Lifelong Wings Fan

Dude, you KILLED IT!!! Have the Tigers called you yet for a try-out? I gotta ask you a question; I'm kicking the tires on getting to a playoff game (gotta convince the Mrs. that we can afford it) and throwing one myself. It's always been on my bucket list, and my time is running out! So the question is, where do you buy the octopi? Again, nice arm! And way to stand there and own it like a total boss! You made us all proud!

Hey fellow Wings/Griffs fans, A couple weeks ago, I won the GRG Annual jersey design contest. Let me know what you think of the design. Hope you like it!

Updates: I have now dedicated a page on my website to the jersey design. There's some photos I took during warm-ups from the bench, and a few others as well from during the game. http://www.pilotconcepts.com/grg.html Let me know what you think!

Looked like Mitch Callahan hurt his arm on the play right before the goal...

Thanks! Glad you like it! I'll be posting updates, as they've promised to keep me in the loop during the design process. And I'll be attending the game, so I'll post some photos.

Does anyone know what is going on with Dan Cleary's left eye? Not sure if this has been talked about before or not... but I was just watching the pregame show and noticed it more than usual. It looks bad, but then again, I'm no doctor. I'll see if I can find a good (or bad, depending on your point-of-view) picture of it.

Red Wings appear to be out of the hunt for free-agent forward Shane Doan http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2012/07/red_wings_appear_to_be_out_of.html

Sounds familiar. How about this one; I was at the game. 2010 Playoffs. Game 3 against San Jose, trailing 2-0 in the series. Game goes into overtime. Jason Williams, who didn't see a second of ice time in the 3rd period finds himself on a 2-on-1 with Dan Cleary, if I'm not mistaken. In true Jason Williams fashion, he tees up his last slapshot as a Red Wing. It was approximately 3' high and 8' wide of the net. It wrapped around the glass right to Joe Thornton who sent Patrick Marleau in all alone to score the game winning goal.

I have it on good authority that Brandon Prust will be a Red Wing in 2012-13. Take that for what it is, coming from a 26 year-old native of London, Ontario.

Regardless of who is individually better/worse/equal in comparison to 2008, I think it's pretty obvious that the competition is a lot scarier. Dallas and Colorado were both only as good as their hot goalies at the time, and Pittsburgh was young and just learning about what it took. Nashville gave the Wings a good run that year until Detroit figured it out and got into playoff mode. Osgood stood on his head throughout the playoffs and not many Wings had two bad games in a row. I remember actually LIKING Lebda during that run. I guess my point is, if we're going to compare the individual Red Wings of '08 to the Wings of today, let's also take into consideration the 4 (hopefully) teams they may have to face.

It should also be noted, on top of the associations to Nill and being from MI, he played for Blashill at WMU last year.

Going to the game tonight! Taking a sign that says, "Hey Tom! Keep your head up!" I'm hoping Bertuzzi teaches him a thing or two about breaking jaws. Speaking of Bertuzzi... it would be nice to see him get a little mean this year. I loved the TODD BERR TUZZI chants at the Joe last year.

Here's Ek's latest post on his Top 5 Players to earn NHL contracts on try-outs. He talks about how some guys will try-out with the team and sign with another because of that team's depth. However, he seems to think the Wings lack depth and will add Johnson after his try-out. Is he on glue? Here's the link: http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Eklund/Eks-Top-5-Players-Who-May-Make-the-NHL-via-Tryout/1/37906

Let me clarify... I didn't start this topic as a means of breaking the news that Eklund is an idiot. I just thought his latest prediction was worth talking about. There's no way Johnson is going to be signed unless they plan on trading 2 players for draft picks, or 3 players for a top 6 forward. I can't see that being in the works, but what do I know? Holland didn't keep extra cap room so that he could sign Johnson to a contract and sit him in the press box for 3 of every 4 games.

Even if he DOES have the inside scoop on some breaking stories, it doesn't excuse this opinion piece. None of his "inside sources" told him about this one. That's straight-up his own opinion that Johnson will make the Wings this year. I hope he's wrong for the 1001st time on this one...

Just wondering if anyone has seen a good picture of Ty Conklin's new mask? I found one on the Detroit News, but you can't really tell what's on the sides. I was curious as to whether he'd have the same one as last time, but it looks like he's gone with a new look...

That's exactly what I thought when I first saw it! Maybe it's Osgood in a hockey mask, after his groin surgery. I want better pictures! Someone call the newspapers and tell them. Anyone else have a goalie mask fetish?

It's called the salary cap people. There is so much parity in the league now a days that there is never a clear-cut Champion, until the Stanley Cup is handed out. Both Vancouver and Boston won game 7 of the first round in OT. They were both 1 goal away from being eliminated in the first round. It has little to do with grit, two-way play, natural progression, luck, etc. and a lot do with who's play well at the right time, and who you match up against. Every team that makes the playoffs (and some that don't) is capable of winning the Stanley Cup. It's absolutely great for hockey fans, and not so great for fans of one specific team.

What about putting Patty Eaves on a line with a couple goal scorers? He produced pretty nicely this year during all the injuries on the top line. I'm not saying he should be on our top line, but what if he wasn't always with Helm, Draper, Abdelkader, Miller? What about something like this: Cleary - Datsyuk - Hudler Bertuzzi - Zetterberg - Franzen Eaves - Modano - Filpulla Abdelkader/Homstrom - Helm - Miller/Draper

I'm making the road trip to Grand Rapids from London, Ontario (approx. 4 hour trek) and want to know from the experts where the good places are to go for dinner/drinks before the game, drinks/drinks after the game, what hotels are close to the arena and the nightlife, etc. It's my first trip to a Griffins game and my buddies are expecting a good party, so I figured I'd get some help from people who do it all the time. Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer. I can't wait to see the city and the arena and especially my boy Maltby.

Awesome advice! Can't thank you enough. Those both sound like our kind of place. We're definitely coming on a Friday for the dollar beers and dogs. Good to know that there's more dollar beers for us after the game. What about hotels? Is there anything really close that won't be an arm and a leg for the night?

Why isn't Modano playing? Salie looks great so far as a Wing!

If you watch the video of Boynton skating to the box when he gave the 'throat slashing' gesture, you can clearly see him mouth the words, "Hey you, you're f*#@ing dead!" I don't think it was a friendly or sarcastic gesture. Still doesn't make sense to let Orpik run around taking out guys' legs though.

Red Wings' Jiri Hudler day-to-day with bruised foot... link