Opie

I think this kid has laced up his skates in an AHL locker room for the last time, except of course in a potential rehab start!

.. and a 100mph slapshot

I agree Malts does his job and does it very well, but to say he is the man or the bomb (do people really still say that?) is a bit of an exaggeration. He has had a pretty decent stretch here lately but like others have said he was invisible for how long? Malts is the man as of this past week doesn't really make for a good thread title though? I understand the excitement and I am glad to see some positive posts around here instead of the crap that has been flying around lately. Hopefully everyone will start to pick it up and get things going as the playoffs approach, but I happy to see the defensive veterans like Malt and Draper show that they are on track. They will log very important minutes in the postseason.

5-3 is a lot different than 5-5 with two d-men blocking shots and passing lanes, but way to use the exception to prove your point.

No way man, "Hand of God" is bar none the biggest blown call in a finals ever.

See, I don't think they are changing the position of goalie at all, I think the trapezoid was more of an infringement on that than the pads would be. I think making the rinks wider would slow the game more. Again physics, if a player has to skate wide to get by the D, it will take him longer to get there. Also with more ice creates more room for error. If a dman turns the puck over in a larger rink he has time to get back, in a smaller rink a dman turns it over at the other teams blue line and BAM before you know it the forward is on the goalie. I also think larger rinks will make more and more teams sit everyone in the slot in the d zone. All coaches will be preaching is get back in the slot, don't worry about the guy on the wing. Plus the further away a forward is the more reaction time a goalie has to make the save. The problem in comparing NHL to NBA attendance is that is not the issue, NBA is a very lucrative league, the contracts are ridiculous! The NBA has about 5 channels that cover them all on either basic cable plans or on the first tier of the package. Most people don't get versus! Oh well time to go home see you all tomorrow!

Chiefness: True we may be different fans, but thanks for the compliment. But here is where I think we differ the most. You say Giggy needs bigger because he is a positional goalie and that he makes his money by having amazing angles. Riddle me this: (Bare with me end of a long day at work and I am trying to be funny) If basic physics tell us that a larger surface area has more coverage area, and the further away from what you are covering the more surface area you cover (goalies call it cutting down the angle) wouldn't it make more sense for Giggy to wear the biggest pads possible, not just because as he is looking straight on at a shooter he covers more area, but also that if he has bigger pads he has to move less. Thus he is limiting his side to side movement, forward movement, well actually all movement because the pads he uses, that are 100% legal (I have never argued he is cheating or is doing anything illegal), are that much bigger. Therefore the argument stands that if he had smaller pads we can infer that he would be a worse goalie. Would he all of the sudden give up 6 goals a game by going to 35" pads no, even though most Wing's fans are hoping. Physics tells us that the larger the surface area covered by the pads the less of the net that the goalie has to cover, it also means he is that much closer to the edge of the net, meaning that the player has less net to shoot at by default. If his pads shrink then there would be more net available until the goalie cut down the angle, but that is where passing comes into play. Back door open net! You may say that a 1-0 game is exciting to you, but I just watched some crappy B's games that were 1-0, 2-0, 3-2 so on and so forth that were horrible games to watch. The D would sink into the zone and the goalie would cover the net. Boring. I miss the days were a 1-0 game meant that the netminder played out of his head, not that his team blocked 10 shots and he ate 15 shots in his oversized blocker or leg pads. But again that is my opinion, but what I can say with complete certainty is that the NHL is trying to sell the game, if teams continue to play with half empty barns like the ones in Nashville, Detroit, etc. the league will go bankrupt, and that my friend is why the league is trying to turn this into Basketball on ice, that is why there is no more two line pass, that is why they went back to touch up offsides, that is why they have put in place rules to (I couldn't stop laughing as I typed this as it is not true) stop the trap!

Dabura? Is that you? No? Fedor? Is that you? The only thing Feds is the savior of is his own wallet! Would he have helped this team, of course, he is more skilled and a better player than Sammy, Kopecky, Drake, Maltby, but the issue is that he was on a central division foe's roster, and when Holland asked anybody about a player, let alone a division foe, the price went up. There are articles about this in the numerous trade deadline threads!

Very true larger pads will inhibit your movement, if you are a reaction goalie. If you are a positional goalie like Giggy or Legace bigger pads will help not hinder!

Dude, you are over exaggerating to prove your point, in order for goals to go in off of a weak wristers from the point as you put it, goalies would all have to go back to playing the stand up style of goaltending. You and I see eye to eye perfectly on the Bettman issue, however, American fans want football scores, baseball scores, not soccer scores. Hockey will never have football scores because one goal isn't worth 6 points, so the NHL has to do their best. As much as I would love to see Hockey popular for what the game was or is, it will not grow in America as it is. Shrinking the goalie pad max from 38- 35 is not going to make that big of a difference anyways, it is not like we are talking about making them the size of soccer shin pads. But again you are over exaggerating to prove your point. Broduer and Roy have both stated the issues with goalie pads, you keep telling yourself that Luongo and others will leave the NHL, sure they will because who wants all that money or the shot at the most coveted trophy in sports, because their pads have to be smaller. You may think there is nothing wrong with the game, however if things don't change and the league doesn't find away to drum up more fans, aka more business, it will falter sooner than later.

First paragraph: A. The league wants more scoring to broaden it fan base, that is what non fans want to see. If you don't understand the intricacies of the defensive game of hockey you will not appreciate a 1-0 game. Most non-fans or part-time fans don't understand the intricacies of defense. B. If Luongo thinks he wants to play in Russia go ahead, he will make a hell of a lot less money. And can I get a link to that statement? Second Paragraph: A. Giggy is not the only goalie, he is just the most successful most obvious. But if you really think it is his positioning that makes him look that big you are on some sweet s*** that I want some of! B. Giggy's leg pads alone and his blocker are enough for me to turn my assumptions to inferences. If his arms and legs are seriously that big than he needs to be in the Guiness book of records in the Freaks category. C. Yes his pads are regulation, that is the problem, regulation pads and pants are too big, they are not there for safety they are there to protect the net. But had you taken the time to read all of the posts you would have seen that is the argument, not that he is breaking the rules. People are calling it cheating, what they mean is pushing the limits, which honestly I don't blame Giggy in the least. When work tells me I have an hour for lunch, I take an hour for lunch! Third Paragraph: A. Ruin the game, have you ever seen old time Hockey, pads haven't been this big for ever it is a recent issue. B. I have already addressed the Stick issue and until you answer my questions about it, I will assume you are just spouting out info. So until you can tell me WHY Giggy needs bigger equipment than Broduer I will take this as someone else with an opinion that they only know how to state as a fact. Don't feel bad there are a lot of you out here on this board.

Yeah you forgot to add that Sergei left for less money, even though he forced the Wing's hand with the Car ordeal. They then offered him more money, he stayed. Then his contract is up, Det offers him a new contract and left for ANA when their contract was less money than Det (or same money fewer years I think it was more money, either way it equates to more money). Sakic has been a C for what 512 years, ok I exaggerate but is was what 18 years with only one year he didn't wear the C! What Sakic means to the Aves is = to what The Captain meant in Det, What Feds meant to Det is better compared to what Drury meant to the Aves, not Sakic!

First off, I never accused or said you did anything, you assumed from my post I was talking about your post. Secondly: I didn't say yes or no I wanted him notice that. What I was saying is that some people are on here saying he will be the second coming of Probie or that he is exactly what the wings need. If Avery fought like Downie (when he fought Lappy and others) and has the offense he is showing in NYR than hell yeah I would want that player. However I know all of the baggage that comes with Avery, and some people say well winning cures all. Not really he was in Det when Det was winning. I am torn on him, it just seemed to me that some people on here were a little too wound up about Avery (on this board?! No Way!, yeah I stole it from you).

UMM, I may be an idiot here, but whom else did Sakic ever play for. I don't remember him in a Rags uni, he played for Quebec and then Quebec moved to Col. Those are the sweaters I remember him in.

Tough to do you would need two pics one of each guy taken in the same position and at about the same angle!

THIS Then Dabura gave up on them too, hold on I will find that for you too!

Cool, it is just a pet peeve with me, which is why I usually refrain from saying anything about to posters, most people around here use it. However leftwinger has no right to use that expression after voluntarily handing in his Red Wings card!

Calfan, the point is not to make the equipment thinner as between the chest and shirt, but narrower from edge to edge. No one is saying make them thinner, people are saying not so wide, keep them as thick as they are maybe even thicker or a better material. I have no problem making the pads thicker or safer. It is when a goalie's pads stick out 3 or 4 inches beyond the end of their leg, when the top of the pad is 8-10 inches above the knee, the shoulder pad sticking up to the ear. Unless you have some jacked shoulders their is no reason for your pads to be that high. Pads sticking out 4 inches beyond the ribs are like that for what safety feature?

DID YOU JUST SAY WE!!! Listen man I have hesitated on the "You are a band wagoner" when you post and I hate when any fans use the word we to describe the team they root for, and I don't jump on people a lot for using it, However; YOU SIR, HAVE LOST ALL RIGHT TO SAY WE WHEN REFERRING TO THE WINGS UNLESS YOU SAY "WE WENT TO A WING'S GAME!" You cannot turn in you Red Wings card one week (for a dumb reason I might add, remember when you did it and the team was still in first place in the NHL) and then say we need this or we did this or we whatever the hell you want to say. And honestly I don't give a crap what the rest of the posters here think, you bailed on this team for no reason, and now they are you team again. BULLs***!!!!

Great point, they have restricted the way guys can play D, they have made changes to open up the game, it is not only the goalies who are being asked to change, they just have the most powerful union and the best argument. Safety, it is hard to say we are changing the goalies equipment if the goalies are publicly saying they don't feel safe (truth or not).

Not to jump in on some one else's battle however, the sticks don't do all of the mysterious things people think they do. The stick's main benefit is weight. Yes the whipping action does help a little however, why is it then that nobody can touch Al Iafrate's 105.2. Chad Kilger you say, well if you want to bring in unofficial results I say to you (arguing with myself) BOBBY HULL 118.3! The curve of the stick blade is closely monitored, so much so that Bowman was able to piss the Melrose off very very much. My point they do monitor the stick, they have set curve restrictions. At no point in time have you ever heard some one say, "No way in hell he scores that with a wood stick!" I have heard and said the opposite. Perfect example for you, 2004 I am in Boston watching Wings - B's. Overtime, a rebound comes out to the high slot, goaltender waaayyy out of position from the last save. Lids walks in wide open lane and net, goes to unload a slapper at the net. CRASH, Smash, SNAP!!! The puck goes sliding off to the corner, Lids stick is in two pieces and he has no stick. B's go the other way, don't end the game on that shot but a few shots later, GAME, SET, MATCH B's win!!!! Another point how many kids have bought Pavel's stick, how many of them are better because or it? How many goalies can buy bigger pads, how many goalies would become better by purchasing bigger pads? Now how many times can you say that a goalie made a save because his pads were that big. Now the goalie stick argument you made is a bit of a stretch, when was the last time the stick got wider or was changed in anyway other than material? My argument , and I have yet to have a solid answer for is this: If Martin Broduer is the world wide accepted best active goaltender of the past 10 years (pretty safe bet right) why would there be any reason for people who are smaller than him to wear bigger pads? Isn't he proving that he is making the saves and they are letting equipment make the saves? If at 6'2 Marty wears 35" pads (I thought he wore 34", but for this point I will use what some one else said) why would any goalie be able to justify wearing bigger pads if they are smaller than him? The main point here is that the league is trying to sell the game, most Americans want to see scoring, reducing goalie pads or enlarging the nets would accomplish this goal. The goal size is a part of hockey history, goalie pads are a recent issue. Which would you rather see change? Me personally it is the goalie equipment. What I would like to see is a guy using a wooden stick

IN EVERY SPORT THE DIVISION WINNERS GET A TOP SEED!!!! Why? Because before wild card births or extra playoff rounds the only way to make the playoffs was to win your division. Things have changed. If the wings were to win the central with 89 points and lets say STL 86, SJ have 91 and ANA 94 and Dal 90 , Van 90 and Cal 92 and Min 93 how many of you here would go ape s*** if the wings were seeded 7th. Most of you, the only reason this bothers you is that it is happening to other teams. Should the wings be penalized because other divisions are better than theirs? No. That would be like saying well screw it lets just take the top 16 seeds point wise in the NHL and go after the cup. Or saying well the East is a worse division so you only get 4 teams this year, and the southleast you get nobody because you suck! Analogy time: It is like the guy in fantasy football who complains about keepers because he can't imagine some one having exclusive rights to Tom Brady. If said person has TB on his team he wants keepers, wants them badly!! Of course you reward division winners, just because the southleast is a bad division doesn't mean they should get punished. Hey they won their division they deserve home ice, there is only one way to guarantee that they get home ice, to give division winners the top 3 spots, because as we have proved you can win a division and still be a 5 or even 6 spot.

The rankings are based on the teams performance recently and over the year, not coaching security. The coaching thing is a little tid bit that they throw in there. Dallas sucking in the past playoffs has nothing to do with the rankings this week, they are a different team. They were probably the hottest team going into the deadline and they got better. I have Dal ahead of Det, because of recent play, and the only reason I rank Det high enough to be above ANA, is health. However if the Wings get healthy and don't tear it up (after a week or two, so just before the playoffs) I would see Ana, Dal, NJ ahead of the wings. Remember folks this wings team just went 2-7-1 in their last 10, by all rights they should be ranked closer to 10 than 1. IMO!!

I am sorry but any one that thinks avery will jump to the help of a teammate is confusing him for a real enforcer. Yes he will throw down when it comes down to backing up his own mouth, sometimes, but he is not running around like Probie did. Please don't ever classify Avery in the same vein as Probert and Kocur.

The NBA is having the same issue right now. They are attributing it to an influx of new officials. A lot of them are trying to establish themselves and let players know that they won't be bullied into calls and that certain players won't get the benefit. It is killing the speed of the game and making watching it unbearable at times. My question: Is the NHL experiencing the same youth movement or is it that (like the other thread) the game is just too fast. Because I agree this year has been horrible.