jroc86

Bert. Being a BC guy when I was a kid he was like a superhero for a few yrs when I was in highschool ... fact that he got traded to my favorite team just made it that much cooler. Bert looks like one of the quiet insightful guys who's probably down to earth and cool as hell - plus I throw down the beers like nobodys business and Bert can probably handle his pops pretty effectively as well.

Ha!  Good one.  But Emmerton is going to surprise.

Yeah - hell have a great season in europe after he gets waived and nobody claims him. Hardworking little player and a good guy ... unfortunatley he has bottom 6 skill and is small, light, doesnt have Helm/Draper speed, and isnt abraisive. His only purpose on this team might be as the 14th forward to step in when a center goes down with an injury. Guys a slower and less talented Jeff Tambellini.

Our depth and skill up front is being HEAVILY under-rated by so many people on this board (and elsewhere). If a young gun (or two) has a solid rookie campaign (Nyquist, Brunner, or maybe Tatar I could see contributing) we or more will probably once again be among the leagues top producing teams. Even with a few injuries we have allot more attractive options to fill in as top-6 stopgaps.

Beyond Hank and Pav we have Cleary, Sammy, Bert, Filp, Zetterberg, Franzen are all guys that should put up 20 goals and if healthy are serviceable top 6 players anywhere in the league. If Brunner and Nyquist adapt to the league quickly then we should be able to roll out 3 offensively threatening lines on a nightly basis.

Defence is another story - but the longer we go without making a big move the more comfortable I am becoming with just signing a solid veteran dman as "Kindl insurance" ...

Cant wait for this season to start just to end these endless downfall speculation threads.

Boumeester is allot better defensively than Quincey and takes about half the penalties. I would also be willing to bet that JBo outperforms Suter offensivley next season if he indeed becomes a Red Wing. If the Cap ceiling doesnt drop too much Id do this for sure ... if its gets cut 5 or 10million then his contract is a bit worrisome. Hes no Nick - but who is? Hes expensive, doesnt have playoff experience, and plays soft. Despite those drawbacks I think his upside (age, size, speed, versatility, skill + offensive upside, and laid back demenaor) all would make him a good fit on the ice and in the dressing room.

Maybe in January 2013 Lidstrom may decide to come back for 3 or 4 months.   I am just thinking that a Shane Doan signing may be a regrettable 3 year signing..... and Wings sign him just because he is the next best available option.   I think the Wings can deal with just one "transition" year versus forcing a two or three year transition by virtue of a second rate signing.

How many vets have retired or stepped away just to get a few months into hockey season and realize theres a huge void in their life that they dont know how to fill. So many ... though i'd never count on it, and I think even if he had an inkling he wouldn't give in for the sake of his legacy - but Lidstrom comeback rumors surfacing in December wouldnt blow my mind. It still irks me that the real reason that hes done is a errant shot that fractured his ankle against Colorado. Up until that game we were leading the league, Lidstrom was on pace for another 45+ point season, an boom - him, Dats, Howie, Bert, Helm, Franzen all get hurt and we s*** the bed for the last 20 games with a skeleton crew and didnt get the groove back for playoffs. The team was far from perfect but when running on all cylinders was much better than a 5 games first round exit would indicate. Lidstroms last game at JLA the Wings were boo'd out of the Joe and I remember thinking - "f*** me, this CANT be his last game on home ice" (assuming that theyd lose game 5 in Nashville. Pretty sad and anitclimatic ending so such a great career to be honest.

Crosby vs Weber 6 times a year ... I could get used to that I guess.

f*** me. Well, lets hope he goes to Philly and Nashvilles 4 first rounders bust hard. I dont blame Holland for anything up to this point - but man, this crushes the pipedream.

I think that Russians appear lazy for a few reasons. Firstly, they grow up playing a different brand of hockey - pure a simple. More emphasis is placed on creativity and offence and less is placed on structure and defensive play.  In regards to Russian sniper type players (ie, Kovalchuk, Ovie, Bure, Semin, etc) their speed is what separates them and gives them scoring chances. Those quick 5-7 second bursts to beat a checker and get a breakaway and get the goal are predominatly supplied by the creatine phsophate system within our muscles - and lactate system also plays a role. If your humming around all shift at 85% pursuing the puck and sticking with your check odds are youll be less likely to with footraces towards the mid/end of your shift. But if you come out and float/wait high in the zone and then bury the pedal you going to be faster and provide yourself more time and space when you do in fact get the puck. You might get more goals and points over a season playing like this - but odds are more will end up in your net and youll leave teammates out to dry allot. Note: Ovies lack of production playing more defensivley minded. This is why many around the league beleive that if Datsyuk didnt play so disciplined he could score 100points a year. how many times do we see Pavel back-check, battle in the corner, break the puck out and finally get an odd man break but be skating 60% speed because hes already been going for 40 seconds? It happens allot - but I have no problem with it because hes so good on the defensive side of the puck.

I think our defense very well "could" be much better off than were all giving them credit for right now.

Kronwall is our guy - and he would be a top pairing guy on any other team in the league right now aside from Chicago.

White - hes serviceable, competes hard, and is a better player than he gets credit with. Hes good - not great, hence why hes always the peice going to other way in trades to sweeten a deal.

Ericsson - despite the constant flaming he gets on here has come along way. Defensivley hes vastly under-rated and uses that big body pretty effectively while remaining more mobile than most his size. His penchant for turnovers on the first breakout pass have also gone way down. Its time for him to earn his contract and I think with a bigger role he will.

Smith - well, Schultz is being heralded as the next Paul Coffey already. Jake Gardiner as a rookie threw up 30 points for the leafs and is the biggest untouchable on their team now ... meanwhile Smitty is tougher, more physical, and put home more points at Wisconsin than either of them ever did. Hes a huge piece and very well could be looked upon as our 2nd dman by christmas.

Quincey- offensive upside is there, if healthy a 30-40 pts campaign is probably were hell land which is pretty good for a 4/5 dman in the NHL. If he makes simple plays on the breakout and improves his coverage he could be a pleasant suprise. (I dont like his face or his style period. I hope he canchange that).

Kindl- weve all heard by now, he had more apples than Lids at even strength last year. Well, I stilldont see a guy who is tough, mobile, smart, or physically strong enough to be a full-time NHL player. Id much rather him be our number 7 and only play when someone is hurt or needs a rest.

Our defence is mid pack - but not awful. If we can swing a deal for a Boumeester or Yandle that would be huge - but Im not totally counting on it.

Until the new cap-hit is established I dont think Kenny is going to make a trade (espeiclaly for JBo) because he knows whos probably going to be getting a visit next July 1st. If we get Weber next summer - we will all be thanking god for our unasnwered prayers over the last few months. 11 Months ago the big guy said he wanted to come here and from a few conversations I've had with people around him it seems his agent is steering him this way as well. Not going to drop sources or anything - and if we have an awful year combined with last years poor end things might totally change in his mind if they havent already. But know this - were on his radar, and if this team can tread water and at least make the playoffs again we have a really good shot at getting Weber next summer.

Lets give it a rest with the Holland bashing ... he went all in on Parise and Suter. Parise got 3 more points than Filp last year and and now a cap hit of 7.5 mill for the rest of his career. And Ryan Suter despite being a very good player is a somewhat unproven commodity without the leagues biggest/best dman beside him.

Trades dont happen overnight. Theres a plan in place and this "rebuild on the fly" might not come full circle until next off season. Do you think other GMs really want to help out the NHL Gold-standard Red Wings that much to keep our winning tradition alive? Hell no.

After this weekend Doan will have been given insight to the Yotes future - if he hits the market they are moving. And the Wings have expressed interest - and yes, Doans agent did contact Holland. It theres a guy I wouldnt be averse to overpaying 500k to a mill per year for its Doan because this motherf*cker competes every shift like its his last. His presence would be great in our room and if we inked him for 3 years I'd put an A on him (Z captain, Kronner, Dats, Doan assistants).

This team goes from a fairly ho-hum group to a sure fire contender this year of we can sign Doan and Semin. Id like to sign a Kubina or Rosival to shore up or top 6 asap because Kindl IMO is never going to be better than a 7th dman. He is a weak skater and doesnt have to skill/brains/toughness to make up for it.

ps. IF the Yotes are headed to Quebec - or folding, Yandle becomes easier to acquire by us. With us handing them their asses in 2 of their last 3 playoffs I think management would feel heat from their 14 person fanbase if they gave up their star dman for less than an unreal package.

same guy who also said on July 3rd that Suter had agreed to be a Wing.

This guy called the Roy/Ott trade, Prust to Habs, and and Carle to Tampa 2 days before it happened. Theres a few others - this goof at least has a few sources that have tipped him off on legit information.

Hindsights a beautiful thing ...

Great day so far.
-Inked a potential masked assasin in Brunner for peanuts
- the monster has a ton of untapped potential and with Bedard and our Swedish room, and limited playing time I think hell do great
-Sammy takes alllot of flack around here ... hes still got game. He had a terrible start last year because he had a severe adductor tear repaired. Big body, decent wheels, heavy shot ... yeah hes streaky, but what euro isnt?
-Tootoo - bargain of the day IMO. Imagine him and Adbelkader smashing dmen on the forecheck? Oh, and no more tootoo whistles in Nashville - thank f***!

If there was any question that Detroit was serious this off-season management has shown the fanbase and the free-agent pool that they arentf****** around. If Suter comes Ill be happy with what we've got BUT have a sneaking suspicion another big name top 6 fwd will follow him. Pretty pumped right now.

'Twas the night before Free Agency, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even Bob Rouse;

The jerseys were hung by the locker stalls with care,

In hopes that St. Nicklas soon would be there;

The Euro-twins were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of dangles and cross and drops danced in their heads;

And Holland in his 'kerchief, and Babs in his cap,

Had just settled down for a long summer's chat,

When out on the phone there arose such a clatter,

They sprang from their beds to see what was the matter.

Away to Madison Wisconsin Babs flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The sun on the breast of the freshly ploughed farms

It was now Babcocks time to turn on his charms,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a #1 dman, and Poile shaking with fear,

With little old Illitch, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment this deal would stick.

After Illitch had inked Suter and met his family they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, Parise! now, Prust! now, Doan and Salvador!

On, Datsyuk! on Zetterberg! on, Kronwall and Franzen!

To the top of the league! It starts this fall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

Happy Free Agency Folks ...