NHL: 2008 - 2009 season is upon us

[Grace]

I don't think he can make much more than that anyway with the salary cap can he?

Good for him

The Wings do have two players, right now, who make more than 6 million/year. Lidstrom and Hossa both get 7.45. Datsyuk is at 6.7 - his contract is for 7 years. Actually, Zetterberg get 7 - 7.5 over the first 10 years; then drops to 3.35 in year 11 and 1 million in the last year.

A few of the Wings have structured their contracts so that the team can sign players like Hossa. And Zetterberg could have gotten 8 million easily, if he had become a free agent. The players like it in Detroit - especially the Swedes!! They are treated well here.

[Puckstop31]

I am happy for Zetterberg. But in the era of the salary cap, the Wings better hope he does not suffer some sort of career ending injury because they will be on the hook for his salary... AND it will count against the cap I think. I don't know if the current CBA allows for removing his contract if he gets hurt.

[Grace]

I think his career is done now. There's talk of the Stars buying him out, and I doubt any team will want to pick him up.

Think again; it appears the Rangers might have him back eek:

The Rangers have conducted thorough internal discussions regarding the feasibility of bringing Sean Avery back to Broadway and appear to be on the verge of allowing Dallas to send Hockey's Public Enemy No. 1 to Hartford in what would be the first step of the process, The Post has learned.

The organizational meetings included management personnel, coaches and players. They yielded a consensus that Avery's return to the Rangers New York Rangers is very much worth pursuing and that his injection into the lineup this season would be a constructive move.

[Shelteez2]

Think again; it appears the Rangers might have him back eek:

Huh. Well good for him. Hopefully he can make the best of it and stop being an arse to everyone.

[Grace]

The owners of the Red Wings continue to amaze me -

Ilitches give Wings' alums, including Pronovost, Stanley Cup rings
Posted by George James Malik February 10, 2009 11:32AM

The Windsor Star's Dave Waddell spoke to New Jersey Devils scout and former Red Wings defenceman Marcel Pronovost about the tremendous gift from Mike and Marian Ilitch recently:

February 10, Windsor Star: As he worked his way through the packaging, Marcel Pronovost couldn't remember being this curious about a gift since he was a child.

When he reached the bottom and opened another tiny box, he felt like a kid again too. Staring back at him was a glittering version of the 2008 Detroit Red Wings Stanley Cup ring with his name on one side with four extra diamonds symbolizing the quartet of cups he won with Detroit in the 1950s.

"My reaction was instantly to flashback to those teams," said the 78-year-old Pronovost, who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1978 after a 21-year playing career and five cups with the Wings and Toronto.

Pronovost was one of 20 to 30 retired Red Wings to receive a gift last week. The team sent rings to every living Wings' players that won a cup in Detroit prior to their 1997 championship.

"It was Mr. and Mrs. Ilitch's idea," Wings general manager Ken Holland said. "They're special owners. They wanted to remember our great past. Players from the past didn't receive rings. They wanted to honour them.
...
"When UPS called to see if they could deliver it, they wanted to know if I was a jewelry dealer because of the value of it," said Pronovost, who also got a personal note from the Wings owners along with the ring. "I was really shocked by this. It was a grand gesture and I called Mr. Ilitch to thank him. I was so proud I took it (to the OHL All-Star Game) and showed it to everyone."

Is that classy or what? I'm floored by this myself.

[Grace]

The Wings are going to open their 2009-2010 season in Stockholm in October. They will be playing the Blues.

The tickets sold out in less than one hour. If you didn't get yours, you are out of luck!

[Grace]

From Wednesday night - another amazing goal by Zetterberg.

[Grace]

Colleen Howe, wife of Gordie, passed away from Pick's disease. She was 76.

Link

[sparks19]

did anyone watch the Devils game last night?

Marty Brodeur is now officially the winningest goaltender of all time... and he's pretty darn close to setting the record for most shut out wins.

I'm not a conspiracy theorist but how wierd is it that his Record TYING game was IN Montreal and he got to have his winning game on home ice. lol

Last night was a good game. the last few minutes was especially tense.

I loved how he cut the ENTIRE net off... well he cut half of it but he had these ridiculous rinky dink scissors that probably have trouble cutting butter lol... so halfway through his teammates stepped in and helped him cut the rest. I thought that was pretty cool. not just a piece... the WHOLE D@MN THING lol.

Congrats Marty

[Grace]

I agree with you on the coincidence of his tying and record breaking games. Someone in Hockey Heaven did an amazing job with the schedule!!

We saw highlights of the game last evening. That cracked me up when he was cutting the net. Great idea!!

[smokey the elder]

Also, Patrik Elias set the Devils' record for points. Congrats, Marty and Patrik! I saw Elias' assist on the short handed goal, but missed the 3rd period.

[sparks19]

Also, Patrik Elias set the Devils' record for points. Congrats, Marty and Patrik! I saw Elias' assist on the short handed goal, but missed the 3rd period.

Oh yeah forgot about that. Kind of cool that they did it on the same night but poor patrik got lost in all the commotion.

LOL did anyone think even the officials were trying to help marty get the win lol... there were so many times that they just turned a blind eye to things. Like when Khabibulin had the puck covered for almost 10 seconds with THREE devils surrounding him and the official didn't blow the whistle... that was such BS lol.

BUT he earned it there is no doubt about that.

[Grace]

Looks like he's fixing to stay a Wing

From the Detroit Free Press -

March 23, 2009

Hossa says he'll take less money to stay in Detroit

BY HELENE ST. JAMES
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER

CALGARY, Alberta -- While Marian Hossa's focus is on playing hockey, he is, behind the scenes, talking to his agent about what it'll take to continue playing hockey for a long time with the Red Wings.

Hossa's agent, Edmonton-based Ritch Winter, and Wings general manager Ken Holland are holding contract talks with an eye on turning Hossa's one-year deal into a long-term relationship.

"To tell you the truth, I want to sign somewhere and retire there," Hossa said Sunday. "I don't want to move around any more. I'm 30. I don't know how long I'm going to play, but I am looking for long-term deal.

"To be able to stay as a Red Wing, I am prepared to take less money, but a fair deal, so both sides are happy. That's what I'm looking for. I know if I go somewhere else, I could have more, but I'm willing to take less to stay here. Hopefully things work out."

Hossa takes a team-leading 36 goals into tonight's game at the Saddledome against the Flames. Tomas Holmstrom (knee) skated Sunday and said he would decide today if he's ready to play. Chris Osgood will get a fifth straight start in goal.

The Wings are 45-13-8 with Hossa in the lineup. He signed with them last summer because he saw them as the best chance to win a Stanley Cup.

"I could be somewhere else, you know, but I came here because I like everything and I want to be a part of it," Hossa said. "And that's why I want to still be a Red Wing and stay here."

Hossa is making $7.4 million, but the Wings will push the fact that star forward Henrik Zetterberg just agreed to a 12-year deal with an annual cap number of $6 million. Zetterberg left millions on the table to remain surrounded by talent.

"That was something we talked about when we worked the deal out," Zetterberg said. "It's not if you can live on 6 (million) or 8 million; I'd say it's more that you have a lower limit that you think you deserve, and we found that, and then they were great to give me the long term."

In addition to trying to keep Hossa, the Wings also want to retain forward Johan Franzen, who's making less than $1 million. With next season's salary cap not expected to grow much beyond this season's $56.7 million, the Wings have around $9 million in cap space left, though they'll move some lower-end players this summer.

Veterans on the team are confident Holland will pull off another coup.

"He'll figure it out somehow," Osgood said. "He always does the right thing. There's not a single guy around that doesn't think that he'll figure out a way to keep them. We always seem to be able to lure good players here who want to stay here, because it's no fun regardless of what you're making to be on a bad team. There's no substitute for winning."

[smokey the elder]

What's with the 3 game losing streak, New Jersey? Getting Marty some goals would be nice. They've scored like 1-2 goals in each of the last 3 games.

[sparks19]

Alright... I'm fed up. I have had enough. WHEN is someone finally going to throw down and kick Sean Avery's a$$? Seriously? this guy is everything that hockey shouldn't be. He's not a team player... he's has ZERO sportsmanship. he's a spoiled pansy brat. He takes cheap shots at players and then he runs away when they want to throw down with him.

Anyone see what he did to Tim Thomas? Whistle blew and Tim Thomas was just kneeling on the ice... Avery came skating up behind him and purposely hit him in the back of the head with his stick. not hard enough to actually cause injury or anything but that is WAY besides the point. It was BS...absolute BS. and he doesn't this stuff all the time.

I think even the refs are starting to get fed up. Guys are starting to go after him and the refs are really taking their time stepping in (good for them on this one). Guys have been trying to have a face to face man to man fight with him when he does this stuff and he runs away, turns his back and tries to avoid it at all costs.

At this point... I hope the players take it upon themselves to end his BS if the league isn't going to do anything about it. he is a disgrace to the game and humanity IMO. he's a cheap shot artist and can't back it up... or is too scared to back it up

OK lol I think I made my point. I just cannot have any respect for someone who doesn't have any respect for the GAME they are getting PAID to play. he should have a job emptying porta potties... that's what he deserves to be doing