GoWings1905

I know they aren't all directly his fault, but Kyle Quincey has been on the ice for every goal against this season.

I obviously feel the same way, but Nyquist could be on the team too if we didn't have a three-million dollar player in the press box.

Finally! I hope Tatar plays so well, they can't take him out the rest of the season. A three-million dollar healthy scratch, though. That has to be Holland's worst deal ever.

Great comeback and win! Very happy for Weiss -- I thought both him and Alfie played well tonight. The big guns are impressive as expected, but something has to give on the bottom two lines. Samuelsson needs to sit for Tatar immediately and Bertuzzi is close behind. Jimmy was steady as usual. DeKeyser is so impressive and really solidifies the defense.

What a finish. The big guns have been terrific again tonight.

Semin hasn't taken tonight off. He has been Carolina's best player.

Struggled to score goals last season, haven't scored in four periods now, but let's not play two highly skilled young guys. It's mind boggling, really. The Red Wings could use some speed and offense in the bottom-six because this current group provides neither.

Third line is bad. I can't quite figure out what they provide besides nothing. Andersson got a serious downgrade in wingers since the playoffs.

Top line looks excellent. Nice pass by Smith too.

The third line plus Quincey/Smith on defense is a really bad combination.

There's two angles on that one. In theory, I agree being that Boston is a superior team to Carolina that you would want Howard in goal tomorrow instead. However, I think a lot of coaches view back-to-back as try to win the first game with fresh legs and then somehow steal a point or two in the second game. I think both opinions have merit. Mrazek seems pretty unflappable, so I don't see the opponent bothering him all that much.

I was there last night and many times before. It can be awful, but that's embarrassing to leave a one-goal game in your team's home opener. Are you really saving that much time and why go to the game at all if you are that concerned with getting home? I'm not trying to tell people how to spend their money, but I think the Red Wings deserve better. Stay and support your team for 60 minutes. If it's 5-0, then I understand. Quite honestly, if you stay away from the parking garage, it's not all that bad. Sure, the concourse is crowded, but I stayed until the end last night and was in my car within ten minutes.

I can back you up on that. The Joe looked full to me as well being there, expect for the obvious times at the start of periods where people are still filing back to their seats. However, I will say I was slightly embarrassed with how many fans left with ten minutes or less to go in the game. It was 2-0 and then 2-1, yet even with just a couple minutes left there was a massive exiting taking place. I know leaving the arena isn't exactly a pleasure, but your team is up one goal in their home opener. You probably paid decent money for the tickets, so why leave then? As for the game itself, I thought the Wings looked really good. Spent way too much time killing penalties, but I thought some of the calls were very questionable from what I could tell and not having the benefit of replay. Weiss and Alfredsson are going to be huge additions for this season. The second line looked dangerous, even without scoring a goal. Not crazy about the third line, but they were better than I anticipated. Andersson is so solid defensively and a huge reason why the PK was perfect. On defense, Kronwall and Ericsson both played very well. I think it's fairly obvious the Sabres aren't a good measuring stick, but I still liked the Red Wings performance having to spend a nice chunk of the first two periods short-handed. Thought they let up in the third some, though Buffalo didn't generate much offensively. Fun start to the new season! Looking forward to some 7 PM road starts now this weekend.

Can't wait to be back at the Joe tonight! This is probably the most excited I have been heading into a season since 2008-2009. Expecting another successful season from the Wings coming off that playoff run. Wish Nyquist and Tatar were playing, but maybe those three veterans will come through better than anticipated. Still hasn't really sunk in that Alfredsson is going to be out there wearing the winged wheel. Let's Go Red Wings!

Holland should get most of the frustration directed at him for putting the main whipping boys on the team. Namely, Samuelsson, Cleary and Bertuzzi. You could throw Quincey in as well because he has been terrible for the price it took to acquire and retain him.

Nyquist has already proven to be a reliable and productive player in the NHL. Tatar did the same in his stint before going back to the AHL. If the veterans were still contributing at a respectable level, then I understand the decision more. It isn't like this is 2008 though where the Wings are loaded with talent and could afford prospects to get overripe. Samuelsson, Bertuzzi and Cleary aren't giving the Red Wings anything in the veteran presence department they don't already have in abundance (Z, Pav, Kronner, now Alfie). It's not a change in philosophy, so much as sticking to your goal of " icing the best team possible." Does anyone believe the Red Wings are better with Samuelsson and Cleary dressed over Nyquist and Tatar? The philosophy works when you are winning championships, but Holland's insistence on keeping washed-up veterans around at the expense of developed young talent is ridiculous when the team hasn't been out of the second round in four years. What exactly are those veterans providing that is so valuable to the team's success? I'm not asking for the entire farm system to come up -- I just want two players that have earned their spots in the NHL to play because I think it would benefit the Red Wings this season and for the future.

I wish some team would have claimed Emmerton to get him off the roster. Nothing personal, but there are too many bodies and Emmerton is taking the spot of a better player. Emmerton being a center is insignificant. He gets about five minutes of ice time and you could send out one of the other centers to take draws, if necessary.

True, but it would be easier to play Tatar if Holland didn't keep washed up veterans around.

1. Red Wings finish second in the Atlantic behind the Bruins. 2. Rangers finally put it all together and win the East defeating the Wings in the ECF. 3. Sharks get to the WCF as well, but lose to the Blackhawks. 4. Rangers over Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Final. 5. Ducks regress and miss the playoffs. 6. Predators bounce back and make the playoffs. 7. Penguins win the Presidents' Trophy. 8. Stephen Weiss struggles in his first season in Detroit forcing Datsyuk and Zetterberg back apart. 9. DeKeyser/Kindl emerges as a very solid pairing. 10. Darren Helm plays hockey again at some point.

Tatar scratched while Cleary, Bertuzzi and Samuelsson probably all play? Holland will never embrace a youth movement. It only happened because his hand was forced last season.

Agreed. I would probably rather have Tatar there too, but I'm not sure Babcock is going to put both him and Nyquist on the same line yet. I think Tatar is going to get eased into a larger role.

40 - 13 - 8 93 - 90 - 11 14 - 18 - 44 71 - 20 - 21 That's what I would do for opening night, but I suspect Samuelsson will find his way in there somehow.

Backes and Ott came to mind for me.

The DTE goal nonsense is the worst. Put your logo near center ice and be happy. No one needs to hear a sponsorship during a goal celebration.

I don't buy that argument. How do you define flukey points or is it only suitable in the context arguing against a player many people dislike? Cleary outperformed Morrow and many of his other Red Wings teammates in the playoffs. Again, I would rather have neither player but given the contracts, I will take Cleary. The grass is always greener, but Morrow is very slow too.