Shaman

I think as for talent, and accomplishments, Pavel Bure for the time being is above Ovie.

Just like the sharks, until they prove they can win in the playoffs, their regular season performance doesn't mean anything. But I think the 1-3 seeds in the west will be decided in the last 4 weeks of the season... there will be no team running away with it in February.

I don't think thats going to happen... i think if he plays 32 games.... id be very happy.

I'm pro waiting and seeing... last year was his first real season as a back up, not as a pair or a starter, so like with most wings players last season it could be an off year and next year he could play better, we dont know. Since this is the last year of his contract, I will reserve my opinion until after he proves/disproves his ability to be a good back up.

I'm not wings management, and I have no say in what the wings do, but here is my 2 cents: I believe his play this season as the back up from day one and how well Howard handles his second season will determine how long Osgood is here. If Osgood does a decent job backing up J-Ho and J-Ho has a good season I can see them keeping him on as a back up. But, if for any reason Osgood can not adjust to being a back up for the season or Howard falters really badly, I can see Osgood being nicely, but firmly told his services in Detroit have come to an end. There are some very good goaltending talent coming onto the market next season and if Howard shows he can't take the starting goaltender mantle on his own, I could see Detroit going after a better back-up who can play tandem with Howard.

As I keep pointing out the key difference is that the wings players with long term contracts will likely play out most of it, if not all of it, where as the other teams who signed players to life time contracts tact on years at the end that no one who doesn't have a Thorazine drip could plainly see the players won't play.

Well the only team of those that I believe is not in the top ten in ticket sales is the Oilers, but I would vote to move Florida, Phoenix, or Atlanta there. But, to be honest unless a really great owner with a genesis business plan comes out of the would work to make it happen I would still be against it.

Unless this is to move a s***ty team north of the boarder, I will not sign this, the NHL does not need another team.

Where did you hear that? What did he do? I admit he was the biggest fighter slappy ever, but damnit he was our slappy. We may had disagreed, but, I always thought he was a very good poster.

But wht does megazord add that our nonjapanese fighting robots don't have? I hate it when you pro-Japanese fighting robot sacrifice goal scoring for badassery.

Zetterberg seems to disagree that Asham is the only person who can score a cup winning goal.

First you built a beautiful strawman, but, as I even put in my sig, I love fights, its the whole enforcer playing style that I feel is an outdated role in the NHL. As for them being present on the cup winning teams, so were Boyd Devereaux and Mathieu Dandenault... they were very present on those teams. Not every role player is the key to a cup winning team, and while I will relent the point of the March 26 game being the one that brought the team together. But to compare DMac and Lapointe to Asham is laughable, both Lapointe and DMac were better scorers in the dead puck era, and Lapointe was clutch in the playoffs. Asham is a career fourth liner, and is pretty poor defensively. He rarely played on the PK (which would make him less valuable than Miller or Eaves), never scored that many points (averages 20 points a season, so, again no upgrade over eaves or miller), and with the amount of time he spends in the box he would hinder the wings ability to roll four balanced lines. Can you actually tell me what he adds that NO ONE on the team has other than the willingness (not the ability) to drop the gloves?

Yea, because Shanahan and McCarty were enforcers.... McCarty wasn't having a career year scoring. As for the 98... 4-1 final... not like that series the wings didn't dominate the flyers the time...oh wait... get back to me with some game 7 heroics, not when youre talking about the final blow in a sweep. PS BRENDAN Shanahan was no enforcer he is one of the best point producing forwards in the game, who could also stand up for himself. If you are really trying to compare Asham to any of those three, please tell the nurse to up your meds.

Hey, remember that one time that one fight over came a 2 goal lead because that one guy just thoroughly kicked the other guys ass? I don't either. In a game that is WON by having MORE goals than the other team. A fight is a spectacle, any gains or losses in momentum that it causes is purely intangible, where as addition of scoring depth is a tangible addition, that in the end of the game, can be measured, and does have direct impact on the end results of the game.

Your mother is lazy and she sucks. If you can't tell this is a jab at the whole 'you are internet kid i kick your ass trolling' that has no place in this thread, by me cleverly using a LGW meme. As for Asham, I don't see how what he adds is so prolific it would be better than what would be lost. Hitting/fight ≠ scoring. Sorry, but at the end of the night its about who scored more goals, not who won more fights or had more big hits.

I hope youre joking.

Toews as it stands today is a poor man's Zetterberg, There is no way Toews is better than him.

who else sees Cheechoo-Emery-Pisani fourth line... I have a feeling Ray Emery would be a great center... this feeling of course is souly based on my sick carny since of humor, but not withstanding, STRONG CORE. :siren: :siren: :siren:

Hes a multitasker what can you say? He can do a lot of things well at once

I see Montreal picking him up, they have 4 million and just need a goalie.

What are the realistic chances of him playing with the big club with the wings being so deep at forward and with some many good forwards in GR that could use their NHL cherry busted when injuries do occur?

Keep the teams they have, don't even think about expanding until they are able to keep what the league already has and make them at least marginally successful.

The NHL needs another team like the world needs 50 hitlers.

Great article, other than Anaheim in 07 the teams that go far in the playoffs seem to be Skill>grit (id say 80% skill 20% grit) whereas the bottom teams the gap is much closer.Great find but, I have a prediction for this thread.. ...Flame on...