GROwl

Helm, Leino, and Abdelkader all have at least one more year of waiver-exemption too. So, worst case scenario (from their personal standpoint) would be that all three get sent back to GR next year regardless of how they do in training camp. At least with Jon Ericsson, he's out of options. Detroit either makes a spot for him or loses him to another team on waivers. Does anyone else find it odd that Helm has had more hits and key plays in any single playoff game so far than he has had in most of his GR games this season aggregated together? Does he step his game up that much due to play-offs or to impress the Wings - or a combination of both?

Yep. Especially considering the roles that may be open. He's not likely to jump into the top two lines, and he's not a gritty player by any means. Enforcer? Not in this lifetime. Its too bad, but there just doesn't seem to be a spot for him.

It could be the year. With several Wings who need re-signing this summer and are due raises, it would put the team over the cap to give them what they are worth. The players either need to accept significant discounts to stay in Detroit...or the Wings will need to fill the openings with some entry-level player salaries. As you said, the summer will be interesting and training camp could be pretty competitive.

You missed mentioning the Griffins goal 34 seconds into the game scored by Gagnon! And now the one by Tardif. Man, I should have grabbed my daughter, sneaked out of house and headed Downtown to the game tonight! Oh well, she's pretty tired. I probably would have ended up having to carry her sleeping back to the car after the game.

What's even more amazing about his season this year is all of the personal issue he's overcome. The first few months of the season, he was pretty distracted as his girlfriend underwent a boatload of surgeries for throat cancer. She's doing much better now, but I believe is still at the Mayo Clinic. He spoke both about her situation and why he signed with Detroit this year in a video clip a few months ago. He planned to play in Europe, but decided to stay closer to home because of Sara. Darren wanted to sign with Detroit because of the Wings' recent history of still seeing NHL potential in "veteran" AHL players. I'm not sure if the link is still good, but here it is: Video Not only did he finish in the Top 6 scorers of the AHL this year, Darren holds the all-time AHL record for the most goals and points in the playoffs (career). Hats off to Darren, he's been a great Captain for the Griffins this year, providing leadership on and off the ice. Unfortunately, he does have size issues. He's listed at 5'9 / 175 pounds - but that's exaggerated - he's closer to 5'6 and probably 165. Defensively, he's also a bit challenged. He finished with 80 points, but is -22 (even worse than Jakub Kindl's -14).

Look up on the 3rd level of the west side of the arena directly above the Griffins bench. You will usually find most of the healthy scratches and injured players either standing at the rail or sitting at the table up there watching the game. Sometimes Jiri Fischer will join them.

Weren't they both over 35 when they signed their last contracts? "When a player aged 35 or older signs a multi-year contract, his average salary is counted against the team's salary cap during every year of the contract, even if the player retires before the contract is up. "

So, I saw this General Discussion thread that Systemfel started earlier today... "Leino leaving after this season? (Finnish link) Google-translated text: The greatest hope Detroit Red Wingsin NHL camp in September, traveled Ville Leino strongly considering a return to Europe this season after. Hockey season has elapsed AHL-League, which Leino does not agree to continue. "AHL as I no longer next season in any event, is playing. The league is now in my part, seen and experienced," said Leino Western Savo newspaper interview. AHL-league Grand Rapids Griffinsin team unbridled long bussimatkoineen was Leino, of harsh experience. - Not in this league can not really any good basic rhythms of life-sustaining. Such is simply not enough time or energy. AHL: There is enough time to even look for a wife. Leinon of career options is twofold: to try to break into Detroit or with another NHL team's ranks, or to return to Europe. The latter option seems at this stage, more likely, even though the NHL is still Leinon number one goal. Detroit assembly, however, is rock-hard and the team now one of NHL's best, so the line-up is very rocky - without injuries, almost impossible at the moment. - Severe rakohan the NHL through the space is, but try to keep high on the mind and hope for the best. The European side Leinon alternative to Sweden, Russia - or the return Jokereihin. - I think that there could be a demand for me for many of place, Leino evaluate the Western Savolle. " The replies to that thread mainly focus on who from the Red Wings shouldn't be signed, or who could be traded, or who should retire next year to make some room for Leino and some of the other Griffins. Very complicated and not something easily resolved. What I'm thinking is that Ville can be made happier if we summarize the issue in simple terms: Boy wants a Girl. If he can get a girl, the long bus rides won't matter...not getting called up to Detroit won't matter...playing 80 games a season won't matter, etc. Now, my own daughter is way too young to be considered a viable candidate. But between all the fans here in Grand Rapids, shouldn't we be able to put together a long stream of more appropriate girls in front of young Leino for him to select from? Think of the promo opportunity the Griffins could schedule to take of the issue.

It used to frustrate me when I’d read that one of prospects had just signed with Detroit and that his contract contained an “escape†clause. If the prospect was assigned to the AHL, he could opt to go back to his country and play there instead. For the longest time, I couldn’t figure out why the Wings would agree to such a provision. I mean, come on, no hockey player’s dream is to play in AHL. It’s a long season of playing multiple 3-in-3 games, a lot of travel – usually at night by bus, and the players make only a small fraction of their counterparts do in the NHL. However, they do it as a stepping stone to the mere possibility of fulfilling their NHL dream. It takes some guys (like Garrett Stafford who was 28?) years before finally getting his first chance to play in the NHL, sometimes it’s never. It’s a rough league, but they keep working hard season after season trying to make it. After seeing Igor Grigorenko take the escape clause a few years ago after the first month of the new season, I now better understand why such provisions are offered. It’s a weeding tool. Grigorenko never would have made in the NHL. He may or may not have had the physical skills (it’s hard to tell when he showed up to training camp so out of shape). But he proved that he didn’t have the emotional or mental strength. Even if he were to have made the Wings roster, he would have fallen apart at the first sign of team adversity. It also makes me respect Ville Leino more by the fact that he didn’t go back to Finland. It would have been a lot easier for him to leave and play in his home country. Yes, he complained; but he stayed with it. I would also argue that it has made him a better person by dealing with the disappointment, and a more complete player having the AHL experience. No time nor talent was wasted by him being in GR this year. If nothing else, he work ethic will be twice as much next year while he’s still waiver-exempt to ensure that he isn’t sent down again. Detroit is a better team because they allow their prospects the choice. It’s the short-sighted, self-focused athletes who take it.

In Friday night's game, Kaser said that Axelsson has a broken finger and isn't playing for that reason.

Bob Kaser just mentioned that Ryan Oulahen is behind the bench for the game and is expected to be for all of the playoff games. He's that highly respected both both the coaches and his teammates. Also, good to hear that Tardif is back playing. I'm tempted to do a road trip tomorrow night - we got robbed by having the boys be on the road the last three weeks of the regular season (except for last Friday's game).

I'm thinking that you've seen the last of Ville in Finland (at least professionally). Two assists in his first AHL playoff game last night and a goal and an assist tonight. He'll be in Detroit next year if not sooner.

Okay...you convinced me. Maybe Jason Williams was justified in buying each of his teammates personalized/embroidered bathrobes if he had to look at this %$&@ each day in the dressing room! I'm thankful you didn't put Ken in the BJ-personalized man thong.

For those of you who watched the game on FSN last night, did you catch the commentary that Ken Daniels/Mickey Redmond said about the bathrobes that Jason Williams bought for the Columbus team? Apparently they were BlueJacket blue (!) and had their names/numbers stiched on them. Ken said that the team was very appreciative. Does anyone else think this was really, really strange? I don't think I'd accept a bathrobe given to me by my teammate. As a matter of fact, I would move my stall as far away in the lockerroom from him as I could get. Mickey said that someone in Calgary did this a few years ago too.

In a radio interview a few years ago just after he came to GR, Jonathan described it with a bit more humor. He said that his dad was his coach back in Sweden. Several of his team members were out with injury/illness and they were short on the blue line. So his dad said that he had to play D that night. Hakan Andersson happened to be at that game, scouting a guy on the opposing team. I think the guy ended up not playing...and Hakan Andersson's attention switched to Jonathan. That was the end of Ericsson's career as a forward.

Sounds like a photoshop opportunity for one of you experts...

Thanks for sharing. Darren has dealt with a lot this year - its nice that he finally has some good news!

Wish this was still the case! It will be tough for GR to get out of the first round without Ericsson, Helm, and now maybe Leino. Ryan Oulahen (GR's top defensive forward who is one of the best in the entire AHL on the PK) is out for the rest of the season with a dislocated hip. Evan McGrath, also one of the top scorers for GR, recently found out that he has a broken bone in his shoulder. Out 4-6 weeks. GR lost 3 times in its final 10 days of the regular season to Hamilton...the same team they are meeting in round 1 of the playoffs. If they find a way to win without their key players, they will all deserve to play with the Wings!

Yep, that's pretty much exactly what happened.

I was a little frustrated with the Downey extra 5 minute penalty. That's a long time to have to PK. It could have been a disaster. In the playoffs Downey has to be smarter about how and when to be physical. DMAC was better...even though he got 5 for fighting, he also took out Alex Henry for 5 minutes who was a greater threat. I was also a little disappointed with Charleston. I had heard some good things about the kid, but I didn't think he had any presence on the ice last night. On the plus side, I thought Sergei Kolosov played a great game as did Stafford.

There were 9 guys up on the 3rd level last night where the injured and healthy GR boys usually locate themselves. I didn't have binoculars, but one of the 3 boys standing sure looked like the build of Larsson. Standing next to him was a tall/thin dark haired kid. Looked like a slightly smaller Ericsson. I thought that might be Joakim Andersson - but I've never seen him before so I wasn't sure. 6 of the others were probably Tardif, McGrath, Torquato, Raedeke, Mursak, and Jozsa; the 3rd deck railing was right across the faces of the 6 sitting down.

Jimmy played each game last weekend of the 3-in-3, and then also last night. Jordan Pearce was the backup. Is Daniel Larsson injured or is Jimmy playing to get into top playoff shape? Curt Fraser mentioned a few weeks ago that he was concerned that Daniel Larsson wasn't playing well - and suggested that maybe Daniel was still adjusting to the longer AHL season as compared to the Swedish Elite League. Still, you think he would have played once in the past 4 games.

After being at the game last night, I couldn't help but think how incredibly physical the playoffs will be next weekend - two teams that have already played 3 games in a week against each other. They hate each before the playoffs even start. Watch out for another Flinn/Henry v. Downey/McCarty round.

If you saw a recent game (anytime since Leino came back from Detroit), and Leino wasn't playing...he was injured...not a healthy scratch. I think they were calling it a charley horse and he was out about 2 weeks. The Griffins had two defensemen playing forward for a few games due to injuries. IMO... Unless Hossa and/or others are injured, both Helm and Leino will likely be left in GR for the first round of the AHL playoffs to get maximum playoff minutes for player development reasons. The veterans - Maltby, Kopecky, Draper, Cleary should all play in the first few games for Detroit. Depending on how they do, Leino and Helm may get called after that.

Nope. 2009 Clear Day Roster: 1 G Daniel Larsson 2 G Jimmy Howard 3 D Garrett Stafford 4 D Jakub Kindl 5 D Sergei Kolosov 6 D Tom Galvin 7 D Jason Jozsa 8 D Logan Pyett 9 D Jonathan Ericsson 10 F Cory Emmerton 11 F Evan McGrath 12 F Ville Leino 13 F Darren Helm 14 F Ryan Oulahen 15 F Frankie Pare 16 F Mattias Ritola 17 F Justin Abdelkader 18 F Darren Haydar 19 F Frankie Lemieux 20 F Darren McCarty 21 F Aaron Gagnon 22 F Aaron Downey In Residence: D PJ Atherton D Brett Peterson F Jan Mursak F Jamie Tardif They can also play the boys who have just finished their junior season. College too?