kook_10

http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=35&id=71018 I definitely think that its great to have some R&D on gameplay and also great to test it out in game, but I dont know if 17 year olds are really the best test subjects. I inherently trust Shanny as a custodian of the game, but I don't think the whole idea of a camp is the best way to go about it. Isn't that what the AHL is for? He says there isn't really anything wrong with the game per se, but the whole idea of rule changes has already taken on such a life of its own. I can only imagine the circus that will surround this, especially since its in Toronto. I think I would prefer a more subtle way of addressing these things.

apparently he voted for going to 4-on-4 after the first overtime, which isn't as bad but enough to maybe reexamine my blind trust. http://slapshot.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/04/the-morning-skate-is-stanley-cup-overtime-in-danger/

the only Wings I have met were at a Wings Old Timers vs U of M Dearborn game when I was like 6 or 7 in the early 80s. I couldnt tell you who was there for the life of me. After I moved to LA, the old purple and gold Kings used to come out to the few local rinks regularly and have charity events and the like. I met Marcel Dionne, Luc Robitaille, Steve Duchesne, Bernie Nicholls, Jimmy Fox, Tiger Williams, Mark Hardy, Anders Hakansson, Dave Taylor etc. They were all really nice and apparently understood that playing in LA before Gretzky meant they would be required to be local hockey ambassadors.

I'll be rooting for them, but I wouldn't call them a "favorite" per se. I would feel untrue to the Wings if I called another team "favorite". I liked them after their cup run in 2004 though. It was one of the guttiest in a long while, especially Lecavalier's performance. The extent of their decline to me is a little puzzling. Lecav is only 30 so there is a lot of game left in him, and in St Louis too. If Stevie can get back out of those guys what was once there they should be playoff bound in no time.

Forced out of his GM role - the role he wants just like Steve does, for gods sake. Why does Kenny have to take a hit? He isn't in the twilight of his GM career like Steve was.

If you want to compare their careers, I would argue that Kenny's spot as GM is to him exactly what still playing in the NHL was to Steve. It is his time to shine in the big league. No one forced Stevie off the ice, so why should anyone do that to Kenny? He deserves to ride out his career in the same way.

I used to think I would feel betrayed, but with his Team Canada work and all the talk lately it just seemed like an inevitability. He has a great opportunity: he can't do any worse and has a great core squad to work with. With some luck he may just be able to mold Stamkos into Cindy's replacement as the face of the league, and wouldn't that be nice.

I really hate to see him go, but good for him. He is going to turn Stamkos into one really amazing player.

It's tough for me to envision either of the East teams beating either of the West teams, but of course its possible. I just think both SJ and Chi can adapt better to any type of game Phi or Mtl will throw at them. IMO their only hope is playing up the left wing lock or trap and making zone entries very difficult. Both SJ and Chi have excellent north/south games as well as offensive zone setups (with SJ's defense producing offensively, and Buttmuffin doing his best Homer impression. If they are going to have a chance they will have to defend the blue line with their lives.

we're a happy family!

Babcock said last year that he was the best player he has ever sent down. A good NHL future is definitely in his cards, but I can see him running hot & cold. Like many competitive athletes I am sure he is even harder on himself than the coaches are, and he doesn't seem to respond well to criticism. He can hope that his cold is just hotter than most.

...but the benefit of having more good people to learn from like Nick did is that these guys can find their own game by incorporating lessons from a variety of players' styles. To me the jury is out on Meech, but Lebda and Ericsson are clearly not the sharpest knives in the drawer. For that reason, Lids may not be able to fully impart his most valuable assets unto them - his hockey smarts. It's like Gretzky trying to teach McSorley poise and vision - the teacher and student aren't ideally compatible. If E can pick up any smarts from Lids though its a good thing, but he still needs some big body mentoring too because he will never be the best player he can be if he tries to only play Nick's game. That is where Beast and/or Kenny should step in and get him some help to round out the rest of his game. I feel like Meech can add value from pitching in up front, but if Lebda (without versatility or size) can't learn from Lids then he adds nothing and is a lost cause.

Maybe a contributing factor could be that Lids and Raffi aren't as good at teaching as their own mentors were. Lids had Coffey, Fetisov, Murphy, McCrimmon, Chiasson, played along Vladdy and Cheli. Raffi had Stevens, Niedermayer, Daneyko. Ericsson/Lebda/Meech may need more hand holding than they can provide. It takes a village to raise those idiots.

on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon they apparently did Rolling Stones week, and had musical guests play Stones songs. Keith Urban did a great Tumblin Dice: i can't wait to see the documentary too.

see the links i already posted

Babcock was the one who publicly and repeatedly questioned Leino's effort (including in practice), and he knows much better than you or me.

you don't like to read do you? You absolutely can and should expect backchecking from an 800k guy. You absolutely can and should expect an 800k guy to battle for the puck. Players find their confidence by moving their feet and creating opportunities. Look at Val Filppula. Ville wasn't willing or able to do that here. Whether it was from laziness or a limp-dicked crisis of confidence, he didn't put in the effort here. If I were to accept your argument I would end up respecting him less because he had to have his confidence handed to him rather than working for it.

I agree, for the same reason as I liked the Eaves pickup when we first got him: if we're going to pick up a lower liner, we may as well pick up a young one because they have the potential to be more. An older guy like O'Donnell isn't going to impress everyone with a breakout year. Since the Wings haven't had the pick of the patch draftwise for many years, it behooves them to find additional potential in league-ready guys. Any potential left in O'Donnell is already exhausted.

I gotta say I'm with Newfy on this one. If anything Perry initiated a little contact with Vokoun, but he didn't get his foot behind him.

that is just flat wrong. he sat because of his lack of effort. here are a small sampling of a million articles stating as much: http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=504605 http://detnews.com/article/20091229/OPINION03/912290343/Ville-Leino-understands-demotion http://m.freep.com/news.jsp?key=579364&rc=ne http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/teams/report/DET/12721321/red-wings-report-roster http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/2009/12/how_can_red_wings_forward_vill.html http://blog.mlive.com/its-just-sports/2009/12/a_red_wings_matter_we_can_all.html http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2010/01/ville_leino_faces_tough_battle.html

from his little blog entry, it doesn't sound like Lilja is so confident about returning to the Wings lineup. http://redwings.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=61686&navid=DL

That boy just needs a mentor who can teach him how to play a big man's game. He is not the most fitting beneficiary of Nick's experience (or even Raffi's for that matter). There is just no one on the squad who can show him how to clear out the net and make life hell for opposing forwards.

Jeez - no one knows the kid or is tearing him down. He just has the poor fortune of being a funny symbol of the Bruins failure. The Bruins make little kids cry.

can you grab a still of the crying kid after the game? that was classic.