T.Low

I got to admit, I don't fully understand hitting in hockey. They seem to act like it's their duty to take the hit instead of giving a preemptive hit instead. I letterred 3 yrs in high school football as a tailback and strong safety. As a running back, I'd often give the guy a preemptive hit a slpit second before he was going to hit me, and it often breaks the tackle because they weren't ready at that very moment. So in my beer league, when a player comes to hit me I simply drop my shoulder lower than his and let him have it first. I always win, usually with guys going ass over tea kettle. Why do I rarely if ever see this in the NHL? And of course Olcyzk is right about the fact that it puts the hitter in a dangerous place when the hittee ducks a hit, but what the hell does he expect, the guy to just get himself get hit into the boards?

I really like what Filp brings to the Wings. Yes, I wish points were more of that equation, of course. The Illitch's are so family oriented, I think they 'd have a hard time parting with him. J-Bo trade would probably be the only thing I'd consider. Or like I said before, Iginla looks like he's finally out of gas, but like the Vancouver Team 1040 radio guys say "Why is it that every player that puts on a Wings jersey suddenly gets 50% better?" so I still like the idea of a blockbuster trade that includes Bo and Iggy...but I realize it's not very realistic... Edit: Not to mention, Kenny's stock with Cagary is probably at an all time high at the moment: At this point in time, they love Hudler and they love MacDonald, and are raving about the Detroit system.

This is the only thing I've ever seen you post that I disagree with. I like "...a DRIVE...". Like the enthusiasm, especially after having to listen to Major Homers Greg Husum and John Shorty Shorthouse all the time. I wish I could hit "ignore" on my Yamaha sound system for Olczk, though.

Bold prediction. I like your style.

Kings had their best game of the year against us and Howard won the game. They've been playing hard as hell since and getting results. Gonna be a barn burner. Hope we're up for it. SJ is always tuff, and probably looking to this game to regain their early season form. They always get up for us, always trying to shed the chip off their shoulder. Hope we're up for it. Chicago. Nuff said. Hope we're up for it. And the points in this stretch are so important...hopefully we're heating up and the trip will bring the guys together even more...I'm a little anxious for game time... Go Wings!

Yeah, we need somebody on LGW to bug Kenny's phone so we can keep tabs on his actual dialogue with other GMs. Curious to know if there was any regarding either of those two guys.

I thought he'd retire last year with a Cup. He's out of gas. I would have been more interested in the Ryder/Cole trade today.

Definitely not cut from the same mold. Tatar is a Predator= eyes on front of head, frothing at the mouth as he relentlessly hunts down the puck to make a play on the net. Huds is the Prey: eyes on side of head looking for predators while he tries to sneak in a play on the puck without getting eaten.

It's difficult when you don't know the guy ( hmm, 5500 posts between us and I don't know your style yet... ) But now that you point it out and i see it that way, it is kinda funny.

Si. Lo siento mucho.

It's a good road trip in the sense that it's acutally three great examples of three different styles of competive teams; LA built to the super agressive extreme, Chicago built to the super skilled extreme, and SJ a great combination of skill and agression, somewhere between to the two others. We'll get to see how we can compete against successful examples of all three schools of thought. I just hope we bring it every night. Edit: And of course, all three have a special place in their "compete" for Detroit.

In my limited time observing Nyq, and with my even more limited evaluation skills, it seems to me that Tatar is much harder on the puck than Nyq. And grittier. That would be one reason Tatar is up now and Nyq is not. Another reason could be that Holland & Co. feel like they know what they have in Nyq but needed to see Tatar in action at this level, thinking he could be effective, but wanting to see it. And IMO, has proven more effective due to his agressiveness after the puck. All that babble being said, I do think Nyq could easily have scored the goals Cleary scored, and a few more that Cleary let go through his skates etc. Babcock seems to want a good shut down line that also scores with Pavs line, and maybe is afraid Nyq wouldn't be shut down capable. With your experience watching Nyq, do you think coul be an accurate assessment?

Yes, it actually is Luongo. The Team 1040 talks to him all the time about his tweets.

4hr plane ride = 6 hr travel day.

Canuck fans were calling to the Team 1040 today saying they hoped Vancouver paid attention to what a real power play is suppossed to look like. It's been a helluva lot more dynamic lately, which opens up passing and shooting lanes, and creates traffic.

Because we've never heard the name Damien Brunner anywhere in the Vancouver Media before, not until they all saw him last night, that's why. Hence, the word is out. And their longest travel day is a 3 hr bus ride.

Brunner currently Top Ten in scoring in two different leagues; still 3rd in Swiss league even though he hasn't been there in a month and a half, and top ten in goals in the NHL. Not bad. A nose for the net indeed.

You forgot Grigorinko.

Luongo during the regular season has never been an issue. It's the big games in the playoffs where he wets the bed. Chicago coud easily go all the way this year... or they could fall out of chemistry. Got to play out the season and see. That's the beauty of it.

Mickey was right when he siad Toots knows his job and not letting Big Rig break a hand or something and risk injury in a fight. Imagine Ericsson out for a month after that fight.

I'd rather keep Filp, then trade Franzen, Mursak, and Kindle.

But even Fip has a suprised look on his own face when he actually shoots and scores. He always looks like, "Wow, I shot the puck!!! And it went in!!! Holy s***!"

I'm not sure I agree with the OP...that being said, I have actually wonderred if Holland would have made the deal Bowman made that put us in better position to bring home the Cup(s): Coffey, Primeau, and a pick for Shanny and Glynn. Bowman was certainly ready to part with Coffey, but would Holland have been? And Primeau could sort of be seen as a similar significant cog in the Red Wing machinery at the time as Filp is today... FWIW; Who could be seen as today's Shanahan? A disgruntled disappointment of a power forward wanting a trade, that could be the icing on the cake for the Wings? Hartford's Rutherford said he made the trade because "Enough was enough" and St Loui's Keenan said Shanny was half the player he thought he was.

Thanks for posting that info, OP. That line should be capable of three goals tonite. CBJ , knowing the other two are scrubs, will totally focus on collapsing on Dats, so Cleary will be open to pot one just like last game; Abby can get a garbage goal in a scrum, and Dats will feel the need shred the D to get another one all by hisself. With my awesome (in my mind only) evalueation skills, I will keep an eye on Mursak, comparing him on that line to NyQ. At this point, I feel like NyQ has more jump, more of a nose for the net and getting open in general, and is a titch more skilled, and is a bit more all round competitive and effective. Edit: For those of you that know me; No, I am not on medical marijuana or any other mind altering substance.

Looking at your user name and avatar and reading your text so far, I cannot expect there is anything on your blog worth reading. Paste a paragraph or two if you want to try to hook me.