ReallyHuh

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  1. ReallyHuh

    Grade Holland

    If he wanted to fill the offensive hole left by Rafalski he would have went hard at Ehroff, who would have filled that hole nicely, as well as give us a first pairing defenseman for a while. Heck, Tomas Kaberle would have been a closer fit offensively to Rafalski as well - but that is a whole other debate. I like White, I am not mad we signed him, I am just pointing out that we needed to number one pairing defenseman in order to get better - and we didn't. As for the salary cap, I really don't know where you are getting your information from. The salary cap is tied in to league revenue and while we have no idea what the terms of the CBA will be, it's safe to say with the new TV Deal, it'll probably go up again, just as it has every year since the lockout - or it may remain static. It will not however be lowered, not with revenue's increasing. They may adjust the 5% escalator rule that is undoubtedly a tad bit excessive, or we may see the salary cap floor lowered, but the ceiling will not be lowered, end of story. Emmerton and Mursak will never be top 6 forwards, NEVER. Look no further then their AHL numbers to see this to be the truth, Mursak has never cleared 45 points, and Mursak has never hit 40. Here is one of the lating scouting reports on your budding top 6 guys: Corey Emmerton: Jan Mursak: Mursak will be welcomed, he will be good on the third or fourth line, but his lack of offensive power and ability to play quality defense against the leagues top lines will keep him out of the top 6. I am sure we will see him on the PK though. Emmerton is a different story. I have not seen him projected anywhere close to a top 6 forward since 2006-07. He is what he is, and that is a possible 4th liner who will not be around in 2 years. Personally, I would rather waive Emmerton and bring Conner up to play with Mursak, and Helm. Can you imagine the flat out speed of that 4th line. It would throw an insane curveball at opposing coaches trying to match up lines.
  2. ReallyHuh

    Grade Holland

    Fair enough. You actually make pretty strong points that have me less peeved over the signing.
  3. ReallyHuh

    Grade Holland

    White for Rafalski, win? I know you are trying to make a point, and bend a lot of things in doing so, but I am going to have to whole heartedly disagree with you on this one. There is no way White will replicate Rafalski's 48 point, +11 season (and that was last year, by far his worst year) I am curious what your source is in citing that "the cap will probably be lowered" next year? Everything I have read leads to the exact opposite of your statement. You see the cap is directly reliant on league revenues, since the league has been increasing their profits, the cap has continued to rise. Projections are holding historically steady in a continue rise in revenue next year, hence another cap bump - just as there has been every year since the lockout. The ONLY way the cap will be lowered is if the league revenues flat line or dip -- which, with the past 7 years as an indicator, ain't going to happen. And lastly, there is quite literally ZERO change that either Emmerton or Mursak ever see the top 6. Nada, zip, zero, zilch chance. Both will be career 4th liners, and in my opinion, neither will make the team better. Not saying Draper or Modano were better, just pointing out that the inclusion of Mursak and Emmerton into the lineup will not make the team "better". I do agree that Commadore is an upgrade over Salei, however think the Ericsson signing was an absolute joke. How can people applaud Holland for "not overpaying" with a straight face and give him a good grade with this decision?
  4. ReallyHuh

    Your Favorite Red Wing Player

    1) Who is your favorite Detroit Red Wing player overall to wear the Red Wings Logo? Steve Yzerman of course, but that is more or less a default answer for nearly all Wings fans. So my other would have to be Lidstrom or Hank. 2) Who was your favorite Detroit Red Wing player that joined the red wings? (Non drafted by Wings, could be threw Trade / FA / Waiver etc...) Bertuzzi and Hossa are up there but my favorite had to be Aaron Downey - I liked him a lot and new he was a great team guy. Gave us something we needed, and was a big part throughout the regular season in keeping an eye out for his teammates as well as punishing those who stepped over the line: 3) Which current player would you dream of them joining the Wings? Ryan Suter 4) Which are the players that really "hurt / bugged" you when they left the Red Wings to join another team? Hossa for sure. I wanted to keep him badly, even if it cost us Franzen. 5) Is there a player that you never wanted him on the team ... but eventually joined the team? Jason Williams, the second time… WOOF!
  5. ReallyHuh

    Grade Holland

    I understand that and wasn't saying he should have made a trade persay, rather illustrating that there were other routes a GM could take to bring a guy in opposed to free agency. I also agree with you about our traceable assets, or the lack thereof. All that said, I gave him a C because we didn't get Amy better as a team -- which in my opinion would warrant an A or B. On the flipside, I don't think we got worse as a team or let anyone "get away" -- if that was the case I would have given him a D or an F. He did an average job, which is a C. Nothing horrible, nothing great, but average.
  6. ReallyHuh

    Grade Holland

    There were trades available for Philly, Columbus, San Jose, Minnesota, Panthers, Kings, etc. They may not be trades you would have wanted, but they do illustrate that there are trades available. You have to give to get, and getting better then you give is one thing that warrants an A rating for a teams general manager.
  7. ReallyHuh

    Grade Holland

    While the free agency pool was not nearly as deep this year as it has been in years past, people need to remember that GM's can also make player trades. It's not as if the free agent market is the only way of obtaining new blood. This again is why I am giving Holland a solid C. He did nothing to make the team better. Lidstrom, Eaves, and Miller all wanted to come back (Lidstrom's decision was his own, not Hollands), and their signings in no way were "hard work" for Holland. Commie, White and Conner were decent signings (the best in terms of likely output being White), but other then that he really didn't do much at all. He definitely didn't do a bad job, but I do not see how he could be given an A for what he did. An A would mean he excelled this offseason, which really insn't the case. He kept the ship together and added a couple cogs to our back end - again, not a bad job, but far from "excellent". I have a weird feeling though there is still a trade coming - one to bring in another top 6 forward. I could and probably am living in the smoke of a pipe dream, I just have a feeling Holland is not done. And if that is the case, I will of course have to re grade.
  8. ReallyHuh

    Grade Holland

    I'll give him a solid C. He didn't do a bad job whatsoever - that said, he didn't make the team any better. And the only way I could justify giving anything higher then a C would have been if we were icing a better team this year. - Big E deal wasn't great, but definitely not the end of the world. - We didn't come close to replacing Rafalski. - I would of liked to added some size to one of the bottom 6, which we didn't. - Conklin was a good signing - I was sad to see him go in the first place. - Ian White is OK - for the money we signed him for he is great, but will not come close to replacing Rafalski. - Commodore was a good signing for the money - adds some grit, and has been around for a while in the league. So yeah, I wouldn't say Holland did a bad job, I just don't think we are better. Just a year older.
  9. ReallyHuh

    Wings re-sign Ericsson to 3-year, $9.75m contract

    I am beyond dismayed with this signing. I am not going to throw out insults towards Kenny Holland, other to say that what he did here is beyond awful. I know and love what Kenny has done for this team in the past, but I cannot help think that some of his shine is gone. Now I want to be clear that I am not taking away any of the amazing things he has done in the past, he helped shaped championship teams, and I will forever as a fan be thankful for that. That said, he has not done much recently, not much at all. How many times did we hear "Player X was out deadline deal", or signing "Player Y" was out free agency move. And ya know what, I was fine with it. But then the time comes where he has a boatload of money, clear necessities, and what does he do? Pay a 27 year old, third pairing defensemen for close to 10 million dollars over three years. I am not so sure how the team will be next year. I know some folks refuse to believe Holland can do wrong, however I am not one of them. We have not improved a lick, in fact, as of right now we have regressed in overall, top to bottom skill. Now unless Kenny pulls an absolute blockbuster tomorrow, and we are talking something huge, then it will be impossible to make a valid argument that he did anything other then sit on the sidelines during the first free agency the Wings had ample amounts of money to play around with. One other thing -- I am so sick and tired of hearing "we are not overpaying" from the Wings brass. As a general rule, yes, it is good to not overpay, but with the cap increase and the pieces needed, a GM should pay what he has to (within reason) to get the best talent into the organization, not waste it on a turnover machine, who is 27, and average at best. Below is my wish list - it is my little hope of turning an absolute calamity (the past couple of weeks, players we wanted signing elsewhere, sitting on the sidelines, etc.) into something that can make us better: Zenon Konopka James Wisniewski Sean Bergenheim Andy Greene Patrick Eaves Trade Hudler for best draft picks we can get I know all of these won't happen (even though I believe Eaves has resigned - not sure though), but I think these are guys we should and I am sure are targeting. I just really, really, hope we sign Wiz.