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Strike 3 For Holland?
by IwoCPO on 02/26/07 at 08:15 AM ET
Comments (11)
He lies to the deep diggers, talks on tiny high-tech cell phones and it would appear that he uses a liberal amount of goop in his hair. All these factors point to this: Kenny Holland’s a secretive, sneaky kid.
And I happen to have a hunch that our boy Kenny has something up his sleeve. What? I don’t know. I’m still recovering from being compared to Jiri Hudler yesterday, so my head is kind of reeling. But, something’s nagging at me.
It could be my firm belief that if Holland doesn’t do something by tomorrow afternoon, it will be his third consecutive failure (last deadline, the Summer of Ken, and now this deadline). I think he, and Ilitch, see that and the pressure’s on our boy wonder.
So, what would an unexpected move consist of? A Sundin perhaps, or a Hejduk, maybe even a Jokinen?
Khan(!) uses a Holland quote this morning that he could have pulled out of the Holland file for any of the last three years.
“The so-called rental-player price is significantly higher than it’s been in the past . . . Maybe sellers figure there’s a lot of buyers,’’ Wings general manager Ken Holland said. “We’re prepared to deal some futures—prospects or draft picks—but we’re not going to empty the cupboard to make one more run at the (Stanley) Cup.’‘
Liar. Not only would Holland deal a roster player (Anyone off the second line, for instance…or, heck, the ENTIRE second line), but I think he will. He and Khan(!) probably giggled like chicks after he said that. “Do you REALLY want me to print that?”
Hudler’s on the table, so’s Williams, so’s Lang. You think Kindl’s untouchable? Wrong. I look at that quote from Holland, and take that to mean he’s thinking the exact opposite. Because that’s how Holland does business. It’s sneaky and dishonest and admirable.
But it doesn’t always lead to anything. Don’t get me wrong, last year’s Cory Cross deal shook the hockey world to its very core. But, that was the exception.
The cupboard Holland refers to contains an insane goaltender on his, likely, last go round. Hasek’s presence guarantees Holland smells the chance at a Cup and wouldn’t mind emptying that cupboard for “one more run.”
Jason Blake? Nice pick up. Similar to a Smolinski deal. Effective, but I think Holland’s looking bigger. As I said yesterday, I’m convinced Guerin’s out of the question, but not because of price. If St. Louis could swallow their jealousies, Detroit’s offer would be substantial.
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Comments
Last year the strictures of reducing an 80 mil cap to a 39 mil one effectively tied the Wings hands in doing anything too momentous at the deadline.
This year, with the increased cap and number of highly reasonable contracts (Hasek, Lebda, Cleary, Zetterberg, Samuelsson) allowing the team to field a strong roster and still banking space there’s plenty of cap room to move.
The problem? A major prospect, a #1, a #2 AND perhaps another #1 depending on whether the acquire player re-signs with the team is simply far too much for whatever benefit a player might bring to the team. That kind of price is simply preposterous, especially now that the Wings have finally gotten at least some degree of traction in their system with regards to prospect depth across the board.
My vote? If the team can’t get a solid winger to upgrade the second line for a prospect and a #1 at most, dance with the girls they’ve brought and see what happens. Maybe add a depth forward for a pittance to protect against injuries… but that’s it.
Posted by Hockeyinhd on 02/26/07 at 09:28 AM ET
Hockeyinhd…you seem to be fairly new around here. Welcome. Now let’s get something straight. That kind of logical, practical thinking is not what we like to see here. I expect you to be reactionary, obsessive and not above whining like a little girl if Holland doesn’t deal for Ovechkin tomorrow. Get your head on straight.
Posted by IwoCPO from Sunny San Diego, bitches on 02/26/07 at 09:34 AM ET
“Don’t get me wrong, last year’s Cory Cross deal shook the hockey world to its very core.”
Brilliant. I almost spit water all over my desk when I read that.
Posted by Nathan on 02/26/07 at 10:23 AM ET
IWO, you must have missed a lot of games:
“Not only would Holland deal a roster player (Anyone off the second line, for instance…or, heck, the ENTIRE second line)”
Detroit has no second line, or third for that matter. They have receded to a two dimensional team, with a #1 and three #4 lines. Babblecock has pretty well demonstrated that he can’t seem to change that, no matter how he re-arranges the players.
Posted by Gramps (hockeytowntodd) from HockeyTown on 02/26/07 at 11:06 AM ET
Where I will hold Babcock accountable is with Flip and Hulder. They should be player the minutes of a second scoring line right now. They make more of their 9 minutes per game than Lang ever does. They should get those two guys out there with Franzen and give it a shot.
However, my favorite saying in the world of computer geeks applies here—garbage in, garbage out. That second line is trash without Sammy, who was the only guy on that line that knew how to let it rip. Lang telegraphs his shots (and passes) so they usually get blocked. Clearly, god bless him and the year he had up until his injury, but he’s a net-front player with a mediocre shot. And well, Williams… he hit the post on an empty net chance. Sammy gave that line balance (Cleary at the net and in the corners, Lang along the boards with the puck, Sammuelsson in the slot/circles) like the top line had.
Posted by Nathan on 02/26/07 at 11:44 AM ET
The prices are ridiculous right now, which is why I hope Holland focuses on second tier players, I’d avoid Guerin. With propspects and 1st round picks being thrown around like they’re frisbees, why not move Lang? Can you imagine the picks and prospects he’d provide? I think the Wings will end up with 2 wingers, both of the grit variety, that can get the ugly goals and spell Holmstrom on the powerplay in front of the net etc…Marty Lapointe would suit me fine (Yes, even with that contract) Owen Nolan is another I wanted the Wings to sign this summer.
Posted by bababooey on 02/26/07 at 11:57 AM ET
And well, Williams… he hit the post on an empty net chance.
Even the posts are starting to figure him out. He should’ve deked and gone to the forehand, IMO.
Posted by O-Joe on 02/26/07 at 12:24 PM ET
Maybe Kovy will still be available and the Wings can claim him off of waivers from Montreal. That’ll make the Langster happy again.
What? Kovy wasn’t placed on waivers by Montreal after all?
Nevermind…
Posted by O-Joe on 02/26/07 at 05:13 PM ET
Speaking of waivers and the Wings injury troubles, maybe Petr Cjanek would be a decent pickup? Worry about the second year of his deal a bit, but on a better team I would expect better numbers.
Posted by Nathan on 02/26/07 at 05:45 PM ET
As far as trades and such go, on a different board I post to I’ve been lightly toying with the notion that the Wings ought to be sellers, #1/4 in the West regardless.
Seriously, if Tkachuk goes for 27 picks and the Lost Sperm Sample of Wayne Gretzky, Detroit ought to be able to pick up 34 picks and Janet for Datsyuk… Stanley Cup be darned.
Posted by hockeyinhd on 02/26/07 at 07:08 PM ET
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I’m with you on this. I think Holland is going to pull something from somewhere. If Anson Carter goes for a 5th rounder, the wings arn’t going to worry. If they can’t land something big, they’ll plug up the lineup with second-tier players. I think the wings should do some addition by subtraction first. Trade Lang for some picks, and use those picks as bargining chips for someone else. At this point it doesn’t matter who takes Lang’s spot because its an upgrade.
Here is where the wings stand injury free (or at least where they were before the injuries)
Datsyuk / Zetterberg / Holmstrom
Cleary / Lang (who isn’t taking draws) / Samuelsson
Maltby / Draper / Franzen
Williams / Filpulla / Hudler
lets see how that changes after the deadline.
Posted by Jdunc from Flint, MI on 02/26/07 at 09:11 AM ET