Rob the Badger

Our players are dropping like flies. Is this a hockey team or a triage unit? Do we need to set up a M.A.S.H. in the locker room? It seems like we're averaging about one injured player per game. At this rate, what are we going to do after 24 games?

If it's not already on hockeyfights.com, it probably will be soon.

He had a great game against the Sharks, both offensively and defensively. The D put some big points on the board in San Jose. I think that Raf is going to fit right in with his home town team.

The Wings need a someone to police the ice for them. Downey can fit that role. He won't be the best in the league at it or anything, but he can contribute in ways that Kopecky can't. I've watched Kope play in GR for years, and I think that he offers very little to the Wings. When Sammie returns to the line up, make Kope a healthy scratch until you can trade him for a bag of pucks and give Downey his roster spot.

I'm not sure if this should be in this forum or in the water cooler. I'll post it here and it can always be moved if need be. Feel free to add to the list. I'll be making more in the future. Enjoy.

I remember reading that Gordie Howe never got credited for an actual Gordie Howe hat trick. So maybe he did have a goal, assist, + fight night, and just never got official credit for it. I wonder where I can look to find the official story of the whole thing. I thought that this 'cartoon' might inspire some conversation, but I didn't think that it would take off in this direction. Hmm.

Wouldn't you know it. I make a prediction based on these two star players not being in the line up.... and now they're good to go. Well then, I have to change my pick. Wings win a tight, one goal game and move onto the Yotes, returning home with a .750 road trip. Go Wings!

I've seen this happen several times in the NHL and IHL.... can't see it in the AHL because there is no instant replay or video allowed to make calls like this. How stupid is that? Training for the NHL, but not using the same technology and rules they do. But that is for a different topic. And Hank is right. Once the play is reviewed, if the first questionable goal is deemed to be a goal... then any play after that fact is null and void. They change the scoreboard to reflect the proper score and set the clock back to when the goal was scored and move on as if anything after that moment never happened. I really wish the AHL would adopt this... I've seen where it could have changed several games over the years. But that's just me.

I love these game day threads. They're always put together so well. You guys know me. I love my Red Wings, but I am thinking that they're going to have a hard time winning this game tonight. They're on the left coast. They have a lot of talent that won't be on the ice tonight, especially if Zet isn't playing. They're facing a team that is going to be bent on revenge since the Wings knocked them out of the post season last year. This is going to be a tough game and I think that we may end up on the short end of the score board. I hope I'm wrong. I'm hoping that the loss to the ducks was a wake up call, but without Lidstrom and Zetterberg in the line up, this is a completely different team. I think we'll face a one or two goal loss tonight. I believe that they'll beat the Yotes though and come home with a .500 road trip. Not hatin', just predicting.

A doctor for your hair? What's next... a lawyer for your teeth? *twist on an obscure Simpson's reference. haw haw!*

I wouldn't expect to see him in Detroit, ever. Sadly, he's shown nothing in Grand Rapids and he's been given every opportunity. I'll be at the Griffins home opener on Saturday, so I can take a look at him and what he has in a real game... but everything that I have heard on the radio during the away games has been unflattering. Some prospects from overseas show up hungry and ready to prove themselves... not so much with Grigorenko.

If you get into a fight, there should be a fighting major penalty to go along with it. If it doesn't get recorded on the stat sheet, how will anyone remember it happened years down the road?

Howe never had a game with a goal, and assist and a fighting major, but the hat trick is still named after him. Are you sure it wasn't in OT?

I'd rather see Scotty Bowman running the show.

10 rings in the collection, 9 from behind the bench. That sounds right. And yes, Scotty has the greatest resume' ever... but I'm throwing Carlyle a bone. I watched him coach the Moose in the IHL for years, and I'm not making a "Red Wings" only list. I have to spread the love around a bit because the list is from my Blue Line Comics website. I try to make it appeal to the majority of hockey fans... not just those of us who like the Red Wings. Keep the suggestions coming though. This should be fun.

I think that this is another case of the org not being able to fire the talent, so they fire the coach to shake things up. The new coach, wouldn't be surprised if it were Quinn, won't be able to do much better. You can only run the race with the horses you have, and their stable isn't well stocked.

If I remember correctly. He had 9 as a head coach, and 10 total. I'll need to look it up in order to be sure.

Doesn't Scotty have 10 rings in his collection? Oh, like they have 1,000,000 fans. More like 1,000 Smashvegas homes defending his play.

See if you can come up with your own 'hat tricks' and I might add the good ones to the official list (part 2) sometime in the future.

Blues Traveler "The Mountains Win Again"

Yeah, Charlie isn't the biggest Wings fan in the world.

Here is a new Blue Line cartoon, hot off the press, as it were.

When you play tired, you take more penalties. That's pretty much all there is too it. I didn't expect them to win last night and the third period let down wasn't a big shocker. THey played the night before and they're adjusting to the PST. Tired is as tired does.

They have only played three games, but still... no points in any of them for him.