Red Wings

[lions&tigers&wings...yea]

So now that it's over the only real question to ask is who would you have rather had with that 1st round pick we traded? Quincey (who is RFA at end of year) or Paul Gaustad (UFA at end of year)? I think I would have preferred Gaustad because he's a big tough forward that is incredibly reliable defensively and hard to play against

[Tony G]

February 28, 2012 at 1:00 am
Predators stock soars at trade deadline

• By Gregg Krupa
• The Detroit News
• 0Comments

The coarse, big center Paul Gaustad went from the Sabres to the Predators. (Associated Press)


Detroit ? At the trade deadline Monday, most of the Red Wings rivals for the Western Division championship ? the Canucks, Predators, Sharks and Blackhawks ? improved, while the Blues stood pat.
But only the Predators got better by a margin approaching significance, and nothing that developed removes the Red Wings from the list of top competitors for the Stanley Cup.
"Nashville is one of the best teams in the West, now," said Barry Melrose, the former coach and player who is a hockey analyst for ESPN. "I don't know if this puts them with Vancouver or Detroit, but they are certainly better."
Elsewhere in the NHL, the Rangers and Sharks both made clear they considered the asking price for Blue Jackets star Rick Nash too steep. And the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Bruins, marginally enhanced their back end.
The Predators and Canucks acquired two players of interest to the Red Wings: The coarse, big center Paul Gaustad went from the Sabres to the Predators and the gritty, defensive center Sami Pahlsson went from the Blue Jackets to the Canucks.
The Predators also acquired the three-time 20-goal scorer Andrei Kostitsyn from the Canadiens on Monday.
And they already had taken the big, veteran defenseman Hal Gill from the Canadiens on Feb. 17.
Gaustad, a 6-foot-5 center who averages 11 goals and 86 penalty minutes, came at considerable cost. The Sabres reportedly insisted all day on a number one draft pick in return.
Most analysts said it was too much. Regardless, the three acquisitions make the Predators bigger, more skilled and more playoff-experienced.
In addition to Pahlsson, the Canucks added Zack Kassian, a rugged, 21-year-old forward, and Marc-Andre Gragnani, 24, a defenseman with offensive potential, from the Sabres.
Pahlsson wins faceoffs and is a defensive stalwart. He came in exchange for two fourth-round picks this year.
The Canucks exhibited their determination to get bigger and tougher up front by trading a candidate for the Calder Trophy, as rookie of the year, Cody Hodgson, in the deal for Kassian.
The two acquisitions make the Canucks more difficult to play, a key consideration for them at the deadline.
Some analysts, and many Canucks fans, say a lack of stoutness made them easy fodder for the Bruins in the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals.
The Sharks and Blackhawks are struggling and both sought to fill needs Monday.
San Jose acquired size, speed and immediate help for their struggling penalty kill by acquiring forwards Daniel Winnik and T.J. Galiardi from Colorado in exchange for Jamie McGinn and two minor league prospects.
The Blackhawks got desperately-needed defensive help, but perhaps not enough. They took Johnny Oduya from the Jets in exchange for two 2013 picks.
Oduya skates better than the defensemen on the Blackhawks roster.
But currently 23rd of the 30 teams in goals against, the Blackhawks decided to continue with Corey Crawford in net despite his 2.89 goals-against average and .901 save percentage.
The Rangers and Sharks did not make ill-advised trades for Nash.
The reported price was astronomic.
The Sharks, for example, refused to part with Logan Couture, who scored 32 goals in 2010-11, his first full season, and others as part of the deal.
In the past two seasons, Nash tallied 32 and 33 goals.
The Rangers reportedly made at least two runs at Nash on Monday alone.
"He approached us and asked us to consider trading him," said Scott Howson, general manager for the Blue Jackets. "We agreed to accommodate his request as long as we could get a deal that would provide us with cornerstone pieces to help us to compete for a Stanley Cup championship in the coming years."

[Tony G]

February 27, 2012 at 1:00 am
NHL trade deadline

Wings GM: There wasn't a fit ahead of trade deadline

• By Ted Kulfan
• The Detroit News
• 14Comments

Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said Monday he wasn't disappointed that the team couldn't make an impact trade. (Dave Reginek/Getty Images)


Detroit— The trade deadline came and went Monday with the Red Wings staying relatively silent.
They traded defenseman Mike Commodore to Tampa Bay for a seventh-round pick, clearing a roster spot for defenseman Brendan Smith.
But otherwise, the Wings weren't able to swing another deal to add depth up front after acquiring defenseman Kyle Quincey last week.
"There wasn't a fit," Wings general manager Ken Holland said of Monday's inactivity. "We tried to do a couple of moves, but either our (draft) picks weren't high enough because our team is high in the standings, or we didn't have the young players (other teams wanted)."
The Wings were reportedly in the hunt for Buffalo forward Paul Gaustad, but the Sabres were able to deal the big center to Nashville for the Predators' first-round pick — something the Wings didn't have anymore after trading for Quincey.
Florida forward Mikael Samuelsson, a former Red Wing the organization would have liked to add, was not traded by the Panthers, who kept all their prospective unrestricted free agents for a playoff push.
"There was not a lot of rentals," Holland said. "It was a matter of how many teams are in the hunt for a playoff spot."
Holland was not frustrated by the lack of a trade, however.
"We're second overall and we have a good team," Holland said. "We made one move today. We think Brendan Smith is real close (to being an NHL regular) and it's not fair for Mike Commodore to be here and be passed over by Brendan Smith. Our depth is internal.
"We made our move five days ago (Quincey). We'd like to have made a move, but there wasn't a fit."

[jaadam4]

So now that it's over the only real question to ask is who would you have rather had with that 1st round pick we traded? Quincey (who is RFA at end of year) or Paul Gaustad (UFA at end of year)? I think I would have preferred Gaustad because he's a big tough forward that is incredibly reliable defensively and hard to play against

I'd have liked to add some size to the team but having to choose I think we did right in grabbing Quincey. I think we have enough depth on the team to be alright at forward but Quincey really solidifies the D. He can play with just about any pairing.

I wasn't please at first with giving up a 1st round pick but in seeing how this bullshit trade deadline went I think we did right.

[jaadam4]

He's hardly a big name.

I know dude.. I was just messing with you..

[Malto Marko]

Do we have a goaltending controversy here?

[lions&tigers&wings...yea]

Do we have a goaltending controversy here?

No, what he have is a possible goalie tandem that can win us the Jennings for the first time in 4 years or so. It is nice that J-Ho can get some rest though, I'm sure he's really appreciative of Might-Mac picking up Conklins slack.

[jaadam4]

Damn NYI for stealing Nabakov from us!!

[DanO]

We don't need Nabokov.

[FCRhodes]

We need Ozzy back.

[jaadam4]

We don't need Nabokov.

Well we don't now but last year when Howard was wearing down because we didnt have a backup we sure did. Howard needed to be rested for the playoffs and he wasnt.

[FCRhodes]

Well we don't now but last year when Howard was wearing down because we didnt have a backup we sure did. Howard needed to be rested for the playoffs and he wasnt.

I agree that getting Howard some rest would be nice, but his stats in the playoffs don't support it. He had a .923 save percentage (similar to Hasek and Roy for their playoff careers). GAA was 2.5 which is higher than Hasek but similar to Roy. Looks more like our D needs to be better rested.

[lions&tigers&wings...yea]

The sharks improved themselves a bit from the deadline and are going to be an even tougher team to beat in the playoffs. They did make their team weaker by doing that Havlat for Heatley trade so hopefully the wings will show them whose boss.

[jaadam4]

They did make their team weaker by doing that Havlat for Heatley trade so hopefully the wings will show them whose boss.

I know right!! What a dumb trade that turned out to be. That would be like us trading Z for a bag of hammers.

Havlat is a decent player but look at Heatley's numbers over the years. DUMB!!!

[lions&tigers&wings...yea]

I know right!! What a dumb trade that turned out to be. That would be like us trading Z for a bag of hammers.

Havlat is a decent player but look at Heatley's numbers over the years. DUMB!!!

Not only that but Heatley has some inches and lbs on Havlat and isn't as vulnerable to being Kronwalled...I hope we play them again this year and kick the shit out of them. I don't think I could truly enjoy the cup this year if we didn't have to beat them to do it...it would be like when Chicago won the cup without having to beat us