sureWhyNot

Welcome to LGW. I think we have a 70/30 chance of making the playoffs with the 70% chance being we get in. No we don't... Not even close... We are still one of the better teams in the NHL, and maybe once healthy become quasi elite, but as of right now we are not. I do think though we will make a couple big moves next summer once we have some cap money, and that - at least in my opinion, will be our best chance at becoming top 3 teams in the league.

We just signed Franzen and Zetterberg to long term deals as well. Not really. Truth be told, the Hawks are f*cking stacked and I hate it. I loathe Hawks fans (mostly bc two years ago they thought the United Center was where the Bulls played and nothing else), but it is hard to deny that they are as solid as any team in the league. Patrick Sharp: $4.2 million (cap hit: $3.9 million) Dave Bolland: $3.375 million Kris Versteeg: $3.083 million Dustin Byfuglien: $3.0 million Tomas Kopecky: $1.2 million Brian Campbell: $7.140 million Brent Sopel: $2.0 million (cap hit: $2.33 million) If they can find someone to take Campbell (which they probably won't) it will be him and another guy in bold gone. If Campbell stays 3 of the guys in bold will be gone. Most likely out of Bolland, Sharp, Versteeg, Sopel, Byfuglien 2-3 will be gone, but with Which is not really the biggest problem when you have Hossa, Kane, Toews, Keith, Barker, Seabrook and any 2 of those 5 you have a great core. You then fill the openings with the Bertuzzi's and Eave's of the league as well as bring up some of the guys you have been grooming in the AHL much like we did with Abdelkater, Leino, etc. We can try our hardest to play down what they are putting together, but the fact of the matter is that they are going to be good - real good from now through the foreseeable future. So weird too - I mean 2 years ago I would have laughed if someone told me the Hawks would become a powerhouse - I knew Toews Kane and co. would mature some and they would be better, but never would I have imagined them becoming a powerhouse. They got a 7 million a year player in Hossa for 5.2, two of the best offensive forwards in the West (and the league for that matter) in Kane and Toews, and a sick good blue-line with Seabrook and Keith. Nothing short term about the Hawks fellas. It kills me to say it, but it really is impossible to deny.

Ya, I was watching the game and Foote just unloaded. It was somewhat bizarre because Ballard was a little shaken up, and not even on his feet yet. I've never liked Foote, and never will - this helped remind me why.

First goal was a BS call - the second wasn't a rip off.

This is soooo true. My dads been saying this ever since the 05-06 playoffs when we made Dwayne Roloson look like the reincarnation of Sawchuck, Brodeur and Roy put together.

Ha ha ya - I actually loathe Leino. It's getting to the point the refs are handing Flames penalties for crossing the blue line. Not much complaining from Calgary though due the the Red Wings complete and utter inability to score -- on the PP or any other situation for that matter. Helm be diving.

We definitely need to stick Leino on the first PP unit. He is awesome.

lol.

We should bring Hakan Andersson to help us scout within the league. The guy is a proven genius when it comes to sniffing out talent and could possibly help us grabbing guys like Antero Niittymaki, Rich Peverley, Maxim Afinogenov, etc. Or any other low key free agent steals.

Our shot selection is horrid. Top of the circle, into goalies chest. Rush after rush, after rush. We could putt 100 on net a night and still be shut out.

Riiiight. Howard is 24th in GAA and Ozzie is 26th. Howard is 34th in SV% and Ozzie is 31st. Our goal tending sucks. True - other aspects have been bad as well, but to deny the fact we've had weak goal tending is asinine.

Ya, I was watching the game on center ice and Anaheim straight dominated Chicago. It was weird, Chicago looked stellar against San Jose, but like amateurs against Anaheim.

Not just you. I was at the Atlanta game earlier this week and it's getting to the point where its hard to watch. Sure they out-shoot their opponents, but the problem is they take an obscene amount of low percentage shots that more or less do nothing other then fade the opposing goalies logo on the front of his jersey. Goaltending is atrocious - yes Ozzie and Howard have played well at points throughout the season, but for the most part it has been brutal. Defense is worse then anything we have seen in a while. (Erikkson and Lebda both -4) Special teams are dismal. Besides Zetterberg, none of our primary or secondary point producers are producing.

M. Kiprusoff: 15 Shots 15 Saves C. Osgood: 6 Shots 4 Saves

Seems like the per usual for this years team. Brutal to watch.

Good god this Chicago team looks beyond great with Hossa in their lineup. Made San Jose look silly tonight - Hossa looks like he hasn't missed a beat. The Kane-Toews-Hossa line is going to be the best line in hockey once they have a game or two (didn't even look like they needed that tonight) to develop chemistry. Wow. I hate - err, I loathe the Hawks with every bone in my body but after watching them tonight I have to say I was absolutely blown away.

I am taking this as a indication you are not aware that they are ready to sign Kane, Toew's and Duncan Keith to long term contracts - but are waiting for the whole tagging issue to play out. That will give them Campbell (granted, very overpaid), Hossa, Kane, Toews, Versteeg and Bolland all locked up for the foreseeable future. I agree they were bad for a very long time - thats pretty obvious. But to claim that their success is going to be short lived or that they mortgaged their future for a single year is downright false. Whats your point? Hossa played on teams year after year that were less talented then the Wings - period. Franzen has had every tool a NHL'er could want throughout his early years, Hossa didn't. I was arguing since the start of this Hossa/Franzen debate that Hossa is the superior player. Also we could have definitely managed a long term deal with Hossa. Franzen signed for 11 years with a annual cap hit of $3.9/season and Hossa signed for 12 years with cap hit of $5.2/season. I know that $1.3 million could have been made up somewhere else. Heck don't sign either Williams or Bertuzzi, bring up another youngster or a cheaper FA and that would cover half the 1.3. Not to mention we coulda probably had Hossa for a tad cheaper then Chicago got him - long term that is. Who knows. It is pointless to look back now. I hope Franzen returns and is better then ever.

Oh s***. I suppose the 9-1 Columbus rout we put on explains the s*** streak we are in now - Correct?

Thank you - this is spot on. People also forget that Hossa was hurt - this was confirmed afterwords, hence the off season shoulder surgery. Chicago is sick - flat out. I hate them, I live in the city and have to put up with the nauseating bandwagon hawks fans (not all Hawks fans, but the most vocal - in Chicago at least - are) but to deny the fact that they are insanely good shows pure ignorance on whoever is making the claim. One last thing on this topic - while a hurt Hossa did not play as well as he probably could have, he still ended up with 15 points for us in the 23 postseason (6 goals, 9 assists) games he played in. Datsyuk had 9 points (1 goal, 8 assists) and while yes - he did play 7 fewer games (16 postseason games) then Hossa, I think we can still agree - was just as big of a bust, if not bigger then Hossa. Homer had a whopping 7 points in 23 games, Cleary had 15 points (same as Hossa), and Flip had 16 points. So ya - maybe Hossa wasn't a horse, but then again, neither were some others who we counted on. I will say this much - Hossa put up 40 goals in the regular season with 31 assists to boot. Disregard this as much as you have to in order to make yourself feel better, but 71 points is 71 points. I am not going to sit here are list why I would have rather kept Hossa over Franzen - it is meaningless. I did however express my desire to keep Hossa out of the two throughout last year, into the summer, right up until Hossa put the Hawks sweater on at their wack ass press conference with dozens of clapping schoolchildren. Franzen is a beast - Hossa however is a proven beast (same age as Franzen and since 05-06 has posted season point totals of 92, 100, 66 and 71 while Franzen since 05-06 has posted season point totals of 16, 30, 38, and 59) Again, these two are the exact same age. I am by no means saying Franzen won't put up huge numbers - I pray to god he does - I am just pointing out that Hossa is in an elite category of players already. I will leave it at that. I will say that the Red Wings are far from the only team with injury issues - so that excuse, especially this year more then any in recent memory, is somewhat moot.

Wow - I have to say I disagree. I can see by your name why you would have Finland over the United States, but still don't agree with it. For me swap the US and Finland and it looks about right. Whoever is arguing against Kane being anything other then the third best winger on the roster is plain out foolish - Parise is the best, and I suppose you could make an argument that Kessel is better - but other then that Kane is as pure of a scorer as we have.

eva unit zero you don't even have Stasny in your lineup?

With the USA worried about matching offense I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Gomez or Gionta on the 4th line. Probably more Gomez the Gionta. Modano doesn't have a ice cubes chance in hell of making this team. And Drury shouldn't be on anything other then the taxi squad if that after his dismal pasy couple of years.

I actually think that we look OK. I am not saying we are going to medal for sure - that would be idiotic. But I do think that if a couple things go our way, we could end up surprising some people. This thing is a sprint, and if the right guys get hot at the right time - who knows, anything can happen. My predictions are: Gold: Canada Silver: Russia Bronze: Sweden

Ahh, I forgot about him in my lineup. Good pick for sure. I would definitely add Carle somewhere in my top 4 as well.

How are you leaving JVR outta the lineup? If in fact we are going into a year with an outside shot of medaling, don't you think it would be worthwhile to bring some younger guys up who will be part of Team USA for a while? Not to mention JVR is killing it in Philly. Also, I kept my lineup with guys playing their natural position. LW are playing LW, C are playing C and so on. With so little time to practice I think keeping guys at their natural positions could help. Miller is elite. Arguably the best goalie in hockey when healthy. Edge USA in goal tending.