to Dom now.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

If Giguere can somehow be had, make a pitch for him.

I'm perfectly content going with Osgood starting though if Hasek does decide to retire. I highly doubt that is going to happen though. Me thinks it'll be Hasek/Osgood for another season, and all the better if that happens.

Edited May 25, 2007 by SouthernWingsFan

[Rice 42]

I wonder if Legace's available...

Toskala is probably the most intriguing option.

[ShanahanMan 473]

If Dom doesn't come back, we'll need to pick up a solid but cheap goalie. There is no way in hell we could get Giguere if we wanna also pick up a good forward to replace Lang.

I'm alllll for Backstrom, he'd probably sign onto a cup contending team for a mil. Toskala, though is an awesome goalie, will probably be looking for a contract in the 2-3 mil range......no way we can afford him.

Edited May 25, 2007 by ShanahanMan

[Kp-Wings 3]

Not nesscarily a someone. Picks etc. Hudler maybe, Hell theres weird GM's out there that would wan Langfeld and Bootland.

But , thinking about it , What the hell kinda goalie could we get for Hudler , Langfeld and Bootland

Langfeld and Bootland are free agents anyways. So technically they can't be traded.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Langfeld and Bootland are free agents anyways. So technically they can't be traded.

Really ? Well , I bet the Oilers would probably trade Roloson for Hudler. There all for small european forwards (Hemsky)

San Jose probably wouldnt for Hudler , because there all 6ft plus.

Soo , that gives us Roloson , Giguere , Backstrom , Toskala or Osgood. Have you pick , I'd Take Dom over any of them

[Izzy24 44]

I'm for anything that doesn't involve Howard.

[Guest Crymson]

I'd trade Kronwall or Hudler. Kronwall because he is awful, and Hudler because he'll have a hard time making it here.

Please note: I don't want all the Kronwall lovers coming after me because I don't think he's a good player. That's just my opinion. Let's keep this on topic. kthx

Kronwall is a relatively untested defenseman with a $3m/year contract. No team will take him.

Hudler does not have nearly the trade value you think.

Really ? Well , I bet the Oilers would probably trade Roloson for Hudler. There all for small european forwards (Hemsky)

I highly doubt the Oilers would trade their locked-up goaltender for a small forward. Dream on, man. Also, dream on if you think we could get ANYTHING for Bootland or Langfeld. They're in the AHL for a reason. Hell, I couldn't even trade them for anything in NHL 2K7..

[ahall89nhl 0]

pretty much anyone would be better than Osgood/Howard

Howard is just not ready for the NHL

I wouldn't mind getting Backstrom though

[#19forPresident! 1]

If Hasek were to retire would you instantly go to the free agent pool or split time between Osgood and Howard?

Hmmm, while it sucks we didn't watch a game 7 tonight, I still can have some Wings time picking apart these undoubtedly opinionated responses to a reccuring Wings offseason question. Also, I'm not saying anyone has, its looked pretty good so far, but please don't crucify people for throwing out ideas you don't agree with. That's the point of this, to see what everybody's thinking. People shouldn't be scared to share because someone is going to call them a douchebag etc.etc. So say what you're thinking, I'll probably make some retarded points of my own that you can nag at too, and thats fine. Just do it in the spirit of something fun since we can't watch our boys anymore this year and go easy on people.

Fair warning, this is a stupid long and probably over analytical response to the question, but if you've got time to read it then enjoy.

My take-

Personally, I'm thinking Dom will come back for another year. Having said that, If he doesn't, I'm not sure if Howard is ready. But then again, will I ever be sure if he doesn't get a chance to really truly test that opinion and get in some big league time consistantly? Who knows, I couldn't tell you. But I think Kenny H is one of the best people in sports in the GM's chair, so with the help of the front office he can try and predict that answer and do it well. My opinion is that if Hasek hangs them up he will probably pull from the FA pool if he can swing a sweet deal, which he is good at. We should also consider players tend to negotiate better when looking at joining a cup contender, which makes Holland's job less difficult. And making work for a man as good at his job as him easier is only good for us.

Other things to consider / Cap increase and our UFA's... The question within the question-

The Cap

The original question about post Hasek Hockeytown, as most people could deduce logically, goes deeper than the netminder spot. First off, revenues are on the rise in the NHL despite woes and negative press about American hockey markets, there was an overall 4-5% increase this season. The salary cap is set to increase in tow, from the $44M we saw this year to an estimated $46-$48M. Noting that lets talk Free Agency.

Our UFA forwards

Hey Hey the Lang's NOT all here!

Next point of consideration. The subtitle speaks for itself. Did he show up? Sure, and thats about all he did aside from the last second goal in the Sharks series. I'm not saying he was invisible he made a couple key assists, but he definitely wasn't all there, not a multi-million dollar performance for certain. So can we safely assume Lang isn't going to make another appearance with the winged wheel? Well call me crazy for doing if you really believe otherwise, it but I will make that assumption. So assuming he won't be back, his $3.8M a year is now back in Kenny's Monopoly set.

Bert and Ernie....Errr was that Bert and Kyle?

While the ever hated Bertuzzi made the best of his coming off an injury party in Detroit, the same can't really be said for Calder's escaping an early summer in Philly party. All things considered with Bert and his health, he played well. He played well for a guy coming off serious surgery. He played well for a guy who hadn't played a consistant schedule in a year. He played well for someone under alot of pressure to proove he's still a big name in the game. Did he play GREAT? Not as great as the guy that drove the net with intent in a Canuck's jersey, but that's not the real question about him. The real question is CAN he play great AGAIN? I think the answer is yes, with more rehab and time to situate his health its possible, but I'm no doctor and I don't know the specifics of his situation. Bert will be willing to talk about a spot on the Wings certainly, who wouldn't. But how much will he want? That will dictate his return. If Holland can talk modest numbers out of him he'll be back, if he's trying to go big he'll look elswhere.

Now on to Calder. He played alright before the postseason, he was chippy in the corners, he was trying to keep Homer's seat warm in front of the net when his line was off, but he wasn't stellar at either role. Some people have speculated he might have been playing hurt in the postseason, but I'm not so sure and even so his regular season performance wasn't particularly impressive. I don't think we resign him unless its for a song, and maybe a bag of salt and vinegar chips. So I'll again make the assumption that he's car pooling with Lang on the trip out of Hockeytown.

Our UFA D-men

Father Time

Lets face it, Chelios suprised everyone, if you weren't suprised then you probably aren't easily startled. He's 45, and he played more like his age was his jersey number. Not only did he deal well with the extra minutes he got via injury to our D pool, but he has been harassing Babcock for more time on the PP all year. A guy his age actually asking for more time. He could play physically until he's 50 based on what he did this year. If he's up to the task he's back next year, no questions asked.

Oh Danny Boy

I thought Markov played solid throughout the year as well as in the playoffs. Nothing he did would make sportscenter, but thats just it, he mostly did all the little things right so that he went unnoticed. He could stand to shoot more from the point and get into the scoring some, but being a stay at home defenceman doesn't make him bad. I like him, if he's willing to talk reasonable numbers hopefully he'll be back.

America the beautiful

Debatedly runner up in my opinoin as the best American playing in his position behind Chelios, Schneider is fantastic. He fits our style perfectly, he skates well and has a huge shot from the point that he's not afraid to use. He's also in my opnion one of the great "bankshot" artists that can careen the puck off the boards behind the net and send it right out front for scoring opportunities. If you watch VS you know when he's doing it because they call it a "horrible shot way off the net" . He does that and everything else in his position as good as anybody else, and better than most. He puts up quite a few PIM but alot of D men do, and his positives far outweigh that. I think if we don't ink a new deal with him I will have to recite the alphabet backwards until my head stops spinning and spewing vomit like the chick from the exorcist.

The Options if Hasek goes (My top 4 for the sake of length)

Jiggy - We would have alot of free money to consider this, Lang gone, no new ink for Calder. No deal or a modest deal to Bert or another fair priced FA pickup to replace Lang and we could make this happen. We would still have enough to pay Schneider / Markov / Cheli if they are interested provided we don't splurge filling Lang's spot. Its possible, not likely but possible, Jiggy I guess would command about 4-6 a year probably after his recent play. While it's possible, so is me flying to the moon, but I don't think that will or should happen, and I don't think we should spend on Jiggy either. The reason I say that, is I think it would cause stress to the payroll come time to resign some key guys down the road I.E. Clears, Z, Lidstrom, Draper, Lilija etc. etc. Nothing sucks more than losing guys you don't want to because you over extended yourself to pick up a star. If we could get him on the low end of 3-4 I say sure, but much more would be dangerous.

Toskala - Would command alot less $ than Jiggy and probably allow us to do it and make better offers to Schneider / Markov / Bertuzzi etc. etc. while causing little to no stress in the future for resignings and retirement replacements.

Howard / Ozzie duo - This would be risky, but if Howard crumbles under the pressure Ozzie is an NHL caliber netminder. Has he let in softies? Has he been questionable at times in the postseason? Perhaps, but every goalie has those moments, one thing every goalie doesn't have is 2 Stanley Cup rings. Would I be on the edge of my seat with Ozzie starting come April? Maybe, but it wouldn't be the end of the world, and who knows maybe Howard breaks out and really starts something.

Backstrom - I dont' think the Wild will let him get away, it sounds like they are interested in making sure that doesn't happen. Im not sure what their payroll looks like so I wouldn't rule it out as impossible, but another unlikely.

My winner?

I personally think Toskala offers the best situation, he or Backstrom would bring the most power for the dollar. But I don't think Minnesota parts with Backstrom, and like some others suggested it could be Toskala's chance to really break out as a starter and a go to guy for the post season. The small pool of goalies in FA this summer will probably earn them all raises for sure, but we should be able to get him at $2-$3M per year depending on offers from other teams if thats the way things go.

The Options if Hasek stays (Again, top 4 for the sake of length)

Smyth - He would command high dollar, but he would be worth it. He would no doubt like the prospect of playing for a team of Detroit's history and standing, also its close to the Canadian border which may factor into his "at home" feeling. The problem I see with this deal is that when Hasek and Cheli finally retire, we may tie up more than we want into Smyth, leaving us short to deal with filling their voids. Also we could be short for resigning raises to our core group if we commit 5-6M a year to him.

Drury - Well some would call him the face of the franchise in Buffalo, I don't see it happening, but free agency can make for some interesting occurances. My opinoin is like Smyth he would cost too much, they will both get generous offers around the league, and when Cheli and Hasek go we'll want some spare cash.

Gomez - While he made $5M in NJ, I still predict he would be cheaper than Smyth and Drury, and would more than fill Lang's shoes. But at what price? If he talks reasonable numbers I like the idea, but I wouldn't go out on a limb to close a deal, much more than $3M would be iffy imo.

Bertuzzi + Someone combo - He was clearly playing under %100 and he did a great job for what he was working with. So this choice represents him at 100% in a Wings jersey, with another FA to replace Lang, possibly one of the above.

My winner?

I like the 4th idea of getting Bert back for a reasonable price, and picking up someone (my choice would be Smyth) for a reasonable price, (reasonable being relevant to their caliber of play, so not cheap). But who wouldn't right? If Holland can make that happen it would be ideal, but it would be safer to pick up one or the other. If it went down to one or the other Smyth would make a great addition, and Hudler could pick up the lost ice time from losing Bert.

Now if you've read this far go get a cookie, you deserve it..... Feel free to praise or question my logic and sanity or lackthereof in this post Let the criticism begin!

[FinRedWing 172]

Kronwall is a relatively untested defenseman with a $3m/year contract. No team will take him.

Hudler does not have nearly the trade value you think.

I highly doubt the Oilers would trade their locked-up goaltender for a small forward. Dream on, man. Also, dream on if you think we could get ANYTHING for Bootland or Langfeld. They're in the AHL for a reason. Hell, I couldn't even trade them for anything in NHL 2K7..

You're right.

But stupid trades happen once in a while. Thornton-trade,80 % of the trades the Islanders have ever made etc.

These kind of bargain trades are extremely rare,but possible at the same time.

Waiting for " GET IT DONE KENNY! " replies...

[#19forPresident! 1]

You're right.

But stupid trades happen once in a while. Thornton-trade,80 % of the trades the Islanders have ever made etc.

These kind of bargain trades are extremely rare,but possible at the same time.

Waiting for " GET IT DONE KENNY! " replies...

I'm all about Kenny GETTIN IT DONE!

Some of the stuff I'd like to see is rediculous too, but hell anything is possible in free agency, Kenny could talk a fish out of water.

Edited May 25, 2007 by #19forPresident!

[Henkka 0]

There was news at Finnish Newspaper Iltalehti today, that San Jose Sharks are going to trade another of their goalies, Vesa Toskala or Jevgeni Nabokov. GM Doud Wilson has said that this will happen at his summer for sure.

Nabokov is not so tradeable beacuse his high salary, but what about Toskala?

[#19forPresident! 1]

There was news at Finnish Newspaper Iltalehti today, that San Jose Sharks are going to trade another of their goalies, Vesa Toskala or Jevgeni Nabokov. GM Doud Wilson has said that this will happen at his summer for sure.

Nabokov is not so tradeable beacuse his high salary, but what about Toskala?

Toskala is a diamond in the rough, he won't be nearly as expensive as Giguerre, and he's pretty damn good. Plus he'll be looking to get a starting position somewhere, and probably will. If Hasek leaves and there's no vote of confidence in Howard or Ozzie he would be a nice pickup. As for Nabokov, he still has another year on his contract, so that would have to be a trade, one we likely wouldn't want to make.

Edited May 25, 2007 by #19forPresident!

[Systemfel 33]

'07-'08: Toskala, Osgood (then re-sign Toskala)

'08-'09: Toskala, Howard

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

pretty much anyone would be better than Osgood/Howard

Howard is just not ready for the NHL

Anyone would be better than an Osgood-Howard tandem? And you know this how?

If a guy like Toskala and Backstrom could be had, explore the possibility of getting him, but I don't want a new goalie just for the sake of getting a new goalie and for this 'tender to be the new whipping boy under the microscope on LGW.

For the love of god, I'd like to see this organization not play goalies like it was a game of musical chairs. Stick with what we have if Hasek stays.

Even if he does retire, what is so wrong with giving the #1 job to Osgood? I will never, ever understand on here why so many fans just don't trust the guy.

And the whole theory that he's a backup goalie now is bulls**t. He was injured off/on when he was splitting time with Legace 2 seasons ago, and Legace made enough of an impression during the 2004-05 season to be deemed the starter going in the playoffs. I can guarantee you if Osgood was more healthy during that series in Edmonton, he would've eventaully played. And with Hasek being able to stay healthy most of this season and what he's done with his career, and with Osgood still not getting the breaks with injuries, he didn't play as much as he probably could/should have.

EDIT: That's 1 season where he split time with another goalie when he was injured off/on through the season, and another where he was playing second fiddle to one of the best goalies of his time in Hasek. You could pretty much insert "goaltender name" here and he was going to be backup to Hasek this year provided Hasek was healthy, which he was. So the whole Osgood is a backup theory is a bunch of b.s.

If the Wings go out and sign a guy like Toskala or Backstrom, one of those two will be splittling time equally with Osgood, or the starts will be 60%-40% at most. If Osgood and Howard were tandem, it would be more like 70%-30% starts in favor of Osgood. In a course of an 80+ game season, that's not a whole lot of difference.

Again, I'm all for the Wings exploring free agent options at goalie if Hasek retires. I just don't see how signing other 'tenders, other than maybe Giguere (who I highly doubt Anaheim will let go), will be that much of a SIGNIFICANT UPGRADE over Osgood to where it ultimately provides "the" major difference in making another deep playoff run.

Edited May 25, 2007 by SouthernWingsFan