Trades, Signings, Prospects, and Rumors Thread

[NiTEFuRY]

wish we saw a move that would make a difference...

[Da Jam Hammer]

Getting healthy was our move.

[NiTEFuRY]

I've heard that a lot lately, it seems like a cop-out to me. I am rooting for the wings, and have never rooted for any team but them - but I just don't think they have the firepower they need... and could have gotten someone available.

Oh well, I'm ready to keep on truckin with these wings - and hopefully what everyone says (getting healthy) is enough!

[Da Jam Hammer]

We have to be realistic about it. We really could not do anything. We are at the cap, if we wanted to make a move, it would have probably involved changing the DNA of our team. I think that would have been a mistake because we are gonna have some more money next year and it would be a shame to go into next year wondering what the hell we did to ourselves by making a panic move this year and getting rid of some good pieces. We are not gonna have to most firepower this year, but we shouldn't make irrational decisions just to make this team look a little more deadly for a couple months.

[Spartan2587]

And what do the Wings have to offer? They aren't going to trade their big guns, and the rest of the team is too young and valuable or not worth anything.

Draper, Maltby, May, Bertuzzi, Williams might not be back next year and the Wings are going to have to replace those players with guys like Ritola, Emmerton, etc. so they weren't going to trade away those assets either.

Lidstrom will probably take a huge pay cut (rumors floating that it'll be for about $3M instead of $7.45M) and that'll allow the Wings to make a lot of moves next year. They are rebuilding, they just need to retool.

It's not that they needed to make a move, they needed guys to get healthy and have guys start playing like they are supposed to. Babcock said he needed his superstars to be superstars, because they definitely haven't all year.

[jeebus82]

We have to be realistic about it. We really could not do anything. We are at the cap, if we wanted to make a move, it would have probably involved changing the DNA of our team. I think that would have been a mistake because we are gonna have some more money next year and it would be a shame to go into next year wondering what the hell we did to ourselves by making a panic move this year and getting rid of some good pieces. We are not gonna have to most firepower this year, but we shouldn't make irrational decisions just to make this team look a little more deadly for a couple months.

And what do the Wings have to offer? They aren't going to trade their big guns, and the rest of the team is too young and valuable or not worth anything.

Draper, Maltby, May, Bertuzzi, Williams might not be back next year and the Wings are going to have to replace those players with guys like Ritola, Emmerton, etc. so they weren't going to trade away those assets either.

Lidstrom will probably take a huge pay cut (rumors floating that it'll be for about $3M instead of $7.45M) and that'll allow the Wings to make a lot of moves next year. They are rebuilding, they just need to retool.

It's not that they needed to make a move, they needed guys to get healthy and have guys start playing like they are supposed to. Babcock said he needed his superstars to be superstars, because they definitely haven't all year.

Perfect posts guys. The cap played a HUGE role in this. And remember, some of the best moves are the ones you don't make.

We continue to get healthy, and that is NOT a cop out. We just have to ride it out this year.

[NiTEFuRY]

I guess what I am trying to say is I do not consider moves that would be made this year an "irrational" decision.

We have been very fortunate to have so many late round picks work out. What if these that we are counting on for next year not part of that crop. Getting healthy simply may not be enough to compete with the talent in the Western Conference. We had an opportunity trade some of our players, be it stars or not, and get some serious firepower that were NOT rental players and could stay here.

Furthermore jeebus, I hope riding it out is only for this year and not next year - with the cap going nowhere and more players leaving (in addition to last years crop) - that these young guys WE are hoping come in and score 20 goals pan out. I guess I am a little less optimistic with us passing on all the hot firepower that was traded this year. We have a lot of trading options and good talent in the minors that we could have used...

...but again, please forgive me for questioning one of the greatest organizations in sports, I do believe this could be a re-tool not rebuild...

I just wonder if passing and not getting involved at all with Antropov, Jokinen, Kovalchuk, Leopold, Phaneuf, Heatley, and or Kessel was a smart decision.

[ickdiculous]

We would have to give up a lot to get the players you mentioned...I do think we need to step it up on defense and Phaneuf would have been a nice addition. Lidstrom and Rafalski wont be around forever.

[jeebus82]

I guess what I am trying to say is I do not consider moves that would be made this year an "irrational" decision.

We have been very fortunate to have so many late round picks work out. What if these that we are counting on for next year not part of that crop. Getting healthy simply may not be enough to compete with the talent in the Western Conference. We had an opportunity trade some of our players, be it stars or not, and get some serious firepower that were NOT rental players and could stay here.

Furthermore jeebus, I hope riding it out is only for this year and not next year - with the cap going nowhere and more players leaving (in addition to last years crop) - that these young guys WE are hoping come in and score 20 goals pan out. I guess I am a little less optimistic with us passing on all the hot firepower that was traded this year. We have a lot of trading options and good talent in the minors that we could have used...

...but again, please forgive me for questioning one of the greatest organizations in sports, I do believe this could be a re-tool not rebuild...

I just wonder if passing and not getting involved at all with Antropov, Jokinen, Kovalchuk, Leopold, Phaneuf, Heatley, and or Kessel was a smart decision.

The riding out Im referring to is this year. There will be some changes to this team come the offseason with retirements, expiring contracts, restructuring of contracts so on and so on.......

Kenny knows what he's doing. The cap has put alot of teams in the same situation as the Wings. We all just have to be patient....

And as far as some of the names you mentioned, I understand the frustration. BUT, the Leafs gave up a HUGE amount to land Kessel and I think the same goes for most of the others. We have alot of talent developing in the minors right now. It's only a matter of time before they break into the lineup, most likely next season.

[Da Jam Hammer]

Detroit GM Ken Holland told the Detroit Free Press he hasn't given up on the idea of seeing Jiri Hudler back in a Wings uniform.

Hudler left Detroit this season for a lucrative contact in Russia, but may have a clause to return to the NHL.

Hudler had 19 goals and 35 assists in 54 games this season, but struggled in the KHL playoffs.

"His agent tells me he has a two-year contract, but it includes an option to get out after the first year," Holland said. "I asked Jiri about it a month ago, and he said he doesn't know if he has that out clause or not. Now, I don't know if he was playing possum or what, but I've expressed to him we'd like to have him back, and (coach) Mike Babcock has been in communication with Jiri. We've both told him we'd like him back."

Blurb from NHL.com

[Spartan2587]

Jiri would cost $3M next year. So if you think very conservatively that the only cap move the Wings make is signing Lidstrom for $4M less, Hudler would be their only significant move next year.

Hudler is a great complimentary player, but at $3M is he really worth being the only significant acquisition the Wings make in the offseason?

[bailz]

What else do you want them to do? They arent going to sign a big star. Huddles is a 2nd liner, very capable of scoring 20+ goals.

Hudler and Filp developed some great chemistry when they were playing together

Babs always likes to have 3 lines capable of scoring, and a 4th grind line...whcih is what we were lacking this year from losing Sammy and Huddles. Which, in my mind was worse than not signing Hossa.

Having hudler back will just boost our second line so much...or make our third line so much better.

[jeebus82]

I for one would friggin LOVE to have Hudler back. I really miss him.

[ickdiculous]

Drop ozzy, draper and maltby, lebda and bertuzzi for Hudler. The guy has more skill then all of them combined!

[jeebus82]

Drop ozzy, draper and maltby, lebda and bertuzzi for Hudler. The guy has more skill then all of them combined!

Welcome back ick.