Ritola will be traded or waived

[stevkrause 1,247]

From his body language during his interview tonight between the 2nd and 3rd periods and Babs dodging the question about him specifically, PLUS Babs comments about Miller already having the roster spot... I'm VERY confident the decision has already been made and Ritola's time with the Wings is over... that's just my gut feeling though

[Echolalia 2,961]

I hope not because he has really stood out throughout the preseason.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Would hurt me deeply. Is a very solid all-round hockey player who does everything right. Okay the true offence won't ever be there, but he's highly skilled, is strong on the puck, he hits, he plays hard every shift, someone will be awfully lucky to pick up this guy for nothing.

[stevkrause 1,247]

I hope not because he has really stood out throughout the preseason.

I've thought he's played well too, but my gut just tells me that his time in the Red Wings organization has run out, fair or not... I hope I'm wrong and he clears and gets another year in GR, but my gut tells me he will be in a different sweater by Oct 7th...

Would hurt me deeply. Is a very solid all-round hockey player who does everything right. Okay the true offence won't ever be there, but he's highly skilled, is strong on the puck, he hits, he plays hard every shift, someone will be awfully lucky to pick up this guy for nothing.

I agree... I like his game and had we not signed Modano, he may have been a Wing for a long time, and like I said, I still hope I'm wrong, but my gut tells me that his time has run out here... :/

[Echolalia 2,961]

Frankly I'd rather Miller be pushed through waivers. His skill is peaked and we know what we have with him. While we don't know where Ritola will peak or whether he'll turn out to have more upside than Miller or not, I think its worth the risk in this case. If he's better than Miller, great! We now have another top-9, maybe even top-6 player in our arsenal of young talent. If he's worse than Miller so what? Miller was playing the bottom line anyway and those guys are a dime a dozen in the NHL.

I hope that this whole "Miller has a spot" thing that keeps getting spewed out of Babs and Kenny's mouth is something of inspiration for Ritola. Maybe a way to see him playing at his absolute hardest to see if he has what it takes. Who knows?

[Guest Heaten]

Sounds like Draper won't start the regular season. So this might help the log jam.

Ted Kulfan / The Detroit News

Detroit -- Kris Draper's return to the Red Wings lineup is going to be delayed.

Draper said that an ultrasound last week showed a slight tear in his groin. His ability to start the regular season Oct. 8 is in jeopardy.

"At first you don't think it'll be that much but it wasn't progressing the way I wanted it to, and they found it (a tear)," said Draper, who came off the ice during the first intra-squad scrimmage after two shifts.

"The good thing is after Sunday's pre-season game, we don't play until Friday (Oct. 8, the season opener). But I'm not kidding myself. I have a lot of catching up to do."

http://detnews.com/article/20100928/SPORTS0103/9280412/1361/Kris-Draper-could-miss-start-of-Red-Wings--season#ixzz10qerrFB4

[stevkrause 1,247]

Frankly I'd rather Miller be pushed through waivers. His skill is peaked and we know what we have with him. While we don't know where Ritola will peak or whether he'll turn out to have more upside than Miller or not, I think its worth the risk in this case. If he's better than Miller, great! We now have another top-9, maybe even top-6 player in our arsenal of young talent. If he's worse than Miller so what? Miller was playing the bottom line anyway and those guys are a dime a dozen in the NHL.

I hope that this whole "Miller has a spot" thing that keeps getting spewed out of Babs and Kenny's mouth is something of inspiration for Ritola. Maybe a way to see him playing at his absolute hardest to see if he has what it takes. Who knows?

Or a way to raise Millers trade stock? although I don't think that's the case... also, I don't think Miller has peaked much more than Ritola has at this point... Miller is only 26 still and Ritola is 23... not a huge difference... with that said, I agree with you, I just can see the case from both ends and Miller has been one hell of a team guy and really helped our PK(don't forget he's MI born and bred too)

I just wish we could keep both...

Sounds like Draper won't start the regular season. So this might help the log jam.

Unless they can convince him to go on LTIR (which would take him out for at least 2 more weeks) don't count on that helping though...

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Frankly I'd rather Miller be pushed through waivers. His skill is peaked and we know what we have with him. While we don't know where Ritola will peak or whether he'll turn out to have more upside than Miller or not, I think its worth the risk in this case. If he's better than Miller, great! We now have another top-9, maybe even top-6 player in our arsenal of young talent. If he's worse than Miller so what? Miller was playing the bottom line anyway and those guys are a dime a dozen in the NHL.

I hope that this whole "Miller has a spot" thing that keeps getting spewed out of Babs and Kenny's mouth is something of inspiration for Ritola. Maybe a way to see him playing at his absolute hardest to see if he has what it takes. Who knows?

I agree. Lets face it, next season Mursak will be up with the big club, and at least to start with before he gets a bigger offensive role, he could play that 4th line Miller role admirably. I know it won't happen, but losing Miller wouldn't be a big issue, he's going to play on the 4th line all year and we already have a ton of depth. We know what Miller will produce this season, but chances are he'll be squeezed out next season. So 1 season of Miller or 10 of Ritola? I'm not liking our inability to look at the big picture when it comes to Miller/Ritola.

[esteef 2,679]

They'll get rid of him to make room for an enforcer.

esteef

[robb himself 143]

I would way rather keep Ritola than Miller...Ritola has an up side that Miller will never have and I feel like we would be losing another strong prospect for nothing and would flourish on another team if he left

[titanium2 867]

How exactly has Miller already peaked in terms of his ability to generate offense?

[Guest Crymson]

You're announcing this as if it's news.

[hooon 1,089]

Frankly I'd rather Miller be pushed through waivers. His skill is peaked and we know what we have with him. While we don't know where Ritola will peak or whether he'll turn out to have more upside than Miller or not, I think its worth the risk in this case. If he's better than Miller, great! We now have another top-9, maybe even top-6 player in our arsenal of young talent. If he's worse than Miller so what? Miller was playing the bottom line anyway and those guys are a dime a dozen in the NHL.

I hope that this whole "Miller has a spot" thing that keeps getting spewed out of Babs and Kenny's mouth is something of inspiration for Ritola. Maybe a way to see him playing at his absolute hardest to see if he has what it takes. Who knows?

THANK YOU. Yes. We have so many players already that do exactly what miller does, I really want Ritola to play!

Sucks if they don't give him the full-time chance he deserves.

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

THANK YOU. Yes. We have so many players already that do exactly what miller does, I really want Ritola to play!

Sucks if they don't give him the full-time chance he deserves.

what has he done to DESERVE it?

[F2B&G 15]

I will also scratch my head if we give up Ritola to keep Miller...but, "In Kenny We Trust?" I guess?

[titanium2 867]

In regards to Ritola, Ken and Mick mentioned how Yzerman still knows what Ritola can do as a player. And Pat Verbeek, now a scout for the Lightning, attended the game. If the Wings have to trade him or someone else, hopefully the order of the waiver draft can work in their favor.

[InKennyWeTrust 126]

I will also scratch my head if we give up Ritola to keep Miller...but, "In Kenny We Trust?" I guess?

...yes?

[Wingzman91 134]

I also would like to keep Ritola, but, i'd like to keep Miller too.

Eaves should be dealt.

Where Eaves will fall short of being a Dan Cleary, Miller will become a great Maltby.

Though Eaves may be better on offense than Miller, they both are grinders this year.

Eaves, is prone to injury, he has never played a full season. When we need our grind guys to shine is the playoffs.

Eaves was a zero on the scoreboard in 8 games last year for us, if he wasn't banged up, maybe he would have done better.

Miller, also has more career goals and points than eaves in the postseason, going 1-1-2 in 12 games last year.

Eaves may still have trade value, maybe back to a team like Carolina where he won a cup.

Eaves also makes 100k more than Miller, so we have that much extra to sign a D-man if/when we need one.

The D feels light this year, someone will miss some time. I'd rather get a half season, possibly playoffs of Lilja then Janik/Meech.

As bad as it sounds, IMO, Eaves is this years Leino.

[titanium2 867]

I'd rather Draper be on LTIR for a really long time.

[Guest Heaten]

To be honest this is a good problem to have... Wings are deep as hell this year.

[pockets 9]

no matter who gets dealt/waived this board will implode with people going crazy. If we drop eaves and he plays well people will say we should have dropped miller and vice versa.

[Datsyerberger 279]

I'd prefer to see Ritola stay (especially after what I saw tonight) as I love his all-around game and work ethic, but Miller is a great guy... and as someone pointed out earlier in the thread, this is the sort of problem most teams want to have.

[sputman 1,268]

I'd rather Draper be on LTIR for a really long time.

like through mid-june, i agree.

someone wise once said "the children are our future." i think it was plato.

[HOCKEY MATTERS 167]

no matter who gets dealt/waived this board will implode with people going crazy. If we drop eaves and he plays well people will say we should have dropped miller and vice versa.

You're not kidding!! It's hilarious when folks start banging heads in here......

[55fan 5,133]

As much as I'd like to keep Ritola, maybe we could get some really good picks/prospects for him. More than for Miller.

Just a thought. Finding a silver lining in the cloud and all that.