LeftWinger

Here is a guarantee, if Lidstrom signs with Tampa, then Weber will sign with Detroit... this COULD happen, but I think I would win the mega-millions before either happened (which also COULD happen)

I believe that you have a better chance of the United States Government confessing the truth behind 9/11 than any of that happening though...sorry...

edit: The question wouldn't be if you will still like Lidstrom, the question would be would you still like Yzerman for poaching our best defensman of ALL TIME...

This is true, I guess I have the mantra if I'm going to neg someone I'll at least post why instead of cower like a little *****. I guess not everyone can man up?

I suggested this a little while ago. People should have to comment on why they negged someone. But with the mentality of some of the folks here that neg just because someoneisnt a fan of acertain player (cough cough, Hudler, cough) there would probably be explanations like: "You Suck!" or "EAD"

Hardly anyone would leave legit reasons that they left a negative...

anyhow...

I would love to move up in the draft, but not if he is gonna grab that Swedish d-man that some of the mockers have him taking.  Jonas Brodin....BLECH!

Legendary Detroit Red Wing defenseman Brian Rafalski just announced that he is retiring. Rafalski is irreplaceable, but the Red Wings will need to try to draft defenseman to one day take his place.

They can start by drafting Jonas Brodin in the first round.

Brodin is ranked third amongst European skaters, second for defensemen. He scored four points for his team this past season.

He has won two silver medals playing for Sweden in the U-18 World Junior Championships.

But, the guy I would love to have in the organization is projected at #27 Joseph Morrow...

Morrow could be the biggest steal of the draft.

This past season, Morrow led his team's defensemen in points, scoring 49, 18 more points than he had scored the previous season.

Morrow has been overshadowed by teammates Sven Bartschi and Ty Rattie in Portland, and in the draft is overshadowed by top defensive prospects Adam Larsson, Dougie Hamilton, Nathan Beaulieu, Ryan Murphy and Duncan Siemens.

However, the team that drafts Morrow will get an excellent defenseman.

I read this and thought if they are so high on this guy and the fact that they made reference to Rafalski retiring, why wouldn't they mention him for Detroit? The other defensmen mentioned above are all projected to go before Detroit's pick, so all that leaves is Brodin and Morrow, but it sounds like they are higher on Morrow than Brodin. They just must be used to Holland taking Swedish defensmen....

Holland rarely trades, and he never poaches RFAs.

That is fine because I would be perfectly happy with him re-signing Eaves/Miller/Lidstrom and then signing Wisniewski, Pitkanen and a reliable back up goalie.  Do NOT re-sign Draper/Ericsson/Salei, trade Hudler for whatever he can bring... To me that would be a super off season...

We all know any of the RFA's mentioned are pipe dreams because Holland loves to keep his draft picks now-a-days. I wouldn't be surprised though if he traded Hudler and our #1 to move up a bit if the player he wanted wasn't gonna make it to us...

I am just rewriting what Pierre LeBrun says, and to be honest he can be hit or miss.

He just states that the team failed again and they are looking to shake things up and picked three people, stating that Setoguchi is the most likely to be moved.  

Personally I would move Marleau asap.



If you left Zherdev out I would be okay with that...  I would much rather have Tanguay as a cheaper top six guy. I also think you are underestimating EVERYONES contracts that you are adding.

I do believe you and I are drinking the same coffee this off season. Wisniewski, Tanguay, Jokinen...trade Hudler.... I like the way you are thinking this year!

I agree Marleau should go before Seto, but for some reason they love them some Marleau in San Jose...

Clowe is far from a diver lol.

He is a player I would trade any forward on the wings for besides Datsyuk or Zetterberg and he would beat anyone on Detriot up in a fight.

Franzen+Kindl for Clowe sounds great to me

Don't forget to throw Hudler in there for his Huge Potential...

Isn't the off season exciting? Especially knowing that Holland HAS to make a move or two?

I still say either sign or trade for someone to play with Dastyuk as a pure scorer. Put Filppula on his line as well as it seemed they had a bit of chemistry together, move Zetterberg to line 2 with Franzen and Bertuzzi, Helm would center the 3rd line with Cleary and Eaves, then Abby can center Holmstrom and Miller, with Mursak as the 13th forward...

I know everyone is posting names and line combos everywhere, but let me just say that if the Cap goes up to $64.5M, before ANY UFA's are signed, Holland has $25M available to sign/trade for players! Awesome! I know Holland wouldn't take on the long term contract, but man with that money I would love to see Kovalchuk on Dastyuk's wing next season!

I am not sure Jersey would want to trade him away, unless they are looking to get out from under that contract... they only have 11 fwds, 5 D and 1 goalie signed next year and ONLY have $7M avail in cap. Even if the Cap goes up $5.1M that still isn't much to re-sign the like of Parise, Greene and Hedburg, let alone the rest of the open spots. I am pretty positive Kovalchuk would accept a trade to Detroit... of course I am pretty sure it would cost us at least a roster player AND some high end prospects/draft picks to acquire him...but WOW!

@CraigCustance
"Ken Holland sounds open to the idea of a trade to replace Rafalski. Most likely at draft. Agreed that this isn't the best UFA crop."


Interesting but not that surprsing.  We've all heard the Zach Bogosian and Mike Green rumors.  Should be interesting.

Hey Kenny, this alone, makes me want to see Wiz on the Wings even more!



even though it looks like Wiz hurt himself somehow, man that was a donnybrook with Tootie...

I would love a trade to (try to)replace Rafalski, PLUS sign Wiz to round out what would be the best defense corps in the league! (spoken through red glasses)

Lidstrom Kronwall
Stuart Bogosian
Wiz - Kindl
Smith

Heck they could even sign two UFA's and leave Smith in GRR, but I have a feeling they are gonna make this year Kindl's make or break year...

One good season is a start.  The Wings could sign him and then he is an underachiever.  The point is we won't know the long term ramifications, and comparing the two really is impossible to do.  We are talking about one player who has had proven success versus another player who had one good season.  I think Wisniewski is worth a signing at his age.  He could very well be an excellent defenseman.  I just worry that he is the later, and the Wings fans on this forum have little tolerance for the later.

A couple things I look at when I see Wisniewski and also the same things really make me want to see him in a Wings jersey next season and for a LONG time.  He has shown that (so far) he can excell in a system that relies on scoring from defense, and the prototypical team for that is Detroit, so you can only guess that he would continue that trend, also, every team he played for in the West, when the Wings went up against him, he physically punished the Wings (it helps that Chicago and Anaheim were huge rivals and adds fuel to the fire) so you would think that if he continued that trend as well, he would be nothing but pluses for the Wings.  I mean, he is no Shea Weber, but he does have a snarl, clears the front of the net, sticks up for his teammates, rarely ever gives up an opportunity to check someone, PLUS he has shown that he can score some points, this could be a huge opportunity for Detroit to get the type of defenseman they have been seeking since Konstantinov was hurt. (disclaimer: I am in no way saying Wiz is just as good as Konstantinov.)

I for one, am hoping among hope that he is a Red Wing next season and on a long term basis... (heck with all this Wisniewski talk, he almost deserves his own thread....almost)

Trying for isn't the same as going for broke for a player. Wings should try and sign Bieksa, but they shouldn't overpay for him. They should try for Suter and JML, but they shouldn't overpay for them. C'Mon. I'm not trying to be cheap, I'm just being realistic here. Bieksa is going to pull in a big overpaid contract this offseason unless he some how gets hurt this playoffs and scares everyone away. I've never even mentioned Erhoff, but from all accounts I hear he is going to be re-signed. Holland doesn't sign for the first wave anymore, he goes after the second wave players he doesn't have to overspend for.

I hope he solidifies the defense too, and with the suggestions I made of who is practical or realistic (I do note that there are more available of the few I brought up), he not only doesn't over spend but he shores up toughness and defense. And you have to remember, part of that 6mil and extra cap space will be going towards making our forward group stronger and playoff ready.

Well he damn well better sign someone in the "first wave" He is losing his #2 defense-man from last season, you cannot make that up by adding 2 or 3 "fifth wave" players.... Holland HAS to land a legit top 2 d-man PLUS fill two other spots on D. All we have under contract is Kronner, Stuart and Kindl.... Smith is not coming up. He needs to get Lids signed (if he is signing) and then get three more starters because Kindl is not ready, even if he was, Holland would still need TWO more, ONE being Rafalski's replacement. He's got $25M in cash (if the cap goes up to $64M) and he better spend it! In the FIRST WAVE... Are you listening Holland?

if he wanted to play for the red wings,than he would have kept his mouth closed and would not have guarantied that he would return to nashville

Sorry to inform you PredsFanTheBayou, but he is not gonna come out and say he DOESN'T want to be in Nashville, how would that sound? He isn't even gonna say he wants to see what happens come July 1st. He is be PC and so he doesn't lose faith from fans or his teammates, but in a business, anything can and will AND HAS happened. We've experiencede both sides of that puck:

1. Chris Chelios hates Detroit so much that he would accept a trade there...oops, March 1999, Chelios waives his No-Trade Clause and is traded to Detroit.

2. Marion Hossa tells everyone in the free world that Detroit is where he is gonna end his career, he is gonna a Red Wing and he is going to take less money to stay here.  He says it's not even a question, we are just working on the details...oops, July 2009, Marion Hossa signs a "lifetime" contract with the Chicago Blackhawks, chooses to leave Detroit...

I am not saying it will happen, I am not saying it won't happen, it may not even be Detroit where he goes, but prepare yourself because it COULD happen, and if it does, you guys will turn on him just as fast as a Louisiana.....well you understand....

Oh, let me give you another example that needs no explanation, just one word.....Fedorov....

Lids signs for $6M then offer $9M and 3 yrs to Weber (I hope that would be enough (what is the most a player can make?)) If Nashville matches then they would surely lose Suter next off season, if they do not match, then we lose how many first rounders? Anyhow, trade Hudler away and even with the $15M tied up in Weber and Lidstrom, Holland still has roughly $11.5M to finish up the D, (which I would still love to see Wisniewski) and maybe get a solid scoring winger to play with Datsyuk (Tanguay? Jokinen? Dunno) For example purposes, I chose Tanguay and MacDonald as a back up ( I realize I could be off a bit on their salaries.)

CAPGEEK.COM CAP CALCULATOR

FORWARDS
Valtteri Filppula ($3.000m) / Pavel Datsyuk ($6.700m) / Alex Tanguay ($2.500m)
Tomas Holmstrom ($1.875m) / Henrik Zetterberg ($6.083m) / Johan Franzen ($3.954m)
Todd Bertuzzi ($1.937m) / Darren Helm ($0.912m) / Daniel Cleary ($2.800m)
Drew Miller ($0.800m) / Justin Abdelkader ($0.787m) / Patrick Eaves ($0.900m)
/ Jan Mursak ($0.550m)

DEFENSEMEN
Nicklas Lidstrom ($6.000m) / Niklas Kronwall ($3.000m)
Brad Stuart ($3.750m) / Shea Weber ($9.000m)
Jakub Kindl ($0.883m) / James Wisniewski ($4.000m)
Brendan Smith ($0.875m)

GOALTENDERS
Jimmy Howard ($2.250m) / Joey MacDonald ($0.550m)

CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled without the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $64,500,000; CAP PAYROLL: $63,108,711; BONUSES: $0
CAP SPACE (22-man roster): $1,391,289

...again, just guestimating on some salaries, also still not sure how many first rounders we'd lose to sign Weber at $9M...

I realize this lineup doesn't do much to address our lack of grit problems up front, and you would especially NOT want your $9M Weber fighting, but I'd say our D gets mean and tougher for sure....


EDIT: Whoever negged me, please explain why...because Hudler gets traded? Also I said I just used Tanguay as an example...Mods, you should make it so when someone negs someone they have to explain why...

Forget Hossa that will never happen.

Forget Hasek that will never happen.

etc. There is always a chance, always.

Agreed!

Now this is exciting, at least now we know something is gonna happen, either a trade or a signing of someone significant. I cannot stop looking up salaries and stats and hits and teams!!!!

The thing is, now Holland just doesn't have to shore up the defensive end of the line, but now he is going to have to find away to replace Rafalski's points and powerplay minutes... Ehrhoff makes sense, what about Kaberle? Wisniewski scored 51 points, now offering him $4M doesn't seem out of the realm. Holland is gonna have to scoop someone up in the first week, if not the first day of UFA, just to make sure he fills Rafi's spot as best as he can...

Please OH please DO NOT give in to Ericsson's demands! Just go and try to land Bieska or Wisniewski or Brewer....

But now is the time to convince me Ken, that you ARE the All Powerfull Wizard of GM's... If you really have magic, it is now time to weave it!

As of now, here is our confirmed D:

Stuart - Kronwall
Kindl - ???????
??????? - ???????        

Yikes!

Holy s***! Now what?

Mathieu Schneider....