Broken 16

Ya? And who the hell are you to decide who and what is worthy of discussion? Some of us base our preferences on more than stats. Sorry.

I stopped reading as soon as I saw stats. I'm simply saying that neither Vernon nor Rouse were below average hockey players by any stretch. Not sure why you take issue.

So you would put Cujo ahead of Vernon in the context of RED WINGS HISTORY? Based on what? His ridiculous salary at the time? Cujo did almost as much as Ranford did for the Wings (in other words... very, very little)... meanwhile, Vernon was the goalie that helped us break the drought. Putting Cujo ahead of him in the context of RED WINGS HISTORY is just plain stupid. As a matter of fact, one could argue that Vernon played a big role in helping mold Osgood into the NHL goalie he would become. In the context of RED WINGS HISTORY... I would put Vernon ahead of Hasek but behind Osgood and Sawchuck. Dudes a Hockeytown Hero for God's sake. He owned Roy at center ice and in the playoffs on the way to a Cup... oh yea, and the Conn Smythe. As far as Rouse goes... people like you label him as average or below average because you never noticed him. Guess what... that's what made him great. He was a fixture on D for the back to back championships in 97 and 98. Dude was a stud. He had a nasty streak and was, perhaps, the best 'stay at home' defensmen in the league at the time. He was like the Homer of defense. Knew his role and played it to near perfection. And he didn't mind jackin a dude in the jaw.

Vernon was below average? Lol... Rouse was anything but below average.

Exactly. Man that guy used to spew some serious venom. Remember when he suggested that Bettman's family might be killed. Lol. That one was actually funny.

That he did...

Either way, some fans forgave him for all his bulls*** that he went out of the way to create... others didn't. I'm obviously the latter.

Right... because Detroit was the only team in the NHL that was willing to sign Chris Chelios. I don't know how long you've watched hockey, but I watched Chelios cheap shot Red Wing players and fans for basically his entire tenure in Chicago. I've read so many quotes from him lambasting the Wings and their fans, there is no way I'll ever respect that guy. ESPECIALLY after he joined the team that he proclaimed to hate at every opportunity. I've had to endure that dip s*** in a Wings uniform for too long. Good riddance.

Based on his love of the game... sure. Based on how I would feel seeing him in another jersey? Put him in one with nothing but a big target on it as far as I'm concerned.

I'm sorry... but when you go out of your way to say something like this... a man of integrity sticks behind it. Dudes a great hockey player, but off the ice he has always been a complete tool. Seeing him in another jersey wouldn't break my heart at all. In fact, I hope he's wearing a Chicago jersey. Be fun to watch Bertuzzi work him over.

Not me. I hated Chelios for as long as I can remember. I never forgot the s*** he pulled and said before he turncoated and joined the Wings. Can you imagine if Yzerman made public comments about how he hated Chicago and would never play for them only to leave Detroit not long after and join Chicago? And then proceed to whip the s*** out of us for the next 10 years. That's basically what he did to Chicago in my eyes. I don't respect him much.

Nailed it... My list would be very similar in that I wouldn't include any Wings from before my time. The only thing I might tweak would be the 4th line. I'd be very tempted to go with McCarty/Draper/Kocur. That line was pure money. Edit: I'd also switch Dom with Vernon. I was never a big fan of Dom. Besides... Vernon gets the nod based purely on the fact that he beat the dogs*** out of Roy at center ice.

Yea... lets hope he ignores the obvious and continues to fight so he can REALLY end his career the right way. That would be so awesome.

Play inline off and on. I'm due to get back on the skates. Haven't played on ice in years.

Dominance is a stretch.

I don't know if a direct comparison between the Wings and San Jose is really warranted. The Wings have been there and back a hundred times. In that same time frame, San Jose has done NOTHING. I agree that San Jose is definately due though. Seems like the law of averages will get them to the SCF at some point. Hopefully not any time too soon though.

I didn't say they were going anywhere, I said that they scare me much more than Chicago does. I'm not convinced that Bouwmeester counts as one of those slow defensemen that can't skate. I feel like the Flames would be a bigger hurdle for the Wings than Chicago.

I worry more about Calgary than I do Chicago. Chicago is the sexy choice right now to come out of the West... the media says so. Pens are screwed. Assuming they even make it back into the playoffs, the East is gonna be a meat grinder in the post season. If Malkin or Crosby have a single injury that keeps them out for any extended period, the Pens are done. I don't think that Blysma (whatever) is quite ready to navigate a tired Pens team through what will surely be their most difficult season. Wings will be back before the Pens are.

And that was written before the Wings snagged up Bertuzzi. The dude is right, but let everyone else underestimate Wings. Please! Underestimate them!

I'm just happy that the East can't hide from Western style hockey anymore. Not to mention Pronger on the Flyers. Poor Cindy.

It was a rhetorical question... Some people hold grudges and others don't. I get it.

That may be true, but even without Williams in the grit equation, the Wings still have more snarl than last years team. Williams presence alone isn't enough to justify your claim that the team is less balanced then last season. Who did we lose that could even come close to canceling out the grit that Bertuzzi brings alone. Hudler? Not gritty at all. Hossa? Strong on his skates but hardly gritty. Sammy? Gritty in a Kirk Maltby As Long As The Refs Are Between Us sort of way, I guess. Kopecky?... You still haven't really illustrated why you feel this team is less balanced than last years or are you just gonna fixate on Williams for the entire season?

I distinctly remember Chelios being quoted as saying that Hudler was "a weird little dude". Guess he wasn't kidding.

I think Williams will be (more) gritty under Babcock. I hope anyway. This team has a lot more snarl than lasts years team. They are going to, at the very least, be very fun to watch.

Some funny stuff to come out in lieu of the circumstances. Heh.