Theophany

Let's sign Wayne Gretzky for $2m then, 92 goals in a season is ridiculous. You see how your argument breaks down when I take it to an extreme? 02-03 was a different style of hockey, and Bertuzzi is six years older now that he was then, just as Gretzky is 27 years older now than he was when he scored 92. No, it's not surprising that Bertuzzi scored, and I never said it was. What's surprising is that he scored four goals in two nights when he had four goals total in 30 games. Wow, your reading comprehension could really use some work, bro.

Uh, English please? What does 46 have to do with anything?

Cool, I like numbers.

My main evidence is his selflessness; he's always putting the team first. If it would help the Wings to retire, I'm sure he would after this contract is up. Lidstrom's declining game is still better than anything we'd be able to bring up from GR, or acquire via trade of free agency. While his game may not be at first pair standards in two years, he'd still probably be a second pair defenseman, and still useful on the power play. That's just my opinion. He's going to do what's best for the team, and for himself, as long as he stays in Detroit. Getting paid to play on the second or third pair and passing along advice to the other guys that are coming up would be a huge asset. Kind of off-subject, but I'm hoping he'll take an assistant coaching job (with the Wings) when he retires.

I can easily see him doing four; he'd be fine with 3rd pair minutes. He's not a prideful guy, I think he'd play as long as he loved what he was doing. Now if he ever got into a Chelios position (7th D man), he'd retire in a heartbeat. But as long as he sees himself as contributing positively, I can see him hanging around.

If we ever make a goalie a "captain" (since goalies can't be captains), I'm defecting to another team. I would rather cheer for the Preds and make irritating train sounds than be like the Canucks.

Yeah, like I said, I didn't think Ozzie was playing like crap and you give a goalie one every two games or so, but... If he was in position, he would have had that nine times out of ten. Can you really blame them? It's Bertuzzi.

Marketing department of the Hawks playing up the hatred of all things Detroit. That ad probably gets 90% of Chicagoans frothing at the mouth.

It won't happen. As much as I love Stuart, Lidstrom will be the Captain for another few years (he's still playing on the first pair; he'll move down to the second in a year or two, then to the third) then retire when he's old like Chelios and playing for like $1m a year. After that, Zetterberg will be captain, Datsyuk will keep his A, and someone like Franzen, Filppula, etc will get the other A. I'd say we're still 4 years out from when we see Lidstrom retiring, barring a serious injury.

You sure as hell can for the second goal; he was out of position and in an awkward crouch, trying to hug the post and failing. Not saying that I think Ozzie is crap, BTW. I think he did well. Just saying that you can sure as hell blame Ozzie for that goal.

I hope that Howard is in goal; I want him feeling like he's invincible. He plays great when he's confident.

Helm would be leading the team in goals if the goal was twenty feet wider in every direction!

Yeah, close enough.

Could say the same thing of Datsyuk and Zetterberg in a couple shootouts this season.

This is what I'm looking for:

Either Leino or Williams are gonna be skating on the fourth line. Unless Bert gets moved to the fourth line. Or unless Helm's line gets moved to the fourth (where it belongs) and Abby centers the third with various people on his wings (thinking Miller and Williams/Leino).

It's nice, but from what I've seen player facilities in other places are nicer. You're right though, the area and the fan base are going to be more important than the arena. That said, Detroit does have Grosse Pointe (and other suburbs), so...

Winning team and arena are unrelated, frankly. The organization as a whole would make a lot more money and it would be a better experience for fans, though, which would build a (bigger, in this case) culture around the team which would make it even more desirable for a player to come to Detroit. The Joe is nice and all, but you can't tell me that even from a player standpoint it would be nice to have a really nice, modern dressing room for them, rather than something from the late 70s.

The logic you use to arrive at your conclusion can be flawed (note that I didn't say that your opinion was flawed, just that your logic was), especially if you use it to justify a decision that affects thousands of people. You personally may not find what goes on around a hockey game to be interesting, but for a lot of people—most people—it would enhance the experience and would get more people into the game. Having been to games at the Joe, at GM Place (Canucks), and the United Center (Hawks), I can say that there are a lot more people that get into the game at GM Place and the UC. Granted with the sort of sample size we're talking about, there can be off nights, but overall, you can't tell me that the pre-game introductions during the playoffs don't get the crowd more fired up, and in turn that gets the players fired up. It adds a sense of theater to the game, and gets the adrenaline pumping. There's a big psychological effect there.

I attend games in Vancouver for the product on the ice, but the stuff that goes on around that only enhances the experience. Your logic is flawed.

Newsflash, Illitch doesn't really need the additional revenue (it certainly helps, but...). Also, every single player that plays hockey knows the reputation of the Red Wings; best management in all of hockey. That would do nothing to our chances of landing free agents.

Hey I have an idea, let's trade Barry Sanders. Hey I have an idea, let's trade Steve Yzerman. Hey I have an idea, let's trade Nick Lidstrom. Your thread ranks up there with those ideas. You just don't do it.

Kind of funny, MAF was a first overall, Lundqvist was 205th. Who would you rather have as a keeper? It's a toss-up. That says a lot.

Bigger issue than ice time is that none of our bottom three lines really have any scorers on them. They've got a lot of grit and toughness, but pretty much zero scoring ability. Tomas Tatar, where are you?!