Opie

No need for Sundin Keep ZDH together Franzen Flip Hudler/Sammy* Cleary Draper Maltby Abdelkader Helm Kopecky/Hudler*/Downey** *IMHO Next year Sammy has become expendable by the play of Mule, Hudler and Mule are on the wings of Flip. I wouldn't complain if Sammy was still here, but his role has been taken. **After what he did this season I see no reason not to sign Downey for the same role next season. HE DID HIS JOB PERFECTLY! I put that in all caps because if you look back through the Downey threads I was the biggest anti-Aaron Downey poster on here!!

Well if he is currently on the second line and on the second pp the only logical way for him to get additional minutes would be to DUH DUH DUH be on the first line. Unless of course you are suggesting the wings become a 3 line team and take minutes away from the 4th line, oh but then again if you did that you would also be giving Sammy more minutes seeing as he is on that line, which BTW is one of the highest point producing lines in the post season! I don't have a thing for Sammy, I have an issue with people needlessly bashing him because he has been named the whipping boy. I never tried to change your opinion btw, I was responding to Hank's post and you jumped in with your opinion, if you want to have your opinion fine, but if you post it don't expect to be able to post it with out people disagreeing with it, especially if you back it up with jewels like, "I don't like his playing style"

Flip should get more ice time? So he should center the first line and be on the first PP? More great logic!

Sad news!

Well lets see what reasons not to dig on him can I come up with ready: 3 of the 9 goals scored by the wings in this series, who else has that many, Maltby? no! Drake? no! Dats? no! I could keep going but I think you get the idea. Shooting at a 30% clip, wait wasn't that what all of you bashers used as the biggest problem with Sammy. hmmm interesting. He is point-wise the 6th best forward on this team, that doesn't make him a top 6 forward though does it? How many give aways does he have that have ended up in the back of the net? 4th leading goal scorer on the team in the playoffs. 8th on the team in assists including defenseman. 6th on the team in +/- including defenseman. And just so that we are aware you statement about him being put in situations you do realize he is 7th for forwards in ATOI, so it is not like he is seeing 18 mins a game or anything, he is on the 2nd pp point, not like he is on the wing ripping one timers or in front of the net deflecting goals. But I guess logic and stats aren't nearly as fun as just dogging on a guy because everyone else is doing it, or because the team lost.

Not calling any one out specifically, but there were posts where people were blaming Gill for cross checking Homer to injure him, it was a trip THAT TIME!!!! The accuracy was an in general statement. No offense meant!

Pretty sure it was the landing on his back not a cross check that hurt him, not that Gill didn't trip him to get there, but it wasn't Hal Gill's crosscheck it was his trip. If we want to be accurate. Not that accuracy is a big deal to most posters on here!

So Sammy scores a nice goal last night, did nothing to hurt the team, yet you find a way to throw a dig out there. Can I ask why? Or is digging on Sammy the new black?

Great post, too bad you didn't have the sack to show up and post when the Pens were held goalless for two games. You weren't on here defending your boy then were you, nope, couldn't see hide nor hair of you. But way to be a fair weather poster!!!

To me this is another situation like playing Jose ThreeorFour, dumb move. You have already singled the guy out for not playing the way you need him, he comes out and admits he is tired and his legs are like flat tires. What does Therrien do put him up a line, what would Babs do, send him down a line or two. If the guy is already not playing well enough why put him in a spot where his bad or lackluster performance is going to hurt you even more!!

Honestly I agree, if the series is 3-0 the way the Wings have handled the Pens what is 3-5 minutes of ice time for the guy gonna hurt, seriously he earned that for beating on Lappy. If it doesn't happen though I understand, this is the playoffs you play to win, not to pat a guy on the back!

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news;_ylt=Al9L...p&type=lgns

I remember the days before the Datsyukian deke, this was the thing we were talking about, the fact that he seemed to always come out of the corners with the puck!

Beautiful Matt!!

I really don't think that the refs will change there approach, I mean it is not like the wings were running players at the end of the game. With the way the Pens ended the game I think the refs will be looking for the physical stuff more than obstruction or diving from the Wings. I really think the coach and team have lost their composure.

If they are going to start charging more for good teams or teams with a large fan base shouldn't they then charge less than standard for crappy teams or teams with a smaller fan base?

We should be witnessing Yzerman GM Larionov Coach Lids assistant with Shanny thrown in the mix somewhere! Fisch will be second to Lids in developing D talent or he will be the coach in GR!!!

Tedy Bruschi for example, the reason the Pats and His wife (moreso his wife) were willing to let him back on the field was that the doctor said playing football had no impact on the risks of him having another stroke or any kind of ailments from his heart condition. IF the Dr's said that about Fisch I am pretty sure he would be back on the ice!!!!! And to piggy back another one of your points, Fisch Kronwall pairing would be stupid, I don't mean stupid in a bad way I mean that pairing would be stupid good, I love the Stuart Kronwall pairing but Fisch was on track to be better than Stuart and I would wager when he went down he was better than Stuart is now. The question would be is Ralf still acquired with a Healthy Fisch? But if I remember correctly Fisch is at the Joe quite a bit and has a role in the team. I could be wrong though.

The article in the Pavel is a leader thread mentions that he has been a beast in game 3's!!!

Probably because this is an article specifically about the D, you may notice there is also no mention of Dats, Zetterberg, Draper, Mule, you know the people who don't play defense. Why is it on this board that if you say one thing positive about a player or players that you have to mention everyone else. Dats played a great game! *What about Z you forget Z, Z played well too!* Oh Zetterberg had a dandy of a game! *What about Dats, Flip played good too!* Geez, there are articles about Ozzie no one has forgot that he just passed Sawchuk or that he could potentially set the record for shutout minutes. Trust me we are all aware of who the Detroit netminder is!!!

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news;_ylt=Atzu...p&type=lgns Opening line of the article says it all

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news;_ylt=AsZh...o&type=lgns

Here is a blog on Yahoo, this guy seems to think that Detroit's D would be illegal if it weren't for the fact that everyone is falling all over the wings!

Z will get the C (IMO I have no inside info) D will get an A Zetterberg will be Yzerman and Dats will be Shanny!!!! Dats already is showing the sense of humor that may Shanny a crowd favorite where ever he played!

LOL!!!!