VM1138

Andersson was just a nice surprise last year. No one thought he'd be an NHLer I don't think. I like him, byt if we have players with higher ceilings who are currently more dynamic like Sheahan, or equal like Glendening, he is expendable.

You guys are surprised at it being tacky? It may look like a joke, but It's LA. The tackiest city other than Vegas. It may have looked weird to us, but that's how LA is. Fake, over the top, self-absorbed and with a laid back beach culture. Not bashing LA, they love it that way and I'd love to live there. It's the whole appeal.

Ferraro has never generated any real excitement among scouts or anyone other than fans. I don't follow prospects super-close, but I do know aside from his draft-day, there's been very little hype and a lot of criticism. I've never really heard anyone seriously suggest he was ever going to make the Wings. I'm sure Callahan will get his chance, though. They're just focused on trying to get a stable core of young guns, and we've already called up so many.

There's no reason to wait for a certain moment. Holland knows what this team is. The players who are injured are known commodities. He doesn't need to wait and see anything. They've played consistently inconsistent all year long. The time to make a trade is the moment someone will agree to trade, and unfortunately that hasn't happened. I honestly don't see any trade scenario working for the Wings or anyone else. We will have to roll with what he have. EDIT: And as to the contender discussion, as long as we make playoffs anything can happen. We don't typically get dismantled by the "elite" teams. I think we can upset them. It's the other underdogs I'm worried out.

I was all set to dismiss this as relying too much on young talent, but it actually looks like a good starting point. Of course we'll have some new players signed that will shuffle things around a bit, but overall it doesn't look bad. That second line is probably too small to be truly effective, but as long as we have Top 6 players in top 6 roles I'm cool without however they're combined.

Couple of things: if Kindl is scratched, does that mean our defense is 100% healthy finally? Also, I wish Babs would try line combinations based on talent alone during this injury stretch. I understand and normally would support his desire to have balanced lines, but four lines at 40% effectivness is not as good as 1 line at 90% effectiveness, 1 at 70% and the rest at 40%. Even if they have no prior chemistry, I'd rather he just load up to keep us afloat.

I'm referring to his faking an injury to avoid being bought out. Fans clearly don't like him because of this, Babcock never plays him and he is never complimented by Holland or Babcock in interviews. Hence my comment about him wearing out his welcome with everyone.It was clear Sammy was a buyout target. To fans and pundits. He wasn't injured in his last game I don't think, yet he suddenly had a flareup of his pectoral injury the day before the buyout deadline. As for being pissed, you have to read between the lines. When you see and hear and read lots of interviews of Babcock and Holland, you pick up on their speech patterns. He screwed their plans and neither of them have been as complimentary to him as they have been about, say, Cleary. It's also hard to see them being happy about having to keep him when it was his contract that prevented us from icing the team Holland and Babcock wanted. Well, that and Cleary, but again, neither has spares praise for Cleary.

The injuries are alarming. This trend is actually older. 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2014 all were derailed by injuries. 2012 was, too, but not as bad, relatively. It's training, has to be. It's every player, not just those "made of glass" and it's almost always a muscle strain or pull. Or a concussion. Neither of which is a toughness issue I don't think.

I'm getting a genuinely bad feeling Cleary will be re-signed. The support for Cleary has been so over the top from everyone associated with the team, they all still view him as essential. Holland seemed ready to waive him In late November, but then all these injuries hit and the Cleary PR offensive began and now I'm not so sure he walks. Holland will have to be the one to put his foot down. Ideally of the three, Bert will be brought back as I think he's been a good veteran presence with some skill. But boy, Sammy sure has worn out his welcome. At least fans still like Cleary as a person. Sammy just went and pissed everyone off in and outside the organization.

I appreciate your optimism. The year is the worst I've seen in my lifetime but you're right that it's not all bad. Tatar has shown he's not a flash in the pan like Brunner seems to have been. His aggression is refreshing. Nyquist could be a future leader of this club, call me crazy. Smith has improved and our prospects look legit in their short stunts. Datsyuk and Zetterberg have been even better than normal while they were healthy. I think if we can make playoffs we can make conference finals. They are very inconsistent, but after last season's amazing run I think they still have that ability to take it to anotger level when it's all on the line. And the rookies whose inexperience cost us the playoffs are more expeeienced now. Key is: make the playoffs. Assuming all but one or two are healthy after the Olympics I think they will go on a tear. I think there are just too many distractions this year and that should be the last one.

I don't mind them. Wouldn't buy one ever but I like it whej teams break out of trendy design ruts and go for color, even If it Is yellow. But I do laugh at them for releasing new jerseys every six months.

Detroit could be big players. They will look in-house for a lot of their holes, which lowers their payroll. We can afford to massively overlay for a player, at least on a short-term contract. Trouble will be: will UFA's accept a 2 or 3 year contract?

Who is past their prime besides Bertuzzi, Cleary and Sammy? Datsyuk and Zetterberg are still dominating and were having career years. Just because theyre past a certain age doesn't mean they're past their prime. The trouble early was our roster not being diverse enough in skill set. Now we have Tatar and Nyquist finally. And they did look good that brief window when Helm was back. I think they could be good if theyre healthy, but I'm beginning to doubt they ever will be.

Yeesh, a little negative aren't you? Datsyuk and Zetterberg weren't sure things, either. I'd say of all our prospects we are bound to have at least one develop into a superstar. Pundits have praised our 2010 and 2011 draft, not just the OP. I can't say for sure who will be the superstar, but I'm betting whoever plays the most unique or versatile game will be the next Big One. As for defensemen, they don't hit their prime until around 28, so we've got a while even after their NHL debut to see greatness. And even if we don't get a superstar out of that draft, Tatar is only going to get better and stronger. He has the skill and the fire to improve constantly. Plus, chemistry is king. Even without a superstar, we could wind up with the highest balance and chemistry levels since mos of these kids have played with each other and succeeded.

Howard, a pick, and a prospect could theoretically net us a top defender and a good defender, respectively. But like someone said, none of the top defensemen are on the market, and swapping out one player won't make our defense magically better, so it'd have to be a multi-player deal.

Ericsson has one, buy never uses it. His shot can go right through people but he uses it maybe twice a year.

So, finally, after however many games, Cleary is finally turning into an average fourth liner? I don't like bashing players or being put in that crowd, but sometimes I feel like Babcock is using Cleary these ways just to piss fans off and show them who's boss. And when Cleary does score it makes me worry that just elongates his stay here.And being out in the final minute means nothing to Babcock. He routinely puts Kindl, Smith, Cleary and whoever else is on the bubble out there. It's like he's daring the other team to tie it up half the time.

I only saw the last period of the game, did they really play good? At one point they were winning 30% of face-off and were being outset 45 to 25 or something. Tatar looked amazing in the highlights. Huge fan of his swagger.

If he wants to be close to home, he's not going to return to thre NHL. Love the guy, but I don't think he'd seriously be competitive in this league anymore. Unless he's been preparing for this since he retired.

Let's send them Quincey for one of their kids, Haha.

I know hockey will never be a major sport because of the cost of entry and the geographic nature of it, but I never understood why it never garnered the same attention that gets thrown at the NBA. For at least the last ten years it seems to be as successful business-wise, and as popular, yet hockey almost never gets mentioned on sports radio. And when it does, it gets dismissed as a joke most of the time or the host admits he knows nothing about it. It's great to know that the NHL is a success, but I'd like to see more mainstream acceptance. It'll never be NFL of course, but the NHL deserves at least as much attention as the NBA.

He's a great locker room guy. Which is why I'd be okay with him as a fourth-liner specialist. If we had space. But seeing him on the PP, regardless of our injuries, maddens me.

On paper, Cola is a great fit for us. But his being injury prone prevents him from really being effective. On paper, Cola is a great fit for us. But his being injury prone prevents him from really being effective.

I expect their play to improve in the second half. I don't know why, but I do. Assuming, of course, they can get healthy to the point where maybe only one top player is injured at a given time. I imagine they can turn in another great finish to the season once the Olympics are over.

Colaiacovo over Quincey, but Smith has really improved and still has promise, so no thanks to White.