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good, it was absolutely awful. ...sorry guys, you can't give me -20 for that simple post anymore.

Soooooooo many Homer's in this thread. The hit was a bit low. Schenn won the fight.

With the pre-season coming to an end I wanted to know who you thought impressed, who you think will be huge in the future, and who needs to part ways asap? I was impressed with Kindl, Lashoff, and Smith. With these guys in the system I think that The Red Wings are set for years to come on defence. I think that Abby could be a big part of this team in the years to come. If he gets a bit stronger on his skates and keeps working like he does now. He kind of reminds me of a young Mac! And to the Ugly, Ericcson. He does not look like he has improved one bit over last year. I say start looking for a team that needs a big soft d-man that will give him some ice time. He may become a good d-man in this league but with the Red Wings depth he will just be in the way in Grand Rapids. Trade him for a pick and play Kindl/Smith.

I don't think it's a coincidence that mindfly is back to bitching right when we lose our minus ratings.

Of course he isn't. But if we happen to win the Cup just watch the revisionist history. This will somehow become a tough team. The 97 and 98 Cup teams were soft compared to the rest of the league. There were debates exactly like this back then. Kocur was too old. McCarty wasn't a real heavyweight. We never should have gotten rid of Probert or Grimson. Lapointe and Primeau didn't fight enough, etc. But from the talk about them now you'd think it was one of the toughest teams in NHL history. People talk like McCarty was a fearsome enforcer in 02. The 08 team had the mighty Drake who apparently won us the Cup all by himself. The Wings are a soft team. We've been a soft team for years and years, and we've won despite that. You are saying we need an enforcer to win the Cup. And that is your only argument. You say we need one, I say we don't. I think it's hilarious that you all are so terrified to admit even the possibility that a team can win without an enforcer. I bet you were all relieved when we lost in 09. And that's the difference. I have no problem admitting that having an enforcer can have its usefulness. I'm just not going say it's an absolute necessity. It isn't. Games are won on the scoreboard. Fighting may help, but it is far from the only way to score or prevent goals. Simple kindergarten logic tells you then that it is absolutely possible to win without fighting. But you all act like making that simple concession would be like admitting that fighting has no value. As for Holland, let's see what he's really done. He had McCarty when he became GM. McCarty happened to also be a pretty good hockey player. Always a regular in the lineup. Maybe if Holland didn't have that luxury he would have signed someone else. Or maybe not. McCarty left after the lockout. We didn't carry an enforcer in 05-06. Didn't carry one in 06-07 either. 07-08 we added Downey. 08-09 we had nothing. Downey and McCarty spent the majority of the year in GR. 09-10 we added May, but he was originally signed to play in GR, but got a spot due to injuries. Once the team got healthy, he was waived and sent back to GR. That year we were also jammed against the cap and could only afford a minimum wage player. Thus far this season we have no one. So, 4 of 6 years with no enforcer, 1 with an enforcer for half the year only because of injuries, and 1 year with an enforcer as the 13th forward, who wasn't taking a spot from anyone better. Yeah, Holland really gives that role a high priority. We already have a full roster. Too many players in fact. We don't have any room for an enforcer. We don't need an enforcer. An enforcer won't put us over any edge. We have one of the best teams in the league, and we are capable of winning the Cup. With no enforcer. Come back next season when we have a couple spots open.

It's hard to point the finger at one player and condemn them as the "fault" or "weak link" when the entire team as a whole sucks tonight. They can't pass, they can't take a pass, they can't hold the puck in the offensive zone, they can't get the puck out of the defensive zone, way more players other than Ericsson has given the puck away. This is a brutal game as a whole. Hard to blame two guys (Ericsson and Osgood). Pretty ridiculous to suggest they are the only crap guys in an all around bad game (from everyone from A-to-Z).

Seriously, it's not even the regular season and ericsson is already the whipping boy and we're back to Osbad. This place is so pathetic sometimes.

Same thing happened with DirectTv last year over Vs. I'm not angry with DISH. I'm pissed with FoxSports for holding the channels hostage while they demand upwards of a 50% price increase. I'm sorry, but that's basically blackmail. The MSG network is demanding that DISH carry a regional music video channel as part of their nationwide programming. No thank you. MTV sucks bad enough.

Two way contracts only dictate how much he gets paid. He gets paid a higher amount it he plays in Detroit, and a lower amount if he plays in GR. Two way contracts have no bearing on a player's waiver eligibility status.

Bulls***. Scarface came out that year. Metallica had their first album. Steve Yzerman joined the Wings. I was born. Best year ever!

I thought his time should have been up 3 years ago...

He'll go down and score 50 goals in GR. Griffs win the Calder Cup.

He stood out for being a no-show. He only played in 4 games due to an ear ache. When he did play he was limited to under 10min and under 5 on one occasion. He had 1 assist and was -1. Ritola has shown nothing that the Wings can't get from someone else. Will he play well somewhere else? Maybe but these are the tough decisions that we have to make now with the CBA. The fact is this years Red Wings are better without him and than with him. The Draper argument may be a valid one but Draper embodies the Red Wings philosophy of taking care of your veteran players, it's the reason FA's want to take a discount to come here, and the reason our own players don't leave for larger paychecks.

i like winning games so im glad this isnt our roster...

Yea, but he's one of their expensive core the fans want to get rid of, so he doesn't count.

Ouch. It is a tough break for Campbell. The collar bone last season, now this to start off the new season. I guess he can take some consolation in the fact he's grossly overpaid. He'll be well paid for rehabbing that knee.

When we lost all those guys, we had to bring in our top prospects from the AHL. Chicago's top prospects are already in the regular lineup....

he probably thinks it increases his odds of the refs losing sight of a loose puck and the play will come to an end.

i don't care what Niederreiter might have done to Cammalleri, you don't react like this. if Niederreiter was gooning earlier, then you drop the gloves.

I figured instead of bashing Crosby, i'd attempt to help, this is all I could find: And also:

Probably got it that way because he realized there just isn't really way to make an airbrushed duck look intimidating...

You're announcing this as if it's news.

Don't worry about it. They wouldn't know if you crossed the line anyway. One might think you did, but the two who were further away might overrule him, and with the video judges on strike too, no one would know for sure. Even if they did come to a consensus or call Toronto, you could just tell them that you had an afternoon of yardwork planned, but went to the game instead since your gas can was empty, and since you intended to blow (leaf or snow, depending on the weather) the point is moot and you did not cross the line regardless of where you ended up.

None of them have been shot in Detroit though, right? That already gives us a leg up.