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My first try at a GIF, haha I know it's awful I had to do it though Dunno why it takes soo long to refresh edit: fixed

Lets not forget what happened last year folks - this team is capable of putting together 3 in a row. Unlikely? Aboslutley, but impossible? Absolutley not. Its more evident than ever that changes need to be made to make Detroit stylistically capable of winning against the big bodied teams. At the end of the day its clear or lack of size/grit/phyiscality just makes this team too damn easy to play against. That said, weve got what weve got. Its up to those 2o guys in that room to get the job done and just get ONE win on Friday. Coming home for 6 and its a series again. Once again seeing fans at the Joe walking out with 5 minutes left while down 1 goal was disgusting. We have the most spoiled fanbase in pro sports with our continued success and competitiveness and yeah this year certainly isnt the best team we've ever iced - and Im sure weve all been hearing the "too old, too slow, too soft, no goaltending banter" from our friends/colleagues lately. That CANT be Lidstroms last game at JLA - ths teamplays best when their backs are against the wall, and I expect to see a great effort in a few days and a few bounces are bound to go our way.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab_lp4GFKGg <br class="Apple-interchange-newline">

I don't know about the rest of the world but the sun came up over the water today here in Destin Florida. After that loss and hours of forum venting I wasn't sure it would happen:) A few bounces our way and who knows what the future holds....regardless, my Redwing flags proudly fly year long and have been doing do since 84!

Gold, Jerry!! GOLD!!!!

Disagree with op. Every year you hope that you are 1) Healthy goihng into the playoffs and 2) it would be nice to be hot. This year we were neither. We peaked at the wrong time of year and then got the injuries. It's not an excuse, it's just a reality check. Lidstroms mobility is hamperred. Same with Datsyuk. (If Dats were in this year's mid season form, who knows what this series would look like).

What's going to make players like Suter and Parise want to come to Detroit? Seriously.

There are way too many damn pretty boys trying to finesse themselves around the ice on this wings team. Zetterberg and Datsyuk are the most capable but aren't playing the perimeter. Meanwhile, Hudler and Filpulla havent cut int the middle of the ice or crashed the net yet it seems. Theres a reason Rinne can get this many shots and not allow any goals. Having skilled guys and all is nice but there needs to be a mix. The best line for the wings has been Cleary and Abdelkader because they actually muck, grind and play playoff style hockey. They've crashed the net and generated chances. I cant believe how many weak outside shots I've seen Filppula take but its embarrassing almost. This team needs grittier scorers. A not broken down Cleary would be a great start, maybe find a guy to replace an aging Homer as well. That gritty Maltby, Mccarty type playoff scoring is lacking from this team. People say that a 4th line barely matters, but having a fourth line getting all over the goalie is what this team needs. This team is just not greasy enough. Parise is a greasy goal scorer and would be a perfect start This change starts with getting Hudler outta here. Cool he scored 25 goals, but so would a lot of guys given his linemates and ice time. He's soft and small, even if he crashes the net he does nothing cause he gets manhandled. UFA at years end Replacing Holmstrom with a guy that plays his style of game is also critical. Trying to find a guy like Hornqvist would be huge for this team. Ryan Jones would be nice. He can score around 20 goals but plays a bit like Homer or Cleary as well. Hopefully getting some of the bigger guys drafted lately into the line up will help. Sheahan doesnt seem that far off and is a big body that is capable of banging around the net and playing that style. This team needs to get some new garbage men. Babcock must be ready to rip his hair out watchign these guys dance around the outside while Rinne eats up everything.

Step-by-step procedure: ...There's 22.6 mil in cap space available, with 15/23 roster spots accounted for. #1) Trade Cleary (for nothing, I don't care). Now there's 25.4 mil in cap space available, with 14/23 roster spots accounted for. #2) Put Nyquist, Tatar, Smith and Mursak (or Sheahan?) on the roster. Now there's 22.2 mil in cap space available, with 18/23 roster spots accounted for. #3) Resign Helm and Abdelkader to similar contracts. Now there's 20.5 mil in cap space available, with 20/23 roster spots accounted for. #4) Sign Parise and Suter to contracts at about 7.0 mil per season. Now there's 6.5 mil in cap space available with 22/23 roster spots accounted for. #5) The remaining 6.5 mil (and it might be less) is for Lidstrom, who may need to take a pay-cut. 2012/2013 Detroit Red Wings: Filppula(3.0)-Datsyuk(6.7)-*Parise(7.0) Franzen(4.0)-Zetterberg(6.1)-Bertuzzi(2.1) *Tatar(0.8)-*Helm(0.9)-*Nyquist(0.9) Miller(0.8)-*Abdelkader(0.8)-Eaves(1.2) Emmerton(0.5) *Mursak(0.6) *Lidstrom(6.2)-*Suter(7.0) Kronwall(4.8)-White(2.9) *Smith(0.9)-Ericsson(3.3) Kindl(0.9) Howard(2.3) MacDonald(0.6) ...That's a team that could win it all.

Bernie! I have the t-shirt, and will be wearing it on Friday.

Believe.

You know why I hate this attitude? Because you guys make statements like they won't make it out of the first round, and defend them saying, 'Hey, I'm not gonna be saying I told you so if it hapapnes." Well.....here is proof that is not the case. I know you may not have specifically said that, but people who defend your statements do. And no I don't think Detroit will win. If anything, they will win games 5 and 6 to only drop game 7. But I still hate some people's attitude about the team. I'm already depressed enough, I don't need anybody reminding me. Thanks for clearing that up for us, we had no idea that's how it worked.

Al: WHAT'S ALL THIS LYING AROUND s***?! LGW: Season's over man, Bettman won. Al: Over? Did you say "over"?! Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? HELL NO! LGW: Germans? Pasha: Shhh, he on roll Al: And it ain't over now. 'Cause when the goin' gets tough...the tough get goin'! Who's with me? Let's go! LGW: Al: What the hell happened to the Detroit fans? Where's the spirit? Where's the guts, huh? "Ooh, we're afraid to go with you Al, we might get hurt again." Well just kiss my ASS from now on! Not me! I'm not gonna take this. Weber, He's a dead man! Rinne, dead! Trotz - Hank: DEAD! Al's right. Psychotic, but absolutely right. We gotta take these bastards. Now we could do it with conventional weapons that could take years and cost millions of lives. No, I think we have to go all out. I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part. Al: We're just the guys to do it! LGW: LET'S DO IT! LET'S GO RED WINGS!!!

First off, lets be realistic. Cleary is hurt and will be improved next season. The team isn't going to trade him. 2nd, Fillpula isn't going to get traded, this organization over values his talent.

Age isn't a factor, complacency has set in and some players are just not willing to commit to win anymore. Most of these guys have won a Cup and have gone to multiple Stanley Cup Finals. Change needs to be constant in pro sports, you can't get comfortable with the same guys, patch a few holes and expect to win. Ken Holland will be tested in this offseason like never before, especially if Nick retires. Its time to rebuild this team, inject some youth and trade away an asset while you still can for whatever value they have left.

The OP makes sense,but that's not a guarantee. Where are the Nucks and Sharks with all these Kassians,Malhotras,Lapierres,Gagliardis,Winniks...etc.?...stuck in the series against good defensive teams with stellar goalies

Lids does not deserve to be booed out of the arena after his last home game. Therefore, there are only two options: 1) We win and continue on 2) He re-signs I'll take both, please.

You're just saying that because you'll have to change your name.

"Didn't see what we were looking for in free agency" "Prices were too high for our liking" "Holding on to our cap-space for possible late season acquisitions" "Improvements will come from within (reference a players injury or player waiting for breakout)" "We like our hockey team" Last three years have been treading water. Wasting years on the odometer of Datsyuk, Zetterberg, and Lidstrom, the latter of which will most likely be gone. I hate using hindsight, but it is true, the signing of Franzen and Hudler in 2009 while letting Hossa and Samuelsson walk has not worked out. And I would be shocked if Holland doesn't resign Hudler at a raise. Way too much loyalty; not enough balls. The Wings NEED a splash in free agency, in the form of Parise or Suter. And honestly, seeing how few pure scorers this team has, I would prefer Parise. Top-tier forwards don't become available often, and as much as I know the Wings blueline will need bolstering, Datsyuk and Zetterberg are on the wrong side of the 30-32 hump and need help from a young, elite scorer. Good as Suter is, I really don't think that will change our fortunes, just slow the bleeding. Parise (or similiar elite scorer) or bust.

This team is boned. Holland resigned Bert which was a huge mistake as he has done nothing but that so called fight against Weber. Franzen is useless and for being this big time playoff guy has done squat in the last 2 playoffs. If Lids leaves this team becomes seriously mediocre and I doubt Holland will be able to get anyone like Suter or Parise as any FA would obviously see the ship is sinking. Making the playoffs is meaningless if you just squander you opportunities not only at the end of the regular season but then in the playoffs. This team needs kids that have passion like many other teams have. All these old guys they keep resigning will get them no where. When the Predators scored the first goal tonight I wanted to hang myself for recording this game and staying up late to watch the Wings fail to finish for 2 periods and then hand the Predators the game...again even though I know that is par for the course.

Can we wait for the game to actually be OVER before you guys call for the Wings heads on a plate. Goodness. 10 mins left. This is hockey. Anything can happen.

Little no-neck son of a ***** is ungrateful for actually complaining about the refs. He should be thanking the league that his retard captain wasn't suspended.

Ladies and gentlemen, Ryan Kesler.

He'll pick up no one and say "I like our team". esteef