No one is angry with Happy. Heck, ten million dollars is a lot of moola to turn down.Tax free no less.
I think people were more upset with the way the situation was handled, than with the fact that Happy is leaving. Good Luck Happy.

Lets Go Red Wings!!!!!

Posted by Kate from Pa.-made in Detroit on 07/28/09 at 07:11 AM ET

Oh.  So, Hudler wants to be able to play wherever he wants, make whatever he wants, do whatever he wants AND THEN not ever have to worry about experiencing any fan blowback from the teams he may leave in the dust on his way to his own personal enjoyment?

Sorry, Hudler.  Doesn’t exactly work that way.  Granted, since you were never more than a bit player it’s not like you’ll ever get the Fedorov level of dislike from fans, but you ditched the Red Wings for more money.

Deal with it.

Posted by HockeyinHD on 07/28/09 at 07:13 AM ET

I’m apparently a minority here, but I’m not upset with Hudler.  I also am not “unhappy” with the situation.

This whole thing has been blown up way bigger than it is.  It’s the offseason, everyone’s bored, and this seems as good a story as any.

But really… Hudler is not THAT important to the Wings at this point.  Quite frankly with Sammy and Hossa gone, I’d almost rather them be done with Hudler as well and just make a clean start with slots for new, younger players in the lineup.

Posted by Primis on 07/28/09 at 07:24 AM ET

Don’t get any ideas. DAN.

I don’t blame Happy for taking the money, and if in two years, if he wants to come back to the Wings, I’ll welcome him with open arms…and less he went soft…er…softer playing over in Russia.  I just know the league doesn’t want to see this as a trend of mediocre players being wooed away for bigger dollars thanks to Gary’s cap.

Again, don’t get any ideas, Dan.

Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 07/28/09 at 07:48 AM ET

and less

= unless

Wooh, gotta cut down on the 5 hour energy shots.

Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 07/28/09 at 07:49 AM ET

I don’t hold it against anyone that’s mad at him, but I’m not. This is life— we all go out there and try to find the best lot in it that we can for ourselves, our families, and our friends, and everything else stems off that. I’m disappointed that the Wings won’t have Hudler, and I think it’s too bad what’s happened, but hey, here’s yet another salary cap casualty, and the worst part of all is that he’s a homegrown prospect all the way, from his draft day to now.

Way to go, salary cap, there you are punishing a team for good player drafting and development again!

Posted by Nathan from the scoresheet! on 07/28/09 at 07:55 AM ET

So, Hudler wants to be able to play wherever he wants, make whatever he wants, do whatever he wants

who are you? god? sheesh.

Posted by drw on 07/28/09 at 08:25 AM ET

I’m not mad at Hudler. The kind of money he was offered would be hard for just about everyone to pass up. I’ll miss him, and I wish him nothing but luck in Moscow, but I’m not mad at him.

Posted by Alan from Atlanta on 07/28/09 at 08:26 AM ET

I’m kinda pleased at how this all worked out.  Extra slots for new kids, and some new-to-the-team faces ... I’m gonna support the team that is iced and not worry about the team that isn’t.

Posted by ColdWar on 07/28/09 at 08:43 AM ET

Just another player wanting to get out of that train wreck of a team.

He was probably still too devastated to play for a team that lost game 7 at home to Sid Crosby.

Posted by Jimmy from Windsor on 07/28/09 at 08:44 AM ET

Way to go, salary cap, there you are punishing a team for good player drafting and development again!

You can blame the cap all you want, but if there wasn’t a cap, the Wings were NEVER in a MILLION YEARS going to offer Hudler the 8 or so million a year NHL contract that it would have taken to compete with $5M tax free.

Take your rant somewhere that it has relevance.

He was probably still too devastated to play for a team that lost game 7 at home to Sid Crosby.

To Sid Crosby?  Did he somehow beat the Wings while sitting on the bench for half the game?

I’m gonna support the team that is iced and not worry about the team that isn’t.

Well put.  I agree completely.  Now if only they’d end the suspense and fill up that last forward spot they need!

Posted by Garth on 07/28/09 at 09:22 AM ET

Don’t hold your breath. I have one dollar that says the roster spot will be filled with a kid from Grand Rapids.

Posted by Alan from Atlanta on 07/28/09 at 09:43 AM ET

“To Sid Crosby?  Did he somehow beat the Wings while sitting on the bench for half the game?”

Ah yes, but it was he who took the Cup from the Wings and raised it in Joe Louis Arena as the youngest captain ever to do so.

He did do that right?

Posted by Jimmy from Windsor on 07/28/09 at 10:06 AM ET

Jimmy, stay on topic.  If you want to start your own topic, go to the KK Members section and write your own blog.

Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 07/28/09 at 10:09 AM ET

Good luck keeping that 13 year old attention junkie on topic, Paul…good luck.

Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 07/28/09 at 10:13 AM ET

Don’t hold your breath. I have one dollar that says the roster spot will be filled with a kid from Grand Rapids.

I’ll take that bet.  They’re already looking at most likely using Abdelkader, even though Holland has already said he’d prefer to have Abdelkader play in GR for another year before playing in Detroit full time.  And what other forward, apart from Leino, Helm and Abdelkader is anywhere near ready?

The Wings are a team that like to the let their prospects mature slowly in GR, and they already look to be taking a chance on Abdelkader.  I can’t see them completely reversing their philosophy.

So I disagree, unless they’re willing to give Aaron Downey or Darren McCarty a full-time spot on the roster, which I doubt, since I’m not sure either of them played a game with the Wings this year…

Posted by Garth on 07/28/09 at 10:22 AM ET

I don’t know. Personally, I feel Abdelkader is ready for a full time spot. Helm looks ready, too.

But yes, I’m more than aware of how Holland works and the philosophy that is in place. I just think it’s too late in free agency to bring in someone to fill that spot. Hence why I feel that a kid is going to be given a shot on opening night.

Posted by Alan from Atlanta on 07/28/09 at 10:27 AM ET

Ah yes, but it was he who took the Cup from the Wings

I think you’re mistaking Sid Crosby for Max Talbot.  Or maybe Evgeni Malkin.  Sid’s the one who had a single goal in the Finals, was shut out for five of the seven games by an injured Henrik Zetterberg and watched the last half of the final game from the bench.

Remember?

(Sorry Paul, just felt like I had to respond…  I’m done now.)

Posted by Garth on 07/28/09 at 10:30 AM ET

Personally, I feel Abdelkader is ready for a full time spot. Helm looks ready, too.

Well, Helm is on the roster at this point.  No question.  Same with Leino (for sure, since they signed him to a one-way contract).  I wouldn’t have a problem with Abdelkader being on the roster, too, but even if he is on the roster, there’s still one forward spot open (or two, if they want to have 13 forwards, with the option of subbing someone in for injuries or whatever) and I can’t see a team like the Red Wings being comfortable with FOUR AHL grads in the roster.  Granted, word was the Helm would’ve been on the team if there was cap space this past season, but for any team, having for AHL callups playing fulltime is a pretty big risk to take.

Posted by Garth on 07/28/09 at 10:37 AM ET

unless they’re willing to give Aaron Downey or Darren McCarty a full-time spot on the roster, which I doubt, since I’m not sure either of them played a game with the Wings this year…

Posted by Garth on 07/28/09 at 11:22 AM ET

McCarty retired..personally, I’d LOVE to see Downey get talked into another one-year, half mil season which would STILL give us room to make another signing with Hossa’s, Sammy’s, and now Hudler’s salaries off the books.  I love Aaron Downey…not the most talented guy, but he’s got a gigantic heart, a great attitude, and the crowd loves him because he hits everything in sight and protects our star players.  The Joe gets excited every time he hits the ice.

Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 07/28/09 at 10:41 AM ET

I ddin’t realize McCarty retired, thanks for the heads up Drew.

I actually don’t dislike the idea of having Downey on the squad, I just don’t know that I’d want him as a full-time, everyday player.  But if he was the 13th forward, playing a few games here and there, that would be fine by me.  I don’t think I saw a single game that he played this year, and that was kinda disappointing.

Posted by Garth on 07/28/09 at 10:55 AM ET

I’m not mad.  I’ll just miss the spunky little guy.  (I feel like my kid brother is moving away.)  :(

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 07/28/09 at 05:20 PM ET

I just know the league doesn’t want to see this as a trend of mediocre players being wooed away for bigger dollars thanks to Gary’s cap.

Mediocre player? Seriously? Did you just call Happy a mediocre player? Wow. That’s so bizarre I don’t even know how to respond to it. But I’ll tell you what. The next time you run across a 23-goal scorer who plays less than 15 minutes per game, you sign that “mediocre” SOB to a contract.

He was probably still too devastated to play for a team that lost game 7 at home to Sid Crosby.

That made me laugh more than the post about the LA ice girls. Devastated by what Crosby did in Game 7? You did watch the game, didn’t you, Jimmy? Gad, it’s hilarious how ludicrously obsessed these Pens fans are with little Gary’s baby boy. Really. It’s just too funny.

I have one dollar that says the roster spot will be filled with a kid from Grand Rapids.

Hey, big spender, I’ll take that bet. There’s no way Kenny is going to promote someone like Emmerton or even Ritola to play a pivital role on the third line. My bet is on someone like Greer or (the soon to be bought out) Prospal.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 07/28/09 at 05:50 PM ET