Shutemdown

You obviously didn't read the linked article and the quoted rule book rule.

Here's hoping for a regulation win tonight! Happy Easter, everyone that celebrates! Let's go, boys!

WOW. JUST WOW. Still so many people butt-hurt about the Legwand trade? Y'know what? Holland should have just dressed Jarnkrok as our #1-4 centers and we'd probably be at 110 pts and first place in our division. Getting really sick of hearing all of the crying about Legwand and Holland as a bad GM. Try to take your fingers off the keys for a sec and realize that it needed to be done and, realistically, that we might not be sitting where we are right now if it wasn't for Legwand being brought in.
Just my 2 cents. You can't drink that milk anymore, stop f'in crying over it.

WOW. JUST WOW. Still so many people butt-hurt about the Legwand trade? Y'know what? Holland should have just dressed Jarnkrok as our #1-4 centers and we'd probably be at 110 pts and first place in our division. Getting really sick of hearing all of the crying about Legwand and Holland as a bad GM. Try to take your fingers off the keys for a sec and realize that it needed to be done and, realistically, that we might not be sitting where we are right now if it wasn't for Legwand being brought in.
Just my 2 cents. You can't drink that milk anymore, stop f'in crying over it.

If you think about it, it's just people trying to get away with wearing #9 in a Winged Wheel. The Hockey Gods have no patience for people exploiting loop holes

Boston always plays a very physical game against the DRW, hopefully we avoid injuries tonight, play solid defensively, and come away with the win.
And just my opinion, I hope Pav sits this game out and returns on Friday. Don't get me wrong, I would love to see him dress as much as anyone, but in his latest interview, he, himself, sounded slightly hesitant and cited his "sense of urgency" as his decision to return to the line-up. I just don't want him to rush his injury... the kids are holding down the fort, and I would rather see him return at 100%.

Eventually the higher-ups will realize that it doesn't matter how many soft Euro superstars they draft or acquire... at the end of the day you have to protect your assets, and the DRW have failed to do so for the past 3-4 seasons. We may not find a grittier power-forward with great hands who can also fight, but until they find someone to keep other teams in check, what is to stop them from walking all over us, weathering our man-advantage afterwards?
When Neal was targeting Franzen in (what I believe) was his first or second game back from concussions, the only "enforcer" for the Red Wings by the end of the game was the officials, who threw him out of the game TO PROTECT HIM, because we had NO ONE TO STEP UP. When Stevie Y was still playing for the Wings, McCarty was given the job of making sure he never got messed with. Where is Datsyuk's McCarty? Who is protecting Franzen and his fragile head?
Babcock and KH will eventually realize that there is no point in building a superstar line-up if they refuse to keep them protected. Until then... well, just look at our past couple seasons and our injuries.

Neal and Neil are two different guys, but I know what you're talking about.
Enforcers don't prevent injury. But if I was an opponent coach playing the Wings I would tell all my guys before the game "Look these guys are all soft finesse players. Don't play their game. Play physical and aggressive with them, and just go balls to the wall on them... they're not going to stop you." We need some more BIG guys that wear down the other team and let them know they can't go balls to the wall on us.

I am thankful that Darren Helm was able to make his return to the NHL! After such a long absence, no one knew what to expect when he finally came back. His speed was a big question mark, as well as his mental health, but both seem to be near 100% again! Just so thankful to have this kid back. He is already making a huge impact!

I feel that the biggest threat/opponent to the Detroit Red Wings this season will be The Detroit Red Wings. They're their own worst enemy at times. As stated earlier, when the Wings are playing their game, no one will beat them. Over the past couple of seasons, however, we've failed to compete at times, and the games where we DID show up to play, we've often squandered away our lead late in the third period.
If the Wings can learn to play hard for 60 full minutes, they've got a legimitate chance to go far this year, both in the Eastern Conference and in the post-season.

Am I the only one getting excited every time I see Helm's name on the roster?? I mean, I am uber-excited to see Weiss and Alfredsson play for the Winged Wheel, they're going to kill it; Helm just breathes life into this team. Can't wait to see him in action again!!

Am I the only one getting excited every time I see Helm's name on the roster?? I mean, I am uber-excited to see Weiss and Alfredsson play for the Winged Wheel, they're going to kill it; Helm just breathes life into this team. Can't wait to see him in action again!!

Coolest professional athlete I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Sorry for the long post.
My favorite Datsyuk memory: When he first came to Detroit, no one really knew who he was, and no one really believed in him yet. He was still very unproven in North American hockey, and there was a small period of time where I honestly thought we might deal him and/or Zetterberg because they were struggling in the league. At the time, no one really seemed to know who they were yet.
I had just turned 15 and was able to start working for the first summer ever, and I WAS NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT AT ALL! All I wanted to do was be outside playing roller hockey all day with my friends. Anyways, back to the story...
I found a job at Holiday Market (right across from the Detroit Zoo water tower) in Downtown Royal Oak as a cashier, right around the time when they were putting up all of these nice, spacious lofts and condos next door.
I think I had only been working there for a week or so when, one day, I looked up as the outer doors opened and saw Pavel Datsyuk(!) walk through the doors. Like I said, no one really knew who he was yet, so no one reacted. I, however, recognized him instantly, got very excited on the inside (cool as a cucumber on the outside) and without even meaning to, I waved at him.
And he smiled and waved back.
He walked past all of the registers to a little cooler, grabbed an orange Vitamin Water, and came to stand in line behind the other customer in my line. Glancing back, I noticed that there were two other registers next to me that were wide open. He had come to my line on purpose!
When it came time to ring him up, he casually stepped up and handed me his drink to scan. Being 15 and talking to a professional athlete that plays for my favorite team of all time, and that I had already come to love and admire, I was utterly starstruck and tried, unbeknownst to my managers, to give him his drink for free. I said, "You're Pavel Datsyuk, right?" He confirmed it with nothing more than a small grin before glancing down. I handed him the drink and said, "Welcome to Detroit! This one is on me."
He politely declined.
Little side note: His english has gotten a ZILLION times better than what it was when he first got here. He was very, very shy and quiet when he first came here and his english was terrible. I remember when I first met him he communicated a lot by simply smiling and nodding, and seemed to understand it a lot better than he could speak it. Nonetheless, it didn't stop him from striking up conversations with me as time went on, even if I had to ask him to repeat what he had said once or twice, or if he had to ask me to repeat myself.
I rung him out and he was free to leave, but he ended up staying in my line and talking to me for almost 20 mins about things to do in the area because he had JUST moved here, was living in the new condos next door, and was bored out of his mind. I loaded him up with a bunch of ideas and off he went.
A couple days later he came back in, grabbed another Vitamin Water, came back into my line, and proceeded to tell me about all of the things he had gone and experienced in the city. He had played a round or two of golf for the first time ever and loved the courses, although he was admittedly still terrible at golf. He went and saw Lake Huron and Lake Erie. He was so eager to tell me, almost giddy like a child.
From that point on, we talked on a regular basis until summer ended. He came in every day, or every other day, bought the same thing, and talked with me about his day or the past weekend. I can remember the first time I noticed his english getting better because I commented on it and he just beamed and swelled up with pride. I could tell it was a big step for him.
Looking back on it, I can't help but beam a little, myself. That was one of the best summers I have ever had, or will probably ever have. I literally got to sit and talk sports/life with a young, undiscovered Pavel Datsyuk. Even more than that, I feel that we had a certain degree of friendship after awhile. He could have gone to a different store, or even through a different cashier's line, but he didn't. It was always mine. One of the coolest things I have ever experienced.
One of the OTHER coolest experiences in my life? Watching that young, unproven Datsyuk grow into the legend that he is over the past 10 years, and watching him embrace the city of Detroit as we embrace him. He truly is an amazing person and athlete.
Pavs- You're my hero, man. I don't know if you remember me, or if you would recognize me if you saw me on the street, but you made my day 10 or so odd-years ago, and you still make my days today! I am overwhelmingly proud to say that I had the honor of meeting you, getting to know you, and now, getting to watch you change the game of hockey on a nightly basis.
Love you, dude. #13 for LIFE.

Coolest professional athlete I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Sorry for the long post.
My favorite Datsyuk memory: When he first came to Detroit, no one really knew who he was, and no one really believed in him yet. He was still very unproven in North American hockey, and there was a small period of time where I honestly thought we might deal him and/or Zetterberg because they were struggling in the league. At the time, no one really seemed to know who they were yet.
I had just turned 15 and was able to start working for the first summer ever, and I WAS NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT AT ALL! All I wanted to do was be outside playing roller hockey all day with my friends. Anyways, back to the story...
I found a job at Holiday Market (right across from the Detroit Zoo water tower) in Downtown Royal Oak as a cashier, right around the time when they were putting up all of these nice, spacious lofts and condos next door.
I think I had only been working there for a week or so when, one day, I looked up as the outer doors opened and saw Pavel Datsyuk(!) walk through the doors. Like I said, no one really knew who he was yet, so no one reacted. I, however, recognized him instantly, got very excited on the inside (cool as a cucumber on the outside) and without even meaning to, I waved at him.
And he smiled and waved back.
He walked past all of the registers to a little cooler, grabbed an orange Vitamin Water, and came to stand in line behind the other customer in my line. Glancing back, I noticed that there were two other registers next to me that were wide open. He had come to my line on purpose!
When it came time to ring him up, he casually stepped up and handed me his drink to scan. Being 15 and talking to a professional athlete that plays for my favorite team of all time, and that I had already come to love and admire, I was utterly starstruck and tried, unbeknownst to my managers, to give him his drink for free. I said, "You're Pavel Datsyuk, right?" He confirmed it with nothing more than a small grin before glancing down. I handed him the drink and said, "Welcome to Detroit! This one is on me."
He politely declined.
Little side note: His english has gotten a ZILLION times better than what it was when he first got here. He was very, very shy and quiet when he first came here and his english was terrible. I remember when I first met him he communicated a lot by simply smiling and nodding, and seemed to understand it a lot better than he could speak it. Nonetheless, it didn't stop him from striking up conversations with me as time went on, even if I had to ask him to repeat what he had said once or twice, or if he had to ask me to repeat myself.
I rung him out and he was free to leave, but he ended up staying in my line and talking to me for almost 20 mins about things to do in the area because he had JUST moved here, was living in the new condos next door, and was bored out of his mind. I loaded him up with a bunch of ideas and off he went.
A couple days later he came back in, grabbed another Vitamin Water, came back into my line, and proceeded to tell me about all of the things he had gone and experienced in the city. He had played a round or two of golf for the first time ever and loved the courses, although he was admittedly still terrible at golf. He went and saw Lake Huron and Lake Erie. He was so eager to tell me, almost giddy like a child.
From that point on, we talked on a regular basis until summer ended. He came in every day, or every other day, bought the same thing, and talked with me about his day or the past weekend. I can remember the first time I noticed his english getting better because I commented on it and he just beamed and swelled up with pride. I could tell it was a big step for him.
Looking back on it, I can't help but beam a little, myself. That was one of the best summers I have ever had, or will probably ever have. I literally got to sit and talk sports/life with a young, undiscovered Pavel Datsyuk. Even more than that, I feel that we had a certain degree of friendship after awhile. He could have gone to a different store, or even through a different cashier's line, but he didn't. It was always mine. One of the coolest things I have ever experienced.
One of the OTHER coolest experiences in my life? Watching that young, unproven Datsyuk grow into the legend that he is over the past 10 years, and watching him embrace the city of Detroit as we embrace him. He truly is an amazing person and athlete.
Pavs- You're my hero, man. I don't know if you remember me, or if you would recognize me if you saw me on the street, but you made my day 10 or so odd-years ago, and you still make my days today! I am overwhelmingly proud to say that I had the honor of meeting you, getting to know you, and now, getting to watch you change the game of hockey on a nightly basis.
Love you, dude. #13 for LIFE.

Coolest professional athlete I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Sorry for the long post.
My favorite Datsyuk memory: When he first came to Detroit, no one really knew who he was, and no one really believed in him yet. He was still very unproven in North American hockey, and there was a small period of time where I honestly thought we might deal him and/or Zetterberg because they were struggling in the league. At the time, no one really seemed to know who they were yet.
I had just turned 15 and was able to start working for the first summer ever, and I WAS NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT AT ALL! All I wanted to do was be outside playing roller hockey all day with my friends. Anyways, back to the story...
I found a job at Holiday Market (right across from the Detroit Zoo water tower) in Downtown Royal Oak as a cashier, right around the time when they were putting up all of these nice, spacious lofts and condos next door.
I think I had only been working there for a week or so when, one day, I looked up as the outer doors opened and saw Pavel Datsyuk(!) walk through the doors. Like I said, no one really knew who he was yet, so no one reacted. I, however, recognized him instantly, got very excited on the inside (cool as a cucumber on the outside) and without even meaning to, I waved at him.
And he smiled and waved back.
He walked past all of the registers to a little cooler, grabbed an orange Vitamin Water, and came to stand in line behind the other customer in my line. Glancing back, I noticed that there were two other registers next to me that were wide open. He had come to my line on purpose!
When it came time to ring him up, he casually stepped up and handed me his drink to scan. Being 15 and talking to a professional athlete that plays for my favorite team of all time, and that I had already come to love and admire, I was utterly starstruck and tried, unbeknownst to my managers, to give him his drink for free. I said, "You're Pavel Datsyuk, right?" He confirmed it with nothing more than a small grin before glancing down. I handed him the drink and said, "Welcome to Detroit! This one is on me."
He politely declined.
Little side note: His english has gotten a ZILLION times better than what it was when he first got here. He was very, very shy and quiet when he first came here and his english was terrible. I remember when I first met him he communicated a lot by simply smiling and nodding, and seemed to understand it a lot better than he could speak it. Nonetheless, it didn't stop him from striking up conversations with me as time went on, even if I had to ask him to repeat what he had said once or twice, or if he had to ask me to repeat myself.
I rung him out and he was free to leave, but he ended up staying in my line and talking to me for almost 20 mins about things to do in the area because he had JUST moved here, was living in the new condos next door, and was bored out of his mind. I loaded him up with a bunch of ideas and off he went.
A couple days later he came back in, grabbed another Vitamin Water, came back into my line, and proceeded to tell me about all of the things he had gone and experienced in the city. He had played a round or two of golf for the first time ever and loved the courses, although he was admittedly still terrible at golf. He went and saw Lake Huron and Lake Erie. He was so eager to tell me, almost giddy like a child.
From that point on, we talked on a regular basis until summer ended. He came in every day, or every other day, bought the same thing, and talked with me about his day or the past weekend. I can remember the first time I noticed his english getting better because I commented on it and he just beamed and swelled up with pride. I could tell it was a big step for him.
Looking back on it, I can't help but beam a little, myself. That was one of the best summers I have ever had, or will probably ever have. I literally got to sit and talk sports/life with a young, undiscovered Pavel Datsyuk. Even more than that, I feel that we had a certain degree of friendship after awhile. He could have gone to a different store, or even through a different cashier's line, but he didn't. It was always mine. One of the coolest things I have ever experienced.
One of the OTHER coolest experiences in my life? Watching that young, unproven Datsyuk grow into the legend that he is over the past 10 years, and watching him embrace the city of Detroit as we embrace him. He truly is an amazing person and athlete.
Pavs- You're my hero, man. I don't know if you remember me, or if you would recognize me if you saw me on the street, but you made my day 10 or so odd-years ago, and you still make my days today! I am overwhelmingly proud to say that I had the honor of meeting you, getting to know you, and now, getting to watch you change the game of hockey on a nightly basis.
Love you, dude. #13 for LIFE.

Coolest professional athlete I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Sorry for the long post.
My favorite Datsyuk memory: When he first came to Detroit, no one really knew who he was, and no one really believed in him yet. He was still very unproven in North American hockey, and there was a small period of time where I honestly thought we might deal him and/or Zetterberg because they were struggling in the league. At the time, no one really seemed to know who they were yet.
I had just turned 15 and was able to start working for the first summer ever, and I WAS NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT AT ALL! All I wanted to do was be outside playing roller hockey all day with my friends. Anyways, back to the story...
I found a job at Holiday Market (right across from the Detroit Zoo water tower) in Downtown Royal Oak as a cashier, right around the time when they were putting up all of these nice, spacious lofts and condos next door.
I think I had only been working there for a week or so when, one day, I looked up as the outer doors opened and saw Pavel Datsyuk(!) walk through the doors. Like I said, no one really knew who he was yet, so no one reacted. I, however, recognized him instantly, got very excited on the inside (cool as a cucumber on the outside) and without even meaning to, I waved at him.
And he smiled and waved back.
He walked past all of the registers to a little cooler, grabbed an orange Vitamin Water, and came to stand in line behind the other customer in my line. Glancing back, I noticed that there were two other registers next to me that were wide open. He had come to my line on purpose!
When it came time to ring him up, he casually stepped up and handed me his drink to scan. Being 15 and talking to a professional athlete that plays for my favorite team of all time, and that I had already come to love and admire, I was utterly starstruck and tried, unbeknownst to my managers, to give him his drink for free. I said, "You're Pavel Datsyuk, right?" He confirmed it with nothing more than a small grin before glancing down. I handed him the drink and said, "Welcome to Detroit! This one is on me."
He politely declined.
Little side note: His english has gotten a ZILLION times better than what it was when he first got here. He was very, very shy and quiet when he first came here and his english was terrible. I remember when I first met him he communicated a lot by simply smiling and nodding, and seemed to understand it a lot better than he could speak it. Nonetheless, it didn't stop him from striking up conversations with me as time went on, even if I had to ask him to repeat what he had said once or twice, or if he had to ask me to repeat myself.
I rung him out and he was free to leave, but he ended up staying in my line and talking to me for almost 20 mins about things to do in the area because he had JUST moved here, was living in the new condos next door, and was bored out of his mind. I loaded him up with a bunch of ideas and off he went.
A couple days later he came back in, grabbed another Vitamin Water, came back into my line, and proceeded to tell me about all of the things he had gone and experienced in the city. He had played a round or two of golf for the first time ever and loved the courses, although he was admittedly still terrible at golf. He went and saw Lake Huron and Lake Erie. He was so eager to tell me, almost giddy like a child.
From that point on, we talked on a regular basis until summer ended. He came in every day, or every other day, bought the same thing, and talked with me about his day or the past weekend. I can remember the first time I noticed his english getting better because I commented on it and he just beamed and swelled up with pride. I could tell it was a big step for him.
Looking back on it, I can't help but beam a little, myself. That was one of the best summers I have ever had, or will probably ever have. I literally got to sit and talk sports/life with a young, undiscovered Pavel Datsyuk. Even more than that, I feel that we had a certain degree of friendship after awhile. He could have gone to a different store, or even through a different cashier's line, but he didn't. It was always mine. One of the coolest things I have ever experienced.
One of the OTHER coolest experiences in my life? Watching that young, unproven Datsyuk grow into the legend that he is over the past 10 years, and watching him embrace the city of Detroit as we embrace him. He truly is an amazing person and athlete.
Pavs- You're my hero, man. I don't know if you remember me, or if you would recognize me if you saw me on the street, but you made my day 10 or so odd-years ago, and you still make my days today! I am overwhelmingly proud to say that I had the honor of meeting you, getting to know you, and now, getting to watch you change the game of hockey on a nightly basis.
Love you, dude. #13 for LIFE.

Coolest professional athlete I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Sorry for the long post.
My favorite Datsyuk memory: When he first came to Detroit, no one really knew who he was, and no one really believed in him yet. He was still very unproven in North American hockey, and there was a small period of time where I honestly thought we might deal him and/or Zetterberg because they were struggling in the league. At the time, no one really seemed to know who they were yet.
I had just turned 15 and was able to start working for the first summer ever, and I WAS NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT AT ALL! All I wanted to do was be outside playing roller hockey all day with my friends. Anyways, back to the story...
I found a job at Holiday Market (right across from the Detroit Zoo water tower) in Downtown Royal Oak as a cashier, right around the time when they were putting up all of these nice, spacious lofts and condos next door.
I think I had only been working there for a week or so when, one day, I looked up as the outer doors opened and saw Pavel Datsyuk(!) walk through the doors. Like I said, no one really knew who he was yet, so no one reacted. I, however, recognized him instantly, got very excited on the inside (cool as a cucumber on the outside) and without even meaning to, I waved at him.
And he smiled and waved back.
He walked past all of the registers to a little cooler, grabbed an orange Vitamin Water, and came to stand in line behind the other customer in my line. Glancing back, I noticed that there were two other registers next to me that were wide open. He had come to my line on purpose!
When it came time to ring him up, he casually stepped up and handed me his drink to scan. Being 15 and talking to a professional athlete that plays for my favorite team of all time, and that I had already come to love and admire, I was utterly starstruck and tried, unbeknownst to my managers, to give him his drink for free. I said, "You're Pavel Datsyuk, right?" He confirmed it with nothing more than a small grin before glancing down. I handed him the drink and said, "Welcome to Detroit! This one is on me."
He politely declined.
Little side note: His english has gotten a ZILLION times better than what it was when he first got here. He was very, very shy and quiet when he first came here and his english was terrible. I remember when I first met him he communicated a lot by simply smiling and nodding, and seemed to understand it a lot better than he could speak it. Nonetheless, it didn't stop him from striking up conversations with me as time went on, even if I had to ask him to repeat what he had said once or twice, or if he had to ask me to repeat myself.
I rung him out and he was free to leave, but he ended up staying in my line and talking to me for almost 20 mins about things to do in the area because he had JUST moved here, was living in the new condos next door, and was bored out of his mind. I loaded him up with a bunch of ideas and off he went.
A couple days later he came back in, grabbed another Vitamin Water, came back into my line, and proceeded to tell me about all of the things he had gone and experienced in the city. He had played a round or two of golf for the first time ever and loved the courses, although he was admittedly still terrible at golf. He went and saw Lake Huron and Lake Erie. He was so eager to tell me, almost giddy like a child.
From that point on, we talked on a regular basis until summer ended. He came in every day, or every other day, bought the same thing, and talked with me about his day or the past weekend. I can remember the first time I noticed his english getting better because I commented on it and he just beamed and swelled up with pride. I could tell it was a big step for him.
Looking back on it, I can't help but beam a little, myself. That was one of the best summers I have ever had, or will probably ever have. I literally got to sit and talk sports/life with a young, undiscovered Pavel Datsyuk. Even more than that, I feel that we had a certain degree of friendship after awhile. He could have gone to a different store, or even through a different cashier's line, but he didn't. It was always mine. One of the coolest things I have ever experienced.
One of the OTHER coolest experiences in my life? Watching that young, unproven Datsyuk grow into the legend that he is over the past 10 years, and watching him embrace the city of Detroit as we embrace him. He truly is an amazing person and athlete.
Pavs- You're my hero, man. I don't know if you remember me, or if you would recognize me if you saw me on the street, but you made my day 10 or so odd-years ago, and you still make my days today! I am overwhelmingly proud to say that I had the honor of meeting you, getting to know you, and now, getting to watch you change the game of hockey on a nightly basis.
Love you, dude. #13 for LIFE.

Coolest professional athlete I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Sorry for the long post.
My favorite Datsyuk memory: When he first came to Detroit, no one really knew who he was, and no one really believed in him yet. He was still very unproven in North American hockey, and there was a small period of time where I honestly thought we might deal him and/or Zetterberg because they were struggling in the league. At the time, no one really seemed to know who they were yet.
I had just turned 15 and was able to start working for the first summer ever, and I WAS NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT AT ALL! All I wanted to do was be outside playing roller hockey all day with my friends. Anyways, back to the story...
I found a job at Holiday Market (right across from the Detroit Zoo water tower) in Downtown Royal Oak as a cashier, right around the time when they were putting up all of these nice, spacious lofts and condos next door.
I think I had only been working there for a week or so when, one day, I looked up as the outer doors opened and saw Pavel Datsyuk(!) walk through the doors. Like I said, no one really knew who he was yet, so no one reacted. I, however, recognized him instantly, got very excited on the inside (cool as a cucumber on the outside) and without even meaning to, I waved at him.
And he smiled and waved back.
He walked past all of the registers to a little cooler, grabbed an orange Vitamin Water, and came to stand in line behind the other customer in my line. Glancing back, I noticed that there were two other registers next to me that were wide open. He had come to my line on purpose!
When it came time to ring him up, he casually stepped up and handed me his drink to scan. Being 15 and talking to a professional athlete that plays for my favorite team of all time, and that I had already come to love and admire, I was utterly starstruck and tried, unbeknownst to my managers, to give him his drink for free. I said, "You're Pavel Datsyuk, right?" He confirmed it with nothing more than a small grin before glancing down. I handed him the drink and said, "Welcome to Detroit! This one is on me."
He politely declined.
Little side note: His english has gotten a ZILLION times better than what it was when he first got here. He was very, very shy and quiet when he first came here and his english was terrible. I remember when I first met him he communicated a lot by simply smiling and nodding, and seemed to understand it a lot better than he could speak it. Nonetheless, it didn't stop him from striking up conversations with me as time went on, even if I had to ask him to repeat what he had said once or twice, or if he had to ask me to repeat myself.
I rung him out and he was free to leave, but he ended up staying in my line and talking to me for almost 20 mins about things to do in the area because he had JUST moved here, was living in the new condos next door, and was bored out of his mind. I loaded him up with a bunch of ideas and off he went.
A couple days later he came back in, grabbed another Vitamin Water, came back into my line, and proceeded to tell me about all of the things he had gone and experienced in the city. He had played a round or two of golf for the first time ever and loved the courses, although he was admittedly still terrible at golf. He went and saw Lake Huron and Lake Erie. He was so eager to tell me, almost giddy like a child.
From that point on, we talked on a regular basis until summer ended. He came in every day, or every other day, bought the same thing, and talked with me about his day or the past weekend. I can remember the first time I noticed his english getting better because I commented on it and he just beamed and swelled up with pride. I could tell it was a big step for him.
Looking back on it, I can't help but beam a little, myself. That was one of the best summers I have ever had, or will probably ever have. I literally got to sit and talk sports/life with a young, undiscovered Pavel Datsyuk. Even more than that, I feel that we had a certain degree of friendship after awhile. He could have gone to a different store, or even through a different cashier's line, but he didn't. It was always mine. One of the coolest things I have ever experienced.
One of the OTHER coolest experiences in my life? Watching that young, unproven Datsyuk grow into the legend that he is over the past 10 years, and watching him embrace the city of Detroit as we embrace him. He truly is an amazing person and athlete.
Pavs- You're my hero, man. I don't know if you remember me, or if you would recognize me if you saw me on the street, but you made my day 10 or so odd-years ago, and you still make my days today! I am overwhelmingly proud to say that I had the honor of meeting you, getting to know you, and now, getting to watch you change the game of hockey on a nightly basis.
Love you, dude. #13 for LIFE.

Coolest professional athlete I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Sorry for the long post.
My favorite Datsyuk memory: When he first came to Detroit, no one really knew who he was, and no one really believed in him yet. He was still very unproven in North American hockey, and there was a small period of time where I honestly thought we might deal him and/or Zetterberg because they were struggling in the league. At the time, no one really seemed to know who they were yet.
I had just turned 15 and was able to start working for the first summer ever, and I WAS NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT AT ALL! All I wanted to do was be outside playing roller hockey all day with my friends. Anyways, back to the story...
I found a job at Holiday Market (right across from the Detroit Zoo water tower) in Downtown Royal Oak as a cashier, right around the time when they were putting up all of these nice, spacious lofts and condos next door.
I think I had only been working there for a week or so when, one day, I looked up as the outer doors opened and saw Pavel Datsyuk(!) walk through the doors. Like I said, no one really knew who he was yet, so no one reacted. I, however, recognized him instantly, got very excited on the inside (cool as a cucumber on the outside) and without even meaning to, I waved at him.
And he smiled and waved back.
He walked past all of the registers to a little cooler, grabbed an orange Vitamin Water, and came to stand in line behind the other customer in my line. Glancing back, I noticed that there were two other registers next to me that were wide open. He had come to my line on purpose!
When it came time to ring him up, he casually stepped up and handed me his drink to scan. Being 15 and talking to a professional athlete that plays for my favorite team of all time, and that I had already come to love and admire, I was utterly starstruck and tried, unbeknownst to my managers, to give him his drink for free. I said, "You're Pavel Datsyuk, right?" He confirmed it with nothing more than a small grin before glancing down. I handed him the drink and said, "Welcome to Detroit! This one is on me."
He politely declined.
Little side note: His english has gotten a ZILLION times better than what it was when he first got here. He was very, very shy and quiet when he first came here and his english was terrible. I remember when I first met him he communicated a lot by simply smiling and nodding, and seemed to understand it a lot better than he could speak it. Nonetheless, it didn't stop him from striking up conversations with me as time went on, even if I had to ask him to repeat what he had said once or twice, or if he had to ask me to repeat myself.
I rung him out and he was free to leave, but he ended up staying in my line and talking to me for almost 20 mins about things to do in the area because he had JUST moved here, was living in the new condos next door, and was bored out of his mind. I loaded him up with a bunch of ideas and off he went.
A couple days later he came back in, grabbed another Vitamin Water, came back into my line, and proceeded to tell me about all of the things he had gone and experienced in the city. He had played a round or two of golf for the first time ever and loved the courses, although he was admittedly still terrible at golf. He went and saw Lake Huron and Lake Erie. He was so eager to tell me, almost giddy like a child.
From that point on, we talked on a regular basis until summer ended. He came in every day, or every other day, bought the same thing, and talked with me about his day or the past weekend. I can remember the first time I noticed his english getting better because I commented on it and he just beamed and swelled up with pride. I could tell it was a big step for him.
Looking back on it, I can't help but beam a little, myself. That was one of the best summers I have ever had, or will probably ever have. I literally got to sit and talk sports/life with a young, undiscovered Pavel Datsyuk. Even more than that, I feel that we had a certain degree of friendship after awhile. He could have gone to a different store, or even through a different cashier's line, but he didn't. It was always mine. One of the coolest things I have ever experienced.
One of the OTHER coolest experiences in my life? Watching that young, unproven Datsyuk grow into the legend that he is over the past 10 years, and watching him embrace the city of Detroit as we embrace him. He truly is an amazing person and athlete.
Pavs- You're my hero, man. I don't know if you remember me, or if you would recognize me if you saw me on the street, but you made my day 10 or so odd-years ago, and you still make my days today! I am overwhelmingly proud to say that I had the honor of meeting you, getting to know you, and now, getting to watch you change the game of hockey on a nightly basis.
Love you, dude. #13 for LIFE.

Coolest professional athlete I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Sorry for the long post.
My favorite Datsyuk memory: When he first came to Detroit, no one really knew who he was, and no one really believed in him yet. He was still very unproven in North American hockey, and there was a small period of time where I honestly thought we might deal him and/or Zetterberg because they were struggling in the league. At the time, no one really seemed to know who they were yet.
I had just turned 15 and was able to start working for the first summer ever, and I WAS NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT AT ALL! All I wanted to do was be outside playing roller hockey all day with my friends. Anyways, back to the story...
I found a job at Holiday Market (right across from the Detroit Zoo water tower) in Downtown Royal Oak as a cashier, right around the time when they were putting up all of these nice, spacious lofts and condos next door.
I think I had only been working there for a week or so when, one day, I looked up as the outer doors opened and saw Pavel Datsyuk(!) walk through the doors. Like I said, no one really knew who he was yet, so no one reacted. I, however, recognized him instantly, got very excited on the inside (cool as a cucumber on the outside) and without even meaning to, I waved at him.
And he smiled and waved back.
He walked past all of the registers to a little cooler, grabbed an orange Vitamin Water, and came to stand in line behind the other customer in my line. Glancing back, I noticed that there were two other registers next to me that were wide open. He had come to my line on purpose!
When it came time to ring him up, he casually stepped up and handed me his drink to scan. Being 15 and talking to a professional athlete that plays for my favorite team of all time, and that I had already come to love and admire, I was utterly starstruck and tried, unbeknownst to my managers, to give him his drink for free. I said, "You're Pavel Datsyuk, right?" He confirmed it with nothing more than a small grin before glancing down. I handed him the drink and said, "Welcome to Detroit! This one is on me."
He politely declined.
Little side note: His english has gotten a ZILLION times better than what it was when he first got here. He was very, very shy and quiet when he first came here and his english was terrible. I remember when I first met him he communicated a lot by simply smiling and nodding, and seemed to understand it a lot better than he could speak it. Nonetheless, it didn't stop him from striking up conversations with me as time went on, even if I had to ask him to repeat what he had said once or twice, or if he had to ask me to repeat myself.
I rung him out and he was free to leave, but he ended up staying in my line and talking to me for almost 20 mins about things to do in the area because he had JUST moved here, was living in the new condos next door, and was bored out of his mind. I loaded him up with a bunch of ideas and off he went.
A couple days later he came back in, grabbed another Vitamin Water, came back into my line, and proceeded to tell me about all of the things he had gone and experienced in the city. He had played a round or two of golf for the first time ever and loved the courses, although he was admittedly still terrible at golf. He went and saw Lake Huron and Lake Erie. He was so eager to tell me, almost giddy like a child.
From that point on, we talked on a regular basis until summer ended. He came in every day, or every other day, bought the same thing, and talked with me about his day or the past weekend. I can remember the first time I noticed his english getting better because I commented on it and he just beamed and swelled up with pride. I could tell it was a big step for him.
Looking back on it, I can't help but beam a little, myself. That was one of the best summers I have ever had, or will probably ever have. I literally got to sit and talk sports/life with a young, undiscovered Pavel Datsyuk. Even more than that, I feel that we had a certain degree of friendship after awhile. He could have gone to a different store, or even through a different cashier's line, but he didn't. It was always mine. One of the coolest things I have ever experienced.
One of the OTHER coolest experiences in my life? Watching that young, unproven Datsyuk grow into the legend that he is over the past 10 years, and watching him embrace the city of Detroit as we embrace him. He truly is an amazing person and athlete.
Pavs- You're my hero, man. I don't know if you remember me, or if you would recognize me if you saw me on the street, but you made my day 10 or so odd-years ago, and you still make my days today! I am overwhelmingly proud to say that I had the honor of meeting you, getting to know you, and now, getting to watch you change the game of hockey on a nightly basis.
Love you, dude. #13 for LIFE.

Loving this signing so far...
Always loved D. Alfredsson, always will. He is a true competitor, a natural leader who is soft-spoken and leads by example. He's a proven scorer and playmaker who has shown consistency throughout the majority of his career. He's used to the Eastern Conference. This signing makes total sense.
He strikes me as a mix between Drapes and Dallas Drake. Quick, hard working, driven, and able to lead through example and heart.
For all those out there that say our young guys should be ready to play and given the chance, realize that even one year with someone like Alfie on the team can work WONDERS for our younger core. The man is a living legend.
Watching videos about him on youtube right now, and it makes me even more excited. The man is a machine.

Hey all!
Been a looooong time since I've posted anything on these boards. I still read posts every morning over coffee, but rarely contribute to the conversation. There is something that has been bothering me lately, though, so I thought I'd post it and see what other people thought.
I read a couple of interviews about Tootoo not too long ago, where Babcock stated that Tootoo was a regular season role-player, but would probably never be used in the playoffs because of his tendency to get physical after the whistle. Tootoo was then interviewed afterwards and seemed kind of disheartened by Babcock's sentiment, but still admitted that he would play any role needed and could understand being sat.
I still don't really understand it though. And it kind of saddens me.
Babcock said that after we move to the East next season, Tootoo might garner more minutes since we will be playing in a more physical division. I understand this, and I agree. However, I was very excited about the Tootoo signing because he is a fast, energy-driven machine on the ice that does far more for the team than just fight. Every time he was on the ice, I noticed him. He was taking shots, finishing checks, and instigating the other team into taking penalties. He showed far more value last season than just that of an enforcer. I just wish he was rewarded for it.
Half of me feels like dressing Tootoo in these past playoffs could've been that edge that we needed. Not only is he a spark plug every shift, but I feel like he would've provided the speed and grit we would've needed to push deeper into the playoffs. Similar to Helm or even Maltby in the past. We need that person to go out and get under their skin a little. Abby tried to fill that role, but took less-timely penalties than Tootoo might've. It's all speculation at this point, I guess.
My last point, and sorry for rambling, is that negatively reinforcing Tootoo's hard work by benching him could make him feel like he has to change his game in order to maintain his TOI, which is EXACTLY WHAT I DON'T WANT. He was playing very well. I hope he continues to play his game the way he does.
Similar to the posts I read on here about "Trade Smith ASAP", I feel that Smith was brought in to be a speedy, puck moving defenseman but has conversely started trying to switch his playstyle because Bab's started benching him or cutting his minutes. I wish we gave our players time to play their own game (which is why we originally brought them into the team), instead of penalizing them for doing exactly that. It sends mixed signals.
Does Tootoo go out next season and play his game the way he likes, or does he go out and try to be a playmaking forward with very little physical presence because he fears getting his minutes cut or getting benched?
Sorry for the long thread for those of you who read the whole thing. Thoughts?
TL;DR - Tootoo was benched for our entire playoff run because Babs feared his physical playstyle would hurt us through penalties. I feel like he could have had a positive impact on our playoff run if he had actually been given a chance. Could the Wings have gone further with his help? Will babs benching him affect the way he plays next season, even if that means shedding the physical aspect of his play?

Hey all!
Been a looooong time since I've posted anything on these boards. I still read posts every morning over coffee, but rarely contribute to the conversation. There is something that has been bothering me lately, though, so I thought I'd post it and see what other people thought.
I read a couple of interviews about Tootoo not too long ago, where Babcock stated that Tootoo was a regular season role-player, but would probably never be used in the playoffs because of his tendency to get physical after the whistle. Tootoo was then interviewed afterwards and seemed kind of disheartened by Babcock's sentiment, but still admitted that he would play any role needed and could understand being sat.
I still don't really understand it though. And it kind of saddens me.
Babcock said that after we move to the East next season, Tootoo might garner more minutes since we will be playing in a more physical division. I understand this, and I agree. However, I was very excited about the Tootoo signing because he is a fast, energy-driven machine on the ice that does far more for the team than just fight. Every time he was on the ice, I noticed him. He was taking shots, finishing checks, and instigating the other team into taking penalties. He showed far more value last season than just that of an enforcer. I just wish he was rewarded for it.
Half of me feels like dressing Tootoo in these past playoffs could've been that edge that we needed. Not only is he a spark plug every shift, but I feel like he would've provided the speed and grit we would've needed to push deeper into the playoffs. Similar to Helm or even Maltby in the past. We need that person to go out and get under their skin a little. Abby tried to fill that role, but took less-timely penalties than Tootoo might've. It's all speculation at this point, I guess.
My last point, and sorry for rambling, is that negatively reinforcing Tootoo's hard work by benching him could make him feel like he has to change his game in order to maintain his TOI, which is EXACTLY WHAT I DON'T WANT. He was playing very well. I hope he continues to play his game the way he does.
Similar to the posts I read on here about "Trade Smith ASAP", I feel that Smith was brought in to be a speedy, puck moving defenseman but has conversely started trying to switch his playstyle because Bab's started benching him or cutting his minutes. I wish we gave our players time to play their own game (which is why we originally brought them into the team), instead of penalizing them for doing exactly that. It sends mixed signals.
Does Tootoo go out next season and play his game the way he likes, or does he go out and try to be a playmaking forward with very little physical presence because he fears getting his minutes cut or getting benched?
Sorry for the long thread for those of you who read the whole thing. Thoughts?
TL;DR - Tootoo was benched for our entire playoff run because Babs feared his physical playstyle would hurt us through penalties. I feel like he could have had a positive impact on our playoff run if he had actually been given a chance. Could the Wings have gone further with his help? Will babs benching him affect the way he plays next season, even if that means shedding the physical aspect of his play?