predmonkee

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="Dabura" data-cid="2342975" data-time="1358786596"><p>
Trotz had grown weary of him, for reasons no one - to my knowledge - has really unearthed. (My theory? The whistles.)</p></blockquote>

Tootoo sounded off in the playoffs last year about being benched in favor of some younger guys. But I dont think trotz was weary of him. The preds just weren't going to pay him 2 mil. I think they still have a good relationship.

He's already missed in Nashville.  Even though he is a wing, most pred fans will always have a soft spot in their heart for the guy. In this day and age, in any sport, fans love heart and fans love hustle.  Leave it all out on the ice and most fans will appreciate it. Your be hardpressed to find a bottom 6'er in the league that skates as hard, pushes his teammates, drops the gloves when needed, and can energize an entire arena the way he can.

The bottom line for me is this... The two sides are arguing over %'s of billions.  To some degree, I understood the last lockout because there was more at stake in structuring the entire system from top to bottom.  That isn't the case now. If I lose hockey because millionares and billionaires cannot compromise on what percent of the pie they wanna eat, then I'm done.  If the league thinks its having a hard time keeping small markets afloat, then just wait till fans of these teams , like myself, start jumping ship.  I have a passion for hockey but I don't have patience for ignorance.

Terrific signing IMO.  A great stopgap until more opens up next year.  Solid dman, will eat up some ice time... Good move for you guys

Gary B has to go.  He's committed to taking two steps back everytime this league takes one step forward.  The league deserves better.  It needs someone who can think forward, be proactive, and stay ahead of the curve.  The NHL is a potential goldmine and he keeps spinning his wheels in quicksand.

This pisses me off to no end. Lockout or not, holland's excuses for cancelling this tournament don't fly with me.

Good read... A lot of fans will miss him in Nashville, but it was his time to move on.  Glad he's in a good situation in Detroit.  I know a lot of you don't like the guy, but remember his job was to make you dispise him on the ice. Pretty damn good at it don't ya think? I would encourage everyone to meet the guy as im sure he will make himself readily available at community events, charities, etc...a really good guy

As for the whistles, yeah they are annoying, but they were sold in Nashville to benefit his charity. I've bought several but never took them to the games. If they sell them at the joe, then buy one.. You don't have to use it.

All that being said, he's wearing red now and I can't wait for the season opener....

Though Arnott is big, he's not a physical player.  Doesn't take much to get him off his spot.  Major injury liability as well.  No way I sacrifice playing time of some of your young guys for him.

Seems to me, Coliacovo would be a decent fit for the wings if you could get him on a one year deal.  He can eat some minutes and hold his own fairly well.  A pretty good stop gap for one year until more opens up next offseason. JMO

I thought Sammy and Tootoo weren't re-signed by their respective teams and had no other offers?

esteef

Tootoo wasn't given an offer by Nashville, which was a forgone conclusion after his temper tantrum in round 1.  He didn't have any offers on the table when he signed with Detroit, though his agent said he was expecting another unnamed team to make a "sizable" offer.

That being said, I think he's a solid 4th line acquisition for Detroit

And for the record, I think Howard is a goaltender you can win a cup with.  Could care less about save percentages and whatever else. You can see it on the ice the way the kid plays. If I was a wings fan, that's all that would matter to me.

This guy is a joke.  I wouldn't believe one word he says.  If the wings have that offer on the table, phx would have already accepted it.

There is a reason Holland, and almost every other gm for that matter, didn't want him.  The reasons why have been talked about to no end.  I don't think this a case of a player getting a bad rap or being unfairly characterized either. His issues are real.  Detroit has some terrific young talent and the last thing you want is to bring this guy in and be a cancer to them.  No need to cut your younger guys playing time for this bozo.  You'd have been better off keeping hudler for 4 mill and get the same production without the issues.  Besides, even without his issues, is this guy really a top 6 forward with the guys you already have?
Borderline perhaps?

And sure, a one year contract is less risk. But 7 mill is a risk.  Really wanna pay this guy more than anyone else on your team?  What happens when its time to renegotiate and re-up datsyuk and zetterberg after you give semin 7 mill? And just because holland has 13 mill doesn't mean he should just bring in anyone.  What happens if semin's play is horrendous and he is a locker room cancer? Everyone would be ready to kill holland for bringing him in.  Nobody is gonna say he was worth it just because you had cap room. I have 36 bucks in my pocket right now but I'm not rushing out to spend it on something im not sure about before midnite. Who knows, tommorrow i may run across something  that i really do like and I'll be able to get it without hitting up the ATM.

It isn't disrespectful to offer a negative opinion about one's TEAM by prefacing that it isn't opinion against a city or fanbase.  The NAS poster has been well-behaved and insightful.  But he also wants his team succeed and my (our) team to fail.  Disagreements are okay!

My opinion was that Nashville doesnt have the will or resources to pay their players.  If you don't agree with that, observe that they tried to lowball their franchise player for years, and then apparently did have the money to pay what was essentially open market value for him.  It is what it is.

Oh, and by the way, they still need other contracts to get even up to the floor of what you are required to pay in salaries to operate an NHL franchise.  

Sent on iPhone using Tapatalk

I understand what your saying and I apologize if I came across a little harsh.  I understand what you are saying about Nashville lacking the will, but my entire point was simply to state that this is a new era for the teams ownership and operations.  5 yrs ago, I would completely agree with you.  

And please don't think I have any ill will towards your team.  In my perfect hockey world, the preds and wings would be 1 and 2 every year.  Unlike a team like Chicago, who I have zero respect for, I have no problem embracing the tradition and history of the DRW. And I have no problem saying that as a pred fan.  That being said, I hope my team crushes your team every time we face off. I'm sure you'd say the same thing.  

And yeah, we have a little work to do to get to the floor, but not much.  I know poile has an offer ready for Doan should he choose to leave phx. Doan has a relationship with weber and more importantly, he is very close with Trotz.  It would t surprise me to see him in Nashville should he leave the yotes.

Question. If you care so deeply about your franchise, why are you on our boards talking sh*t to Wings fans?

Yeah, you cleaned our clocks in the 1st round, but you know what? Columbus could have taken us four games out of seven the way that we played. I admit we played like crap and I assure you, that upset was NOTHING to get your panties in a wad about. Predator fans act like they won the cup just because they knocked us out. Big whoop.

I haven't "talked s***" to anyone.  I'm not 12 yrs old. I've been more than respectful here.  Everyone else here seems to appreciate that except for you.  You took your cheap shots so I'm sorry if I was direct in my reply by telling you something you didn't wanna hear.  The truth hurts sometimes.

And I haven't rubbed our playoff win in anyones face.  I have respect for the DRW.  I'm not a 12 yr old picking internet fights.  I enjoy the back and forth hockey talk regardless of team affiliation.  Don't be the one bad apple...

http://www.sportsnet.ca/590/on_demand/

This is an interview Brett Wilson, minority preds owner, did today with a Canadian radio station. I think it says a lot about the direction of the predators franchise. Nashville is not a feeder team that can be raided and bullied. His comments about Philadelphia underestimating the depth of the preds pockets, and depth of commitment from the entire preds organization as a whole are interesting.  He also said the preds offered 104 million to weber, obviously not as much front loaded.  But he does speak about the bonus potentially violating the spirit of the CbA.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/590/on_demand/

Next time we meet Nashville or Philly, wherever Weber ends up, old teammates meet ... Tootoo takes him on to earn his stripes for the Wings?  

They respect each other too much to drop the gloves but I'd pay top dollar to see that.  Weber would come out on top but Tootoo would make sure he knew he was in a fight.
Tootoo will earn his stripes there in Detroit.  No question.