GMRwings1983

That's because people here have bought into a soft team to the point where they don't undestand what every other team is doing and that there is a need for enforcers and always has been throughout NHL history. Some posters here on LGW are living on their own little planet. Also, everyone is forgetting that injuries will inevitably happen like they always do, and in those situations that's where guys like Downey and Mac would be counted on to come in and fill roster spots. Thus, signing those guys is paramount. IN fact, all of Downey's action last year came when he was filling in for an injured player.

Exactly. Franzen should have punched Malkin instead of just posing there. It would have given Pens fans even more to ***** about, and would have given Malkin that much needed rest that he seemed to be wanting.

He had crazy power, too. Lots of KO's to his record. Well, I guess we finally got our enforcer.

I'm grateful for Lidstrom, Yzerman, Pavel, Hank and several other great Wings. Kopecky is not someone to be grateful about. He's as useful as a bag of refried beans. Most those things you described about him arent' even true. The potential is something that remains to be seen. So far, he's showed me nothing in 2 years, except that he can beat up Patrick Sharp. You don't expect me to glorify a guy for that, do you?

Why single out Downey? There's plenty of guys we could have won the Cup without even if they weren't on the team. Why not say that those other players are expendable? Yet for some reason, too many people here are quick to point at Downey and McCarty as being the most expendable players. The great Thomas Kopecky isn't expendable, but Downey is. Typical.

You haven't been a hockey fan for long have you? Based on what you just typed, all enforcers are useless players who shouldn't belong in the NHL. In essence, what you just typed was an anti-enforcer post, since most enforcers fit into that description you just laid out for Downey. Go watch the KHL.

How does that hurt the team? Downey and McCarty don't bring much besides fighting, and the team did fine with them in the lineup. Once again, someone makes an argument against enforcers which doesn't make any sense. Teams wouldn't use enforcers at all if there was such a problem as you suggest. I think the Wings would do just fine if we played Downey all 82 games, and he wound up with a total of 2 points on the season. The team would still finish 1st in the league despite that.

I want to be more subtle in my humor.

Yes, until the playoffs when there's more important things to worry about. Also, the JLA crowd would probably echo that sentiment, since the arena always seems empty now in the regular season. A lot more fighting wouldn't hurt this team. Your problem is that you keep arguing about how not having it doesn't hurt it. Since fighting doesn't help or hurt this team, but helps entertainment value, my conclusion is that we should have more fighters on the team.

That's what I always try to tell women when they bring up that word.

Yeah, but he partied as if he was the guy that led us to the Cup. I didn't even know who he was during the Cup celebration until someone told me that it's Hartigan. However, he's still 2nd to Lebda in terms of partying skills.

Hopefully we can sign both of them to replace any soft euros that we still have remaining on this team. Without those guys, we can't win the Cup or fill the arena.

Great post. Not many players could have the skill that Wendel Clark had, yet at the same time be able to hang with guys like Bob Probert or Behn Wilson in a fight. He was a rare type of player. Some idiots here think that because he never worked out in Detroit at the end of his injury riddled career, that that somehow means he wasn't a great player. That's the wrong kind of thinking there.

Wendel Clark would be in the Hall of Fame if not for his injuries. They guy was a force out there physically, he could score, he could fight against any top enforcer in the game, and he was a great leader and clutch playoff performer. Based on all those attributes, Wendel Clark was amazing as a player. Also, his popularity in Toronto was second to no one. If he doesn't get his number retired, then who the hell should? Any team would kill to have a guy like Wendel Clark.

He won't score a goal a game like he did to end the season, but he'll definitely have his best all-around year next season.

Exactly! Whatever happened with "Coming to America"?

I can't believe anyone would have argued what I said, but oh well. Franzen was never built up to be anything the way Fedorov was. There's not comparison between the two. Fedorov's work ethic has constantly been questioned and I don't see it improving now.

This is a slap in the face to Brian Burke. The man was able to convince 2 players to fake a retirement just to make his team better.

Role players are important to every NHL team. Many good role players have jumped overseas, which in my mind is the start of a bad trend. Eventually, I wouldn't be surprised if better players start going overseas, especially if the money is going to be thrown at them so easily.

If Havlat is ever healthy, Chicago could have an awesome top line with Toews and Kane playing with him.

He's already in his late 20's. Whatever potential he had was never realized, and I don't see it all of a sudden happening now.

This business of players jumping to leagues overseas is getting on my freaking nerves. It's only going to get worse from now on.

I didn't see any sexual reference there.

Both New Jersey and Columbus have more fighters than us, even if they're not top 10 enforcers. Toronto is just downright pathetic considering that about 6 or 7 years ago they were where Anaheim is now in terms of a tough team.

Nah. I've seen better pu**y before.