RealGM

Well lets leave the cup debacle behind us and look ahead to what the team will look like next season

1. FAs

We have Hossa, Hudler, Samuelsson and Kopecky as the free agents as i recall. Scenarios are something like sign Hossa, lose the other 3 or sign two of the three others. What do you guys want? Either way i say goodbye to Samuelsson and either sign Hossa or Jiri and Kops.

2. Goalies

Its gunna be Osgood and Howard. Ozzie had a great playoff run, but at some point he has to run out of gas. Will Howard make the leap?

3. Which kids come up?

Ericcson is here to stay, like Helm and Leino. Abdelkader depends on whether we grab Hossa or take Hudler/Kopecky.

4. Depth chart next year. My big attempt at what i would like

Cleary Datsyuk Franzen
Filppula Zetterberg Hossa
Leino Helm Abdelkader
Maltby Draper Holmstrom

or

Cleary Datsyuk Franzen
Filppula Zetterberg Hudler
Leino Helm Kopecky
Maltby Draper Holmstrom

Lidstrom Rafalski
Kronwall Stuart
Ericsson Lebda

Osgood
Howard

First players up in case of Injury or whatnot are Meech or Kindl

I say let Hossa walk, and Use our 9 million in cap space to......

Sign: a young stud Defensemen to eventually replace Lidstrom, and build a strong 7 man rotation... for (4 million)

then we could retain hudler, and we should bring back Federov on a cheap 1 year deal. (3 million)
and just find some good young up and coming goalie or trade picks for one for about... (2 million)

Cleary Datsyuk Franzen
Filppula Zetterberg Federov (or play fed @ center and Zett on the wing)
Leino Helm Abdelkader
Maltby Draper Holmstrom

Lidstron - Rafalski
Kronwall - FA
Ericsson - Lebda
Stuart

Ozzie
FA
Howard

We have the young stud defenseman in Ericsson and Kindl, who will come up next year. We dont need another D-man.

And no to Federov, we dont need to get older

Rumors:

Abdelkader will start the season in G.R.

Hossa will prolly be the one not signed.

These two moves makes sense, because they coincide. So i would guess that Hudler and Samuelson are the ones signed (i want Kopecky, but doubt hes the one). Just fyi

Rumors coming from MLive

goodbye to Chelios

It was time, but i will miss him

Wings general manager Ken Holland tells The Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press he met with the 47-year-old and Chelios wouldn’t be offered another contract.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news?slug=a ... &type=lgns

Hossa, Samuelsson and Kopecky all gone. Time to lock up Hudler!

Lines:

Cleary Datsyuk Franzen
Filppula Zetterberg Hudler
Leino Helm Holmstrom
Maltby Draper McCarty/Downey/Meech/Toughguy?

ajaX82 wrote:Hossa, Samuelsson and Kopecky all gone. Time to lock up Hudler!

Lines:

Cleary Datsyuk Franzen
Filppula Zetterberg Hudler
Leino Helm Holmstrom
Maltby Draper McCarty/Downey/Meech/Toughguy?

Hudler's gone too.

I'm hoping we make some more moves, but we will probably just replace the guys that left with young guys from Grand Rapids. My lines look something like:

Cleary - Datsyuk - Holmstrom
Filppula - Zetterberg - Franzen
Leino - Helm - Abdelkader
McCarty/Downey - Draper - Maltby

Lidstrom - Rafalski
Kronwall - Stuart
Ericsson - Lebda/Meech

Osgood - Howard

OK

we sign Jason Williams and Patrick Eaves. not bad. The roster as i would like it, assuming Abdelkader to GR

Cleary Datsyuk Franzen
Filppula Zetterberg Williams
Leino Helm Eaves
Maltby Draper Holmstrom

Lidstrom Rafalski
Kronwall Stuart
Ericsson Lebda

Osgood
Howard

This is fully what i expect and i think it looks real good. The third line will be super fast and exciting. The grind line is always entertaining. And the first 2 have plenty of firepower

^ Really? Holmstrom fourth line? I'd have him in the first or second along with Datysuk or Zetterberg. He's too damn good in front of the net to be wasting away on the fourth line. Not to mention the incredible chemistry he has with those guys on the ice.

Holmstrom - Datsyuk - Franzen
Filppula - Zetterberg - Bertuzzi
Williams - Helm - Cleary
Maltby - Draper - Lieno

Lidstrom - Rafalski
Kronwall - Stuart
Ericsson - Lebda

Osgood - Howard (20-30 games)

I'm leaning towards switching Cleary and Bertuzzi, but I'd like to see if Bertuzzi can once again become a decent finisher around the net when paired with great passers like Filppula and Zetterberg. If not, switch em.

RUSSIAN LIGHTNING wrote:^ Really? Holmstrom fourth line? I'd have him in the first or second along with Datysuk or Zetterberg. He's too damn good in front of the net to be wasting away on the fourth line. Not to mention the incredible chemistry he has with those guys on the ice.

Holmstrom - Datsyuk - Franzen
Filppula - Zetterberg - Bertuzzi
Williams - Helm - Cleary
Maltby - Draper - Lieno

Lidstrom - Rafalski
Kronwall - Stuart
Ericsson - Lebda

Osgood - Howard (20-30 games)

I'm leaning towards switching Cleary and Bertuzzi, but I'd like to see if Bertuzzi can once again become a decent finisher around the net when paired with great passers like Filppula and Zetterberg. If not, switch em.

I love Homer....been watching him for so long its rediculous. Maltby is my favorite player (no kidding) and i love Drapes as well. I really like the old guys who won the first cup and have been around forever. That said...

Homer is losing it. He has gotten the hell kicked out of him for so long that he is going to deteriorate fast. Look at the playoffs last year. I think his chemistry with Maltby and Draper would be very high.

Bertuzzi second line? No way. No way. And where is Eaves? We didnt sign him to play in the AHL. At 25, he is ready to play now

A maybe on Holmstrom deteriorating quickly these next few seasons, I really have no idea. Only one way to find out though. Regarding Eaves, I don't really care that he's 25 or that we just signed him. He'll have plenty of opportunities to play when (god forbid) Bertuzzi, Draper, and Maltby (regulars lately on the injured list) get injured. Otherwise, he's out of the line up for me.

Bertuzzi second line, I'm not comfortable with keeping him there, but it's an experiment the Wings can afford for a string of games.

I just read something from the Sporting News i believe that says Leino is slated as the second line LW

Cleary Datsyuk Franzen
Leino Zetterberg Filppula
Holmstrom Helm Williams
Maltby/Eaves Draper Bertuzzi

???

Wow...second line? Really? I've only scene some video of him on youtube and seen his stats from GR and his Finish team, but I didn't think management was that high on him. I'm really looking forward to seeing him play.

First day of training camp had the third line at

Leino Filppula Williams (all three looked good, especially Leino.)

1st line at

Franzen Datsyuk Holmstrom

2nd line at

Bertuzzi Zetterberg Cleary



I like that third line. Two young guys and a vet, a ton of speed and elusiveness and lots of goal potential. Maybe it shakes down like...

Franzen Datsyuk Holmstrom
Bertuzzi Zetterberg Cleary
Leino Filppula Williams
Helm Draper Maltby

Third line speedy as hell. Zetterberg gets two gritty guys to play with. Datsyuk has two tanks to go to the net. i likes

apparently Draper has moved to LW so that he doesnt have as many defensive responsibilities. He will still take some draws, but than play LW. Helm is exected to center the 4th line with Draper and the Eaves on the right

Long time Wings fan here. Anyone around??

It was a lot more crowded here in the past, but people still will come here

Check out the General NHL board to talk playoff Wings hockey...alot more people there right now. But I'll chat Wings hockey all day here if ya like

wow this place is dead

jeffhardyfan52 wrote:wow this place is dead

sadly so

But it takes a few to start a convo. go for it

I'm back. After some time off from hockey due to injury and then the rink in town closing, I have started to get back into hockey again. As a Red Wings fan, I'm going to be around here a lot more in the future.


EDIT: I must admit that I am sort of a fan of all the Original Six franchises because of the amazing history and pride behind each teams sweater.