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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.

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!

May I have mine with some BBQ sauce please? 12GP, 2G, 8A, 10PTS +4 and skating harder than he EVER did here... I still agree with Holland's choice and don't think he ever would have been that player here with our system or lack of minutes to spare, but he has proven me wrong about not being a legit NHL'er and as a man of my word, I will honorably admit when I'm wrong... I wish Ville nothing but success, he has really found a niche there in Philly and is playing well for them!

This game is just awful. Can we bench these idiot zebras during the intermission?

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

Mickey must be feeling good these days.

Mickey on a west coast trip? Awesome.

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

Best of luck to your Dad today.

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.

through 8 games played, he has 3 points and is a -6..i realize its early..not on pace for the 50/60 points everyone was guaranteeing around here not too long ago..Clarkson is exactly what we need. Hard hitter, not afraid of anyone, and he brings a bit of an offensive presence. Ive been hoping kenny would ****** this guy ever since his rookie season.

What makes you think Jersey would trade Clarkson so easily for some underachievers? He does his job very well and has some skill to boot. Also, Hudler wouldn't exactly be on their top line.

...and? I'm thinking trade deadline. Having someone with a $2.8M cap hit sitting is a waste.

He was on the 4th line last playoff season because he was injured, and he was on the 4th line in '06 because he hadn't really come into his own offensively yet. He was most certainly not on the 4th line in his other three playoff years here, and he was one of our most prolific goal-scorers in '09. The team has played nine games. Relax!

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.

I dread the day he retires. Last season wasn't his best but he was and is better than 98% of the defensemen in the league and it's debatable about the other 2% .