GMRwings1983

YOU need to get tougher, Electrophile. Join our pro-enforcer thing for a month, and who knows, maybe you'll like it. It could change your life. Oh and enforcers do deter somewhat. Babcock and all the other coaches seem to think that it helps prevent cheapshots. That's why they dress them. The example you gave was more of a game injury as opposed to a blatant cheapshot.

That's a very small lineup. Canada is going to have bigger and stronger forwards out there that can wear the U.S. down easily along the boards if the two teams should face each other. Also, the defense is really weak. To me, the U.S. lacks the overwhelming skill set that countries like Sweden, Russia or Canada can put out there on the ice. Oh and eva forgot Kane in his lineup. He's America's best player right now bar none.

Those lazy, spoiled bastards. I knew it.

Honestly, I think him and Ericsson played a lot better in the playoffs than what they're doing now. I guess because of their playoff performances, many like myself expected more out of them now that they're regulars.

Bertuzzi reminds me of the guy in all those Pink Floyd songs. He's totally lost out there and seems to be in his own world. Everything he tries right now offensively doesn't seem to work. Him and Homer on the same line is like a Shakespearian tragedy. His physical game is even worse. Tomas Kopecky was more willing to throw his body around than Bertuzzi is. I didn't expect him to be the old Todd Bertuzzi, but I expected more than this, especially since he's playing with a great playmaker like Datsyuk.

My avatar gunfighter would totally gun yours down in a duel. Oh and Babcock said those things in the past because Holland didn't want to sign tough guys. While he was in Anaheim, Babcock would often dress tough guys. He does believe in "team toughness", but I don't think he was against enforcers while he was preaching that whole saying. I know. To me, he's the real huggy bear, and not Brashear. GMR is a fool. At least, that's what his clients always tell him when he screws up a case. You're good, micah. But you're not that good.

Yeah, but Domi was several inches shorter (in fact they always inflated his height) and he fought against bigger enforcers, since he was still playing as of a few years ago. Fighters are bigger now then they were in the late 80's and early 90's. What are you talking about? It's not my fault Lilja has been one of the toughest Wings in recent memory. And when did I say anything about the military?

You do agree, though, that with Lilja in the lineup this wouldn't have happened?

He was trying to see what we have in Drew Miller by giving him consecutive games in the lineup. He made a mistake, though, since Montreal has Laraque, Moen and Lapierre. They're hardly a team of saints like the Panthers are. I'm just countering the posters who are against the philosophy of enforcers deterring things. Enforcers do deter somewhat, which is why Babcock and other coaches bother dressing tough guys in the first place.

That's why Lilja is such an anachronism. He should have played with those MEN back on those older teams, instead of having to defend people like Hudler and Franzen all the time. They don't make 'em like that anymore.

Babcock himself has pretty much stated that he believes enforcers have a deterrent effect. You guys can make fun of us for believing that, but how do you explain the head coach saying virtually the same thing? Are you going to say that Babcock is wrong too?

I think we all need to get tougher.

Well, if we dress May regularly, bring up Janik to replace Kronwall, and put Lilja in for Lebda, we'll have the toughest lineup in years. We're already tougher than we were last year. Ericsson and Bertuzzi were supposed to bring more toughness, but those guys haven't done anything remotely tough this season. Unless turning pucks over and hitting posts is considered tough.

You don't need to tell me that. I know Kocur was the hardest hitting puncher ever. Nobody ever hurt more opponents than he did. However, Domi did have better stamina and a way better chin. That guy's head was made of cement. He also possessed tremendous balance. I personally have Kocur ranked higher on my all-time list, but not higher on a pound for pound basis. Going back to the OP, I remember another incident where Probert punched a downed player who had jumped Yzerman in a fight. I think it was MaGuire, but I'm not sure.

It's definitely a possibility that they might miss the playoffs This team is currently battling for an 8th seed the way the standings are. I don't mean to sound pessimistic, but who's to say that we won't have more injuries between now and the return of one of our 5 injured players? If Pavel, Hank or Lidstrom get hurt, we're screwed. I'd fire the team doctors right now. It sucks that all these injuries are long-term. Oh, also you forgot to mention Williams in your post.

Maybe, but I'm saying Domi was better pound for pound. Kocur isn't generally considered one of the best pound for pound fighters, which is why I was surprised at the guy's post. Ironically, the two men never fought each other if I'm not mistaken.

Tie Domi was tougher, as was Stan Jonathan. There were others, too. Kocur wasn't really small at all at 6'0. Especially for his era. I'm just curious. Where did you get your FACT from that Kocur was the toughest pound for pound?

I wish that Leino said that to Laraque last night.

It was more spontaneous. Bertuzzi's was more planned and deliberate. Also, Yzerman is a better captain than Naslund.

I miss McCarty. Other than May or Lilja, who else do we have now that sticks up for their teammates getting hit cheaply like that?

See micah's post just below yours.

Bertuzzi and Homer should never do business again. They're both slow and both suck defensively. I know we have injuries right now, but why did Babcock ever think that these guys would mesh? I would actually put all the eggs in one basket and play Pavel together with Hank. I'd rather have one line that can score, instead of 2 top lines that both can't.

Figures that someone would try to injure our players without either May or Lilja in the lineup. Very cheap and gutless move by Laraque. Granted, in May's case, Laraque would probably just wrestle him down to the ground (since Laraque can't actually fight), but at least we'd have someone out there to retaliate.

I hate shootouts too. I liked them at first, but now I wish the league would go back to 0 points for an OT loss system. Too many teams are taking advantage of this shootout crap.

I don't really think of Eaves as a forechecker. To me he's just a seat filler on the 4th line who doesn't do anything particularly well. We'd have been better in the offseason of signing someone like Winchester or Crombeen to fill that same role. At the same time, he doesn't do anything stupid out there, so maybe the Wings are happy just with that. Hence the idea of a seat filler.