Nev

NVM

Datsyuk The Great Magician is Kook's (of course). My all-time favourite photoshop.

2 Things scare me about this Blackhawks team 1) Their second line of Sharp-Handzus-Kane against Smith-Quincey or Kindl-Colo. Babcock has to separate Pav and Hank to counter their 1-2 punch IMO. 2) The lack of Brian Campbell on the blueline. He was one of our best players in the '09 series, we could really do with him again. I sure won't miss that Anaheim forecheck though!

I do believe the Hawks are better than us on paper. I don't believe the games are played on paper.

This is the Chicago series in a nutshell. He's better than Crawford, but he has to be much better.

He struggled at first on that top line, looked like a fish out of water, but the last month or 6 weeks he's found his niche, worked out his role. Crashing bodies in the corner, separating defencemen from the puck, and going straight to the front of the net.

5 points in 7 games, and a veteran presence on the bench. Maybe, just maybe, Babs knows what he's doing Awesome performance by the boys.

Both

Forgot to mention - the wife bought me a beard trimmer yesterday. Detroit, do not let that be a purchase in vain! Shaving is not an option!

I'm just curious - genuine question. Is there a single player in the entire league on another team that would you like us to go after? Because I honestly can't remember you ever being positive about another player that we have been linked with, or another poster has suggested.

This is the game where our D finally learns how to control the puck and stop setting up the Ducks. Jimmy, Franzen, Pav and Abdelkader do the rest

Come back to me when Z stops with the blind backhand passes in his own zone, when Flip stops with the drop passes to the Ducks behind his own net, and when Smith and Quincey show that they're physically capable of controlling a puck with their stick. Because right now we are gifting the Ducks most of their chances. Easily 2/3 of their goals are off Wings turnovers.

Be interesting to see if he gets a bit more love when we move to the East. 11 of the 15 nominees for the major trophies announced are from the East. Even TSN panellists are admitting there's an east coast bias.

Continuing with the GoT theme, thankfully a game 7 meant I was able to put it together

Babcock's take on Z and Pav

So Ovie is done in DC? Emmerton, Mursak and a 4th - Make it happen Kenny!

Its quite simple Detroit - I'm not ready to shave my beard yet. I've suffered through the first 2 weeks of the "itchy" stage, and there are only 2 forms of relief - progressing to the second round, and shaving. Shaving is not an option.

It was a nice goal by Crosby, but its all over NHL.com this morning like its the greatest goal in history. Including a full page sickeningly hagiographic article.

Wings need to do a MUCH better job combating the Ducks forecheck. Almost every goal we've conceded has come off of it. Either we win the first battle and the Ducks get a second man in to pick up the loose puck, OR we have control of it behind the net and we get sloppy or take too long. If we can do that, I'm confident we can win. Cleary with the GWG in a 14-3 rout.

Buyout Sammy and Colo. Let White and Cleary walk. Flip will probly price himself out of a Wings sweater. Only problem with that is it exacerbates our 2 biggest problems - lack of size up front and lack of puck moving skill on the rear end. Thing is, there are going to be a lot of buyouts and salary dumps this off-season, we just don't know who they will be yet. We have a logjam of small, skilled forwards available for salary dumps and there will be some good but overpaid players who get bought out.

But that's because the Norris Trophy is for the defenceman who has "demonstrated the greatest all-around ability" at the position. Hence why defensive defencemen like Derian Hatcher and Scott Stevens never won it. That said, its a pretty paltry list this year. Would lol hard though if Subban wins it after all the frothing at the mouth in some parts when there was speculation earlier in the season that we could trade for him

GAH! Blocked in my region

why is Kimi Raikkonen at the Joe?

No they're not. Anyway, just WIN! 2-2 going back to Anaheim and it'll all be to play for.