The Secret

Would be nice to have a healthy Lilja back but at this point after being away from the game for so long I would wonder if he would help or hurt us?

If its a hole you are looking for to drink in then The Post is the place to go. If the Post is too much of a hole its only a few buildings away from Cobo Joe's. I'm not sure if the place still exists but we used to frequent a place near by called Wheeler's and it was always a really good time. Is Wheeler's still in business? I loved that placed.

The Kopecky "fight" showed the entire world yet another aspect of his game that blows. The good thing about it, a part from the really good laugh I had, is that Kopecky is out and Abdelkader is in. There is no way anyone could be as useless as Kopecky on the ice. Abdelkader has a huge opportunity here to show his value, and coming in to replace Kopecky will make him look that much better.

quote name='Shoreline' date='May 8, 2009 - 11:29PM' post='1639053'] Should've been a 5, and Ovy is lucky he didn't get it. It's a dangerous play to make, intent or not. It should have been a 5 at least and a suspension for intent to injure in my opinion. If Ovechkin was playing with respect for other players in mind then a better effort would have been made to know what part of his body was being used for the hit. If a player is responsible for what happens with his stick then or has to be aware of a hit being delivered to an unsuspecting player then also the player should be present to the fact that skating into a hit with the stance and posture Ovechkin went in with could result in a questionable collision, he lead with his knee out there is no question there.

I like Rafalski, he brings alot to the team. I think having him back would be a huge boost. I hope he makes it back asap!

I haven't been on LGW for a few months and It blows my mind that there are always Crosby hating threads... doesn't matter that the playoffs are going on and there is alot of cool things to talk about, let's continually talk about Poor Crosby and how much he whines like a baby.

I find it to be incredible that Kopecky plays and Leino doesn't. Leino did incredible things with the limited ice time he got during the regular season. Kopecky is....? I'm not even sure what to say here... Kopecky is... ? Ya, I got nothing! I'd put Leino in in a heartbeat, even for miniscule 4th line duties. Hell I try Abdelkader in there over Kopecky to see what he could do.

Reed Larson... Remember him?

I've hated Lilja up until this year. I found his game so drastically improved this year that its made the past become history and I have to say that it would really be great to have him back on the Blueline with Ericsson. I never thought I'd say anything like that but I am. Hope he makes it back ASAP.

It sure does feel good to see EVERYONE giving their all for 60 solid minutes. Thats been the missing ingredient the entire season. Datsyuk's hitting and scrapping to go along with his usual wizardry says it all doesn't it. Hey, Osgood having 2 solid showings after a season of minor league hockey has got to be a huge boost for himself ad the entire team as well. Add one more... Lidstrom also was off to a slow start and and hadn't been looking like himself and now... dominant again! This whole team is just looking like a winner, from top to bottom. These last 2 games have been the best of the year IMHO.

The team is playing like a Stanley Cup Champion and Osgood is doing what's needed of him so far. Things are looking good but let's not celebrate just yet. This is round 1 against the Blue Jackets, the tougher tests are yet to come..... for Osgood and the entire team. If things keep rolling like they are now, thing are looking pretty good I'd say.

One game at a time! Osgood stopped everything that he should have and thats all we really need of him.... its all we have ever really needed of him. The whole team looked good and finally our 3rd line looked like they will be giving the opponents something morew to think about. The only change I'd make would be to yank Kopecky out and put Leino in.

This was pre-cap right? Then why not keep them both and waive Legace?

So your telling me that Lebda was a better option over Quincey? Again, who is really off their rocker here? Personally had I had that choice Ledba would have been waived and Quincey would have been playing.

Off my ******* rocker..... really? This is the Detroit Red Wing organization that decided to waiver their own home grown Osgood first off. The same organization that is so loyal to its core veterans; to the point of keeping them around long after the shelf date has expired (Maltby, McCarty, Kopecky, Lebda) and possibly to the detriment of a better team. I guess their loyalty went flying out the door with Osgood when they decided to waive him and sign Hasek even though, according to the Osgood blowers, there was really absolutely no need to do so.

Yet the Wings chose and older more expensive Hasek over their own home grown Mediocre man Osgood... why? If they were happy and confident with Osgood why? Why upgrade on something that does not need upgrading when you could spend that money else where? You're right, its not too tough to see, so LOOK AT IT! They obviously thought that they could strengthen the Goal position by ridding themselves of Osgood's sometimes ok sometimes not hockey and replacing with Dominic Hasek. They could just have easily said "No, Dom. Thanks but we are happy with Chris in net. He gets the job done for less money!", but they didn't. I see that here, good for you! ...blah ... blah ...blah! Really man. You're telling me here again that St. Louis is perfectly happy with Osgood. They love him, they are confident in him as a #1, there are no issue's BUT they chose to let his contract expire, why? For what they thought were bigger better options again. Someone mentioned earlier that they didn't remember hearing that there was a big line up to sign the recently be-loved St. Louis goalie. He signed for cheap as a BACKUP.... this happens to alot of good reliable goalies around the league like Brodeur and Luongo doesn't it? And here by meaningless games are you referring to the entire 08/09 season? Hmmmmmm.... and here's to hoping now that the meaningless part of the season is over that reliable Ozzie will rise to the occassion after all the horrific, mistake filled goal tending of the regular season that has him ranked near to last in statistics just by "flipping a switch" which doesn't exist. We'll see how that works out soon enough!

After seeing the fights I think he should leave the fighting to someone else until he learns how to do it better. If not he will end up like Lilja. Good to see that he will but better wait to use it until he can. I agree with who ever said he needs to hot the gym and bulk up that frame of his, he is young and there is plenty of time for that!

Both of their ex-Red Wings are gone for the season. I hope they make the play offs and get swept up by the Bruins.

I said on a consistent basis or maybe you missed that... he can play well enough but not on a consistent basis. He was on the bench to start last season playoffs, came on in relief and played some of the best hockey of his career only to follow that up with the worst hockey of his career. Ignore it all you want but he is in the midst of doing exactly what he is known for. Which Osgood will show up for the playoffs? After an entire season of terrible hockey I worry... there is no switch to flip folks, there is no line to cross, no magic ritual or chant that will magically make his season long bad habits vanish. I did not see the game last nightbut watched the highlights and both goals that got by him shouldn't have. If he plays like this as a starter in the playoffs it will take near too 100% perfect play in front f him by the entire rest of the team to make up for his untimely softies.

If he really was such a hero in the 2 struggling markets you mentioned then why would the Red Wings have chosen to pursue Hasek and waive Osgood, why would the Islanders trade him, and why would St. Louis let his contract expire? Because he is capable at playing the position well enough but is known for having very rough patches and not being able to carry the load in pressure situations on a consistent basis. That is the story of his entire career and he is showing it again this year.

Goaltending is the main issue but not the only one. This time of year there are teams fighting for a spot in the playoffs and they have already ramped up their games intensity into playoff survival mode and are out there ready to fight for evey inch of ice. Red Wings, have yet to get into survival mode to match up with these teams that could be a potential first round opponents. The most encouraging thing from the loss against St. Louis was Babcock's reaction after the game. I believe that the play off preparations will have started with that loss and not only the goaltending but the entire team will be called upon to prepare and focus like its do or die. It has to happen now, the teams around the league are getting to good to think that on any given night you can merely coast to a win because of the skill level of a team on paper. This time of year the heart of a team is exposed and a skillful team with no heart or passion will get out worked, pushed around and frustrated by teams that are playing with their play off "A" game as we have seen the past few games. I'm hoping this last upsetting loss is what was needed for Babcock to get angry and himself and his many play off veterans and that they will together put on their play off armour and get down to business from now until the end of the season. It's time!

This guy is nothing but trouble and he has absolutley no common sense... none. I don't know that he should be tarred and feathered but.... Each time he repeats as an offender he makes thing worse for himself since everyone is watching his every move. Thank God he is far far from our locker room, the negativity he brings with him greatly outweigh the positive aspects of his game. I think Avery should hook up with his female counterpart Lindsay Lohan... man the press they could generate and all the s*** they'd get into, it would be Hollywood gold. It could be the most popular s***-com on TV. Who wouldn't watch "When Sean met Lindsay"?

I wouldn't go that far. This team has all the ingredients necessary to get the job done. If this team plays with play off intensity for 60 whole minutes each game then even the s***ty goaltending wouldn't be much of a problem. If the goaltending can be consistently good enough AND the team also kicks in with playoff hockey for 60 minutes we will be pretty hard to beat. I have a feeling Hossa will be crowned king after these playoffs. Would be nice to see Stuart and Kronwall wearing their s*** kickers for the playoffs too. And Franzen... if only he could use that size and strength with some North American play off grit he could be a true power forward like the Bertuzzi of old, he has all the right pieces for it.. except for the soft Swedish heart.

I think you should re-read my post after you've taken off your magic rosey red Red Wing glasses. I haven't had a shred of confidence in Osgood all season and I have even less now. Until his speaking of "feeling great" and "heading in the right direction" equate to consistent performances on the ice I sum it up to an extreme case of verbal diarrhea and nothing more. Our defense is not what it could be but its no where near as bad as what folks are making it out to be. The many multiple soft un-timely goals that drain an entire teams efforts should be cause for concern. There is plenty of room for the teams over-all performance to increase, thats for sure, but the biggest and most visible weakness isn't the Defenses laspes but the goaltending deficiencies.

Oh not this again. Osgood is failing... just because I said that doesnt mean I want it, or hope it. He is doing it and it's not my fault. Do I even want the Red Wings to win?! What a stupid question, seriously. He's been the glaring sore spot for the entire season and its still against the Red Wing fan club rules to talk about it. I hope he does better but don't expect it especially with no signs of improvement on the ice. Defense has shown improvement but needs to find consistency.