We all knew for a long time that Frans has no Hans

And who's Mr underwood?
- MR.Hunter

Wut? Only one of the top 25 posters of all time.

Nielsen for Shipachyov?
I'd make that deal, Vegas wouldn't

Here are Frans Nielsen's per-82-games scoring rates during his 10 seasons (ages 22-31) with the New York Islanders:

16 goals, 31 assists

I have long been a fan of Nielsen, but he is not and was never Pavel Datsyuk lite. More like Darren Helm with better hands. At his peak he was a smart, dependable two-way center who was above average (but unspectacular) both offensively and defensively. It's great to have versatile guys like that on your team, but unless you're a legit star, chances are Father Time is not is not going to be all that kind to you at 32 and older.

Here is what Bob Duff wrote on July 1, 2016:

It’s easy to get up in arms about the length of the deal, until you look around and see that’s what everyone was getting, and if you wanted to play the game, you had to ante up.

Nielsen hasn’t played the type of game that abuses his body, so he should have at least a few more good years left in him. The first Danish citizen to play in the NHL, Nielsen topped the 50-point plateau for the second time in three seasons in 2015-16. He plays a 200-foot game, is the all-time NHL leader in shootout goals (42) and as blasphemous as some might find it to say, a healthy Nielsen at 32 might just be a better option for the Wings that a breaking down, 38-year-old disinterested Pavel Datsyuk.

The Wings needed a second-line center. All in all, it’s hard to argue against this move.

Here is a smattering of what Wings fans wrote in the comments on that very same blog.

AND Nielsen isnt a #2 C. Hes a #3 ask NYI fans who have watched him for the past 10 seasons. They had him in his prime so they saw him at his best. DET is getting a declining player on the wrong side of 30.
- wingz4life

Just because the cap is 74 million doesn't mean we have to go out and sign anyone until we reach that point. Start the rebuild already, this team doesn't have it stop wasting money on bums and blocking the rookies.
- hockeyislife99

"Everybody else was doing it" is not, has never been, and never will be a reasonable justification for signing a stupid FA deal. Good teams don't panic and overpay because they're scared they might leave with nothing. If the market prices aren't reasonable, then have the discipline to sit it out and wait for a better opportunity at another time.

Nielsen -- I think he's a good, very underrated all-situation 2C (a "Red Wing mold" player, if you will) and $5.25 million is totally reasonable for the player he is today. Problem is that he's 32 and that sucker goes on for another six years. To me it seems like a repeat of the Kronwall deal -- it looks like a fair price or even a bargain for a year or two, but it's almost certainly gonna reek by the end.
- Sven22

That's me there, the optimist. We didn't even get one season of $5.25m value, and we won't. But that's not really the player's fault.

If Nielsen winds up with 10-15 goals and 20-something assists this year, the only people who will be upset by his performance are those who are completely disconnected from reality. That is an utterly reasonable projection for someone with his age and track record.

Nielsen was making $2.75m on his last contract with New York. At 32 years of age, Detroit nearly doubled his salary and gave him 6 years with an NMC. That is utterly stupid. Anyone with even a modest amount of critical thinking power could see it immediately. Many posters here did, even when Duff did not.

pretty much everyone except holland and fudd
- Tumbleweed

Holland vs Furgusson Jr vs Millbury . Who's the best?????

Holland vs Furgusson Jr vs Millbury . Who's the best?????
- bikeguy99

Shouldn't Snow be in this list?

Shouldn't Snow be in this list?
- porkchops1977

I was debating Snow and Burky. Honorable mentions for sure. haha

Wut? Only one of the top 25 posters of all time.
- RafiDRW

I miss MrUnderwood.
- smellmyfinger

I hear he may be back sometime this summer

Wut? Only one of the top 25 posters of all time.
- RafiDRW

Probably top 10 TBH.

Here are Frans Nielsen's per-82-games scoring rates during his 10 seasons (ages 22-31) with the New York Islanders:

16 goals, 31 assists

I have long been a fan of Nielsen, but he is not and was never Pavel Datsyuk lite. More like Darren Helm with better hands. At his peak he was a smart, dependable two-way center who was above average (but unspectacular) both offensively and defensively. It's great to have versatile guys like that on your team, but unless you're a legit star, chances are Father Time is not is not going to be all that kind to you at 32 and older.

Here is what Bob Duff wrote on July 1, 2016:



Here is a smattering of what Wings fans wrote in the comments on that very same blog.







That's me there, the optimist. We didn't even get one season of $5.25m value, and we won't. But that's not really the player's fault.

If Nielsen winds up with 10-15 goals and 20-something assists this year, the only people who will be upset by his performance are those who are completely disconnected from reality. That is an utterly reasonable projection for someone with his age and track record.

Nielsen was making $2.75m on his last contract with New York. At 32 years of age, Detroit nearly doubled his salary and gave him 6 years with an NMC. That is utterly stupid. Anyone with even a modest amount of critical thinking power could see it immediately. Many posters here did, even when Duff did not.
- Sven22

#SvenForBlogger

Probably top 10 TBH.
- smellmyfinger

My sources can confirm this.

Probably top 10 TBH.
- smellmyfinger

Probably just behind Mr. Bobby and Mr. Honcho

Probably just behind Mr. Bobby and Mr. Honcho
- mdw7413

I miss them all so much.

I hear he may be back sometime this summer
- Feds91Stammer

I don't want to get my hopes up and then get hurt.