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First, Niemi is a horrible example. Everyone here knows he is not a hot shot simply because he won a cup. Every single bad game Osgood had he ended up shining the next. After the Yotes took the series lead 2-1 Osgood won the next three. After the Blues tied game 3 with less than a minute to go Osgood kept the team in it at overtime (with a scary almost goal to boot) and the Wings ended up winning 2 of the next 3. After the Dallas OT loss Osgood posted a 2-0 shutout in the sixth game. After the 4 goals against in game 2 against Washington Osgood let in 2 goals the next two games. Osgood's play in that playoff only got better as the playoffs went on and his role in winning the cup was severely underrated simply because the media focused on the three notable long shot goals he gave up. However I don't think anyone considered Osgood the MVP of the team simply because he won. Finally, Howard let in some stinkers, and was not the Jimmy Howard we saw in the regular season. It could very well be adaptation to playoff hockey and I'm fine with that, but you cannot say he played fine in the playoffs. A 2-1 deficit is much easier to fight back from than a 3-0 deficit and the tying goal in game 3 that led to the 3-0 Sharks series lead destroyed the team. And his rebound control is a big weakness in his game. Improvable, but still a weakness he needs to address.

"... So I said, 'Sidney, if the towels aren't hot enough, I'm giving your trophy to Alex.' and he told me that he could win it on his own. I laughed, but the darndest thing happened. Right after I called you and told you to give it to Alex I got bumped in the head by a penis- hard! No, the bump was hard, not, well now that you mention it... Anyway back to the trophy. The guy who bumped me said it wasn't his fault; that it was a matter of physics. He's 6'6", you see. Yeah, really. What? You just mind your own beeswax, mister. That's for me to know and for you to find out. "And so I really need you to re-engrave that Hartford Whales trophy. What? Oh, sorry. Prince of Wales. I don't know these hockey things, man. I'm just in it for the money. Yeah, it can wait until you get back from your trip to Vegas- just don't forget to do it or we'll both be embarrassed. Right...Flyers. Thanks, and this conversation never happened, right? Right."

I would like to see a good back and forth, Howard getting about 40+, Osgood getting 30+. Both have had flashes of greatness and moments of you putting your face in your hands and cursing their name, but thats hockey. To me last year Howard shown us that he could be the number one guy. So I have good faith that they can get it done.

Really? How about that Game 3 against San Jose? Wings in control and then Howard gives up the weakest goal I can remember from the side boards, from the end line, and the Wings lose the game. The entire series was lost on that one goal. If he makes that "save" the Wings win game 3 and who knows where it goes from there. Once that goal slipped over the line the Wings were out of the playoffs.

FOOLS! The one known as Jimothy JHO Howard, will not dissapoint. sophmore slump? HAA! his sophmore season was years ago. baking in the oven till fresh in grand rapids, last year counted as his senior year hiccup.This year will be known as the start of his prime. Rebound control? after the way he bounces back this year everyone will be asking "what rebounds?" My warning to all: You believe in howard this year, and you believe with everything you got, or you will look more foolish than mikeal sammeulson in a face modeling contest

I've always thought this picture was hilarious.

You honestly don't think Howard had a problem with rebound control, nor he had issues in the playoffs?

This. Poor Osgood was hung out to dry. Being a goalie in Detroit has to be the worst job on the team. Most everyone either blames you for losses, or loves you when you win.

Like I said... go live on a beach somewhere.

God forbid a goalie have a subpar game in a playoff run? Unheard of!

No but it is a start. That means there is one more guy on the roster who will clear it instead of standing around stick checking guys infront of the net, which is a very bad way to play defense during a scramble. In a scramble youre better off having the other team on their asses. This one guy is here to mentor Ericcson. If Ericcson starts doing it then we have a defenseman with solid top 4 upside going forward who will clear that crease in the future. Also if guys like Stuart and Kronwall hear Babcock praising guys like Ericcson and Ruslan for clearing the crease like they do then you might just see guys like Stuart doing it a lot more. Its sort of like having someone like May in the lineup this past year. He filled his role fine but also rubbed off on other guys like Cleary and the team as a whole just seemed to be playing tougher. One guy on defense could rub off on a few other defenseman and have our team crease clearing a lot more. This may not be the only problem with our defense but it is definitely something that they are horrible at and improving it is only going to help the team. The future looks bright for guys that will do this though so we just need to wait for guys like Lashoff, Kolosov, Nicastro etc

My ideal situation would be for Howard to start 55 games, Ozzie 27. However, none of this 20+ consecutive starts for Howard so that when Ozzie does finally get a game, he's so rusty that he lets in a goal to an enforcer 14 seconds into the game.

The NHL is also experimenting with these new rules, as well.

all those are *** except no touch icing... what the f*** no puck drop, face off on whistle? is this like "n-h-l" street hockey scenario

Can he pick the goalie? lol

You wouldnt be able to see out of it in the day anyway. All of Detroits banners would be blocking the view.

I didn't know it was April 1st. Some of these are ridiculous.

I've never seen forsberg dive

No one hates Joe Sakic, no one should hate Forsberg either.

I always though they should just eliminate the fact that if you score on the power play the player comes back on the ice. Make it the full time no matter how many goals are scored. Might make people think twice before taking stupid penalties.

You guys need to chill. It's not like Forsberg calls media and says "hey I might make another comeback, write about it please!". From what I know, he has said nothing about returning to the NHL this season, it's all just media speculating. If ANYTHING was happening this off-season maybe they would write about that instead of Forsberg's theoretical return to hockey and/or the NHL. And you can't blame the guy for trying to come back when he feels he can still play hockey if they can just fix that foot of his. He's one of those select few players that can single-handedly make me buy a ticket for a game, so I hope he can play.