tommingthepuck96

Datysuk 101 points Zetterberg 89 points Franzen 68 points 42 goals if he plays 75+ games. Filppula 60 Points 40 assists if he plays 82 games. Kronwall leads wings D in points and 4th among all NHL defensemen. (Lidstrom+Rafalski might not play a full season) Ericsson also will get hot towards the middle of the season. Leino nets 25 goals Kings make playoffs exit first round. Penguins will have a horrible start to the season but league will help them get back into playoff picture. Wings finish second in the west Flyers finish first in east. Tavares scores 60 points. Team Canada chokes if crosby is named captain (Sorry babcock) Sweden beats russian for gold medal.

I dont think see how the red wings can be considered winners. But they certainly aren't losers.. Penguins lost alot. And re-signing bill guerin cannot be a good thing in my eyes. I'd say phill and chicago are the biggest winners. The wings will be the biggest winners next year, and chicago will be the biggest losers..

There going to need some decent leader because theres going to be a bunch of frustrated whining kids if/ when they face off against such a good shut-down team like sweden will be.

I'd think most of us would approve of those point productions

No read the part after the bolded. Logically my vote should be datsyuk but ovechkin has a X factor to his game that no other player possess that doesnt show up on any stats sheets. Whether its energy or passion i can't really explain it, but I think OV has a very small edge over datsyuk.

I dont need to back up anything. You can't put malkin in front of ovechkin based on those stats or any for that matter. Both see a ton of ice time, both turn over the puck way too much, both are highly skilled but ovechkin has a clear edge over him in my eyes.. Ovechkin is a pure goal scorer, and like someone else said scoring goals is probably the hardest thing to do in the NHL and ovechkin makes it look like shooting fish in a barrel.. Keeping in mind all malkin is known for is his offense why don't you pull up how many secondary assists accounted for malkins offensive totals last year? When you play the full 2 minutes of every power play your bound to touch the puck before it goes in the net.. Bottom line, both are known only for their offense but i'd take ovechkins goal scoring ability over malkins so called play making ability. Overall datsyuk is better than both of them but ovechkin has something else to his game that no other player has.. How you even find time to add crosby into this mix is beyond me.. But hey everyone is entitled to an opinion

A little exaggeration lol.. I thought the "EVER" part would give it away.. But its highly possible trying to force chemistry between two players could screw up the flow of a team. Ovechkin is so dominate because thats his role. Giving him a role where hes not the go to guy on every rush of every shift could have him a little out of sync.. Either way though you can't really go wrong having those 2 guys on the ice..

A little off topic but how about datsyuk centering ovechkin in the Olympics? Would this be the best duo in sports history EVER? Or will their dominate game styles when put together just screw everything up?

I think its a close race between ovechkin and datsyuk.. Ovechkins overwhelming goal scoring ability makes up for his lack of defense skill and play making ability that datsyuk has over him. Both are arguably the best puck handlers in the game. I'd give my vote to ovechkin though, theres no one else in the league who plays the game like he does. Iv'e never watched any other team where you literally jump up in your seat every time hes about to get the puck.. As for malkin i dont see him as an over-all top 10 player at all. He just gets more ice time, including power play time than any other forward in the league. His give-away numbers are just embarrassing and defense is a joke. Good defensive teams like the ducks and the wings could (and did) shut him down easily. i'd be way more scared of guys like OV, or getzlaf... Although he is still young and immature but i'd say when he turns 26-30 he will be just scary..

Didnt alfredsson intentionally shoot the puck at neidermayer with like 2 seconds on the clock at center ice in the 07 SC finals?

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=487141 Some nice quotes Whole article CALGARY -- The question wasn't intended to offend Detroit Red Wings winger Dan Cleary, and it didn't, but it's also one that just couldn't be sugarcoated. "Why are you here?" A lot of people in Canada are asking themselves that same question about Cleary these days. Marc Savard scored 88 points this past season and he's not in Calgary this week. Mike Cammalleri had 39 goals, but didn't receive any invitation. Mike Ribeiro, Brad Boyes, Steven Stamkos are all worthy candidates that didn't make the cut. Yet, on the ice skating with Patrick Marleau and Vinny Lecavalier Wednesday was Cleary, a guy who finished 87th among Canadians with 40 points this past season. "I just think I have earned the right to be here based on my play the last few years in the playoffs and the regular season," Cleary told NHL.com. "I think I'm good at both ends of the ice. I have played on top lines and I think I had a good playoff this year, a good run. I have good experience of being in critical situations. With our team in Detroit I play in every situation. I play in the last minute of the power play and penalty kill. I feel I deserve to be here." He's right. Cleary is here because he represents the vision Steve Yzerman and Mike Babcock have for their role players on Team Canada at the 2010 Olympics. Whether that means he makes the final cut remains to be seen, but this much we do know: Cleary is not here because Yzerman and Babcock wanted a familiar face in Calgary. "It's just that he's a good hockey player," Babcock said. "Just look at the playoffs and the amount of scoring he does, the way he plays with and without the puck. He's just a real smart hockey player and he gets things done. He's a very usable guy whether it's on the power play in front of the net, in a checking role, physical on the forecheck, in his own zone or on the penalty kill. He's a good player." Cleary said Babcock, Yzerman and Detroit GM Ken Holland, Yzerman's associate with Team Canada, have never said anything to him about his chances of making it to this week's orientation camp. "Never, never, never," he confirmed. To that end, there was no reason for him to even think about being here until he got the invitation. Still, before he even arrived, Cleary, who says his confidence has never been as high as it is right now, knew he wouldn't feel out of place. He doesn't. "I have played against all these guys, went head-to-head with all these guys, checked them and had lots of battles with them," he said. "I feel comfortable. I don't feel any pressure. These other guys have way more pressure than me." Cleary, who believes he's "the most comfortable guy in camp," has an advantage over every other Canadian skater because he knows Babcock's coaching style and his systems. The coach is also comfortable in putting Cleary in all situations. Babcock proved that this past postseason when he had Cleary, who had 15 points in 23 playoff games, in the Wings' top six and skating a lot with Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, two guys Cleary said would be the best players in Canada's orientation camp this week. With Marian Hossa, Jiri Hudler and Mikael Samuelsson all skating elsewhere now, Cleary will see more ice time in the top six this coming season. It should only increase his scoring, his exposure and his chances of making this team. After all, he's certainly one guy who can't make an impression this week. The powers that be already know too much about him as it is. "They want guys not to be on the fourth line just to check, but to be on the fourth line and be great checkers with the ability to burn you offensively," Cleary said. "I think I can create offense given the chance and I'll have a good chance this year. We'll see what happens." Whatever does happen, Cleary isn't going to fret too much. Like he said, the pressure is off. All he can do is play his way, which, by the way, is what got him here. "That's exactly my mindset," Cleary said. "If it happens it happens, but you see, I know what I have to do to make the team. I'm going to focus on those areas and hopefully that's enough. If it's not, I will know I gave it all I can give.

Anyone remembers the way he was playing before his injury? It seemed like his offensive game was just starting to truly show, right before samulesson nailed him in the face.. Im interested to see what numbers he could put up if he stays healthy playing in a top 6 role especially with his confidence so high.

Anyone else think the kings have a shot at the 8th seed if they can get solid goal tending from quick?

Presale code is brown23

Any update on the sharks situation? Still only 9 forwards and 1 goalie signed.. I cant seem to find anything.

Using the "Grand rapid griffin" quote was a little exaggerating as you seem to completely shoot down any potential filppula has, when any person on this forum says anything good about him. But after reading your most recent quote "Samulesson and cleary have better hands than filppula", that exaggeration about you turned out to be quite accurate. After reading that i pretty much decided, like on other topics it is completely worthless to discuss anything logical with someone the likes of you, or the other genius on this thread trying so hard to discredit filppula. Like someone else said, no one is saying hes the next datsyuk, but to say filppula cannot make a 15 point increase this year from last year is a complete joke, your clearly bored and just want something to argue about.

I doubt team canada will be using the two scoring line, one checking line, and a 4th line of extras forumla like most NHL team do. Besides when has cleary ever been a proven to be center besides on the PP 2 years ago? Plus i liked the idea of a cleary roy, lucic, line for a checking/energy line.. It'd make sense to put two guys who been playing together for years on the same line, instead of forcing chemistry between 2 players..

Im really intrigued by the depth of team Canada and bored.. Red Marlaeu , Thornton, Carter Lecavalier, Staal, Sharp Smyth, Spezza, Perry Cleary, Roy, Lucic White Heatley, Crosby, Nash St.Louis, Iginla, Morrow Doan, Richards, Gagne Mcdonald, Staal, Toews Just my guess

Theres so many factors pointing to fil having a real break out season. And theres really nothing that says hes not capable of 60 points, except for his confidence issues... But after reading your countless posts disregarding filppula as anything more than an over-paid grand rapid griffin., theres no real point in ruining another topic..

Seriously how awesome would it be if those 4 players all played 82 games next season? Im not even talking about the points they'd put up.. but i remember 07/08 playoff after datsyuk came off a healthy full season he was just absolutely flawless and simply looked like a god playing against 16 year olds on the ice.. Im itching to see what other players could do if they got into that same kind of grove, heading into the playoffs that is if the league doesnt post a bull s*** schedule again and fatigue everyone out.

You can put chris chelios on datsyuks wing and he'd score 20 easily.. Z should have no problem reaching 45+ if hes healthy. On a side note, i hope filppula spits out 45+ Assists this year, to go along with franzens 35+ Goals just to shut all the fil haters up. Hopefully fil gets off to an awesome start early in the season, and plays that way down the stretch as opposed to getting hot only towards the end of the year + playoffs like the past few years.

Being stuck in southern california, i get to see a whole lot of frolov, and have been dreaming about him wearing a winged wheel for years. I hope holland makes a pitch for him for around 3.9-4.4 Mil.

I think williams will see the most ice time out of all of them, including a whole lot of PP time. So probably williams, or leino if he can find his game.

Im most pumped up about ericsson, this guy has so much glaring potential to be a real super star in my opinion. Then you got filppula getting top 6 ice time, leino having an opportunity to replace hudler, helm playing a full season, a 100% Cleary having completely recovered from his injury from 2 years ago, Franzen having the opportunity to score 40+, euro twins playing on the same line once again and williams, bertuzzi, and eaves are all here to chip in 15+ goals each just in case. Yes i might be a little biased but if the wings stay healthy imo they have the best shot at the cup. But the league might have other cup plans for ovechkin and the caps, or kane/toews and the hawks.

Looks like you can scratch off the idea of holland going for a "developing/rebuilding season.. I think the wings could have done fine using the GR kids to fill in the extra spots... But i can definitely see 230lb bert lifting the cup next season...