Opie

After last nights game and the way he played I wanted to bump this thread. I chose this one because the theme from the beginning was supposed to be that we are not knocking Z when we praise Dats. I am not sure why I feel the need to type that I think Z is great when I say Dats does something good, why is it? Anyway, after watching him last night he looks like he is primed to take over this team. Yeah sure it is Lids team right now, because he is the captain. But I think after this post season we will be saying it is Dats team more often. Offensively he carried the team. That 5 -hole goal was a thing of beauty! For some reason, Dats is the only one that noticed how aggressive Ellis has been. He faked the shot (even though the announcers think he was "gathering the puck") Ellis went down, and as Ellis tried to get back up Ducksoup fires a twisted wrister right under his pads. He was laying the body to people, granted he isn't a thunderous hitter so he wasn't lighting guys up, but hitting hard and often nonetheless. He was on the first PK unit Babs sent out most of the time, logged 5-3 pk minutes, was forechecking and backchecking like a mother. I really like what we are seeing from Dats as he matures into a great all around player. He may have had a tough time in the post season before, but he is definitely more comfortable in the second season these last two times around. Edit: No need to dog on anyone in this post, trying to keep things positive!

some one should take this one and photoshop the hands into white and red goalie gloves!

There are pricelessly 3 players on this team that look amped up, ready to go, not nervous, not scared on this team so far, LIDS, DATS, MULE!!! Lids has been Lids all playoffs, one of the best d-men in the league, he leads by example. Babs should be the one yelling and screaming. To me I would rather have a composed leader on the ice who is always under control emotionally and mentally than a guy yelling and screaming at everyone on the bench. Dats is hitting, getting into the scrums (Notice I did not say fighting) scoring, setting up others. Mule is playing his game, just tuned up a notch, that stretch just before the end of the season really got him ready. Now Z is playing great defensively, however he looked a little off in the Offensive end. The reason for listing about the other players, they are the only ones pulling their wait, Lids is doing exactly what he should. VIVA EL CAPITAIN!!!!!!!!!!

I agree I am so pissed the wings lost, they should send the whole team down and just dress the griffins!! ARGH!!! Well before people freak out I picked up on your sarcasm and was adding some of my own.

So I was reading through TSN and decided to go to their Red Wings Preds series page. I am not sure if this has been mentioned before but I did not know this little fact in bold.

4th Tee box?

Damn you and your logic and facts, don't make me internet ***** slap you!!!!

Yeah I have a feeling he is holding out for more money, which wouldn't bother me if he walked, there is a log jam at 5-6 d-man on this team, much like there is at the back end of the forward lines. Now that I think about it, what happened to the Wings who used to throw money at players, have they really started to *GASP* develop players!!!!!! So much for buying championships!

Initial thought: WHO??? Second thought this is definitely an AHL signing, I really don't see him beating out Abdelkader or Kopecky for the few forward spots that will be open next year. OsGod besides the Pedophile Alleged Pedophile Michael Jackson dancing smiley that is my favorite!

With all of this Lilja talk does anyone know anymore about his contract talks? I know there was an offer out at about the same time as Cleary accepted his, but I never heard about Lilja's reasons for not inking his name.

IN manchester every time the monarchs score they play the Hey song, and at the end the fans chant sieve, sieve, sieve and point at the opposing netminder. I was at a game that the portland pirates were up 5-0, the monarchs scored and the fans did this stupid chant, which led me to believe these people can't spell sieve. If you are losing by 4 goals, which team do you think has the sieve in net!!!

Correct me if I am wrong but isn't this quite possibly the most physical wings team since the mid to late 90's. And seeing as Babs in the coach I would have to give him the credit for making them more physical, therefore if you wanted a more physical team you would want Babs around, right? Or am I completely wrong here?

I have conceded victory to you at this point, but so that you know, people in Red Sox nation still bring this up a lot, mainly because we hate A-Rod and anything Yankees, but he has a history of doing Bush League s***!

Brunnstrom wouldn't be until next year, so I am not sure what you mean but busted their asses all year, Forecheck. He would earn the spot at Traverse City in the Fall.

A-rod vs Arroyo

Hey I am one of the biggest Sammy defenders on this board, but this kid on the third line more than likely means bye bye to Sammy, which I am definitely in support of due to the maturation of the Mule, I think next year will be a big year for Mule and then the year after will be his true career year. Mule replacing Sammy on the 2nd line (Cleary, Flip, Mule), Brunnstrom/Abdelkader with Drapes and Huds on the third line Sammy could then be used in combination with one of the younger D-men to attract hopefully a young, gritty, defense first centerman/enforcer to replace Drake on the fourth line. (Abdelkader/Maltby, Kopecky/new guy, Mac/ Haritgan/ Downey(if still around). Or even if they just decide to go with Abdelkader in place of Sammy, I would rather have a young gun learning and developing for the future, in place of Sammy who I think we all have seen that his skill set is not going to increase that much. I am not knocking Sammy or saying he sucks, just saying the wings look to now have a legit top 6 with ZDH, Cleary-Flip-Franzen/Huds. Therefore Sammy's role has become extinct, not that he would be the worst 3rd line option, but this team has a surplus of 3-4 th line players.

Apparently this isn't the only place having those thoughts: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news;_ylt=Ak38...o&type=lgns

I am not a basher of Hasek, or anyone else on the team for that matter! However, I agree 100% with that last statement you made. I love rooting for the guy and I hope he goes out on top, not just because he is a wing. But it would be nice to give J-ho a try and it would be deserved to give Ozzie the starter job next year, for all that he did this year. Hasek, IF the wings win the cup, deserves a ton of respect and if he came back next year the start. But I just don't trust that 40+ year old groin.

I live in NH and I travel I93 daily, today I now know what it must be like living in Pho when Det is in town. There are more Quebecois license plates with Habs flags flying off of their cars than NH plates on the roads right now. NO JOKE!!!! I have a 5 minute ride to work on I93, on that ride back from lunch I saw at least 10 cars with Habs banners, and in the gas station just off of the exit I take were another 3. I live close to where 89 and 93 come together.

GoWings: It definitely looks like he is nervous out there. I would have thought that with this being his second post season he wouldn't be so nervous, but he has missed a couple of open nets that I would expect him to bury, not just because he is a Red Wing, but because he is Filppula. EDIT: DAMN SPELLING!!!

OK seriously, I agree with you, only for the following two reasons: 1. Melrose shared my original opinion! 2. The MJ icon in that last post, ******* hilarious, and I have reserved using the F word due to the forum rules, but that icon deserves the use of vulgarity!!!!!!

Melrose was just on ESPN comparing this to what Homer does and said something to the effect that Homer is making a hockey play and trying to score. He said Avery embarrassed Broduer, his teammates, the game, any one involved in the game, and anyone who loves the game. He did say he couldn't be happier that this happened and he wished Avery would stick to playing hockey instead of the other stuff he does, which he ended by saying, "Because he has the skill to play hockey without all of the antics". But I usually completely disagree with Melrose so take that for what it is worth. BTW OsGod again you are comparing the act of running by a guy yelling something once, to standing in the guys field of vision, waving you arms around, swinging his stick at Broduer's head for a good 20 or more seconds. IF Arod had stood in front of the guy waving his arms around, yelling, swinging a bat at the Blue Jay third baseman, for an extended period of time, you know longer than say a half second then maybe your comparison would be valid. However in that case, Arod would have been out before he got to first base on his hit because he would have carried the bat out of the batters box, but other than the technicalities you are right. Orange meet Apple, Apple, Orange!

I am a much bigger fan of the Dime defense, I like having speedy DB's to cover the WR's. Out Sorry, yeah I like the box plus one!

SHHHHH! Sign him to an offer sheet when he is a RFA, but don't tell Boston about the plan. This could be the next Penner to EDM!!!! SHHHHH!

And in my mind if he takes this team deep into the playoffs he has the wings by the short and curlies!! He serves to win the Coach of the year award, and deserves his money!