Jamaica Jon

I like it, makes things a lot more interesting

Is it an excuse? Absolutely. But that doesn't mean they aren't fatigued, and it doesn't mean that fatigue isn't affecting their overall play. It's definitely not THE REASON they aren't in the playoffs, I don't think anyone is saying that. And it doesn't have anything to do with them being "out of shape" or "poorly conditioned". Fatigue is a different issue. They HAVE played a lot more games than most teams, like Mickey said, almost an extra full season in the last 3 years. You're telling me that has no effect? They should just shake that off? There's a reason the regular season is only 82 games. If playing an average of 100+ games a season had no ill effects, you know the NHL would capitalize on that. This is about where I was gonna go too.Like Drake said, before the salary cap we could bring in the best players year in and year out. This not only brings in some fresher legs, but also make it a little easier on the big guys who went deep into the playoffs the year before. ALSO, without the cap there was a larger talent gap between teams. So even a fatigued Detroit team that went deep into the playoffs the year before would still not have to worry about being on the outside of playoffs, even if they weren't playing at the top of their game.

No Luongo please. The Wings' playoff-kryptonite has always been good and/or hot goaltending. Neither San Jose or Chicago have goalies that scare me. Nabokov's good, sure, but he's no Luongo.

DET: Zetterberg, Franzen, Stuart CGY: Stajan

Red Wings: - Zetterberg - Holmstrom - Franzen Sabres: - Myers

Yeah I did the math.... player - GP - G Bertuzzi - 60 - 15 Williams - 22 - 4 Leino - 42 - 4 Eaves - 47 - 9 Ericsson - 45 - 3 Filppula - 34 - 6 if they all played all 82 games (a little unreasonable, I know), at the same scoring rates & subtracting Flip's 12 from last season... It'd be a total of about 68 goals... Pretty close to the estimation. If Leino would've performed even half as well as we ALL thought, it would be pretty spot on

Could not have said it any better

How are we defining this? To me, a player could have back-to-back OT goals, without the team having back-to-back OT games... For example if Fedorov had the OT winner on a Wed night, on Friday the Wings won 5-1, and then on Saturday Fedorov had the OT winner... Fedorov would have scored back-to-back OT winners. As long as there were no OT games between the first and second OT goals, the player has back-to-back OT winners. That would be my definition at least. With this definition, it has likely happened more frequently.

Dan Cloutier does NOT make the club. You heard it here first...

Teammate: "Just imagine he owes you 20 cents."

a Leino-Helm-Cleary line sounds amazing

I work at Dunham's. According to my manager, the shipment of shirts/hats is coming in around 5 am tomorrow morning (to Madison Heights I believe, and then from there it will be distributed to the other stores). If the Wings win, many of the stores near Detroit and in Oakland country will be opening at 7 am (usually we open at 9)... if things go smoothly, all the stores should have SOME hats/shirts when they open I would imagine. Stores are being asked to send someone to pick up hats at 5:00, 7:00, 10:00, 3:00 and 6:00... so we should be getting replenishments a few times each day. Hope this helps...

I think Dan Cleary should at least get some mention. He's had some TIMELY goals this post season (including the game winner tonight) and is a playoff high +18! That's 4 more than Z at #2. He also has 9 goals & 15 points... not great but not bad either. I think if he has a big game or another timely goal in Gm 6 or 7 (if nec) we should be deciding between him and Zetterberg for the Conn Smythe. But Z has been incredible in the finals. I would've said Ozzie coming in to this series, but Zetterberg is far and away the leader in my mind.

It's pretty hilarious how completely wrong you were.

or Big Head mode

PREVENTS parity? Try telling that to the Rays, Marlins, Pirates, Rockies, and Diamondbacks. And also to the Yankees, Tigers and Mets on the other end... none of which have won a World Series since 2000. Not that I think the soft-cap structure would work in the NHL, but I wouldn't go so far as to say it PREVENTS parity, when there is currently relative-parity in MLB. Sure year-to-year there are bad teams that just so happen to have low payroll... but you also get teams like the Marlins, who prove that in any given year a team can come out of nowhere and win the World Series. You get year-to-year bad teams in EVERY sport, regardless of hard cap vs. soft cap. Look at the Detroit Lions and the Charlotte Bobcats.

Your thread title makes me smile, because I JUST posted this to Facebook: Dear Mr. Osgood, I take back everything bad I ever said about you. You are my hero. Sorry for doubting you. Your new Best Friend, - Jonathan P.S. - If you screw up at all, even in the slightest... you're back on my s*** list.

I Want Stanley was AMAZING! (I was 10) Too bad it didn't work... I think 97's was "Hey, Hey, Hockeytown". I still have the CD. 03's? was Bring Back Stanley. It was one of the years, I can't quite remember which...

QFT

The Wings are one-dimensional. They're only good when they play hockey. That's it.

In terms of the past 15 years or so, I think you've pretty much nailed it. Although I think I'd put Maggs' walk-off over Tayshaun's block. And the Brawl higher. (just noticed the "no particular order". I actually liked the order, so I thought they were in order. Whoops)

Yeah Mick can get a little ridiculous with his complaining about penalties (to the point of being irritating), but most of the time he has a point. I like that Ken always plays devil's advocate with him. Through the first half of the season, Ken said "commercial zone" when referring to the new icing rule about 90 times a game (literally). That got on my nerves eventually, but since then he hasn't used it very much at all. Other than that, and even with that, these guys are awesome. Absolutely love them. Oh, and Emrick sucks balls.

QFT

Ansar Khan says 12 years $72 mill http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/20...e_henrik_z.html