GoWings1905

Honestly, I would have taken anyone or nothing over Williams. That being said, I have to give Williams credit. He was far better than I ever expected before the injury.

Counting the days... Please, please come to South Bend Mr. Kelly.

C - Zetterberg A's - Datsyuk, Cleary/Rafalski rotation

Except May can skate, pass and has a scoring touch.

Friday: Minnesota @ Washington NY Islanders @ Carolina Anaheim @ Columbus Calgary @ Buffalo Los Angeles @ Atlanta Toronto @ Chicago Saturday: NY Rangers @ Ottawa Calgary @ Toronto Washington @ New Jersey Buffalo @ Philadelphia NY Islanders @ Florida Anaheim @ Detroit Boston @ Pittsburgh Los Angeles @ Tampa Bay San Jose @ St Louis Montreal @ Nashville Dallas @ Phoenix Vancouver @ Colorado Sunday: Minnesota @ Carolina Edmonton @ Atlanta San Jose @ Chicago

He hates them so much he didn't sign Brad May. Oh, there goes that.

Pass. I think the Wings are pretty well set on injured forwards.

I can see that side of the argument too with the Wings/Yanks comparision. I don't fault the Yankees for doing what 29 others teams would do under the same circumstances. I just find it somewhat laughable that all the Yankees have to show for it is two championships in a decade. Honestly, they should win the World Series every. freakin. year with the resources they have available. They bought the two best free agent pitchers last winter and the biggest free agent bat. They SHOULD win the World Series. The Yankees fan base is obnoxious. They are arrogant and self-absorbed almost on a complete whole scale level. I hate the Yankees mostly because of their fans and to a lesser extent for the team they put on the field. The Tigers more often than not stink it up, but the fan base is passionate and appreciative. Baseball right now is on the most unlevel playing field ever in professional sports. Revenue sharing doesn't do s*** for small market teams because they can develop quality young talent and ultimately lose those players when they can't afford a massive contract. The Indians offered CC Sabathia $18 million and still couldn't afford to keep him. Every advantage in baseball favors the teams that can spend money with no limit. Until that changes (it never will), I hardly consider the Yankees winning a championship a major accomplishment.

Effort.

Well, I hope that illness doesn't affect his stellar play of late.

Leino doesn't deserve top six minutes with the effort he has put out, but he almost has to play there by default now. I wouldn't mind giving Eaves a shot with Cleary and Z if Leino doesn't work, which will probably be the case. This is Leino's chance to prove he can contribute offensively at the NHL level. If he can't get going playing with Z, then it will never happen.

Very true. Maybe playing with Lebda has brought out the worst in E, but he has looked nothing like the version we got last playoffs. It seems like either Lebda or E always pinches in and gets caught out of position. E hasn't looked sharp on the PK either where we need him most with Lilja out. Something has to give on the third pairing. Either bench Lebda for good and find a replacement or shuffle the pairings and put Ericsson with Lidstrom. Rafalski hasn't done a whole hell of a lot defensively either to warrant playing in the top four besides his massive contract. The Wings have to win with solid defense now.

Meech, Janik, somebody or anybody has to be better than Lebda. The Wings need to add some depth on defense at or before the trade deadline. A tough, stay-at-home defenseman that will clear the front of the net and kill penalties, similar to Lilja's role with the team. Lebda is a disaster and not even adequate for a third pairing player.

Absolutely downright pathetic. I can handle losing to USC, but I can't take these losses to inferior opponents. Jon Tenuta is a disgrace; Charlie Weis can recruit like no other and can't coach worth s***. 7-5 seems likely, 8-4 if they get real lucky and the alumni are going to riot. I want Brian Kelly now before some other program takes him from Cincinnati. Beyond that, I have to say how proud I am of Jimmy Clausen. He is the toughest, gutsiest, and best quarterback Notre Dame has ever had. He is going to make one hell of an NFL quarterback and I don't blame him for one second if he declares for the draft a year early. JC did everything he could for this program and they could easily be 2-7 without him right now. I need a new hobby on Saturday's in the fall. This is just too much frustration for me.

Because he sits more than he plays possibly?

Friday: NY Islanders @ New Jersey Toronto @ Carolina Philadelphia @ Buffalo Washington @ Florida Vancouver @ Dallas Chicago @ Colorado Saturday: Nashville @ Los Angeles Buffalo @ Boston Detroit @ Toronto Tampa Bay @ Montreal New Jersey @ Ottawa Atlanta @ NY Islanders St Louis @ Philadelphia Florida @ Washington Carolina @ Columbus Dallas @ Minnesota NY Rangers @ Calgary Phoenix @ Anaheim Pittsburgh @ San Jose Sunday: St Louis @ Atlanta Edmonton @ Colorado

I hate the Yanks/Wings comparision. It isn't even remotely the same situation. The Red Wings were and are the model franchise of the NHL. They did it pre-salary cap and they have been the best team post-salary cap. The Yankees can literally buy championships in a playing field where other teams can't compete financially. The Yankees blow away other teams in payroll, yet the Wings always had company from the Rangers, Flyers, Avalanche. The economic disparity in baseball cannot ever be compared to the NHL's pre-salary cap days.

That's why the NHL has minimal credibility. The officiating changes along with the enforcement of rules April through June.

Rules are rules. Either enforce them in all circumstances or don't bother making it a rule.

He started "slow" last season too and the experts had him written off for the Norris already. Nick will be fine. He's the one guy we never have to worry about.

Yup, they did it on Opening Night last Friday. 22,076 and the Palace looked like it had about half that number actually in attendance.

I love both teams and follow the Pistons closely as well. The Palace has been literally empty for the first two home games. Sure, JLA has some empty seats but nothing on the level like the Pistons are getting this season. Plenty of it has to do with the Pistons drastic turnover and the debacle from last season. The Pistons have been good for so long and the dropoff (sadly) finally hit. Expectations are low for the Pistons; despite what Jimmy D. may claim, they aren't for the Red Wings.

That just makes their "Wings are fairweather fans" line even more laughable. There used to be like 20 people at the United Center a few years ago when the Red Wings played there and 19 were rooting for the Wings.

Funny how the Wings have "fallen off" according to those brilliant Hawks fans and yet the Wings are a whole two points behind their powerhouse team. With all the new players, injuries, the flu, a trip to Sweden, five games out West ... and the Red Wings are two points out of first place. The Western Conference goes through Hockeytown. (I mean Detroit, the place where the best hockey is played).

While I agree we need Z to score more goals, I thought Z was easily the Red Wings best forward last night. He looked much quicker and stronger on the puck than any other game so far this season. If he keeps up his aggressiveness in the offensive zone, the goals will come.