Sunday, July 29, 2012

Red Wings Rumored to be "ALL IN" for Keith Yandle

It has been been beaten to a bloody pulp that Ken Holland and the Red Wings have had arguably the worst offseason in over 2 decades.  With the retirement of Lidstrom, departure of Brad Stuart, the failed attempts to sign main targets Ryan Suter and Zach Parise, and the list of other free agents/trades which found a different area code than the 313, Ken Holland has been left with boat loads of cash with nothing but a free agent class that is more picked over than the clearance rack at T.J Maxx and a heavy shopping list.  Most notably a true #1 defenseman.  Keith Yandle of the Phoenix Coyotes was said to be shopped at the NHL Draft in June with the Wings interested.  Talks of Yandle being on the block had since died down...until today. 

Hockey Insiderr on Twitter had reported today that, according to multiple sources, the Wings are "ALL IN" in their pursuit for Yandle and have a substantial offer on the table and the uncertain future of the ownership of the Yotes is playing a big role.  The Flyers, Blues, Bruins, and Rangers are rumored to have made offers as well but the Red Wings are the "100% front runners" at this time.  Specifics as to what has been offered by the Wings are not available at this time but I am sure that the conversation begins with either Filppula or Franzen as a centerpiece.  Yes, I would hate to lose either but you have to give value to get value.  Yandle is without question one of the the premier young defenseman (25 years old) in the NHL.  He has decent size at 6'1" and 195 lbs, is a good skater, moves the puck well, nice shot, and is a minute muncher.  He has continued to put up impressive numbers on a defensive-minded Coyotes club and is signed for the next 4 years at a $5.5MM cap hit.  YES PLEASE!!

I have been as critical of Ken Holland as anyone since last year's trade deadline for his lack of aggressiveness and reluctance to part with assets to address the team's needs.  After  missing out on Suter, Garrison, Carle, and Weber it has to be done.  If he can pull this move off without parting with Brendan Smith (it would not make sense to further deplete the future of the blue line) then it would turn a so far underwhelming (putting it nicely) offseason into a pretty productive one.  Yes, a true top 6 scoring forward is also needed and losing Filppula or Franzen would not help but the crater-like holes left on the back end by Lidstrom and Stuart are without question priority #1.  Trading for Nash would have been sexy.  Trading for Yandle would be more beneficial.  We have young forwards waiting for more ice time and there could be players available after the new CBA is in place.  Getting a young stud blue liner would be a big "I told you so" from Holland and a message to the league that the Red Wings are not going anywhere.


As of now this is still a rumor but I am a true believer that when there is smoke there is fire.  If Holland is indeed talking with the Coyotes, he better not get cold feet.  Of course I do not want him to be reckless and get fleeced in a deal but Yandle will not be dealt for a bag of pucks and a box of Slim Jims either.  This is his chance to silence his critics.  This is a chance to keep the Wings among the true contenders in the Western Conference.  And from a selfish point of view I am sick of complaining about Holland, sick of envisioning a mediocre Red Wings team, and most of all, I am sick of hearing that the long-awaited demise of the Mighty Red Wings is finally here.  Not so fast.  GET IT DONE KENNY!!!

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Tigers Proving Myself, & Other Doubters, Wrong

So Tigers fans, let's try this on for size: PUT IT ON THE BOOOOOAAAARRDD YYYEEESSSSS!! I know, I feel dirty and obnoxious saying it even if it is to poke fun at the arch rival White Sox. Either way, THEY GONE! Okay, okay, I'll stop. But it is hard not to gloat just a little after sweeping the Southsiders this weekend to take over sole possession of first place in the American League Central. After today's 6-4 victory, the Tigers sit 1.5 games ahead of the Sox, are maybe the hottest team in baseball having won 13 of their last 15, and above all, are really starting to play the brand of baseball we had all expected. Back in June when they had hit their low point and sat 6 games out, I had started to wonder if this team simply was not good. I was actually leaning toward that conclusion. Well, a month and a half later, the Tigers are proving myself, as well as other doubters, wrong. And I love it!

Let me just say this. In early June, nothing was going right. If you have not noticed yet, I tell it like it is. If a team is playing great, I will gladly gush and give them praise. If they vastly underachieve and play poorly for long stretches, I'm sorry, but I am going to call them out. I am not here to paint pictures of roses and pretty sunsets if the the truth is more like tumbleweeds caught in a Texas twister. The Tigers have one of the highest payrolls in baseball and thus they are expected to win. When they don't it is every fan's right to spew venom. Some choose to verbalize it, others do not. Different strokes for different folks.  The players knew they were playing terrible. They were not asking for warm hugs. I was not about to give them to them. This ain't little league. There are no participant trophies. Therefore, they should be judged based on how they play.  Someone who dares speak against them when they deserve it is not a bandwagon fan, they are a truly knowledgeable fan...not a homer. No fairy tales here kids. Only the truth. Whether it be good or bad. I stated I hoped they would prove me wrong and they are. So enough about venting, how about praising those Tigers, eh?


One big reason the team is winning in bunches is because they are hitting the way we expected them to.  Not only are Miguel Cabrera (congrats on HR #300) and Prince Fielder becoming one of the most deadly 3 & 4 combos in the land, but Jackson continues to rake, Delmon Young is heating up, Berry continues to impress, and Boesch is getting on one of those scorching hot streaks we have seen before.  Lately, it seems that balls are just flying out of the park and it is coming from all parts of the lineup.  They are looking like an offensive juggernaut.  And not only are they hitting the ball well, they are doing what they could not do in the first half of the year: drive in runners in scoring position and deliver clutch 2-out hits.  I had said it before, for the team to turn it around they would need players other than Jackson, Cabrera, and Prince to deliver.  That is exactly what is happening now and it is resulting in a consistent offense and more wins.


Also, the pitching and defense have gotten noticeably better.  Scherzer has been a strikeout machine, Fister looks to be getting back on track, and Verlander has been, well, Verlander.  Porcello has been frustrating but delivered a gem in Saturday's win vs. Chicago not to mention Turner got his first major league win today.  Before the series started, the pitching match ups looked to be heavily in the Sox favor.  Porcello and Turner stepped up, and that has to help their confidence as well as our confidence.   We also should not lose sight of the fact that the back end of the bullpen (Dotel, Benoit, and Valverde) has looked a lot better as well.  I do not dry heave quite as much when the Tigers have a small lead in the 8th inning.  I think we can all rule that a good thing.

The one thing that may be overlooked in all the hoopla is that this latest stretch clearly shows what Dave Dombrowski should focus on for the trade deadline.  Since June it appeared they needed needed a bat AND a starting pitcher.  Assuming the supporting cast continues to provide consistent offense, I think DD can focus solely on acquiring a starting pitcher.  To ask him to try to acquire both would be nearly impossible.  They don't have the pieces to do that.  They may not even have the pieces to get a quality starter.  But at least they can have a laser focus on trying to get one.  We know Verlander will continue to be stellar.  Fister seems to be back to normal.  I am not so sure I can completely trust Scherzer and especially not ready to put full trust in Porcello at this time.  I have more trust in Mad Max, but he still has the Jekyll and Hyde in him.  Porcello had been struggling up until Saturday's start.  For the Tigers to hold on and win the division, they will need at least 3 pitchers they can count on each and every start, and a 4th that will at least give them a chance.  I think adding a proven arm would allow there to be some room for error with Scherzer and Porcello.  If they continue to be inconsistent, it may become crucial.  Stay tuned.

All is well in Tigertown right now.  They are bashing the ball.  They are scoring runs in bunches.  They no longer are kicking the ball all over the field.  They are winning.  It should not be some accomplishment though.  It is what is expected with the talent this team possesses.  It appears they have hit their stride.  When many were down on them they brushed themselves off and righted the ship.  And now, we are all happy.  The doubters/realists are being proven wrong and no longer feel the need to voice their frustrations.  The homers can tout themselves as profits as their patience (blind faith) has paid off.  Now we can all sit back and hope they can keep it rolling and do what they are paid very handsomely to do...Win the division.  One thing is for certain, we have seen what they are capable of.  There should be no reason they should fall back to being a .500 baseball team.  Of course, I have been wrong before.  GO TIGERS!!

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

The "Walmart Wolverine" Debate

College football is just around the corner and, like many, I am really itching for the season to start.  With that said, I have grown a little tired of writing about the Tigers and bagging on Ken Holland's debacle of an off season.  Therefore, I thought we should have a little Michigan-Michigan State fun.  How about it kids?  And what would be more fun than to punch holes in Sparty's go-to joke/argument when it comes to the heated rivalry?  You know, the one that was old back in the year 2002?  That's right.  The "you didn't go to UM and so you are a 'Walmart Wolverine' and shouldn't be a fan" battle cry Michigan fans have to listen to every time the rivalry comes up in conversation.  I liken the argument to the newest fad which is calling someone a "hater" when you are losing a debate and have no real rebuttal.  I digress.  Let's have some good ol' fashioned, in-state college football fun during the dog days of summer shall we?

First off, I would like to quote something I saw a friend of a friend say on Facebook as a rebuttal to the "Walmart Wolverine" moniker: 

"The punchline of this joke is that there are literally zero MSU fans that are not MSU graduates.  This implies that MSU needs to hire a new marketing firm."

Again, this is not mine.  I just thought it was hilarious.  Maybe a little extreme and silly, but then again isn't the "Walmart Wolverine" joke?  Though Sparty seems to be welcoming new fans onto their bandwagon with open arms lately...Sam's Club Spartans?  Gotta love double standards.

Second, if the argument is to be made that if you did not go to a school you should not be fan, then should any of the Detroit pro teams have any fans?  This may come as a shock but myself and about 99% of the fans who cheer for the Red Wings, Tigers, Lions, or Pistons were not born and raised within the city limits of Detroit nor do we live in the city of Detroit.  Shocker right?  So by this premise we should not be able to cheer for our beloved sports teams because we grew up in Clinton Twp., Sterling Heights, Troy, Rochester, etc.  And actually, only the great citizens of Auburn Hills should be able to purchase tickets and buy apparel for the Pistons since that is where they play their home games.  Seems a bit ridiculous doesn't it?  And to those who want to argue that it should be a different set of rules for pro and college football you're kidding yourself.  Both are businesses in the athletic market that bring in billions of dollars annually from their respective fan bases.  It's the same.  Stop it.  College football is just as much of a business.  You don't have to look any further than the 500 bowl games played every winter.  Sports teams are for the entertainment of the people who reside in their respective cities/institutions and the surrounding communities and actually anybody else who chooses to be a fan.  End of story.

Third, let's get something razor straight.  I think I speak for many fans when I say I cheer for the University of Michigan football team (as well as other varsity sports).  I do not cheer for the debate team, science club, etc.  I am sure they all work very hard and are wonderful individuals.  Really, I could care less how many players graduate, how many students become doctors, how many students become world leaders or anything else tied with academics.  I am a football fan.  I cheer for the team that takes the field on Saturdays.  Period.  It has been that way since I was 5 years old.  It is not going to change because I did not go to school there.  Sorry.  Try telling the die hard SEC football fans that may have never attended college they can't be a fan of Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, or LSU.  Good luck with that.  You grow up fans of a team, pro or college, and a true fan stays a fan.  Period.


The above point is a perfect segue into my final one which is where you pay/paid tuition, got drunk, flirted with Coeds, and joined a fraternity or sorority should not be the end-all-be-all as to who you choose to be a fan of.  School and athletics (as stated above) are two separate things.  If you grew up a UM fan and went to MSU and became a rabid Sparty fan great.  That's your choice.  I am happy for you.  If you grew up a Michigan fan and went to MSU and stayed a Wolverine fan that's wonderful too.  You go to a school because it presents the best opportunity to better your quality of life.  Not to become a fan.  I went to Western Michigan University.  Great business school, fun atmosphere, had some of the best times of my life there.  How many WMU games do I watch every year.  Maybe 1 or 2.  Not the team I grew up with.  Go ask a fellow Sparty who ended up at CMU or EMU if they switched their colors *crickets*  Same goes for where you live.  I moved to Chicago because it presented a better opportunity professionally.  Do I cheer for Chicago teams?  Um no and NEVER will.  It's all the same.  I grew up a Michigan fan as well as a Detroit fan and will continue to do so no matter where life takes me.  That's what fans do.  That's the idea behind it.

In conclusion, Spartan fans need to retire the "Walmart Wolverine" battle cry.  It's incredibly played out and really makes them look like ignorant sports fans.  Yes UM has a lot of fans that were not fortunate enough to go to school there, but so does MSU...and Alabama...and LSU...and Notre Dame...and Texas...and Oklahoma.  Sports and school are separate.  Most of us picked our favorite teams, college and pro, at a very young age.  The true fans stick to their guns through good times and bad.  Not when it is the cool and trendy thing to do.  I have always been, and always will be, a Michigan Wolverine fan.  If that makes me a "Walmart Wolverine" then so be it.  Whatever helps Sparty sleep better at night.  GO BLUE!! 

Monday, July 16, 2012

For Tigers: Time To Be Big Boys

It feels good to say the Tigers won 7 out of 8 games (should have been 8 out of 8) doesn't it?  It is the first time this year we can say that.  The bats are coming alive (FINALLY) by getting contributions from players not named Jackson, Cabrera, or Fielder, Fister appears to be back on track, and the defense has tightened up some.  It feels good.  Take it all in...until 7PM ET tonight when they face off against the Angels which begins, what I like to call, Big Boy School.

Beating the Twins, Royals, and Orioles felt nice.  It kept the team within 3.5 games of first place, it got numerous players who were struggling on track, and it served as a much-needed confidence boost for a team that has underachieved.  However, beating up on bad teams is expected for good teams.  It is the bare minimum.  Now it is time to see if they can really make a surge and win this division.  Tonight they start an almost month long gauntlet that consists of the Angels, White Sox, Indians, Blue Jays, Red Sox, Yankees, and Rangers.  Big Boy School.  There is no sugar coating this.  This stretch will probably decide their ultimate destination come October.  By destination I mean either the baseball field or the La-Z-Boy eating Cheesy Poofs.  And don't kid yourself, they will need to come out of this stretch above .500.  The Southsiders don't appear to be tanking anytime soon so it will be up to the Tigers to show they belong in the playoffs.  Nobody is going to do it for them.  They must do it themselves.


The trade deadline is quickly approaching.  However, there is no fix-all move to be made and if there were, the Tigers do not have the pieces to make such a deal.  We also cannot take to the bank that Martinez will be back in time to make a difference let alone in top form.  They may be able to make a small move to help such as acquiring Marco Scutaro to fill the black  hole that is 2B, but no trade is going to suddenly make this team world beaters.  They must grind it out on their own with what they have, and it starts tonight.

There still are a couple concerns that could cripple the Tigers.  As mentioned above, the 2B position continues to be underwhelming to put it nicely.  Their best option still seems to play Santiago every night but Leyland still seems reluctant to do so.  That will be a situation worth keeping an eye on. 

Jose Valverde blew his 4th save on Saturday night which wasted a valiant effort by the Tigers in which they battled back down 3 in the 9th only to see Papa Grande fail to hold on in the 11th.  Even when he does save a game it is dicey and never comfortable.  All you need to look at is his 4.06 ERA.  Every appearance he makes you can almost guarantee 2 base runners.  That has to stop and he has to become reliable in order for the Tigers to come out of this stretch alive.  If not, Leyland may have to take a serious look at closing games with Benoit or Dotel.  He simply must get better for this team to have a chance.


Lastly, Scherzer continues to be completely unpredictable.  After several very good outings, he gave up 4 runs on Saturday before you had a chance to finish your first beer.  Some nights he appears unhittable and a very solid #2.  Some nights he looks close to a Toledo demotion.  In this next month the Tigers will need at a minimum 3 dependable starters.  Those will most likely have to be Verlander, Fister, and Scherzer.  The teams they are about to face smash the baseball.  If these 3 starters are not on their game it is going to be very difficult to imagine the Tigers being in the race come mid August.

The Tigers appear to be righting the ship.  They beat up on some bad teams.  Hopefully, they now have some confidence to go out and play some real baseball against some real contenders.  If they come out of this on the plus side (and I mean more than 1 or 2 games) they could very well be on their way to fall baseball or at least in great position to do so.  If they do not, I think the writing is on the wall in big bold letters.  If you think I am exaggerating simply take into account the fact that they have 9 games vs. the teams they are chasing (Tribe and Chisox).  Those are big swing games.  The beginning of the end, good or bad, starts tonight.  Get used to it and strap on your seat belts.  It is going to be a crazy ride regardless of what happens.  This year's Tigers wouldn't have it any other way.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

The Wings Will Do Something...RIGHT?

We are now 10 days removed from the beginning of free agency and a week removed from the Parise/Suter nuclear bomb and I have finally calmed down enough to write a post that will not be laced with profanity and absolute doom and gloom.  Good for me.  So here it goes mother...eh...almost slipped there...breathe...woooosssahhhh...OK better...

Zach Parise, and more importantly, Ryan Suter, chose Minnesota over Detroit.  It's done.  It's over.  Can't change it.  Time to move on.  Regardless if the decisions were strictly based on family, or if Kenny low-balled them (Suter did get $8MM more from the Wild), or a combo meal, what's done is done.  The Red Wings still have glaring holes in the lineup, especially on defense, that must be filled in order to even entertain thoughts of being a serious contender or, gulp, make the playoffs.  Moves must be made.  Ken Holland and Co. will make the necessary moves to keep the Red Wings among the elite...won't they?

It's obvious the Wings' brass were putting all of their eggs in Ryan Suter's basket.  They must have been pretty confident he would sign.  Well, he didn't and the plan B (Wideman), C (Garrison), and D (Carle) all signed elsewhere and it appears The Red Wings did not make any attempts to hedge their bets.  According to all the internet rumors leading up to July 1, their name was rarely mentioned with anyone but Suter or Parise.  Maybe it was because they felt Suter was the only player worthy of big time cash.  Be it as it may, they have a boatload of cash to shop with and the store is picked over.  They are indeed in a tough spot that will take creativity to get out of.  Maybe the rumblings of possible trades for Yandle (preferred) or Bouwmeester (eh) are true.  Perhaps they are working on a trade that will surprise us all.  Whatever the case may be, something has to be done to bolster the once elite blue line that is now a black hole.  Holland is normally very apprehensive to deal important roster players.  He may no longer have a choice. 

Parise was their secondary target and was probably a long shot to begin with.  Fine.  But the fact remains Babcock has screamed for help in the top 6 up front and he has not received it.  He has made it obvious he craves a true scorer to play with Datsyuk.  Sorry, Samuelsson and Tootoo are not going to cut it and Brunner is very much unproven.  One of the teams biggest flaws last year was its inconsistent powerplay, scoring, and clutch goal scoring.  Nothing has been done as of yet to say with any confidence this will not be the case next year.  The competition will be heavy for Shane Doan (and some team will probably be willing to "overspend" unlike Holland) and Semin appears to be heading to Pittsburgh depending on what you read.  After those two are gone there is really nothing left on the market via free agency.  There have been rumors that the Wings may trade for Bobby Ryan or Rick Nash.  Had they secured a top-pairing defenseman they may have had that luxury.  I would think that if Kenny is going to part with big pieces of the roster, it will be for a defenseman.  The best bet would be to "overspend" for Doan or Semin but that is not Kenny's style.  Once again, is there really a choice here?

The last outcome could be that Ken Holland once again will hoard the cash and wait for the trade deadline and/or next summer's free agency.  This will be tough to swallow because that is exactly what he did last year which did not sit very well with many fans.  God only knows how people will react if that is what Kenny will try to sell to the media come late summer/fall.  "There was not a fit" probably will not be acceptable this year.


The bottom line is the same team that got bounced in 5 games in the first round has gotten tangibly worse mostly because of the retirement of Nick Lidstrom.  The team has more money available than they have had in years and failed to bring in the big fish.  It is time to be creative, and above all aggressive.  The perception is already that Holland is being too passive and has already had a disaster of an offseason.  He definitely has time to change that perception with a couple of bold moves even if he must "overpay."  From some of the comments he has recently said to the media, I am getting more and more nervous there will not be any bold moves.  However, I keep telling myself that we should be patient and have faith in a GM that has been one of the most successful in all of sports.  I keep saying that he will surprise us all and do what is necessary to keep the Wings among the elite.  We have to believe he will do SOMETHING...right?  If not, the Red Wings will truly be a mediocre hockey team for the first time in over two decades.  Mediocre is not something that is accepted in Detroit.  We may have to prepare ourselves to accept it for at least one year.  Stay tuned...



Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Pending Suter Deal, So far So Good for Wings

To break up the constant Twitter refreshing in anticipation for the Suter and Parise decisions, I wanted to take some time to look at the moves Ken Holland has made up until this point.  As we know, on the first day of free agency, the Wings added goaltender Jonus Gustavsson, agitating forward Jordin Tootoo, and brought back a familiar face in Mikael Samuelsson (not mentioning the Swiss star Brunner at this time because we do not know for certain if he will make the big club).  They also saw polarizing forward Jiri Hudler leave for Calgary.  As a whole, I am pleased with the moves thus far with the assumption they are only the beginning to a BIG offseason.  Let's take a look at each move shall we?

Jonus Gustavsson signed with the Red Wings for a 2-year $3MM contract.  Gustavsson signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs back in 2009 out of Sweden with a lot of hype.  He was thought to be the goalie of the future for the Leafs.  His tenure with he team was doomed from the start when he was found to have a heart condition that required surgery on the first day of training camp.  He went on to have a couple other minor heart episodes that caused him to miss time along with a groin strain.  After these multiple setbacks, his career never really got off the ground in Toronto.  Health issues aside, a lot had to do with the fact that the Leafs are awful.  No goalie could have sustained success there with the team they put out.  Fast forward to the present day, he supposedly is passed the heart issues and ready to get his career on track.  The Wings brought him in because they like his size (6'2", 192 lbs) and his athleticism.  It also shows they are not confident that MacDonald's back will hold out for the season.  "The Monster" will provide a solid backup for Jimmy Howard who will need the relief in order to be fresh for the playoffs and avoid injury.  Ken Holland also says he expects him to push Howard.  I believe for this reason, along with the small contract, this was a very good signing.

I am in the minority on this, but I am a fan of the 2-year, $3.8MM contract the Wings signed Jordin Tootoo for.  The Wings needed a (insert your expletive here).  They needed their modern day Kirk Maltby.  A guy that will throw his body around and get dirty.  A guy that will get under the other teams' skin.  They needed a guy with some more grit in their bottom six.  Tootoo provides this.  He is not an offensive dynamo but he can chip in now and then.  The Wings went out of their "comfort zone" according to Holland which is great.  It's about time!  Possible bottom six targets for the team, Paul Gaustad and Brandon Prust, both were paid substantially more, $3.25MM and $2.5MM per year respectively, and for 4-year contracts.  Tootoo's contract is more in line with what I feel a likely 4th liner should be paid.  The last 2 seasons have been rough as he had been dealing with a few injuries and alcohol abuse issues.  Apparently those days are behind him and he is ready to get his career back on track.  In my opinion, it addresses a big need for the team for cheap and is an upgrade over both Emmerton and Mursak.  Another plus for Kenny.


The one move I am not overly thrilled with but am somewhat warming up to is bringing back former Red Wing Mikael Samuelsson on a 2-year, $6MM dollar deal.  Look, I have criticized Kenny a lot in the past for his tendency to bring back old Wings.  I have also criticized Samuelsson in his days with the Wings for multiple things.  But the more I think about this deal, especially since Hudler was not brought back (more on this later), the more I get it and can live with it IF a legit top 6 forward is brought in.  The Wings powerplay last year was very mediocre by being ranked 22nd in the league.  One big reason is there was nobody on the team minus Franzen who wants to shoot the puck.  They pass the puck around like the Harlem Globe Trotters and waste precious powerplay seconds to find themselves with one shot.  If there is one thing Sammy will bring to the table, it is that he will shoot the puck whenever he has the chance.  Shoot, shoot, shoot.  That's what he does.  And his shot is not that bad either.  He also brings more size than Hudler (6'2", 220lbs) which allows him to hold on to the puck more, he can win battles in the corners (unlike Hudler), is a better skater, and will throw a hit every now and then.  He is getting up there in age but as long as this proves to be a depth signing and not our top 6 acquisition, then I can live with it as Hudler's upgrade, which for reasons mentioned, he is just that.


My favorite move is the fact that Ken Holland did not pay Jiri Hudler the 4-year $16MM contract that Calgary gave him.  That is a vast overpayment for Hudler.  Sorry.  That is a lot of money for  bit player who's stats were inflated by playing with Hank and Filppula (in a contract year), is small, weak, cannot skate, does not win corner battles, is easily knocked off of the puck, and apparently is not a favorite in the locker room due to his lack of consistent effort.  My opinion is that he will fall back to the 10-15 goal mark in Calgary and they will be highly disappointed with the acquisition.  Typical Ken Holland would have paid him what he wanted and to bring him back.  He did not.  Thank you Kenny!!!


As stated above, I am basically happy with the Moves Ken Holland has made so far AS LONG AS THEY ARE NOT DONE, which it is obvious they are not with the developments of their pursuits of Ryan Suter and Zach Parise.  However, if they strike out on both, they better have contingency plans.  If they could pull off the Rick Nash trade (they are rumored to be serious players) or make a similar trade, as well as bring in Suter and what they have already done, this summer is a success.