sureWhyNot

Haha Political Correctness police to the rescue. This post is R-E-T-A-R-T-E-D with a capital R. And *** is an adjective that shows one is having or showing a merry, lively mood - so settle down you middle school principal you. As to your initial - and incredibly waste of space question - Babcock should do nothing - absolutely nothing. I also don't really buy into Hossa being a "carreerr choker in the playoffs." While his numbers definitely do not match his regular season play per say, minus a couple years his playoff points look pretty good: Year Team GP G A PTS PIM 1998-99 OTT NHL 4 0 2 2 4 1999-00 OTT NHL 6 0 0 0 2 2000-01 OTT NHL 4 1 1 2 4 2001-02 OTT NHL 12 4 6 10 2 2002-03 OTT NHL 18 5 11 16 6 2003-04 OTT NHL 7 3 1 4 0 2006-07 NYR NHL 4 0 1 1 6 2007-08 PIT NHL 20 12 14 26 12 Totals 75 25 36 61 36 I mean he is a .81 point per game player in the playoffs, which again, isn't jaw dropping, but far from "notorious playoff choker". If you take out his first two seasons in Ottawa, in which both the team was bad, and Hossa was still finding his stride in the league, he jumps to a .85 points per game player, which isnt much of a jump, but again, isn't a black hole of a number either.

I agree here. I hate the Ducks, I hate the Ducks so much that it is somewhat hard to work up an equal, let alone increased hate for the Hawks, but it is impossible to not recognize how bad it would feel (in this case for Hiller) to pur your heart and soul into a 7 game series only to lose. Regardless of whether or not the Wings "made him look better then he is", Hiller played as hard as he could and the fact he was visually upset is actually more normal, then either "funny" or "shocking". That said, I hate the Ducks and still smile thinking about the Cleary goal in game 7.

OK, say you had the responsibility for drafting tonight's line up - who do you go with? Here's mine (I know there's holes in it, but whatever, it's just for fun): Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Cleary Hossa-Flip-Franzen Hudler-Samuelsson-Leino Abdelkader-Helm-McCarty *IF and it's a huge IF, Draper were to miraculously suit up for game 7, I would have him center the 4th line and move Abdelkader out and shift Helm over to LW * Lidstrom-Rafalski Stuart-Ericcson Kronwall-Lebda Osood Conklin

Ha ha. I hear ya on this one for sure.

It's the playoffs and while I don't really come on here and attack other fans - I have no problem with those who do. Game 7 against the s*** eating Ducks and you are worried about the treatment of other fans? I live in Chicago, and deal with a non stop s*** show of a hard time when I go to the United Center - and that's in the regular season. Granted I open my mouth quite a bit - I still get it bad. I shrug it off because thats how it goes. Other fans? F*ck 'em for right now. I am worried about one thing and one thing only - winning. Outside that I could care less who is "mean" or "agressive" to another teams fans on THIS (a Red Wings) forum.

Are you serious? I mean I am thinking this is a joke - because I find it hard to believe that anyone would make a statement as boneheaded as the one you made above.

He has a bad groin injury - he has been and will remain off the ice, even for practices, pre skates, etc. He won't be back for a minute, it's a shame, but the reality of the situation.

AWESOME... I am glad you are content... I (and it sounds like a lot of other people) am not... We had a undeniable goal taken from us in the last minute of a Stanley Cup playoff game... All your kumbaya wish-wash won't change the anger a situation like this evokes (and and rightfully so) from passionate fans.

I am not going to be able to sleep for a while. I am a mix of both pissed, and sad. It is disgusting - absolutely ******* disgusting. Keep it classy Brad Watson:

It's a pretty good lineup. I mean, not as good as ours - depth wise we have them covered pretty well - but the top two lines on both teams are beyond solid. I am feeling good about the Wings chances b/c when it gets down to it (emphasis on third line) we have them beat hands down. And that - the third and 4th lines (as well as PP) is why I am loving Detroit's chances in this series.

Here is the actual Kolosov fight. Suprisingly he wins the tilt - I wouldn't say it was an all out ass whooping, but definitely a win: Kolosov vs. White:

In a regular tape session ya. But I think this was if anything, an attempt too get their guys to study proven champs, and how they play every aspect of their game. I mean it is actually flattering for the Wings. It is an attempt to try (of course they won't mirror, but to try) emulating the Wings.

Good idea. I think this did a couple things for the less experienced Jackets. 1) It served as something to take their minds off the pure hype surrounding the NHL playoffs. I mean to the Wings, this is a yearly thing, they aren't phased by it. But to a younger, non playoff experience (for the most part, even though they do have some vets who have been around the block) group of guys the exposure, mounting pressure and the pure magnitude of walking into Joe Louis for game one of a playoff series could get into your head. Maybe Hitchcock thought this would give them a least a little something to help take their minds off of the sheer size of what they are about to enter into. 2) Familiarize with the opponent. I mean, I think we can all agree there is no amount of studying one could do which would lead to a "shut down" of a Datsyuk, Hossa, Zetterberg, etc. However if they take away things from proven greats, even if it is in the form of attempting to emulate a segment of their game there is certainly not going to be anything "bad" coming from it. I mean take for example Mason studying Ozzie. Osgood is a playoff warrior who is a proven champ. I would like my young goalie, regardless of how good he was in the regular season, take - or at least try to take something away from a proven vet like Ozzie. I mean what bad can come of it? Also, I am confident we are going to win this series, but I am always weary of completely writing the other team off. It is bad news when you start talking about "sweeps" and what not before the first game, or really at all. After the playoff losses to Calgary and Edmonton a couple years back I take nothing for granted.

After reading this comment, I am curious as too what team does use the "goonish" model. I mean people around here throw the word "good" around and I seriously dont think they have the faintest clue what "goon" hockey is. The Broad Street Bullies were a "goon" oriented team. There are a numebr of Bruins teams that you could argue were "goonish" to some extent, and so on. But in todays game their isn't a true "goon" squad - period. But I guess recognizing that wouldn't be as easy as continuing to use the term and the applause/agreement it receives from the majority of people on this board. Kind of silly. I mean in essence he is openly admitting we are soft as all hell. I mean it's a cute little tid-bit for a good portion of fans, but not really true in a literal sense. Yes, we do win cups. Unfortunately (and this happens all to often with the ad hoc statements thrown around on here such as this one) the years the Wings won the cup, they actually did quite a bit of fighting - at least in a compartitive sense to where we currently sit. Years the Red Wings won the Cup: 1996-97: 98 Fighting Majors 1997-98: 50 Fighting Majors 2001-02: 30 Fighting Majors 2007-08: 31 Fighting Majors I know people get sick of me "posting these silly stats", and I can see why. I too get annoyed when people come up with tangible proof which negates almost my entire argument. But as long as people throw statements such as the one this is in response too, I am going to continue proving them to be exactly what they are - garbage. I mean it is so cut and dry obvious that while the actual "fighting" may not be a huge predictor of a teams success, it sure as hell is a good measuring stick as too the teams toughness. And we all know that "toughness" is needed in the playoffs and needs to be a part of any well rounded team in general. Also want to point out that I am not saying the Wings won't win the Cup this year. I am praying they do, and think they have as good of a chance as any, if not better then doing so. I am simply trying to show that the status quo sentiment that the Wings being "above the fighting" fray while winning cups along the way is actually not true. The years they have won, they may not have led the league in fighting, but they sure as heck didn't shy away from it.

Wow, way to interject an incrediblly not funny joke at what would be an otherwise great post. Video was great, thread is great, the whole "Michael Moore" riff - not so great.

Downey is so far down on the list of problems the Griffins have it is almost funny you even mentioned him as being one of the factors contributing to their recent slump.

You're joking right? About taking Hudler over Hossa?

I sure as hell do. As stated earlier in the thread he is a cream puff - a cream puff that loves to face wash, and shove after the whistle, which then leads to him getting flattened by people like Vandameer. Now that he's signed for 11 years he has to make up his mind - either stop with the patty cake after the whistle - making himself a bigger target then he already is, or learn how to back it up. He won't be "putting the puck in the net" if he is hurt, which he already has a knack for being.

I am so sick of Osgood it is not even worth fuming about anymore. He is absolutely, unequivocally, the worst goalie in the NHL, starting or otherwise. I don't care we won cups with him in the past - it was great, but the past doesn't win you games in the present. The only thing that comes close to my Osgood induced nausea is the people (you know who you are) who refuse to face reality and continue to coddle his inept ass horrid game after horrid game. The list starts from George "I don't write about it unless I can whine about it" Malik, all the way down to the sh*t goaltending enablers on these boards. He is a joke -- plain and simple. It hasn't been a bad game here and there, it is bad game every time he is between the pipes. It's a shame that we will probably not repeat this year (though I pray I am wrong) all because a goalie who is capable of winning simply cannot get over his "issues". Ozzie is showing us today with his jaw dropping 13 saves on 15 shots, with both goals being jokes (the first one assisted by Osgood himself), that he is ready to lead us in the playoffs.

I muyst have missed the "mayhem" part - I mean I saw some people skate after one another and a goalie swat someone with his blocker, but completely missed out on the rest. Either way, thanks for the clip. As for Avery - big deal, I mean really. People act like Avery was a suspected accessory to murder (whoops, that was the other professional sports league) or did something downright appalling like spit in the face of an official (darn, again, wrong professional sports league). He said sloppy seconds (big f*cking deal) and is better at being a pest then anyone in the league, and probably the best overall at agitating since the all time best, Dino Ciccarelli. I love Avery, and what I love even more is the crying and whining that his actions evoke from a portion of the hockey crowd - it's real time proof that he is doing exactly what he planned to and it's working like a charm.

What a tragedy. It's a real shame. Stuff like this really puts things like bad goals, and what not into perspective.

In my opinion - the hands down SICKEST shootout goal to date in all of hockey. The originality of it is second to none, and while there has been a lot of bad ass shootout goals (with quite a few coming from our own Pavel Datsyuk) this one is my favorite. Apparently Omark was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers, and hopefully we will get to see him doing stuff like this in the NHL sooner or later (just not against us I hope).

Wow. Suprising statement coming from someone who refuses to acknowledge the fact Ozzie has played like garbage 90% of the season.

What I don't understand about the people who are still refusing to acknowledge the fact Osgood has played a level beyond horrible this year is how they would answer one question. That is, if you showed up day after day for work and absolutely s*** the bed in the sense you were not doing your job at a level even close to what was expected how long would you last? I mean, it doesn't matter if every two weeks you throw in a good day, 85% of your work productivity remains s***ty. How long would it be until you got fired? Or for you to fire a employee who was doing this?