GoWings1905

I feel sick to my stomach.

I had a feeling Nick was done, but you never wanted to see the day actually arrive.

Unfortunately I couldn't see it tonight, but what else is there to say about Justin Verlander? He could easily have five no-hitters or so by now. I remember a couple games last season where he got extremely close against the Indians and Angels. Those are just off the top of my head too, so I'm sure there's more where he has gone deep and just barely missed it.

Once in a lifetime talent. He's such a treat to watch.

I would LOVE Clowe. That'd be one of the best reasonable trades Holland could make, imo.

Agreed. Clowe would be a fantastic addition for the Red Wings. Obviously Parise should be the main target, but imagine what injecting both Parise and Clowe would do for the top-six. No more having Datsyuk lug around Franzen and Bertuzzi.

Clowe's combination of size, skill and energy is something the Red Wings are desperately lacking. We know Babcock loves having a big body on each line and sadly he hasn't had much to work with in that regard. Bertuzzi is big, but shouldn't be playing in the top-six. Franzen plays like he's Hudler's size and Hudler at least tries but is too small especially for playoff hockey. That's half of the top-six right there and we wonder why Pavel, Z and Filppula look like they have to create everything on their own most games.

Having Clowe around to open up some ice for the skill players would be a huge benefit. Plus, he isn't scared to go into the tough areas of the ice to compete. The Red Wings need more of that in large doses.

I would take Clowe in a heartbeat. I will live with some penalty minutes when you consider all of the other positive attributes he brings to a team. Besides, Bertuzzi is extremely undisciplined. That's a silly argument for not wanting Clowe around.

I feel like changing my vote to ZERO...re-sign Holmstrom? Offer a contract to another small Euro player? I sometimes think Holland doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground...

I honestly don't see the connection there. Bringing Holmstrom back isn't going to prevent the Red Wings from pursuing Parise. Granted, I prefer Holmstrom retire too, but his contact will be minimal if he does return.

Franzen-Datsyuk-Nyquist
Filppula-Zetterberg-Hudler
Cleary-Helm-Bertuzzi
Eaves-Abdelkader-Miller
Mursak, Holmstrom

Lidstrom-White
Kronwall-Quincey
Ericsson-Smith
Kindl

Howard-MacDonald

So LGW, how will this team do next season?

Same as the one that got eliminated in the first round.

Holland can't just come out and say he's pursuing Parise right now. He's under contract with another team still.

I went 40% which I think is fairly high confidence for a free agent that will attract major attention. If Parise gets to July 1st, my hunch is the Red Wings are the favorite to land him. I have nothing to base that on but speculation and maybe a whole hell of a lot of hope.

I think Minnesota will be the other destination most in play here. I know the Red Wings philosophy is generally not to get into bidding wars, but Parise is the type of player you throw out the standard and go all out to sign.

If we had a similar confidence poll for Suter, I would go much lower. For some reason, it just seems like Parise is the perfect fit for Detroit. I get the feeling he's the top target this summer for Holland and maybe that leftover cap space was saved up just for this.

Ours was better

That might have been the best pregame event the Red Wings have put together for the playoffs. It's a shame we only got to witness it twice.

So all the talk about how this was Nashville's year based on getting Radalov and Kostitsyn was just bs. After watching them beat our Wings, I felt like Nashville wasn't all that great.  They beat us because of great goaltending and poor play by the Wings.  Now it has caught up to them.  I love it.  

The same is happening to St. Louis.  They were playing over their heads and now it has all come crashing down.

Balance has been restored to the force.

Does it change anything really? The Red Wings are still at home. Nashville may have been overhyped some, but what does it say then that the Red Wings won one lousy playoff game against them?

Can't wait to have Eaves back next season. Second best penalty killer on the team and hands-down the best forward at blocking shots. Definitely need his energy and hard work to boost the bottom six alongside Helm.

I'd love to see a line of Miller-Helm-Eaves consistently.

What Phoenix is doeing to the Preds doesn't change anything to what the wings have to do this summer, maybe Rinne was hotter against the Wings, maybe the Coyotes play a different kind of hockey, it doesn't change the fact that the Wings need help.

It doesn't, but it also further illustrates how badly the Red Wings do have needs. If Nashville/Rinne came out and shut down the Coyotes too then maybe it perpetuates the hot goalie excuse. I want Phoenix to continue to humiliate the Predators -- anything to keep pressing away from the "we like our team" mantra this summer.

Phoenix's best goal-scorer is Radim Vrbata, top point-producer is Ray Whitney at age 63. Yet, they have done the right things to take command of the series with far less talent offensively than the Red Wings threw on the ice.

It doesn't change what the Red Wings need to accomplish, but I do think it really emphasizes how important it is to get serious help at forward.

I hope his wife is making him change all the poopie diapers.  It seems fitting, somehow.  

Doubtful. Franzen never goes into the tough areas.

C - Zetterberg

A - Datsyuk/Kronwall/Parise rotation  

This is purely for when Nick retires in 2042.

I'm not watching this.

Signed, The World

Babcock has known this team is flawed for years. You can hear him hint at it and show some frustration by the lack of action from management.

I don't agree with anyone that says Babcock needs to go. He has some flaws for sure, but he's a hell of a coach and could do damage with a team better constructed.

Holland is entering a make or break summer. "We like our team" after three early exits will not be acceptable to anyone. It shouldn't have been two straight years, but he has to come out aggressive for once. He already wasted the end of Nick's career and Pavel and Z are not exactly young either.