Leaderboard

We should cement this relationship and name the new arena Octopus's Garden! Maybe Ringo can be the corporate sponsor.

Last season Howard costed us around 10 games before Jan.1st and then after that he found his game. To add to that, We missed Pav and Hank for half the season, Weiss pretty much the whole season, Helm off and on all year, Franzen was hit or miss, Alfie missed time, Danny D, Smith and Ericsson all missed chunks of time. Going into this season, with a very good schedule that we have, a fresh healthy load, there is NO REASON to think that this team cannot do substantially better than we did last year. I mean for God sake, in March alone, we litererally did not have Pav, Hank, Weiss, Helm, Anderson (5 centerman) hence why we had to trade for Legwand. I would LOVE to see how any other team in the league would fare in that situation. Lets stop being so negative and wait to see what our healthy team can do, with the kids also playing important roles.

Troll harder.

Most teams in our division got worse or stayed the same this year. Are you watching the offseason?

Has anyone else heard of this? http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kZxiPwGjqAE It's apparently going to debut at TIFF in September with wider release (US) to come in January.

The Bruins don't match up very well against the Habs. Any time those two play, it can go either way. That's pretty much what we saw in their *seven-game* series - it could've gone either way. If the Bruins advance, they beat the Rangers and they make their second consecutive appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals. For the most part, this team is toying with its conference and most of the West. They didn't get it done, but that doesn't mean they're not a powerhouse. The Wings were a powerhouse for the better part of two straight decades, but with that territory comes a lot of disappointment, as we all know. As to your other point - I'll believe that most of the conference got better and is going to shove the Wings down into the basement when I see it unfold that way. Until then, I'm saying, as someone who's practically a LGW pioneer in the art of being hopelessly cynical and pessmistic about the Wings, that a healthy Wings team is right there with the likes of the Penguins, Rangers, Lightning, et al. and will challenge for a top seed.

I don't see where all the confusion is coming from. A NEW season is fast approaching. This is Red Wings cock bobble. All the naysayers can leave or stay and watch as we take over the league once again. GO WINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree. With the state of the East and also our horrendous injury record from last season, this team is definitely capable of grabbing the number 4 seed, if not 3. While I will remain reserved until we see how the early part of the year plays out, I'm cautiously optimistic. Think about it. We've got Gus and Tatar not only starting the season on the roster, but they're both playing solid minutes each and every night. Add Sheahan into the mix, and Jurco, although he's looking like the first recall right now, pending what happens with Cleary. Even just with those 4 kids, that's a massive improvement right there. Increased speed, scoring depth and a little size with Sheahan. A healthy D and Z will be key, and getting Weiss going will really help too. Obviously there will be injuries. But if they're less frequent, and to less important players, then there's every reason to think that the Wings will at least challenge for a much higher seed, made all the more believable in my eyes by the fact that really only the Lightning got better in the East this offseason (of those that made the playoffs). Like I said, cautious optimism I think is how I'm approaching the upcoming year.

I mean, seriously, think about it: Datsyuk and Zetterberg (by far our best players) each played half a season. And Weiss basically didn't play. And we still made the playoffs!!!

I like you, frank, but I just can't get behind this. You're saying that at our best - which, as 2013 showed, is really quite good - we barely squeak into the playoffs in the weak East, and, to me, that's giving the conference way too much credit. I get that there's this narrative that we're barely clinging to life and THIS is the season that the playoff streak comes to an end, but I think it's largely just that - a narrative. Had we added Datsyuk in free agency, people would be saying, "Holy s***, Zetterberg and Datsyuk?! And they've got all these young studs like Nyquist?! This team's gonna be GREAT!" In fact, going into last season, a lot of the "experts" had us down for second or third in the Atlantic. Did we learn this past season that the conference is super-tough? No, we got destroyed by stupid-ass injuries - and, even then, we still made the playoffs. The Bruins are an elite contender. They're a team built to win the Cup, and I'm not sure we stand a chance against them in the playoffs even with a healthy roster. But the Bruins are the only powerhouse in the Eastern Conference. Behind them are the Penguins, who feasted on a terrible division and didn't seem like world-beaters any of the times we played them; maybe the Rangers, who were lucky to make it to the Finals and are probably a weaker team this season (losing Pouliot and Boyle and Stralman is a big blow for them and they know it); maybe the Canadiens, who were terrible for stretches this past season and are, I think, entirely dependent on their goalie (look at their roster. Tell me, with a straight face, that they're much deeper and much more formidable than us); maybe the Lightning, who are setting themselves up for great success in the future but aren't there yet and very likely overachieved this past season because Bishop played out of his mind (remember: they lost him for the first round and the Habs streamrolled them); and I'm not even going to mention the Flyers or Capitals or Leafs or Senators or Devils or Hurricanes. I believe the East is wide, wide open. I don't believe the Wings are truly a fringe team. Think of all the points we pissed away. We get a few of those back, and we're not an 8th seed. I can't imagine we don't substantially improve on this past season.

Yes LGW is very aware of your "FACTS" har har har

LOL this is funny

This looks awesome. At the end of the day when you ask what is the coolest thing about the Red Wings I'll say the Russian 5. I loved them. That was the beginning of the Red Wings being the most progressive hockey team, going where other teams wouldn't think to, to build a dynasty. And it really was the beginning of our dynasty. They were mesmerizing to watch. It was like "Hey you know that crazy good Soviet team that has played in 5 man units since birth that dominates the world, they're ours now". Can't wait for this. One of the things I loved was all the stories of what those Russians had to do to defect from the USSR. Backroom deals, players jumping out of moving trucks, faking serious ailments, dodging the KGB, If anyone remembers any of those please share.

With the ridiculous season we had last year, this team is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, toss up in the league this year. Could stay healthy and finish with good playoff position. Could go through the same injuries and squeak in or miss the playoffs. Anyone certain of where this team will finish is either crazy or possesses a crystal ball. Which are you?

Watching Franzen play makes me want to sing " Hey You." It is amazing how every word of that song relates to Franzen. Sorry Mr. McCartney for going off topic. Rock n roll brings out lots of emotions.

You know, if they ever remade that movie "The Wall", Franzen would be perfect for the part.

You know what Paul McCartney has...? Loyalty. Give him a stick and put him on the point Kenny. He'll only be the 4th oldest UFA you've signed since Bowman left.

Take these broken Wings... and get a new training staff.

I love the direction this thread is going. hahahaha Beatles songs relating to the wings. hahahaha

lol @ the city of Pittsburgh They are such insecure pansies that they had to have their mayor ask Paul to put a Pens sticker on there alongside the Wings sticker, so their poor widdle feelings didn't get hurt.

Getting really excited for the season to begin. We had so much up in the air last season. Nobody really knew where we stood with the veterans and youngsters. Now we're set. Hard to believe these guys were rookies just last year and now they're big time impact players Maybe, just maybe. The policy of over ripening works

It also helps that we have the best scouts in the NHL.

I take it that all our roster spots are taken once DD signs up and if Alfie returns we have a full 23 man roster. Do we think we will invite any FA's to camp to try and beat out anyone? And if so who would you like to see get an invite for a try out. Dustin Penner is still unsigned, would give us a bit more size up front, and also id take a shot at Devon Setoguchi, fast right handed shot, cant work out why he is still unsigned

Cleary > Cleary, Bertuzzi, and Samuelsson. It's not ideal, but this year's team should have less deadweight than last year's. So we actually have less of a problem really.

Looks like i was right for tatar