VM1138

I think it's because we always seem to have a lot of bottom 6 level talent to waive. No one anyone would trade for but for a free waiver pickup they'd take the risk.

So Weiss is actually going to play, right? That's encouraging. Or will he be scratched in favor of Cleary?

It wasn't really a knock on him, he's just not the type of player I'm talking about. We need a 30-35 goal scorer.

Exactly. A successful team has a diverse attack. An ability to change or throw a few different things at the opposition. Right now we don't really have that. Tatar is like that but isn't scoring enough to be relied on. We really need a new angle to our attack and that can really only be done with a new player.

In a weird twist I'm disappointed I can't see Cleary tonight. I've missed the other two games he played but heard he actually played surprisingly good. And of course I work tonight and will miss the game. Hope he continues to help the team, if in fact that's what he was doing.

Yes, we've needed a scoring forward for at least three years now. But that's easier said than done. While we have some great young players I don't know if waiting years for them to really become dynamic impact players is a great move. I'm not in favor of selling the farm, but losing one or two prospects for a guy who can score now and for a few years is a good play. This team is finally a good team, but to become a great team who can reliably win games and playoff series we need a top defender (not just another good young player) and a top scoring winger. I know we added players like Nyquist, but we were just that bad that while I would count Nyquist as a scoring winger, we STILL need another one on top of him to be truly top tier when push comes to shove.

Have we tried Tatar-Datsyuk-Jurco yet? That line combines the most skilled puck handler in the league feeding a guy who loves shoot the puck with a guy who is a big body to clear space who needs to be more offensive. It could work.

From talking to fans of both Dallas and Montreal, it sounds like they both unloaded unpopular players who weren't doing much for their clubs.

That has nothing to do with it. McCollum is done with the Wings. He'll never make the team as anything more than a third or fourth backup. What they're doing is sending Mrazek down to play some games while the Wings have 4 days off. Precisely because Mrazek is the future.

Here's a crazy idea. What if Datsyuk led a clinic teaching everybody else how to dangle and deke on a shootout? Probably way better than having Granato or Babcock do it.

It's well known that Zetterberg is not good in shootouts. I reckon that's why he was passed over.

Ties weren't bad. They got rid of them to appeal to rebel Americans who think ties are somehow unacceptable. Either wway, getting rid of the shootout doesn't mean the only other portion is ties.

That goal better not convince Babcock to put Cleary in the top 6 forever again.

Why do they dump and chase with an empty net? Why does a team that has trouble controlling the puck dump and chase with an empty net?

I think it has more to do with the fact that it was two games against lower ranked teams, and we always lose those.

Just tuned in. What the hell? 16-1 in shots after one period? Are they really that catastrophically bad tonight?

Glad to see that after last night we're still in second place in the division with a game in hand. So good to see them competing for the top spot once again. It seems like it's been so long since I've seen that, when it used to be expected every year. I think we can pass Montreal as I think we're a better team than them. Tampa seems to be a little hot, though.

I'm very nervous about November. Quite a few mediocre to bottom feeding opponents.

It amazes me that Howard is so bad in shootouts but pretty good on breakawaus.

Liked how Zetterberg made us all think 'Not another slapper' but then actually tried something new,haha. Crappy loss. Gotta be nearly perfect just to keep pace with the handful of teams ahead of us. They all never seem to lose.

Amen. They play something like 5 minutes too much every night, and at the worst possible times.

I wasn't saying Jurco is bad, just that I'm not seeing his potential any more. As of right now he's just another fourth line grinder type.

Anyone else just not thrilled with Jurco? We all bought the hype but he's always been the weak link of the kid line and I don't remember ever being wowed. Obviously he's still young but based on what he's shown so far in his NHL career he's looking more like a Brunnstrom or Leino to me. Only not scoring as much but working harder.

Huge game. The teams near us in the standings keep winning, so we need to keep pace. A win against the Kings will be a tough, hard-fought battle.

Eh...I don't think this has anything to do with UFAs, really. Your own players are just as likely to get injured. The Weiss situation is tough because he lied about his condition when we signed him. Normally that wouldn't have happened. The luck the Wings have had with UFAs is just that: bad luck. Modano got his wrist sliced open. Weiss misled us (supposedly) about an injury and sat out most of last season. Samuelsson held us hostage because his boob hurt. I mean, there really isn't anything to be learned by this. It's just a horrible fluke and we happen to have had three of them the last few years.