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I really like Mantha.. but I also think he is being used wrong. The guy should not be a net front presence with the type of shot he has, especially on the powerplay. There are definitely a lot of management issues on this team from the top down.

One is leading the team in goals the other as like 4 points in 7 games. Lol "blame the prospects" all you want, they're still doing better than most of our team. Weren't you the one that wanted Larkin scoring at a 50 goal season rate this year? Did you not see Mantha's last two goals? Are you even watching Red Wings hockey?

Well this is nice.

I think that's going a bit far. Petr has shown great stretches beyond that one month and recovered in the playoffs. I also think he's been good this year - just a few bad games. I think it's quite a lot for people to expect him to be a consistently good at this point. Price, Varlamov, even Hasek (and I'm sure many others) took a few years to establish themselves as consistent starters. Mrazek's only actually been on the NHL roster for just about 1.75 years now

He plays for Muskegon in ghe USHL. Went to a game last night, he was one of the best players on the ice. Goal and an assist and scored the only shootout goal in a 4-3 SO win

My Xbox live account got suspended for 2 weeks, haven't been able to play anything. Got a girl now but my account suspension is up tomorrow. Me and her had a good run... so there is that lol.

What the hell are you talking about?

Vanek is a positive addition to this team. He has great hands, passes well, and has a high hockey IQ. He can score (which is something we need). When he was out, we suffered. And we seem to be turning things around a bit with him back in. We have enough dead weight on this team that truly needs to go. I would not include Vanek in that category. I am not sure why we overpay guys like Helm, Abby, Errickson, and others and then when a guy comes in and outplays his contract we are ready to trade him for a second rounder. If we are out of it at the deadline and want to trade him as a rental for someone else we should demand a 1st rounder (or more...like an added prospect). Vanek is a difference maker.

Could someone please kneecap that dude Emelin? Ffs what a neanderthal.

The math freaks approve of this post.

Wings didn't re-sign him, went to LA on PTO, then to their minor league team on invite, then signed by Calgary on a 2 year, 2 way deal.

I won't be talking to much as I have a skate session coming up in 15 minutes. Just wanted to chime in that I am Ok with us getting one point. Could have been two points but also it was much more likely that it would be Zero points. All in all, an Ok result. Are there still some people who don't think we need Ott to protect the kids, as I wrote in the New Jersey game thread? How many more injuries do you need to get the point? I know it's not an enforcer game any more, but it is a contact sport where young men are bullied.

Do you know how many games Mantha has played in this season?

Also, Mantha is tha Man. He was all over the Habs tonight, could've had a hand in three or four Wings goals. There's no way in hell they send him back to Grand Rapids. He's here to stay.

I don't expect he will be. One of the main measuring sticks the organization uses to keep prospects up full-time is whether these guys are difference makers on a scoring line and not as a 4th liner getting 5 minutes a night. Its why Larkin stayed up, and Dekeyser, and its why AA hasn't played in GR since last Feb or whatever. Mantha has met this criteria playing in the top six, and has been noticeable for all the right reasons. So at this point I'm looking at this situation more as "who will Holland expose to waivers to keep Mantha up" rather than "will Holland expose someone to waivers or send Mantha down". Hopefully my thought process is correct.

if anything Mantha better never be a Griffin again

It would take half the farm and/or multiple first rounders to get a player like OEL if he was ever on the market. That kind of defeats the whole purpose of what we're trying to accomplish here. We'd basically be Arizona without any of the good young players or prospects...

Trading him and then re-signing him obviously brings us the most assets so that would be most ideal, but there would have to be some verbal agreement in that situation. I like him and I'd re-sign him for 3 or 4 years since he's only 32. It really depends on the fate of Howard, Kronwall, Sheahan, Smith, Tatar, though, to know if he'll fit under the cap (also how much it rises). If we get rid of Ott and Miller we do still have roster room with Mantha, AA, on the team. There has been some who have been quick to put him in the pile of players who sign big contracts and then lose motivation. That doesn't really seem to be the case if you look at his stats. He played for some very bad Sabres teams after his contract there and still produced - his only real down year was last year and there could be other explanations for that (I've read he was put on low lines and not given PP time).

My wee 2 cents on this - I didn't like the statement that they're looking at "alterations" on the still under construction seating and architecture. Dallas American Airlines arena was built for the Mavericks, under the auspices of Mark Cuban. It is a BASKETBALL arena... not a hockey venue. The sight lines are miserable... basketball (boring) goes back and forth, back and forth. Hockey goes "around and around." You cannot see the corners - where all the good stuff happens. At Dallas, you have to learn to watch the majority of the game on the Jumbotron, since you generally cannot see the near corners if you are at center ice, lower bowl. If they turn The Gordie into a basketball venue -- get used to doing that. Hopefully, they buy a great Jumbo like the one in Dallas, 'cause you will be watching that as much as the ice, if you have good seats. All about the money. Oh, well. If you love hockey and loved the Joe and that classic flat venue that works for hockey, you won't like these 'alterations' on the seating they are proposing. It does damage the ice, IMO, to have hardwood over it every other night. It might be because it is sometime 90 degrees outside here, when hockey is going on, though. Also, you will see the Wings take second in terms of scheduling when the season overlap. That is definitely the case in Dallas.

oh geeezzz... He's back!

Last one: These two will have at least one positive thing to say about the team by season's end.

1. Steve Ott is hands down most popular player on the Wings 2. Jimmy Howard is traded, and has a lot of "not so nice" things to say about Detroit 3. One of our bench assistance coaches won't be here by March

Big Trouble Kurt Russell or The Thing Kurt Russell?

I'm talking D. I'd rather have AA up centering the 3rd line. Plus too too much money and too long and a NTC.We had a pretty bad PK last season after Miller went down, so Helm didn't help that much. But with a D man who is better a the PK than most of our current D, Russell would make it better. I'd still rather go big for The Targets, but Russell would be better than E.

100% agree. That is a steal by NJ. He may not be worth 4mil/year, but hes definitely worth more then 1mil/year. Its too bad we couldn't have dumped E and signed Quincey for that price, he would be a great 3rd pairing guy.