d-city

Q: I realize Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg were dominant on the same line last season, but wouldn't it be better if they were used on different lines? That way the offense would be spread out and the second line stronger. -- Jack The plan is for Datsyuk and Zetterberg to start the season on separate lines, both playing center. Ideally, this would give the Wings two strong lines and make it more difficult for opponents to match their top checking line against both players. But, it's hard to ignore how well they played together, along with Tomas Holmstrom, from December to late February, when Zetterberg hurt his back. If one or both get off to a slow start, like last year, then expect them to be reunited again. Q: Any new rumors about the Wings going after anybody else? What's the status on Markov or Yashin? -- Chris They weren't interested in Alexei Yashin, who signed with a Russian team. Danny Markov remains unsigned, but he's not likely to be back because he wants more money and a longer term than the Wings offered (one or two years at around the same $2.5 million salary he earned last season). The Wings need a second-line forward but don't like any of the players immediately available (Mike Peca, Eric Lindros, Anson Carter, Martin Gelinas). Peter Forsberg, who'll probably return after the start of the season, is a possibility. Teemu Selanne is still out there but hasn't decided if he'll retire. Andy Sutton, Janne Niinimaa and Brent Sopel are among the defenseman still available, but getting a scoring winger should be a priority. Q: What is the drawback of making Anson Carter a Red Wing? -- Cam What's the benefit? Sure, he'd provide some offense, but he's a soft player and a defensive liability who can't stay in one place for long. There seem to be a lot of people panicking about the Wings' lack of movement this summer. But, really, what's the rush? Why waste valuable cap space (they have between $4-$6 million) on somebody you don't like? The trading deadline is seven months away and it's not like this team is in danger of missing the playoffs. Have you checked out the Central Division lately? I think the Wings have already clinched it. Q: Why did the Wings sign Dallas Drake? He's old and washed up. I don't understand why they keep recycling their former players. -- Dan He was cheap ($550,000) and can provide a physical element they lack. They're always looking to be a harder team to play against. Drake can be the kind of agitating presence they've lacked, sort of like what Kirk Maltby was before the lockout. Maybe he won't pan out, but for half a million he's worth a shot. It's not like he's preventing them from signing someone else or taking somebody's spot. As far as their tendency to bring back ex-Wings (Dominik Hasek, Chris Osgood, Greg Johnson, Drake -- whoever else), I think they just feel comfortable with players they know. And, incidentally, Sergei Fedorov and Martin Lapointe will probably be available by the trade deadline. Q. Shouldn't the Wings sign Dustin Penner to an offer sheet? Maybe the Ducks, who are against the cap, won't be able to match it. -- Steve It would probably be a waste of time. The most the Wings could offer is around $4-$5 million a season and the Ducks are sure to match any offer this talented, young power forward gets. Anaheim will have to dump some salary in the unlikely event that Scott Niedermayer decides to come back, but whatever GM Brian Burke has to do to keep Penner, you can bet he'll do it. Q. When are the Wings planning to lock up Henrik Zetterberg to a long-term contract? -- S.J. He has two more years left on his current deal, so he can't sign an extension until July 1, 2008. That would be a good day to get a deal done, like San Jose did with Joe Thornton earlier this month. I'd anticipate they'd want Zetterberg signed to a really long term, maybe seven years, like Datsyuk. And probably for slightly more than Datsyuk, perhaps $7-to-$7.5 million a season. It shouldn't be a problem, considering the cap has already ballooned from $39 million to $50.3 million in just two years thanks mainly to a strong Canadian dollar. Q. Any chance the Wings will host an outdoor game this season or in the future? -- Pat Definitely not this season, and probably not anytime soon, if ever. It's something they've explored in the past, but they feel it's too cost-prohibitive, and Comerica Park's seating configuration wouldn't make it ideal for fans. Plus, the luster of such an event, at least for them, has worn off after Edmonton hosted an outdoor game a few years ago. The Sabres and Penguins will reportedly play an outdoor game in Buffalo this season, something that'll probably be announced soon. http://blog.mlive.com/redwingsinsider/ --------------------- THE LINK

since we got Dallas Drake does that me we are going to sign Danny markov????

YESSSSSS Brian Rafalski agrees to a five year, $30 million contract with the Detroit Red Wings

Line1: Zetterberg 2.65mill -Datsyuk 6.7mill -Holmstrom 2.25mill ----(11.6m) Line2: Kozlov 3.5mill -Smyth 5.5mill- Grigorenkor 858.8K ------ (9.8588mill) Checking line3: Maltby 883K -Draper 2.128mill -Cleary 663K ------- (3.674mill) Line4: Kopecky 500K -Filppula 733K -Franzen 942K -------- (2.175mill) EXTRA: Hudler(577 K) & Samuelsson (1.2mill) Pairing1: Lidstrom (7.6mill) - Tanabe (1.5mill) ------ (9.1mill) Pairing 2:Kronwall (3.0mill) - Preissing (1.5mill) ------ (4.5mil) Paring 3:Chelios (1.15mill) -Lebda (650K) (1.80mill) EXTRA: Lilja 1.0mill , Quincey & Meech(500k) 46.677Million all together without goalies Hasek (2.5mill) Osgood (850 K) 3.35mill All together could equal & Wings carry $1.2 MM from bonuses 50.027+1.2 = 51.227----TOTAL AND WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?????

I thinks: Holland should trade for these guys: Ilja Bryzgalov $1,000,000.0 & Joni Pitkanen $2,000,000.00 Get a cheap dman that can play with Nicky or on the Powerplay-- (Brad Stuart, Andy Sutton, Teppo Numminen, David Tanabe, Duvie Westcott,Tom Preissing, Chris Phillips, Scott Hannan, Eric Brewer, Cory Sarich) Sign 1 0r 2 of these player (Ryan Smyth, Vyacheslav Kozlov, Jason Blake, Ladislav Nagy, Bill Guerin, Todd Bertuzzi, Marco Sturm, Jozef Stumpel, Martin Gelinas, Yanic Perreault, Dainius Zubrus) WHAT DO U THINK THEY SHOULD DO?

Holland should trade for these guys:Ilja Bryzgalov $1,000,000.0 &Joni Pitkanen $2,000,000.00 Get a cheap dman that can play with Nicky or on the Powerplay-- (Brad Stuart, Andy Sutton, Teppo Numminen, David Tanabe, Duvie Westcott,Tom Preissing, Chris Phillips, Scott Hannan, Eric Brewer, Cory Sarich) Sign 1 0r 2 of these player (Ryan Smyth, Vyacheslav Kozlov, Jason Blake, Ladislav Nagy, Bill Guerin, Todd Bertuzzi, Marco Sturm, Jozef Stumpel, Martin Gelinas, Yanic Perreault, Dainius Zubrus)

Holland should trade for these guys: Ilja Bryzgalov $1,000,000.0 &Joni Pitkanen $2,000,000.00 Get a cheap dman that can play with Nicky or on the Powerplay-- (Brad Stuart, Andy Sutton, Teppo Numminen, David Tanabe, Duvie Westcott,Tom Preissing, Chris Phillips, Scott Hannan, Eric Brewer, Cory Sarich) Sign 1 0r 2 of these player (Ryan Smyth, Vyacheslav Kozlov, Jason Blake, Ladislav Nagy, Bill Guerin, Todd Bertuzzi, Marco Sturm, Jozef Stumpel, Martin Gelinas, Yanic Perreault, Dainius Zubrus)

This is what eklund thinks the prices of some free agents are!!!! http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=7985

Here is a look at the NHL's top 30 free agent and what teams are interested in them. http://www.thefourthperiod.com/topfas.html

Wings display promise Ted Kulfan / The Detroit News Sure, the Red Wings' season is over -- a 4-3 defeat at the hands of the Ducks in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals Tuesday sealed it. But there's always a but. The Red Wings really did have a fine season. And their future? Well, unlike the recent past, it holds a lot more promise and potential. "We have a lot of guys who came a long way this year, to say the least," said coach Mike Babcock, who sculpted an elite team despite key injuries. "Everyone talks about how old we are, yet we've added a lot of young people that have done a real good job for us. "We think we're a team that's rebuilding and still trying to stay on top." Still, there are looming questions, the biggest being the status of the unrestricted free agents -- goaltender Dominik Hasek; defensemen Mathieu Schneider, Danny Markov and Chris Chelios; and forwards Todd Bertuzzi, Robert Lang and Kyle Calder. With the Wings already committed to 15 players at $31.6 million -- approximately $12 million under the cap, which likely will rise between $3 million and $5 million -- every free agent cannot be re-signed. Here's a look at each player's status and potential for 2008: Goaltenders Dominik Hasek Age: 42 Status: Unrestricted free agent Outlook: Expecting another injury-free, incredibly smooth season at his age might be asking a lot. But how do you not bring him back? Hasek showed in the playoffs he's still among the elite NHL goaltenders. The sense is he's returning for one more season. Chris Osgood Age: 34 Status: Signed for $850,000 Outlook: Had a steady, productive season and showed he could handle the No. 1 job if need be. The Wings would not be troubled with Osgood in net next season. Defensemen Nicklas Lidstrom Age: 37 Status: Signed for $7.6 million Outlook: Should win another Norris Trophy in a few weeks. He's showing signs of slippage, but he's still a future Hall of Famer. Mathieu Schneider Age: 37 Status: Unrestricted free agent Outlook: The Wings survived without Schneider against the Sharks (broken left wrist) but missed him against the Ducks. He's still an elite defenseman. The Wings would love him back but can't afford his salary ($3.3 million). Would he come back for less? Danny Markov Age: 30 Status: Unrestricted free agent Outlook: Markov gave the Wings grit and physical play. He earned $2.5 million this season, and the Wings would like him back. But can they fit him in under the cap? Chris Chelios Age: 45 Status: Unrestricted free agent Outlook: When injuries on defense piled up, Chelios played more minutes -- and better. He'll continue to play until the Red Wings say he can't. And that won't be soon. Niklas Kronwall Age: 26 Status: Signed for $3 million (2012-13) Outlook: Kronwall couldn't remain healthy. When he was, he showed glimpses of potential. Brett Lebda Age: 25 Status: Signed for $650,000 (2010-11) Outlook: Further showed everyone he's a solid defenseman in the present-day NHL with its emphasis on skating and moving the puck. He's a bargain heading into the future. Andreas Lilja Age: 31 Status: Signed for $1 million Outlook: Lilja's turnover in Game 5, leading to Teemu Selanne's winning goal, will be long remembered as the turning point of the series. Overlook that, and he actually had a fine playoffs. Kyle Quincey Age: 21 Status: Signed for $510,000 Outlook: The former prospect arrived for Game 6 against Calgary to replace Lebda (injuries). What a revelation. A defensive defenseman who showed he's an NHL player. Forwards Pavel Datsyuk Age: 28 Status: Signed for $6.7 (2013-14) Outlook: The Wings showed a commitment when they signed him before the postseason. Datsyuk didn't disappoint with a team-leading eight goals. This should be a long, successful marriage. Henrik Zetterberg Age: 26 Status: Signed for $2.65 million (2008-09) Outlook: Zetterberg was playing like an MVP candidate before he was hurt Feb. 26. He's the future captain when Lidstrom retires. Robert Lang Age: 36 Status: Unrestricted free agent Outlook: The Wings expected more than the 19 goals and 33 assists for $3.8 million. Lang had two goals and six assists in 18 playoff games. He never seemed to mesh in Babcock's system and likely won't be back. Tomas Holmstrom Age: 34 Status: Signed for $2.25 million (2009-10) Outlook: With his performance, Holmstrom was a dark-horse contender for playoff MVP. Because of his unique skills in front of the net, Holmstrom is one of the best weapons in the league. Todd Bertuzzi Age: 32 Status: Unrestricted free agent Outlook: Bertuzzi is a puzzle. The Wings won't bring him back for anything close to the $5.2 million he earned this season. They probably wouldn't sign him long-term, either. Dan Cleary Age: 28 Status: Signed for $662,500 Outlook: The NHL doesn't have such an award, but Cleary easily would be the comeback player of the year. He was arguably the most consistent forward in the playoffs. Kris Draper Age: 35 Status: Signed for $2.1 million Outlook: With 14 goals and steady defense, Draper enjoyed a typically fine regular season. He had highs and lows during the playoffs, but he's definitely part of the veteran base the Wings are built upon. Kirk Maltby Age: 34 Status: Signed for $888,333 (2010-11) Outlook: He'll likely finish his career in Detroit. In the post-lockout NHL, Maltby hasn't been the same player, but he's a reliable, able veteran. Kyle Calder Age: 28 Status: Unrestricted free agent Outlook: He got off to a good start after being acquired at the trade deadline but tailed off in the playoffs. He earned $2.9 million this season, and the Wings wouldn't bring him back at anything close to that. In fact, they likely won't bring him back at all. Mikael Samuelsson Age: 30 Status: Signed for $1.2 million (2008-09) Outlook: Samuelsson had an injury-riddled season (14 goals, 53 games) and an average playoffs (three goals, 11 points, 18 games). Johan Franzen Age: 27 Status: Signed for $941,666 (2008-09) Outlook: Showed steady progress, and the Wings believe there's still a lot of upside. Valtteri Filppula Age: 23 Status: Signed for $710,000 Outlook: Every time the Wings gave Filppula more responsibility, he thrived. He will be a steady, productive two-way player for years. Tomas Kopecky Age: 25 Status: Signed for $450,000 (2008-09) Outlook: Before suffering a broken clavicle, Kopecky showed grit and desire. He's a solid prospect. Jiri Hudler Age: 23 Status: Restricted free agent Outlook: In limited time, he scored 15 goals. It'll be interesting to see what he's capable of in a larger role. Coaches Mike Babcock, Paul MacLean, Todd McLellan Status: Signed through 2007-08 Outlook: The questions and doubts heading into the season and playoffs were answered. The staff made the team tougher to play against and have made this a younger, deeper team on the fly. (Salary figures are per season)

Good news for the Wings. Its now a different series

I am from british columbia, Canada and i love STEVIE Y

what do you people say if wing signed bert and then traded for naslund?