VM1138

Tatar doesn't get pushed around, he plays bigger than he is. That's another reason he is so valuable.

I think Babcock is trying to turn them into a defense first team, so he doesn't care about not scoring. A lot of his questionable moves make sense in a big picture, 2-3 year kind of way. Frustrating to watch. I also hope they're not trying to turn the team nto Minnesota or New Jersey. If we don't have the talent right now to be pick possessors, don't give up, go get the damn talent.

Howard's stats for the season are fine. Even now, with this mediocrity on front of him. We need to score more than twice to win. This team just never seems to seize their chances to improve in the standings. Unfortunately at some point they will have to win one more game tham Columbus. Still five games though.

Helm won't be back, and Sammy won't be effective. Bertuzzi should make some kind of impact. He could help us control the puck at the very least, although he will be slower than molasses most likely.

Six games is not novel. Especially when it's the same teams over and over again. The only novel one would be Dodger Stadium. Outdoor games by themselves aren't a bad idea, they are fun for people who attend. But it's a blatant cash grab, and people are sick of being reminded of how crass sports can be sometimes.

You all already pointed out the idiocy. Although warm weather hockey can happen. They did it in Mexico City I think, a few years ago. Let's just make the whole season outdoors.

If Mrazek emerges as a starter, great. Then we rotate Howard and Mrazek. Problem solved. Six years from now, even if Howard slips to average, it'll be the going rate for average anyway.

Maybe we can talk him into one year extensions like Lidstrom. Hate to have uncertainty every year, but it'd be easier for him to stay one extra year than three.

Honestly, aside from Chicago, there aren't really any "scary" teams in the West. Minnesota makes me a little nervous, just because they could be one of those teams to surprise people, especially if they play the Wings. The Suter/Parise storyline alone puts me ill at ease because the Wings were so close to landing Suter. Which of course means they would beat us. Chicago plays our style of game, but plays it much, much better. We can beat Anaheim, Vancouver, Dallas, and St. Louis. Los Angeles is a bit of a question mark. Seven game series, I think, 50/50. So as long as we get into the playoffs, I think we can at least make 2nd round provided we avoid Chicago.

I agree he should take it easy, until the last few games. If it looks like we could make a push for the playoffs, you get him in there to get a game or two under his belt before the playoffs. I'd rather his first game back not be a Game 1 or 2.

I'm with you that pure enforcers and excessive violence don't have a place in the NHL, but I have to take issue with what you say here. It's true that being a tough team didn't stop White from doing this, but it would stop White from doing it repeatedly. It's the same with anything, you can prepare and try to deter bad things from happening, but once in a while it will always slip through. But I bet the Flyers don't get run like that often. Look at how often Howard gets run. With no retribution, teams will continue to take liberties. With retribution, it won't happen so often.

Bertuzzi is an important piece of this team, even if he doesn't score all the time. Our time of puck possession will increase the moment he steps on the ice.

We are one point behind St. Louis I think. I'd say this definitely helps us. It potentially opens up an additional spot.

But, Dallas and us are on the heels of St. Louis, who lost today. So even if Dallas doesn't start losing, we can still squeak in if St. Louis struggles. And hoping Phoenix and Columbus don't get hot. There is a way Dallas and Detroit both make the playoffs.

Lots of positives tonight: Cola, Dekeyser and Kindl were fantastic. Nyquist and Brunner worked great together even if they didn't score, they got the puck near the net often. But biggest takeaway: the team hustled. They have to keep playing like that from here on out. Haven't had a winning streak yet this season, it's about time to start one.

If we make playoffs, there's always a chance Datsyuk or Franzen will explode, and with the right matchuos this team could go to the second round, maybe Conference finals. Just so long as we don't meet Minnesota or Chicago. I just have a bad feeling about those two teams matching up against the Wings.

I'm tired of people bringing up Suter to bash Holland. Suter was going with Parise, and Parise wanted to go home. Reports said Surer actually wanted to come here, but Parise picking Minnesota tied his hands, because they wanted to play together. So Holland did everything he could. It wasn't because he didn't offer enough, its because Suter had locked himself into playing with Parise.

I hate to be pessimistic, but this team hasn't won a must win game all year. I think we can schedule losses against the teams we play who are on our heels, Dallas and Phoenix? Which means we will also lose our final game if a win then gets us in the playoffs. We need to win all the other games left, then, and hope nobody behind us gets hot.

I feel like anything can happen if we make playoffs, but I'm starting to worry. Wings haven't won a big game to catch up/close a gap in the standings/widen a gap all season. They don't seem to play with any urgency. Then again, they should be geared up to play Chicago. Win tonight, and playoffs are looking good.

We need Howard, and he's good for the money. Flip on the other hand...he may get his pay-day simply because we don't have a lot of other options, but a contract for him would really burden this team.

Because I grew up on Yzerman, Shanahan, Fedorov and Lidstrom. I love hockey, live in Michigan, and I take pride in being loyal. I also love the puck possession style of hockey, which they used to excel at. I'm pretty flaky on losing interest in things, but this is one of the few that has stuck with me, so I figure I'm a lifer.

His hockey sense and on ice vision and his nose for the net are what makes him different from Brunnstrom. That and the fact that he seems committed to the system. Let's not forget his offensive output dropped not only when the team started sucking, but when he started improving his defensive game. Whenever a scorer focuses on his defense, his goal scoring output drops. He'll come around. Hopefully by the end of the season, but next year he'll be in great shape. EDIT: People also forget he's played like 80 games so far this season, while a great many other players haven't. Is it also a coincidence that Zetterberg and Brunner both dropped off around the same time? They're exhausted. This is especially relevant to Brunner, who hasn't played this long of a season, has to adjust to a new team, a new league, and is adding new elements to his playing style.

Eaves has a hell of a shot, I don't know why they don't use him whenever they need a winger for Datsyuk. Helm's absence is really hurting this team. It's like night and day when he's in/out of a game. I was hoping to get him back in time for playoffs. Now I just hope he comes back someday.

He just got himself a boat-load of trouble, but it sounds like he's tried more appropriate avenues. Good on him, maybe it'll light a fire under some of his teammates.

But...if we make playoffs our decline isn't as bad as if we don't.