gcom007 1,465 Report post Posted July 1, 2009 Leino = Samuelsson Helm > Kopecky And we lose the two guys who we didn't need to win the cup in the first place. I'm excited to see Filppula, Helm, Leino, and Hudler (if we dont trade him) get some real ice time. Not sure Leino's going to be equal to Sammy right away, but in any event, Leino + Sammy sounds better to me. Helm is definitely better than Kopecky, knock on wood. While I very much doubt it, superstition makes me feel like it's going to bite us in the ass just b/c we've railed on him so hard. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snazzy 0 Report post Posted July 1, 2009 Seems a lot of folks here don't "trust" our rookies yet. I think the rookies will excel and Wings don't don't need to go outside org to get big player names when we have such solid depth. I am glad Holland didn't resign Hossa and Koko. I hope Hudler and Sammy walk. I trust Leino and Helm will be HUGE next year and I think Flip will be downright unstoppable. He's due for a breakout and I think the 2nd line ice time is just what the doctor ordered. Wings are in great shape. They just need to fill a couple of small holes and I doubt Holland will do it anytime soon. Plus Holland said he's trading one defenseman. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tux 0 Report post Posted July 1, 2009 In all honesty, I feel better about the upcoming season than I did last year. I was so afraid that re-signing Hossa would push us to the cap and hurt us too much, it's almost like a huge weight has been lifted off our shoulders now that Hossa is gone. That isn't meant as anything personal against Hossa, btw. Kopecky, I couldn't be more glad to get rid of him, I've never liked him as a player much. Samuelsson, kind of a love hate relationship. Every puck he sent wide of the net made me mad and then he'd sometimes come up with a huge goal every now and then. Hudler, I like him and hope he re-signs. (been away for a couple hours so if he has already my bad) but even if we did lose him it isn't the end of the world. Conklin, nice to have as a backup, he was good when Ozzie wasn't but he's just that, a backup only. Let's see what Howard can do now. Helm has been my favorite player for a few years now and with the way he's played these past playoffs I'm really excited about seeing him up full time, same with Ericsson. The other GR guys I'm excited about also. We have a good future ahead of us. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hockey&beer 16 Report post Posted July 1, 2009 Leino is gonan be a 40 goal scorer now? Also, Helm will be nothing more then a 3rd liner in his career. Although one of his weaknesses, Leino skates better than Sammy and has better hands. Not going to say 40 goals but enough and with the ability to elude defenders he will cause others to get open. Helm's role in the playoffs is to run around and bang. But his little display of keep away during the SCF is just a flash of what's to come. He in no way is going to be a Datsyuk or Zetterberg, but with his acceleration and speed he's going to bury more than few with regular minutes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dat's sick 1,002 Report post Posted July 1, 2009 Thank you. We'll still be one of the top contenders in the league next year, and beyond that things look even brighter when we get some cap space cleared. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zion 93 Report post Posted July 1, 2009 It's over, Johnny... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sputman 1,268 Report post Posted July 1, 2009 Fiddler is gone to Yotes good, i got tired of looking at his ugly mug. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wingsownnhl43 14 Report post Posted July 2, 2009 I have noticed a lot of panic from Red Wings fans. If you are one of those people thinking the bottom is falling off, take a step back and look at the grand scheme of things. Everything is fine. Yeah, we lost Hossa. So what? We basically have the same team that won a Stanley Cup two years ago. I honestly think Ville Leino can be just as productive as Samuelsson. Honestly, Ill be glad I dont have to hold my breath when hes on the ice and the puck is in our defensive zone. I'm also happy I wont have to see him turn the puck over ever again. Also, we have a budding stud named Jonathan Ericcson that we didnt have two seasons ago. Even if we lose Jiri Hudler as well and are completely inactive during free agency, I still expect us to be one of five teams that could win it all next season. Moreover, if that worse case scenerio does happen, look on the bright side. We will still be a top 4 seed during the regular season with virtually the same team that has made back to back Stanley Cup finals and about 3 million in cap space to throw around at the trade deadline. A time more appropriate in identifying what we need to put us over the top, rather than overpaying for someone that we may or may not need right now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RedFX 48 Report post Posted July 2, 2009 Okay guys, I think some of this stuff is getting out of hand. It's Day 1 of free agency, and already everyone is a.) wanting to chase Kenny out of town, b.) conceding the Central Division and the Cup, or 3.) wanting to sign anyone and anything that might be able to skate. Let's take a deep breath now, and look at things from a healthier perspective. Yes we lost 3 free agents to division rival; But when we look at it a bit more closely, we lost a guy we knew we were going to lose anyway, a backup goalie, and a guy who has yet to go through an NHL season without suffering a major injury. Yes, we lost Hossa, but last I remember we didn't need Hossa to win a cup. We still have Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Cleary, Franzen, Filpulla, Holmstrom...still arguably the best Top 6 in the NHL. We have always been touted as having one of the deepest talent pools in the NHL. In the past, if one of our guys leaves, there's always someone there to take his place. I don't see why this couldn't happen again. Who knows, maybe Hudler gets his chance and becomes a 30 goals a year guy. It's happened before And as far as this season "not looking too good." Again, it's July 2nd. Free agency has been open one day. The freaking schedule hasn't even been released yet. Like I said, we were prepared to lose Hossa, Conklin is replaceable, and Koppy is Koppy. It's not like the entire core of the team just got up and walked away. Even with Hossa gone, we still have a Championship-winning core. Now I'll admit, I don't mind a rumor or two popping up out there. But really? Some of these names are getting ridiculous. The other day, someone actually mentioned Ed Belfour as a possibility. That's right ED BELFOUR. I'm guessing Mike Richter's cap hit was too high? At this point, people are throwing names out there just in hopes of signing anyone. I'm seeing alot of "hunger for a Cup" statements or "last hurrahs" similar to Dallas Drake. Here's the thing, Dallas Drake didn't win just because he had "hunger." He was a grinding, physical presence who was great on the penalty kill and fit into the system. He was given a role and he fulfilled it. A player like Sundin or Shanahan isn't going to give you that same result. Yes, they'll bring in the veteran leadership, but they have different roles than Drake had. These guys would essentially be 4th line guys who would provide secondary scoring...pretty much older Hudlers. They won't provide the grit and the physical energy Drake gave us. Lastly, as far as free agency has been going so far. Alot of the most attractive names out there are gone. But if Kenny's not interested in them, there's obviously a reason. He hasn't been "executive of the year" and made 18 straight playoff appearances all on luck. He makes sure every move he makes is for the good of the team...both long and short term. He won't bring anyone in unless he's positive he can fit in and make the team better. So all in all, let's just take a deep breath. There's still a long way to go before the season starts, so there's no need to lose our heads now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
xtrememachine1 795 Report post Posted July 2, 2009 We still have Z... that's all that matters. As long as he's playing and he's healthy, the Wings will make noise in the playoffs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lovin Jiri Fischer 147 Report post Posted July 2, 2009 We still have a near-100pt Selke winner and Hart nominee We still have a PPG Selke-calibur Conn-Smythe winner who can single handedly shut down a 5 on 3 and make the NHL's superstars look like children We still have the best defenseman of this generation who is also a Conn Smythe winner and what is it six-time Norris winner? We still have a guy signed at 3.9m that could come close to or even surpass 40 goals who is currently tied with Hank for holding the record of most goals in a post-season WHEN HE MISSED A BUNCH OF GAMES DUE TO INJURY We still have a 1.4m goaltender that plays like a guy paid three times that when it matters. We still have the top coaching staff in the NHL. We have three or four rookies that will finally get regular time after being good enough to crack our playoff roster. We finally get to see if the guy we've been developing for four years can become our next franchise goaltender. Without an INSANE amount of offensive talent, we can try to get back to the 2007/08 grinding defensive style. We have a team infused with old and new talent that will be twice as hungry for the cup next year. 2009/10 is going to be an exciting season. Go Wings! I fixed some of it for you Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
