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I've been casually viewing this site for awhile but until today I never felt the need to share my opinion. Today, however, was different. My brother was diagnosed with leukemia while playing junior hockey in Saskatchewan earlier this year and he had a bone marrow transplant a couple months ago in Calgary (he's had to live there for the last several months due to the lack of facilities in Sask.). We have been die-hard Red Wings fans since we were really young and it's been a dream of ours to someday watch a game at the Joe but today he experienced the next best thing. Mike Babcock gave him a call this morning and invited him to the Wings practice in Calgary and invited him to meet all of the Wings. Every single Red Wing took the time to not only introduce themselves but genuinely get to know him. He was encouraged by Dats and Zets to stick around for practice prep and to come back after practice for some autographs. Ken Holland offered him tickets for tomorrow's game and Babs invited him back tomorrow to once again hang out with the Wings after their morning skate. For a kid who's been through a lot in recent months, he was on cloud nine today. The Wings have always been my favorite team but today they turned it up a notch. I was absolutely blown away by everything today and I think it's safe to say we all cheer for one of the classiest organizations in the NHL .

To be honest I'm not exactly sure on the details of how Babcock found out. He hasn't sent me any of the pictures he took but I snagged this one off his Facebook profile page:

Cleary is convinced that today is the day he can pass through solid matter, goddamnit.

Woot, s***tsburgh and the CORE lost. Now we just need to win....

yeah, that's the Mo I remember!! No more shut out, ha!

Modano is a horrible point man. Ericsson useless as usual. Howard on top of his game. Shame he had to get scored on with that laser but I am loving me some Howard right now. Franzen getting a penalty for physicality. Great shot. Datsyuk looking pretty good. Lidstrom kinda old looking, but not bad. Referees may just be the difference in the game. Horrible calls all over the place.

At least the Pens are getting pounded by Dallas tonight. And Jersey's even still beating THE CORE!

Good to see Mickey on the road

This Pistons game can end anytime. Basketball is so lame.

Its funny how when Hudler is playing like s*** and wasting a roster space there are a lot of people on here who defend him even though he is a horrible plus minus and getting manhandled out there every shift, but the wings cant have a decent enforcer type that can play a regular shift because they cant play hockey

Kovalchuk's deal is obscene in a lot of ways.... but his cap hit is really pretty manageable. He's 24th in the league in Cap hit, behind inferior players like Vanek, Eric Staal, Nash, Lecavalier, Gomez, Drury, Bouwmeester, etc... It's not Kovalchuk's deal that is the ridiculous one when it comes to cap management and fielding a team. Lou threw out no trade/movement clauses like candy at Halloween to players who didn't warrant them... and now he's stuck with overpaying guys like Rolston (5 million cap hit for 2 games so far, and 37 points last year...), Zubrus, Langenbrunner, and Elias. And the Defense Lou put together is composed of players who have never put points on the board: Volchenkov, Tallinder, Colin White, etc... Imagine Datsyuk and Zetterberg trying to put up points without guys like Raf, Lidstrom, and Kronwall moving the puck. Think they'd stay at a PPG? The blame doesn't rest on Kovalchuk's shoulders... His cap hit isn't bad, and he didn't put a gun to anyone's head to make Devils management sign him and sign all those other bad contracts.

Brad McCrimmon and Paul MacLean are now assistant coaches for some average Midwestern team whose name escapes me at the moment.

And this is the exact reason that the Detroit Red Wings are the best organization in professional hockey (and possibly in all of professional sports). I hope your brother gets well soon!

thanks for the goal mike. i still dont think you are useful.

I'll help. SHUT OUT I guess that helped because Modano just scored

so basketball?

think the refs will be out of breath from all of the blowing they did in the 1st (literally and metaphorically) this game should open up, Wings will comeback and win

I'd rather see blatant spearing let go than watch a parade to the penalty box like this. Just ridiculous.

Agreed, that's vintage done right. Feel like I'm going to see Lanny McDonald skate out onto the ice or something.

I agree. Modano will start putting up points if he has Abby and Cleary as his wingers. Hudler doesn't fit the style of this team anymore.

Being a Red Wings fan just keeps gettin easier and easier...

I would expect no less from this team. That's just how we roll. When other people ask why I'm a fan of the Red Wings, seeing as I'm not from Detroit, one of the things I point out is stuff like this. It may sound corny, but they actually give a s***. You know, like when Orange Hat Guy died and they painted his seat orange and draped a hat over it, or when Ilitch goes out of his way to give the older players who never got Cup rings a ring for the championship(s) they won with the Wings way back when.....stuff like that. I hope your brother has a speedy recovery and then stays in remission.

First of all, the important stuff: I wish your brother a speedy recovery, it is hard enough to see it happen to family at the end of their years. I can't begin to imagine what you and your brother are going through right now. I will take a little consolation in the fact that the team I root for seems to live up to ideals that are more important than winning a game. I have always felt that the organization has shown something more than just success on the ice, and this re-affirms it. Proud to be a fan right now...

Cause' having one of the best shooting percentages in the history of the NHL and amassing over 400 goals and nearly 900 point, 15 years career is terrible? I hope we draft Chelios' kid, but hopefully he turns out better than his old man too.

I would trade right away Hudler for Clarkson.