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April 2016 featuring #13 Pavel Datsyuk 2560x1440 | 1920x1200 | 1920x1080 | 1680x1050 | 1600x900 | 1440x900 | 1366x768 Enjoy!

OMGOMGOMG I want to win. I must invoke YGJB:

Pucker up boys, need a big PK!!!!

Kickadamus predicts that we will win.

Honestly, it doesn't matter where Athanasiou and/or Mantha slot in. Their ice time is going to stay the same because of how Blashill utilizes them in relation to special teams. Mantha gets a few minutes more because of the power play. Glendening's minutes are where they are because spends far too much time on the penalty kill, and because Blash decides to use him when he shortens the bench late in games. Edit: Looks like Dubnyk's in for the Wild tonight. I expect them to have a lot of jump after last night. Wings need to survive early.

As said before, those line combos will last all of five minutes so everyone with the britches in a bunch about Mantha's minutes. Simmahh dahn nahh, ya hear? As for Ericsson's insertion.

If GM's ran their clubs doing what the fans would want, this entire league would be like the Philadelphia Flyers.

Haha love it. They're called bold predictions for a reason... I knew when I wrote them the chances of any coming to fruition was slim, however I couldn't have been more out to lunch on that first one haha.

I fear Vladdy's wrath

good thing pessimistic you doesn't take into account that no Canadian team will make it to the playoffs this year.

I tend to agree with you. What we as fans want to happen vs what will happen. Different as day and night.

The "Optimistic" fan in me says we will win! The "Realist" says we should win. The "Pessimist" says Mcjesus is going to carry Edmonton to the playoffs and win it all . Oh and the Red Wings will lose.

Caption this

Howard in net tonight.

Not really I'll still have hope until the fat lady sings, though. TPBM is a hypochondriac And a side note on the wondrous avocado: if you're only going to eat half, leave the pit in the side you're saving for later, it'll help keep it from turning brown. Also, you should eat avocado on everything.

Holland usually lands his targets (eventually). I have no doubt Yandle will one day be a Red Wing. It just might not be until he's 36 and broken.

Thanks Matt, really appreciate you bringing these back this year.

If we were to go 5-0 (I don't expect us to) we would be in, regardless of what any other team does... We're 1 point back of Boston with one game remaining against them, so we would finish with 97 points and the most Boston would be able to get is 96... Regardless that game a week from today, could and likely will determine whether we get in or miss...

He isn't being crucified. Calling it like it is - he simply sucks right now. We have 5 games and need to win. Do you really think Mrazek is more likely to give us the wins we need more than Howard is? If so, what makes you think that? Because Mrazek has a GAA of 3.81 ish in March while Howard has 2.8 ish - that's a huge difference using a month long data set (not just one or two games). Even with "eye ball tests" you could tell Mrazek is off. I mean his form is completely different than it was in January. He's been playing way out, he simply can't move as quick as he used to post to post. He's been giving a crap ton of rebounds (something we rarely saw in January). Even if Howard is say only a "tiny bit better" I'd go with a "tiny bit better" with 5 games left. This isn't a time to gamble with our chances and hope Mrazek somehow pulls out of it.

Howard isn't any better than your average backup. He just costs way more. He needs to be moved.

No. They'll retire Fedorov's jersey. They've hinted at it way too many times now. And the way Fedorov gave Detroit 120% of the credit for his career in his hall of fame reception - I think he's sucked up to the org enough to get it. Not to mention the one liner he threw in his interview when they asked him "So you still come to Detroit?" and his response was "I never left home - I just work far away (in russia)". I'm sure Mike Illitch is soon to get over it like most of us did (I got over it last year). --- But beyond all that the odds of Stamkos coming here......... yea..

Yeah, I wasn't all that clear. Not having top performing players is a problem. What I mean is that having below average top players wouldn't be much better, and potentially worse if we lose too much depth. Relying on depth, "myth" or not, is simply reality. There are very few true impact players in the league, and they are almost never available. Stamkos may become available, and if he does I'm sure we'll make a pitch like we did with Suter. But odds are it's not going to happen. Odds are there will be no one available through trade that is so much better than Nyquist, Tatar, or Abby to justify trading two of them. Nyquist has 43 goals the last two years, Tatar has 49. There are 22 and 11 forwards (respectively) who have scored 10 or more above that. That's only 5 more per year, hardly a big difference even if someone steps up to equal the production of the 2nd player. 6 and 9 respectively that have averaged 10 more per year. Most likely none of them are available through trade. Fortunately, that also means that no one available would actually cost Nyquist + Tatar either, so this is kind of a moot point. Point is, despite all the contempt familiarity has bred for our roster, there are just not that many players in the league that are that much better than the secondary players we already have. The few that are we aren't going to get. The best thing we can do then is add without subtracting. While we may have some kids who could step up, it's not an unlimited supply and it's not a sure thing. Worth the risk to trade one, I'd say, but not two. And better to use the one for a defense upgrade IMO. And goals are more important than points. Even more so if we're giving up any of our better goal scorers. Someone has to finish, and actually put pucks in the net, or no one gets points.