GMRwings1983

But which two would you pick if they're all healthy? I think most people have narrowed it down to those three players, but all three can't play if the top 4 is healthy.

Actually, there is an answer to that. His play lately has picked up only slightly. He's been inconsistent this season, because when he does play well for a while, he seems to sink back again into poor play. Basically, we'll believe he's back to playing well when he does it for an extended time. One or two games is not an extended time. Several times this season it looked like he was back to normal, and then he got tagged the next several games. For instance, if he gives up 5 goals the next game, we'll be on his case again, and you'll be defending him again telling us all how he's won Cups in the past. Bottom line is that he has to bring his pitiful stats back up. Obviously it's too late to do that for the regular season, but we can't win in the playoffs if our goalie has a GAA over 3.00 and a save percentage below 90%. He better be good in the playoffs, because scoring is traditionally lower in the playoffs. He can't rely on these 6-5 and 5-4 games to boost his win percentage.

The Ducks would be the worst matchup by far, due to the travel, the physicality of their team, and the fact that their top players are more talented than just about any of the other teams we could potentially play in the first round. Also, we don't have a good recent history against them in the playoffs. Columbus has Mason, but I'm sure we can handle them. St. Louis is a team we own and Nashville is a team who has never won a road playoff game. We've handled them before.

That only holds true in the regular season. In the playoffs we'll have to win because of goaltending, and can't get by with lackluster play. Oh and Ozzie has been consistent this season. Consistently bad. His save percentage and GAA prove that very few goalies have been as bad as him, yet you keep defending those stats with his record, which is a complement to the team more than him. He's lucky the players in front of him have carried him into the playoffs this year, because he hasn't done much to help. Imagine if he got peppered with 30-40 shots a game like some other goalies have to face.

You're either Shoreline's oil boy, or you're about 10 years old. Grow up and stop making childish posts like this, whomever the hell you are. I see that you've still not gotten over me, which is a problem that many people seem to have. Ozzie did play well in the 3rd period, but goals like that 1st goal are why he's struggled all season with consistency, and are things we can't afford to have in the playoffs against top teams. My evaluation of Ozzie's play this season is more realistic than your blind homerism towards him. Your only defense of his play is based on how he played in previous seasons, which no one is really arguing against. No one will take you seriously if you're unwilling to admit that Ozzie has been horrible all season.

2 or 3 bashers? There's a lot more people who aren't confident in Ozzie than just 2 or 3 people. And stop referring to the Wings as "your" team. They're not your team any more than they are mine. In your opinion, anyone who criticizes the team is neither a rational poster nor a real fan, merely because the team has won Cups in the past and is currently sporting one of the best records in the league. This is why so many people here are annoyed with your attitude on this. You claim there's a difference between rational posters and bashing the team, yet you treat both kinds of posters equally.

Actually, everyone seems to think that you have a circus act going with the way you defend Ozzie blindly, like he was your lover or something. Just admit that he's sucked this season, and we'll all let you off the hook.

I whine about Hall of Famers? What are you talking about? And I never discounted Ozzie's career, I'm just saying that his past play can't be expected to carry into the playoffs in the same season where he's consistently sucked. And that one bad goal is how his season has gone. It's not just an isolated incident that me and the others were complaining about. Your posts make no sense, probably because you're defending Ozzie's play this season by pointing out how he was once great, which also makes no sense. Nobody is complaining about the past, just how he's playing now. Is that so hard to figure out?

How about his stats this season and the fact that he gives up a bad goal just about every game now. It's the other side that has no leg to stand on. When a guy wins many games, but has pathetic stats, that can only mean that his team is bailing him out by outscoring the opposition. He hasn't shown any kind of good consistency all season, yet Ozzie bashers have no leg to stand on. Wonderful post.

What MVP s***? I said Backstrom was the league's MVP? How much worse can you get with your posts? Are you going to hack into my user name and start making erroneous posts for me, just so you can later respond to them in ways that make you look smarter?

If he didn't give up that softie 1st goal, the game would have never been tied. Come playoff time I don't want to see our goalie giving up any more goals like that, because the Wings have seen too much of that in the playoffs before.

Actually, everything I say has to do with the playoffs. I just have a hard time seeing this type of play translate into playoffs success. Both from goaltending and the lack of toughness. It hasn't done so in the past. But once again, you had to mention how you're a real fan and I'm not. Just some more Shoreline crap for us all to read.

I doubt that 1st goal can be considered asking him to be perfect.

Nobody complains about defense when the goalie is making saves. This is the wrost goaltending we've had in 10 years also. I guess this is just a finger pointing contest, but the defense will always make some mistakes during the game. The goalie has to bail them out. Ozzie is the worst goalie in the league right now at bailing his team out, let alone amongst playoff teams.

If Ozzie was the Wild's goalie all year, they wouldn't even be competing for a playoff spot, and if Backstrom was our goalie, we'd already have the President's trophy clinched weeks ago. I'm complaining because on the eve of the playoffs, Ozzie is still no better than he's been all season. No improvement whatseover. Being the genius that you are, try to figure out why I'm unhappy about that with the playoffs approaching.

Excuse us for complaining about the worst goalie in the NHL this season. I suppose we should all expect him to play as well as he did last year as soon as the playoffs begin.

I could care less about the regular season. And the Wings have a great record in spite of Ozzie, not because of him. BTW, you need some help "internet tough guy". Just because you have Ozzie's face tattooed on your ass doesn't make you a better fan than me. Just more self-righteousness from you.

Look everyone, Shoreline is accusing people again of being non-fans, because they don't have their heads up Ozzie's ass. I'm obviously a Predators fan in disguise. Seriously, dude, you're quickly becoming the worst poster here with you accusations and constant misquotes.

Are you Osgood's wife by any chance? You're giving him way too much credit for sucking. Guess what, a goalie has to make saves sometimes when his defense breaks down. It seems like every goalie in teh league this year is better apt to handle those situations than Osbad is. You're misquoting me again. When did I say I expected Ozzie to play like an MVP? You need to drop this Ozzie s***, because you sound more incoherent each time he makes you look foolish out there.

So you expect the defense to be perfect every game, with Ozzie only being called on to make easy saves? Actually, he's proven he can't even make the easy saves like that 1st goal.

But I thought Ozzie was a Hall of Famer? And the defense didn't stop playing. It's only natural that the WIld will have some scoring chances. They still have way less than the Wings do. You can't expect the defense to make no mistakes at all during the game.

You're a truly annoying poster. When did I say I was sure we were out from the playoffs already? Stop misquoting me all the time, and stop always accusing people of s***. Ozzie has sucked this year, and if it continues, it will be detrimental in the playoffs. If you want to call it bitching, then that's your analysis of it. However, I didn't say the season was already over. That's just you and your paranoid opinion of posters around here.

You Ozzie homers are annoying. Look how Backstrom is playing, and then tell me whether Ozzie should or shouldn't have stopped something. Bottom line is that he's given up 2 goals, both of which he was out of position during.

Because the other goalie is standing on his head. He should be compared to the other goalie. That's what will happen come playoff time.

Once again Ozzie is being outplayed by the other team's goalie. Imagine if he had to face all those chances our opponents have to face. His save percentage would be even worse than what it is.