Quick Hits: On Drapes, the Bulin Wall, and the Mule

by Apocalyptic0n3 on Jul 27, 2011 6:20 AM CDT in Quick Hits

Let us start off today with the Kris Draper Eulogies. It would appear that he was loved by more than just Detroit.
Puck Daddy has their top right wingers list up. Johan Franzen comes in at #17. Corey Perry is #1. About what I expected.
Remember Jason Williams? Sure you do. The man had two stints with the Wings. Now, however, he is taking his talents to Pittsburgh
Nikolai Khabibulin is going to jail for 30 days after dropping his appeal in a DUI case.
Western Michigan University announced its replacement for new Wings assistant coach Jeff Blashill: former Kings and Blues coach Andy Murray.
Francis Pare, Red Wings prospect, will stay with the organization after signing a two year deal. He has spent the last three years in Grand Rapids and I do not expect that to change. His NHL prospects have never looked too high, though the Wings front office must see something in him to keep him around, right?

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Pittsburgh must really be desperate,

signing Jason Williams to a one year, $600,000 deal. The same Jason Williams who couldn’t cut it in two tries with Detroit or with those recent juggernauts, Dallas Stars and Columbus Blue Jackets. They are really grasping at straws with this signing. Hope they aren’t expecting much.

by zfan16 on Jul 27, 2011 7:07 AM CDT reply actions

Probably

But $600k for a guy who possibly “can” put up decent points totals is one of those low-risk, decent-rewards type gambles. If he sucks, like is expected, they’re really not out much.

by J.J. from Kansas on Jul 27, 2011 7:20 AM CDT up reply actions

He may be the next Mike Sillinger --

good enough for a year, maybe two, but destined to be on the move frequently.

by zfan16 on Jul 27, 2011 7:42 AM CDT up reply actions

They are both on the same pace, 6 teams by age 30. Steve Eminger is on the same pace as well, 6 teams by age 29. Though he just managed to re-sign with the Rangers, so that may be coming to an end.

by Apocalyptic0n3 on Jul 27, 2011 7:48 AM CDT up reply actions

I disagree

This is a great signing by Pittsburgh. They needed a guy to play on the fourth and third lines, a veteran with experience on championship teams. I do not think they could have gotten any better player for $600k unless Samsonov was willing to sign for super cheap. If he doesn’t work out, they try sending to the minors and if they lose him… oh well. It’s a low-risk move that is unlikely to hurt them in any significant way.

by Apocalyptic0n3 on Jul 27, 2011 7:46 AM CDT up reply actions

Better yet

This is a two-way deal. There is absolutely no-risk in this signing.

by Apocalyptic0n3 on Jul 27, 2011 7:51 AM CDT up reply actions

I hate to say it but a great signing by the Penguins.

by Detroitnr1 on Jul 27, 2011 11:20 AM CDT up reply actions

Except

it is essentially a power play for the opposing team whenever Williams is on the ice (you all notice I’m sure that there is no D in either of his names – Jason or Williams, and that carries over to the ice).

by Kendal on Jul 27, 2011 11:26 AM CDT up reply actions

Really?

This is a great signing by Pittsburgh.

At the very least I’d want a guy a little younger with more potential than Williams. Williams ain’t gettin’ any better. He’s getting worse. I’d rather give my 600K contract to someone who may not have a ton of skill, but at least has room to grow. You never know what might happen.

by Big Z in Orlando on Jul 27, 2011 3:09 PM CDT up reply actions

Williams has been a good 2nd line guy in the past, who’s to say he can’t be that again?

by Apocalyptic0n3 on Jul 27, 2011 5:35 PM CDT up reply actions

But there are better options

Stillman, Drury, Samsonov, heck, maybe even Zherdev or Wolski (if that buyout ever happens). I mean, maybe it’d cost more money, but the Penguins have about 1-2 million to work with.

by Float on Jul 27, 2011 6:57 PM CDT up reply actions

I think the biggest thing with this is it’s a 2-way deal. The only person on that list that might go for one is Drury and that is only because it sounds like he is going to have a hard time finding a job. Williams signing a 2 way deal means they either have experience in the minors or a good call up in the big leagues, just like our signings this year of Exelby and Conner. While keeping Conner would have been ideal for the Pens, that obviously fell through. In my opinion, there was little, if anything at all, left on the market that came close to Williams for a 2-way, $600k deal, especially when you throw in the amount of experience he has.

by Apocalyptic0n3 on Jul 27, 2011 9:27 PM CDT up reply actions

I just implied why not

Williams is on the downside of his career. I suppose He could be a 2nd line player again, but when was the last time he was really effective that role? 3 years ago? 4? 5?

He’s more likely a marginal NHL player who will remain one until he can no longer convince an NHL team to give him a contract (the time is coming soon).

Instead, i was suggesting signing a younger player who may have been overlooked due to his size, injury history, lackluster college/junior numbers, etc. These guys at least have some room to improve.

by Big Z in Orlando on Jul 28, 2011 1:36 PM CDT up reply actions

I agree he hasn’t looked good, but the even the decent prospect pool is beginning to dwindle, especially with many of them being RFAs who are damn near untouchable. Williams has been hit by injury the last few seasons, which has definitely caused some of his down time (He played… 40 games last season? Something like that between the AHL and NHL). If he can stay healthy, I think he can a real benefit to the Penguins, either in the NHL or AHL.

And as much as I hate the Penguins, their front office is one of the best in the league. They wouldn’t sign him if they thought it wasn’t worth it. And, really, at $600k (only if he plays in the NHL, mind you), he is easily worth it.

by Apocalyptic0n3 on Jul 28, 2011 2:03 PM CDT up reply actions

Francis Pare

even if he never makes the NHL, there’s no shame in carving a career out of AHL hockey. if the Red Wings think he helps the Griffins and, as a consequence, the development of other prospects in the system, i’m all for it.

You wanna tell me that to mah face?!

by uvgt2bkdnme on Jul 27, 2011 10:00 AM CDT reply actions

Puck Daddy is a Joke

Their list of top 25 centers a few days ago was quite off the mark, but this RW list tops it in every way possible. I don’t think they could have made a worse list if they tried. Perry at #1 and Franzen at #17 is accpetable, but just about everything else in between is bullshit.

Not to get too detailed and hateful, they include Kovy as a RW. So, yeah…..

by hyeh81 on Jul 27, 2011 10:13 AM CDT reply actions

I would take Ryan Callahan over most RW in the league

And he only gets honorable mention. It was a bad list.

I hate Jonathon Ericsson.

by Brion on Jul 27, 2011 11:02 AM CDT up reply actions

Its for fantasy hockey though. (Or at least thats what I thought I read.)

To be fair, Kovy is listed as a LW/RW in fantasy land. And Ryan Callahan, though awesome as a team player, is nothing more than a maybe #2 option in fantasy hockey.

That being said I want Callahan’s RFA contract negotiation to go to the crapper so we can spend our 5 mil on him. I think he’d look great with a winged wheel.

I'm a Homer

by holmstrom96 on Jul 27, 2011 11:42 AM CDT up reply actions

That was short lived. He just signed a new deal with New york.

by Apocalyptic0n3 on Jul 27, 2011 1:51 PM CDT up reply actions

I'm with you on wanting Callahan in Detroit

I was bummed when I saw that he signed. There has been talk (at least on Rangers’ broadcasts last season) that he might be the next captain. They really missed him when the played the Caps in the playoffs. The Rangers may not have won, but they probably would have taken it to 7.

by zfan16 on Jul 27, 2011 7:59 PM CDT up reply actions

I doubt Callahan is given it now. If anything, they go without one for a few months and then name Richards captain.

by Apocalyptic0n3 on Jul 27, 2011 9:31 PM CDT up reply actions

Really really strange

On the Rwingers front, I had a dream last night that we were in negotiations to acquire Corey Perry. It was basically that I was an intern with the club and was listening in to a teleconference with Kenny, Corey, and some others. Don’t know if it actually happened because I woke up before anything went thru, but that’s kind of weird.

Datsyuk and Friends

by Dubie on Jul 27, 2011 10:32 AM CDT reply actions

I still maintain that, should Ryan Getzlaf ever become a Red Wing I will be ecstatic.

But as a Duck I hate him.

by eight_legged_freaks on Jul 27, 2011 10:51 AM CDT up reply actions

Isn’t that our whole Ducks deal, though? Unless they are named Teammu or Paul, we hate every single Duck ever.

by Apocalyptic0n3 on Jul 27, 2011 11:07 AM CDT up reply actions

Perhaps

But there’s a difference between hating while secretly coveting Ryan Getlzaf and hating while thinking you’ll mail a bag of poop to Ken Holland if he acquires Corey Perry.

by J.J. from Kansas on Jul 27, 2011 11:14 AM CDT up reply actions

Dude - I'd send it Fed Ex Overnight Priority

and it would be really expensive to ship, but it would be worth it…..he would get the stench still emminating from the bag, much like everything about Corey Perry.

by Kendal on Jul 27, 2011 11:19 AM CDT up reply actions