That was a shitty game. Can't put it more succinctly than that. At this point, every Wing player could sell his soul to the devil and STILL not get a goal. There is something wrong and the powers that be better figure it out--and fast. This season is going into the dumper and things need to change.
I'm still thinking all of the problems started with signing Hossa last year. Now hear me out. I was very happy when he came to the Wings--after all, he was the most wanted signing of the off season and Detroit got him. Who wouldn't be happy? But after a couple of months, things didn't feel right to me. True, the team still won and made it to game 7 of the finals, but everything felt just a little bit off throughout the year. I think he messed up the chemistry that the players had from the year before--and they still haven't gotten it back. Not that they CAN get it back with all of the defections and injuries. I don't know what, if anything, can be done to get everything right again--but if things don't change, there will be no playoffs for the Wings this year.
I'm so depressed.
Showing posts with label Hossa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hossa. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
The Smile Is Getting Bigger
When I read yesterday that Hossa had a small tear of the rotator cuff, I smiled. Not that I want him to be hurt, mind you, just that this seemed to be a small bit of payback for the way Chicago screwed the Wings. Today the smile definitely got bigger when it was announced that he would, after all, have surgery to repair the damage and would miss the first two months of the season. Whoa! Let the imploding begin?
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Little Gary HAS To Be Thrilled
I can imagine Little Gary sitting behind a very large desk--well, considering what a very small man he is, it wouldn't have to be THAT big--rubbing his hands together and cackling like the Wicked Witch of the West. Since 1 July, he has seen five of the Wings leave and the Hudler situation just made everything a bit more uncomfortable. Losing five players should have been the prize for Red Wing haters, but the league decided it wasn't enough. Despite the Wings NOT arguing Hudler's decision to go to Russia to play, the NHL has stepped in and said he's not allowed to do so--that he is still under contract to the Wings and he can't leave. And so the situation just gets worse for the Wings.
First, if Hudler is forced to come back to Detroit, just how effective of a player will he be? He WANTED to leave and the team he was going to was giving him BIG bucks to play for them. Now, we're talking about $2 mil more per year TAX FREE to play in Russia. THAT is quite an incentive, for sure. And something NO ONE wants to have taken away from them. Would he be able to put aside his disappointment and play as well as he is able if he is forced to stay in Detroit? And would he be satisfied with his role on the team? He said that playing in Russia would increase his on-ice minutes--something ALL players crave--and that he would have a leadership role on the team--something that wouldn't happen on the Wings. NOT a good situation for the team, at all.
And now, with this whole league-contesting-Hudler's-Russian-contract deal going on, Holand's hands are tied when it comes to adding anyone to the team. Without knowing if he has to work in Hudler's salary, Holland can't sign anyone because he has no idea how much money he has to work with. The Wings were willing to let Hudler go, so why should the league make a big deal out of it? (Yeah, yeah, there is the whole bit about future players, etc, etc, etc. Whatever.) It seems as if this is just one more thing that the conspiracy theorists can point to when they talk about the hate Bettman and the league have for the Wings.
For the amount that the Wings would probably have to pay Hudler--in the $3 mil per year area, I would imagine--I say "Let him go!" Filppula is getting $3 mil a year and Cleary is getting $2.8 mil--and Hudler is NOT worth as much as either one of them. Too much money for too little talent. And despite VF's and Cleary's not-as-good-as-hoped season last year, I think both will step it up a lot with Hossa being gone. They both will add minutes and be expected to do better. Hudler is not needed--especially a Hudler that doesn't want to be on the team.
First, if Hudler is forced to come back to Detroit, just how effective of a player will he be? He WANTED to leave and the team he was going to was giving him BIG bucks to play for them. Now, we're talking about $2 mil more per year TAX FREE to play in Russia. THAT is quite an incentive, for sure. And something NO ONE wants to have taken away from them. Would he be able to put aside his disappointment and play as well as he is able if he is forced to stay in Detroit? And would he be satisfied with his role on the team? He said that playing in Russia would increase his on-ice minutes--something ALL players crave--and that he would have a leadership role on the team--something that wouldn't happen on the Wings. NOT a good situation for the team, at all.
And now, with this whole league-contesting-Hudler's-Russian-contract deal going on, Holand's hands are tied when it comes to adding anyone to the team. Without knowing if he has to work in Hudler's salary, Holland can't sign anyone because he has no idea how much money he has to work with. The Wings were willing to let Hudler go, so why should the league make a big deal out of it? (Yeah, yeah, there is the whole bit about future players, etc, etc, etc. Whatever.) It seems as if this is just one more thing that the conspiracy theorists can point to when they talk about the hate Bettman and the league have for the Wings.
For the amount that the Wings would probably have to pay Hudler--in the $3 mil per year area, I would imagine--I say "Let him go!" Filppula is getting $3 mil a year and Cleary is getting $2.8 mil--and Hudler is NOT worth as much as either one of them. Too much money for too little talent. And despite VF's and Cleary's not-as-good-as-hoped season last year, I think both will step it up a lot with Hossa being gone. They both will add minutes and be expected to do better. Hudler is not needed--especially a Hudler that doesn't want to be on the team.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
On Further Thought
Quite the day and so much to think about. Next season will be interesting, to say the least.
I didn't think that Hossa would re-sign with the Wings--and I was perfectly okay with that. My one regret is that I would have liked to have seen Hossa and Filppula on the same line for all of last season. I think those two could have developed a chemistry that would have been unbelievable. But, Babcock is so insistent on separating Datsyuk and Zetterberg--it is a blind spot with the man. Oh, well, that is something that didn't and won't happen, so I must move on. And I was okay with all of this--until Hossa signed with Chicago. I still find it hard to absorb that news. This really takes away most of the 'good luck, been nice knowing you' feelings that I had for him.
Even though the Wings have lost three players--so far--they aren't that much different from the team that won the Cup on '08. I know that in an intellectual way. But, in my heart I am not too confident about next season. I'm sure I will feel differently about a month in, but until then I will do a lot of worrying. The depth is there and it was apparent during the playoffs that the guys from Grand Rapids ARE ready to make the jump, but still I worry. With Conklin gone, I worry about the goal tending. He really helped save the team while Ozzie was having his problems--I wish he would have stayed. Kopecky leaving doesn't bother me at all--if nothing else, I think Abdelkator could replace him. But it won't matter that much if he stays in GR for another year.
Now we just sit and wait to see how many more will leave--and IF Holland signs anyone new. At least, there should be some salary relief with Hossa leaving. I'm hoping that the wheeling and dealing that Bettman has done over the years to cause the Wings to fall, isn't finally going to become a reality.
I wonder if I actually could live with myself if I ever became an optimist?
I didn't think that Hossa would re-sign with the Wings--and I was perfectly okay with that. My one regret is that I would have liked to have seen Hossa and Filppula on the same line for all of last season. I think those two could have developed a chemistry that would have been unbelievable. But, Babcock is so insistent on separating Datsyuk and Zetterberg--it is a blind spot with the man. Oh, well, that is something that didn't and won't happen, so I must move on. And I was okay with all of this--until Hossa signed with Chicago. I still find it hard to absorb that news. This really takes away most of the 'good luck, been nice knowing you' feelings that I had for him.
Even though the Wings have lost three players--so far--they aren't that much different from the team that won the Cup on '08. I know that in an intellectual way. But, in my heart I am not too confident about next season. I'm sure I will feel differently about a month in, but until then I will do a lot of worrying. The depth is there and it was apparent during the playoffs that the guys from Grand Rapids ARE ready to make the jump, but still I worry. With Conklin gone, I worry about the goal tending. He really helped save the team while Ozzie was having his problems--I wish he would have stayed. Kopecky leaving doesn't bother me at all--if nothing else, I think Abdelkator could replace him. But it won't matter that much if he stays in GR for another year.
Now we just sit and wait to see how many more will leave--and IF Holland signs anyone new. At least, there should be some salary relief with Hossa leaving. I'm hoping that the wheeling and dealing that Bettman has done over the years to cause the Wings to fall, isn't finally going to become a reality.
I wonder if I actually could live with myself if I ever became an optimist?
Sunday, June 28, 2009
News Is Coming Out
Ansar Khan at mlive.com quoted Ken Holland today as saying it isn't looking real good for Hossa to be back in Detroit next season. The Wings want a cap hit of $4 million and Hossa's agent is looking for a number around $6 million. NOT going to happen in Detroit. Also, the Wings are NOT going to offer a contract to Ty Conklin. Tomas Kopecky is going to try to see if another club wants him and Samuelsson probably will be offered a deal, especially if Hossa falls through. However, Sammy might see what he could get elsewhere. Qualifying offers have been made to Hudler and Leino, so they're safe.
It is getting really hard to imagine Hossa re-signing in Detroit. And if (when?) he goes, I don't know that I will feel terrible about it. He came for a reason and never said he was staying for the long haul--even though he HAS said he would like to stay, it always felt a little like a short-term experiment. I say good luck, it's been nice knowing you, and no hard feelings. Hossa's leaving will give a lot of exciting options for the Wings.
I don't know if Samuelsson and Kopecky leaving will be that terrible, either. For their sakes, I hope they find other teams where they can fit in and adapt. Too many times we see players who don't play well with other teams, but shine brightly with the Wings--and I hope they get good fits. Neither was a star with the Wings, but it always--well, almost always (*cough* Bertuzzi *cough*)--is sad to see a player leave.
I really, REALLY hate to see Ty Conklin leave. He is such a cutie (yes, that's me being female) and he really stepped up and saved the team when Ozzie was having problems. I was hoping that the Wings would finally cut their ties to Howard, but it doesn't look like that is going to happen. I certainly hope this isn't going to be a mistake. But, then, Holland doesn't make many mistakes, so I have to trust that he knows what he is doing.
It is getting really hard to imagine Hossa re-signing in Detroit. And if (when?) he goes, I don't know that I will feel terrible about it. He came for a reason and never said he was staying for the long haul--even though he HAS said he would like to stay, it always felt a little like a short-term experiment. I say good luck, it's been nice knowing you, and no hard feelings. Hossa's leaving will give a lot of exciting options for the Wings.
I don't know if Samuelsson and Kopecky leaving will be that terrible, either. For their sakes, I hope they find other teams where they can fit in and adapt. Too many times we see players who don't play well with other teams, but shine brightly with the Wings--and I hope they get good fits. Neither was a star with the Wings, but it always--well, almost always (*cough* Bertuzzi *cough*)--is sad to see a player leave.
I really, REALLY hate to see Ty Conklin leave. He is such a cutie (yes, that's me being female) and he really stepped up and saved the team when Ozzie was having problems. I was hoping that the Wings would finally cut their ties to Howard, but it doesn't look like that is going to happen. I certainly hope this isn't going to be a mistake. But, then, Holland doesn't make many mistakes, so I have to trust that he knows what he is doing.
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