Finnish Wing

Fleury is a goalie who has all those except maybe mental toughness. The difference is that Fleury plays in a team that has or at least will have better players in front of him. Lidstrom will be gone and it's going to be a HUGE loss.Turco and Ward are playing for teams that aren't Cup contenders every year like the Red Wings SHOULD be so I'm not commenting on that. I'm not satisfied if we win one Cup and suck after that like Carolina.

Well, Mike Babcock is widely considered as one of the best in the world. Now some have been saying that it was actually McLellan who was behind the puck possession game style and not so much Babcock. There's been a huge difference since McLellan left and I doubt it's only because players have changed.Therefore I'd say McLellan is - at least tactically - one of the best currently.

This is the key. I doubt we'll have guys like Lidstrom in the future anymore. Goaltending has become even more important. Howard would have to be even better than Ozzie was in his prime. I doubt that will happen.Howard has been great this season. But every "signs" are kinda saying that he won't be an elite goaltender. It's about mental toughness, fundamentality, outplaying the opposition goaltender and making game savers. I just haven't seen enough of everything of those from Howard. Of course there are exceptions like Tim Thomas, who aren't fundamentally good but can still have great season. Howard also lets in soft goals, but the problem isn't the soft goals, but the fact that he doesn't bounce back like elite goalies do. It's the mental toughness. Also, he didn't outplay Bryz even tough we won. Phoenix just sucked. Bryzgalov made numerous key saves and Howard even lost that one game for us.

It would be easier to have faith if our game at the Shark Tank would've been good, but it wasn't. Sharks are almost like us, but the home advantage creates a big difference. Todd McLellan is one of the best coaches in the world like our Babcock. It will be kinda embarrasing to lose to these chockers but I think they'll be great in the future.

Yes, especially regarding elite goalies.Help us Tuukka Rask. You're our ONLY hope!

Does this team had what it takes to win Cups in the future with a Ozzie-caliber goalie anymore? I don't think so.We won't have Lidstrom and many other guys anymore after few years. Can Howard really be good enough to even take us where we are now? We have cap space. I'd invest that on the most important position in the game.

Howard is better goalie than Ozzie is right now. It would be stupid to put him in now. Howard will probably play most of the games next season even if he played worse than this season. Red Wings have no other choice but to play Howard, because Ozzie is old. I'd try to trade for a real elite goaltender in the future though.

LOL. Rask is three years older than Howard. He's been the top goalie prospect IN THE WORLD, since he dominated the Finnish National League at young age. He's a big guy, unlike Howard. He's fundamentally great. More importantly, he has the mental calmness.If you've watched both Bruins and Wings games, you can SEE the difference. You can just see when a guy is a one-season wonder and when he's the real deal. Rask OUTPLAYED RYAN MILLER.

And I didn't say Howard has been bad this season or anything. He's been great. But you can just see when a goalie has it. He's not fundamentally great and isn't always tough mentally. I don't know how hot prospect he's been since '03. But I've been watching Rask play since 04' and everything he does, there's a huge difference. And I'm not saying because he's Finnish. He isn't mentally tough like an elite goalie is. He isn't fundamentally skilled like an elite goalie is. He doesn't make game savers like an elite goalie does. He doesn't outplay other goalies like an elite goalie does. Nabokov has outplayed him so far and even Bryzgalov outplayed him even tough we won the series. He's been good this season and I think he will be good in the future (not at this good in the next season probably). I'm just kinda sick of all that blind hype thinking he'll be a franchise goalie for us. I'm very happy with Ozzie vol. 2.

Many elite goaltenders. Those who will become franchise goalies are usually good at their rookie seasons already. Tuukka Rask is pretty good. That Nabokov guy wasn't bad either.He's 26. It's not like he's been in the NL for 3 years but it's not like he's going to develop much either. People think he'll be a franchise goaltender which is total bs. Like I said, I'll be happy if he'll be as good as Ozzie was in his prime. People are just blinded by the hype. Maybe it's because he sucked early at the season and then started to play better. Someone like Rask, Mason, Varlamov... you can see the potential right away. If he was a big guy like Rinne or Gustavsson I'd have more faith, because big guys develop later. There's a reason why he was in the AHL for so long. Guys mentioned before come and dominate at the younger age already.

No. I've been saying it a long time already. Many of you are just blinded by the Jimmy-hype. He's 26. He isn't fundamentally nowhere near the top goalies like Miller, Kiprusoff, Luongo, Rask etc.He lets in softies and many times doesn't bounce back like an elite goalie should. I'll be happy if he'll be as good as Ozzie was at his prime. This season has just been a decent goalie playing better than he really is, though.

Ehh... no?Ericsson gave the puck to Williams and went to the net. The other two forwards were already deep and Williams was at the point. Rafalski was on the other side. Williams had some choices (pass to Rafalski, shoot it, pass to the slot, get it deep...) and he decided to shoot it. The shot went wide but that wasn't the big problem. The problem was that after that it was a counter-attack for the Sharks. Williams is playing the D basically as he should when d-men pinch sometimes (it's part of the puck control system of Babcock). Williams didn't cover his man and it was a 2on1.

Also, Jimmy Howard will never be a franchise goaltender and this season was probably just some "miracle season" for him. He will never be better than Ozzie was.

Williams was the guy who should've backup the rush of Ericsson and he did until he shot that puck wide. As I said, I dunno what the hell he did after that, because it would've been 2on2 if Williams wasn't out of position.

Obviously if you blame Ericsson on that goal you do not know anything about hockey and even less about Red Wings game style.

That wasn't Ericsson's mistake. When a defenseman pinches, forward has to backup. Williams shot the puck wide and didn't stay defending the counter-attack. I dunno what the hell he was doing.

Ericsson pinching + Williams on the D = disaster

Good job Rookie of the Year.

Good job Rookie of the Year.

Why doesn't Draper take our draws? I thought he was one of the best in the league.

It's the right call when you compare it to others, but the fact is that was a re-direct, not a kick. The skate never moved laterally. But that's how they've been calling other situations like that.

Let it be, let it be.

I actually think Filppula's been good or even better than them in the corners and in terms of physical play. He needs to shoot more, that's the problem.

Leino with two assists and looking good... Why does it have to be "original"? I bet "Lets go Red Wings!" isn't the first "let's go" -chant either.

What can you do? SHARKS DIVE! It's what they do.