GDT: Buffalo Sabres @ Red Wings - 7:30 EST

[Dotter]

You said it never happens in this sport. It's already happened to Holland. he had a 70+ point player pick up the phone and say I want to play for your team.

And Kenny Holland worked the numbers and signed him. Exactly what I said he could/would do. Though I personally don't consider Hossa a "unicorn", but for arguments sake. Kenny got it done regardless.

EDIT:

Now if Panthers call and offered Aaron Ekblad and KH couldn't work the numbers, that is the unicorn missed I am talking about. But you and I both know that'll never happen; hence unicorn.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

And Kenny Holland worked the numbers and signed him. Exactly what I said he could/would do. Though I personally don't consider Hossa a "unicorn", but for arguments sake. Kenny got it done regardless.

EDIT:

Now if Panthers call and offered Aaron Ekblad and KH couldn't work the numbers, that is the unicorn missed I am talking about. But you and I both know that'll never happen; hence unicorn.

Your goal posts are moving all over the place.

You said unicorns never happen in this league. Hossa was a unicorn. It happened. Holland was able to sign him because it was only one season and he had the cap room. He actually couldn't get Hossa to agree to more years in part because Holland's multi-year offers weren't competitive.

But I'm not talking about the cap issues then, I'm talking now. And the very obviously have Wings have them and they have negative consequences.

 

[theYman]

Where's the GDT for today's game?

 

[HockeyinHD]

But I'm not talking about the cap issues then, I'm talking now. And the very obviously have Wings have them and they have negative consequences.

Enh. This year Detroit will have Green and Mrazek off the books. 10 million. Next year they'll have Howard, Kronwall and Nyquist. Almost 15 million. The year after that it's Ericsson and Daley at almost 8 mil.

What people tend to miss when they talk about how snug Detroit's cap situation is, is that it's only snug because they spend it all every year. It's not like the cap situation 1, 2 or 3 years out is currently ominous, it's that the organization decides to spend all of their space every season anyway. Holland's always done a pretty decent job staggering the terms of his contracts to allow himself (allegedly) the flexibility to spend some real money on the team each year, resign young players, etc.

 

[obey86]

Abdelkader's ability to play both special teams units and all three forward spots is a part of his value to NHL people.

I think both Nielsen and Abdelkader will be very movable towards the end of their contracts. They have value to NHL people that isn't really looked at by our fans that want them out.

nielsen seems like the type who will age very slowly. could see him as a ~40 point player for the majority of the contract.

 

[Dotter]

Enh. This year Detroit will have Green and Mrazek off the books. 10 million. Next year they'll have Howard, Kronwall and Nyquist. Almost 15 million. The year after that it's Ericsson and Daley at almost 8 mil.

What people tend to miss when they talk about how snug Detroit's cap situation is, is that it's only snug because they spend it all every year. It's not like the cap situation 1, 2 or 3 years out is currently ominous, it's that the organization decides to spend all of their space every season anyway. Holland's always done a pretty decent job staggering the terms of his contracts to allow himself (allegedly) the flexibility to spend some real money on the team each year, resign young players, etc.

So it's not all doom and gloom and hopeless after all? Love it!

Preach it, brother!

 

[cjm502]

How many 3rd line players in the league who really play 3rd line minutes can put up 40 points in a season? I’d reckon very few. You need sufficient ice time to put up points.

EDIT:

Looked it up, last season there were only five forwards in the entire NHL who played 15 min/game or less and managed to put up 40+ points. You're kind of holding Abdelkader to a ridiculous standard.

So basically either:
A) He plays 3rd line minutes and you expect him to put up 40+ points. Basically no one in the NHL can do this as evidenced above.
or
B) He plays top 6 minutes and actually does put up 40 points but then you use it as a negative and say he has to play 3rd line minutes for 40+ points (again, which basically no players in the entire league can do).

Exactly, thanks for proving my point. He would never score 40 or get that contract playing in his role. His contract is a product of misuse and his linemates.

 

[cjm502]

I think that is what he's proposing and I find it to be a very stupid idea. No way ownership would EVER get on board with that. No way, no how! Especially after building a $1 billion state of the art arena.

No that's not what I'm proposing, you seem to have a serious problem with either putting words in peoples mouths or a reading comprehension problem.

Do you not think its easier to make trades when you have cap space? What if we wanted a 1 for 1 trade where the opposing player had a cap hit that was 1 million more? I seriously do not understand the arguments you are trying to make in any way at all, I think you are way off base dude.

 

[Dotter]

No that's not what I'm proposing, you seem to have a serious problem with either putting words in peoples mouths or a reading comprehension problem.

Do you not think its easier to make trades when you have cap space? What if we wanted a 1 for 1 trade where the opposing player had a cap hit that was 1 million more? I seriously do not understand the arguments you are trying to make in any way at all, I think you are way off base dude.

You mean like when people on this forum were calling for Ken Holland's head for not trading Mantha for Phanuef?

Yeah, we don't have the cap space for those type of deals... thank goodness!

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Enh. This year Detroit will have Green and Mrazek off the books. 10 million. Next year they'll have Howard, Kronwall and Nyquist. Almost 15 million. The year after that it's Ericsson and Daley at almost 8 mil.

What people tend to miss when they talk about how snug Detroit's cap situation is, is that it's only snug because they spend it all every year. It's not like the cap situation 1, 2 or 3 years out is currently ominous, it's that the organization decides to spend all of their space every season anyway. Holland's always done a pretty decent job staggering the terms of his contracts to allow himself (allegedly) the flexibility to spend some real money on the team each year, resign young players, etc.

What people also tend to miss is someone has to replace those players.

I agree that the cap situation gets better but your math overlooks the players brought in to fill those spots and assumes Holland doesn't spend back to the cap filling those holes. They'll need someone to pick up Green's 23 minutes a night (Look down the current roster and imagine anyone doing that). And they'll need a goaltender. And I'll be surprised if they part ways with Nyquist.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

So it's not all doom and gloom and hopeless after all? Love it!

Preach it, brother!

I never said it was any of those things.

I could've saved myself a lot of typing had a realized you were taking anything slightly critical about the team and generalizing it as "all doom and gloom and hopeless."

 

[HockeyinHD]

What people also tend to miss is someone has to replace those players.

That's not a cap problem, though, that's a reality problem... and one Holland can't rationally be blamed for. When people complain about a cap problem, their point is typically that a team has no money to spend on players. That's not what is happening here. The team has had money every year to spend on players and they've spent money every year on players. The real problem is that there haven't been good enough players available where spending the money on them or not would make an appreciable difference in the performance of the team.

In spite of that, Detroit has continued to spend all their money every year on the best players they could land, even when those best players aren't going to be good enough to make them a dominant team.

Not a cap problem.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

That's not a cap problem, though, that's a reality problem... and one Holland can't rationally be blamed for. When people complain about a cap problem, their point is typically that a team has no money to spend on players. That's not what is happening here. The team has had money every year to spend on players and they've spent money every year on players. The real problem is that there haven't been good enough players available where spending the money on them or not would make an appreciable difference in the performance of the team.

In spite of that, Detroit has continued to spend all their money every year on the best players they could land, even when those best players aren't going to be good enough to make them a dominant team.

Not a cap problem.

If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck...

 

[HockeyinHD]

If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck...

You'd call it a Tyrannosaurus Rex?

 

[Winger98]

so now we're preferring that we don't have a cap problem but a GM who doesn't have a grasp on reality problem. I feel better about this team's prospects now.