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Abdelkader is a game time decision, if he's out Landon Ferraro will be making his NHL debut. If that's the case I have no idea which line he'll be on. Leafs lines are an educated guess.

Whatever man. Smith's passes are usually tape-to-tape. Just ask Ryan Smyth.

They're rookies! Datsyuk and Zetterberg weren't players in the mold of Datsyuk/Zetterberg when they were rookies either. Zetterberg was runner up in rookie of the year voting his first year with 22 goals and 22 assists in 79 games, Datsyuk had a less impressive 11 goals and 24 assists in 70 games his rookie year. Both Tatar AND Nyquist are on pace to beat those numbers in MANY fewer games. Furthermore, neither Datsyuk nor Zetterberg were asked to do as much in their respective rookie campaigns. They were both on teams LOADED with talent. Maybe they will turn out to be that good, and likely they won't. But to act as if their rookie years have been anything other than spectacular is absurd.

I never hated ties, I just hate that teams completely shut the game down to ensure they got the single point. The addition of the loser point helped alleviate some of that, but then you had teams shutting the game down in the 3rd period to ensure they get to overtime. That's what you see nearly every game when it's tied in the 3rd period. The solution is simple. Get rid of the loser point. It was introduced when there were still ties, but it serves no purpose today other than to reward losing. People hate the shootout, but the real problem is that too many games get that far because far too many teams are happy to choke the life out of the game to ensure they get the OT point. If you take away the incentive of getting to overtime, logic suggests teams may actually try to win a tied game in regulation.

Harold Ramis is smiling somewhere.

It seems the title of the thread was cut off. Its supposed to be titled "There are no Playoffs...There is only Zuul."

It's like the pot calling the kettle black...

I haven't read the article, but if that's the key quote, there's something very important that's missing: "I need to work harder and I need to want the puck more." He's right in calling out the team's effort as it's been lacking, but he is not a guy who tends to characterize maximum effort. If he wants to be a leader and make statements like that, that's great, we need more of that, but he needs to walk the walk, lead by example, and be the first to admit he needs to be better at what he's saying.

Today marks the tenth anniversary of the 815th, and final, regular-season tie game played in Club history (in their 5311th game, 6.52% of their games), with 390 in Home games and 425 in Away games. They are one of only four franchises with 800+ regular-season tie games (Montreal with 837, Chicago with 814 and New York with 808). Tie games in the NHL can be broken into three distinct historical time frames: 1) Era 1: Regulation time, followed by overtime 2) Era 2: Regulation time only 3) Era 3: Regulation time, followed by overtime Tie games had always been a League fixture, dating back to it's inception in 1917. How they got there varied over time. In Era 1, overtime was used in various versions with regards to length, until November, 1942, when it was abandoned due to the war effort. The total number of tie games in this period was 123 in Club history (6.11% of the total games played), with 65 in Home games and 58 in Away games. During Era 2, a single point was awarded to both teams at the end of regulation. This "Golden Age of Tie Games" accounted for 482 games in club history (5.97% of total games played), 231 in Home games and in 251 Away games. Beginning in the 1983-84 season overtime reappeared in Era 3, with only a five-minute period. The total number of tie games in this period was 210 in Club history (7.93% of the total games played), with 94 in Home games and 116 in Away games. At that time, no one could forsee that the last tie game had been played. Following the second lockout, Uncle Gary decided that as a "gift" to the fans, a grand "gimmick" would be foisted onto the game (one of many adjustments, the players and the fans: the shootout.This caused great confusion in the listing of League standings everywhere in it's first season; who recalls the "Regulation Tie Stat Screw-Up" in the 2005-06 season? I do. With the advent of this "gimmick" so came the death knell of the tie game in the NHL. By the way, another "gimmick" made it's debut in the final season of tie games; twenty-six times (Detroit played in one) and then disappeared. 'member what it was? Some other Club tie game numbers: Most total goals scored, tie game and Home tie game: 16, 14/10/1988, Home v. St. Louis Most total goals, Away game: 14, 27/12/1989, v. Toronto Fewest total goals, tie game: 0, 27 times (15 Home and 12 Away), first game 26/11/1927, Away v. Chicago and final game 01/04/2000, Away v. St. Louis Most tie games, Season: 18 (1953-53, 1980-81 and 1996-97) Fewest tie games, Season: 4, (1926-27, 1941-42, 1966-67 and 1994-95). The shootout, with all the hype attached to it, caused the unnecessary, premature and untimely death of the tie game. Hockey fans were told that this was they wanted, what they needed and this was what the game needed to be more enjoyable. To my eyes, the game was just fine when tie games were a way of determining the result of a game, thank you very much. So, join me in raising a glass to an old friend: At least to this fan, you are gone but you will never ever be forgotten.

I like this. Franzen has turned it around this year. Even the last game, he may not have scored but he was finally hitting like we all wish he'd do. He's engaged in the play. He's doing his best. But there is clearly a confidence issue. Every game is the same. As soon as the other team takes a lead, you see the guys slump on the bench. They give up and that is what Franzen wants changed. I dont care about Franzen's past. He's bringing it this year and thay allows him to say this.

Good on him for saying so, but no matter how much they "want it" or don't, "play heavy" or don't, "stick to it" or don't, you're not going to beat national hockey league teams with AHL level talent. Particularly when the NHL players you do have in the lineup are largely the supporting cast. This team has serious holes in it that haven't been addressed for about four years now. Until they get addressed, they'll struggle...healthy or not...effort or not. I do want to say that I like seeing Franzen step up though. He's played well since his return and I always love seeing guys try to be a factor off the ice as well as on it.

Not a chance, we are only 3 back with 2 games in hand. Until we are mathematically eliminated, I'll keep the faith.

At the current rate of injuries, he might be our 2nd line RW'er by April 1st...

But he will have someone behind him, which is all the boy needs.

Best post of the day. Easily.

I think its hilarious that our forwards consist of: 6 callups, a trade, a defenseman, and 4 regulars. God help us all.

Babs.

Ya god forbid those rookies don't carry the team to the cup, better trade them. Not like goose has 17 goals in 40 something games...

You must not have been watching franzen playing this year...

Losing this game = Leafs are more than out of reach I have absolutely no expectations save for an honest effort of course.

We better sign Legwand. I hope we didn't pay what we did for 20 games....

Wow. This is the biggest amount of bad luck or the result of the worst training staff I've ever seen.

I try talking about this with my non-Red Wing and non-hockey fans and I don't think they quite get how absurd this all is. For God's sake fire the training staff. And the doctors. Somewhere internally staff was changed and that's the only thing that can explain this. Grand Rapids must be pissed. I imagine it's hard to keep winning when we keep taking their players. But hey, at least they managed to make playoffs, right?

+1 for knowing this reference.

A new training staff would be in order.