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Day 2: Seated in row 3, only 10 feet from the ice. Cholowski back down with kids today. Lashoff,who really stood out yesterday when scimmaging with kids, is back up with bigs. Svech looks really good, although not surprising considering who he is playing with. I still don't think he's ready for full time NHL duty yet. No kids really stood out over the others, although I did like what I saw from Hicketts. Another stand out from the B squad was McIlrath. I realize he's not a prospect, but his experience (like Booth) kinda made up for less skill. Tangradi went down with an injury on Friday, had to be helped off the ice. DNP on Saturday, don't know how severe injury is. Scrimmage game went to shootout. Tatar with sweet GWG on Pat Nagle. Larkin looks REALLY good, hope this translates to a bounce back year. Bertuzzi probably makes Wings roster as a 4th liner. Definitely not a scorer, too small to be physical. Did not look out of place, but did not really excel at anything specifically. Witkowski didn't look out of place either. I really thought he would be out of his element, but held his own. Witkowski's whiskers > Hank's zetterbeard. Blashill throwing out some F bombs at practice that could be heard from the stands. LOL Unable to attend day 3 due to prior engagement. Will post pics later.

Being somewhat of an artist, I've been getting pestered with requests for a desktop wallpaper for the coming season. So with training camp starting tonight I figured it's time to post my wallpapers for the upcoming 2017/18 season. These are ultra-rare custom wallpapers folks. You can't get these anywhere else, except LGW. After working all summer on these, I have prepared a Home, Away, and Alternate for this season. Check it out... Any feedback is appreciated. If anyone else has prepared some high-quality custom wallpapers like these, please use this thread to share.

So it's looking like... Tatar Zetterberg Nyquist Abdelkader Larkin Mantha Athanasiou Nielsen Helm Bertuzzi Sheahan Glendening DeKeyser Daley Kronwall Green Ericsson Jensen ...I think?

I thought it was hustle, loyalty, respect? Living in PA and teaching, a road trip to see training camp live isn't in the cards for me, so I am dependent on what folks here can relay plus reading what Malik cuts and pastes with a healthy dose of salt (though I do think, for all his shortcomings, that he does a pretty good job with the training camp and prospect tournament stuff). To those who are able to give info first hand, I thank you once again.

We tried that argument with Kronwall as a top pairing defensman a few years ago. Unfortunately a handful of people on LGW only think there are eight to ten number 1 defensman in the league. I'm willing to bet there's also a handful of people who think there are only 10-15 top line centers and another 10-15 2nd line centers and everyone else is garbage.

I have seen Dahlin play live twice now. He's 17 and it's his second year in SHL, Sweden's top league. Right now he's about 6'2, 180ish pounds. He'll probably end up 6'3-6'4, 190lbs with about Erik Karlsson's skill set. Think Victor Hedman from Tampa Bay with Karlsson's offensive ability. He'll define whatever team he ends up on for over a decade.

Good old Danny boy is back, but not as a player. As everyone's favorite H St. James reports:

I've always liked his vision. I can think of a number of instances where he has put the puck right on a shooters stick with that shooter being in a prime position to score. I think he is a solid defender, and I don't really notice a ton of mistakes. IMO he is a very good 3rd pairing D-man.

I'm still trying to understand what folk's fascination with XO is. I'm not being mean or judgy - I'm seriously interested in what people see? When I watch him play I see a mediocre skater with marginally larger than average size. His speed is one of his serious flaws and I saw it repetitively in losing puck chases into corners last year. He really reminds me of Brian Lashoff with better offensive potential. Nothing over the top, but somewhat steady for the most part. If that is what other see, then I guess I get it - that at least he isn't lazy and doesn't suck? How is he that much different than any of our other #6 - #10 defensemen? I'm Ron Burgundy?

I'd personally put it as there are 8-10 truly elite at any position, and the rest of the #1 whatever are still damn good but never going to get the accolades as he top 8-10. Having Lidstrom as your number one D-man for years is going to inevitably skew one's expectation of number one d-man since the guy is easily top 5 all-time (I would put him 1A and 1B with Bobby Orr personally). For perspective, garbage in my book is Jason F'n Williams.

I think sometimes people have too high of standards for what defines a #2 centerman. If we are being literal, it means you are a center who falls between the top 32-63 centers in the league. I think the reason why people have unrealistic standards is because they look at who the #2 centers are on elite teams, and sure if you are comparing a guy like Nielsen to Malkin, Kopitar, Kuznetsov etc. of course he doesn't appear at their level because he is not, but all those guys have the skill set of being a #1 center. Last year in total points Nielsen ranked 65th among centers with 41 points (1 point out of 63rd). What this tells me if we are just going from points is that Nielsen is a lower end #2 center, high end #3 center. Throw in the fact that he is a good two way player, and I would lean towards lower end #2 center. With all that being said, do I think he is a great fit on this team given our roster......no. But that doesn't mean he isn't a #2 center. http://www.nhl.com/stats/player?aggregate=0&gameType=2&report=skatersummary&pos=C&reportType=season&seasonFrom=20162017&seasonTo=20162017&filter=gamesPlayed,gte,1&sort=points,goals,assists

Begins? You have been blasting that pick for months, and nobody else is really saying anything.

I'm a little jealous, I've always wanted to go up there for camp. Maybe next year. Not too much of that surprises me. Cholowski getting the bump up with Kronner resting is some of the best camp news, imo. Seems like they want to fast track him to the NHL as much as possible. PA with the big boys is cool and all but I think he's mostly a backup plan if AA does actually leave for Russia. I still don't think he will though.

at TC now. from yesterday, booth was practicing with prospects and Griffs. So probably going to GR. PAP practicing with big boys, good chance of making team. Kronner not here so cholo also with big boys- good sign. Svech with kids, looked good though. Rass did not stand out, very thin needs to bulk up. If you havent attended a camp yet, you must. The Mecca for all Wings fans. Glad I traveled the 6 hours to get here.

Same agent as Tobias Rieder as well and Rieder didn't sign with the Yotes until Oct 3rd of last year. Looks like this agent has a history of playing hardball with these GMs. And if he doesn't get what he wants he threatens them with the KHL. I feel that Andreas Athanasiou will resign back with the Wings in the next couple of days, A deal for 2 years $3.8 million is more then fair for AA.

Nice! Glad to see him in that role.

Where's blueadams when you need him? He'd set everyone straight on the line combos!

I hear ya, but it's not very often that a defenseman is regarded this high leading up to a draft. The last two I can remember that were considered "can't miss", total package (skill and size), were Ekblad in 2014 and Hedman in 2009. Dahlin is exactly what this team needs in my opinion.

And, from what I've seen of him, that label seems genuinely appropriate (for once). Kid is an absolute stud. He even Kronwalls people! A. Svechnikov is pretty much equally studly and is being hyped up as the most promising Russian prospect since Malkin and possibly even Ovechkin. The problem ("problem") is, he's a winger. Ovechkin's a winger, but he's arguably the greatest goal-scorer in NHL history. And Malkin's a franchise centerman. The Wings need top-end talent at every position, but everyone knows a Dahlin-type defenseman is at the top of the organization's wish list. (I think you and I are both in agreement on this stuff. I'm saying this more for people who aren't at all familiar with Dahlin and/or A. Svechnikov.) There would be riots in the streets of every major Canadian city. The league would be forced to shut down indefinitely. It would be chaos, anarchy. Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria! I want it. I want it so badly.

Got some images from the preview today here http://wingsarena.tumblr.com

so when Parenateau rubs someone out against the boards is it called a pap smear?

Sign PAP sign Booth, and we almost have enough pylons to fix michigan roads.