“Yeah, they’re choking on this one in Manhatten. This is not what the CBA was intended to do. We’re talking about a very good player, but we’re not talking about Crosby, we’re not talking about Ovechkin or Malkin here. We’re talking about a guy they could do without and still be very successful. This is a circumvention of not the actual rules, but the intention of the rules…it’s just craziness out there right now.”

Interesting. Not the choking in Manhatten part. That’s just fun to imagine. What’s interesting is the immediate comparison of Franzen to Crosby, of course. If this was Gary’s Baby Boy? Milbury would be drooling all over himself to compliment everyone’s hero for taking the discount. He’d be rubbing Ray Shero’s tummy and calling him the best GM in the business.

Mark my words: Holland and the Wings will be slammed for this from coast to coast across two countries. And even some Wing fans will join in. Some are already claiming Holland has violated the “spirit of the Cap.” Those comments can be found here.

I’ve never been silent about this and I’ll repeat it now. I don’t care what the rest of the league thinks, what other fans think, what the MSM or other teams’ bloggers think. In fact I’ll go further: if it irritates all of the above? Good. Outfriggingstanding. This is a Red Wing deal and it’s a good one.

Everyone else, like Milbury said, can go ahead and choke on it.

Oh, and some of this too….

Jim Matheson

Hossa is going nowhere. His cap hit will be in the $6-million range. “I will tell you this: despite what people are saying, the salary cap in Detroit will definitely be no impediment to Marian signing there,” said Winter.

It’s pretty obvious that Rich Winter, to his credit, has given up on the idea that Marian Hossa is going to sign anywhere for huge bucks. In fact, based on that…I’d say the deal is done. Winter’s literally doing the exact opposite of what any agent would do as they try to get their guy the best money possible.

Pencil Hossa in and let’s try to figure out who stays and who goes from among the RFAs and Conklin.

Edit: I just read that Winter quote again over at Malik’s. And something’s nagging at me. Look at it again, then try something else on for size.

“I will tell you this: despite what people are saying, the salary cap in Detroit will definitely be no impediment to Marian signing there,” said Winter

It could be read another way. Like, “If Marian Hossa decides not to stay in Detroit, it won’t be because of the salary cap.”

I’m just sayin’.