VM1138

It may be a loss but at least this feels like a normal, old-fashioned loss. Not a cluster-you-know-what of embarrassment and frustrating play. They're playing like an NHL team that might just fall short.

I think we all knew something fishy was behind Murph's firing. He could be entertaining, but in a bad way. Osgood may be dull but he'll improve.

I can't say definitively that Ferraro will never make the NHL, because I don't follow him that closely. But every time I do read about him, the article is about how he's underperforming or not quite the all around player needed to make the NHL. With so many (almost) sure-fire hits in the pipeline, I wouldn't spend much time giving Ferraro a chance. I guess Sheahan could have been called up, but Glendening has done very well since he's up here. I'm not sure Sheahan would perform any better at this moment.

Tootoo for their best player. Don't let me down, Burke.

Post-game pressers are the worst. I like the idea of learning about the mindset of the team, or why they won or lost, but it doesn't work in practice 90% of the time. But it fills dead air and empty pages, I guess.

Howard has had a few rough games but I don't think he's trade-bait. He's been so good over the years, I say we just chalk this up to him being a goalie and having an off-quarter-of-a-season.

Nonsense. He'll come back just in time for the team to get shellacked by the Panthers again, sustain an injury and then miss the game. Just to make it worse.

Pierre is weird but he's usually a pretty knowledgable hockey guy, isn't he? I certainly hope Holland isn't too stingy with the 1st rounder. He certainly wasn't when he got Quincey. Besides, if we can get another star, we can spare a pick in a shallow draft considering we already have too many prospects.

To add to the anecdote about the caller and Datsyuk, I wasn't all that impressed with Zetterberg the first couple of years. I liked him but didn't fully appreciate his skills. And Datsyuk wasn't really loved until 2007 or so. When he shed his disappearing in the playoffs reputation. So yeah, even in their mid-20s players can surprise you. Let's add Franzen to the list. My big bold prediction is that Nyquist will be the next captain.

There's not really a reason to buy out Franzen. The penalty will be pocket change, especially with a higher cap. Unless he suddenly disappears again he's here to stay. Unless a trade could land a top 10 player. At any rate the compliance buyout will be used on Tootoo. All our other problems are UFAs and Babcock seems to have little intention of using Tootoo ever again. We can always use a good old fashioned buyout in the future if we need to do so. And I would strongly urge everyone to stay away from making this debate personal. Cooler heads.

I'd rather not lose Alfredsson for some rookie who may or may not be good. You can't go too young, and some of those players won't make the NHL full-time (Ferraro). I'd like to bring up some young D (Almqvist) and another forwars, but we're going to be a young team as it is. Trade a few for a player in his prime maybe. We seem to have more great prospects than can feasibly make the team without making us Edmonton.

Tatar-Datsyuk-Alfie could work despite size issues. Datsyuk and Alfredsson would more than compensate for any defensive lapses by Tatar, and it would score like crazy. Plus, Datsyuk and Alfressson never get pushed around, and Tatar never gives up. While "on pace" mean nothing, is it so unrealistic to think thay both of them could hit 35 points this year?

The long-term contracts have really killed the excitement of free agency and the trade deadline. But we are building a new core internally. There may not be superstars out there but there are guys who could help round out a team. Namely, more effective veterans than Cleary and Sammy.

Fun article. For sure, Tatar's compete level is so aggressive as to be almost comical. I like the way the author phrased that. He is always on the attack and never gives up on a play and it's what I love about him. He's not a perfectly well-rounded player but his hyper-aggression makes up for it in my mind. I don't think we can say they're the next Euro-twins, but they're already what we always hoped Hudler and Flip would one day become.

I've been a big Weiss booster, but I'm not sure anymore. He was brutally lazy and bad last night. I don't know what happened to him but his old compete level is just gone. I'm really wondering what the deal is. I smell a buyout coming, compliance or not. If you can't get up to play your old team I don't know what to say.

Agreed. All goalies go through a funk. Gus is winning, but so was Conklin back in what, 09? We have to remember Gus is still a backup. Backups have great streaks but we can't count on him being this good forever. Howard has a track record of success. I don't want to see him benched for stretches. They should keep alternating. It worked in 08 and 09.

Tatar called Bertuzzi a "super-veteran," haha. I think that should be the new name for the elderly vets we like to acquire.

His play is mind-boggling. In Florida he was a heart and soul guy, a warrior fan-favorite. I don't see any of that and I was really excited to have him here. He has got to be the biggest mystery now that Franzen is back to being the Mule we all knew and loved.

On the one hand, Gus should play next, too. Hot hand and all. On the other, if the team wins tomorrow, they'll be more likely to lose the second Florida game, which would only make Howard look worse.

Lundqvist is an amazing goalie, but is he really THAT far ahead of the other elite goalies? I don't really see him as on a Hasek, Brodeur or Roy level.

Bets on who gets injured next game?

Well, at least now Holland signing too many players actually helps us, haha. This is comical. Way too many key injuries. Right when we were getting good. We better not go on a four game losing streak now to match our four game winning streak. I'm tired of that pattern.

Wow. Great start, abysmal finish. They went from looking like a playoff team to looking like an OHL team. Couldn't connect passes, stupid decisions in their own zone, couldn't enter the offensive zone without giving the puck away, and got hit and dragged all over the ice. This one might be the most embarrassing game of the season. Hopefully this doesn't send them into another funk.

Whenever critics say the Wings "bought" their teams in the early 2000s, I always point out that the Rangers always spent more and never went anywhere. Money isn't everything. That being said, this is an overpayment. No criticism of Lundqvist, but goaltender being such an unreliable and flaky position, you have to be really desperate to give a contract like that. Lundqvist must have had them over a barrel. I don't think I would've given Hasek a contract like that if he were in his prime today.

Emmerton. Odd choice. I guess he's a center, but what about Glendening, Eaves or Tootoo? Any one of those guys has more of a future with this club than Emmerton.