WingsownNHL

Ok guys,

You must realize that any city will appear to have a decent fan base when their team is winning.  It is the support the team receives when they are less competitive that is important.

As for expanding the league, not to be mean but that is the worse idea ever presented to fix the NHL.  The league is already VERY diluted.  There are  3 or 4 players on most of the rosters that shouldnt even be in the league, if we expanded that number would rise. Contract AT LEAST 4 teams and the level of play will rise which should make for a more exciting product.  Also, we need to realize the game is what it is.  It will never be as popular as football or baseball.  If this means more teams should be in Canada, so be it.

The only teams that should not be contracted or relocated are as follows.
New Jersey Devils
New York Islanders
New York Rangers
Philadelphia Flyers
Boston Bruins
Buffalo Sabres
Montreal Canadians
Ottawa Senators
Toronto Maple Leafs
Chicago Blackhawks
Detroit Red Wings
St. Louis Blues
Calgary Flames
Colorado Avalanche
Edmonton Oilers
Minnesota Wild
Vancouver Canucks

And no i did not leave anyone off that list.  A case could be made for the 13 other teams in the nhl to be contracted or relocated.

Holmstrom 2.25 - Datsyuk 6.7- Filpulla .71
Grigorenko .85 - Zetterberg 2.65 - Bertuzzi 4
Cleary .662- Draper 2.128 - Franzen .941
Maltby .835- Kopecky .45 - Samuelsson 1.2
Hudler .5


Lidstrom 7.6 - Lilja 1
Kronwall 3 - Chelios .85
Schneider 3 - Lebda .65
Kindl .8

Hasek 1.2
Osgood .75

42.726

You can always trade for a physical defensemen at the deadline.  it would save cap if we waited


Holmstrom 2.25 - Datsyuk 6.7- Filpulla .71
Grigorenko .85 - Zetterberg 2.65 - Bertuzzi 4
Cleary .662- Draper 2.128 - Franzen .941
Maltby .835- Kopecky .45 - Samuelsson 1.2
Hudler .5


Lidstrom 7.6 - Lilja 1
Kronwall 3 - Chelios .85
Schneider 3 - Lebda .65
Kindl .8

Hasek 1.2
Osgood .75

42.726

You can always trade for a physical defensemen at the deadline.  it would save cap if we waited


OR, not likely, but my dream

Holmstrom 2.25 - Datsyuk 6.7- Filpulla .71
Grigorenko .85 - Zetterberg 2.65 - Bertuzzi 4
Cleary .662- Draper 2.128 - Franzen .941
Maltby .835- Kopecky .45 - Samuelsson 1.2
Hudler .5

Lidstrom 7.6 - Lilja 1
Kronwall 3 - Chelios .85
Kindl .8- Lebda .65
Quincey .8

Giguere 5.5
Osgood .75

44.826

OR, not likely, but my dream

Holmstrom 2.25 - Datsyuk 6.7- Filpulla .71
Grigorenko .85 - Zetterberg 2.65 - Bertuzzi 4
Cleary .662- Draper 2.128 - Franzen .941
Maltby .835- Kopecky .45 - Samuelsson 1.2
Hudler .5

Lidstrom 7.6 - Lilja 1
Kronwall 3 - Chelios .85
Kindl .8- Lebda .65
Quincey .8

Giguere 5.5
Osgood .75

44.826

okay redwinguofmfan, i was with ya on lilja being solid minus one mistake until the he was better than lidstrom comment.  This makes me question your hockey knowledge.  

However what people dont understand about Bertuzzi is that this guy was around 60% and he hasnt played in three seasons.  Never in his stay with us was he healthy or did he have his legs under him, and he was still productive.  Give this guy an offseason to get healthy and a training camp to get in shape.  Trust me, all he has to do is get to within a shadow of himself pre/steve moore incident and he will be dominant for us.  He is the perfect nasty/gritty player we have always wanted/needed.  Why give him up?  We need guys like Bertuzzi to create space/protect guys like Zet, Dats, Filp.  Like we saw the past 3 cup runs, you cant win without grit.  This season we had grit and boom, we go to the WCFs.

The consensus on this board is that everyone wants to do away with the shootout.  However everyone on this board is a die hard hockey fan.  Unfortunately there aren't enough of you die hard hockey fans out there or else our hockey games wouldnt be on OLN for crying out loud.

What im trying to say is the average guy(non hockey fan) enjoys shootouts.  I go to college at Western Michigan and barely anyone watches hockey, which is sad because this is supposed to be "hockeytown."  But whenever a shootout comes on everyone seems to get excited and gather around the TV.

So in my opinion shootouts are a necessary evil because it is one of the only things inn hockey average guys(non hockey fans) like about hockey.

I agree with Shanny and Bertuzzi being even thing.  Although I think Zetterberg and Datsyuk may be closer to Feds and Stevie then we think.  I just think Zetterberg, and Datsyuk havent even reached their full potential yet.  These two guys could be top 10 players in this league, if they arent already.

Another point is the 97 team had a pretty damn good 4th offensive option in Slava Kozlov.  This team doesnt have anyone close to him.  Maybe Hudler, Grigorenko, or Filiplulla can step up.