titanium2

First of all, it should be a very tough series and if I were you I wouldn't listen to any Wings fan who says it should be a cakewalk in 5. It should go at least 6 games, which may be for all intents and purposes 7 if you want to count OTs. I think we're arguing that the comparison of the Hawks to the Ducks in regards to style of play is all about an intimidation factor that the Hawks simply haven't established yet, but they very well could in one or two games. In regards to style of play, the Ducks know that their offensive talent is limited. Thus, their offensive game is fairly simple. Get pucks behind the D, use their size and grind, grind, grind it out with intense physical play. They know that's all they can do to beat anybody. The Ducks have that style perfected. The Hawks have a wealth of offensive talent and yet they know that if they give the puck away, chances aren't all that good they'll get it back quickly. Thus, do they carry it through the zone or chip and chase after it? The Wings back end knows that they don't have to deal with Getzlaf anymore. They'll have to understand the scouting reports on the Hawks' forechecking system but at least they won't have to worry about big bad Getzlaf grinding them down to no end, which should give them the confidence to play a little more loose and move the puck so that the Hawks can't get established in the O zone. Now, the Hawks may be able to have instances or shades of the Ducks style, but as effectively and annoyingly as the Ducks? Probably not. Though the Wings may not admit it, the Anaheim Ducks' defense has had an intimidation factor over the Wings forwards since 2007. Now I'm not saying the Hawks' back end isn't intimidating, but from the Wings point of view? After getting through the Ducks' D, the Wings are going to feel as if they have all the freedom in the world to pounce on loose rebounds and create scoring chances. If the Hawks' D wants to have that same intimidation factor as the Ducks, then it will take one or two games to establish that; one or two games in which the Wings may have already won. So I guess for you, as a Hawks fan, you've witnessed your team learn a lot pretty quickly. But do they have as intense of an intimidation factor as the Ducks in the Wings minds? Probably not but that doesn't mean the Hawks can't find another way to do some damage.

Remember the last time people looked too far ahead? Wings gave a s***ty effort and lost Game 6. Now they really don't have anything to do with each other but can we please, PLEASE stick with the here and now?

I know, really. This should be merged with the Blackhawks prediction thread.

How about the awesome penalty kill?

Oh come on... How could you pass on all this...?

So would I just so Datsyuk can get going. But actually, if CHI is going to have a top line of Sharp-Toews-Kane then I want Franzen-Zetterberg-Cleary to shadow them every time.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=422899 "I'm 30 and the way I look at it, there are four or five years in your prime and my goal is to win the Stanley Cup. Coming to Detroit to a team that can go all the way, this is the kind of situation I've always hoped for. I came here for one reason. It's been a blast for me to play here. I know I get to play with great players. They give you the puck and it's a big difference when you've got the puck on your stick as opposed to playing without it." Five years huh? Well, what if they gave him a contract as such: 7.2 / 7.2 / 7.2 / 7.2 / 7.2 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1 4.44 cap hit.

Oh that's right... Kronwall could finally register a big hit since they tend to come against guys who are either his size or smaller. I expect a highlight reel hit from Kronner on Kane. A big one. It doesn't have to be momentum changing or whatever but it has to be highlight reel worthy. I remember a lot of us not liking Kane because he kept jawing away at Stuart or something.

PK Nick-Big E Junior-Stuie Drapes-Z for the first defensive zone faceoff Z-Bear Fil-Mule Pav-Hoss Drapes-Helm

http://www.letsgowings.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=57871 It's okay. Have the mods ever done as much merging as they have tonight?

I'd really like for them to get Datsyuk going. I make minor changes to these seemingly by the hour but I'd really like to see: Filppula-Datsyuk-Franzen Cleary-Zetterberg-Hossa Hudler-Helm-Samuelsson Abdelkader-Draper-Holmstrom

Benefits: Perfect fit in the locker room 30-40 goals and 70-80 points during the regular season Great speed Great shot Above average passing ability Great backchecking ability Could one day don an A on his jersey Drawbacks: Should receive a raise from the 7.4 mil he earned Barely above average on ice chemistry with any center for the Wings Tendency to be a perimeter player Defensive positioning and anticipation is sometimes questionable considering the salary he demands. **The benefits are seemingly small, but plentiful. The drawbacks are seemingly few, but very big and important.

Wow... I don't know what everyone else is looking at but I think this series is at least going to hit 6 games. Their back end and forward depth may not be as good on paper but it's still no joke. They have a very unheralded roster outside of Tazer and Kane.

Ridiculous... Yeah, I agree... Hopefully not this year though, haha. But yeah, I mean, I'd love him in a Red Wings jersey. Steve Yzerman was asked to name a player who plays a similar game and he immediately named Toews. That alone will make Red Wings fans respect him.

You just know that they're going to match up Pahlsson against Datsyuk and Toews against Zetterberg. Should be interesting. Should we be concerned about Ben Eager's tendency for cheap shots?

You're right about Chicago's depth. It is pretty worrisome. My eyes will be focused on the way the Wings play against Jonathan Toews. I can't really explain it well but he seems like a real dark horse in this series with Kane getting all the flash.

I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic, but I don't agree with the underlying message. I'm not exactly sure about 97 or 98 but having the highest payroll only worked once for the Wings - 2002. Outside of that year they were first or second round disappointments. 2000-01 - 55.1 - First round exit 2001-02 - 66.6 - Cup 2002-03 - 68.4 - First round exit 2003-04 - 77.9 - Second round exit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_team_...troit_Red_Wings You could say that the salary cap was put in place so that organizations like the Wings and Rangers couldn't 'buy their cups' so to speak. But based on the playoff results from when they were really at the top of the league with Lidstrom getting 10 million a year, it was actually quite disappointing and maybe even a real waste.

Well, you can tell it's a respectful kind of hate. Not too shabby. It's not like the pure hate I have for the Ducks.

http://www.letsgowings.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=57821

Not the classiest picture, but still funny I suppose.

Sometimes I wonder about the karma for a team that has a logo that borderline degrades an entire race of people. Not as bad as the Cleveland Indians logo but still.

AHAHAHA!!! What's worse? Pronger touching it during a game or Burish taking a shot at it in a nationally televised commercial?

He's averaged a little over 22 and half minutes so far in these playoffs. It's ridiculous. He's been a real workhorse.

You have many writers across the nation who think he's been a "perfect fit." Well, he has in the sense that he's an honest, humble, hardworking human being who just wants to fit in, play a role and joke around with his friends. But you're right. For some strange reason, he just doesn't fit well with anyone down the middle, at least not as well as Datsyuk-Zetterberg or even Filppula-Franzen for that matter.

If I recall correctly, the special teams were more or less the same. But 5-on-5 they had: Franzen-Zetterberg-Cleary Filppula-Datsyuk-Samuelsson Hudler-Helm-Hossa Abdelkader-Draper-Holmstrom Thoughts? Impressions? -Homer on the 4th line was interesting. -By letter of the law, Hossa on the 3rd seems ridiculous. -Samuelsson in the top-6? Why?