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http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=386420 Toughening Up? The Detroit Red Wings open the second half of the season as the top team in the league, and not surprisingly they're looking to add some talent at, or before, the trade deadline. Gregg Krupa of the The Detroit News reports that the club is looking to get tougher with the playoffs looming, and head coach Mike Babcock revealed his wish-list. "To me, if we could get another heavy winger, or heavy forward, or D - those would all be good things to help you," Babcock told the News. Read the full report here: http://m.detnews.com/sports/article?a=2012201300303&f=1209 Note to Kenny: Tuomo Ruutu.

From the same article. According to HockeyFights.com, which tracks these things: In the 1996-97 regular season, leading to the Wings' first Cup in 42 years, the Wings fought 55 times and were 23rd out of 26 teams in the NHL. The Bruins and Islanders led with 90 fights. The Red Wings fought seven times in the playoffs, more than any other team. In the 1997-98 regular season, the Wings fought 33 times and were 25th out of the 26 teams. The Canucks led with 105 fights. The Red Wings did not fight in the playoffs. In the 2001-02 regular season, with a roster laden with future members of the Hockey Hall of Fame and other stars, they fought 21 times, the least of any of the 30 teams. The Panthers led the league with 117. Again, the Wings did not fight in the playoffs. In 2007-08, the Red Wings again fought 21 times, the least of any of the 30 teams. The Flames led the NHL with 70. The Wings fought once in the playoffs So we won those 4 cups even though we didn't fight. Wow. The LGW fight slappies are not going to like that....

Protests are stupid. If you want to change things, get yourself in a position to do something. Get off your butt and become part of the process that makes the decisions instead of sitting around trying to get attention.

I wish there would have been a picture of all seven of them getting fired up.

There's not the faintest chance that Calgary's GM would pull the trigger on this trade.

Pavel Datsyuk 0 G 3 A +4 15:20 TOI Jimmy Howard 14 shots 11 saves, penalty shot save Not a bad haul for our Wings All-Stars I may be in the minority here but I really enjoyed all of the weekends festivities. Now I'm for some more Red Wings hockey.

Jokinen is basically another Hudler. Adding him would make our top-6 soft as hell.

A name flying under the radar...Robyn Regehr. Buffalo will be sellers, and they have a bunch of big contracts that are IMO a little too big considering the players abilities. I have heard Regehr has lost a step( I havent watched him for a bit), but even if he has, he still has to be a very good shutdown Dman, and he is quite physical. He would solidify our defense IMO. Hes at 4mil and under contract for next season only. Its a thought many haven't looked at.

Well, comsidering the article says "ANOTHER HEAVY WINGER" I guess that means someone like Franzen or Bertuzzi, since Babcock seems to think we already have a heavy winger and he would like ANOTHER one...if that is the case, we will be seeing more of the same type of player... ...I would be excited if he would have left out the "another." I hope he feels that Moen and Morrow are heavy wingers, because I am all for that, but I am not all for another Franzen or Hudler... Ya, Morrow and Fistric would be great. But, lets stop saying the "Drake" factor. He wasn't really that big of help in winning, but he did add grit and toughness as would Morrow, but it seems that most folks around here feel that if it weren't for Drake, we wouldn't have won. Who would go back to Dallas in your trade scenario? A d-man obviously, but who and who else? Just curious...

Forgive me if you think I am being cynical, but this is the first year I've watched it in eons. Know why??? NO Ovechkin or he who shall not be named. I'm so damned sick of hearing about nothing but them - you'd almost think they were going to report if one of them had the hiccups or something. It was refreshing to watch the game and know that those two media whores were not there. I didn't miss them at all, and if they were never there again, it would certainly not break my heart. Sorry if you think I'm being snarky, but it's the truth.

Tkachuk heavy! esteef

another 3 point game in a 6-3 win against BLB.

I was under the impression that they had been protesting by not attending games, not existing, etc.

Kudos to Jimmy for stopping Stamkos on that penalty shot. Had friends down there who got me his autograph, personalized to me. Said he was incredibly nice.

We all like to hear this...

Hearing this from other NHLers just makes you realize what a special talent we get to watch night in and night out. You know you are great when other pros are in awe of your skill.

Ok, I don't get it. Franzen is one of the top playoff performers in the league the past 3-4 years. He is currently leading the entire league in Game winning Goals, he's on pace for 67 points and 31 goals and is +25. His point totals have increased the last 4 years (except the year when he had knee surgery)) 30, 38, 59, 55, 67. He has played over 70 games in 4 of the last 5 years. He's only 32. So why do we want to trade him? Somebody explain this to me.

I posted this in another thread but it's relevant here too. Players with a NMC or NTC: Datysuk Bert Homer Lids (not that it matters) Ericsson

History shows that there are plenty of stupid GMs out there who will trade star players for not a whole lot. What did Hossa go for? A half decent player, a bit-part player, a prospect who isn't panning out and a bad 1st round pick. What did Roy go for? Thibault, Rucinsky and Kovalenko. Yashin for Chara and Spezza. All hockey fans massively over-rate their own prospects, and tend to under-rate their own movable pieces (or massively over-rate them in a few cases). Wings fans hate on Ericsson for his bone-headedness, other GMs and fans see his size, see he comes from the Wings puck moving system and like the look of him. And we WILL need to move roster players, even bit part players, simply to make room on the roster for any new arrivals. Franzen and/or Filpulla if part of a package for a legit top player. Hudler, Abdelkader, Miller, Eaves, Emmerton, Mursak are all replacable. Stuart if part of a package, most probably with Anaheim Ericcson, Kindl, Commodore are all replacable. Any prospect not named Smith or Nyquist.

No one mentioned Ericsson. Probably because no one would take him for that contract.

Hudler + Kindl for Jeff Carter

BTW Trading Flip would be stupid...

And my sanity is questioned???

(so i posted this comment on HF borads, but i wanted to put it here too......................) ok, so, i'm pretty sure i have a serious problem. I'm current;ly at an all-inclusive resort in mexico, with my girlfriend.....having a great time, great weather, unlimited drinks, food, beach, sun...... My girl wanted to go to dinner.....as did i..... but not before i watched EVERY SINGLE CLIP from this thread(just a thread with datsyuk clips that i have seen 100 times before)which i have seen NUMEROUS times before. i can't describe my love for pavel....He is far and away my favorite human being on the planet other than my family and friends - and he even trumps some of them!!! as delusional as it sounds, i wouldnt trade pavel for crosby + malkin, or both sedins + kessler, or any other combination of players in the league. People talk about toews and his intangibles, but datsyuk puts up points....wins selke's, and still has a "je ne sais quoi" about him that is unmatchable. Pavel Datsyuk, you are my hero. xoxoxoxo........haha