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From Nightmare on Helm street:

Part deux, wherein they come out like possessed Vikings and proceed to tear s*** up. Where's that old Viking Z picture that was posted here last year? Wings 7, Cbus 0 because they've all been slaughtered. Edit: Found it.

Win or die.

I just hope that none of the people who are whining about yesterday ever have a bad day where things just don't go right for them. They'd never be able to handle it. Go Wings! Yesterday was a bad day. It happens. Shake it off and move on.

For some reason the Wings fell prey to a massive episode of "groupthink" this summer. They were willing to throw MASSIVE contracts at Suter and Parise, two guys who have NEVER played like they deserved that much money. Presumably because they bought into their underserved reputations. Yet they were scared away from Semin, who's contract is a lot but at 1 year wasn't going to be a problem, also presumably because of an undeserved reputation. I have no idea why Semin got singled out for laziness when the entire Washington organization has the exact same problem. Semin clearly isn't a long term solution, but who can say they wouldn't rather have him on Pav's wing, just for this year, rather than sit on all this cap space for the season. He couldn't possibly have hurt us this season, and he would have had ZERO negative impact on the future either.

How is .917 SV% and 2.42 GAA not in the same ball park as .919 SV% and 2.51 GAA? And sorry .917 SV% and 2.42 GAA is better than Fleury's .909 SV% and 2.67 GAA. And if you don't want to compare careers, because why would large sample sizes matter let's compare their best years. Jimmy Howard's 09-10 season he had .924 SV% and 2.26 GAA, Fleury's best season 07-08 he had a .921 SV% and 2.33 GAA So Jimmy has proven to have a higher ceiling than Fleury, considering he's had a better season. Man Jimmy Howard is so underrated here, it's completely mind boggling, we finally have a good to very good goalie, and it's like we don't want one and have to fight every step to make sure he doesn't get any credit.

We're not a draft pick away from winning the Cup either. How about we just address some of our immediate needs this year, then some more next year, and try for the Cup every year? This whole "let's just wait and see what we get 10 years from now" is getting tiring. Win now, you know?

In Russia Referee Punches you.

Who are you guys? Nostradamus?

The 3rd line does. But babs could f***in care less, he's too busy blowing his veterans. esteef

Just put Z and Pavel together already. I'd rather have one line with potential than two lines of nothing. Moving pieces around doesn't suddenly make Cleary, Abdelkader or Franzen productive. Babs is just spreading out the crap -- the combinations are irrelevant.

LET'S GO RED WINGS!!! Wings should be fresh today after 2 days off.

I miss Homer so much

Yesterday was a bad day, but it doesn't excuse that they are getting paid millions to not show up. No one was skating competitively yesterday, it has nothing to do with people whining.

We're not likely to get fully healthy before the trade deadline. At that point, the roster limit is removed so we can still keep all the kids up (assuming we have cap space, which we should). If Lashoff was going to get demoted, he certainly would have been already. At most he could spend a short time down then be back up after the deadline. Of course, if White/Cola/Huskins/trade addition were to come in and play really well it might push him out of the lineup, in which case he'd probably be sent back down for the playing time. Forwards are a bit tougher. No question that Flip and Helm will be in the lineup if healthy, along with Pav, Hank, Mule, and Brunner. I would guess Abby, Cleary, and one other PKer (Miller/Emmy/Eaves - probably rotating unless one steps up) would be in. Sammy for a RH point shot makes sense, and Bert likely makes it. Leaves one spot for Tootoo, Tots, Andy, and Gus to fight over. I think if the kids want to stay in the lineup, they need to show they can kill penalties or outscore the size advantage of Bert and Sammy.

So....do we score today?

You know for losing Stewart, Homer and Lids, we are in freaking 6th place, yesterday it was 4th. With all those young superstars on Edmonton, look where they are sitting. This team has done very well despite who we lost.

I hate to say anything bad about Yzerman, but he hasn't really shown any brilliance as a GM. This team...every time they are in a position to close a gap in the standings, or to make up some troy.d somewhere, they blow it. Babcock needs to be less reliant on his line formulas. He is sticking to the shooter-playmaker-net presence formula. We don't have the players to make that combination work right now. and its why Cleary and Abdelkader are on Datsyuk's line. I miss his old line juggling days now. Just try putting the best players together and see who clicks.

I agree with this. The parity in the NHL is just insane. First step is make the playoffs. After that, anything can happen.

If we can make the playoffs anything can happen.

Agents don't get paid 10% of any contract.. Even if they did, they can take 10% of my 6.5 million dollar salary.

Right, I don't know what everyone else is watching, but this team is good! They work hard, they're tough, fast, block a lot of shots, and Howard is probably playing the best he ever has. Just wait until Helm comes back! I know if I was on one of the other teams in the West, I wouldn't want to play the Wings in the playoffs.

Meh. The Kings had the kind of roster primed for a deep playoff run. Big, physical team that outworks everyone and rides a hot goalie. I guess someone should have noted that last year before starting that thread. Hence, I wouldn't say anyone can win the Cup because the Kings did. It still takes a certain type of team. Either the one I described above or a team that just has more talent than everyone else (Hawks this year). Wings are a team that is looking for its new identity, since we don't have the puck possession game we once did, with Lidstrom and Rafalski gone.

Is this team a deadline trade away from the Cup? No. So let's get a good draft pick for once.

Honestly if they do make a move It better be a big one with someone who has years on their contract. Because unless something dramatic happens with this team over the remainder of the season, they are not one playoff rental away from a deep Cup run. That should've happened the last two seasons. If Holland is going to give up assets it should be for a guy who'll be here for a while and help the rebuild.