mmamolo

I agree, Dallas is no slouch but I wouldn't say they are the toughest opponent in the next 8 game stretch. Calgary has been dominant and with the exception of their recent 2-1 SO loss to Buffalo they have been easily one of the best in the West. I agree that this is a crucial set of games in the season and we're entering it in the best shape we have been all year so far. As I am sure you all know the Wings are 10-3-3 since returning from Sweden. We've won 3 straight and are 7-2-1 in our last ten. With the exception of our poor showing against the Leafs we have been rolling. So I'm confident in our abaility to take 6 of the next 8 (at least).

This is the best possible time for Howard to get more starts udner his belt. He's won a few in a row, the Wings are hot and everyone is playing well and gelling together. With a rookie goaltender you want to give him starts when you're team can provide him with the best possible chance to win. Obviously with Osgood injured (which I believe is the case, I dotn think he is sick) we don't really have a choice anyways. As much as I would liek to see Larsson get a start at some point this year it doesn't make sense to throw him in there right now. We need to continue to build Howard and his confidence up. If Larsson were to come in and get rocked not only does it put him a step back in his development but it also brings our hot streak to a screaming hault. As for the lineup I'm glad the lines are staying the same. Personally I don't really see how you could change them up if you wanted to. You know the DHE line is staying together and no one from our current fourth is getting elevated. The only change I could see would be switching Cleary and Bertuzzi but I think that's counter productive. Bertuzzi needs a passer to have any chance of putting the puck in the net and Cleary's play meshes so much better with Zetterberg. SO I'm glad the lines are staying in tact. Plus, with the way Leino has been playing it's only a matter of time until he starts putting some more points up on the board. He's really looked like a different player ever since he got elevated to the second line. He's more aggressive, more engaged, works hard and is producign chances. He'll get his points soon enough.

This simply won't happen. Ken Holland went on record this past week at the GM meetings in Toronto as saying he has had no discussions concerning any trades with GMs recently and doesn't plan to. Detroit doesn't have the cap space nor are they willing to move roster players. Traditionally the Wings have been very hesitant to move any roster players and this year won't be any different. They are going to work with what they have and if any move is made it will be at the deadline and that's it. Not to mention picking Sbisa and Christiansen (along with Giguere) doesn't exactly fill the void that would be left by Rafalski. No way does this deal happen.

Obviously he's riding the current hot streak but we've all got to admit, he's had his hand in some big plays for the Wings. I think we shoudl all be extremely happy with his play thus far

I do agree that at this rate both Lidstrom and Draper will be offered contracts for next season. The thing is that since both players are 35+ years old, from my udnerstanding, the way it works is that if they were to retire after one season the cap hit remains in effect due to their age. In other words, any player over 35 who signs a multi year deal and retires, their salary does not come off the books until the contract expires. This is obviously done so that a player like Lidstrom doesn't sign a 2 year deal worth say $8M with the contract heavily front loaded ($7M in year one and $1M in year two) so that he can collect his cash and then retire. I think you'll see both Lidstrom and Draper signing one year deals and they'll both reevaluate after each season from here on out.

Yeah I guess you could switch Franzen and Cleary. Obviously my preference would be for Franzen to be in the top 6 but I just left them as is to make the point about chemistry. It's just a shame because anytime I look at any number of potential line combinations no matter where I fit Williams in I feel like the line will be slow, lazy and will turn the puck over....and I've been impressed with Williams production and play up until his injury. It's also s***ty that once FIl, Williams, and Franzen come back from injury we won't see too much of Maltby, Abdelkader, Miller, and May as I think they've all had their moments where they've looked good.

I'm not from Detroit but I've got to a ton of Red Wings games so I've been to all of the mentioned places. If I were you I would to Hockeytown Cafe before the game because there's a bucnh of cool s*** in there, it's right by the ppl mover and it'll get you pumped for the game. Chelli's is pretty sweet too but I don't think the food is as good. If you're going to go to Cobo Joes I would go after the game. It's super close to the Joe and there'll be a bunch of ppl, especially if the Wings win.

Jon Garrett is a jackass...he talks out of his ass constantly. He is one of the biggest homer announcers on Canadian Hockey Broadcasts

http://www.justin.tv/redwingslive is working pretty well right now. It has a lot of lag earlier but it's moving well now

I did all that and it's still not working. I think IM going to have to give up. Thanks for your help anyways bud

stream torrent is down for me. Can you send me the direct link you've got the game working on?

I dont know why but none of this s*** is working for me tonight

This is painful! I need a working link!

Thanks but for some reason both of those links are offline for me

Im sweating it out too. Justintv and atdhe arent working for me

Im dying here....I need a working stream. I used justinlive last night but I cant find the password. Anyone got it? Or another working stream? Other than the one posted at the beginning of this thread?

anyone got the justinlive or whatever stream link and password?

I think the point was that Meech has the capabilities to play both forward and defence

The chemistry is exactly the problem. That's why I was saying the only way to maintain as much of the current chemistry as possible would be if Leino didnt work out long term on the second line. But even then it still screws with everything. I really think the bigger issue is goign to be when Williams comes back. Right now our third line is producing some poitns, they have great speed, forecheck like crazy, can defend and are probably our toughest line to play against in a lot of regards. When Williams comes back and most likely ends up as part of a third line combination we instantly lose a lot of those qualities. But if Franzen is able to come back sometime in january, right around when Williams makes his return, that would make the whole situation that much better. Instantly we could shift our current third line to our fourth and try to use Williams in a manner where his lazy defensive play doesnt hurt us. If he's matched with some scorers it might work out a ltitle better. In some ways I'd almost like to see lines like: Bertuzzi - Datsyuk - Holmstrom Leino - Zetterberg - Cleary Williams - Filppula - Franzen Draper - Helm - Eaves that way every line has a net pressence, a shooter and a passer. Then obviously it's a free for all come PP and PK time.

The point of what I was saying was in reference to if the line could be kept together and how it would work with ppl coming back so me sayign Franzen isnt back until March when he could be back in January is irrelevant. Also, I do agree the Wings would be better with Filppula on the third line instead of the second but when Filppula is back and Williams and Franzen are out it would be very difficult to have Fils on the third line while keeping Draper - Helm - Eaves in tact as the fourth line. The only way that could be accomplished would be to move ABdelkader/Maltby/May/Miller up onto the third line. Ssee what I'm getting at? Obviously once everyone is back, whether that be January or March, the obvious move is to make the Draper - Helm - Eaves line our fourth. But we're talking about what happens when Filppula comes back...and then when Williams comes back. Get it?

Just as anyone is saying the only person you could trade for this to make sense money wise would be Rafalski. I think tha twould be a terrible move right now. That being said, Rafalski is 36 and has two more full season after this year on the books. Even though he still puts up very good offensive numbers I have seen what could be a decline in his defensive abilities. Either way, I would much much rather the Wings held out and tried to sign Hiller this summer if they were going to do anythign to their goaltending situation as opposed to trading for Gigeure who is overpaid for what he has been doing th elast year or so. If he can regain his form then he'd be worth the money but that's a big gamble. At the end of the day, this rumor came from Eklund so you know there is nothing to it

WHat I really like the most about Eaves is how hard he plays. He's got a little edge to him so even if his scoring doesnt develop I could see him being a Maltby type replacement. Someone who is stron gon the PK, can chip in here and there offensively, works hard on the forecheck, causes trouble for the other teams is a real team guy. In my mind there is no wonder that Helm and Eaves have such good chemistry. They are a lot like a younger version of Draper and Maltby. I really think they are the beginning of a reincarnated grind line.

In a lot of ways I'd rather see an 86 game more balanced schedule. Each team could play each of their conference rivals 4 times and the 15 teams from the opposite conference twice each season. That way every superstar visits every arena in the league at least once. 14*4=56 15*2=30 Total = 86 This way the schedule is 'more' balanced, which helps the pairity in the league, you introduce more superstars to all markets and there is no significant advantage to being in weak divisions such as the southwest. Downside is more travel as West Coast teams now see the East Coast more often and the vice versa. Although considering how screwed the Wings have been since the East and West Conferences were introduced that would also level the playing field. Don't even get me started on how ridiculous it is come playoff time that the Wings are in the West and what an added fatigue factor there is when they draw an opponent like Anaheim or San Jose

Seeing as Franzen won't be back until March it won't really be an issue for May to get into the lineup on a regular bsis or as Babcock sees fit. The problem will come in tryign to keep Draper - Helm - Eaves together once Filppula and Williams come back. As soon as Filppula comes back it'll be tough because who are you going to demote to the fourth line? Not Filppula...only way that line stays put is if Leino really struggles and gets demoted to the 4th and they insert Filppula into the top six and juggle.

Badass....thanks guys