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ESPN's power ranking comment for the Red Wings: "Hmmm, wonder if there's a game in Ottawa on Sunday that a certain Red Wing has circled on his calendar?" Fight Line: Bert - Abby - Tootoo Kronwall - Smith Fight starts when someone gets Kronwalled

Cleary crashes the net

I'm thankful Matt continues to provide a place for us all to discuss, complain, joke and obsess over all things hockey and especially all things Red Wings.

Smith has played well since coming back. He looked like a real gamer against Ottawa. Anyone who didn't see that wasn't watching or is too investing maintain him as a whipping boy.

Have you seen him in GR? He needs another year at least, he's still too small for the NHL, and needs to fillout his frame or he will make Hudler look like Bertuzzi in his prime.

frankgrimes, I'm liking where you're coming from lately. You touched on something in the Need thread and touched on it here as well. It's something I and at least a few others (e.g. haroldsnepsts) have harped on in the past. It's the notion that we are, arguably, deficient in many, if not most, categories. We're not skilled enough to play the kind of possession game we pioneered and perfected in the Yzerman Era, nor are we especially big or strong or mean or fast or quick or young or incredible on the PP and/or PK or strong in net. (OK, that last one might not be true. Jimmy is one of the best in the league - even if he hasn't been playing like it lately - and suddenly Monster is awesome.) I just think that's worth considering when talking about systems and such.

I'd sue God if he exists over the fact life is way too dangerous and He did not do enough to protect... well, you know what I mean.

It's actually not unheard of for people to be suspended whilst an investigation is on-going, especially if they're in the public eye. It helps the organization go on without having the distraction of the person in question being there, and it makes them look as if they're "doing something", which is important. Suspension with pay is not the end of the world. One good friend of my dad's had to take early retirement due to false allegations, but another one was guilty as sin and it was good that they got rid of him when they did. I guess there's no sight like hindsight. In sports, they're already in the limelight. This isn't a case of a nobody suddenly becoming a household name solely because of the accusations. No good comes out of things like this regardless of what happened, what is happening, and what will happen.

Either his system doesn't work OR/AND Babcock doesn't have the players for his system to work. No matter how one as looking at it both things are leading to the same resolution, change the system! Puck posession is only working, if your team is ridiculously skilled, which this DetroitRedWings edition clearly is not. So what kind of system could work? I think a more tippetlike system could work better, because you don't need as much talent to fullfill it and it seems to work well for teams like the Coyotes.

I think my biggest problem with Bab's "system" is his stubborn insistence that every player is a perfect substitute stylistically (or at least could be) to every other player. Because of this, you get specialized players playing in the wrong roles, because "hey, why not". Why not put Datsyuk on Zetterberg's wing with Brunner (beginning of last season)? Why not put Filppula on Zetterberg's wing in spite of the fact that Filppula likes to pass and Z likes to shoot? Why not play Abby on every line from first to fourth? Why not make Smith and Kindl play away from their strengths? Babs' system runs utterly contrary to a couple hundred years worth of evidence that specialization works really well in most facets of life. You'd be a fool to try and grow corn in an area more suited for coffee production. You'd be a fool to build a textile factory in Silicon Valley. You'd be a fool to tell Stamkos to pass more and shoot less. But for some reason Babs disagrees with this logic. He must have skipped Econ 101 for Sports Psych 10...who gives a damn.

I think the NHL should be looking at the INTENT of Cowan's action. He was trying to hit Pavs in the head... that's the bottom line.

I'm happy we signed Franzen instead of Hossa

Red Wings players are perfectly safe out there, because the league's discipline policies are so strictly enforced. No one would dare elbow one of our top players in the face or smash his head into the glass, knowing they will be severely disciplined for the infraction.

Might wanna call up your AHL goons, we're playing Detroit tonight.

The net should've been suspended, no question.

If you take a look at the UFA defensemen available at the end of this season, well, the pickins are slim. I'm just not expecting much, to be honest. We were in this exact position 2 season ago, lots of space and we came away with a whole lot of nothing.

I'll be so disappointed if Andersson is still on the team. Jarnkrok needs to be on the team. Jurco should probably get a good long look, depending on how he does the rest of the year without Nyquist. Almqvist, please. Even if we did sign a FA d-man, I'll take Almqvist over Kindl or Lashoff. Maybe Oullet too. I could see Alfie re-signing. He's clearly still good enough and a good fit on the team so I see a chance. Bert is also a possible re-sign. I hope not, but it could happen. Because he works well with Z and D Holland could deem him valuable enough. I have a hard time seeing Mantha step right into the NHL. Maybe if he completely kills it at camp. All in all there's potential for a very, very fun roster. We'll see what Holland does though, I mean are there really much in terms of FAs out there? Long way to go, I still potential in this year's team to be something very good.

Wanna bet?

Couple thoughts. 1. Alfredsson's contract is not "bad" 2. Bert will not be coming off the books. He'll re-sign unless Holland gets visited by a poltergeist 3. "Jurco makes a push"? He'll make this team before Mantha and Jarnkrok. They'll both spend next year in GRs before making the jump IMO. 4. I'd expect DeKeyser to get 2.5 - 3M. 5. We will have enough cap space to sign a Vanek, a Marleau, or a Dan Boyle. Whether they want to come here or not is another issue.

I just want this team to stand up for themselves and each other. I don't want this snarling, get-in-your-face crap that Sammuelson pulls thinking he's tough either. I don't care if it makes a difference in the outcome of the game. But what it does show other teams they can take advantage of this team and hurt them with no retribution. Ooooh that guy that hurt our guy will get 5-6 games but that doesn't help our guy that's out hurt for who knows how many games or our team, does it. Ok off my soapbox for now And we'll just roll over...

I'm thankful for Helm's return and that his back problems didn't damage his career permanently. I'm thankful that we aren't all Panthers or Flames fans or have to deal with that level of team management. I'm thankful to Hockeytown and FlashyG providing such awesome GDT's consistently and that Abdelkader makes such a good woman for the sake of humor. I'm thankful for beer and pizza.

i'm thankful for you guys.. i lurk (look at my post count), and i enjoy reading all the stuff you guys bicker about n' stuff. i'm just thankful i'm from Detroit (suburb) and i get to call my home team(s) the Wings, Lions, Tigers and Pistons!

I am thankful for the loser point.

That we have the most amazing player to watch in Datsyuk

LGW Whipping Boy.