FACT: We are better at D, with the pairings last night

[Guest mindfly]

Rafalski was great, best dman on the team with Big Ericsson.. Stuart has looked brutal most of the season and also last night... I wish they could trade him - and he does take up alot of capspace with the 3.75M Salary

Lidström had some terrible giveaways too, uncharacteristic, hope he gets more consistent

[stevkrause 1,247]

Again, you have no basis to say Bouwmeester is in for a "money grab". He doesn't want to continue to play for a bad team, so hes exploring free agency. Detroit is an offensive defensemen's wet dream.

6.5 per year would be enough to get it done with Bouwmeester long term and would be the true replacement for Lidstrom.

Call up Helm, sign Franzen, let Hossa walk.

Homer-Datsyuk-Franzen

Cleary-Zetterberg-Hudler

Leino/Kopecky-Helm-Samuelsson

Meech/Kopecky-Draper-Maltby

Lidstrom-Rafalski

Bouwmeester-Stuart

Ericsson-Lilja/Meech

Thats not a bad lineup considering our defensive laps would be pretty much cured. The goalies, mainly Osgood wouldn't be left out to dry like they are this season. And if Lidstrom feels the need to retire in a year or two, Bouwmeester can step up in a way Kronwall can't.

this is the one BIG contract Bouwmeester can get... 6.5 won't cut it when he can get 7 or more and STILL be on a competitive team...

also, you're lineup still doesn't make sense - lets say we DO get him for 6.5... you sign him and Franzen, then you're saying goodbye to Hudler and/or Samuelsson as well, as you've just maxed yourself out on other contracts... so then what are you going to do? our offense would be very weakened and yet again, who's to say he fits in here?

You don't fix what isn't broken, you tweak it... and you're proposing a wholesale change. not smart.

[TonyDanza 0]

this is the one BIG contract Bouwmeester can get... 6.5 won't cut it when he can get 7 or more and STILL be on a competitive team...

also, you're lineup still doesn't make sense - lets say we DO get him for 6.5... you sign him and Franzen, then you're saying goodbye to Hudler and/or Samuelsson as well, as you've just maxed yourself out on other contracts... so then what are you going to do? our offense would be very weakened and yet again, who's to say he fits in here?

You don't fix what isn't broken, you tweak it... and you're proposing a wholesale change. not smart.

Flip + Kronwall = 6.5 mill. Assuming Bouwmeester signs for that amount, it doesn't effect Hudler or Samuelsson. The only thing that effects that is the signing of Franzen.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

To be honest, I don't really care if Lilja comes back. I feel really bad about him getting hurt but he has such a propensity for making dumb decisions in his own zone that I'm not really missing him.

I agree with the OP on the pairings though.

Have you watched this season at all? Lilja has been better than everyone not named Lidstrom in his own zone.

[stevkrause 1,247]

Flip + Kronwall = 6.5 mill. Assuming Bouwmeester signs for that amount, it doesn't effect Hudler or Samuelsson. The only thing that effects that is the signing of Franzen.

agree to disagree, you're playing on fantasy terms, not reality....

You'd be, at MINIMUM, making a 4 ROSTER player switch... you only do something that drastic when you're rebuilding...

forget about the money - YOU DO NOT disrupt chemistry THAT much, it's. just. not. smart. period.

[TonyDanza 0]

agree to disagree, you're playing on fantasy terms, not reality....

You'd be, at MINIMUM, making a 4 ROSTER player switch... you only do something that drastic when you're rebuilding...

forget about the money - YOU DO NOT disrupt chemistry THAT much, it's. just. not. smart. period.

What chemistry? Kronwall - Stuart has been a brutal pairing all season and I would only consider trading Kronwall because he doesn't have a NTC and a slightly better contract than Stuart.

Flip has been relegated to third line duty, playing with which ever wingers aren't in the top six for that game. We're not moving Zetterberg or Datsyuk here, its Flip, hes signed to a bad contract and he'll be the first moved if theres a problem with the cap. Hes a luxury at this point, no need to have that many talented centers, especially when you have Helm waiting for a spot.

A guy like Bouwmeester gives this team a legit second PP unit. Ericsson and Bouwmeester on the point would be ridiculous. And in two or three years time you'll have Kindl coming up. The fact is, there isn't one guy in the lineup today that can replace what Lidstrom brings to this team. Bouwmeester can do that.

[stevkrause 1,247]

What chemistry? Kronwall - Stuart has been a brutal pairing all season and I would only consider trading Kronwall because he doesn't have a NTC and a slightly better contract than Stuart.

Flip has been relegated to third line duty, playing with which ever wingers aren't in the top six for that game. We're not moving Zetterberg or Datsyuk here, its Flip, hes signed to a bad contract and he'll be the first moved if theres a problem with the cap. Hes a luxury at this point, no need to have that many talented centers, especially when you have Helm waiting for a spot.

A guy like Bouwmeester gives this team a legit second PP unit. Ericsson and Bouwmeester on the point would be ridiculous. And in two or three years time you'll have Kindl coming up. The fact is, there isn't one guy in the lineup today that can replace what Lidstrom brings to this team. Bouwmeester can do that.

he's a career -24 and has been in the offensively weaker East.

you're argument is so flawed, I don't even know where else to start... keep believing what you want, but I'd bet a million bucks on the fact that this will not happen, and call me crazy, but I'm gonna go on a limb and say Holland kinda knows what he's doing... which is why it won't happen....

[Zion 93]

Have you watched this season at all? Lilja has been better than everyone not named Lidstrom in his own zone.

I agree with this. This isn't Lilja of 2007. He's been very consistent. I'm just disgusted with the way he "fought" Shea Weber that if he weren't seriously messed-up, I'd still be ripping him.

[Inultus 12]

Have you watched this season at all? Lilja has been better than everyone not named Lidstrom in his own zone.

I don't think that will continue in the playoffs. That's why I said what I did. Last playoff run he made me want to punch the tv too many times.

[SweWings 45]

I. Love. Ericsson.

[stevkrause 1,247]

I. Love. Ericsson.

I agree on the man-love. Ericsson will be my next jersey purchase when he is a full time roster player... I've only held off now, because I have a feeling he'll revert to #4 or a lower number once he is given an every day spot...

[datsyukismyfriend 4]

i hate the kronwall stuart pairing. it seems like they're on the ice for just about every goal scored against us! they need to be split, imo. and i really hope lidstrom raises his game to the next level for the playoffs. he's not been bad by any stretch, be he sure as hell hasn't been lidstrom this season. i counted at least four lidstrom outlet passes picked off (CLEANLY) last night! three of which were in our own zone! that can't be happening. he's been a bit below his level all year, we're going to need him firing on all cylinders in the post-season. ericsson's been awesome, i don't care to see lebda playing anymore with ericsson. i, for one, want lilja back. he's a big body, he hits, bocks shots, pk's. he's a good stay at home d-man. he has had a propensity for boneheaded plays in the past, but seems to have tightened that up this year. in fact, many games i've felt like he's been our most reliable defenseman in terms of clearing the zone and making the necessary plays (not the cute plays). i also like chelios in the lineup. we seem to be better defensively with him in.

[Guest mindfly]

Lidström and Rafalski are so good, but when kronwall played with lidström he werent as brutal, and rafalski&stuart pairing actually worked out.. so to avoid kronwall&stuart being on the ice on most goals against, split ASAP

[stevkrause 1,247]

Lidström and Rafalski are so good, but when kronwall played with lidström he werent as brutal, and rafalski&stuart pairing actually worked out.. so to avoid kronwall&stuart being on the ice on most goals against, split ASAP

I'd be good with that, I like Kronwall with Lidstrom

[ComradeWasabi 109]

TonyDanza has some misguided views about the cap and Bouwmeester's intentions, but that's really beside the point.

Kronwall-Stuart is bad. They have more bad nights than good ones, especially Stuart.

Lidstrom-Kronwall and Stuart-Raffi seems more reliable to me.

[stevkrause 1,247]

TonyDanza has some misguided views about the cap and Bouwmeester's intentions, but that's really beside the point.

Kronwall-Stuart is bad. They have more bad nights than good ones, especially Stuart.

Lidstrom-Kronwall and Stuart-Raffi seems more reliable to me.

I still wouldn't call them bad, but I think they'd both play better with a different partner... I think Stuart is more comfortable on his natural left side, which putting him with Raffi would allow... we all know Nick can play either side, so put him on the right side and let Kronners play the left. problem solved.

[gcom007 1,465]

I don't know how Chelios will hold up in the playoffs, but if he can play smart and compensate for any potential liablities he brings consistently, he's the 6th guy you want out there. I think Lebda needs to go. He's just not going to cut it after this year. Not a smart player and way too inconsistent.