The Pittsburgh Gazette ran an article this week asking why someone would want to leave Pittsburgh for Detroit. Yes Detroit. He amended his statement by closing and saying the young kids like to go there because it is a party place. This all came after Hossa signed a one year deal for the Wings and was offered much more money elsewhere but opted to play in Detroit. However, he beat up the Wings for signing free agents and suggested no loyalty (for lack of better words) in athletes today. Imagine that, leaving a team that lost to the Wings in 6 games for the prospect of winning a Stanley Cup.
He beat the Wings and their free agent signings up quite a bit. First he mentioned Conklin leaving Pittsburgh and it wasn't as bad as the Hossa comments, but wasn't Conklin the one which carried the Penguins while Andre-Fleury was injured. Yes, carried them was the remark. However, after mentioned no loyalties he didn't seem to mention the following free agent signings of Sykora, Thibault, Talbot, Sydor and Conklin. Slight error on his part? No, it is because it were the Pittsburgh Penguins signed those guys as free agents. He beat the Wings up pretty bad about free agents signings and re-stated the "loyalty thing in sports" and playing out the career for the same team. Guess that statement must have went out the window when Ray Bourque signed with the Avalanche and won the cup. Sorry Pittsburgh sport writer, no credibility in your statement there, try again.
As for the Wings free agent signings, lets look at the players that were on their team they drafted. Kronvall, Drake, Osgood, Zetterberg, Franzen, Datsyuk, Quincey, Hudler, Filppula, Meech, Kopecky, Holmstrom, Osgood and some guy named, Lidstrom. Do you know how many of them were Number One overall draft picks? None, nada, nil, zero, zip, zilch, nooooone.
A few hours ago Sports Illustrated writer, Allen Muir wrote this article (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/ allan_muir/07/04/cup.locks/index.html?section=si_l atest) suggesting that the Canucks go after the Wings Valterri Filppula as a Restricted Free Agent. Good thinking Muir!!!!! After the Canucks have lost Naslund as well as the kitchen sink they go after a young, Restricted Free Agent. If the Wings offer him $2.5 million and the Canucks or any other team offer more, the Wings will get that teams first overall pick in the 2009 draft next year. Hmmmm, let's think for a second. Vancouver signs Filppula for about $4 million a year and the Wings get the Canucks first draft pick based on their record and placed finish for next season. Has anyone looked at the roster? It is looking worse then the Wings farm team, the Grand Rapids affiliate.
What he failed to mention is Ken Holland must be licking his lips for the Canucks GM or any other to offer an RFA of his a dollar more. Imagine what Holland is thinking in Detroit. We won the cup this year, may have a better then average chance to win it next year and the Canucks signed Filppula and the Wings have the very first overall choice in the NHL draft because the Canucks win about 25 games. No brainer there for Holland. Filppula is a great young player but this is a business. (I will whisper this for the Vancouver fans only hear this. Todd Bertuzzi is looking for a new home.) Please add this footnote for Bertuzzi and Matthieu Schneider if you would and ask them this question. "How is that career move to California working out for you after leaving the Wings?" Now, when is the Wings ring ceremony?
Retired military now with another Federal Government Agency. Are thankful to have served with many great soldier and will continue to have my
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military service site up and running, regardless of how many emails the DoD sends me asking me not to! I am a Michigan sports fan and Charles White did not cross the goal line in the Rose Bowl before he fumbled.
