Out with the old, in with the new...

[Shutemdown 23]

Taken from the Detroit Free Press, August 20th, 2008:

"It has been an interesting summer for the Stanley Cup champion Red Wings.

They've lost more staff than players and will enter training camp with a roster arguably stronger than last season's.

Goalie Dominik Hasek and forward Dallas Drake retired, and forward Mark Hartigan went to Latvia to play for Dinamo Riga of the Kontinental Hockey League. Drake was the only one of the three to play in the Cup finals.

The biggest losses have come from the staff. Associate coach Todd McLellan was hired as head coach of the San Jose Sharks and took video coach Jay Woodcroft with him as an assistant coach.

Consultant and former coach Scotty Bowman became an advisor for the Chicago Blackhawks and will spend more time with his son, Stan, an assistant general manager.

Pro scout and former NHL head coach Bob McCammon retired, and assistant equipment manager Chris Scoppetto left to become head equipment manager of the Florida Panthers.

"You've had success, and other people want your people," general manager Ken Holland said. "We had good people. I'm disappointed that we've lost them, but in every case they've got a bigger role, a bigger paycheck."

The Wings made headlines this off-season when Penguins forward Marian Hossa rejected big money and longer-term job security to join the Wings for one year, $7.4 million.

The Wings added backup goaltender Ty Conklin for one year at $750,000.

The Wings also retained the services of defenseman Brad Stuart (four years, $15 million) and forward Valtteri Filppula (five years, $15 million).

It has been a short summer for Holland, who recently spent two weeks at his summer home in British Columbia, part of it working on Filppula's new deal.

"We tried not to leave all our business to the summer," Holland said. "That's why we signed Chris Osgood last October and Dan Cleary in February."

Holland doesn't have much work to do between now and the start of camp next month. His only unfinished business is deals with defensemen Chris Chelios and Kyle Quincey and forward Darren McCarty.

"We knew we had to get another goaltender," Holland said. "We felt we addressed it with Ty Conklin. We signed Brad Stuart and Hossa. We think we hit on all our needs.

"In Hossa, we got a star. He chose us. He had bigger money, longer-term deals elsewhere.

"A Stanley Cup champion team had the chance to keep their team together and add Marian Hossa," Holland said. "That's not supposed to happen with the salary cap."

Although the Wings will head to camp without a glaring weakness, there will be plenty of questions to answer.

The Wings have more legitimate NHL talent than they have available roster spots. Quincey, Derek Meech and Jonathan Ericsson will battle for the final spot on defense.

The Wings will get their first look at Ville Leino, 25, signed from the Finnish league in May. He'll be vying for a roster spot against the likes of Darren Helm, Justin Abdelkader, Aaron Downey and McCarty.

The biggest questions among those projected to make the team are:

• Will forward Tomas Kopecky be ready to play after having surgery on his left knee to repair a torn ACL and MCL?

• Can Jimmy Howard beat out Conklin for the backup job?

• Will forward Johan Franzen build off a breakout 27-goal season, or will his late-season scoring tear prove to be a fluke?

• With a long-term contract in place, will Filppula take the next step offensively and contribute 20-25 goals?

Indeed, it has been a short summer."

Not gonna lie... I got excited when they mentioned 25-yr.-old Ville Leino... I hope he gets a chance to play this season. He has the potential to be VERY good.

Edited August 20, 2008 by Shutemdown

[Zion 93]

I'm excited.

[McCartyFanForLife 17]

Is it October 9th yet?

[Heaton 1]

Is it October 9th yet?

It's actually October 10th and you missed first game. Your punishment is to buy everyone Red Wings 2008 Champion car flags.

[McCartyFanForLife 17]

It's actually October 10th and you missed first game. Your punishment is to buy everyone Red Wings 2008 Champion car flags.

Taken from Detroit Red Wings website

2008-2009 Regular Season Schedule/Results

October 2008

Date Visitor Home Score Dec Time (ET) TV Nat'l Local (A) Local (H)

Thu Oct 9, 2008 Maple Leafs Red Wings 7:00 PM CBC,VERSUS

Sat Oct 11, 2008 Red Wings Senators 7:00 PM

Mon Oct 13, 2008 Red Wings Hurricanes 7:00 PM

Thu Oct 16, 2008 Canucks Red Wings 7:30 PM TSN

Sat Oct 18, 2008 Rangers Red Wings 7:00 PM

Wed Oct 22, 2008 Red Wings Blues 8:30 PM

Fri Oct 24, 2008 Thrashers Red Wings 7:30 PM

Sat Oct 25, 2008 Red Wings Blackhawks 8:30 PM

Mon Oct 27, 2008 Red Wings Kings 10:30 PM

Wed Oct 29, 2008 Red Wings Ducks 10:00 PM

Thu Oct 30, 2008 Red Wings Sharks 10:30 PM

[uk_redwing 495]

Screw October 9th, pre-season will do for me.

[Dabura 12,232]

"A Stanley Cup champion team had the chance to keep their team together and add Marian Hossa," Holland said. "That's not supposed to happen with the salary cap."

I'd love to see Leino make the cut this season. But it's a long shot.

[Heaton 1]

Taken from Detroit Red Wings website

I guess my shot at humor was a little too subtle.

[wingfanatic4alltime 32]

Taken from Detroit Red Wings website

2008-2009 Regular Season Schedule/Results

October 2008

Date Visitor Home Score Dec Time (ET) TV Nat'l Local (A) Local (H)

Thu Oct 9, 2008 Maple Leafs Red Wings 7:00 PM CBC,VERSUS

Sat Oct 11, 2008 Red Wings Senators 7:00 PM

Mon Oct 13, 2008 Red Wings Hurricanes 7:00 PM

Thu Oct 16, 2008 Canucks Red Wings 7:30 PM TSN

Sat Oct 18, 2008 Rangers Red Wings 7:00 PM

Wed Oct 22, 2008 Red Wings Blues 8:30 PM

Fri Oct 24, 2008 Thrashers Red Wings 7:30 PM

Sat Oct 25, 2008 Red Wings Blackhawks 8:30 PM

Mon Oct 27, 2008 Red Wings Kings 10:30 PM

Wed Oct 29, 2008 Red Wings Ducks 10:00 PM

Thu Oct 30, 2008 Red Wings Sharks 10:30 PM

I think Heaton was being sarcastic but i requested october 9th off of work im so fired up GO WINGGGGGGGGGSSSSSSSSSSSSsss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Guest Dump-N-Thump]

Cant wait for Pre=Season

[Anomalously 0]

I guess my shot at humor was a little too subtle.

Don't worry, happens to me too. I got it.

[RedWingedKitten 9]

What's funny is that Ville Leino would probably make most of the other teams in the NHL.

[Booster313 138]

I am worried that like most years we won't get most of training camp on TV

Edited August 20, 2008 by Booster313

[Lovin Jiri Fischer 147]

This is going waaaay too slow.

[Chunkylover 26]

If the Mule does have a good season, how likely do you think it is that he'll sign a bigger offer somewhere else? What about Hank? I'd like to think they would stay because from the way they carry themselves on the ice and during interviews they certainly give the impression they like playing here.

Hank will make at least 6.7M if not 7M. Is his agent one of those guys that will challenge the Lidstrom cap for a bigger commission?

Franzen will have to be considered in the Cleary/Filppula range now.

Even still, if we are able to re-sign these guys, our '09-'10 roster will still look like our '08 Cup-winning team. Even though it will be less one Marian Hossa we still have to be happy with that!

[Shaman 713]

If the Mule does have a good season, how likely do you think it is that he'll sign a bigger offer somewhere else? What about Hank? I'd like to think they would stay because from the way they carry themselves on the ice and during interviews they certainly give the impression they like playing here.

Hank will make at least 6.7M if not 7M. Is his agent one of those guys that will challenge the Lidstrom cap for a bigger commission?

Franzen will have to be considered in the Cleary/Filppula range now.

Even still, if we are able to re-sign these guys, our '09-'10 roster will still look like our '08 Cup-winning team. Even though it will be less one Marian Hossa we still have to be happy with that!

I know that Hank atleast is a wing so long as the wings want him, he doesnt want to go anywhere else, so I can see him taking a pay cut to stay with the wings, if Franzen has another huge season, idk he may try to lever more money than we are willing to pay and jet, I really havent heard enough about him to know if hes a life long wing, or will bolt like some others have when the big offers come.

[Chunkylover 26]

I know that Hank atleast is a wing so long as the wings want him, he doesnt want to go anywhere else, so I can see him taking a pay cut to stay with the wings, if Franzen has another huge season, idk he may try to lever more money than we are willing to pay and jet, I really havent heard enough about him to know if hes a life long wing, or will bolt like some others have when the big offers come.

Well that's the impression I get from both of them, but how much of a pay cut should we expect. Should Hank make the 8.7M that Crosby makes? One could argue that he's worth that much. Or should he take the hometown contract that Pav is making?

I'm almost hoping that Franzen underperforms until he re-signs so we can catch a break.

[Opie 308]

Well that's the impression I get from both of them, but how much of a pay cut should we expect. Should Hank make the 8.7M that Crosby makes? One could argue that he's worth that much. Or should he take the hometown contract that Pav is making?

I'm almost hoping that Franzen underperforms until he re-signs so we can catch a break.

Here is the thing about BEING a Red Wing and PLAYING for the Red Wings, Hossa (IMO) is playing for the Wings, he will in all likelihood be gone next year chasing the big bucks, deservedly so.

Hank will be the next 'C' on this team, he and Dats will be the face of this org when Lids is gone, if not already.

However they understand that Lids is the man, best player on the team, best defenseman in the world, etc. etc.

They also understand that with BEING a Wing comes a two way loyalty relationship, a give and take. The Wings may not pay you the most, but they will give you fair money and a chance to be a champ every year, IF you buy into their system. Not sure that the young guys are on board with that yet, Flip said he wants to be a Wing for life, Huds I don't know, Mule I hope.

The thing is you can't blame a guy for wanting to go to another team if they are throwing millions more at them, but you have to respect when a guy pulls a Hossa. Knows he could get more money else where, lots more money. But he is playing the market, he goes to Det wins a cup (I can hope) now those offers will be back on the table and he will also have a ring on his hands thanks to the Wings.

Now if he decides after this year (he seems stoked, from what I have read, to be a wing) that being a wing is more important than he will sit down and Holland will work it out between Hank, Hossa, and Mule. The only question is, Is Mule playing for the Wings or does he want to be a wing.

I know it sounds arrogant to think that players should be willing to take a lesser salary to play in Det, but when the best player in the world (Lids) is willing to be in Det and take less money, because of what it offers him, than anyone that comes in after has to understand the hierarchy of how things work, if they don't like it they can sign elsewhere, but where else would they have a shot at the cup every year.

[daniel1 32]

I know it sounds arrogant to think that players should be willing to take a lesser salary to play in Det, but when the best player in the world (Lids) is willing to be in Det and take less money,

Ya, I am willing to bet the farm that Lid's latest contract extension was the only (and probably last ever) time in the history of the NHL that a player won the Norris Trophy and then took a pay cut the next year. If we can keep him and his 7.45 salary around for another 2-3 years we could probably get every Wings contract signed in that time frame to be less per year than his because no one wants to start the negotiations with "I think I'm worth more than Lidstrom".

[19Hockeytown5 0]

""no one wants to start the negotiations with "I think I'm worth more than Lidstrom".""

hahahha

I think Zetterberg will give Detroit a discount, and could be the next captain/lifelong wing. As for Hossa, after he helps us to another cup (I HOPE!), I think there could be a possibility he likes what he sees and takes another discount to stay with the wings.

[Dabura 12,232]

Hank deserves to make as much as Crosby -- hell, more than Crosby. But he'll take a discount and probably won't earn more than Nick.

Hossa -- I'd love to see him stay, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him go, Cup or no Cup this season. It's a money issue. Possibility: he outperforms Mule by a wide margin this season and management decides to let Mule go and bring Hossa back into the fold.

[Shutemdown 23]

I honestly think that somehow, miraculously, Hossa will be around after this season ends and Holland will figure out a way to sign all three.

Hossa took a paycut to come here for a couple different reasons. Yeah, he wants the best chance to win a cup which would arguably be Detroit. Also, Hossa has been saying he's excited to be with the organization and displayed the same characteristics that many of the team share: to take less money for the sake of the team.

If he's already somewhat buying into the system, turning his head to MUCH larger offers, I think it's more than just a cup. Hossa knows that our team is soaked in tradition and respect, and he'll enjoy every second of this season playing next to Pav and Hank.

By the end of the season, whether or not he's got a ring, I have a feeling he'll try to stick around just as much as Holland will try to keep him around. Once you go to the Red Wings... every other team just seems like second-best.

And also... alot of people are thinking it will turn into "Hossa vs. Mule" performance-wise, but we can all safely assume that Hossa will put up better numbers throughout the season. This being said, I think the Wings (regardless) would try to retain Franzen. The DRW are well-known for homegrown talent and developing players in their system. I can't see them trading away Mule in order to keep Hossa, no matter who played better. The organization will hold onto their own above everyone else.

Either way, I trust that Kenny Holland will work it all out and make the best decision possible. I'm just hoping to see him work some of his magic and bring back Hank, Mule, AND Hossa...

Let's see 3 in a row!

Edited August 22, 2008 by Shutemdown