Bring Back The Bruise Bros

I was nervous for a while, but good to see us grind out a win. Your boy Z stepped it up big time!

"LOL WOW WINGS SUCK! Y EVEN WATCH???" "I'm done watching. Wake me up when Ken gets his head outta his ass. I can't believe this is my favorite team." "Trade the whole team" These type of bandwagon comments are the reason I just don't even bother posting here at times, especially on gamedays. Sure, its nice when they win, but people really act like its the end of the world if we go on a skid. Don't get me wrong, I'm critical of the team at times, but I'm not on here riding every guys ass every damn chance I get, and this team will always be mine no matter how they play. Now that we played a decent second half of the game and pulled out a win, all the trolls will be silent for a day or two.

Since Matt Cooke has significantly toned down his antics, and Sean Avery has fallen off the NHL radar, who is the NHL's biggest spot-picking, cheap-shotting agitator?

Good to hear the Flyers comments. Nobody likes getting lit up, but at least acknowledge it was a good hit. Respect for Voracek and Jagr

Went to Ottawa for their home opener a few years ago and there were tons of Wings fans. Ottawa got off to a quick lead, and I had a few guys chirping at me. Nothing too bad. I merely told them "Your rafters seem a little emptier than those at the Joe". They didn't have much to say after that. Tons of other Wings fans chimed in along with me. Detroit ended up winning 3-2 and I made sure to give them the business after the game was over. Little stuff like that happens at every building. People getting beat up because of the gear they're wearing is an outrage.

Good non-call on the play. No way in hell it should be a suspendable hit. However, it could be, since any contact with the head supposedly equals attempted murder on hitter's part. Better not be a suspension. Kronwall has been throwing some great hits this year, what year is it, 2008??? Gave you a + to try to offset whoever gave you a minus for a joke...

How do we know the incident was caught on surveillance cameras?

This is all GMR's fault.

How about Niklas Hagman? 20 points in 56 games (8 with Calgary) on a mediocre Anaheim team. He won't command as much as Hudler probably will, and we'll likely get around the same production.

Holy depleted lineup, Batman. When will Callahan get his chance?

Probably not a roster player. Maybe a pick, I think.

Brad Stuart to Anaheim for Matt Beleskey. Bada Bing Bada Boom

As long as Bertuzzi continues to put up a point here and there and play a physical game, I think he fits well into the lineup. Cleary, on the other hand, is rapidly declining. I think he is really expendable, and we should seek out a younger grinder in favor of him. Plenty will be available at a cheaper price tag. We pay Franzen as much as we do for his playoff performance. If he fails to perform this postseason, I see no reason to keep his lazy ass around. Guy could be a physical force if he really wanted to be. He loses countless amounts of puck battles along the boards to little s***s like Kane on a nightly basis. But to be realistic, lets say he has a decent postseason and sticks around. If Ken was relieved of his duties at the end of year and Bring Back the Bruise Bros took over, this is what I would do: *Let Hudler walk. He played solid for a while, but he's been invisible the last few games. He'll have various offers from other teams, likely overpaying him, and I don't think he's worth any more than he is making now. *Re-sign Lidstrom if he decides to come back. Pursue Ryan Suter if Lidstrom hangs them up. *Trade Brad Stuart to the Anaheim Ducks for Matt Beleskey. In essence, Quincey will take his spot alongside Kronwall. *Holmstrom retires, I'm assuming. *Send Ericsson and Cleary to Tampa for Ryan Malone and picks *Sign Jim Vandermeer to switch in and out with Kindl. *Put Emmerton on waivers with the intent of sending him to Grand Rapids. *Sign Cody McCormick and move him into the lineup when we play more aggressive teams. Franzen-Datsyuk-Bertuzzi Zetterberg-Filppula-Malone Abdelkader-Helm-Eaves Miller-Mursak-Beleskey -McCormick Lidstrom-White Kronwall-Quincey Vandermeer-B.Smith Kindl Howard MacDonald

Bertuzzi and Franzen aren't going anywhere anytime soon. If Franzen fails to show up in the postseason, I'd really consider wheeling him out of town. He takes far too many nights off for what he is paid. I'd like to see us wheel Cleary out, but we know that won't happen.

They looked rejuvenated tonight. Wouldn't be surprised if Rosehill is brought back up.

I doubt Ericsson is going anywhere. If Smith can continue to play well, maybe next year could look like this: Lidstrom-White Kronwall-Quincey Ericsson-B.Smith -Vandermeer Pick up a bottom 6 player for Kindl and sign Jim Vandermeer.

I really like what Sather has put together. Work ethic is there. Offensive firepower is there. Goaltending is there. Secondary scoring is there. Grit is there. Acquiring John Scott tells me Michael Sauer will be out for the remainder of the year, after getting smoked by Phaneuf earlier this season. I'd love to see Boston and the Rangers meet up in the playoffs.

I hate Jonathan Ericsson because he is really good at playing hockey.

I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do with the gloves off, but I'd rather see him focusing on other aspects of his game. Dropping the gloves a few times a year will be great though. Anyone else think Smith could knock Kindl out of the rotation on the defense? And if he does, is Kindl getting wheeled out of town over the summer?

Look forward to seeing John Scott terrorize the Bruins on Sunday. That game is gonna be a hell of a battle.

Holy blowout, Batman.

Carlyle is taking over behind the bench? Toronto Maple Ducks

The number of players that can play and fight today are less than the '80s/'90s, but the notion that there are none available is laughable. There are still plenty of guys around that we can pick up in the summer that will help the team out, as well as dropping the gloves. As we get closer to free agency, I will compile a list of these types of players. Yeah, no doubt we've passed up on a lot of major talents in favor of who have turned out to be AHL players. There is no reason we can't pick up one of these guys over the summer. We'll have a ton of cap space. Other than Abdelkader, Bertuzzi, and Helm, who is gonna get in on the forecheck and finish their checks and win puck battles along the boards and behind the net?