Anyone against resigning Jason Williams?

I’m against it. Small size and little to make up for it. Strangely, he also played the point on the Power Play and couldn’t ever hold the line. Give him a landing net and he probably still would allow the clear. He does have a hard shot, but I don’t recall how accurate he was. I think he was better at keeping it low at least.

Posted by Nate A from Detroit-ish on 07/06/09 at 01:02 PM ET

Anyone against resigning Jason Williams??? Why did we let him go anyways?? Was it a trade or something??

Posted by pgoody from Findlay, OH on 07/06/09 at 01:47 PM ET

I don’t think Williams would come back for what we could afford to offer him.  He might be a half-decent replacement for Sammy, having a great but unpredictable shot.  I’d still rather have Axelsson or Grier.

Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 07/06/09 at 01:14 PM ET

Wyshynski from Puck Daddy is calling the Leino deal at $1.6 per not $1.6 total. Though, that seems to fly in the face of what his source, LeBrunn, wrote.

Posted by CaptNorris5 from The Winged Wheel, stuck in Chicago on 07/06/09 at 01:49 PM ET

The Anti-Digger confirms $800k cap hit.

Posted by CaptNorris5 from The Winged Wheel, stuck in Chicago on 07/06/09 at 02:32 PM ET

Comrie also made $4 million last year.  No dice.

Oh Jesus, who thought he deserved that?!

Posted by Tyler from Arizona on 07/06/09 at 02:50 PM ET

I’d love for Dandy to come back.  At my house we still call Cleary “NotDandenault”, when we’re not calling him Buckets.

Posted by Rosemary from Land of Enchantment on 07/06/09 at 02:52 PM ET

Anyone against resigning Jason Williams??? Why did we let him go anyways?? Was it a trade or something??

I’m against it. He wouldn’t be an improvement over what Sammy brought to the table (though he’d be a ready-made whipping boy). I’d rather not go back to yelling at my TV because Williams couldn’t hold the puck in the zone.

I’m pretty sure Williams was a part of a trade for Calder before the trading deadline in 2007. If the Wings thought Calder was worth trading Williams for, that doesn’t say much about Williams’ worth to the Wings.

Posted by Aphaea from Pennsylvania on 07/06/09 at 04:06 PM ET

Damn illness and medications; it’s obvious I should just take another hit of Nyquil and go back to bed.

I wanted to say: If the Wings thought Calder was worth trading Williams for, that says all you need to know about Williams’ worth to the Wings.

Night, bitches.

Posted by Aphaea from Pennsylvania on 07/06/09 at 04:11 PM ET

Offer sheets cannot be given to any player who has filed for arbitration. It allows time to hammer the deal out in advance per Fil’s last contract with us.
HELL NO to Jason WIlliams.
And NateA… well played on the saving paper comment.

Posted by MOWingsfan19 on 07/06/09 at 05:49 PM ET

1 down, 1 to go.  Come on Happy, sign already.

Posted by Since71 from Bucharest, Romania on 07/06/09 at 07:24 PM ET

Comrie also made $4 million last year.  No dice.

Oh Jesus, who thought he deserved that?!

Posted by Tyler from Arizona on 07/06/09 at 03:50 PM ET

He played for Ottawa, but he was traded there from the Islanders, so maybe it was a New York contract?  Them or Phoenix, maybe.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 07/06/09 at 08:12 PM ET

Per TSN, the NHLPA has filed a grievance against the Blackhawks regarding the RFA qualifying offer debacle.  Several of their RFAs have already re-signed, but Cam Barker and Chris Versteeg stand to become UFAs if this goes forward. 

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=283900

Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 07/06/09 at 10:55 PM ET

Whoops, missed the update in which Cam Barker already inked a deal with Chicago.  Looks like Versteeg is the only one left who would stand to benefit.  Not sure what exactly his market value is coming off a strong rookie season, but I know the Wings can’t afford him this year.

Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 07/06/09 at 10:56 PM ET

Versteeg, the doomas in Game 4? Think he learned from that? I don’t.

Posted by mrfluffy from Long Beach on 07/07/09 at 07:13 AM ET

I’m pretty sure Williams was a part of a trade for Calder before the trading deadline in 2007. If the Wings thought Calder was worth trading Williams for, that doesn’t say much about Williams’ worth to the Wings.
Posted by Aphaea from Pennsylvania on 07/06/09 at 05:06 PM ET

This is true.  And if you remember, the Wings made Calder a healthy-scratch come playoff time and then he signed elsewhere in the off-season…which means we gave him up for nothing in the end.  I always liked Williams, a good right-handed shot and was lights out in the shootout.  But the free agent market has played its dirty litte game and has turned this quality 3rd or 4th liner into that all-too-familiar overpaid 2nd liner.  So as much as I think he’d perfectly replace the player formerly known as William Tell, we can’t afford him.

Um…Chief, it’s been 4 days now.

Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 07/07/09 at 07:25 AM ET

I’m late to the party, but good luck to Sammy. So long as he’s not playing well against us

Posted by Alan from Atlanta on 07/07/09 at 09:15 AM ET

Farewell Dmac. You will be missed, even if the last two years barely saw you wearing the Wheel.

Posted by mrfluffy from Long Beach on 07/07/09 at 10:49 AM ET

So the Wings are what?? -6 In the players signed/ players let go department.

Posted by pgoody on 07/07/09 at 11:32 AM ET

Farewell Dmac. You will be missed, even if the last two years barely saw you wearing the Wheel.

Posted by mrfluffy from Cincy on 07/07/09 at 11:49 AM ET

The good people over at MLive are commenting on their hopes to one day see Darren McCarty on camera for the games, maybe even between the glass.  And maybe even replacing Larry Murphy.  Any thoughts on McCarty replacing Murph?  It’ll be a much different take on the stammering, yammering, incoherent ramblings that we so often associate with Red Wings hockey/Alcohol abuse (which are one and the same for a few hours every time we play a game).  What if we voted?  McCarty or Murphy for between-benches Chair?

Posted by Sullyosis from A hateful lair in Post Apocalyptic US (or Arizona) on 07/07/09 at 12:49 PM ET

Any thoughts on McCarty replacing Murph?  It’ll be a much different take on the stammering, yammering, incoherent ramblings that we so often associate with Red Wings hockey/Alcohol abuse (which are one and the same for a few hours every time we play a game).  What if we voted?  McCarty or Murphy for between-benches Chair?
Posted by Sullyosis from A hateful lair in Post Apocalyptic US (or Arizona) on 07/07/09 at 01:49 PM ET

My head hurts just thinking about it.  Seeing DMac all primped in a suit with his fake teeth and his hair done?  In HD no less…those scars would look pretty scary.  Some people are just not meant to be seen in HD (Doc Emerick).

Any chance of a Grinder reunion going on tour?

Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 07/07/09 at 01:18 PM ET

Any thoughts on McCarty replacing Murph?

I prefer that he replace Keating ... at least Murph is entertaining.

Posted by Bella on 07/07/09 at 03:39 PM ET

Some people are just not meant to be seen in HD (Doc Emerick).

First time I watched a game that Mike Emerick was calling in HD with a non-hockey fan (a.k.a. an Avalanches fan since 96 who somehow had no idea who Dock Emerick was, go figure) he sees him and goes “What the!?  Look at that guy!  What, is he sitting on something?”

I also agree that no matter how painful it is to try and follow Murph at times, he’s hella entertaining.  He’s a happy drunk too, not the type that everybody hates.  Seeing him on NHL on the Fly during the finals was priceless.  He’d laugh way too hard at someone’s joke and then during his talks, which were surprisingly coherent, he would do that thing where he unknowingly raises his voice to a shout for a word or two in mid-sentence.

“Darren Helm just had an….an incredible shift on that PENALTY KILL…I think…think he was a first…STAR tonight…” 

I’d laugh at the tv and ask:  “Murph, what in God’s name are you doing?  You know only us Wings fans can understand you…”

Posted by Sullyosis from A hateful lair in Post Apocalyptic US (or Arizona) on 07/07/09 at 04:46 PM ET

I can’t imagine the broadcasts without Murph.  What would the boyfriend and I do without our pre-game wager of “How drunk is Murph tonight?”

Posted by hockeychic from Denver, CO on 07/07/09 at 05:11 PM ET

I guess the rumor is Joe Sakic is going to retire.

DENVER — The Associated Press Last updated on Tuesday, Jul. 07, 2009 05:53PM EDT

Joe Sakic, the Colorado Avalanche’s longtime captain who led the team to two Stanley Cup titles, is retiring after a 20-year NHL career, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because Sakic, a 13-time All-Star, is expected to formally announce his decision to retire on Thursday at a news conference.

Lets Go Red Wings!!!!!

Posted by Kate from Pa.-made in Detroit on 07/07/09 at 05:38 PM ET

This never gets old, I laugh every time I see it in a non Wings related post.

Posted by stayouttamalibu from Temporarily in Tempe, AZ on 07/07/09 at 06:26 PM ET

D-Mac…gone for the second time.  I’ll miss you (again), man.  Realistically, he’s of very little use to us now, but still.  Sad day.  If no other team wants him on the ice, he should be made Director of Player Motivation ASAP.

I’ll pass on J-Will.  Even if we all wanted him back, we couldn’t afford him.  He’d replace William Tell’s wildly erratic point shot on the PP and that’s about it—no extracurriculars, no size, not much speed, and a hefty price tag to boot.  No thanks.  While the Calder trade panned out in the regualar season, he disappeared in the playoffs—and you’d get the same thing from Williams.

MAD PROPS to Willy DeVille—$800K a year is LESS than he was making last year.  If for no other reason, he deserves a full-time spot on the Wings for that reason alone.  Between this and his willingness to spend a whole season in GR adjusting to North American hockey, I’m beginning to think that his attitude alone makes him a keeper.  And between his attitude and Wally’s, I’m thinking it may be time to mine Finland in addition to Sweden for those kids with good skills and great spirit.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 07/08/09 at 05:21 AM ET

Off topic -

Another oddball consequence of the CBA: “cheap suckage” can be a valuable goalie skill (Tom Benjamin): http://canuckscorner.com/tombenjamin/?p=1262#comments

Bizarre, but completely logical.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 07/08/09 at 06:23 AM ET

D-Mac…gone for the second time.  I’ll miss you (again), man.  Realistically, he’s of very little use to us now, but still.  Sad day.  If no other team wants him on the ice, he should be made Director of Player Motivation ASAP.

One of the true nice guys in the game, and for all his bluster and attitude, very unassuming and humble off the ice.  Darren’s the type of guy that gets into all sorts of trouble when he’s bored, so I hope Andrew’s humorous suggestion isn’t too far off the mark, and Darren ends up working in hockey, with people who are good influences.

Posted by ThirtyNineDegrees on 07/08/09 at 09:26 AM ET