Viking_Erection

Yes, because injuries should always be used as an absolute excuse for losses.

I could watch the Red Wings hockey 365 days a year. This 4 days stretch off is a bit too much....

6 million dollars. Sounds like the type of overpayment Chicago would love to have. I bet Chi-town is interested. Antti Niemi and Campbell straight across for Giggy?

To be fair, many LGWers on here have this unrealistic expectations that offense is okay scoring 1 goal, but it's absolutely not okay when Osgood (and Howard) allow more than 1 goal to lose the game. Not even the great Terry Sawchuk could meet those expectations for an entire season. That's just one example of the common unrealistic expectations on LGWs.

When Lilja does come back it's going to take awhile before he's back to form. 2 years ago Lilja and Lebda were the two biggest whipping boys on this forum. I expect Lilja to be the whipping boy on LGWs after he returns. That said, I'd like to see Janik play more instead of Lebda/Meech.

Unrealistic expectations can disappoint. Ville is a rookie that suppose to be on the 3rd line only making $750k. I expect him to score 10-12 goals this season... maybe 18 on the high side. Anything over that I'll consider a 'bonus'. Ville played some very promising games this season and looked very solid. In other games he was absolutely invisible (so was the entire team). All of the things that you'd expect from a rookie.

That's what I am thinking too. Wouldn't it be awesome if Zetterberg and Leino (and Cleary) become a dominating line together.... so dominating that Babcock cannot separate them even after all the injured players return. One can hope. Another player who needs to start finishing is Bert. If he'd popped a few of those chances in, he might just be the leading scorer on this team right now. He's been producing some great opportunities but not finishing. He's been a force while failing to score. Go Wings

With all the injuries, how much can we realistically spend? Since Franzen is out 4-6 months, Flip out 4-6 weeks, Lilja out the year and now with Williams out, how much can Holland spend without going over cap when Franzen, Flip and Williams returns? I know this was discussed before, but now might be the time for Holland to spend a little to pick up someone without losing picks or young talent. Of course we could use Griffin boys, but all these injuries is hurting the Grand Rapids team also. Man this year is fluky.

Lol. You're spinning is making me dizzy. "Howard isn't backup material", "Wings need a real backup", "Howard has value", "Howard had to play because he was out of options", "Howard isn't ready for the big league", "Holland isn't going to choose to lose a player for nothing". LMAO!!! -- btw, what did Holland get for Quincey? Please refresh my memory. So Howard isn't good enough to backup yet he has trade value, but isn't good enough in the NHL but has to play on the Red Wings because he was out of options? Wow, you are really are a back peddler. Howard was "good enough" for Holland to sign, but now that he has started a whopping three games behind a lazy and rusted Red Wings team, he's no longer backup material. Me thinks you forgot what your argument truly is. Keep spinning!

That's where I stopped reading. Meech playes BOTH positions. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Meech

:facepalm: That was not, even the slightest, the point of my post at all. That's an entirely different thread, point, conversation, argument from the backup-goalie/financial/cap-space of my previous point. However, my point has been proven and you, nor anyone else, can argue it. Holland could have, in fact, resigned Conklin if he felt it was needed. Meech/Shanny/players-name-here could have filled the $700k spot on the roster.

Again, more misconceptions. Look at this... it's really not that hard, folks. (If Holland didn't want to give Howard a chance) $1.5 million Williams salary / $1.4 million Conklin's salar = WASH! $700,000 Howard's salary / $500k - $700k Eaves type player = WASH! There you go, Williams salary can wash out for CONKLIN. Had Holland wanted to do that. He didn't. Why? Not like Carman suggests, because Carmen suggests that Holland new Howard was a short-term failure. Howard had 3 STARTS for crying out loud. He didn't get more starts because OSGOOD has been the hot hand. Babcock plays the HOT HAND. Again, Williams/Conklin salary = WASH! --- Holland could have found a $700,000 Eaves type contract to plug on Williams open roster spot. Simple math folks.

Providing the Wings make the playoffs. With all the injuries stacking up, there's no promises they'll crack the 8th seed in such a tight western conference. I'm not throwing in the towel or panicking... but all these injuries sure do spoil things.

Babcock is known to play the hot hand in net. The Wizard of Oz has been hot. Last game, not so much... though the entire team sucked. Look at Howard to get the start either next game or the game after. If Howard outplays Osgood, look for him to start until he fawks up. Same goes with Osgood.

And yet the Sharks still completely shut down the Penguins. Lol. Funny how Penguins' fans are using injuries as an excuse yet refuse to acknowledge that the Sharks are beat up and facing the injury bug too.

To be fair, the Sharks are suffering from big injuries too. Blake is the Sharks' Lidstrom and they still shut down the Pens.

If Biron can score 20+ goals, has the ability to carry the puck into the zone and help the PP out with Fraznen, Williams and Flip injuries, then I am all for it! As per the money issues, *IF* Holland thought Howard was going to be the risk you think he is, he could have NOT signed Williams, and found an Eaves type player making $500k to keep Conklin... *IF* Holland thought Jimmy was hopeless -- Which apparently he thinks Jimmy is a good enough backup, which you refuse to see. Hell, Brendan Shanahan is available. But you seem to be hung up on this notion that Holland could not have signed Conklin no matter what. Where do you get your information from? Holland wanted Howard to backup the goalie position for two reason 1) because his time in the AHL was over 2) use the money on a forward to help the PP -- BUT THE FORWARD HE SIGNED TO QUARTER BACK IS GONE, ALONG WITH OUR 2ND LINE CENTER AND FRANZEN, but you want a backup goalie? Lol. If Holland had known what you obvoulsy know, then why did he even bother with Howard? Where do you get your inside information that not even Holland knows? Howard has started in what 3 or 4 games??? Why do you keep dodging my questions? Do you realize that you were dense and don't want to face the facts? Wings LOST 144 goals and 314 points. How does Biron help with that? Do you really think the Wings can win every game 1-0 all the way to the playoffs? Not even Biron can finish the season with a 0.00 GAA under this defense. *IF* Biron can have an unbelievable record of 1.25 GAA, Wings still lose if they can only score 1 goal. Your ideas that you THINK will work suck! Get over it. Wings need to put the puck in net not get a backup that will play 30 games who will still allow more than 1 goal per game on average.

Making the playoffs is never guaranteed. But it's only November and I'm not making any predictions who and who will not make the playoffs. I never said Leafs are some great team, but I do think they are better than their record indicates. I think they lost a lot of games due to goaltending. Toskala was bad, really bad. The Monster is proving to be good for them. Kessel just returned and you can clearly see his presence has sparked the team. That said, the Red Wings as a whole didn't show up. They played lazy and played with no energy. They lost the game for themselves and the fall guy is Osgood like everytime the Wings lose. When the Red Wings can only scored 2 goals during the past 120 minutes in regulation, then I think there are bigger issues than goaltending that needs to be addressed. How many games should the Red Wings win 1-0 for the remainder of the season? Wings lost 144 goals and 314 points from 2008/09 season to 2009/10 season. But lets bash Osgood for not getting the shutout to win the game.

Pens had two big blow-outs and lost two games out west so far against a couple of good teams. 5-2 and 5-1 respectively. I've been saying all along the Penguins are only doing as well as their lucky schedule gave them. I was holding judgement towards the Penguins until I see them get tested by decent teams. They've failed the test ever time. Coyotes, Devils, Sharks and Kings have all whooped the Pens.

Right but the point is this carmen kid is claiming that management knew in advance that Howard was a failure, because he had ~200 games not to impress anyone. If this theory is true, why give him a chance? Teams groom players all the time to find that they're a bust. Carmen is basically saying Howard was a bust before he got here... yet Holland let Conklin go. As for money, like I pointed out in my previous post, Holland could have given Conklin Jason William's money and signed another cheap Eaves type player to plug the forward position. Look at Carmen's theory. Carmen makes it sound like he/she had some kind of special inside info that not even Holland knew.... I'm calling bulls***. Wings lost 144 goals and 314 points and we're talking about spending limited cap money on a backup who might play 30 games?

Really, that's why he's here and Conklin is not, because he had "~200" games to 'not' impress management? Please explain this 'theory' you have. Holland could have signed Bert and Conklin and skipped Williams in favor of a $500k Eaves type player, but opted to give Howard a chance to prove himself. And you call me straw man. Lol. In your theory, because we can afford a 'real' backup, our offense can still suffer, right? Do you realize how many goals the Red Wings have lost since 2008/09 compared to 2009/10? And you are okay with this? See above. You obviously don't get it. Holland and management get it, but you refuse to get it. I never said you hate Howard. But your logic, or lack thereof, is very frustrating. Answer this question. Why would Holland (who you claim knew Howard was a short term failure) not give Conkin an offer (which probably would have given the Wings a home team discount). That doesn't make sense, does it? Do you think Holland was purposely trying to sabotage this team? After all, Howard had "~200" games to impress management, and failed (so you claim). Why would Holland not re-sign Conklin and let Howard go, and since he probably wouldn't be picked up, stay in GR. Now you want to trade Howard, who probably has no value since he's had "~200" AHL games to prove himself and is too much 'work in progress' to value ratio, for Biron who would cost more than what Holland could have resigned Conklin for. And Conklin is putting up better numbers than Biron. Do you see your failed logic yet?

Oh damn, did Bettmen move the playoffs from April to November 10th? Damn him! Avs, Blue Jackets, Coyotes are all making the playoffs while Wings, Hawks and Ducks are not. This blows! Get this, Wings are 3 points (with a game in hand) to move from 10th to 3rd place in the Conference standings. Yesterday's loss doesn't bother me. The way the Wings played doesn't bother me. The team allowing 5 goals doesn't bother me. What does bother me is Wings' suffer from another injury. That's what bothers me.

We already had one. He's in St. Louis right now making $1.4 million. Rumor has it, in a salary cap era, teams are required to manage money differently than before -- therefore, relying on young talent to pick up some slack. In addition to the salary cap rumor, it was time to give Howard his fair shot in the NHL level. Guess he's only allowed to have 4 games to prove himself behind a team that doesn't feel like playing defense. Apparently, the solution on LGWs is giving up the kid who had 4 tries for a goalie that consistently gets a shutout every game, well since this team can only score 1 goal a game. Does that sound overly dramatic? Of course it does... because it is. Helm hasn't scored a goal in awhile, maybe Wings should give up on him. Why would we need logic on LGW? Just knee-jerk reactions on here, baby.

According to LGWs, the solution is just acquiring a goalie that will finish the season with a 0.02 GAA who is a playoff monster for under $1 million yearly salary. That's the logic here. Apparently Wings should win every game by scoring a whopping 82 goals a season.

Why not just bump one of the Osgood threads on page 2 or one from page 3? Why did he go to page 5 to get it? I have some land in Florida that I'll sell you. /sarcasm