xtrememachine1

"Not the face! Not the face!!" "Timeout! Oww!! I said TIME-OUT!"

Go Sharks! You've lost 5 of your last 6 playoff games! You sure do deserve to be there.

Exactly. The Red Wings home city and large bulk of their fans is in the Eastern time zone. Why are Wings fans being inconvinienced by having almost half of their games start late? So Nashville can have a rivalry with the Hurricanes?? Who cares? Not to mention Nashville is in a different time zone, so moving them makes even less sense. As great as the Wings-Hawks rivalry is, I would much rather (and I would think the NHL would too) re-ignite some of these original 6 rivalries. I keep reading on other boards that its a bad idea to move the Wings because it helps St Louis, Nashville, Columbus and Phoenix sell tickets when the Red Wings come to town. So in other words, Wings fans have to stay up really late for road games because these cities can't sell out their building without the Wings help? Dumb. However, nothing the NHL does surprises me anymore, so if the Wings don't get moved to the East it won't be a let down.

While I agree with you that the East is more physical, you have to look at the bigger picture. Just because the West is tough now and the East is more physical doesn't mean that's the way its going to be forever. I'm sick of 10:30pm starts. I'm sick of the Wings having to fly across the continent several times a year. I'm sick of waiting for the schedule to come out and hoping/praying/crossing my fingers that the Wings actually go to Pittsburgh this season (I'm sure there's plenty of other east coast fans that feel this way too). Hockey fans on the west coast are probably sick of missing the first period of games because the game is in Detroit, it starts at 4:30pm their time and they're suck at work. They are in the Eastern time zone, they should be in the Eastern Conference.

I was thinking the same thing. My thoughts are that Jimmy D doesn't think it will happen quick enough. The NHL is drafting up two schedules, one with Winnipeg and the other Atlanta. Really hope that the Wings get moved to the East though. No more insane late games, play the original 6 teams more often, I'll get to see them in person more often. Not to mention we won't have to put up with that gauntlet just to get the friggin Finals.

No Radim Vrbata, but I like Laich and Jokinen (it would be nice to win a shootout once in awhile). Bieska or Ehrhoff. I could live with those lines.

Ehrhoff is totally a Wings type of player. Via Hockey News: ASSETS: Owns sound hockey sense, great skating ability and the talent to log big minutes. Can quarterback a power play and also be used in defensive situations. FLAWS: Doesn't handle big NHL forwards too well, and is also a little passive. He can also make bad decisions under pressure from time to time. CAREER POTENTIAL: Big-minute offensive defenseman.

As someone who in the past has wanted to get old superstars to fill depth roles on the team (Modano, Hasek) I think Jagr would be a terrible idea. Where would you put him? On the 3rd line? I don't think I would want to hold down one of speedy young players for him. Plus, there's no guarantee he'll be anywhere near the way he was even in 2008. His numbers were declining 3 years ago, I can't imagine what they'd be like now.

Red Wings vs Maple Leafs (6 times a year) Red Wings vs Montreal Canadiens (6 times a year) Red Wings vs Boston Bruins (6 times a year) I read that Pittsburgh is a possible move to the Southeast, so Pens vs Caps (6 times), Pens vs Lightning (6 times). The East would be insane NOT to want these matchups. Its the West that wouldn't want this, then again, their conference would get much easier and teams with big markets like LA and Chicago would be more likely to get to the Finals. I, for one, really hopes this happens so I'll have a chance to see the Wings twice a year plus I'll be able to see ALL of their playoff games regardless of who they play since there won't be anymore 10pm start times.

Flyers (who were just in the friggin thing) vs Rangers (nobody cares)... good pick NHL! At the current rate of NHL stupidity, next season the WC will Coyotes vs Winnipeg, but it'll be played in Phoenix.

If it wasn't for the Carolina vs Edmonton Finals, this would be the least cared about series of all time for me. I don't even like hearing the announcers mention that its going on.

No kidding. That's like when announcers that don't want a shutout, talk about shutouts non-stop.

What really bothers me is the whole injuries thing. It seems like every friggin year we're getting injured in the playoffs. I know, "everybody is injured this time of year", but like Franzen, Bert, Cleary all get injured. Clowe gets injured, he's back after one game. Heatley gets smashed twice by Kronwall, he's fine. Doug Murray block like 18 million shots, he's fine. Its like that movie "Unbreakable". We get injured so easily, while other teams pretty much never get hurt no matter what. Yes, I know I'm ranting, its midnight and I'm pissed.

Yeah, I feel much better about Howard going forward. He was solid, consistent and much better in the playoffs than last year.

I don't even care who wins the West now. The Nucks and Sharks can kill each other for all I care. All I know is if its Boston and anybody, I may be disinterested enough not to watch the Finals.

Great comeback, great series, a lot for us to be proud of, but none of that is helping me get rid of this numb feeling I have now. Damn it!!

Great season guys, you never quit. You won't win the championship this year, but you all have the heart of champions and played like it. Thanks for a great season and as always, I can't wait till next year.

Here's some good Game 7 mojo. Gives me chills everytime I see it.

Why not? It will be nice to not have to go through a gauntlet to just GET to the Finals.

I'd like to see the Wings in the East. I'd get to see them at least twice a year guaranteed in person and I won't have to miss half playoff games that start at 10:30pm. Plus, no more of this traveling across country crap. If they moved to the East, they would probably be in a division with Toronto, Montreal and Boston. Get some of these old rivalries going again.

LOL now that's a fan! I said I would get a Red Wings tattoo on my back if they win the Stanley Cup this year. But honestly, I'll probably do that regardless. lol

Actually I would like to travel one day into the future and get rid of my nervousness now.

My nerves were actually fine all day yesterday. Then as soon as I woke up this morning, intense nervousness. It was like a time bomb. I thought "why am I so nervous? Did I have bad dream of something?" I picked up my phone and saw the big Wings logo on it and then it hit me.. "Oh right. Game 7. Time for "I'm so nervous I can't focus on anything but the game" Part II." I hope the ending is as good Part I. A blowout, in our favor, of course, would be so great. But this will probably be a 1-0 OT game.

You sound like me 20 years ago.

Yeah, Abby can't be benched. He does take stupid penalties are key moments, but he does a lot other things, just ask the Sharks defensemen. His hitting and forechecking would definitely be missed. Babcock should just keep him on the bench in the final 5 minutes. Never really liked Joe Thornton. I always felt he was overrated early in his career and that the media (mostly Canadian media) were pushing him to be the next Lemieux or Gretzky. Now he's a whiny little... not very becoming of a captain. Come to think of it, he reminds me a lot of Lindros when he was in Philly. Big guy, delivers cheap shots, whines when someone hits him back. Winning Game 7 would be great for the Wings, but it will the enjoyment will double knowing that Jumbo Joe lost. Its funny that it went through Demers legs. It was his stick that deflected away Z's sure goal. When that happened, I thought "Oh man, come on hockey gods, don't do this to me!"