puckloo39

hmm. try this I don't know what the deal is with what you got.

No amount of logic or evidence shall sway the faithful from their mission, Shadow. Nice job on the stats, BTW. The good thing: the fans don't really have any say at all about what the Wings and Babcock will do in regard to goaltending chores.

here ya go wait til it opens and then click on the US or Canadian flag, if you want the instructions in English. be sure and say "no" to all the free offers, unless you want your email filled up with stuff from the NHL.

I don't know if I like that voting format much, with the drop down menus for players. Zetterberg is the last forward and you have to scroll down, obviously to find his name. Advantage to players with names in the first half of the alphabet? I haven't voted yet, kinda worried about the spam that mandatory information about name, email, birthdate, etc., could generate. I haven't read the disclaimers.

click on one of the flags, it will take you to the ballot.

Maybe Sergei Zubov would "defect" to Detroit. I just read that the Stars fired president Jim Lites today, too (former Wings VP) Dallas is a mess right now. I *heart* Zubov. Lidstrom is a horse, amazing pretty much every game. But lately... well, he can't do it all.

I understand. All goalies have bad games. Sometimes they get reminded of them long after they cease to matter in the big picture. For goalies in particular, hockey is definitely a world of "what have you done for me lately?" - as in yesterday or ten minutes ago - unless there's a chance to dredge up something and use it as evidence of "fact." And you know I don't mean you specifically, OS. You're cool. Dom's had a tough start and played in some bad games, sometimes where the Wings as a team sucked and penalties abounded. I haven't counted, but Dom's seen more 5-3s and odd-man rushes this season than I think he did in half of last year. Ozzie's been there for the team. No one in their right mind disputes that, I hope.

many, as in two? Ozzie's been great.

There is a whole lot of irrelevant stuff in this thread. I wasn't actually trying to make a point. Just saying that "logic" when applied to one goalie should be applied to all, as if that's possible. Anyone can make a case for just about anything, if they try hard enough and twist stuff around sufficiently.

it stands for In My Opinion.

1st round and out with Cujo. Cup win and into the semifinals with Dom. Cujo maybe didn't bring enough to the table, if we use the same logic as with Hasek last season. We can't have this both ways, kids. The team was involved in both playoffs, for better or worse... not just the goalie in either case. Either the past is revelant, or it's not.

'eva unit zero' post='1188423' date='November 14, 2007 - 12:59PM' QUOTE: Eva: 2006 might be the only season in recent memory where poor goaltending was a factor in an early exit loo: define recent. Eva: If anyone would have said that had Hasek left, they'd have been morons. Hasek played very well last year, but he didn't take the Wings further than they should have gone. And had he retired...he'd be retiring a 6-time Vezina winnner, Stanley Cup winner, and top 15 all-time in wins and among the leaders in shutouts. Anyone who would have called him a quitter would have needed a reality check. loo: true. However, that "quitter" business was actually in an article or two, when Hasek's agent was in the process of negotiating the contract over the summer. Eva: Hasek was asked to come back because of how well he played last season...the Wings brass wanted Howard to spend one more year in the AHL. This means they needed another goaltender to play with Osgood. Hasek's base salary is about 2m, if he hits bonuses it's about 4m...they weren't going to get anyone near as effective as Hasek was expected to be for anything less than 5m base salary, and to acquire that kind of goaltender they would have had to give up assets to acquire a guy, likely in his late 20s, who would either be around long-term (meaning Howard gets dumped off) or would leave as soon as possible, meaning likely the Wings wouldn't get full value from the deal. Give up less or the same amount of money and no assets to keep a guy close to retirement that you expect to play very well? Easy choice. The other option was to pick up a veteran backup for Ozzie...and there wasn't a veteran backup who was available who would realistically be a better use of cap space, playing time, and assets than just playing Howard in the role. loo: Also true. As I recall, there wasn't really a better choice than Hasek, given the circumstances. Eva: Hasek may or may not climb back on. Ozzie may or may not continue his streak. But ultimately, we all have to realize that what will happen is that Babcock will do what he feels best for the team. If Babcock feels Hasek is on the verge of finding that rhythm, he'll probably see a few games in a row. If Babcock feels that Hasek ISN'T looking like he'll be finding his rhythm, and Ozzie keeps up his strong performance, we will see a lot more Osgood. I think they should probably get a 50-50 split at this point, moving to a ratio more in favor of the guy who is looking better if there is a clear difference. loo: I would have absolutely no problem with any of that, Eva. Thanks! edit: I totally messed up the quotes, sorry.

Call me crazy (yes, yes... I know some of you already do!), but I don't think any goalie would get away with illegal equipment in these days of parity and penalties in the NHL. Just some guys are bigger than others, and therefore the length of pads would differ at least somewhat. But I bet the width of them is checked and re-checked by officials, or I would imagine that would be the case.

that was easy. I like Sean, brat that he is. He's a good player, just a pest. Like Domi, but not as dumb. Never could stand Tucker.

which type of stick is the one which constantly breaks? Wood? or Composite? I've never seen so many broken sticks as in the last couple of years. Remember the penalty Lilja got (yeah, yeah, I know...) for "breaking" another player's stick this season - I think it was the Anaheim game that was so penalty heavy. He didn't even touch the other player's stick and it fell apart. Unless other players are so afraid of Lils that they are squeezing the sticks hard enough that they shatter, I tend to think something else is going on.

I heard Lilja was driving the plane.

I agree with most of what you said. The fact is, the team didn't make it past round one of the playoffs without Dom since he left in 2002. So, those who believe the playoffs with Dom were no better than with other, past goaltenders would be incorrect. But on the other hand, Ozzie didn't get the chance to be the man in the seasons Dom wasn't around, either. Why is that? The brass chose Hasek as the #1 this season. He came back again because he wanted to play one more year, and because the management asked him to and was happy he agreed. I think (just me, probably) that he didn't have much choice, really. If he had retired and walked away, there would have been a contingent who would brand him a quitter, saying that he abandoned the Wings after playing a stellar season and taking the team farther into the playoffs than they actually should have gone. There is also a line of thought that Ozzie and Jimmy tandem would have been fine this season. Maybe. Maybe not. Who knows? I would have been OK with it myself, actually. The fact is, however, the Wings management wanted Dom back. You would have to ask them why that is... anything else is speculation -- which is, of course, our specialty here at LGW. Will Hasek climb back on the horse? I think so. Not if he never plays, however. Will Ozzie maintain his current streak? No one can know that, either. There simply are no guarantees... that's what makes it interesting, I guess. do you really have to ask??

definitely not too early. I have tickets for Jan 5 in Dallas v. Wings already. I keep them out on my desk at home and look at them every day. I have tix to Stars/Ducks on 11/21. I sure hope Dallas remembers how to play hockey by then.

here is Dom, "whining" about the game and his role last night: Dominik Hasek could only express frustration at his own performance: "One of those games you just feel you didn't help the team," Hasek said. "I don't have an explanation. It doesn't look good when you give up four goals in one period. I didn't get into the game. I'm not looking for excuses. I have to fight through this problem (not getting into the game mentally), or whatever you want to call it. I feel I can play much better." As always, he is stand up and take his lumps.

I was going to say that, too, about Mule. He's not himself yet, I guess. The whole team was out of sync. Datsyuk was the best player out there. Babcock also may have hit on something when he said this team lacks the killer instinct. That bothers me, that the Wings are so nice, they don't think they should keep the pressure on and shut down the other team when they have that chance. While I love it when they are pretty and dominate, it's not so pretty when they don't capitalize on chances. I also think they might want to consider eliminating the field trips to go bowling right before a game.

and Ozzie last won a Cup in 98. What's your point, again? They're both fine, and barring a career ending injury, I expect Hasek's not going anywhere.

exactly right. George Malik, who posts the (awesome) snapshots blog on mlive agreeswith you completely, BTW. perspectives on the game Hasek moved around his crease about as comfortably as a fire ant exterminator on a bad day, but the only goal he gave up that was truly suspect was Perron's breakaway tally, which cleanly beat Hasek between the legs. The two power-play goals against were in-tight jams with three Red Wings standing around him, and Mayers' goal was simply a perfect top-shelf shot. He wasn't great, but his teammates certainly earned their share of the Limburger in what was, arguably, the Wings' worst loss of the season. A collective ball-dropping situation, as it were.

coach's opinion on the game take it or leave it, Babs isn't placing blame on any one person last night.

not sure where you are in Indiana, Aux, but I used to drive from Bloomington (grad school days) to Indianapolis to watch the Ice play in 1990-91. Aside from that, I don't think Hoosiers understand "puck". Basketball, yes. Skates and sticks, no. it's not much better here, believe it or not. You have to really work at it to watch hockey, and forget finding 1 in a 100 people who know or care. I think Hank is probably right. I will have to learn to live where it's cold, I guess.