Nev

Wow. I knew as soon as I saw this thread that it would degenerate into a "The wings don't fight and they suck and they are soft and they will never win in the playoffs with this team", but I didn't expect it to begin after 2 posts This fighting thing is truly 2008-2009s Osgood vs Hasek. Sucks for Mac, but Helm totally deserves his call-up, especially since he has what, 18 points in 16 games in GR? I never expected him to put up those kind of numbers based on what I saw of his offensive skills last season. That 3rd line could be fun to watch.

OK, now you're just being silly. The wings scoring an empty netter?

Really stoked for this one 1) Two Original-6 teams 2) Two pre-season Stanley Cup favourites 3) I'm guessing there will be a lot of Habs fans at the game so it should make for a great atmosphere 4) Its the live game this week in the UK, so I get to watch it all with a decent picture 3-2 Wings. Lilja continues his hot-streak with the GWG.

Closer than it should have been. I miss our 3rd periods from last season

FFS not again...

Meech playing the point on the PP?

Oilers colour "Time to call a timeout?" Oilers pbp " I don't think it matters" :D

OK, who was slagging off Kopey?

OK, UK Night shift reporting in Just got the Edmonton oilers internet radio feed to work on my works PC and the first words I hear are "...Detroit employing the trap"

Well Cleary has a NTC, its more like Hossa vs Franzen, Hudler and Sammy. Fact is we'll probly sign Mule and maybe one of Huds/Sammy (please Huds)

Awwww, poor Huds, leave him alone!

I agree, I'm a firm believer that a penalty is a penalty no matter what the situation - but if its to make a 5 on 3 you damn well better make sure its a penalty Not any more That's the problem this season - complete non-infractions are being called, especially to make 5 on 3s. It doesn't matter how disciplined you are, all you have to do is go near an opponent, and if your team is ahead, up goes the arm. Thing is, since the lockout NHL players have become incredibly disciplined over things like hooking, to the point where if someone commits a bona fide hook it stands out like a sore thumb. But it seems the Refs and the NHL can't take that, and have to still keep calling chintzy calls. Hooking has now become "if you tap the outside of an opponents elbow with your stick and in no way impede their progress"

Hank said at the start of the year that one of his goals for this season was to break Hakan Loob's record of goals by a Swede (50) - certainly well on track

1) So, uh, was that a home game or an away game? 2) Did my eyes deceive me, or did Sammy score with a laser from the point? The rest is just the same - Pav, hank, Hossa & Mule padding their stats, catch-up penalties and too many goals against.

Prompted by Igors imminent induction into the HHOF, and remembering how during the '02 run commentators would talk about the number of future HOFers on the team (9 IIRC) but I got to thinking about the TOTAL number of HOFers this Wings franchise will have when this beautiful, golden era is all over and done. Already there 1. Scotty Bowman (yeah, I know he got in before he joined Detroit, but his career here alone is HOF worthy) 2. Mike Ilitch 3. Larry Murphy 4. Slava Fetisov 5. Igor Larionov Going in awful soon 6. Steve Yzerman 7. Brett Hull 8. Luc Robitaille 9. Dominik Hasek Absolute locks when they hang the skates up 10. Brendan Shanahan 11. Sergei Fedorov 12. Chris Chelios 13. Nick Lidstrom Probables 14. Ken Holland (3 cups, 8 straight division titles, 4 Presidents Trophies - I think he'll make it ) Too early to say 15. Pavel Datsyuk - career numbers may go against him as he came late to the NHL, he's 30 and doesn't have 500 points yet. But 2 or 3 more years at this level of play... 16. Henrik Zetterberg - late bloomer, same as Pav. If his back holds up he probly has a slightly better chance than Pav though 17. Chris Osgood - that argument has been done to death here. Only time will tell 18. Mike Babcock - has impressive coaching record at a young age. Does he count? 19. Paul Coffey So there you have it, between 14 and 18 HOFers from this era. Staggering - just remember how lucky we are to have this team Wings fans....

Definately noticed it. I was a big fan of when the the NHL came out after the lockout and said they were going to call a penalty a penalty, whether it was the 1st period of opening night or triple overtime of game 7 of the finals. But right now they've got away with that. Right now they are calling penalties which are not in a million years penalties, just to either 1) even up a lopsided number of PPs (which is also BS) or 2) Give a leg-up to a team which is trailing in the 3rd. I was watching the BJs-Oilers game last week. Fantastic game, brilliant comeback by the BJs and Nash was a monster. But in the 3rd, after the BJs got 3 straight PPs the commentators said "you know the next penalty is going to be on Columbus" and sure enough, seconds later a complete BS, non-existent penalty was called on them. I first started to really notice this in the playoffs last year, mainly as the Wings were usually leading and dominating, but its not just us. Its alright for some posters to say we have to "play safe" - it doesn't matter how safe you play, the second you go near an opponent the refs will call you for a spurious penalty. Makes it even worse since it seems like the Refs feel giving the opposition a pp against Detroit isn't even of a leg-up, it needs to be a 5 on 3 to really make sure. How many is that now? Seems like at least one every game

So true. Having said that we are giving up way, way, way, way, way too many shots and way, way, way, way, way too many goals. Especially in 3rd periods and with the lead. What happened to the team last season that would just shut the game down in the 3rd? Hold an opponent to literally 2 or 3 shots in the final period. Its easy to say "we're the Wings, we'll be OK", but its not so easy to just flick a switch and start brutalising everyone again. I just hope this game will be the turning point in the season - every player needs to look long and hard at himself. Despite all our problems defensively we have enough firepower to stroll to the Central Division once again, but one thing is certain - this s*** won't fly in the playoffs.

ROFL!

Well this is frustrating - 3 goals sending the LGW faithful into a frenzy and I can't see any of them till the morning Naturally happy with the score though

UK night shift reporting in (late - didn't think it started till 0030) Anyone got a radio link that isn't NHL.com or WXYT?

He hasn't even had ONE single season of HOF play. 2 months and a postseason. When he puts up 40-50 goals several seasons on the trot, then we can talk about that. Right now he's just a 2nd line winger who had a hot few months (much as we all love him) As for Gallant/Sheppard/Primeau/Ciccarelli, its a pointless debate as 1) They are not part of the Wings dynasty era 2) They're not in the Hall of Fame 3) They're never going to be in the Hall of Fame (except, maybe, Dino) Eva, if you really want to start a debate about depth players on the Redwings cup teams being HOF worthy based on how many times they finished 14th in voting for the Selke then Doug Brown and Slava Kozlov are much more relevant to the discussion at hand Oh - and some perspective. Glenn Anderson was the 7th members of the Oilers dynasty to be inducted to the Hall. They've started a campaign to get Lowe in as the 8th, but I fell that would be like lobbying for Draper to be inducted - a key component of their team but not a HOF player.

Not me Either way, talk of Gallant and Sheppard as HOFers is silly.

Mike Babcock is a great shout - he's already racking up the coaching milestones, and I agree he will be HOFer in a decade or two. Oates isn't in the HOF yet (and may never be) and left Detroit before they ever became real good. Sheppard, Gallant etc are just silly. Coffey is an interesting one - do we regard him as part of the Wings dynasty or not? He was a big part of our young up-and-coming team in the early-mid 90s, yet his departure was the trade that put us over the edge. Furthermore we brutalised him in the '97 finals....not sure how I feel about him.

OK thanks, I wasn't aware of that.

Dunno about Raffi - certainly not a lock. Yeah he has 3 cups, but not great numbers, no major awards and only 1 all-star appearance CuJo has great numbers, but no major awards and only 3 all-star apps. I'd say he was a weaker case than Ozzie. Mule and Kronner are a long, long way from being talked about as potential HOFers. A LONG way.