VM1138

Protesting something like a sports team or a corporate activity (where the average person does not have any avenue to power to change things) makes sense. Protesting politics is really pretty limited in usefulness, since people can run for office, or withold votes, etc. Protesting should be for when you really have no say in a system.

Holland will. You can't just sit around waiting for players to take a discount. We have the money to blow on Suter or some other major defenseman and still resign everyone and add a top 6 scorer. Quite frankly, this off-season is probably the best crop of free agents in a long time. Probably for many years, too. With Lidstrom about to retire in a few years, with Zetterberg and Datsyuk getting older, and with a dearth of mid-20 year old players with lots of upside, the Wings simply cannot afford to sit this one out just to save a few millions. If they do, then the decline everyone talks about every year may actually begin, because other teams equally good (Boston, San Jose, Chicago, Vancouver) will make those additions. And if you could have Suter and Parise and everyone else on the Wings...why wouldn't you? Even if you're paying 7 or 8 million. Holland probably won't make them really long contracts, though. I think we'll see a return to 4-5 year contracts instead of this 10-12 year stuff.

Exactly. Morrow is just an all around solid guy. I hope the Wings make a move soon and don't wait for the deadline. I hate waiting for news.

Well...it's true. Datsyuk should be past his prime at this point, according to sports fans criteria. He should be on the downswing of his career, yet each year he gets more and more dangerous. I think his special skill level, combined with not getting too banged up, is going to lead to a lengthy career. Like Lidstrom, I think he'll be a top player in the league well into his late 30s, and maybe early 40s like Selanne. I don't really see Datsyuk ever not playing on the top line.

I think going for players in their mid-20s is perfect. Right before their primes, the older guys on the team can shepherd them in, and then the new guys can shepherd in the really young kids. Perfect transition. Parise fits this bill, isn't he 27? I really don't think we need Moen AND Ruutu. One or the other will suffice. I honestly don't know what Holland can do about the top 6er situation. We can't sell the farm for a rental. Anyone think Morrow could handle playing on Datsyuk or Zetterberg's wing? Or would he be relegated to 3rd line playoff warrior duty?

I heard someplace there were around 300. Not a bad showing, surprisingly. It's hard to get anyone to actually show up to a protest, let alone to protest something as small as a sports team's management.

If he likes rednecks so much, someone tell him Michigan has its fair share, haha.

The Wings aren't shy about letting their prospects play in the playoffs. Maybe Smith wouldn't play his first game in a crucial Game 7, but he'll get his chance in Game 1 of the first round, and if he plays well he will continue to get to play. The kid looks like he could be a perfect playoff-player.

How embarrassing would it be if the host the game and don't send any players to it? Yikes.

So with such a quality trade pool out there already...do we think the trade deadline will be done before the deadline? I think these guys will go fast.

I see two trades happening, maximum. Probably one. Holland is too smart to mess with everything. The idea at the trade deadline if you are a contender is to TWEAK your team, not rebuild it. Clearly a lot of things are going right for the Wings this year. But some more quality depth on the 4th line (either grittier or most importantly a centerman) would help down the stretch. And of course a new scoring winger wouldn't be frowned upon. Anything more than that is overkill. Look at 2008, the last time Holland did a significant move. He traded for Stuart, who was flying under the radar. An Ian White type signing. It wasn't hugely flashy but he was clearly the missing piece. I think we'll see something like that, even though it's fun to speculate about bringing in a star.

I think it's just that we're not kids anymore. It's a lot of fun seeing superstars playing together when you're a kid. But now there are international competitions, Olympics, etc. And the game is not a real game. Too many people are too busy to watch a game that doesn't matter or in which the players don't take it seriously. It's not that the game is decaying, just that it's no longer enough to entertain a lot of us.

It sounds like guys like Parise might be available for relatively cheap. I imagine there are other options out there in similar situations. Teams need to unload some salary or fix unstable locker room situations. I don't see Holland parting with anyone in the top two lines, or even the third line. I see him giving up picks (our 1sts are worthless anyway) and guys like Brunnstrom (unlikely anyone wants him), Miller, Emmerton, or some prospects not named Smith, Nyquist, Jarnkrok or Tatar. That should net us a relatively cheap 2nd liner (Parise) or some grittier playoff presences like Morrow or Moen. I doubt we'd trade even Hudler for anyone, because the return would be relatively limited. Think about it, would you rather have a slight upgrade, or a deeper team? I think going into the playoffs you want to be as deep as you can be. So in an imaginary world Hudler for Parise wouldn't be as beneficial as a bunch of picks for Moen or a few prospects and picks for Parise because we would be that much deeper. (Not a realistic example, it's just that...an example)

Even putting it on the Saturday before the SUperBowl is a bad idea. That whole weekend the sports scene is dominated by the SuperBowl. There would be no hype, no discussion about the Winter Classic at all. What's wrong with it where it is? New Years Day is a more logical spot, and gives it a sense of tradition, too. If it has to be moved, better move it to a holiday weekend in January, something totally random but a time when people might have a longer weekend. Put a ton of money into marketing it on main channels hyping it up, and maybe in a few years that weekend will be a big Winter Classic traditional weekend.

Man, Team Chara (in a real game) would absolutely destroy Team Alfredsson. EDIT: I'm also a fan of the idea of Gaborik and Datsyuk playing together.

This whole season I think I've only noticed Emmerton a small handful of times. The kid has shown absolutely no spark whatsoever. Nothing against him, he's not really hurting, but he's certainly not helping and I don't think he'll ever amount to much. He's playing because we've lost our depth at center.

Just read a few days-old twitter rumors from mynhltrades.com. Lidstrom rumored to be ready to play two more seasons, and Draper is waiting to hear wif the Wings want him back. Is that second one a joke? Nothing against Drapes but why would they bring him back next year when they could just get someone via free agency?

Not sure if anyone posted this already, but Babcock said after the game that he wasn't even going to bother watching the tape, and in fact, he thinks he needs a drink. Funny stuff, I wouldn't bother watching tape, either.

Damn...that'd be pretty scary if you were under it.

Can't wait for playoffs. At least then Smith will see some ice time. A lot of the roster decisions that are frustrating people are sort of forced on the team by regular season rules and whatnot, but once we can move people up and down I fully expect to see at least Smith up here for some games.

No. It's a coincidence. We've seen them play like this with Lidstrom in the lineup. They've just already checked out for the weekend, and are playing down to a terrible team. It's a pattern with them, Lidstrom or not.

This is garbage. It's just one game, true, but it reflects problems they've had for a few years now. Stop being so apathetic!

Oh good. Another Islanders-style game.

I noticed he was taking requests, never noticed that before. At any rate, I don't much care for generic techno music, but it seems to be necessary for modern sport events. I love the classic rock, but I think the DJ needs to do a better job of picking good songs, not just songs that happen to have a relevant lyric. Also, as much as I love "Don't Stop Believing" I think it should be reserved for special occasions. When the crowd started singing it in Game 6 or 7 of the San Jose series, that was special, I got chills. Hearing people sing it when the Wings are up 3-1 in a regular season game...not so special. Also, I loved the old Detroit Rock City intro...didn't notice it during the Buffalo game, did he stop using that? Sweet Caroline is a good way to end a win, though. Totally unrelated and not a very "sportsy" song, but it's a happy song and when the crowd starts singing it it puts a smile on my face. I also noticed at the Buffalo game he played two Black Keys songs, both of which I immediately thought "sports anthem" when I heard them on the album...even though they're not sports songs. (Lonely Boy and Gold on the Ceiling) They didn't seem very loud when he played them, though. Gold on the Ceiling especially would be a good song to use prominently mid-game or something.

The Wings better bring their A-game, so to speak. St. Louis has a lot to play for and the Wings need to start separating themselves from the pack a bit more.