GDT: Game 1 | Detroit Red Wings @ St. Louis Blues | 8:00 PM EST | FSD (HD)

[RedWingsNow*]

You're not really that out of touch, are you?

I should be more like you and pretend I understand what Pavel Datsyuk wants from life.
Then, when others suggest there might be other options, I should just accuse them of being "out of touch."

Nobody knows what Pavel will do. Nobody knows if he wants to stay in the NHL or return to the KHL. Nobody knows what he'd do if he became a UFA.

He certainly wasn't easy to sign as an RFA.

12 months from now, when negotiations with the Wings start, maybe the Wings suck and there's turmoil in the dressing room.

Maybe he'd go play with Ovie or Kovalchuk.

You just keep on pretending you know. That's the way the way to go.

 

[RedWingsNow*]

Nah, ain't happening.

Ah, Fugu with her crystal ball.

 

[RedWingsNow*]

I'm actually glad we're having a season; it lets a take a year off of all our contracts and puts us a year closer to a true rebuild. Imagine if they had tolled the contracts forward a year; we'd be stuck with this crap until 2015.

I can't believe Holland actually expected Tootoo\Samuelsson\Bertuzzi would be better than Nyquist, or even Tatar.

I've said it before, I'll say it again; the purse strings have been tightened for now until Mr. I gets a world series. That's why we keep trying out 900k undrafted Euros and picking over other teams garbage. That's the only explanation for the mind-boggling state of this roster.

I thought there was something to this...but going hard after Suter and Parise sort of dashes the idea...
Unless they just went hard enough for appearances

 

[RedWingsNow*]

They just dominated without even using the highest gear.

This is the team to beat at West.

And it obvious that we are in deep trouble because of lots of changes and new faces in new roles and not time to adjust for them thanks to lockout and the short trainging camp.

Babcock has a lot to think about. First of all, he should split Z and Dats immediately. Both had 0 shots together, so that's about that "chemistry". Datsyuk is just huge waste of a total line as a winger, because at by himself he could create a dangerous line with two pylons.

And why did Z took those faceoffs? he was 14% at the circle. Datsyuk took the PP faceoffs and was 83%. And he was best FO man at KHL. It should be a no-brainer that Datsyuk takes a faceoff always nevertheless the other players are on the ice.

Dats should also be the main man to have the puck and have his own line. When Z goes with Brunner, Pavel is almost useless there.

Mistakes in lines, but fixable mistakes.

Unfortunately, it seems like the eurotwin chemistry is done -- but it could come back with time. Both D and Z are maestros. They need the puck. It might be overkill to have D-Z and another puck-carrier on the same line.

I'd like to see a Bertuzzi-Datsyuk-Tootoo line for a couple weeks.

 

[RedWingsNow*]

When Mursak plays in the NHL, Mursak gets hurt....and that hasn't changed. He won't be around much longer, he can't take the physical game at this level....especially on this team.

St Louis imposed their will from the outset and Detroit had no answers. The Captain got sat on his arse, and there was no reply. Kinda sad, this team is going to be physically dominated on most nights. Nyquist or Tatar are not going to change that either. They would just be getting in line for the abuse.

I give Mursak credit.
He saw Backes coming and took the hit to make the play. I think he got a bad pass from a defenseman and was trying not to turn it over at center ice.

Also important to note that not every team is as physical as the Blues.

 

[RedWingsNow*]

Weber was actually 2nd rounder, #49 or something like that. But I agree with your point.

Tarasenko drafted 16th overall.
Last year, we traded 19thoverall for Quincey.

 

[Hckytwn]

I've said it before, I'll say it again; the purse strings have been tightened for now until Mr. I gets a world series. That's why we keep trying out 900k undrafted Euros and picking over other teams garbage. That's the only explanation for the mind-boggling state of this roster.

No, there's another explanation: Holland, ever fearful of the cap and lockout, was unwilling to compete in the FA market. Illitch didn't seem to have any trouble signing off on a huge contract to Suter, which would've stressed his pocketbook more than our capspace with all those front-loaded bonuses. It was Holland who didn't want to go higher, saying that those deals handcuff teams for years.

Holland has always talked about the cap and making cap-friendly deals. That's fine, I guess, however, that has also meant he can't compete for UFAs. He drastically underestimated how the lockout would effect the cap, not forseeing the NHL caving on a $64.5M 2013-14 cap, 2 buyouts/team and the ability to trade salary (i.e. capspace). He thought teams would get burned by those big contracts... but in reality, he's going to get burned for being too conservative.

 

[NervousPerson]

Just watched this steaming pile of garbage. The negatives were thoroughly covered so I'll just post some positives:

Ericsson had a very solid game.
Franzen was physically engaged.
For a rookie, Smith was fine.
Tootoo did what he was supposed to: lots of hits with speed and worked the puck back to the points.
Brunner was okay for his first game.

That's all I got. The rest was junk.

 

[HTT3*]

Yes, of course, there are explanations. They didn't offer Suter or Parise the most money. That's the reality.

The reality I remember is different. Parise wanted to play in Minnesota and Suter was teeter-tottering with the idea of possibly playing for Detroit until Parise called and begged him to play with him in Minny.

It wasn't all about money.

Even if Holland scored both Parise and Suter, they would have still sucked yesterday. The team wasn't ready.

 

[Bink]

Ted Kulfan @tkulfan
Ericsson hurt his shoulder going into board after stepping on puck says he is questionable for tomorrow
15 minutes ago

Woof.

 

[WingedWheel1987]

Ted Kulfan @tkulfan
Ericsson hurt his shoulder going into board after stepping on puck says he is questionable for tomorrow
15 minutes ago

Woof.

Lilja will be signed in 3.............2..........................1................

 

[Henkka]

Lilja will be signed in 3.............2..........................1................

Or Lashoff brought up, if Kindl is not ready.

 

[WingedWheel1987]

Or Lashoff brought up, if Kindl is not ready.

I am OK with that.

 

[Henkka]

Even if tatar and nyquist dont put us over the top in a game like this. They need to be getting nhl experience. See how the best teams in the nhl play firsthand

If the season is same kind of blowout like yesterday, they will get their chance. At least after the trade deadline. Then we are loading bodies out.

 

[WingedWheel1987]

You really couldnt pick a better year to have a miserable season.

Hockey gods are still giving the Wings their love.

 

[DatsyukToZetterberg]

The reality I remember is different. Parise wanted to play in Minnesota and Suter was teeter-tottering with the idea of possibly playing for Detroit until Parise called and begged him to play with him in Minny.

It wasn't all about money.

Even if Holland scored both Parise and Suter, they would have still sucked yesterday. The team wasn't ready.

I mean didn't we offer Suter 90M over 13 years? That was his top offer until Minny upped there offer to 98M over 13 years which he signed. We were right there with everyone spending wise it's just you have to be a smart spender in a Salary Cap world otherwise you get burned eventually. (Chicago of the past, Boston, and Minny next season)

 

[HTT3*]

I mean didn't we offer Suter 90M over 13 years? That was his top offer until Minny upped there offer to 98M over 13 years which he signed. We were right there with everyone spending wise it's just you have to be a smart spender in a Salary Cap world otherwise you get burned eventually. (Chicago of the past, Boston, and Minny next season)

I remember Minny gave Suter a better offer, but the deciding factor that I read was Parise called Suter.

Suter never made a counter offer to Holland... he just signed with Minny soon after Parise talked to him. I'm not sure a 13 year deal for $98 million was a wise decision.... didn't we learn anything from the Franzen contract?

 

[Hckytwn]

The reality I remember is different. Parise wanted to play in Minnesota and Suter was teeter-tottering with the idea of possibly playing for Detroit until Parise called and begged him to play with him in Minny.

It wasn't all about money.

Even if Holland scored both Parise and Suter, they would have still sucked yesterday. The team wasn't ready.

I think the bigger question is: why were we outbid?

Maybe you're right, maybe not. All I know is Minny laid down more cash than us; that's a fact.

 

[14ari13]

I did not watch the game, lucky me, but from the highlights I do not get how the Blues score 4 goals on breakaways.

 

[Winger98]

I think the bigger question is: why were we outbid?

Maybe you're right, maybe not. All I know is Minny laid down more cash than us; that's a fact.

From what I remember, Minny laid down substantially more cash, going north of $100m over the length of the deal. Suter asked them to lower it, while upping Parise's - probably to take some of the focus off himself as being the big signing.

I think there is always going to be a team desperate enough to put a stupid high offer on the table. I don't think any responsible team can go operate with a continued philosophy of just one-upping the most dumbest offer. At the same time, I think the Wings could strike a better balance between spending on some top6 level talents and filling in with kids. Our farm system is actually producing, and could probably fill in those gaps in the lower six that we're blowing $1-3m per Bert/Eaves/Cleary to fill now.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

I think the bigger question is: why were we outbid?

Maybe you're right, maybe not. All I know is Minny laid down more cash than us; that's a fact.

Did Detroit even know they were being outbid?

 

[sarcastro]

From what I remember, Minny laid down substantially more cash, going north of $100m over the length of the deal. Suter asked them to lower it, while upping Parise's - probably to take some of the focus off himself as being the big signing.

I think there is always going to be a team desperate enough to put a stupid high offer on the table. I don't think any responsible team can go operate with a continued philosophy of just one-upping the most dumbest offer. At the same time, I think the Wings could strike a better balance between spending on some top6 level talents and filling in with kids. Our farm system is actually producing, and could probably fill in those gaps in the lower six that we're blowing $1-3m per Bert/Eaves/Cleary to fill now.

I still can't understand why people are so confused by the Suter/Parise thing.

Parise was the key to the whole thing - Suter was going to go wherever Parise went and Parise wanted to go to Minnesota.

All the other stuff, the offers from Philly and whatnot, getting the Wings involved on Suter, etc - that was all bluster designed to drive the total price up on both guys. They played everybody perfectly and got exactly what they wanted.

SUTER WAS NEVER COMING TO DETROIT.

Everybody needs to stop going round and round with this delusion that there was some dollar amount out there that could have brought him in. It's unhealthy.

There. Was. No. Amount. Of. Money. That. Would. Have. Gotten. Suter.

 

[Big Poppa Puck]

I still can't understand why people are so confused by the Suter/Parise thing.

Parise was the key to the whole thing - Suter was going to go wherever Parise went and Parise wanted to go to Minnesota.

All the other stuff, the offers from Philly and whatnot, getting the Wings involved on Suter, etc - that was all bluster designed to drive the total price up on both guys. They played everybody perfectly and got exactly what they wanted.

SUTER WAS NEVER COMING TO DETROIT.

Everybody needs to stop going round and round with this delusion that there was some dollar amount out there that could have brought him in. It's unhealthy.

There. Was. No. Amount. Of. Money. That. Would. Have. Gotten. Suter.

Pretty much this. Good post.

But unfortunately it goes in one ear and out the other around here.

 

[PullHard]

I still can't understand why people are so confused by the Suter/Parise thing.

Parise was the key to the whole thing - Suter was going to go wherever Parise went and Parise wanted to go to Minnesota.

All the other stuff, the offers from Philly and whatnot, getting the Wings involved on Suter, etc - that was all bluster designed to drive the total price up on both guys. They played everybody perfectly and got exactly what they wanted.

SUTER WAS NEVER COMING TO DETROIT.

Everybody needs to stop going round and round with this delusion that there was some dollar amount out there that could have brought him in. It's unhealthy.

There. Was. No. Amount. Of. Money. That. Would. Have. Gotten. Suter.

I agree, and do not fault Holland about not landing Suter in the slightest. My problem is that he would wait until FA to try to address our biggest need, and have only one serious option in Suter. That is not a wise road to travel down.

 

[RedMenace]

I agree, and do not fault Holland about not landing Suter in the slightest. My problem is that he would wait until FA to try to address our biggest need, and have only one serious option in Suter. That is not a wise road to travel down.

How do you know that was the case? How do you know he didn't make plays for other pieces at various points throughout the last couple of years?

People around here acting like they know exactly what happens in the Wings' front offices is absolutely ridiculous. Likewise, people acting like other teams want to help the Wings succeed by simply giving them roster players for scraps is also ridiculous (not saying you're doing that, ES).