WingNut722

@yave1964  It will be a shame to see Cleary go.  I was always a big fan.  He brought something to the table that is never listed on the statistic sheet - leadership and work ethic.  Next to Holmstrom, Cleary was a monster in front of the net, followed closely by Franzen.  Now it seems Franzen will bear the brunt of the net-front presence and will have to train others to do so.  All sings point to a fairly healthy Darren Helm by the beginning of the season, however he hasn't played professional hockey in over a year so it will take him a long time to oil the joints and get back up to speed, literally and figuratively.  

Weiss has to stay healthy and so does Alfie, otherwise this whole thing is blown.  Not to mention Samuelsson and Bertuzzi.  Who knows what they're capable of or what kind of shape their in.  They could be in for a career-high season, or a complete bust.  Holland has to be ready to come the trade deadline.  This has to be the biggest "wait-and-see" situation Detroit has faced in the last five years.  

Let's drop the puck already....

@jammer2

If Lidstrom doesn't skate in the Olympics, you can always see him in the alumni game during the Winter Classic festivities!

@jammer2 I'm sure they would rely very heavily on Datsyuk, Malkin, and Ovechkin to make mincemeat out of opposing goaltenders, which they're sure to do. In fact, those three could be overused, making them less effective in the later rounds when they need it the most.

@jammer2

Would you have Alfie in for say, Gustav Nyquist? Or Alexander Steen? Even if he were on a lower line, I think he could still contribute more than these two (which isn't negative about them, just that they lack overall experience).

Bonus question...Do you think Nicklas Lidstrom would be involved at all with this team?

@jammer2 Not a whole lot of difference on D between this team and the team from Vancouver. And of course, in front of Bryz, they finished 6th. I see little improvement in front, with the exception of adding Nail Yakupov, but you're right, Bobrovski is going to make or break this team. However, count on the X-Factor being the home crowd. That alone could put them in medal contention.

@jammer2 Looks good to me. The thing that jumps out at me is the absence of Alfie. Do you think he deserves a shot?

This is the list of players invited to summer Olympic camp for team Russia.

Goalies: Konstantin Barulin, Sergei Bobrovski, Vasily Koschechkin, Evgeni Nabokov, Semyon Varlamov

Defensemen: Evgeny Biryukov, Denis Denisov, Alexi Emelin, Sergei Gonchar, Andrei Markov, Evgeny Medvedev, Nikita, Nikitin, Ilya Nikulin, Evgeny Ryasensky, Fedor Tyutin, Anton Volchenkov, Slava Voynov

Forwards: Artem Anisimov, Pavel Datsyuk, Denis Kokarev, Ilya Kovalchuk, Nikolai Kulemin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Evgeni Malkin, Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Perezhogin, Alexander Popov, Alexander Radulov, Alexander Semin, Vadim Shipachev, Vladimir Tarasenko, Alexei Tereshchenko, Viktor Tikhonov, Mikhail Varnakov, Nail Yakupov

If you were organizing the team which 12 forwards, 6 d-men and 2 goalies would you choose? Who would play together on lines?

About half of these names currently play in the KHL, If you think others not invited to camp should be on the team, add them and explain why.

In helping HF101 with the Olympic discussion...This is the list of players invited to summer Olympic camp for team Sweden.

Goalies: Jhonas Enroth, Viktor Fasth, Robin Lehner, Henrik Lundqvist

Defensemen: Jonas Brodin, Alexander Edler, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Jonathan Ericsson, Nicklas Grossman, Erik Gustafsson, Victor Hedman, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Erik Karlsson, Niklas Kronwall, Douglas Murray, Johnny Oduya, Henrik Tallinder

Forwards: Patrik Berglund, Nick;as Backstrom, Jimmie Ericsson, Loui Eriksson, Johan Franzen, Carl Hagelin, Patric Hornqvist, Marcus Johansson, Marcus Kruger, Gabriel Landeskog, Oscar Lindberg, Joel Lundqvist, Gustav Nyquist, Niklas Persson, Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin, Alexander Steen, Henrik Zetterberg

If you were organizing the team which 12 forwards, 6 d-men and 2 goalies would you choose? Who would play together on lines?

If you think others not invited to camp should be on the team, add them and explain why.

I like the fact Hitch is back as an asst. coach, they added Claude Julien also....but Lindy Ruff??? Really???

I guess Bruce Boudreau can't make it....

@Haliax When will the spaceship arrive to pick us up?

@yave1964 @Haliax

Would the two of you like to be alone for a while?

@hf101

The whole rivalry night thing is a good idea, just make the games rivalries of the present or the past.....not a made up marketing gimmick to fake Detroit and Buffalo into thinking there has ever been a rivalry between the Wings and Sabres.

I think they were on the right track with this last year. And I'd say....4 out of 5 times, they were right in getting an established rivalry on TV, at least to some degree, But the schedule has to agree with it though. If there's no marquis match-up that particular night, they'll throw anything on there.

I guess what they need to remember is that if you don't have an established rivalry playing that evening, just put on the Penguins game...everybody hates them!

Because they are trying to gain new hockey fans to grow the sport.

Riiiiight...because........... Wait, you lost me.... :wacko:

If we want to talk about the re-alignment, it will always be weird to me that Florida and Tampa Bay are in the same division as the Wings/Habs/Leafs/Sens etc. It has to be purely to try and increase interest in those 2 franchises.

A number of folks have speculated over the years that the biggest reason for including the Florida teams with the northern teams is due to the large amounts of retirees and "Snowbirds" from the urban centers in the north. The NHL is trying to cash in on those fans who rarely have an opportunity to see their teams live.

By the way @Digityman, for my part...stupid names. Why do they have to be "sterile" like the other sports? What was so wrong with naming them after hallowed hockey legends of yester-year?

@flyerrod is right. The League has been, however misguided it's efforts might be, to generate more viewership overall. The Olympics are a unique opportunity to showcase the players, talent, action, and gamesmanship to a massive audience on prime networks in prime timeslots. I can't imagine why they wouldn't jump at that chance at every opportunity. Stick to your business plan, already

The 2013-2014 NHL Regular Season schedule was due to be released this past Wednesday. However, according to a statement issued by Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, the schedule has been held up due to the still-open question of whether the NHL will allow its players to participate in the games, requiring a two-week break in the middle of February.

The MLB has pulled its players from competition and the NBA is considering likewise due to the possibility of injuries suffered during the games that would hamper their performance in their professional leagues.

This drives me nuts because the NHL has been disputing this question since the last games in Vancouver, almost four years ago. I know I don't have the whole story and I'm sure there must be more to it, but why has this question gone unanswered?

I say we vote now submit our decision and comments directly to the NHL.... Well...maybe not.

However, some of us Red Wing fans are trying to plan our trips to Boston and Montreal this season!!

@yave1964

So figure by the end of this coming season:

Bertuzzi and Samuelsson are gone

Alfie retires

Tootoo is gone, either by trade or buyout

That leaves forwards looking like this:

Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Abdelkader

XXXX-Weiss-Franzen

Miller-Helm-Eaves

XXXX-Emmerton-XXXXX

Fill the voids with Tatar, Nyquist, and a combination of Ferraro/Sheahan, depending on NHL-readiness. That leaves no room to pick up a top-6 forward at free agency next summer. Not sure that even Nyquist is ready to step into that role yet. Eaves would have to be traded, to allow a younger candidate to move up. Having so many hot prospects is good for dealing too. Can't expect all of them to don the Red-and-White

I won't disagree with the fact that Cleary has redeeming qualities, but I do think that his effectiveness has come to the point where he is replaceable by a younger player. At some point you need to make room for prospects, and I think the time is now. Tatar needs a permanent spot on this team. It's wasted talent otherwise.

There can be more room in the roster for both. Personally, I'd much rather have Dan Cleary than Patrick Eaves, or even Cory Emmerton (despite his filling in for Darren Helm. Jordin Tootoo also ended being a redundancy further in the season. Tatar and Gus will definitely have their time. Keep in mind that this is Alfie's last year, so another spot opens next season automatically.

I don't really want to see Cleary back on the team. I appreciate what he has done for us up until this season, but I don't see room for him on the roster anymore. We have too many young players that look good enough to be on the roster. I think that Tatar could more than replace Cleary.

Though his numbers haven't been stellar lately, I've always seen Dan Cleary as a solid workhorse on that team. He leads by example, he grinds hard, he's in front of the net, he's chasing pucks. He's a huge leadership influence on the team just by his work ethic. I think that's the value of keeping Dan Cleary around. Granted, he'll probably hang 'em up in a few years, and by them Tomas Tatar will be in a permanent role.

@Haliax

I welcome you as well! Are numbers are beginning to swell! Maybe we'll overtake all the Flyers fans on this Board! Maybe not...

Echoing others, good post. The other "bonus" benefit to have Alfie on the team, which was pointed out by @hf101 is that come February, he's gotten half a season's worth of chemistry with the better part of the Swedish Olympic team. He might be just blessed enough to have his swan song include a Stanley Cup AND a gold medal.

I have also been wondering why Holland hasn't used the second buyout option. He's always been known to reserve his funds and options until a sure bet comes along, but he's been eagerly trying to move some staff around to make room for Danny Cleary. Cleary wants back in too, and reportedly turned down a higher offer from Dallas to stay a Red Wing. Holland's got another month or so to negotiate prior to training camp, but it seems that he'll use the buyout if he runs out of time. It seems likely that he's trying to deal any combination of Tootoo, Eaves, and Emmerton to clear up some cap space. But if nobody bites, he'll likely buy out Tootoo.

@yave1964 took all the easy ones :-)

I like Vancouver's Mattress Line of Daniel and Henrik Sedin with Jason King (Two twins and a king)

Then of course there's "Two Kids and an Old Goat" Detroit, Brett Hull, with Pavel Datsyuk and Boyd Devereaux/Henrik Zetterberg

@SpikeDDS

@jammer2

I love reading these threads....such good conversation an discussion. Let me add a few current updates from the front office. Brunner will likely not be back. He's asking too much money. He's asking for at least three years and $3.5MM per season. That's too much to ask for someone who had one inconsistent season.

Dan Cleary wants to return very much. It's rumored he was offered a bigger contract by Dallas but he turned it down because he wants to play in Detroit. Ken Holland wants him back too, but needs to make room in the bankroll. He's on the phones trying to deal out some players, likely Eaves, Tootoo, and/or Samuelsson. But the question is, Holland still has one compliance buyout that he can use, but hasn't? Why?

Either Cleary isn't that great of an asset, or he's hanging onto that buyout for next summer...like maybe if Weiss is a lemon.

Sorry...couldn't resist!

Doug Murray would work but I think if we can get Brunner back and buy out/trade Eaves and Samuelsson, there will be room for him. Then The blue line is adequate. The Rd Wings become an offensive force like Chicago was last year

As of July 5 at 4:00 pm, the answer to your original question is YES!