VM1138

Most of us are just getting back into the mood of sports rivalry. A couple people overreacted but most of us are just making fun of Hitchcock and his wet dream of beating the Wings in the standings.

Oh, Hitchcock... It'll take more than words to make the Red Wings bleed. I can't wait for this season to start! Columbus, prepare to continue being the Wings' *****, baby!

The one thing I hate about sports writers (and some fans) is that they think players magically lose talent once you pass 30. I'd say most of the effective players in the league are 25-35. There is really (in my mind) very little quality difference between someone who is 28 and 34. Being two years old than the league average is an interesting stat I guess but it translates to absolutely nothing on the ice.

Rob Lowe is a punk. Bombay for the win! Never saw Youngblood, but any movie with Rob Lowe AND Patrick Swayze has ridiculous crappiness written all over it.

Exactly. It's not about "clean" or "illegal" hits. It's about letting your teammates be intimidated.

I've never heard anything about Cobo being torn down. All I've ever heard is that Cobo would expand to the Joe if the Joe was replaced.

I know he won't make the team, but just the fact that we invited him scares the living hell out of me. Are we that desperate in goal? I'd rather take Larsson or McCollum, unprepared and untested as they may be, over Cloutier.

So let me ask this, where are the best places to catch these streams? I remember during the playoffs having a hard time finding a reliable place. Most of them would never load the stream, others would be really crappy quality, others would have serious lag and freeze time.

Lebda and Meech are goners, for sure. There's just too much depth to keep both of them on board. That is, unless Lilja can't play. In this case we keep Meech (unfortunately) because he can supposedly play two positions. Lebda is gone no matter what, his time in Detroit is done. Aside from that, I'm not sure what moves Holland can make to bring the team back under the cap. Maybe sending Eaves down to GR, but I don't want to see that.

I'm not depressed. It wasn't like Detroit was trounced. The problem I have is that once in a while I still wonder what might have been. If that shot hadn't hit the post and had instead gone in, if the team had shown up for more than the final 30 seconds. Part of me thinks the Penguin love is unnecessary, considering that the Wings were seriously depleted and nearly beat Pittsburgh without ever playing a complete 60 minute game in the series. You know, "sore loser stuff." But I feel like I did after 2007, that the players have something to prove, will play with a chip on their shoulder, and will enjoy being the underdogs (yet again). After a lackluster offseason I'm getting really excited to see Bertuzzi and Eaves. Initially I felt we got considerably worse but looking at the roster, we're really in the same shape, if not better than last season. We have (barring massive injuries) the intangibles we lacked last year. Instead of worrying about the end of the Wings, we should be excited considering they nearly won the hardest trophy in sports to win without even really trying. Now that they're (hopefully) woken up, and the lineup has been tweaked to add what they were lacking last season, I think the Wings are going to be even more dominant than last year, to be honest. The ONLY real concern I have is Howard. If he doesn't pan out, the Wings won't be able to rely on the goalie tandem that has worked so well the last few seasons and has really been a key to their success.

This season is going to be his big comeback season. The guy sounds hungry, and sounds like he's in better shape than he has been in years. The one question really hanging over him was his health, and if he's gotten that into some sort of order, in addition to this hungry motivation he appears to have in his various interviews, I think Bert is really going to be huge here in Detroit. Especially since he fills a role we desperately need, he may step up his game. I think that since we signed him the trend has been growing more and more optimistic about Bertuzzi in the Winged Wheel. I know I for one, can't wait. Too bad the preseason isn't televised.

I would have to say Franzen should be higher than them, but certainly Rafalski deserves to be up there. I think Kronwall and Stuart are almost at the exact same level so I feel if one of them is up there both should be.

Well we know they're not capable of beating the Wings in a playoff series. They've added Hossa but lost the Bulin Wall. I guess they can win the Cup...unless they face the Wings in the playoffs.

I don't see why some people are so down on Luongo. He's the best goalie in the game next to Brodeur. Today's crop of goalies are horribly inconsistent and overrated, but Luongo continues to chug along despite playing with absolutely horrible teams.

Dumbasses. They're going to kill this league for the sake of some minor role players? Guess I better start following a KHL team if I want to see pro hockey.

Chelios and Shanahan could set this league right, damnit!

Um...a lot of players are in Top 10 of scoring. That's why there's 10.

Ding ding. Aside from Lecavalier and to a lesser extent St. Louis, there's nobody "scary" on their team. They will still be a bottom feeder until they find multiple impact players to sign.

I think if you look at stats, Osgood is the best performing goalie, right up there with Brodeur and Roy. Really, throughout his whole career, not just playoffs, he's among the best all-time. Not THE best but he's definitely among the elite.

Didn't see this part anywhere, it was in the Freep. Apparently CHelios is also in talks with the KHL. Seriously.

I'd rather have Bertuzzi than Tanguay, though.

Um...assaulting a stranger? This happens to all 20 year olds? I know that when someone does that around here they go to jail for a while. Especially if you're 20.

Cleary should be a Wing for life. I know I'm just repeating everyone else, but the guy is the hardest worker in the league. He has done more to truly earn every reward he receives than pretty much anyone else. I have faith he'll impress and make the roster, a testament to the reward for honest, hard work.

No! Chelios needs to retire as an Original Sixer. I know he really wants to play, but he should just hold out. Someone's going to need him to fill in eventually. On the one hand it's great he may get to keep playing, but for such a forgettable, joke of a franchise? Chelios is better than that.