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] Finally, GDT Updated. LGW!!!

It's happening. I don't know what it is, but it's definitely happening,

Ugh. I can't believe I'm about to defend Brendan Smith. First, bottom pair defensemen (and bottom 6 forwards) are almost NEVER the reason for a bad season. The difference in quality between our bottom pair and that of...say...Washington, is marginal. If we don't make the playoffs this year it will be because none of our high end players (aside from Larkin) was comparably better than their counterparts on more successful teams. None of Dats, Z, Tatar, Nyquist, Kronwall, Green, etc. have been as good as they should be. Secondly, Smith's handpass from the bench. I'm tired of hearing about it. For two years prior to that play, I'd been regularly pointing out that Smith just wasn't very good, and was almost UNIVERSALLY met with opposition. Smith could blow coverages, turn the puck over in the d-zone, make bad pinches, or take untimely penalties and the chorus was generally, "Smitty's good. He's dynamic because of his skating. He's the only guy that will drop the gloves". People loved that dope...inexplicably. Then the handpass happened and all the same people who loved him before, started s***ting on him. But that wasn't his low point. His low point was the previous two years when he regularly sucked and everybody said "Smith's playing pretty good right now, maybe our best defenseman". Now Smith IS playing pretty good. He's rounding out his game in a way I NEVER thought he would. And people are still talking about that handpass. It was dumb. I agree. But it's far from the worst thing he's done on the ice (not that anybody had bothered to notice before). And he's far from the player he was when he did it. So can we all get back to bitching about Ericsson already?

Need a win to tie with Tampa in the standings same amount of games etc etc. and how I hate to say this a Chicago win over Fl. I feel sooooo soooo dirty having to root for the hawks...going to go wash my keyboard with some soap....

I almost hope he's claimed. If not just to save Kenny from himself this offseason. The timing's definitely peculiar, though. Safe bet is that they're calling up a defender, but that means he's being called up to sit. Not really Holland's M.O. Unless... the triumphant return of Brian Lashoff?

Andersson will likely be in the lineup tonight against Buffalo, and Athanasiou is expected to be back in the lineup tonight against Rochester. Maybe they swap them after tonight's games, assuming Andersson clears waivers and is sent to Grand Rapids... Although it's probably more likely that they're looking to call up a defender with Kronwall out for the next few weeks. Likely Ouellet, but I'd like to see Jensen or Sproul get a look.

*in before some whiny moron laments the fact that ken couldn't even get a late round pick for him!!!*

Please be claimed...

People shat on MDZ in a similar manner and now he's gobbling up 20 minutes a night for Philly. His career had been declared dead and look at that zombie go. In a similar fashion, Smitty gets s*** on, probably rightfully so, but like you said BoS he's not half as bad as people make him out to be. He's under the microscope because so many people think that XO or Sproul or Jensen are going to make less mistakes. Which to date, as far as I'm concerned, is an unknown.

It's like most Wings fans are afraid to admit it, but I believe Jurco's played like absolute s*** since his 1st rookie callup

I'd be happy if they'd just swap Andersson for Callahan.

if Jensen comes up, he ain't going back...it'll spell the end of one of our guys already here...I hope its E! and yes I am just living in my world right now, leave me be!

I'm not falling for that one again.

The big boys will be firing tonight, Im calling 4-1 Wings with goals from Dats, Goose Tatar & Larkin. LGW

Go white

I give him mad props for graduating. It's got to be difficult to stay motivated to grind it out in his situation. Kudos. But also Go Blue

So... IN THE PLAYOFFS? How'd we even make it there with Smitty in the lineup? Gee. I don't want to belabor this point. He makes mistakes. So does every defenseman in the league before, after, and including TPH - Niklas Lidstrom. Saying that Smith alone is going to keep us from the playoffs is hyperbole to the Nth degree. We know Smith ain't that bad if kip is here to defend the guy!

Of course it would be because of Smith that the streak ends... Who else is there to blame? Remember that one time he made that really stupid play on the bench against Montreal? What an idiot... Overstating how "awful" Smith is?... That would never happen on LGW, where only rational fans voice their opinions...

...because Kindl, a late bloomer, who never blossomed and made serious blunders throughout his time with the big club, was a major obstacle every year for the past however many he played during our current playoff streak? The guy has made some mistakes and may continue to do so, but he's been improving, and playing with more confidence, and he's certainly not going to break the team in half with a few bonehead errors.

Wings, Wings, Wings, oh did I mention the Wings?

Nvm saw you said top 6.

I understand the way the league works now - you want a net-front presence on each line. At this point, I'd much rather try Jurco or Pulkkinen over Helm on that second line. Blashill was playing with the idea of Larkin/Datsyuk/Tatar taking turns as the NFP on that line. Try it with some of the others. Helm in the top-six drives me nuts.

I'd be okay with that. Either way -- with Miller and/or Helm -- you're looking at some man games lost due to injury. ...so jettison Andersson and give CALLAHAN a shot.

Abby and Smith, that's it. Edit: I meant to quote that post by HockeyMom.