WorkingOvertime

To be fair, most of the posters who are upset about the injuries aren't in this thread. I was going to say the same thing, but there isn't much hypocrisy going on here. However, it looked like an awkward play all-around. Abby thought Weber wasn't going to do that, and Weber looked confused. Would have liked to see an Abby hit there, but it looked like he had lined up the pin before Weber went off-balance. I think now is the time to distribute my sign/trade (in the off-season) for Boll, Rosehill, Konopka, Martin, Haley, etc petition.

Abby is now +12 on the season (second highest on the team). Also, he has three points in his last five games.

He has increased his point total since last year, is +12 (2nd highest on the team), and it the most physical player on the Wings.

.

Cleary! Not calling that one back. Cue up the Greely's Reel. http://www.myspace.com/greeleysreel/music/songs/come-in-cleary-48810628

Really? Even the Pred's announcers are calling that BS.

These hits used to happen all the time and went unpenalized. I'm glad they are trying to do away with plays like these, but I'm not shocked, angry, etc. after seeing this stuff happen for years. Next, take out the instigator and let players handle their frustrations in a safer way. I'd take a punch to the face over a elbow to the head any day.

To be fair, Boogey has been out most of the season with a concussion. He has been cleared to play (I believe) but the Rags are doing well without him. With that said, Torts has been saying that Prust is too bruised (beat up) from taking on all of the 'physical' play. Still an overpayment IMO, but Lebda is worse. He is being sat a lot, and definitely not earning his contract.

Did anyone see E's penalty? It looked like he was challenging someone but I didn't see a slash.

Sorry for being ambiguous. I mean that Flip can be counted on to be a consistent, defensive, offensively decent (above average IMO) player. Aside from Huds and Homer (together), Flip can be matched with any two players on the team and the line will be adequate. This is why Huds is sometimes demoted to the fourth line while Flip is always on the top-3 lines. I'm not saying Huds deserves to be on the fourth, but he requires more of his linemates to be an effective player than Flip.

Hudler and Flip are not directly comparable. Flip can anchor and line whereas Huds needs other (better) players to play with. Huds probably has a better scoring touch, but that doesn't make a player. I'd be comfortable putting Flip with any two players on the team (except Homer and Huds), but Huds needs to be with better players to succeed. Huds was playing well with Cleary and Dats, but honestly whose production wouldn't go up playing on that line?

Have you watched hockey before the past few years? These issues aren't new and your posts make it appear like this is a new trend. There are still many questions and points in the other thread you haven't addressed. Do you realize how many current players would be out of the NHL if there were a three suspension rule? I encourage you to investigate this before calling for such a rule. The NHL is already in contract talks with many networks for the next TV deal. NBC/Versus/NBC sports is looking to keep the NHL while espn has sent out emails to their susbscribers about interest in the NHL. I guarantee you there will be another contract signed, even if no new rules are put in to place. We can even wager a player shirt or something if you are so confident.

Agree. He has done a good job of increasing revenues and the sort, but I am (generally) not happy with a lot of the changes to the game that have happened under his tenure.

I agree. Howard is not going to steal many games. He will make good saves and keep the Wings in games, as should be expected with his salary.

E with some wheels getting back on that one.

This is a terrible idea. That would force more skilled players to the AHL when a team is suddenly below the cap. The GM and owner have no control over what the players do and sometimes suspensions result from unintentional plays. An example is kneeing- it is one of the dirtiest plays, but sometimes there is a natural reaction to stick your leg out when you're beat on a play. The play should be considered for a suspension, but I think most players on here (and the NHL) can support that kneeing isn't always intentional. IMO the increasing lengths of suspension are enough deterant.

You can't hip check someone going north-south (I guess you could, but it would be very difficult) consistently. I can skate with my head down all day and stick-handle around people. Skating with your head down (usually) gives better puck control, but less ability to avoid a check. If you watch/play beer league you'll see players do this all day. Also, a large amount of hip checks have been called tripping lately, which is unfortunate because good hip checks are always a good sight. I'm all for eliminating dangerous head hits. Blind-side elimination altogether is fine with me (in theory). Also, if you elbow/forearm/punch someone in the head it is already a penalty- lets enforce this. I just don't think the north-south shoulder hit to the head is punishable, or controllable for the hitting player. I believe shoulder pads should be smaller, seamless glass removed (this is happening), and enforcing the current rules better is the best next step. Hits to the head from the blind-side and with any body-part other than the shoulder are already outlawed. Lets police this and see what happens. I also believe the removal of the instigator is needed (to better police the 'intent to injure' hits you mention), but that is a much more opinionated topic that is probably better left out of this thread.

I agree that concussions and head-shots are a problem, but your analysis is reaching. Hits to the head happen in hockey because you cannot wrap your arms around another player to remove them from the puck (like you can in football). As I asked, have you ever tried to make a north-south hit on someone with their head down without making head contact? It's not possible to do consistently, and protecting these players would result in them skating with their head down through the center of the ice because they can't be hit. I don't think this is explainable to someone who hasn't played the game at a competitive level (if you haven't), but it is one of the first things you learn in peewees. If you skate with your head down, you will get nailed. The Kronner- Havlat hit is an example of this. I would hate to see those hits removed. Fighting was around in hockey since the beginning of the sport, not since the 70's. Fighting is significantly down since the lockout. This is a totally different discussion, but I will never support the removal of fighting from hockey. Orr received a bad concussion from fighting earlier this year, and I don't see him calling for fighting to be removed either. I also never heard any comments suggesting the removal from Probert. If I drop my gloves and ditch my lid, I know the risk I'm taking- so do the NHL players. Just because other sports don't allow fighting, why shouldn't hockey? Fighting is a sport, so why do we need pucks or skates or sticks? I am being sarcastic, but it shows your logic is flawed. No one should bring a lawsuit on hockey for anything that happens on the ice (within reason). Hockey is a dangerous sport, and when the players suit up and sign their contracts they no this. The need is to minimize the risk of dangerous plays while keeping the integrity of the game. I agree with the blind-side rule, making shoulder pads smaller, removing seamless glass, removing the instigator, increasing helmet tech., etc. but not degrading the game. Speaking of dangerous sports (to use a comparison like yours), cheerleading is one of the most dangerous, but I don't think throws (or whatever they're called) are outlawed. The key parts of the game, like hitting, need to be kept.

What do you proper then? Have you ever tried to make a north-south open ice hit on a player with his head down without hitting the head? You want to remove fighting?

Most of their streams are just repackaged myp2p streams. I'd rather get it from the original source so the original streamer gets their ad money.

While I think head shots should be removed, I'm afraid of how the new rules will be interpreted. There are many times, especially on north-south hits, where any hit will head the head, or the hitting player cannot make the judgement of if the head will be hit or not. The last thing I want to see if players skating with their head down since they can't be hit (any north-south hit would be to the head). While this is an oversimplification, the possibility is there. I think the best thing to do is give two-min penalties to players who appear to target the head (assuming the refs can judge) and then let the league give further review unless the hit is blatantly targeting the head. Many of the game misconducts this year have been BS IMO. The league can always issue a one game suspension if that should have been called.

He is not going to be the top scorer on most second lines but I'd say he's at least as good as half of the league's second line centers. Flip is also a great third line center (where we've had him over the past seasons) on a scoring third line.

Flip is an integral part of the team as a defensive, playmaking center. We all hoped he would turn into a 60+ point player but that likely isn't going to happen. Not every second liner is going to put up those points and I don't think it's a failure if he doesn't. Even as a third (scoring line) line center he is a good fit IMO.

myp2p forum usually has a few links for each game. Google myp2p ice hockey and it should come up for you.

Helm could get Flip and Z going? I'm a big Helm fan but IMO he is not a second line player right now. The line would work well, but so would putting anyone with Flip and Z. Your third like would be a 'the third line is lazy and sucks' thread after the first shift. They are all slower and not great defensively.