xBrave_Heartx

f***in yeah Cally. keep it up

If Kenny isn't out as GM of Detroit soon, I can see Stevie heading elsewhere to be a GM. I imagine if Team Canada goes for gold alot of teams will be knocking on his door.

Abdelkader should get some time in GR, i think the playing time and being an offensive threat will help him next time he is in the NHL.

He should be close to an elite talent by now. he's been a solid 1st liner, but he should be more than what he is at this point.

God I miss the pain train someone view my sig

1. Dustin Brown 2. David Backes 3. Brooks Orpik 4. Danny Carcillo 5. Steve Downie

In all fairness, they were forcing a #2-3 Power Play specialist into a #1 role. Not good. Like Brad Staurt with every team he played with, forced into roles he couldn't handle. Which is why he does better with the wings. He's playing the role he should play. Same in Detroit, Mat would be paying a role he should be. Paired with Big Rig on the third pairing and manning the 2nd PP with Kronner. Not only does our 2nd PP unit instantly get better by having Mat there. You also get JWill off the D PP, and possibly down low as a forward.

What do we lack? Forwards? Goal Scoring Talent Power Forwards Gritty Two Way Players Toughness Defense? Stay at Home Toughness Goaltending? N/A We lack, what our team has been lacking for awhile, overall abrasiveness, but kenny has made it a point that detroit isn't built on that, So i wouldn't suggesst that our draft strategy change much, if any. 1st Round, I'll say, Skilled Forward. 2nd through 4th, BPA, Skill Focused, Mixture of F/D 5th through 7th, Gambles, Whether it is a gritty player *Callahan* or a diamon skilled player *Almqvist* I dont see detroit stretching to far, to get that big stay at home body. They had their chance with Petrecki over Smith in 2 drafts past. If they really wanted that stay at home body, they had there chances. Regardless. Detroit wont take chances on big bodies or too much grit until the later rounds. that way its less of a gamble.

Ritola may have a bigger upside, but that doesn't mean you dont earn your spot on the roster. Regardless of the upside that Ritola may have over Newbury. Atleast Newbs produces and has an effect on the game. In Grand Rapids he put up more points and gave the team a bit more of a back bone, same deal here in Detroit. Kenny didn't sign Newbury because he thought he could help out GR, He signed him incase Detroit had some injury problems. Newbury isn't an enforcer, He isn't even that much of a fighter but he sticks up for himself and teammates, while putting up some impressive numbers in the NHL and not looking out of place at all here in the NHL centering May and Malts. My point is that, Ritola hasn't earned his spot on this team, or even earn a look on this roster for that matter. Mursak has vastly improved and is doing a phenomenal job. Jeremy Williams, as much as I am not a fan of him, Atleast he shoots the puck and isn't shy about doing so. Why not give Emmerton a shot, because under the same merit he has earned it just as much as Ritola. If Ritola cant hack it as a scoring line forward in the AHL, What is he supposed to do in the NHL? Be invisible on the 3rd and 4th lines? If you are a 3rd and 4th liner at least have a purpose.

He hasrdly produces any points, He's soft, He will play timid just like the last game he played for the wings. For god sakes I would have rather had Jeremy Williams.

Fighting wise? I'll take Downey. Skill wise? I'll take May. The only thing May has, is the same thing Mac brought to us, It's positioning and seasoning. He understood his role and he understood where to be. He May 'was' a goon, but he plays like a seasoned vet and knows where to be and were to go with the puck, When downs was on the ice, He was looking for the hit and when it came to playing smart hockey, he was always a step behind. Downs was much more chippier and alot more vocal. He ran people. He kept the opposition on its toes. and like I suspected, May would come out swinging early and then mellow out as the year goes on. Overall, I am stoked to see May in as many games as he has, I'm hating how Val, Mule and JWill are getting close to a return, that just means May wont be in the roster as much.

Lazy and a bad work ethic. Detroit could whip him into shape, but the last thing they need right now, is more distractions. and easing another body in the mix for no apparent reason doesn't seem like the most viable option. Bring in Jay Harrison, he just got waived. He'd take some weight off of May and would give us a reason to dump Lebda.

Randy Jones is a turn over machine. The Flyers didn't want for him to stay around, They've wanted him gone for along time, That price tag just scared teams away.

I enjoy the new lines actually. I still feel Draper can be a 10-15 goal scorer and on the 3rd line, with Cleary and Bert. They might see some real production or just a real bad line. Only thing i dont like is JWill on the 2nd line.

I hate it as a fan, but it has came with good timing for us. Some shotty play, Some nagging injuries already. Some uncertainty with players in the line up. The team still practices. So hopefully some chemistry builds.. You need to realize that Val and Ville have JUST started playing together. There chemistry is still building. So this little bit of practice helps alot. Same deal with Eaves, Helm, Abdelkader and Williams. They might have been around for awhile, But They've been with so many players the last couple years that there isn't an instinctive chemistry between them all. This little bit of off time and practice time will do good for us. I hope with mule out, they let the following happen. Zette - Dats - Homer Ville - Val - Bert Cleary - Helm - Williams Abdelkader - Draper - Maltby I personally enjoy Eaves as a player. I wish Homer wasn't doing so good, Beecause i'd sit him for sure. but he's doing amazing thus far. I love a line of Eaves - Helm - Abdelkader. It's quick, It's gritty. I love keeping the Fin Twins together. same with the Euro Twins. I like have two big bodies on the top 2 lines to not get pushed around as easy. I love the way Malts has been playing, With a real chip on his shoulder. Helm and Cleary i think would work really well with JW. Dekader has had a relative slow star. He just needs to get back to his gun-ho self and stop worrying about taking penalties. I think his he is just over thinking his game.. Obviously taking penalties isn't good, But Justin didn't get to this point by thinking, he did it by playing. So go out there and do what you do best.

Here is the way i see it. We've replaced Hossa, Hudler and Sammy. Sammy and Williams are even IMO, You just get a less flashy version of Sammy with Wiliams. You dumped Hudler and replaced him with a better version in Leino. and you replaced Hossa with Bertuzzi. Obvioiusly a downgrade in the scoring dept. On the flip side he adds some sandpaper. he will get in your face and fight 1,2,3 times a year. He's not a OMFG physical, But he's enough. Just like Lilja was. Regardless he's a big body who will help us during a grinding playoff run again So we basically lost out on the Hossa part. I think we can all agree though. That having Hossa ruined the teams dynamics.. the teams chemisty. He played a very selfish game. Which is the reason why he isn't a super star the way Crosby and Datsyuk are. He's along the lines of Heatley and Koval.. So our team dynamics come back down to low scoring and responsible hockey. Then you plug in Abdelkader,Helm and Eaves. that is alot more scoring coming from your 3rd and 4th line. Val finally coming into his own. and a Defense that has Ericsson up full time. basically replacing Lilja, that adds more offense. Sure we will miss Hossa's game breaking offense, But i think we'll be fine without it as a team committee. Boo Hoo we lost Franzen for the majority of the season. Which is a huge blow, I was a huge Franzen hater, i hate the way he plays. he plays like a coward. But I came into this season trying to watch without bias and i wasn't overwhelmed with hate. Lets hope that his Surgery goes well and he recovers well and can make some solid contribution come playoffs. With that all said. No Franzen does hurt, so yeah, we probably wont finish #1-2.. But we'll make the playoffs. and Not being the considered the hands down favorite will bold well for our team IMO. Hopefully with the mule being out, It'll give insentive for Val and Ville to really shine.

I loved Val. i got his jersey 2 years ago also; the Eaves - Helm - Abelkader line.. is awesome

i was at the game.. had a great time

Stop over-reacting boys, Both rypien and hordi were gunning for Boll. It's what enforcers do. both want a piece of boll. If you want players to slow down. Then your going to get half ass energy out of a 4th line.. Both had him in there sights. and both went for him. Darcy's hit wasn't that bad either. There are worse hits in pick up games of hockey then that. People just want to give enforcers a bad name.

This is who i would compare Mitchell Callahan to, A poor mans Rypien. Only difference would be the fighting. Both are active but Rypien will be able to hold his own against anyone that isn't a top heavyweight.

Honestly Lebda wouldn't suck if we had an enforcer to protect him.

Kronwall >>>>> Ericsson

This tells me that he isn't in Detroit's plans to be honest. They are not going to want a player down in GR that will be spending half the year in Detroit. *Abdelkader* I would say that after Abdelkader, that May and Emmerton would be ahead of him on the call up list. and the odds of there being 3 players on the IR. Slim to none. Because we all know that Meech will be plugged in quite a bit.

I think that team could put up some wins.. good job kraus

Wow, You're an idiot.