titanium2

I don't think it'll be a breakout year but he'll be one step further in his development. Datsyuk's talent in the offensive end is something you can't teach. In terms of handling the puck, forget it. You know how rare Datsyuk's talent is? I mean, there's him and who else? Kovalev? Fil will be lucky if he can come close to holding on to the puck as well as Z. However, I remember a couple occassions in 07-08 where Filppula would show a pretty good shoulder shake and would completely pass his defender. It actually reminded me of Pav. Filppula will always be middle of the pack in terms of goal scoring, especially on the Red Wings, but he needs to and will shoot the puck more so that other guys can bang in the rebounds. He'll get a lot of assists that way along any sweet passes he makes. Two Finns and a Mule. Like "Two Kids and a Goat"? I can see the t-shirts now.

You know what else???... .......... .......................... BEARS!

Big deal. If he's out he'll go on LTIR.

He needs the energy to do this over the 12-15 minutes he'll play.

I think they're going to have to run more plays through their point men anyways. Lidstrom, Rafalski and Kronwall... Is there a better trio in the league? That way guys like Fil and Pug can just concentrate more on puck retrieval and shooting. Pug is more of a scorer than Hudler anyways. At this point I doubt that we'll see both of those two on the PP to start the season anyways because Cleary deserves a spot more than either of those two. I hope Fil gets some PP time though. Will he be as good as Hudler? Hell no. Does that mean he's worthless on the PP? I don't think so.

If you want to run things down low through a puckhandler and playmaker on the second unit, then I'm afraid you'll have to separate Datsyuk and Zetterberg when it comes to the PP. But they could just go back to the system they had in 07-08 where much of the plays were primarily run through the back end; long shots on goal that lead to rebounds.

Why not Edler?

Scouting Reports Jimmy Howard: http://www.redwingscentral.com/prospects/howard.php Daniel Larsson: http://www.redwingscentral.com/prospects/larsson.php Thomas McCollum: http://www.redwingscentral.com/prospects/mccollum.php Jordan Pearce: http://www.redwingscentral.com/stories/200...0_RWCReport.php

Is it... Kopecky?

This one wasn't bad. http://www.gunaxin.com/team-sweden-hockey-preview/5016 I like a top four dmen of Lidstrom, Kronwall, Ohlund and Edler. Oh, and the title of this thread reminds me of this :-D

http://hockeytownblog.com/2009/07/13/aroun...y-13th-edition/ The Detroit Red Wings concluded their annual development camp on Sunday, ending a week of on-ice drills and scrimmages as well as off-ice workout sessions. Hockeytown Blog took the time to talk with Swedish forward prospect Jesper Samuelsson on Friday after the on-ice workout session. Here’s what Detroit’s 2008 seventh round pick (211th overall) had to say: Question: You’ve played for the same team as Jonathan Ericsson (Hasten) and now play for the same team that Henrik Zetterberg did (Timra). What’s it like? Do they talk about those guys very much? Samuelsson: “Yeah, in Timra they talk about Zetterberg. He’s like a big role model for all of those young guys.†Q: Do you feel more pressure because you’re coming from teams that these Red Wings players have come from? Samuelsson: “No. I’ve seen how much time Jon has put down in the training hall so it helps me in that way to see how much you must train hard all the time and think about what you’re doing.†Q: Is it encouraging to know that someone came from Hasten and is now playing in the NHL? Samuelsson: “It’s good to know that he came from such a small town and played here (Detroit).†Q: Is this your first or second year at camp? Samuelsson: “No, I was here last year.†Q: Does it help kind of knowing what to expect? Samuelsson: “Yeah, it’s not so exciting as it was the first time.†Q: What things are you trying to work on this camp? Samuelsson: “All of the stuff because I haven’t been on the ice like for a month and then I have all new gear and stuff so it’s getting there, much better every day so just work hard.†Q: What do you hope to work on this next season? Samuelsson: “I hope to improve all of the stuff and take a spot on the team so I can play all of the season. Last year, I was scratched a few games and then played with the farm team so next year I hope I play all of the season.†Q: Is there something you particularly want to work on like your skating, shooting, or stickwork? Samuelsson: “Shooting. You can improve all of those stuff in your game and you have to if you want to play in the NHL and want to work hard.†Q: What’s it like being in the locker room that Ericsson and Zetterberg and other great Swedish players have been in? Samuelsson: “It’s huge. Back home, they don’t know how huge it is to come over here to see the locker room with all of those great guys.†Q: There are only two Swedes here at the camp. Is that unusual? Samuelsson: “No, last year there were two – it was me and Danny Larsson who played for Grand Rapids.†Q: How has it been hanging out with the guys socially? Samuelsson: “We went to theater to watch a movie two nights ago. It’s like eating dinner with all of those guys and talk about how it is over here and where they play. It’s good.†Q: Is it nice to just get a break from hockey because it’s all day? Samuelsson: “I love to be here at the rink so it’s not bad.â€

http://www.freep.com/article/20090721/SPOR...0367/1053/rss17 Jesper Samuelsson is learning not to make the same mistakes twice. Samuelsson, a native of Stockholm, came over from Sweden for the Red Wings' recent development camp looking to pick up new training techniques. The last pick, 211th overall, in the 2008 NHL entry draft, Samuelsson, 21, hopes to prove he has the skills to one day play for the Wings. Samuelsson will play for Timra in the Swedish Elite League this season. How he performs will go a long way toward determining whether he has a future in Detroit. "After this year, they have to decide if they want to sign me up or let me go as a free agent," said the 5-foot-11, 170-pound forward. "Of course, I want to make a good impression." Part of making a better impression in his second development camp with the Wings was ditching the Yankees cap he bought at the airport last year while waiting for his flight to Detroit. "I changed that hat," Samuelsson said with a grin. "I have a Tigers hat." The prospects went to baseball games at Comerica Park, but Samuelsson said he still prefers watching soccer. "I have watched on television," Samuelsson said. "It's too slow for me. Not so much action. I probably like soccer better." Told that some Americans think soccer is slow, Samuelsson said: "I heard that from the cab drivers. "When it happens (in baseball), it happens fast. Get a hit and a home run, and that's pretty exciting. But otherwise ..." Samuelsson hopes his play will excite the Wings' brass. He played in 40 games last season for Timra. He had two goals and one assist with the big club and a goal and five assists in 13 games after being sent down to Sundsvall. "I played about 40 games and then was scratched like 15 games and played on the farm team," Samuelsson said. "I was third or fourth line. I'm going to improve all my skills and take the next step up."

Lidstrom probably won't be considered in the same category as those four no matter how much Stevie Y would probably argue otherwise. But I think with today's players he belongs in the great category. Zetterberg sets the example in terms of determination while Lidstrom sets the examples in regards to composure and confidence and without confidence you don't have anything. I'm trying to think of some other ones but I couldn't: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_curre...ernate_captains . Maybe Brind'Amour or Morrow but I'm not exactly a huge fan over any of the others on that list.

Pittsburgh is going to blow both of them out of the competition. Book it. Can't deny it. Wings and Devils era is ovaaa. Sid the Kid is God. What is Easton?

Him and Abdelkader can be the Michigan pairing.

NHL Network TSN Which one do you like more? I'm going with TSN.

No. Guess who did? Hint: You see him everywhere. You cannot hide from his image.

I'm moreso surprised that we have that many people that know he's the real deal. I voted for him. But networks like TSN rated McCollum as our #1 prospect above Helm, Ericsson and Abdelkader. I thought that was enough to skew some perceptions in his favor.

Both teams repeated with an appearance in the finals and lost down to the wire in game 7. The comparison better end there. We've already seen the Wings "not play hard" during the regular season. Should we now expect behavior that resembles an ugly sense of entitlement? Championship Hangover Disorder. EDIT: Oh my goodness. Larsson as of this moment is tied with McCollum. I'm shocked.

Fedorov in his prime during the early to mid nineties was some of the greatest magic I've ever seen from the sport of hockey.

They're trying to compare whiny face to our Stevie? Since when? I thought the comparison for him was Gretzky? That was annoying enough.

Do this first. Birthday wishes have to be earned. Just kidding man. Happy Birthday and cheers with a cyber beer.

Like am I sad that he's no longer a promising prospect? Hell no. He's in his prime right now. We've got to enjoy watching him as much as we can. Also, and this question is for anyone: I honestly haven't seen enough footage of the KLM line where Igor played some of his best hockey. But do any of you here think the comparison of Datsyuk to Larionov is a good one or not quite accurate enough?

What a way to begin a season. "3 to go, Yzerman, SCOOOORES! SCOOOOORES! STEVE YZERMAN!"

Maybe Ilari Filppula can be a reserve forward.