I know of one Cup contender that does have cap room…

Colorado?

Haaaaa…I’m sorry. But that was funny.

Tick Tock Kenny

Posted by IwoCPO from Sunny San Diego, bitches on 11/28/11 at 12:55 PM ET

I don’t see it happening, but…..as Artie Johnson on Laugh Inn used to say…..“very interesting ???”

Posted by Down River Dan on 11/28/11 at 01:06 PM ET

I used that line once DRD and the response was Artie who?

Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 11/28/11 at 01:07 PM ET

And the Wings continue to fly under the radar.  Three points out of first overall, with two games in hand, and…..not contenders?  Well done as usual THN.

Also, as much as I’m a fan of Iggy, I’m not sure he’s what the Wings need right now.  If they’re going to use up that cap space it should be for a longer-term, younger investment (damn you Curtis Sanford….we need Nash to request a trade!).  $7 mill over two years is pricey no matter how you look at it.  Still, I think people are quick to forget Iggy put up 43 goals last year.  But the Wings have enough people in their 30s.

Posted by BrendonR on 11/28/11 at 01:23 PM ET

I know of one Cup contender that does have cap room…

I found it interesting that that was the one team not mentioned in the article.
As with most, what is not said is more interesting than what is.

Posted by HockeyTownTodd on 11/28/11 at 01:25 PM ET

More intriguing could the potential shake-up from ANA.

Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 11/28/11 at 01:27 PM ET

Nash is the most overpaid 70 point player out there.. isn’t his cap hit like 7.8m? for the next 15 years of something?

He doesn’t like training either, just drinking and hanging out..

I think the part about the Ducks trading Getzlef or Ryan is much more unrealistically realistic.  Ryan could be a great pick-up…

Posted by HockeytownOverhaul on 11/28/11 at 01:30 PM ET

But the Wings have enough people in their 30s.
Posted by BrendonR from Toronto,

That is why guys like Mark Howe, Luc Robitaille, Brett Hull, Larry Murphy, Dominic Hasek never really helped the team.

Posted by HockeyTownTodd on 11/28/11 at 01:31 PM ET

I actually like the fact that none of these articles mention the Wings. I would rather them fly under the radar all season. Let the media “fluff” all these other teams all year (Pittsburgh, anyone?) and Detroit will just handle their business quietly and calmly like always. Then come trade deadline time they’ll get what they need with all the cap space they have and come playoff time they’ll be ready to take names.

Posted by Chris in Hockey Hell from Ann Arbor, MI but LIVING in Columbia, TN on 11/28/11 at 01:31 PM ET

let’s not make everything about the wings, eh?

iginla’s a class player who deserves better than to rot in CGY through his last useful years.

Posted by Chet from twitter: thegansen on 11/28/11 at 01:38 PM ET

let’s not make everything about the wings, eh?

Ok.

Iginla would look good on a second line with Franzen and Fil.

Posted by IwoCPO from Sunny San Diego, bitches on 11/28/11 at 01:40 PM ET

“let’s not make everything about the wings, eh?”

Looks like someone is a little lost.

Posted by Chris in Hockey Hell from Ann Arbor, MI but LIVING in Columbia, TN on 11/28/11 at 01:42 PM ET

Good to know the Hawks and Wings aren’t contenders. I guess I can stop watching the games now…

Why even bother to list the “contenders”? Why not just say few if any “contenders” have cap space? Such a small part of the article brings up a whole different discussion. It switched the debate from “will Iginla leave?” to “how did this guy come up with his list of cup contenders?” I wonder if he left teams out just to prove his point that it would be hard to get traded to a contender? Both the Hawks and Wings have enough cap room with a trade to make that happen. (hawks have 5.5+ and wings 6+)

With that said, what team wouldn’t love to have Iginla? As an opposing player I have always found him annoying, he always seems to act like a tough guy and then let the linesmen get in the way. Not to say he isn’t tough, he can handle himself, but he always pissed me off. But hell, I would love to have him on the hawks, but that price tag is awfully high.

Posted by pstumba on 11/28/11 at 01:44 PM ET

If Iginla were to come here, who goes the other way?

Posted by Chris in Hockey Hell from Ann Arbor, MI but LIVING in Columbia, TN on 11/28/11 at 01:49 PM ET

Nash is the most overpaid 70 point player out there.. isn’t his cap hit like 7.8m? for the next 15 years of something?

Posted by HockeytownOverhaul on 11/28/11 at 12:30 PM ET

He could be so much more in Detroit - remember that everything he’s done so far in the league has been in Columbus, with no one to play with.  And I think being brought into the Wings organization would have an effect on his training habits since he’d actually have something to work for, say…..an actual chance at success?

That is why guys like Mark Howe, Luc Robitaille, Brett Hull, Larry Murphy, Dominic Hasek never really helped the team.

Posted by HockeyTownTodd on 11/28/11 at 12:31 PM ET

Just because it worked before doesn’t mean Kenny needs to take that road again.  The NHL is a different beast now compared to 2002….and Dom is just a freak of nature.  Iggy’s cap hit being at $7 mill when he’s over 30, to me, needs to be considered there.

Posted by BrendonR on 11/28/11 at 01:53 PM ET

I’ll say it first:

I, as a Wings fan, would *not* want Iginla.

At this point in his career he is VASTLY overrated.  The only reason he continues to get numbers is because SOMEONE in CGY has to get them (call it the Ray Whitney Rule, someone has to get some points on ANY given team, this is how Whitney has built his entire career basically by largely going to teams that are complete failures to help keep his numbers up).

I really don’t know what Iginla would bring to the table at this point, and you’d have to give up way too much going the other way.

Steer clear, Kenny… steer clear.  Let someone else make that deal and get fleeced.  Or let TOR, make it and fleece BOTH sides…

Posted by Primis on 11/28/11 at 01:56 PM ET

If this was the last year of Iggy’s contract, I’d say go for it, but with another year at $7M I hope the Wings stay away from this.  I think there will be better, long term options out there via either trade of FA next summer.

Posted by John W. from a bubble wrap cocoon on 11/28/11 at 02:14 PM ET

I’ll admit the prospect of Iginla - a bruising power forward who can score goals - is intriguing and I think Iginla’s experience with Uncle Mike from the Canadian National and Olympic Teams goes in his favor.  Uncle Mike used him very effectively.

I like it but I ain’t gonna hold my breath.

Posted by SYF from the bottom of my, what, 11teenth pint of Guinness? on 11/28/11 at 02:14 PM ET

BrandonR

Maybe, but he’s really not the type of top 6 forward we’d be looking for and that cap his a liability.  First babs said they want a power-forward.. I live in columbus now and I’ve seen Nash play tons.. Franzen plays a more physical game than Nash… I’m not about jamming a square peg into a round hole.  The price for Nash would be way too much for my liking since Cbus needs to “win now”

And Kenny Holland appropriates money to d first.  Nash would get paid 5m on detroit for his stats, not 8.  Big money goes to the most important players and those tend to be D.  If we were going to overpay for anything, it’d be defense.  and certainly not by 60%. 

I think you’re gonna have to put your Red Wing Nash wet dream into the spank bank my friend.

Posted by HockeytownOverhaul on 11/28/11 at 02:18 PM ET

As the author of the article, allow me to explain why I didn’t include the Red Wings.

First, GM Ken Holland has ruled out making any early season trades, and while it’s possible he could make a deal by the trade deadline, his club has had an “up-and-down” season thus far.

We don’t know at this point if the “real Wings” are the ones which started strong this season and currently have five straight wins under their belts, or the ones which floundered through late-October and early November, which as I recall, generated consider wailing and gnashing of teeth among the Wings faithful, even raising the opinion Mike Babcock had (gasp!) lost the room.

If Holland makes a deadline deal, it’ll obviously depend on how his team is performing by then. Looking at their recent trade history since the lockout, Holland hasn’t made blockbuster trades near the deadline, largely because of the salary cap. I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

And if the Wings are back in Cup contention by then, why would Holland risk jeopardizing team chemistry with such a major move?

The Red Wings presently have just over $6 million in projected space. Iginla is worth $7 million this season, and next. That means someone has to go to make the deal work. And please, spare me the assumption the Flames will accept castoffs, as Hudler will be, or inconsistent performers, like Filppula. It’s the Jay Feaster show in Calgary now, not the Darryl Sutter panic hour, so no one-side robbery deals there.

If, and it’s a big “if”, Iginla agrees to be dealt, and it’s to the Wings, the Flames want a quality return, meaning at least one or two good young players, and at least a top prospect and a first round pick. Looking at the current Wings roster, there’s precious few good young players on the roster. Most of their twenty-somethings are checking forwards or second-pairing defensemen. Their best 20-something is goalie Jimmy Howard, and they certainly won’t part with him.

Not snubbing your team, Red Wings fans, and no offense was intended. Give the Wings inconsistent first quarter, I need to see a better performance in the next 20 games to consider them among the Cup contenders this season. Simple as that.

You can put out your torchlights and put away your pitchforks now…

Posted by Lyle Richardson on 11/28/11 at 02:19 PM ET

Both the Hawks and Wings have enough cap room with a trade to make that happen. (hawks have 5.5+ and wings 6+)

And this pisses me off. I’m pretty sure the Hawks still have a netminder over in Europe that should be counting against their cap.

Posted by mrfluffy from Long Beach on 11/28/11 at 02:24 PM ET

Looking at their recent trade history since the lockout, Holland hasn’t made blockbuster trades near the deadline, largely because of the salary cap. I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

And they have tons of it this year so really it has every reason to change…  If you look actually, any year they’ve had cap space they’ve added a piece at the deadline, the last of which being Stuart before winning the cup…. just saying, I respect your opinion but I think your logic is flawed.. but still right, they wont end up with iggy, because of his contract price for next year..

Posted by HockeytownOverhaul on 11/28/11 at 02:27 PM ET

Iggy’s cap hit being at $7 mill when he’s over 30, to me, needs to be considered there.

And Nash’s cap hit will be $7.8 until he’s 34 or 35, so what’s the difference?  Iginla would only be on the books for one full season.

Not snubbing your team, Red Wings fans, and no offense was intended.

I don’t believe you intended any offense, but most of the reasons you listed for not including them have nothing to do with cap space.  And to say that the Wings “only” have $6M in cap space is a cop out.  Obviously the Flames are going to expect roster players in return, and nobody would expect the Wings to not give up salary in return.  Nowadays almost any trade is going to include salary going both ways.

I also don’t buy the “we don’t know which Wings will show up” argument because that counts for any team.  You included Washington, Vancouver and Boston in the list of contenders but not Detroit or Chicago.  Why don’t those teams’ suspect starts to the season eliminate them from being contenders?

Which Capitals are going to show up in the playoffs?  Will the Canucks even make the playoffs?  Is Boston’s recent winning streak a fluke?  Before their winning streak they were 3-7 to start the season.

Holland hasn’t made blockbuster trades near the deadline, largely because of the salary cap. I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

Fine, but he also specifically said this past summer that he’s going to have a lot of cap space to work with if trades come up and that he won’t be afraid to use up that space to better the team.

Posted by Garth on 11/28/11 at 02:33 PM ET

As a wings fan, I didn’t want Bertuzzi either. I’ll yield to tick-tock. I’ve proven I’m no GM.

Posted by redxblack from Akron Ohio on 11/28/11 at 02:34 PM ET

“I’m pretty sure the Hawks still have a netminder over in Europe that should be counting against their cap”

This.

Posted by Chris in Hockey Hell from Ann Arbor, MI but LIVING in Columbia, TN on 11/28/11 at 02:40 PM ET

And if the Wings are back in Cup contention by then..... 

Hmmm I didn’t realize that the Wings were ever out of “Cup Contention”???

At the 1/4 pole they are once again on pace for 100 + points. ( much like every other team in the league thanks to socialized Hockey…thanks gary).

Posted by Down River Dan on 11/28/11 at 02:42 PM ET

And Nash’s cap hit will be $7.8 until he’s 34 or 35, so what’s the difference?  Iginla would only be on the books for one full season.

Posted by Garth on 11/28/11 at 01:33 PM ET

True but we’d have Nash for 7 years until he reached that age.

I think you’re gonna have to put your Red Wing Nash wet dream into the spank bank my friend.

Posted by HockeytownOverhaul on 11/28/11 at 01:18 PM ET

I can dream!  Seriously though, I’m not sure who else is out there that would fit the bill, unless it’s a Parise-level pick up.  Though I’m sure we’d all be happy to grab Weber.  All I know is I have no desire to see Kenny pick up any of the under-achieving Ducks.

Posted by BrendonR on 11/28/11 at 02:48 PM ET

Not snubbing your team, Red Wings fans, and no offense was intended. Give the Wings inconsistent first quarter, I need to see a better performance in the next 20 games to consider them among the Cup contenders this season. Simple as that

What exactly has been the difference between the Wings “inconsistent first quarter” and the first quarters of the Caps, Canucks, Flyers, Kings, and Bruins, who you do consider contenders?  Caps started out on fire, and have since fallen into despair and fired their coach, the Canucks don’t know who their goalie is and have yet to show they are even a playoff team yet, ditto with the Flyers and their goaltending.  Quick and the Kings has been pretty average since that 3 straight shutout performance, and the Bruins were in last place a few weeks ago.  But yeah, the Wings are the only team to have ups-and-downs.

Posted by John W. from a bubble wrap cocoon on 11/28/11 at 02:58 PM ET

Lyle, the talent really hasn’t changed, so I think it is more reasonable to assume the Wings are still a legitimate contender for the West. As always, barring injuries.

And you are vastly underrating Filppula—he is finally reaching toward his offensive potential, and it has been too long in the making, but his defensive play has always been vastly underrated. He is overshadowed in that regard by #13 and #40, but watch him game in and game out and he’s deserving of being considered at their level. Re-watch the ‘08 Cup final series for evidence. I’m not saying Filppula is of equal value to Iginla. I think the thing that hurts his value on the market is that he’s a guy that came through the Wings system and appears to be a player who is worth a lot as a Wing but can he be worth that much somewhere else? There is something to be said for the organizational structure and its impact on players.

I agree with your original point. I really don’t think the Wings should or will go after Iginla. They just don’t have enough of what the Flames need to make the deal. The Wings as an entire organization are at a point where they are transitioning between waves of prospects, and right now, all the prospects are still very young. Guys like Tatar, Jurco, and Nyquist have lots of talent and skill. But it doesn’t look like the Flames want to go into full-on rebuild mode, and the Wings also don’t want to have to give up what would probably end up being a pair of their best talents in waiting.

Posted by Nathan from the scoresheet! on 11/28/11 at 03:18 PM ET

What’s being overlooked in your critiques, which I’ve yet to see anyone sufficiently address,  are two simple points: How would the Red Wings go about clearing at least $1.5 million of additional cap space to comfortably add Iginla and still leave sufficient cap space for any potential late-season call-ups after the trade deadline and before the playoffs? And what players could the Red Wings could offer up which would interest the Flames into parting with Iginla? And I mean serious offers, not castoffs like Jiri Hudler, or fourth line checkers, third pairing defensemen or backup goalies.

Posted by Lyle Richardson on 11/28/11 at 03:20 PM ET

@mrfluffy

hey now, we are trying to get Tallon to take him back…its the one shitty contract he doesn’t seem to want, I don’t get it!

and that rule applies to everyone, so its not like the hawks are getting a special exception.

I do think it sucks for Huet though, no doubt about that. I’m sure this hole will be plugged in the next CBA.

Posted by pstumba on 11/28/11 at 03:21 PM ET

Lyle,

If you argument is that the wings won’t go after Iginla fine, but that is not the point the people here are making. The point is that you made a statement that listed who you though were cup contenders and said they didn’t have cap space. So you seem to be saying on this board that the wings also fit the category of contenders with no cap space for Iginla.

I won’t waste my breath arguing for the hawks, as the wings fans could care less, but given the list that you provided and the reasons you are giving on here, I would say you skipped out on naming two teams that would easily fall into the contender category.

Is it nit picky? yes, but the whole statement took away from your article. You could make the blanket statement without mentioning specifics. Instead of thinking about Iginla now people are thinking, why doesnt he think this team is a contender?

Posted by pstumba on 11/28/11 at 03:31 PM ET

Spector’s got a point though.

Are we willing to throw guys like Brendan Smith, Tomas Tatar, Gustav Nyquist, and at least one first round pick Calgary’s way to get back a 34-year old on a deal which overpays him?

Is Feaster that panicked or are we talking about moving Franzen in favor of Iginla, so we get older and the regular season numbers get a lot more consistent?

There’s not a sensible trade that involves bringing Iginla to the Wings.  We’d need Feaster to go crazy to make me happy for a trade that involves getting Iginla.

Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 11/28/11 at 03:39 PM ET

“and that rule applies to everyone, so its not like the hawks are getting a special exception”

This is true. The Rangers have done the same thing with Redden, which is also bullshit. I believe the point was that the rule is stupid.

Posted by Chris in Hockey Hell from Ann Arbor, MI but LIVING in Columbia, TN on 11/28/11 at 03:42 PM ET

How would the Red Wings go about clearing at least $1.5 million of additional cap space to comfortably add Iginla and still leave sufficient cap space for any potential late-season call-ups after the trade deadline and before the playoffs?

That’s seriously the reason the Wings don’t count as contenders with cap space?  It’s not exactly difficult to get rid of $1.5M dollars.  Some, if not all, would be included in any trade -if Detroit were to offer picks and/or prospects to the Flames it wouldn’t be unheard of for them to also have the Flames take back some short-term salary in return- and it’s entirely possible that other moves would be made too.  If they made the deal now, having Mursak and Eaves on LTIR would take care of that amazing, near-insurmountable $1.5M mountain for the short term, in which the Wings could somehow, possibly find some way to make a trade or something to make some room.

True but we’d have Nash for 7 years until he reached that age.

I’d rather have Iginla for one and a half years than Nash at whatever, for that price.  I’m not too keen on having a one-note player who is lazy, riding a long-term contract with no reason to try to step up his game.

And also, is there any way the BJ’s trade Nash to a division rival?

I can’t say I’m in favour of getting either Nash or Iginla, but Iginla’s one remaining year on his contract is a lot less worrying to me than Nash’s remainder.

Posted by Garth on 11/28/11 at 04:12 PM ET

Garth, Eaves and Mursak won’t stay on LTIR forever.Eaves could be back by mid-January. You’re also assuming the Flames want to move Iginla right now. They don’t. If they were to shop him, and that’s a big “if”, it’ll be closer to the trade deadline.

So far, you haven’t answer my question. Which players should they offer? Which prospects? Iginla’s bound to cost at least one-two good young players, plus one or two top prospects. So, who do the Wings offer to pry Iggy out of Calgary by the trade deadline?

Posted by Lyle Richardson on 11/28/11 at 04:27 PM ET

Lyle…

If the Wings flipped Hudler and Ericsson for Iginla, that’d be $6m in cap space *going the other way*.  One or the other would be $3m.  At least one of those 2 would have to go to CGY in a deal, obviously…  I don’t know the package, but you know darn well one of those 2 would be in any package.  And who knows, maybe CGY would be dumb enough to take both.

My argument against getting Iginla aside, I don’t get how you think Detroit is restrained by the cap somehow…  to get Iginla DET would have to move assets obviously.  Those assets would undoubtedly clear a lot more than required for Iginla.

As a wings fan, I didn’t want Bertuzzi either. I’ll yield to tick-tock. I’ve proven I’m no GM.

Posted by redxblack from Akron Ohio on 11/28/11 at 01:34 PM ET

As a Wings fan I STILL don’t want Bertuzzi.

I remain skeptical.

I also didn’t give Ericsson $3m/yr soooo….

Posted by Primis on 11/28/11 at 04:28 PM ET

Primis: Hudler and Ericsson for Iginla? Really? Try again.

Ericsson might have value, but only if another,better player is part of the package, meaning a scoring forward, because that’s something the Flames desperately need is offense.

Posted by Lyle Richardson on 11/28/11 at 04:43 PM ET

Lyle, I think everyone’s point around here is that:

A) the Wings are definitely ‘Cup contenders, and given other contenders’ (also) erratic play, Detroit’s current spot in the standings and their championship pedigree, they are probably the contenders right now;

B) It’s a very attractive destination for Iginla past just being one of the best chances to win, given the veteran roster, Original 6 prestige, high-offence style, familiarity with Babcock, top-notch management, family-oriented approach and proximity to Canada;

C) Ken Holland knows what he’s doing and will make a trade work if he wants it; and

D) the Wings actually have a lot of valuable prospects in their system that a re-building Flames would likely be quite interested in, and they are known for being willing to part with high picks.  A prospect brought up through the Wings’ system is more valuable than the same prospect being brought up through any other organization.

Posted by BrendonR on 11/28/11 at 05:35 PM ET

Brendon:

Regardless of whether or not you or I consider the Wings Cup contenders, or an attractive destination, it’s a moot point if they couldn’t come up with an attractive package that would pry Iginla out of Calgary. So far, I’m still waiting to see what it would be from those here who believe the Wings could get him. The Flames want more than just “valuable prospects”, they also want at least one or two good young established NHL players. So, who are the players, and who are the prospects you’d want the Wings to part with to land him?

Posted by Lyle Richardson on 11/28/11 at 05:41 PM ET

Ericsson might have value, but only if another,better player is part of the package, meaning a scoring forward, because that’s something the Flames desperately need is offense.

Posted by Lyle Richardson on 11/28/11 at 03:43 PM ET

While you’re right,one of your questions was about how to make space. Simply moving Ericsson would give the Wings all the cap space they need to fit Iginla on their roster while also retaining a little bit of room for callups/whatnot.

You move Ericsson’s cap hit down from $3.25M to the $875K replacement that comes up (to take his spot when he’s gone) and you’ve got $2.38 cap space left over.

That doesn’t even take into consideration the roughly $6-750K that also falls off their roster to make roster room for Iginla’s contract.

The $1.5M is not a difficult amount to clear.

The difficulty lies in offering the right mix of players.  I personally don’t want the Wings to give up that kind of assets that you reference in the first part of your question.

Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 11/28/11 at 05:41 PM ET

There’s one reason I would like to get Iginla.  Well’ two actually.

The “old” guy has a thirst for the Cup.  During the Wings past four cup runs they’ve always had this guy.  A guy who trudges along with mediocre teams his entire career to finally play in the promised land for that final chance at what he worked his entire career for.  If he can bring the cup back to its rightful home…  Tick tock, Kenny.

I think Ryan Lambert would have an aneurism.  That can only be a good thing for the hockey community in general.  Wing fans in particular.

Posted by WingsFanInBeanLand from Lidstrom's head telling him 1 more year on 11/28/11 at 05:46 PM ET

Lyle,

Fair enough and I’ll clarify that I don’t think this deal makes sense for the Wings, but I don’t see how one to two established NHLers would be required in the deal - to complement what core?  Half the core just went the other way.  If the Flames ship out Iggy they would be in full-on rebuild mode, burning it to the ground (no pun intended) and would be looking to acquire prospects and picks, ala their neighbours in EDM while tanking to get lottery picks for their own spots at the draft.

The Wings are loaded with skilled prospects (and no I wouldn’t, personally, want to see any of them go):  Nyquist, Tatar, Jarnkrok, Pulkkinen, Jurco, and the list goes on.  Most NHL fans aren’t aware of the growing talent pool in Detroit’s system, but I’m sure the scouts in Calgary do.

Posted by BrendonR on 11/28/11 at 06:11 PM ET

Sorry, that should read ‘the scouts in Calgary are’.  I’ll also add that Iginla himself wasn’t an established NHLer when he was sent to Calgary in the Nieuwendyk deal.

Posted by BrendonR on 11/28/11 at 06:16 PM ET

The Flames would want more than prospects for Iginla, plain and simple. You’d certainly have to include a salary going the other way to clear sufficient cap space to take him on, and they won’t want a marginal, cheap player just to help the Wings clear cap space. They’ll want one or two good, established young players, not just prospects and picks. Feaster would want a return that helps right away, as well as for the future.

Posted by Lyle Richardson on 11/28/11 at 06:17 PM ET

The Flames would want more than prospects for Iginla, plain and simple. You’d certainly have to include a salary going the other way to clear sufficient cap space to take him on, and they won’t want a marginal, cheap player just to help the Wings clear cap space. They’ll want one or two good, established young players, not just prospects and picks. Feaster would want a return that helps right away, as well as for the future.

Posted by Lyle Richardson on 11/28/11 at 05:17 PM ET

Filppula + Abdelkader +  Ericsson + Emmerton + Tomas Tatar + Landon Ferraro + First and Second Rounders next year for Iginla

Again, I wouldn’t want to make this deal (and would prefer to see Hudler in there somewhere), but I think Kenny has the chips to make it happen if he really wanted to.

Posted by BrendonR on 11/28/11 at 06:29 PM ET

for those of you thinking you’d love to have iginla or nash, ask yourself if either is worth two first-rounders plus a likely combo of helm/filppula or abby/nyquist—if not better forwards. this would literally be mortgaging the future on two guys who, while talented and probably motivated to get out of their situations and start winning, haven’t done a whole lot of that so far. their cap hits alone (nash’s until 2018!) are enough to make me say, “not interested!”

Posted by Chet from twitter: thegansen on 11/28/11 at 06:56 PM ET

I like how you switched the convo from how you snubbed Detroit as cup contenders to Detroit wont trade for Iginla.. of course, we all agree, p robably wont happen unless it’s a sweetheart deal.. what we don’t agree on is the fact you think DRW’s are suspect because of spotty losing streaks, but most teams you mentioned as contenders have had the same and worse issues.  Why do you think Detroit has something extra to prove?  Are you on the too old bandwagon?

And as for the poster who mentioned having “that guy” who was hungry for the cup.. hands down right.  Drake really fueled that locker room on the way to that cup and the guys really rallied around him.. not unlike Recci’s effect in Boston…  I hope we get “that guy” at the deadline… or Parise

Posted by HockeytownOverhaul on 11/28/11 at 06:57 PM ET

good god. who cares that the guy snubbed detroit as a cup contender? get over it already!

Posted by Chet from twitter: thegansen on 11/28/11 at 08:09 PM ET

Garth, Eaves and Mursak won’t stay on LTIR forever.

Yeah, see, that’s why you should read past the comma.  The sentence goes beyond it.

You’re also assuming the Flames want to move Iginla right now.

YOU are the one saying that Detroit doesn’t have the cap space right now.

How many times are you going to change the argument?

First Detroit wasn’t a contender.

Then they didn’t have the cap space to fit him in now.

Then Calgary doesn’t want to trade him now.

What’s it going to be when that theory has holes shot in it?  Iginla told you personally that he hates Detroit?

Posted by Garth on 11/28/11 at 08:22 PM ET

Filppula + Abdelkader +  Ericsson + Emmerton + Tomas Tatar + Landon Ferraro + First and Second Rounders next year for Iginla

You’re fired.

Posted by Garth on 11/28/11 at 08:25 PM ET

nevermind if detroit is a cup contender according to lyle or not—it’s one guy’s opinion and you can accept or reject it. no need to take it personally and i don’t care. it’s too damn soon to tell, but we’re at least a solid playoff team. the rest will take care of itself.

that aside, i cannot come up with any plausible situation wherein the team is helped long term by picking up either iggy or nash’s salary vs. what they’d have to give up in trade. i wouldn’t cry about losing 52, 26, or even 48, but these are not the kind of players CGY or CBJ will be asking for in any trade, so it’s irrelevant.

Posted by Chet from twitter: thegansen on 11/28/11 at 08:27 PM ET

Garth, if you’re trying to make an agrument that trading for Iginla is at a minimum feasible, even though neither of us is keen to get him, then I’m interested in seeing what you think the Wings could offer that doesn’t include Mule, Helm, Kronner or Smith (obviously not even including Pav, Z, Nick or Jimmy as options).

Posted by BrendonR on 11/28/11 at 08:59 PM ET

that’s a very good point. we basically could not get rid of only spare parts and useless picks. too costly.

Posted by Chet from twitter: thegansen on 11/28/11 at 09:06 PM ET

If I’m Calgary, any NHL players I get back I’m gonna want more than just the remainder of the year. Cap coming back is less of an issue, and if it’s gonna be a rebuild, then cheaper is clearly preferable.  I don’t think Detroit is interested in moving Filppula, or Helm (at least not for an Iginla), so I’ll scratch them off of the realistic trade options. I think Brendand Smith and Nyquist also are off the table.

I’d start by asking for Kindl. I’d also try to get Mursak,  maybe Emmerton, Eaves or Miller. Then ask for an NHL ready prospect like Tatar, a low celing guy like Louis-Marc Aubry/Brent Raedeke and a 2nd round pick. I might accept Ericsson (IF he’d allow that trade, thanks modified NMC) instead of Kindl, but would want more developed prospects with him for some insurance and cap compensation. Maybe Tatar and Landon Ferrero or Riely Sheahan, and at least one 2nd round pick.

This is me spit-balling with no in-depth knowledge of the Flames organization beyond what I know of the rostered players and what I can learn on Capgeek, but it feels like a good start. That said, I’m not a fan of the acquisition from a Wings perspective, because$7M freezes too much of our flexibility in the off-season.

Posted by Nate A from Detroit-ish on 11/28/11 at 10:28 PM ET

sorry Chet, I never wasn’t over it, but I also enjoy a good dialouge and I found that my opinion varied.. and if Lyle wasn’t so aggressive in his assertion all his opinions are right, I wouldn’t have said anything.  In my post I was just pointing out inconsistancies in his arguement…. to me, it makes a difference if I want to keep reading his blog, which is pretty much ALL his opinion.  This is what he does for a living and I’m sure he’s a big boy and can handle talking with other grown men Chet

Posted by HockeytownOverhaul on 11/28/11 at 10:41 PM ET

i don’t care.

Yeah, we get it.  Four straight posts about you not caring.  Doesn’t mean the rest of us can’t discuss it.

if you’re trying to make an agrument that trading for Iginla is at a minimum feasible, even though neither of us is keen to get him, then I’m interested in seeing what you think the Wings could offer

I’d start with something similar to what Hossa commanded from Pittsburgh and what Kovalchuk commanded from NJ.  Each of those guys went (along with another roster player) to their new team for two roster players (one of whom was at the end of a contract, so we can assume that was in order for the new team to relieve a bit of the cap hit coming in), a prospect and a first rounder.  Obviously the situation is different though because Hossa and Kovalchuk were on expiring contracts while Iginla has a year left on his, and they were 29 and 27 respectively while Iginla is 34.  While you could expect a team to have to give up more because Iginla isn’t simply a rental, his age and the fact that his cap hit will be pretty hefty next year might cancel that out.  Maybe Calgary squeezes another pick or possibly another prospect out of any suitor, but any of those suitors would balk at another roster player because they want Iginla in order to get better now and depleting their roster of NHL players isn’t going to help.  And besides, Calgary wants picks and young players because they’re looking at what’s happening right now in Edmonton (and what happened a couple years ago in Chicago) and wondering why they aren’t there too.

Cripes, I can’t believe I’ve put this much thought into it.  I’m not even overly keen on the idea of getting him at that cap hit.  I think I’d prefer it if he was just a rental.

Posted by Garth on 11/28/11 at 11:26 PM ET

I think I’d prefer it if he was just a rental.

Yep, like I said before, I don’t want him and his salary past this year, either.  I’d rather rent Semin for the rest of the year.  And yes, I know he’s lazy and blah blah blah, but on Pavel’s wing I think he’d be pretty awesome.  He just needs a decent center to play with (the guy was money playing with Backstrom, which he hasn’t been doing the past 2 seasons).  Parise is still my dream player long term, however.

Posted by John W. from a bubble wrap cocoon on 11/29/11 at 12:03 AM ET

Posted by John W. from a bubble wrap cocoon on 11/28/11 at 11:03 PM ET

All of these things.

Posted by Garth on 11/29/11 at 01:46 PM ET