handyandy_101

This is true, that Gordie only really had one or two, but the fact of the matter is that he played in a much more relexed era when it came to fighting. You could beat the s*** out of a guy and just get two minutes for roughing - it was a lot harder to pickup 5 minute fighting majors - so that kind of skews the measurements. I'm sure that by todays standards Gordie would have had quite a few more of them.

Maybe that's not such a bad thing. I mean, obviously the fact that we have a dominant team is not much of a secret anymore, So if teams come in thinking they just have to shut ZDH for a chance to win, then its nice to have a second line that (rite now, at lease) can put up some numbers. Of course, shutting down ZDH has proven to be pretty much impossible this year.

Really??? The way this team is looking rite now you think that we need a 30+ man to make a "serious run"?? This team could make a legitimate run as it is right now IMHO, and another 30+ or 20+ guy would make are chances just that much better.

I agree entirely. So why not spend more time talking about what hockey IS about. Believe it or not, players like Datsyuk and Zetterberg still exist in relative obscurity, and these are guys who represent everything that is good about the game. Meanwhile, some head case pulls a dick move and he becomes a f***in celebrity. I realize that this is just the world that we live in, but I'm just starting to get sick of it. (I'm not just talking about Simon, but the whole string of suspensions that have been taken place this years: Downey, Boulerice, etc. etc. etc.)

LOL

Kopecky, Ellis, and The Drake are puttin in some quality shifts out there...good to see.

TSN: The Sports Network??? More like The Simon Network! f***, give it a break. Does anyone else here feel my pain?? Why is this as big a deal as it is?? Somehow, this issue which exists within the game has transcended the game itself!

Seems about right to me. The only other guy I could see sneaking in their between any of them would be Iginla, he's on an uber-tear right now!

Personally, I am just SICK and TIRED of having to hear about this guy, or any other disciplinary issue like it. There are too many players in this league exhibiting real talent and doing incridibly positive things for the game to have the media harp on s*** like this "Chris Simon saga". Instead of talking for hours about Simon, and other guys like him, who have never, and never will contribute anything positive to this game, why not look at the magic that Dats and Z are putting together in Detroit, or the way that Iginla is dominating in Calgary, or the way that guys like Sundin and Lecavalier are just carrying their teams. No, as soon as some goon does something stupid, the rest of the league apparently shuts down operations in order to devote the full eye of the media on this one stupid issue. Meanwhile, the real talents, the guys that are selling seats, are relegated to a 10-second blurb at best. It just really pisses me off. Who gives a f*** about Chris Simon, he has nothing to contribute whatsoever to this game, and so I jsut couldn't care less.

I say we pick on Dallas, or any of the Florida or Cali teams.... What kind of Hockey Town doesn't even get snow! Cummon!!!

I don't know man, in those years of dissapointing early playoff exits, I always felt it was karma saying, "You can't just try to buy the Cup every year". But this team has just been so well put together, and I have a really good feeling about this year. This organization is really setting a high bar for how to operate under a cap, and I love it. Go Wings!

I agree with that to a certain extend. However, although Wallace contributed in a huge way to the Stones defense, he was at times an offensive liability. Nick, on the other hand, is both a huge contributor to our defense and our offense. So, how good is Nick? Good enough to be, when all is said and done, considered the second best defenseman of alltime, behind a guy named Orr.

There's really nothing that anyone can say to you, is there? Being an online dooshbag is pretty damn easy, I suppose. Oh well. Niedermayer or no Niedermayer, this is the WIngs year, I guess that's what it all boils down to. So ya, screw Niedermayer, but while your at it, screw Getzlaf, screw Perry, screw Burke (just because he is a doosh in general) screw Carlisle, and sure as hell screw Pronger. In general, just f*** the Ducks. Lets Go WIngs!

Ya, I assume that this was just an unintentional mistake. However, from what I hear from some of my American friends, Canadians look at the word "s***" as far less inappropriate than Americans do. In celebration of that fact, I think I'll go out and use the word "s***" excessively right now!

Alright man. I realize that your a bonafide "champ" around here, and that the supremacy that you excercise over this anonymous cyber-world is reminiscient of that of Alexander the Great or Ghengis Khan, but seriously! First of all, it is not a handful of Red Wings fans, its many fans in general. I have friends and I know people who are fans of about every team in the league -- some of them don't really like this whole situation, some of them don't mind, although most of them don't act like huge dicks about it. Last time I checked, leauge owners, GMs, and coaches aren't the only people who are allowed to have opinions on s***, in fact, I'm pretty sure that 99% of people who follow the NHL aren't GMs or Owners or even coaches. I know I'm not, are you? I realize some of the things being said are being spoken partly out of bitterness and emotion, but the fact of the matter is that 1000s of players in NHL history have had to make the decision to retire at some point, and they all seemed to pull that off within the allotted time, so it is not all that ridiculous to lose some respect for a guy that couldn't seem to do what 1000s of people in his profession have done before him(all the while seeming to hurt his team in the process). Although I suppose this may be falling on deaf ears. After all, being the "champ", I'm sure that you are entirely able to keep your emotions from having any effect on your infallible posts, whick make it impossible for you to understand how other, weaker, individuals are able to do so. Naturally, you then infer that those individuals are -- not only asses -- but, in fact, entire bags of asses; graphic imagery to say the least. All hail the Champ. LETS GO WINGS!

Yeah, that Lidstrom guy is doing dick all for us this season......[sarcasm]

ease up there champ...i mentioned both a) that it was just a theory and b) that I was probably biased because I didn't like Burke. But sorry, next time I want to vent a bit I'll remember that (appartently) you strictly forbid it.

My big problem with this.... Considering how pissy and moany Burke got with Lowe after the offer sheets that he signed -- an entirely legal maneuvre that some consider to be a loophole -- if this had been any other team in the league doing this, especially a legitimate contender, he'd get all pissed off again and start acting like the gigantic dick that he is. He might even run to his little ***** Bettman and try and find a way to make it illegal, but thats just a theory. These comments, however, may be coloured by the fact that I hate Burke more than a kick in the balls.

I've actually been wondering about this ever since his announcement on the 2014 Olympics. I assume that he can get fired somehow, but does anyone know who has the authority to do that? Would it be an issue of the owners voting or something like that. Other than that, I guess it just comes down to him resigning. I was wondering this because he is making claims of what is going to happen in like 6+ years. Maybe I'm somewhat blinded by the fact that I think it is a terrible idea not the let the players go, but to me the thought of him making decisions for what is going to happen in 2014 is a little depressing.

Thats probably a pretty true point. Its more of a "shoot the messenger" type situation, except that nobody has actually SHOT the messenger......yet

I just think that that is a really wierd thing to say on bettman's part. "Surely the league is saved now"??? I really don't f'ing like Bettman

personally, i think its a culmination of a couple of those things. he's a super talented guy, and i think hes also one of those guys who can really flourish when given the right situation. right now, i think he's in a great situation here in detroit. when he came here, there were low expectations and not a lot of pressure. he gets a lot of ice time with other good energy guys like drapes and malts, who play a real similar style to him, and he just gets to go out there and do his thing for a really great team. one thing im certain of is that this isnt just some sort of extended streak. cleary isn't a streaky player. u no exactly wut ur gonna get from him game in and game out. he gives 150% every night, does all sorts of dirty work in those hard working areas, and gets rewarded for his efforts. of course, it doesn't hurt that he's very talented at what he does. cleary has turned into one of my favorite wings, and I love watching him play when he's out there on the ice. i think that our role players like cleary, drapes, even maltby are one of the things that really sets us apart from the rest of the west rite now

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

Reports out of Toronto seem to indicate that John Ferguson's job security is dangling by a thread. They were throwing out names like Yzerman, Messier, and Healy for a possible replacement, which I am inclined to disregard as it is pure speculation. Nonetheless, on Sports Center today they showed a quote from Richard Pettie saying that hiring Ferguson in the first place was a big mistake. If memory serves me correctly, wasn't Pettie the founder, mascot, and sole member of the JFJ fan club at MLSE? One would think that with the support of Pettie all but a memory, Fergie's days are incredibly numbered. I guess that my question is this: would firing Ferguson right now really a good idea? Do not misunderstand me, clearly I feel that he has to go. I have been preaching that message to my Leaf friends ever since the Leafs missed the playoffs for the first year in 05. I think that it ahs become incredibly clear to the entire hockey world that what Toronto needs right now is a complete restructuring. However, is it really a good idea to commence this restructuring mid-season a good idea? Would firing Ferguson right now be a sign that the Leafs are waving the white flag for this season? I am inclined to believe that, as poor a job as he has done, there would be no benefit to firing him now as opposed to at the end of the year. I think that if you keep him around you may be able to instill even the slightest shred of confidence and hope to Leaf nation regarding their management, and more importantly, their team. I know for a fact that the Leafs fanbase is incredibly frustrated and utterly hopeless right now, and I believe that firing Ferguson would just be a way of telling millions of fans that the Leafs are throwing in the towel. My opinion is they should keep him around until season's end, ride out the ups and downs of an 82 game schedule, and address the issue in the offseason. Basically this is just my (long winded) way of asking you guys what you think about firing GMs mid-season, whether in this particular case or in general?? O ya, I also believe that Dats just kick started his A+ game for the season, and is about to really start tearing it up.