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Vanek's Back! LGRW!

I just read he's playing on the second line with Nielsen and Larkin. Mantha was bumped up to the first with Z and Gus.

But when the factors that contributed to the failure are no longer a problem, IF it is the best option moving forward, should the NHL not move their out of principle? From my understanding and I admit I am no expert on this, the two main reasons the franchise failed were because of the at the time plummeting Canadian dollar, and even more so the failure from the city/province to help build a new arena. Pittsburgh had a similar issue in the early 2000's and teased moving, when you don't have an arena that is set up to bring in big money, it can absolutely sink you. In 2015 QC opened their new 18,259 seat arena The Videotron Centre which from what I read is NHL ready, or will be soon. They have the established fan base, why not go there? I believe that the key to having hockey succeed in a city is when hockey is ingrained in its culture. What I mean by that, is a city where a large percentage of the kids grow up playing hockey and watching hockey, then when these kids grow up, hockey is huge part of their lives and it passes down generation to generation. I'm guessing a large percentage of the posters here grew up somewhere where as kids they played road hockey, pond hockey, or in a league. The cities that have this as a major part in their culture have a higher probability of succeeding then places that don't. Cities like Atlanta, Phoenix/Glendale, and likely Vegas IMO don't have this. Hockey can succeed in a market like I just described but it's less likely, and when you have too many, your playing with fire. and are bound to run into failures. The NHL should not got to QC because its in Canada or because its cold, they should go there because QC is a place that in 2016 gives the team a high percentage change of succeeding.

Completely disagree. Scoring being down is all about the advancement of the goaltending position. I think the general caliber of players is also better so that individual players seldom dominate as in the past. Defensive players are more skilled now and the defensive part of the game has also developed. There's a much larger talent pool to draw from now with some European nations developing their hockey communities and the growth of the game in the states. It's not the same talent pool being spread thinner.

Going to the game tonight and looking forward to it! I really like this top 6, curious to see what mantha can do playing with gus and z.

all i want for my bday is a Red Wings Win! come on boys!

Right. And that's what I meant when I said "I don't feel bad for him". He didn't take the time off this summer and decided to go play in the world championship and world cup. He should have rested or gotten the surgery done. So the blame is on him imo. But at the same time, hopefully this means we can sign him for cheaper. Win-lose situation for us. We lose the production but could possibly come out with a good contract.

Yeah, I don't think that article was noticed by a lot of people. Tatar clearly doesn't seem to be himself. It makes you wonder why he doesn't take some time off and deal with it rather than playing through it - which isn't really helping him or the team. The only positive I see is that it will help us re-sign him at a lower number than expected in the offseason if he keeps playing this way. I think he's on pace for 27pts and 9 goals.

A lot of people may be forgetting this but, Tatar is currently playing through shoulder (I think it's his shoulder) injury this season. But the injury had been ongoing since before the world championship, so I don't feel bad for him. Wings are his employer after all.

I like that. Halak also has a caphit of about 800k less. Not to mention, in the final year of his deal he may very well be easy to trade to a team looking for help due to an injury since he will have an expiring contract.

I'm sorry but this is laughable. The quality of players in 2016 is so much better then what it was in 15 years ago. I recently watched the 2002 Wings Stanley Cup run and as good as they were in comparison to the teams they faced, so many times I was thinking "wow these shots would never go in now a days". It was a much slower game. The only thing more teams does (with the cap) is it balances out the skill meaning your best teams then were much better then your best teams now in comparison to the rest of the league. Out of curiosity, your opinion of Grand Rapids having a team in 15 years, what is this based on?

Happy bday, if that is the case. LGW!

I think this also. Honestly Tatar has been getting his chances lately, so I'm not really worried. I think if his shoulder was 100%, we'd be seeing the production we expected.

I'd even argue that Nyquist should have made that roster, making him one of the best 12 or 14 Swedish forwards in the world. I think he is as good or better than Backlund, Berglund, Kruger and Soderberg. Also, if you go by the logic that because a player didn't make a World Cup roster their somehow not good or great, just look at all the snubs from the Canadian and U.S. rosters... Hall, Subban, Letang, Kessel, Galchenyuk, Shattenkirk, Faulk, the list goes on...

Oh ok, I didnt know the context which is my bad.

Of course those two are going to make his numbers look much better then if he was still here playing with Miller and Glendening, I dont think anyone things of him as a top 10 goal scorer, but he was put in a role and is playing extremely well in that role, you can't take that away from him. I always liked Eaves and its nice to see him succeeding.

I don't know about that, all it tells me is that he is not one of the best 12 or 14 Swedish forwards in the world, it doesn't mean he isn't a solid second liner, or a very good third liner. Nobody is calling Nyquist an elite talent.

Defensive Help. He's a R handed defenseman out of Norway. Supposed to be real skilled.

No I get it, at any point in the season if you are in the playoffs you have a higher percentage of making it, and if you are not in the playoffs you have a higher percentage of not getting in, but my point is November is too early to give up as there is still a lot of time left and I dont think November specifically has any special meaning. I'm sure if you charted it, the majority of the playoff teams were sitting in a playoff spot for the majority of the season. Either way, I don't believe the Wings are close to as bad as some people make them out to be, but please don't mistaken that with me saying they are great. I have always said that this year they are an average team.I think they have a bright future, but IMO the future isn't now. I still see us landing in the wild card this year or MAYBE getting 3rd in the division but with Montreal's resurgence I have a hard time seeing that.

Yeah, it was me. Players regressed last year and Blash is to blame for sure. But looking at this year so far, it's becoming painfully obvious that we're lacking star power. Nyquist is scoring at a similar rate he did under Babcock again. Green , Helm, Glendening, Vanek (before injury) doing better that last year.But Larkin Tatar, Abby not doing so well. AA around the same. Small sample size so far so take it with a grain of salt. Howard also doing much better So overall a good amount of players are doing better this year it seems although a couple have regressed.

Basically what i am saying is that this roster hasn't been good for a while. And if not for babs, this streak likely would have ended 3-4 years ago. I'd go as far as to say the Wings would be a better team right now if that were the case. This is why losing this season doesn't stress me out like it would have even last year. I realize it needs to happen. I just wish the team would do it with the kids so they can be better for it next year.

If/when Jimmy is moved the team that makes the most sense is the Isles. They need a new G-Halak is in the doghouse or was, and Jimmy is a NY kid. In fact I would do that deal straight up. Howard for Halak. It helps both teams. The Isles get their starting G and we get 1 year of cap relief. Halak can then be Mrasek's backup and as a countryman help him out.

Why should a city that couldn't previously support a hockey team get first dibs? Just because it's Canadian? Because it snows? That logic is backwards. While I don't agree that the league should expand I think it's a lot more fair to say a market that hasn't had a chance to have a hockey team deserves one before one that has already had a chance and has failed. As for new markets in general I don't think the "we should never try anything new and just keep things the same as they always are" argument is a very provocative one. Trying and failing is better than not trying at all.

5.25 million per year is the salary of a high-end center? Maybe 10 years ago. You don't get a high-end center in this league this day and age for anything less than 8 million per. He is a guy who will spend his career as a #2 or 3 center. Nothing more, nothing less. He is Filppula-esque in every way, salary included.