Far too high a price.  I would have given Hudler, a prospect, and maybe the second round pick we gave to L.A. 

Oh. And Lilja.

Posted by Gabriel from San Diego, CA on 02/28/08 at 02:19 PM ET

WAY too high.

Makes sense, though, considering it would have been in effect a young roster player, two prospects, and a pick, and they got two young roster players, a first-round prospect, and a pick from the Penguins.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 02/28/08 at 02:26 PM ET

Considering what the Pens DID give up, I’m surprised that they didn’t go for Kris Letang in the deal, especially considering they went for Chistensen instead.  I think most scounts find him more promising, and I’m sure they could have gotten him.

However, that was way too high a price for Kenny, and no surprise that Waddell went for the highest offer—which inevitably set the market, at least as far as the price for Hossa.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from the farm team, mucking out the stables on 02/28/08 at 02:38 PM ET

If that deal actually happened I would have lost all respect for Holland and would have been calling for his removal. However, he didn’t and proved once again why he is the best in the NHL.

Posted by Sp4r7an on 02/28/08 at 02:51 PM ET

Waaaaayyy to high a price. 

Oh. And Lilja.

don’t forget the Little Caesars coupons…..

Posted by Rumbear from Sandy Eggo on 02/28/08 at 02:53 PM ET

I wonder if most other selling teams don’t have two price tags on their players — one for Detroit and another for everyone else.  I can buy a pair of old jeans from St. Vinny for a dollar.  Put that same pair in an upscale boutique on Worth Ave. in Palm Beach and it’s $300.  When they see Detroit coming, the sellers become the upscale boutique.

Posted by BobTheZee on 02/28/08 at 03:03 PM ET

I wonder if most other selling teams don’t have two price tags on their players — one for Detroit and another for everyone else. 

Maybe.  And maybe Atlanta figured that Holland would be under more pressure than others to make the playoffs and go deep, and with the injuries and consequent slide he might be more desperate than he normally would - thus leading to a rushed purchase, followed a few days later by the “Oh, my God, I paid HOW MUCH?!?!” realization.  Buyers remorse.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 02/28/08 at 03:07 PM ET

Throw Lija and Sammy in and it starts too look a bit better .

Posted by solo16 on 02/28/08 at 03:12 PM ET

No way we give up Brendan Smith.  This is a guy, I think, the Wings are projecting to replace either Lidstrom or Kronwall to be the main pointman in all situations.

Posted by SYF from Las Vegas, NV on 02/28/08 at 03:17 PM ET

I thought that Babcock took the boys out of the running when he suggested (and if you think he didn’t spend most of Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday with the 13 other guys who make up the Wings’ front office, you’d be wrong) that Filppula and Franzen would not be traded.

I figured that the Thrashers’ final offers was Hossa for Filppula, Franzen, and Ericsson and/or Smith, and/or a 1st-round pick because our pick’s bound to be no higher than 25.  The Thrash may have well asked for all of the above by throwing in Dupuis or somebody like Zhitnik.

Posted by George Malik from South Lyon, MI on 02/28/08 at 11:07 PM ET

Buyers remorse.

Anyone see the news this morning?  Hossa injured on Penguins debut.  Almost karmic, if the ‘retribution’ meaning of the term as is known in the West weren’t a misunderstanding of the concept.

Baroque, I’m pretty sure you just became our official A2Y Trade Deadline Deity—or at least a clarivoyant that the Wings front office should consult before making any trades.  I know that I’VE learned my lesson.  Every deadline day every year from now on, instead of drinking and watching the feces hit the rotating blades, I’ll light some incense, turn down the lights, and sit in the Lotus position chanting the mantra “Buyersremorse, Buyersremorse, Buyersremorse,” over and over again until I achieve Roster Nirvana—a state where I am content with the lineup and want for no player in it.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from the eighth freaking year in Tibet- get me out of h on 02/29/08 at 04:05 AM ET

Baroque, I’m pretty sure you just became our official A2Y Trade Deadline Deity—or at least a clarivoyant that the Wings front office should consult before making any trades. 

Oh, no freaking way.  Every monkey finds a banana once in a while.  It doesn’t make me any kind of hockey goddess or anything, I assure you. 

(Especially since if Hossa had gotten a hat trick instead of a knee sprain the decision would look completely different.)

Honestly, it’s just a result of a lifetime of seeing people spend irrationally on all kinds of stuff for silly reasons.  Either they go shopping without a list and wind up with three full-size Dutch apple pies because they were on sale and a really good deal, or they buy an electronic device with way more features than they need or will ever use because it sounded cool, or they get caught up in the atmosphere and spirit of an auction and wind up bidding far more than they would ever spend on an item if they saw it in a store.  With team after team picking up Hossa or Richards or Campbell, it’s easy to want your own team to pick up a bright new shiny trinket of its own, even if it isn’t the best choice at the time.  And then to see the excitement of the team when they debut their new addition, it’s normal to be jealous.  It just isn’t ever smart to make decisions strictly to keep up with the neighbors - it has to be in the team’s long-term best interest, too, but that restraint is very, very difficult to maintain in the face of pressure.

Although Richards was terrible - they got him for offense, and no goals at all in his first game?  Dallas fans must be very disappointed after seeing Steve Bernier get two goals for Buffalo in his debut after the trade from San Jose.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 02/29/08 at 06:39 AM ET