lets go pavel

I agree, they could ... but when have they been required to do so in the past, or else been suspended?

WTF? If a player chooses to play hurt ina game that matters, why should that be held against him?

Oh? Then where was Datsyuk during the 3rd period of last game? And how do you know how Lidstrom is?

I'm all for it, but it's pretty hard to hurt the ratings of a show no one watches anyway ...

He decided to go because of the threat of suspension, he wasn't going to go originally ...

Has this always been a rule at the ASG? In years past, have the injured players still been threatened with suspensions if they didn't attend the off-ice stuff? If so, I will agree with you 100%, but I don't remember anything like this in the past.

The whole "not play the first game back" would be the suspension ...

They are HURT. Maybe not so much that they can't tough it out during a real game (although Pavel missed part of the last one), but certainly enough to warrant skipping a meaningless game. I understand the NHL doesn't want players faking injuries to skip the ASG, hence the miss-one-game rule, but that doesn't take into account players willing to play through injuries for the benefit of their teams (and the NHL). I understand they don't have to play in the ASG, just do the meet-and-greet stuff, but since when is that required of injured players? In years past, have all of the injured players still been required to attend? I've never heard of that before.

What?!? They have Mike motherf%$@ing Komisarek there, how much shinier can the party get?

I assume we don't know for sure now if they're definitely not going?

Here's the translation I got through MS Word: The players of the national League who decided not to come to the match from stars, to read Pavel Datsyuk and Nicklas Lidstrom, will have to miss the first meeting by their respective formation to the return of the pause. So that the players receive their full wages nevertheless, it is not a question of an official suspension imposed by the LNH. Martin Brodeur had undergone the same treatment last year and it is what would explain why Sidney Crosby is downtown in weekend. It sounds like the same report as on TSN, not that they've been definitely suspended, but they will be if they miss ... the part about it not being an "official" suspension is interesting though.

Is there a translation? How can they be suspended when they haven't even missed it yet?

Players voted not to re-open CBA ... link

I think we have a winner! Marian "The Fern" Hossa! I don't know about Babs as Charlotte, I don't want him to die at the end ...

So ... does that make Hossa the farmer's daughter?

Perhaps because this would affect the Red Wings 2, maybe 3 times all season?

Agreed. The Russians had such amazing chemistry when they played together, they really were a unit. The Swedes just happen to be from the same country, but they don't play together as a group and quite frankly haven't demonstrated any real amazing chemistry with each other. Matching up individually, maybe the Swedes get the nod, but playing as a group I've got to go with the Russian 5.

Wow, you're back already. The problem with your argument is this ... you keep saying we'd be "sacrificing team depth for one player", but what you're really talking about is keeping 2 players versus one, and the second player lost would obviously be replaced by someone. Not the drastic loss of depth you keep insisting it is. But whatever, enjoy your stay for as long as it lasts this time, there's not much point in arguing this any further.

But if we get Floppa why would we even need a goalie?

You can make all the predictions you want, but you're not going to win a lot of arguments pretending your personal predictions are a factual basis for your arguments. No one on here said he WOULD win the Selke, but I think you are quick to discount him from consideration based solely on a slight drop in offensive production.

Agreed. Datsyuk IS a steal, there's no doubt, but we can't refuse to sign anyone else unless they are equally "stolen". Different times, different circumstances. And what's a few hundred thousand between millionaires?

Except it isn't keep Z or the other 3, by your own numbers you could replace Franzen and one of the other 2 with Z and still keep the other guy ...

I didn't say anything about a "write in", who has reading problems? The only person that can win is the TOP VOTE GETTER. Obviously the winner has to be in the top 3 because he's the top 1, but they haven't started voting yet, noone is ahead of anybody. Just because you think those 4 are having more Selke-worthy seasons doesn't mean the writers who do vote will agree with you. That seems to be the problem with most of what you're saying ... you state your thoughts as indisputable facts. And you do realize the season is only half over?

You can't win the trophy unless you get the most votes. The Top 3 finalists are just the top 3 vote-getters. Z has as much of a chance this year as last year, and the slight offensive drop-off that you're attributing to not playing with Datsyuk certainly isn't going to cost him that many votes. I'm not saying he will win, and he may not be a finalist either, but you're acting as if he stands no chance now that he's no longer playing with Datsyuk, and that's ridiculous. Even having an off year he's one of the top 5 two-way forwards in the game.

That's helpful, thanks Nostradamus.