T.Low

I know this is more of a summer time thread, but I think the recent Helm thread raises this point. We have young horses in the stable that are ready to produce. What is the future in Detroit of the original Grind Line? McCarty: Done? Back one more year as on ice tutor in GR? The Wings have been more than generous with D Mac the last year and a half. Good for him. It must have done wonders for his psyche. He's on the right track and he once again should have a bigger savings account than I do. But now what? Malts: How old is he? What does he make? When is his contract up? How much cap space can we save with some of the youngsters? Drapes. Same questions I guess. I love these guys and of course would love for them to ride out their respective careers in Detroit...its everyone's dream including Illitch's it seems. But the reality is that it usually can't work out that way. Its a competitive game and teams have to move players to stay on top. I just can't see Drapes or Malts in a Flames jersey or whatever...but is that the way it has to be? What will happen?

Leino, Helm, Cleary as a 3rd line; that could drive oppossing teams insane.

Euro fans are probably saying NA players are more creative after watching that Ontario boy Rob Hisey vid in Finland. The grass is always greener.

I like Murph because he can barely keep a straight face. He's always ready to crack up. A good counter balance to Daniels who looks like he's wound so tight he's ready to blow at any second.

Is he in shape? Is he skating better than he was last year? He skates like Yzerman trying skate on one leg in the '02 playoffs.

You Sirs, are probably correct. Not only have they earned it, they can still play. The extended GR stay is of course somewhat of a test for the players committment to. Consider it a long engagement before the wedding.

Good points, all... i think... Well, you gotta think about... The question really is... The young guys... Franzen... Uh... man, I couldn't handle Kenny's job.

Yes. He is fantastic. He reminds me a lot of a young Jonas Hiller, only with a few more playoff games under his belt.

I can see that being the case. How long has Helm been in GR? Edit: Leave Abdelkader down one more year like they did Helm this year?

Helm just needs to hang out with Datsyuk for a season to learn how to finish. hell, with that speed, he really only needs to sell one good deke and he's lit the lamp.

Tek, no one here is upset about it. Most of the posts are poking fun at it. I'm sorry your team and your team's fan base are the brunt of the joke that they brought on themselves, and we are in agreement; I am sure that SJ said that as well.

Tekaholic, credibility test: 1. You gotta admit; the OP is kind of amusing. 2. You gotta admit; you've never seen a goal waved off quite like The Game 3 Hossa poke. It was pathetic, yes.

I would have to say Hiller, Holmstrom, and Cleary, in that order, will all arrive in the Duck's crease in game 6.

I have to chuckle; every other week my beer league game starts at 10:15pm. Nothing like crawling into the rack at 1:00 am all wound up from whippin up on our rivals the Firefighters.

No doubt. Trade for a combination of roster player, prospect, and draft picks to keep growing in the system to keep the same bright future. Hey, that makes me think; anyone know how Grigorinko's year was? Just askin...

As much as I want to see Leino play in the playoffs, I think his roll is not available and the roll of grinder is. Abdelkader looks like a pretty good grinder.

Was the thinking in the first place about southern markets that all the northern transplants moving to those cities would become fans of those teams, and also would go to see their former home town teams when they came to visit? I could see that theory being intriquing enough to invest in and stick with for a while. Too bad it aint working out, though.

You didn't happen to play on the Chiliwack Chiefs with Matt Butcher, did you? (Long shot, I know, but stranger things have been true). They had a 6'5" Dman from Texas named Blackwood or something. Garth always referred to him as Blacky.

As soon as I read "The Hamburgler" I busted out laughing. Thats hilarious. I know exactly how that goes, and thats half the fun of playing. We actually had a "Taco Bell" in or league a few years back. You ask any pro what he misses most after retiring and they all say the comradery, and thats the exact type of thing they mean. Those are the stories you hear when you tip a beer with these guys. The NHL players figured out a long time ago that these things stay in the room, on the ice, and in the back of the bus. Not like the NBA players who flaunt it. Avery thinks the NHL should be more like the NBA, and personally I disagree. I don't think the game needs to be marketed better, grown, or changed in any particular way that will change or destroy the integrity of the game. For some reason I really like the fact that they all wear suits instead of bling (Ray Emery). If people don't like it, don't watch it.

Wow. What do you people think they are usually saying to each other when they're yelling? "Hope your investment portfolio is more diversified than your break away moves!" "The color of your Bentley looks like duck poo!" "Only a moron would by vacation property in the Mayan Riviera!" What a shame that all this political correctness and sensitivity has somehow crept into hockey. What did he say "Give your balls a tug you big ******* *****" or something like that. "Kelly is a nice girl, tell her I said hi". Puh-leeze. You guys should hear the talking that goes on in my beer league, sheehs. This one guy is head of Oncology at the local hospital, and he drops more F-bombs than anyone I've ever heard in my life. He bitched at me about something and I called him a ******* princess, and it seemed to have stuck. Everyone in the league calls him the princess now. Except my wife, who got into a bit of a scrum with him. She's calls him Queenie. Its an emotional game. A very, very intense, emotional game. Thats why fighting can never be banned; you're always just a fraction away from wanting to rip the guys head off. One freind of mine who used to be on the Cunucks told me about fighting Probert from the openning face off one year. Proby was returning from his 12 gram cocaine suspension . The Game Program cover had Proby, Kocur and ? all with their shirts off psoing like wrestlers or something and the caption read something like "700 pounds of beaf". My buddy shouted at Proby "Hey shouldn't that program cover have read 700 pounds and 12 grams?!!" and they dropped the gloves right there. He said Proby was the worst to fight because he was a huge animal and because when he "was on the smack he'd never get tired". Gosh, imagine that, a pro athlete not only using performance enhancing drugs, but cocaine even! What a shocker. While watching the Wings is indeed a thing of beauty, hockey in general is not a pretty game with nice people playing it. its a violent sport with violent people playing it. Quit putting your team on an unrealistic pedastool.

Who did the Wings get for Drake back in the day? And Sillinger?

The Canuckleheads are like the Forrest Gump's box of chocolates; you never know what you're gonna get. SOmeitmes the confident, hard charging, hitters show up and the Sedin sisters, Kyle Wellfed, and Matts SUndin show just how talented they are. Other knights they look like they can't wait to get the hell outta the arena so they can go pout. One thing is for certain; they sure get up for the Wings, and the Vancouver crowd gets pumped on every little play against the Wings. For a lot of reasons, I'd rather see the Chicago, but all in all, I just wantthe WIngs to advance.

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I agree. However, I writer's job is to write about something in time to meet a deadline. Thats why writing is so often sub-par. They've got to make a decision on what to write about, and it aint always easy. Thats why I don't read to many articles. I watch the WIngs, surf LGW, catch a few other playoff games, and i'm good to go.

Correct. If Ovie's feet were closer together he would have gotten helicoptered from the impact. He needs a wide base in that instance, and the knee injury was most unfortunate. I'm suprised it doesn't happen more often. PJ Stock (sp?) on HNIC made the case opposite the rest of the HNIC panels' interpretation and I happen to agree with him.