Wing Across The Pond

Think it probably does have a lot to do with waivers. Isn't there a 30 day limit on when you can move players freely? Maybe one of them was coming up on 30 days on a roster and so had to be moved. But don't really quote me, not too sure how it goes. Might just be the safe thing to do switching them back and forth, rather than keeping one in a roster and having to waive them to move them. Again, though, not entirely sure of the rules.

Just saw this quickly on the NHL's Twitter. What a story. Heck I'd be so pysched to have been that guy! Will have to add this to my blog tomorrow. Great feel good story

From what I can tell, it looks exactly the same as all their others, just they switched the white with some black. Bleacher Report calls it "ugly" Flyers unveil WC Jersey

This. I was going to post that (^) video, but feel it's been done nicely By that logic, players who have retired cannot be seen to be in Crosby's league, as they're not "about the here and now". Got to know where you've been to know where you're going. Z has a good few years on him, hasn't been as offensively potent, but sure as hell stole the show on D for a good long while (for a forward that is), which negates all the offense in the world. We won in '08 because you shut down their best player, and then secondary scoring picks it up for you. When that's the case, I'd still choose Z's defence over Sid's offense. You've got to wonder if he hasn't been ready for a while, and certain people saw an opportunity to exploit his comeback, "No don't put him in yet, wait a few days and have him return against the Isles". That being said can you imagine if they had a Western schedule, and had to travel to the Sharks and Anaheim however many times a year. He'd be out again. Interesting to see what it'll be like if they rearrange into 4 division and get paired with Philly.

I would find it really difficult to make a Winter Classic jersey for a team that never really changed theirs throughout history. Heck I'm surprised the Wings one looked so different (but that one was bitchin').

I think it was the first time that the NHL has had a live feed on its homepage, just to watch the Pens training session today (think I saw that right). League loves that dude too much.

Penalty shot save on Kopitar - definition of confidence. No movement whatsoever, just kept his eye on the puck and has his glove all over that stick.

Think now we're finding some common ground, I mean heck yeah I think MaCarty or Probert give you a little more, and with regards to number 3) I agree that they're doing their jobs but not much else. It seems the whole bottom 6 is designed to be a PK unit. Essentially. But to what end is that the coaching/tactics of the team that they have to remain defensive before they play physical? However having said that I reiterate the fact that changing a few bottom 6 players around wont steady a sinking ship, although it may help keep it afloat for a little while longer. Yeah I know! He's actually been chipping in well offensively, whilst still keeping his defensive strength. A little part of me nagging away in the back of my head is thinking that, for all the praise Kronwall is (rightly) getting for his good play, is his recent offensive surge (and in fact the recent surge of all our defensive players - highest goals scored by defencemen) taking precident over their defensive play?

OK I hear you. Understand where you're coming from, but with regards to number 1) you've done exactly the same thing. My post was mainly about the fact that they make smart plays rather than physical ones. I think the bottom 6 do work hard along the boards (maybe not crashing the net) as that's their job. Don't think that's the problem. The problem is they only do their job and in a time where the top 6 aren't producing, expectations fall slightly on others to pick it up, which these guys can't really do (although like I mentioned Miller has been tying his darnedest). Instead of getting two new wingers on the 4th line which would arguably not help the slumping top 6, why not experiment with more balanced lines, a 'star', a mid-level guy, and a bottom 6 guy, all on the same line? Bit of everything. Obviously that wouldn't be entirely viable in all situations but wouldn't hurt to try it. As for the emboldened bit, took that a bit personally. Not everyone knows everything about hockey, or about hockey players. I've giving my opinion, and in that opinion I don't think it's lack of confidence with most of these guys. Helm is a lot smaller and less physical than a lot of other guys but still plays hard. Miller is a tall, strong guy, but plays a different style. Before we look at individuals the whole team mentality has to be assessed, otherwise two more 4th liners wont make a hell of difference

We should hold try-outs to see which one of us is the best player, and could be at least passable to be possibly a minor leaguer. Then petition and campaign to have that person put on the roster for a week. I know I for one, would do all that I could to block every shot I faced, drive to the net on every break, battle hard in the corners. Hell I'd love this to happen to me, just to go into training, show I had at least a modicum of skill and then say "hell it's not like it could hurt". Then if they ever threw me in, I'd try to embarrass the real NHLers with every shift I had, getting down on the ice to block every shot I had to, or being as physical as my body would let me, and then go out and do it all again next shift. I say this because players seem to forget some of the time, that fans feel this passionately about the team they love. I would have done anything to get even one shift on an NHL roster, and these guys seem to be wasting theirs. I'd just like to embarrass them for their own good.

There's a difference between being a big, strong, bone-cruncher when you hit, and making an effective hit. Miller, Eaves, Helm, Bertuzzi will throw effective checks, instead of trying to intimidate and risk losing position. If you're referring to having a bit more intimidation on a team then losing the entire bottom 6 isn't going to do it. Maybe an established fighter would like we used to have with DMac or more recently Downey. But they'd be the first to tell you not to go throwing hits in left right and centre as that's when you lose position. Once you lose position the opposition knows they've got the technical edge over you. And when it comes to non-scoring guys, Miller's been getting the goals that are expected of him for his minutes and his role, and Bert has been out for weeks. If you're going to talk about non-scoring guys, and guys who get intimidated, look at the top 6, and look at people like Cleary who's spent more time on his arse this year than he has on his skates.

Waste of time if you ask me, I think it's a perfectly acceptable way to play hockey. http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=601503&cmpid=nhl-rxl-twt

It's weird though isn't it. It is purely intuitive. If you look at the best players throughout history, none of them would have sat there holding the puck. Gretzky, or Yzerman, or Howe, or Lemieux wouldn't have held the puck and said "ok lets wait and have them come at me". Granted in this situation it was a defeceman but I guess it still applies. Those sorts of players had the instinct to attack in different ways, when it came to different defensive strategies. Onus might not be on the offence at the real heart of it, but it's just the instinctive thing to do.

When it comes from a guy who hits and fights, I can kind of see it coming to a degree. When Yzerman flipped against Nashville a few years ago, that was weird to watch. Really lost it. It's not a big tough man show of machoism, but it was just weird to see, and proves that anyone can eventually snap. For Stevie, I guess this was his snap. Plus it's worth watching the rest of the video as well

This. I was scrolling down for a while before anyone mentioned it. Commie is a good depth signing. Say another defenceman gets injured along with White, if Commie wasn't there who would you throw in? Don't say Smith, because with White AND another man out, he'd already be in. You can't have an entire blue line of prospects or it wont work. He was signed for depth, he's being used for depth. Don't see what's the problem. It's not like we're rapidly eating up cap space.

Yeah granted, the game was really exciting, even finishing 7-4. But with the form they were in, something had to change. I mean it wasn't a bad streak they were on like we had, they flat out sucked in general. Had to change up the defence as they couldn't rely on Rolo (one man tried to throwing his arms around and swearing at him, despite being in the highest possible seat at the arena. That was pretty funny.) I guess the one good thing to take from it, is that at least the Wings would never sit back and take it, or would even use it - could you imagine Helm playing the trap? If that happens, I would just pack up and go to sleep for the year. Crap I either didn't realise when I got my schedule, forgot this, or just never connected it! That must be hell on them. Another terrible journey for a team in the league.

That's based on the presumption that the Tampa players would have done the same thing against a trap defence, and just stood there without playing the puck. If they play the trap themselves, I'm almost certain they'd be willing to at least try and attack it. I was at the home opener in Tampa, and the fans want their team to win. They may not be the oldest and wisest hockey fanbase there is, but they're still proud of their team and sell-out their arean most of the time. Playing this trap style to get some defensive stability is a lot better for them than getting beat 7-4 in their first home game, to their closest geographical rivals. I'm not trying to get on anyone's nerves in here as I love posting about my Wings. Just from a completely logical point of view, playing a trap (although boring) is a solid defensive strategy, unlike the offensive strategy that was adopted by Philly.

Ahh fair enough! Feel very guilty bring up the whole subject now... As has been mentioned in here by myself and a few others, the skills are still required to actually SCORE, which is a rather essential part to winning. The boring comes from a team like Philly who has such little imagination and determination to even try and attack a trap defence, so they ***** and moan by essentially refusing to play. It didn't really draw Tampa out of their system much, so when they realised it wasn't actually that effective a ploy, they should have actually tried to do what they are paid to do, and play some damn hockey.

Fantastic reasoning. Infallible argument. But believe it or not, in a game without ties, if you don't attack, you wont win. Unless the opposition puts it into their own net. The onus is on the attacking team to actually win a game, not limp through to a loss.

Is this aimed at me? Because I believe I said "GMs to discuss the 1-3-1 forecheck" - "Waste of time if you ask me, I think it's a perfectly acceptable way to play hockey." If it wasn't aimed at me, apologies. I just want to get it out there that I agree with you. Think discussing an acceptable form of defence is a waste of time because all they can really say is, "yeah it's alright to use". If they say anything else then it's a joke, and another step towards turning the league into a goal-fest which is the equivalent of dangling a shiney object in front of a baby and shaking it around to amuse them.

There could be a correlation to why quite a few of those players are dead now though, no? This is very true! I would like to see it how it was proposed on FSD last week I think it was, 4 division (2 of seven, 2 of eight) allocated geographically. I was watching some of Winnipeg - Tampa and was thinking, "my God they scheduled that as if the team was still in Georgia". Must be hellish

We also have Commodore who can provide cover, providing he signs another year (as far as I know it's only 1 yr?).

Agree, but not sure that's much the point here. It was a blatant penalty, not someone battling with a goalie for the puck.

Think when you watch it, it was a reaction out of shock (yeah I noticed he swung the stick first time I saw it, but ignored it with regards to the situation). He is most likely in some form of minor shock after a big hit, and has a reaction that is just that - a reaction. Then when the pain sets in, he hits the ice. Some people will call embellishment, but seriously, some of the time it takes a while for pain from a hit to set in. I've had times where I've been hurt, and the initial reaction is "what the..." closely followed by "man that hurt". Still a late hit, feet moving, on a goaltender. The main thing you overlooked as well is that he never got up and swung his stick in an intentional reaction to hurt. He gave an instinctive reaction. I'd do the same, as I'm sure you would.

Would love to see him stay, he knows the team, has good chemistry. The tiniest part of me is also saying, meh. He hasn't been great this year (which I know hardly any of the team had been during that streak), and at times seems a bit less physical - especially since he broke his jaw. I mean this is a guy who used to fight every so often, but now seems to avoid it at all costs. That being said, think when Lids eventually goes, we will need him to pair with Kronner and continue that solid partnership.