Between Fleischmann’s potential and Green’s development, the Lang trade looks worse and worse for the Red Wings as time goes on, and the same can be said of the Bertuzzi trade, given Shawn Matthias’ development.

Posted by George James Malik from South Lyon, MI on 12/19/07 at 02:19 PM ET

Between Fleischmann’s potential and Green’s development, the Lang trade looks worse and worse for the Red Wings as time goes on, and the same can be said of the Bertuzzi trade, given Shawn Matthias’ development.

Could you please write that on very large font on playwood and use it to smack everyone who advocates throwing young prospects and draft picks in a trade for a veteran like Mats Sundin?

Maybe if enough people do it they will stop talking.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 12/19/07 at 05:25 PM ET

Those two trades are the reasons why the Wings’ call-up list, in order of preference, is Mark Hartigan, Mark Cullen, and Carl Corazzini.  Evan McGrath’s upside as an NHL’er is, at best, questionable right now, and while Mattias Ritola and Darren Helm are probable NHL’ers down the line in my opinion, and the same could be said of Johan Ryno, they’re all a few years away. 

The Wings are stocked at defence and have a #1 goalie in-the-making in the AHL, but they’re going to go through a few lean years where Filppula, Kopecky, Hudler, and Cleary are all the “youth” we’re going to get up front, and that’s completely related to the Lang and Bertuzzi trades.  There’s no doubt that Green would be on the roster at present or starring in the AHL, too.

Posted by George James Malik from South Lyon, MI on 12/19/07 at 05:55 PM ET

Sorry, double-posting...When you also look at the fact that Jason Williams, while still ridiculously injury-prone, is contributing in Chicago (19 points in 20 games played), Lang somehow found his testes (26 points in 32 games), and Kyle Calder is at least a spare part in LA (10 points in 26 games), it’s pretty obvious that the Red Wings would be foolish to make a third trade for an unrestricted free agent-to-be with a spotty track record.

If the Wings are to dole out any more of their prospects or roster players for a 2nd-line forward or depth defenceman, they’d better find someone who both produces points and has a future as a solid NHL player.  The Wings can’t risk any more draft picks on the Cory Cross’s of the world, either.

Posted by George James Malik from South Lyon, MI on 12/19/07 at 06:01 PM ET

...it’s pretty obvious that the Red Wings would be foolish to make a third trade for an unrestricted free agent-to-be with a spotty track record.

Obvious to SOME, but not ALL.  That’s why I want a giant plywood face-whapper! 

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 12/19/07 at 06:31 PM ET

You can take the plywood one...I’ll take my old fibreglass-graphite-and-Kevlar Koho goalie stick to Kenny Holland’s head instead

Posted by George James Malik from South Lyon, MI on 12/19/07 at 06:53 PM ET