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And only a week before that hit he was fined twice for two cheapshots in the same game, which was an NHL first. He's also been tossed from a game for jumping a player who didn't want to fight and punching him when he was lying on the ice. He's a dirty player who just doesn't get it and is on his way to being the new Matt Cooke.

Do you remember last year? I do. That doesn't make me deluded. I was much more scared of Anaheim last year than I am of 2014 Pittsburgh.

Let's contribute to the thread constructively instead of pointing out an auto-correct when you obviously know who he is talking about. There's no need to drag the topic off the rails unnecessarily when modern technology makes a minor error. Thanks. On topic, i've been in this mindset for weeks, the kids are working, they are scoring, they provide energy. The defense is an obvious problem right now, it was the offense, and it was addressed by calling up prospects that have thrived. Logic tells me that doing the same for defense may have the same result. Give one or two of the defense prospects a chance, especially if we secure a playoff spot and have a few games remaining to test it out.

Now Weiss is on drugs and faking an injury? What did I miss here? His wound has inflammation, it's not getting any better, so Holland probably said just to take the recovery slow, and heal up fully and come back with a fresh slate next season being %100 healthy. Too many tinfoil hats bouncing around here.

Please for the love of all that is good and holy, get rid of Lashoff and Kindl. If not both then at least one of them. The pairing of Kindl and Lashoff is a goal waiting to happen. We've had amazing success inserting young forwards into the lineup, why not try a defenseman? I don't care if it's Almqvist, or Sproul, or whoever, nor do I care if management thinks they are ready. No one thought Jurco, Glendening, or Sheahen were ready either; and they are doing just fine. So Holland do us all a favor and bring in some fresh young blood.

If Callahan brought more to the table than Glendening, I'm sure it'd be Cally who'd be up in Detroit right now instead of Luke. He came up, grabbed a spot and didn't let go. He'll be in the lineup next season for sure.

Jimmy Hoffa has a better chance of playing in a Red Wings playoffs game than Jordin Tootoo or Mikael Samuelsson.

Of those 8 forwards, only Zetterberg is guaranteed a spot when he's ready. If someone gets injured, Andersson will most likely be inserted into the lineup. Then Bertuzzi would probably be next in line. But barring another rash of injuries, I don't think any other forwards will see ice time from here on out.

The architecture comment in ZandDfortheC's post intrigues me. I suppose it's too much to hope for the new arena to have some local character to it. Some gothic style touches or something.

For some reason I can't get Quotes to work, but Dabura is correct about what I meant. There was post early in this thread asserting that this year proved the Wings are stupid to leave the kids in GR as long as they do. I am arguing the opposite -- that this year proves the strategy works. We were decimated by injuries and forced to use kids from the farm, and lo and behold most of them were ready. To me that proves success, not failure.

In today's NHL, every roster needs useful players who are cheap and provide roster flexibility. Glendening provides all of that. His less than $700k per year for three years means we will have more money to spend elsewhere and a guy who can pick up valuable minutes checking, winning d-zone faceoffs and killing penalties.

Babcock has said that Glendening is as competitive as some of the game's greats (Yzerman, Crosby have been mentioned). There is more to this kid than his offensive stats.

I get what your saying, but here's where we disagree. Jurco and Sheahan haven't been guys that have been thrown onto the 4th line, these guys have been the teams 2nd line and have played tremendously; and I doubt very many people thought they were ready. This of course doesn't mean that the defensemen that could be brought up would have the same impact- but with all the injuries and Kindl and Lashoff struggling- why not bring in one and try? I think Nick and DD should play more down the stretch, but if Babs limits the 3rd pairings time too much; DD and Nick would have to play more and that might cause their play to suffer. There are no easy answers, but Lashoff and Kindl can't be on the ice together. If Holland isn't interested in bring up players from the AHL at the very least Babs needs to pair Lashoff and Kindl with Quincey and DD. Yes. I know that Quincey/Kindl or Quincey/Lashoff might be just as scary, but we can't leave that 3rd pairing the way it is now.

Would take Markov before Orpik and Weaver.

said it before and I'll say it again. We need two veteran defensemen to bridge this team before Ouellet and Sproul are ready in two years. Dump Kindl, go ahead a waive Lashoff and don't even let Quincey call you this summer. Sign any two of Morris, Mitchell, Boyle, Orpik or Weaver. Bring up Marchenko to be #7.

I like how people are complimenting Smith, even stating he should be on the top D pairing... If Holland had listened to this board just a couple of months ago, he would've banished Smith to some beer league. Same with Ericsson a couple of years ago. When Marchenko comes up in a year or two or three... And makes his share of mistakes, I'm sure many here will be calling for his head.

Kindl is a disaster. Lashoff doesn't make me hate him every game but he doesn't contribute much out there. I would rather replace Kindl at this point over Lashoff. At least Lashoff is pretty consistent every night. Kindl just has no clue. We are seeing Lashoff exposed more when he plays with Kindl. Ideally if Marchenko wasn't injured with could pair him with Lashoff for now and then when E gets back pair him with Quincey. Kronner - Smith Dekeyser - Ericsson Quincey - Marchenko Lashoff Next Season Kronner - Smith Dekeyser - Ericsson Ouellet - Marchenko Lashoff If this season has shown us anything it is that the kids deserve a chance. I was complaining for years that our prospects don't become true assets until they play nhl games and prove they can produce. That is why people kept claiming we had no trade pieces (and now I wouldn't trade any of them). Holland should always keep a 12th forward/6th dman spot up for grabs between kids and let them compete for it (rather than inserting an aging vet). That is how you find your talent from within.

Kindl was so good last year, but it's amazing how much he's regressed. Not only that, but last year he would shoot the puck, not so much this year. His confidence seems to be nonexistent and waining day by day. I had high hopes for him going into the year, but with the playoffs right around the corner; can we afford to keep playing him and Lashoff as our 3rd pairing? Much less in the same lineup?

I wish Marchenko wasn't hurt. Saw him at the AHL allstar game here in town, and he was pretty good. His one NHL game this year he didn't look out of place either. Kindl in the 48 game season was good, the rest of his NHL career has been hot garbage. Lashoff is a #7 so I can't complain about him too much, but those 2 as a pair is a ******* nightmare.

Kindl is a joke, I completely agree with you. The best part is Babcock CONTINUES to give him PP time over Smith. Smith has sooooooooooooooooooo much more talent then Kindl. How bad does Kindl have to be before Babs finally realizes Smith is better for the PP? I posted in another thread, that we need to either call up Ouelette to replace Kindl, or play the top 2 pairings more and limit the ice time of Kindl and Lashoff because they are killing us out there. Kindl cannot even make a simple pass anymore its a joke to watch him.

The beginning of the season every year, when we lose a game everyone says "relax, it's just the beginning of the season" and every year around this time we are reminded that every point counts.

As we've found out this year, our players in the minors have been held back too long. If not for injuries, guys like Sheahan and Jurco would have been in GR all year, while Bertuzzi, Sammy and Cleary would be playing. Holland doesn't have a clue. I wouldn't be surprised if one of our young D-men in the minors is better than some of the garbage playing on the top squad.

I don't think he's the one on drugs.

i thought that was going to say... Detroit has one very huge advantage over every team in the league and that is dan cleary

I'm really not trying to be a pessimist, but I'm still not a believer in our defense...even with Ericsson back in the lineup. They're a sieve, and Jimmy isn't standing tall behind them like he did a year ago.