Jersey Wing

Granted, I don't live in Detroit and would gladly forgive the Wings whom I do not blame for the lockout (I blame the proper 8-9 owners Bettman fights so hard for and Mr I ain't one of them). Vanderbeek in NJ however where I see games is another matter. No games for me this year, not supporting the Devils with a ticket another day. I may go to the Rangers but I have issues with games there too (too cramped, too dark, and people wander around far too much during the game). So no NHL for me this year, no more Devils ever. I'll watch Wings games on TV but that is going to be my great "contribution" to this upcoming abortion of a season. Thanks NHL!

Happy Hudler wasn't too happy the other night, he took a skate to the neck but according to reports he got off lucky: Calgary Flames winger Jiri Hudler had a close call playing for Trinec in the Czech League. Play-by-play announcer Roman Jedlicka reports that Hudler was hospitalized after taking a skate to the neck Wednesday. Hudler needed stitches but avoided a major injury because the skate blade didn’t cut an artery, according to Jedlicka. http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2012/12/26/hudler-avoids-serious-injury-after-taking-skate-to-neck/

Wow, I'm just catching up on this now. A bad situation for this young man. Time to get right. The saddest part is he'll never live down being arrested in that Avalanche sweater.

I had a rare treat Saturday night while my wife and I were visiting friends in Boston. We're both huge hockey fans, pro or college and our hosts met at the University of New Hampshire and love supporting their UNH Wildcats. Saturday UNH was playing the second of a home and home at Northeastern University's historic (Oldest arena still standing -- built in 1910 and the original home to the Bruins) Matthews Arena, home of the Huskies. What a gem. Some oddly placed obstructed view seats, an upper deck that is so close to the action it practically hangs out over the ice, actual registers on the walls the keep the place warm and benches across the ice from each other. Unfortunately that quirkiness means it had about two small bathrooms. I thought since we're waiting for the NHL talks to go somewhere we cold discuss quirks in hockey arenas both pro and college we liked or didn't. What makes a great cozy "barn" to play hockey in? What about the old egg shaped corners at the old Chicago Stadium et al. Matthews Arena OK, as for the quirks part of the topic. The game went to overtime last night tied 0-0. As the teams were getting ready for overtime we saw something we'd never seen before and fancy we never see it again. Before OT every guy in the upper deck at each end took off his shirt (the upper decks at both ends it should be noted stand the entire game). Couldn't believe our eyes. Another of those odd hockey traditions I suppose.

Anyone else hear that? Unless I miss my guess it's the chickens coming home to roost.

The Barclay's Center is only going to seat 14,500 for games. Smallest seating in the NHL. Kind of intimate and if I were Mr. Wang (It's a parking lot, what's with the pictures) I wouldn't plan on making a huge gate each home game

Gary Bettman admitted he'd never been to an NHL game in his life before becoming commissioner and has run the NHL like a guy who had never been to an NHL game before becoming Commissioner. Any time Bettman says he feels for the fans or mentions the fans being the real losers in his lockout how would he know? He's not an NHL fan.

This poll is unfair. Sergei Bautin is not an option.

I'm from Ortonville. I had Ken Morrow two towns up M-15 in Davison and Pat LaFontaine two towns down M-15 in Waterford.

Agreed on Luongo. Patrick Kane comes to mind. Ovechkin is gonna start making these lists soon enough

I have a couple. Avery for being a douchenozzle in general. Big Bert. I'm glad I got to see him as a Wing and thus hear him in interviews and media and know he sincerely feels awful for the hit on Steve Moore. His apology I have no doubt is heartfelt. He is a decent man. Still, I just can't embrace him the same way I do others. The one that always bugged me was Jamie Macoun winning in Detroit and getting his name on the cup in 1998. I was what I'd say was a passing acquaintance with Pat LaFontaine at Lakeland Arena out in Waterford as our paths crossed often enough back in the day. Everyone there including me (we're a year apart) thought he was a god. He was never the same after Macoun mother****ed him with a stick to the jaw right after LaFontaine was traded to Buffalo. We weren't pals but it still felt kind of personal in a local clan (not Klan) kind of way.

A couple points. I know the first one comes off as arrogant but whatever. I think Nashville fans have been shown their place in the NHL pecking order over the last month. It's not a destination for players. It is a place where guys go until they are ready to go make serious money elsewhere. Nashville may well match Philly's offer but once Weber signed it it was clear he too wanted out of Smashville. Next point, where does the Preds franchise go from here? Their two top players courted, one gone already and another perhaps days away from leaving. Their fan favorite and energy guy signs with a rival. Not a lot to draw the locals. An NHL franchise has always been iffy in Nashville, they collect mounds of revenue sharing cash, Bettman had to overstep the bounds of decency to keep them in Nashville. I just can't see where this offseason does anything but "retards" (And don't get up in arms over that word it is being used properly here) their growth, growth they felt was putting them up there with the NHL big boys. Alas, the Preds get to stay at the kids table for the next few Thanksgivings.

An excellent point made here by Pierre Lebrun at ESPN which should give Wings fans much hope some good players could show up yet: In the end, Detroit has another avenue: wait it out until the new collective bargaining agreement is signed, sealed and delivered. Several teams I’ve spoken with over the past few weeks believe there will be bargains to be had on good players come September, October or November -- whenever there’s a new CBA -- because some overspending teams will have miscalculated and will need to get rid of players to get under the new cap. At least a half-dozen teams I know of are waiting for this. Detroit could benefit from that as well. Much more on the Wings and a good read in general: http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl/post/_/id/18230/debate-wither-the-wings-and-rick-nash?

I'm enjoying reading the comments at the Tennessean and the Star Ledger and both have often touched on the meme they took the cowards way out.

And the incredible irony lost on both these guys, unlike Detroit, their new owner will now spend the summer trying to roll back Parise and Suter's new salaries he JUST signed them to.

Well he's now free to play in front of family and friends and get quick escapes to his farm in Madison without the pressure of ever having to win. What a great deal for Suter, one that says "I'm not the warrior everyone thought I was."

Dave Molinari ‏@MolinariPG Pittsburgh is OFFICIALLY OUT on Zach Parise. He will not be joining the Penguins. Retweeted by Kukla's Korner .com

No problem Zach and Ryan. Don't worry about the other guys trying to make life decisions whom order dictates they do after both of you. Ah yes the ME generation once again. The best franchise in the league has made you both very fair, some might say overly so, offers to play in first class. If you can't make up your minds after knowing this day was coming for years don't expect us to anguish with you. You'll sign the paper or you won't at this point. Either way Red Wing nation shall endure and conquer as it has for almost a century.

Oh no, I can't make up my mind. It's all so hard. On one hand I want to play with my BFF Sidney. Sure is a lot of upside to playing on that line. Marty Brodeur won't STOP calling me since he re-signed. I like New Jersey buuuuuuuut I"m from Minnesota and boy would it be dandy to go back home. Yes, back home would be nice. ENOUGH! Jesus Zach, you saw this coming, you had to. You knew 20 teams would line up and you had to know enormous amounts would be discussed. Didn't you discuss this with your agent? This smells to me as of now no matter who gets him he's going to have a rough transition if he's still this conflicted.

Suter is what we need, Parise was always the icing

I've been thinking on this all day. At first I was like many of you, shocked, hurt, betrayed, sickened, and had convulsions (More than normal). But I kept thinking. This guy was on the A-1 dickhead list. Upper tier disturber. I hated hear those whistles (and put me down for banishment of those things) because something stupid and painful could well happen to the Wings. I kept thinking. A heat seeking missile some nights might just be what they need. Someone to crank somebody into next Tuesday from the forward position ala Kronwall from defense. Somebody the other team really gets distracted by. He wouldn't have lasted this long if he couldn't do something right. Yeah, I know, it's Jordin Tootoo. I know. Same thing with Chelios. Laimbeer was an ass in Cleveland before he got to Detroit. I'm adopting a wait and see attitude. He might workout. He might not. He'll be playing with better linemates in Detroit overall and it would appear he'll be highly motivated. A highly motivated checker and dastardly hitter is what a lot of people here clamor for no? If Patrick Kane, zee hockey player, does his next Discover card ad in a full body cast compliments of Tootoo it would go a long way to making things right.

Good grab on this, the Star Ledger has nothing on it, it's all about Parise

Frk is a Russian word that when translated actually means "low skater" I mean how ironic, amiright? OK I just made it up

Who knows if he'll be a regular but in a probable lockout world he could look like a smart signing on the other side of the lockout

I'd say the January 30th game against Montreal sticks out as a possibility. Wednesday night so Versus/NBC Sports would show it, Original Six, pump some life into the schedule before all-star break. Stevie's ceremony was in early January as I recall.