Wings need 3 new players to win Cup

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

The way I see it is that the Wings have ALMOST exactly what it takes to win the Cup this season. The good news is that we have the Cap space and there are 3 players out there who are UFA's who should not cost that much in trades.

The obvious need is for a top 4 dman to replace Lilja in the playoffs. I like Lilja. He's an excellent team player and he has alot of guts blocking as many shots as he does. But we all know he gives it away more often than Lindsay Lohan does. As a depth #7 guy I am happy. Rob Blake is rumoured to be going to Detroit. I know he has the bad ankle but it sounds like he will be fine for the playoffs. I see us giving up Meech OR Quincey and a 1st.

The second need is for a top 6 forward. We've all heard names such as Sundin, Hossa, Jokinen and Forsberg. And the prices are high. Holland does not want to surrender his best young assets like Howard, Kindl and Ericsson. There is a player out there who can still play a role on this team and it's Sergei Fedorov. I know Wings fans are split on #91 but to me I think he would REALLY help our secondary scoring in the playoffs and I also believe that he and Filppula could be dynamite together. I see us giving up a 2nd round pick plus a B level prospect like Rhyno or Abdelkader.

The third need is for some size and/or grit to keep the flies off our skill guys and to instill some fear into the other team. A guy who can create some space with hits and add some snarl especially if we face a team such as Anaheim in the playoffs. Again I reach for the past and suggest Marty Lapointe. He is only 33 it just seems he has been around forever because...well he has been around forever. I see Marty playing with Malts and Drapes on the checking line. I know Marty is not the best guy defenisvely but Malts and Drapes can offset that. Marty brings an intangible we sorely need right now. He would make our other players play with more determination. I see us getting Marty for a 3rd round pick.

I know what some of you will say. We should not be acquiring ex Red Wings. Well Chris Osgood has played very well for us. Drake not so much. Why did he stop hitting? Anyway...I would not suggest these 3 players if I did not believe they could help us win the Cup. We have $14.5 mil in full season Cap space. Getting these 3 would cost us $14.4 mil. 6 mil for Blake, 6 mil for Sergei and 2.4 mil for Marty.

The new playoff lines would be as follows...

Zetterberg/Datsyuk/Holmstrom

Filppula/Fedorov/Cleary

Maltby/Draper/Lapointe

Kopecky/Franzen/Samuelsson

depth: Hudler, Drake, Downey, Ellis

Lidstrom/Rafalski

Kronwall/Blake

Lebda/Chelios

depth: Lilja, Meech, Quincey

Hasek/Osgood

Hudler remains on the team however I see Babcock wanting Kopecky's size more in the playoffs. Babs can always insert Hudler if he sees fit to. All 3 new players would be UFA's at season's end so we would not be stuck with any long term salary commitments. Our #1 off season goal is to get Hank under contract for the next 7-8 seasons.

I know this proposed playoff line-up does not guarantee a Cup. However considering all the factors involved such as Need, Salary Cap, Player availability, long term/short term implications, chemistry...this is what I would try to do if I were Holland.

Holland an CO. are much smarter than me when it comes to hockey decisions. I trust them to do what is best for the Red Wings. We only have to wait a little more than 2 weeks to see what happens.

What would you guys do?

I'm AGAINST any deal that involves a rental player in exchange for a 1st round draft pick.

We all heard the broadcast yesterday about how important it is to grow your own talent. And yeah, we've been lucky with late round gems in the past but that doesn't mean we should count on it or be trading away our 1st rounders for a guy who could be here less than a month or two.

Blake for a prospect and 2nd round pick. Okay

[larionov_8 12]

I do agree that Detroit could use another player. I can't say I've seen Fedorov play much, and his numbers haven't been exceptional, really. I don't even know if he's available. But from everything they're saying in Toronto, Sundin will not waive his no trade clause. They've also noted that Blake is going to give LA a list of teams he'd be willing to be traded too, but its likely that he'll prefer to stay on the West coast. My bet is that he'll go to San Jose -- perhaps Anaheim.

Remember that Detroit is first in the league for a reason. All of our forwards - yes, even Samuelson - play responsible hockey, and a lot of our offense comes from the D-men. I would say Fedorov is a good fit, because he fits into the system, and he can make some plays....we don't necessarily need a number 1 centre like Sundin. We also don't need a big name guy like Blake in the back end. Besides a forward, I would like to see Detroit get a guy for depth on D, but I don't see that guy being Blake.

And frankly, I don't want to see Detroit trade away any of their roster players. Yet, guys like Sammy and Lilja are replacable, but they DO , in fact, do their jobs.

[Dabura 12,232]

Remember that Detroit is first in the league for a reason.

Oh please.

I don't know how many times this team needs to get upset in the postseason before people realize regular season success means nothing. It absolutely boggles my mind that even now, after all our recent playoff upsets, people would still cite dominance in the regular season as proof that no changes need to be made.

Instead of gloating over another Presidents' Trophy, this team should be focusing on those postseason losses that prevented it from winning the trophy that really matters -- the Cup. Every team is 0-0 at the start of the playoffs, and every team plays harder than it did in the regular season. We all know this, and we all know it's foolish to think we'll be OK if Flip and Hudler and Sammy just try really, really hard.

Bah, my head hurts.

Edited February 10, 2008 by Dabura

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Prospal will cost us more than Malone, Blake will cost us more than Staois. Stuart, Gratton and Lapointe would come cheapest. Holik would be slghtly more expesive than those guys. Sunidn and Hossa will obviously be the most expensive.

I would like to see one of these packages:

Blake/Malone/Gratton

Staios/Prospal/Holik

Sundin/Stuart/Lapointe

Hossa/Carney/Holik

In return I can see any of Hudler, Quincey, Meech, Kopecky, and picks.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Prospal will cost us more than Malone, Blake will cost us more than Staois. Stuart, Gratton and Lapointe would come cheapest. Holik would be slghtly more expesive than those guys. Sunidn and Hossa will obviously be the most expensive.

I would like to see one of these packages:

Blake/Malone/Gratton

Staios/Prospal/Holik

Sundin/Stuart/Lapointe

Hossa/Carney/Holik

In return I can see any of Hudler, Quincey, Meech, Kopecky, and picks.

Either of those 2 packages would be fantastic.

[OsGOD 3]

Fixed it

IMO giving up Meech, or Quincey & a 1st rounder for Blake is way too steep of a price; Meech for a rental Blake is more than enough since Blake will return to LA come July 1st...Gotta remember that this isn't Rob Blake circa 2000 when he was still in his prime.

With Danny boy out Holland must now shore up that questionable 2nd line (and it showed against the Leafs yesterday); our D is fine as well as is our netminding...Dom & Ozzie are top-notch lads in my books

no need for the eyerolling though... that was 100% pure sarcasm in my post... well except for the Forward... we definitely need one of them.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

I hope everyones on the "we need to add depth" bandwagon after tonights game, cause we missed plenty of chances to put the Ducks away due to a PP that was decimated by injuries..

[2probert4 8]

Stuart > Blake

We dont need old washed up expensive players, We need youthful guys who are good with the puck, and arent going to cost an arm in a leg to keep and trade for.

Toughness > Top 6 Forward

Sure Hossa,Sundin would be nice, But we'd give to much up. Trading to get a malone/gratton type guy will cost less, and provide more for us during PO time and long term then a rental player would.

D-Mac > Lappy

Why trade away anything for an old turd like Lappy, If we wanted overpaid underperforming guys we could look elsewhere, Dmac is cheaper. and would fill the same role you planned on having lappy play.

BTW, Dallas Drake is fine. He plays his role. get over it.

Kings were expecting a roster player, top prospect and 1st rounder prior to the fracture, still expecting at least a 1st rounder for a guy who admittedly will return to the Kings. Brian Burke (Anaheim GM) has been dangling the pick he recieved from Edmonton (non playoff pick) and he is interested in Rob Blake. I'll be surprised if they do this trade.

Ryan Malone - he's been scoring often since Sid went down with his ankle injury, I dont see them dealing him now.

DMac - who do they move to make a spot for him? Don't see it this season, perhaps next year. Sports heroes are like pets - Its hard to let them go. He was a warrior for the Wings, but what does he really offer anymore? Not many fights (if any at all) in the playoffs, secondary scoring is a Wings need, grinding they already have. I would prefer him over Drake if and IF he can continue to keep his nose clean and off the bottle.

Sundin still hasnt agreed to waive the no-trade clause, Hossa will command a roster player, multiple picks and a top prospect. Also remember that they can't use up all the money, because Zetterberg gets signed after next season, Lidstrom in a year or two. There are other players that get contracts after this season, Filppula and Cleary come to mind, hopefully Cleary hasn't seen Dustin Penners and JP Dumonts contacts yet. Wings brass won't pay Cleary 4 mill per. Cap is going up but you still have to be smart about using it. Rangers have bought an impressive lineup, but it's not equaling wins, and they are near the bottom in scoring. When the Wings come calling about a player, the prices go up, especially with Clearys injury.

Edited February 11, 2008 by 2probert4

[DRW Dominance 255]

Generally I agree with the poster. I don't know about those exact players but it's definitely the right idea. What I will say is trade Sammy to a team who needs what he brings and try to get a player with the "grit" factor in return. Trade Hudler straight up for Blake. No picks involved for a rental. Thirdly get some secondary scoring but not a rental player.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Kings were expecting a roster player, top prospect and 1st rounder prior to the fracture, still expecting at least a 1st rounder for a guy who admittedly will return to the Kings. Brian Burke (Anaheim GM) has been dangling the pick he recieved from Edmonton (non playoff pick) and he is interested in Rob Blake. I'll be surprised if they do this trade.

Ryan Malone - he's been scoring often since Sid went down with his ankle injury, I dont see them dealing him now.

DMac - who do they move to make a spot for him? Don't see it this season, perhaps next year. Sports heroes are like pets - Its hard to let them go. He was a warrior for the Wings, but what does he really offer anymore? Not many fights (if any at all) in the playoffs, secondary scoring is a Wings need, grinding they already have. I would prefer him over Drake if and IF he can continue to keep his nose clean and off the bottle.

Sundin still hasnt agreed to waive the no-trade clause, Hossa will command a roster player, multiple picks and a top prospect. Also remember that they can't use up all the money, because Zetterberg gets signed after next season, Lidstrom in a year or two. There are other players that get contracts after this season, Filppula and Cleary come to mind, hopefully Cleary hasn't seen Dustin Penners and JP Dumonts contacts yet. Wings brass won't pay Cleary 4 mill per. Cap is going up but you still have to be smart about using it. Rangers have bought an impressive lineup, but it's not equaling wins, and they are near the bottom in scoring. When the Wings come calling about a player, the prices go up, especially with Clearys injury.

I dont care what Burke wants, if it comes down to Holland and Burke being in the running for Blake, then I say Blake goes to Detroit. Why? Because Holland knows that the road to the cup goes through Anaheim, and thus I think hell bid for Blake accordingly. If it were any other team Detroit was competing with for Blakes services, I would say Holland backs off and doesnt get into a bidding war over Blake, because another team adding Blake (NYR, SJ, etc) still wont put them at Detroits level. But in the case of Detroit outbidding Anaheim, landing Blake accomplishes TWO things. It steals Anaheims opportunity to have the undisputed best defense in the league in god knows how many years AND it improves Detroits squad. Holland simply cannot afford to let Anaheim improve significantly anymore, and letting them get Blake would do just that.

Of course, all of this is contingent upon Sundin and Hossa not being available and/or not going to the Ducks or Wings. Because if Detroit lands one of those two, theyll be no opportunity to get Blake as well. Same goes for Anaheim.

Edited February 11, 2008 by YoungGuns1340

[chrisdetroit 189]

The way I see it is that the Wings have ALMOST exactly what it takes to win the Cup this season. The good news is that we have the Cap space and there are 3 players out there who are UFA's who should not cost that much in trades.

The obvious need is for a top 4 dman to replace Lilja in the playoffs. I like Lilja. He's an excellent team player and he has alot of guts blocking as many shots as he does. But we all know he gives it away more often than Lindsay Lohan does. As a depth #7 guy I am happy. Rob Blake is rumoured to be going to Detroit. I know he has the bad ankle but it sounds like he will be fine for the playoffs. I see us giving up Meech OR Quincey and a 1st.

The second need is for a top 6 forward. We've all heard names such as Sundin, Hossa, Jokinen and Forsberg. And the prices are high. Holland does not want to surrender his best young assets like Howard, Kindl and Ericsson. There is a player out there who can still play a role on this team and it's Sergei Fedorov. I know Wings fans are split on #91 but to me I think he would REALLY help our secondary scoring in the playoffs and I also believe that he and Filppula could be dynamite together. I see us giving up a 2nd round pick plus a B level prospect like Rhyno or Abdelkader.

The third need is for some size and/or grit to keep the flies off our skill guys and to instill some fear into the other team. A guy who can create some space with hits and add some snarl especially if we face a team such as Anaheim in the playoffs. Again I reach for the past and suggest Marty Lapointe. He is only 33 it just seems he has been around forever because...well he has been around forever. I see Marty playing with Malts and Drapes on the checking line. I know Marty is not the best guy defenisvely but Malts and Drapes can offset that. Marty brings an intangible we sorely need right now. He would make our other players play with more determination. I see us getting Marty for a 3rd round pick.

I know what some of you will say. We should not be acquiring ex Red Wings. Well Chris Osgood has played very well for us. Drake not so much. Why did he stop hitting? Anyway...I would not suggest these 3 players if I did not believe they could help us win the Cup. We have $14.5 mil in full season Cap space. Getting these 3 would cost us $14.4 mil. 6 mil for Blake, 6 mil for Sergei and 2.4 mil for Marty.

The new playoff lines would be as follows...

Zetterberg/Datsyuk/Holmstrom

Filppula/Fedorov/Cleary

Maltby/Draper/Lapointe

Kopecky/Franzen/Samuelsson

depth: Hudler, Drake, Downey, Ellis

Lidstrom/Rafalski

Kronwall/Blake

Lebda/Chelios

depth: Lilja, Meech, Quincey

Hasek/Osgood

Hudler remains on the team however I see Babcock wanting Kopecky's size more in the playoffs. Babs can always insert Hudler if he sees fit to. All 3 new players would be UFA's at season's end so we would not be stuck with any long term salary commitments. Our #1 off season goal is to get Hank under contract for the next 7-8 seasons.

I know this proposed playoff line-up does not guarantee a Cup. However considering all the factors involved such as Need, Salary Cap, Player availability, long term/short term implications, chemistry...this is what I would try to do if I were Holland.

Holland an CO. are much smarter than me when it comes to hockey decisions. I trust them to do what is best for the Red Wings. We only have to wait a little more than 2 weeks to see what happens.

What would you guys do?

Blake Foppa and Lapointe? Wow, you are out of touch with reality my friend.

Blake is washed up as is evidence by his poor play and what's more he is out with a broken anklle until at least a couple of weeks before the playoffs. You want him why? Because he was good 7 years ago? Oh and he's big and hits alot. Sounds like the same crap we heard about Bert and he did nothing for us. Blake is 38 and has a -13 this year and is out with a broken ankle. What on earth are you thinking?

Feds hasn't had a good season since he left the wings. The last year he was with us he had 83 pt and was a +15. Since then he has had 3 stright years of 40-45 points and is on pace this year to have 41 and he has been a minus every year. Oh yea and he's also 38.

As far as Marty, I'd say he's a maybe if the price is right. The difference is Marty is not a top line player and would be much cheaper than Blake or Foppa. Also Marty is only 34. He has been up and down since he left but he's not somebody that you are looking at to score lots of goals.

Lastly you are not going to get Blake for Meech or Quincy and it's doubtful that Columbus would part with Feds since they are on the playoff bubble. Even if they would I sure as hell wouldn't give up a top prospect for him.

[Hank 0]

The new playoff lines would be as follows...

Zetterberg/Datsyuk/Holmstrom

Filppula/Fedorov/Cleary

Maltby/Draper/Lapointe

Kopecky/Franzen/Samuelsson

depth: Hudler, Drake, Downey, Ellis

Lidstrom/Rafalski

Kronwall/Blake

Lebda/Chelios

depth: Lilja, Meech, Quincey

I'd take all three of those guys. And if we couldn't get Blake I'd do my best to get Steve Staios.

But I have a feeling we'll end up with 2 guys - either Prospal or Lapointe and Blake.

[Turkey 0]

Matt made the good point that Staios' contract is nutso. I don't know that he's even a real option as a result.

[chrisdetroit 189]

I hope everyones on the "we need to add depth" bandwagon after tonights game, cause we missed plenty of chances to put the Ducks away due to a PP that was decimated by injuries..

Ahh. That's not how it actually works. Even the best powerplay is NOT sucessful the majority of the time. See a 25% sucess rate on a power play is great. The wings were 2/8 which is 25%.

[rick zombo 3,739]

I'm AGAINST any deal that involves a rental player in exchange for a 1st round draft pick.

We all heard the broadcast yesterday about how important it is to grow your own talent. And yeah, we've been lucky with late round gems in the past but that doesn't mean we should count on it or be trading away our 1st rounders for a guy who could be here less than a month or two.

Blake for a prospect and 2nd round pick. Okay

BUT you never know how your 1st rounder will turn out. For example, Brendan Smith has been plagued by a very troublesome back injury as of December. Depending how this works out, I would have sent that 1st rounder to Florida last year in order to hang on to Matthias.

[chrisdetroit 189]

Oh please.

I don't know how many times this team needs to get upset in the postseason before people realize regular season success means nothing. It absolutely boggles my mind that even now, after all our recent playoff upsets, people would still cite dominance in the regular season as proof that no changes need to be made.

Instead of gloating over another Presidents' Trophy, this team should be focusing on those postseason losses that prevented it from winning the trophy that really matters -- the Cup. Every team is 0-0 at the start of the playoffs, and every team plays harder than it did in the regular season. We all know this, and we all know it's foolish to think we'll be OK if Flip and Hudler and Sammy just try really, really hard.

Bah, my head hurts.

Ok then, if you are going to completely ignore the regular season, how do you determine if you need to add anything? Based on last years playoffs? Well that doesn't work because up until last year Dats was a no show in the playoffs. Based on your logic, we should have got rid of him. I guess that might have been a bit of a mistake huh? And then there's Robert Lang who always excels in the playoffs and sucks in the regular season. Maybe you think we should get him back. And as far as Sammy, he had a very good playoff last year. 14 pts in 18 games and he had 2 goals in the San Jose elimination game. We definietly need that in the playoffs.

See, you have to evaluate players on what they do in the regular season as well as the past playoffs.