South Dakota wings fan

I wouldn't have a problem with a Erhoff like contract.  The cap hit was only $4 million, and the player gets paid.  Protects against any roll back of salary in new CBA, and utilizes these loopholes before they are closed up.  10 years may be a bit much, but 6 isn't bad.

Bang, bang play, but I have a hard time beleiving he won't get some suspension.

Z-Dats-Cleary
Mule-Flip-Bert
Homer-Abby-Mursak
Miller-Helm-Eaves
Huds-Emmerton

???

I'm not going to get my underwear in a bundle about the comment.  I heard it live on tv.  My first thought though was Rafalski's contract.  That was market value.  I would say it wasn't the classy thing to do by saying that.  I don't blame him for wanting the most money he could get on his chance for a long-term deal.  He's almost gone to arbitration two years in a row and ended up with one year deals.  In this market, I don't blame him for taking the term, money, and chance at ice time in Columbus.

crymson has shut me down on multiple occasions for suggesting a trade for burns. He claims that Burns will walk the next year when he becomes a UFA and that we shouldn't give up assets for a one year rental. I think he'd resign, but hell, crymson's opinion seems to be the only one that matters.

Nevertheless, I want him more than anything this offseason. really truly a rafalski replacement and potential to help with the transition for life after nic. Imagine having something like this for the next 5 or so years:

Kronwall - Burns
Smith - Wisniewski
Kindl/UFA - Stuart

Thats pretty bullet proof imo without nic (if smith is really the stud we think he is). I think its important to have at least one rookie in the D lineup all the time, as 1) helps with cap, 2) prevents us from getting old and keeps guys that know the system going. The only reason i write "Kindl/UFA" is that i doubt if we traded for Burns that kindl wouldn't be going the other way in a package.

Don't feel bad, Crymson shut me down for suggesting that the Wild were interested in possibly trading Burns this summer.  Then I was also told by someone I didn't understand the business side of the NHL.  I'm not sure where the litmus test is on this site to qualify to post something you read on reputable sources (not Ecklund) without being called stupid for suggesting it.  

I do think Brent Burns would be a good addition to the Red Wings.  It would be nice to think we could package one of our under achieving forwards with smaller cap hits than Burns (Hudler or Filppula) has to replace Rafalski.  This would then allow them the money and roster spot to possibly add a top six forward to the lineup.  To me, the question becomes whether or not you think Burns is better than any option on this year's UFA list (Wiesniewski, Bieksa, Pitkanen) and if it is worth trading now to get him or try to wait a year and hope someone else hasn't locked him up for the future.  I don't know the answer, but it is a fun question to ask.

SJ looks bigger, stronger, and faster to me.

I wish it were true, but I don't see any chance of the NHL gaining market share because of an NFL lockout.  Unless the NFL loses an entire season, which I don't think will happen.  October and November NHL is not interesting enough to attract mainstream attention.  If the NHL playoffs were during the lockout, maybe they get some increase in ratings.  But not for early season games.

If anyone is going to see an increase it is MLB playoffs and College Football.

I know the loss still stings everybody, but try to relax a little bit.  Guess what?  The Wings didn't win the cup and the world is still spinning.  I know, it is hard to believe.  I read that this morning, and you have to look at it in context.  It is written by a fan of your rival and supposed to be funny to others who read and make fans of that team mad all at the same time.  

There is a lot of truth in that eulogy masked in jest.

All year we did think when they got healthy, they would "turn it on."  Ville Leino was a bust.  Homer is old and slow.  Helm does have hands of stone.  Bertuzzi was good for about 2 weeks in December and mostly bad the rest.  I think it stings because a lot of it is closer to the truth than we would like it to be.

Now to the positive.  Howard played a lot better than most of us could have ever predicted.  (I was at the game he started in Minnesota last season.  It was awful)  We have a little flexibility in the cap, depending on how big of a raise the RFA's receive and how much of a pay-cut Nick takes if he returns.  

Let a Hawks fan have his fun for one year.  It doesn't happen very often.  Their team will look a lot different next year due to their mis-management of the salary cap anyway.