GoWings1905

Maltby-Draper-Kopecky Mission accomplished.

Hossa is one of the elite two-way players in the game. Fedorov was that over ten years ago and those three combined scored about ten more goals this past season than Hossa himself. If there is any way to sign Hossa for four million, it would be nuts to suggest your alternative makes the Red Wings a better team.

Immediately after Game 7, my initial reaction was disappointment in Hossa and I was leaning in the direction that the Red Wings should NOT bring him back. Having a couple days to consider and cool down, I absolutely want Marian Hossa back if the deal is right. Hossa symbolizes everything good about the Red Wings organization: hard worker, two-way player, has the drive to win, and is completely unselfish. Hossa did what he thought was best for him and in a world where athletes seemingly play for large contracts, Hossa broke every rule possible because he wanted to be a Red Wing. I have a lot of respect for Hossa and there is plenty of blame to go around for why the Red Wings lost, but it is easy to make Hossa the scapegoat because it happened against the Penguins. All of that being said, I ONLY want Hossa back providing he doesn't play on a line with Datsyuk or Zetterberg next season. The Red Wings are best with Datsyuk and Z together. We tried a season without them together and neither clicked with Hossa. We are going to lose depth should Hossa re-sign (Hudler and Sammy) so our top six forwards will need chemistry and more goal scoring assuming our depth takes a hit. I would like to see the top two lines be: Datsyuk-Z-Cleary and Franzen-Filppula-Hossa. Hossa deserves to win a championship with the Red Wings.

This is truly the end. Over 100 games - a frustrating yet successful regular season, a beyond impressive playoff run, and it comes down to one game. 60 minutes on home ice in Hockeytown for a chance to repeat as champions. Sometimes I feel like the Red Wings are so damn good that we as fans forget how blessed we have been the past 12 years. I read a stat that blew my mind the other day: since 1917, there are five teams in the NHL (including the Red Wings) that have won five Stanley Cups and yet here we are watching our team go for five in a little more than a decade. High expectations are what make this organization great, but can you fully appreciate and cherish success if that's all we know? I will be just as pissed as anyone if the Red Wings lose tonight, but in reality there won't be a second that I will look back and say I wasn't proud to be a fan of the Red Wings. Hopefully it doesn't matter because I believe the team in red will come out one more time and get it done because they have so many times before. Let's party tonight Detroit with another championship and the Cup staying in Hockeytown where it belongs! I can't possibly take all summer with the image of Sidney Crsoby skating around JLA with his pathetic "beard" and the Stanley Cup. The Joe is going to be nuts and winning it all at home will be so much better. Let's Go Red Wings! :octo: :goalie1:

Oh great, Game 6 was so exciting watching pre-lockout hockey. They better start calling some frickin interference on Gill and Orpik in Game 7.

Time to finish it off tonight. A remarkable season that will end with a repeat and five championships in 12 years. I want to see Hossa skating around Mellon Arena with the Stanley Cup so bad. 60 minutes of effort tonight (just like Saturday) and the Cup is staying in Hockeytown! Let's Go Red Wings! :octo: :goalie1:

The regular season started a week later this year as well.

"Active Stick" Edzo said it about five times in 30 seconds the other night.

It is all up to the Red Wings tonight. Injured, tired, written off by the media and yet a chance to prove they are still the best team with a win on home ice. Nobody can beat the Red Wings when they focus and play 60 minutes of inspired hockey. I expect nothing less from the guys in red tonight because they have done it so many times before. Forecheck hard, stop turning the damn puck over, and be strong in the neutral zone. I have a good feeling about this game or more likely I am too scared to consider the alternative. Make it happen Red Wings, we are all very proud of you! Let's Go Red Wings! :octo: :goalie1:

This is all true, but Abdelkader is outperforming Draper as the fourth line center. The Red Wings have plenty of centers that are good at faceoffs (or they just get booted out anyways) and the penalty kill sucks, so Draper's two strongest qualities basically bring nothing to the team right now. IMO, it is tough to justify playing Draper over Abdelkader given the performance of each in the playoffs.

Yup. You could use that exact same description for Rafalski too. Except I think Rafalski is far worse defensively than Kronwall.

Franzen - Z - Cleary Filppula - Datsyuk - Holmstrom Hudler - Helm - Hossa Maltby - Abdelkader - Samuelsson Holmstrom really throws everything off right now. Ideally, I would stick Hossa with Fil and Datsyuk but Holmstrom without one of the Euro Twins at even strength makes the situation go from bad to worse. I think at home it would be best to split up Z and Pavel to have them each center a line that matches up with Crosby and Malkin respectively. I haven't been that impressed with Leino and Abdelkader is playing far better than Draper so I gave the fourth line center spot back to Abdelkader.

Kronwall hasn't been great this series, but I think he has put together a pretty solid playoff run overall. Rafalski is our worst defenseman easily.

Oh you mean sucking for years and getting the top draft pick multiple times?

Let's Go Red Wings! :octo: :goalie1:

So far, it appears Hossa made the right choice. He didn't owe the Penguins anything.

I'll agree with the Holmstrom portion, but Maltby has been great this series. I honestly don't know what more people want from Maltby. I think it's pretty evident that Babcock trust Maltby's defensive abilities because Malts was moved up to the second line with Filppula and Hossa at the conclusion of game two with the Red Wings protecting a lead. Maltby is also a useful penalty killer and he has fit in fine with Abdelkader and Leino on the 4th line. Quite honestly, I would take Maltby over Draper at this point.

Red Wings > Capitals (by a ton)

I feel good about the game tonight. For one because the Red Wings didn't play that well last night and they still won. They need to be sharper in the neutral zone and cut way back on the turnovers in their own zone, especially Kronner and Stuart. It's going to be tough to play better on the back end of consecutive games, but the Red Wings can do it and take control of this series. Let's Go Red Wings! :octo: :goalie1:

Pot, meet kettle.

Damn, I am very nervous and excited. This is a strange series for me going in because I honestly have no idea what to expect. My heart says the Red Wings will win it all again because they are truly the best team, but my head says Pittsburgh could very well skate away as champions. Last season going into the Finals, I was almost certain the Red Wings would win and I just don't have that feeling (yet). Game 1 is huge. Dominate the first two at JLA again and everything will be fine. Let's Go Red Wings! :octo: :goalie1:

I think you may have forgotten to post February 8 or better yet June 4, 2008.

Ozzie.

Not to sound rude (I guess), but if you don't like us, then why do you keep coming here? I hate Penguins fans. That's enough reason for me not to go to their board and read their crap.

I watch CBC for the pregame festivities during the Finals because they generally show more of the stuff on the ice than NBC (who lets McGuire yap for 15 minutes). However, I do watch the actual game on NBC because it is in HD and I really like Doc Emrick.