Lidstrom for life

What we need to do is let the guys who can't play defense, Samuelson and Hudler, go at the end of the year and then sign a defensive minded foward like Patrick Eaves and also have Helm and Abs in the full time line up. Then our team defense will greatly improve. Oh wait...

Wow I was really considering skipping class so I could watch this game....I still wish I had skipped class and watched it, but now less so.

So when you do this you have to go buy the ticket the day of, but is there a certain time frame? Like does it have to be two hours before the game starts or less or something like that?

simotanious (sp) thread creation! but yes this game is nuts!

this is excellent!!

I think the argument being made is that the players (not the staff) tend to slack on defense because they have so much confidence they can score 4 goals a game. The point is now that we can't just win by out scoring and out skilling our opponents the team has to either step it up on D or lose. We will likely lose a lot of games because Franzen is out but if it makes the team recommit to defense then yes in the long run this can be good for the team even if it means we get a lower seed in the West. Also this gives opportunities to Filpulla, Leino, and Abby so if they can play well and get their confidence going then in theory we will be a better team when Franzen comes back then we were before he got injured. Of course this is all assuming that Frazen comes back with at least a month to go in the regular season so he will be 100% once the playoffs start, if not then no this is terrible for the team.

Evgeni Malkin won the scoring title last year with 113 points. In 85-86 Gretzky had 163 ASSISTS. Not to mention his 52 goals. I don't care how much the game has changed, thats freaking mind blowing. Hell even if there were no goalies in the NHL at the time that would be impressive. Also last year Malkin was a +17, in 85-86 Gretzky was +71, the year before he was +98!!! NINETY FREAKING EIGHT!!!!!

Do you think there is anything to the fact that Helm was listed as working in on the second line? I thought that was a bit odd. Sorry to you know...put the thread back on topic...

umm...did you just say that the pens won the cup but shouldn't be referred to as stanley cup champions? Also I still don't think the wings need an enforcer per se. They obviously need to play with more energy but I think Helm will provide a spark when he comes back and he isn't exactly an enforcer.

Rick Nash

CCR!! run through the jungle...hmm sorry Poker or Euchre?

If Holmstrom does ok I think Datsyuk's line could still be considered at least an avereage first line.

I am much to lazy to make a full prediction like you guys so I will just predict that the wings will play the caps in the SCF. I like the Rangers as a possible darkhorse in the East too and if, god forbid, its not the wings in the West maybe its finally San Jose's year....maybe.

Larsson isnt on the roster. He is going to Sweden as an emergency goalie but can only be activated if another player is put on IR Edit: Wow I was beaten by two people...

That third line is going to be great.

I thought the refs in the SCF weren't that bad actually. It was much much better than say the Anaheim series for instance. I know the wings were tired and injured and Hossa sucks etc etc but at the same time Pittsburgh deserves a lot of credit, a lot of teams would have given up after falling down 0-2.

I agree with the whole post. I am hoping that the D-Line improves as the season goes on which I think will happen because outside of Graham the line is so young. I know is was against Eastern, but when Campbell got in the game he looked really good which is a great sign because he is our best hope of stopping the run in the big ten. Hopefully Michigan will handle Indiana, who looked suprisingly good last week, and split the games at MSU and Iowa, those are both going to be tough games though.

according to the box score on espn.com philadelphia is 0 for 21 on the power play in this game...I guess our penalty kill is really stepping it up this year?

who do they have winning the other divisions?

Just for fun (and because I can't decide between Datsyuk and Ovechkin) I am going to throw a different name out there, how about Zach Parise? 3rd in the NHL in goals scored, 5th in points, and 8th in plus/minus. Hes kind of a cross between Datsyuk and Ovechkin, not quite as good on defense as Datsyuk and not quite the goal scorer that Ovechkin is but hes among the best in the league in a lot of categories. Edit: Ok so actually if you are seriously doing this and counting votes, I am voting for Ovechkin # 1. I guess I am just getting really excited for team USA in advance of the olympics.

worst article ever. I really hope the free press gets humiliated over this.

Where are you going to find 15 of those?

aren't they just clearing room because they cant sign the players they already have?

21 - the number of goals Leino scores this season

I completely agree with you about the preseason rankings they are a terrible idea. I know I am in a very small minority here but I prefer the BCS over a playoff system. With a playoff season you would take all the fun out of the regular season. Last year for instance when Oregon State shocked USC that was a huge deal and super exciting, if there was a playoff system no one would have cared and it wouldn't have mattered anyway because USC still would have made the playoff. It is unfortunate that teams like Utah can go undefeated and get screwed out of playing for the national title but IMO national titles aren't that big of a deal. Yes I actually said that. As a fan of the big ten to me the biggest game of the year is the rose bowl regardless of whether it is the national championship game or not. I would have been pissed if Michigan played in a national title game in 97 instead of the rose bowl. I am probably the only person in the country that feels that way but oh well. Also with the BCS you can at least see the justification behind the rankings, unlike with coaches/media poll.