VM1138

Here's what I think, and I think Hossa has been an amazing addition: We can always get the new hot player each season. If push comes to shove, I think we have to keep Franzen and Hudler. They're developing nicely, and I'd rather have two solid second-to-first liners than one first-liner, since we already have Dats and Z. Now, I really hope we can keep all of them....somehow, and I'd be happy either way, but unless we can lock Z and Hossa up for a long ass time, talking more than 3 years, there's no reason to dump our two greatest depth players. But then part of me thinks: Damn, if we had Dats, Z, and Hoss for 3, 4+ years, that'd be an amazing tandem, and we can always find extra players to fit our remaining cap space. But I'd feel really bad about getting rid of Franzen and Hudler when Flip and Kopecky and Lebda are wasting roster spots.

And when hitting failed, they resorted to scoring on us.

All I've noticed since Chelios got back is our defense stabilizing somewhat and him making far less mistakes than our other defenseman have. Hasn't looked too old or slow at all. Only 3 games in, and I'm a Chelios fan, but I think he's a valuable asset.

That's retarded.

Don't care about the two points. Chelios needs to play. The guy is the greatest American hockey player, it's in his hometown, against his OTHER team, in what could be his final season. He can still hang, and it'd be an insult not to let him play. It's not like it's an instant loss if Chelios plays, he NEEDs to play.

Because this is not a baseball game, Wrigley field or not. Why should hockey promote a rival sport? Not to mentino it's a really dumb song and out of place in the middle of winter.

Glad to see Meech up there, but for a person to really jump start a team, I think it takes more than one. Maybe if Meech AND someone like Erikson, Abdelkader or Helm were brought up it would have an impact, but just one player? But it does seem as if they are trying to address the defense issue.

ZDH have been reunited. Conks hass been the number 1, and the defense has started to improve while the offense stagnates. I'm glad I'm not Babcock, because I have no idea what could wake this team up.

They are a good team....but a dynasty? You have to win one first, chiefs.

Embarassing. f***.

It's not just the Wings that hate Crosby. I frequent many of the teams hockey boards, and on every single one I've seen an anti-Crosby thread erupt. It's too easy to hate him. He's not doing anything that sets him far beyond the elite, so the golden boy worship is just lost on some people. He whines, people don't like that, and people don't like the sense of entitlement. It's not just us, trust me. And yes, even during the Avs-Wings rivalry, I don't think the Avs hated us as much as St. Louis and Chicago. I'd never heard an Avs fan threaten to bomb the Joe ormurder the entire team in their hotel, but this seems to be a frequent refrain in St. Louis and Chicago.

That doesn't prove anything. I'm sure Columbus has beaten us 4-1 or 5-1 in the past. I've barely followed them this year. They're definately an improved club, but no, I don't think they're going to stay the best in the East, and if they do, it won't mean much.

All players need to be prepared to defend themselves. That being said, they shouldn't give in to a useless challenge from a 4th line replacement enforcer. But skill vs. skill? I could see that and appreciate that, even if it might mean an injury. I don't like having a player on a team who can't even play hockey, and who everyone admits is just there to fight. Everyone should be prepared to defend teammates, but obviously skilled players shouldn't jump right in.

I agree, I don't know why. Maybe it's the refs breaking up any potential fight before it can happen, maybe it's that the players are pansies now, or maybe it's because the cap means any potential injury can end a playoff run. But yes, there aren't many good fights.

I feel like vomiting from reading so much anti-Zetterberg stuff on a Wings message board. Disgusting. A few weeks ago he was a god among men and now he's just your average almost-star? Wow...

Playing confident off of a massive victory, the Wings will continue to dominate. Coming off an embarassing loss, the Kings will be looking to show they're for real. Don't think it will be a shutout, but I think the Kings are probably crapping themselves right now.

Never thought I'd see the day when Red Wings fans would be calling for the departure of Zetterberg.

I love Hossa as a player, he's great, but I think pitting him vs. Z is wrong. They're about equal in talent. Z is having a slightly rougher year than normal, but is still putting up Hossa numbers. With similar players, similar numbers, come contract time, you have to go with the guy who has a history and chemistry with the club, i.e. Zetterberg. But I'd love to keep Hossa long-term as long as we don't lose Franzen, Hudler, or Z in the process.

Old time hockey is ganging up 2 on 1 and then literally pounding the guy in the ass? I must have missed reading about those games. .... The brawl isn't the joke, Crosby's pansiness and ridiculousness is.

Let's compare, shall we? 1st Sharks-Wings matchup: A tired Wings team is beaten 4-2. 2nd Sharks-Wings matchup: A tired Sharks team is beaten 6-0. So which team is better when they're tired? Doesn't that mean anything?

I don't see this happening. On the other hand, I'm salivating at the thought of playing San Jose or Chicago in the playoffs. That's going to breed some great playoff games.

So what do we think, folks? Are the WIngs back? Or was this a fluke? Me, personally, I think that now that they've heard the crowd cheer as loud as they did and remember how fun it is to beat up on a team, tired or not, they're going to start showing up every game. I think they remember what it feels like to be the Wings from last year, and they're not going to want to lose that. I say from here on out, the Wings dominate the season.

This SHOULD be the most epic game of the season. Wings need to wake up and realize it. That being said, I have a good feeling about tonight. I'd like to see some massive fighting, just to signify the epicness of the game, but it's going to be skill vs. skill tonight, I think.

He should have had both. That first one, a kid could have stopped. And the defender (was it Stuart) had noe xcuse to just stop and literally stand still while the two players set up very slowly in front of Osgood.

I'll be excited when they tie it up and stop sucking.