InKennyWeTrust

A rice alcohol from Japan?

Not counting the 2 extra forwards or #7 defense, you're at $57,006,000 on that roster, if I added correctly. I think you're $1M low on Lidstrom and $250,000 low on Eaves. So, let's say there at $58,250,000 with that roster. Still $4M under the cap- supposedly Smith still isn't ready, so I'd say spend it on Ehrhoff/Bieska/Kaberle/Pitkanen/whoever.

Kevin Allen at USA Today is also reporting it.

Holy s***! Now what?

Just because I like the aesthetics better, here's what it looks like in lines (not trying to get into a line argument, just putting them down): Franzen ($3,954,5450 - Datsyuk ($6,700,000) - Zetterberg ($6,083,333) Hudler ($2,875,000) - Filpula ($3,000,000) - Cleary ($2,800,000) Bertuzzi ($1,937,500) - Abdelkader ($787,500) - Holmstrom ($1,875,000) ? - Helm ($912,500) - ? Kronwall ($3,000,000) - Rafalski ($6,000,000) Stuart ($3,750,000) - Kindl ($883,333) ? - ? Howard ($2,250,000) ? There's $16,691,288 left for five spots. The most likely resigns are Lidstrom at his current salary, $6,200,000, and Eaves at about $1,000,000. That leaves $9,491,288 to get a back up goalie, a defenceman and one forward. Let's slot the back up goalie at $1,000,000 which is more than should be needed and the number is now $8,491,288. I don't know if that helps anyone or not, but it makes a little more sense to me now.

I wonder if there would be any consequences of having a team named after Union soldiers in the American Civil War playing in Florida, Georgia, and Carolina multiple times per year? I'm an Ohi'an who graduated from a high school named after Phil Sheridan- I made the mistake of wearing a 'Sheridan High School' shirt driving to Tampa a few years ago, I almost got mobbed in Tennessee trying to get gas.

The best thing about the Wing's immediate future is the absolute certainty we have locked down at the center position. D/Z will both age and decline eventually, but for the 2 to 5 year time frame, both are outstanding as #1 and #2, respectively. Then Val Fil, Helm, and Abdelkader can fight for the bottom two spots, mostly depending on whether Val Fil at wing makes more sense or not. Biggest need among forwards has to be a scoring winger or two of Franzen doesn't recover. We need a defensive prospect or two to pan out. Ericsson's been a big disappointment thus far. Kindl could be huge as could Smith, but with Lidstrom and Raffi gone sooner than later, someone is going to have to step up or be signed. In either case we will need a good defensive defenseman, something that's been lacking for a while. The future is less certain in the whole defense, 1-6, but it seems like there are also reasons to be optimistic. In goal, I want to see Jimmy have a good regular season. I think he will be great but it would go a long way to calming any remaining fears to see him put up a very solid 65-70 game season. I think that if we could have signed Nabokov for league minimum, finding a solid plug won't be that difficult year to year. This will give McCollum time to develop and we will either have a bonafide star in Grand Rapids or a disappointment that won't hurt so much. There's my 37 cents... I'll try to keep it shorter next time.

I'm as giddy as a school girl about Tatar's potential but does anyone seriously think he can make the jump to an NHL 2nd line at the age of 21? A guy that's 5'11" - 176 needs to have a very refined game before he can make an impact. St. Louis isn't good just because he's fast, he's good because he sees the ice and knows the holes to exploit in order to make a play. I'm not saying Tatar would be completely terrible in that role now but I think that if he's given another half a year or year to develop, things may go much more smoothly when he's called up.

I'm pretty sure that in a buyout, the cap hit is half the player's remaining salary over twice the length remaining on the contract, but I could be completely off base. EDIT: And I was wrong...

I can't wait to hit the links! Come on, the break isn't that bad.

Yup- I opted out of my health care plan only to slip on a patch of ice this winter and screwed up my knee cap. It's nights like this thought that make it all worth it.

I wish so much that I would have been able to sell that stupid guitar today. I've got student loans, hospital bills and rent to worry about but I was going to drive the 5 hours if I could have and spend whatever it took to get in.

I wasn't there, but the restaurant I was at had to turn on music after the first five minutes because the noise coming through was just a constant fuzz without being able to actually hear anything.

Holy s***. I just got back home. I'm glad I know the owner of the restaurant here or I probably would have been thrown out I haven't been this excited to watch a hockey game in years. I was getting so frustrated after two periods with all the close chances but there was something about this game where I just knew, no matter what, we would win. Oh my god, I haven't screamed a name like I screamed Val Fil's ever. A little after San Jose's goal, the restaurant's radio started playing Hotel California and I told my dad that it was a sign that Detroit would need a hotel in California for Thursday night and the game would be tied by the end of the song. Don Henley proved me wrong... just as the song ended, Val Fil pocketed his goal and I didn't stop screaming for two minutes. Everyone played Detroit hockey tonight and it payed off. I haven't watched a team dominate a game like we did tonight since the 02 Wings. Sleep tonight? I doubt it.

If I can get my guitar sold in the next few hours, I could still make the trip! This game is going to be great

Right before game 4, my ex-girlfirend and I got into a screaming match on the phone. Right before game 5 started, I called her, yelled "f*** you" into the phone and, alas, we won. I've got an alarm set for 7 PM with a reminder to call again

I had two exams today and completely failed the second one, much like how we're going to completely fail in this game.

Also, that Rafalski goal is going to end the series for all intents and purposes. His shots have all been blocked in every game so far but San Jose is going to be ridiculously concerned with stopping us in the neutral zone, especially after we net two in the first. One mistake, and a drop pass will be wide open. He'll net the GWG high on the glove side after a nice feed from Bert and completely get in Neimi's head. With all the talk I've heard about Modano being a Shark killer, I don't see how you don't play him, even if it's just to get into their heads a little. If he's on the ice when a Detroit goal is scored, it would be huge.

Cleary's going to go nuts in this game. I wouldn't be surprised by a goal and an assist on a Zetterberg goal. Also, Bert has had a helluva under-appreciated series. There's been times when he looks like the best player on the ice, absorbing huge hits and bringing the puck into the offensive zone. 4-2 sounds just about right- Z, Cleary, Rafalski and Draper with the retro-shorty.

Statistics blah blah blah... I'm totally buying this dude's jersey after these playoffs. The playoffs, coupled with the and the f*** you, Crosby event have made me fall in complete heterosexual love with this man.

nah-Nah-NAhNAh, Nah-NAh-NAHNAH, hey hey hey, San Jose's f***ed.

Peeeeeeer pressure peeeeeeer pressure

Somehow right now, I don't really care so much that we lost like I did, say, an hour and a half ago... Optimism!

Should be worse.