cmonster

I concur. I believe its time to give the reigns to Osgood. I feel that Howard is getting burnt out. Against the Wild, it absolutely should be Osgood. Honestly, with Ozzie we have to find out if he is going to take his job back or not. Hopefully, Ozzie gets hot and tells everyone STFU, this my team, jump on my back, and lets go get 4th place. And on that note, Ozzie, don't screw up. Put up or shut up.

1st issue: Marleau is a center. We are stacked at the center position 2nd issue: not a big time player. tendency to disappear in big games 3rd issue: Money. Realistically, he will probably ask for 5.5-6 mil/yr. Doesn't really fit in Det. Unless Lids retires and even then we go shopping for a defenseman, not a forward. 4th issue: Would he want to come to the Red Wings after all the playoff battles with us while in San Jose? 5th issue: not consistent, only seems to be really good in a contract year Now, with all that said, for the right amount of money he could be a good fit. One of the reasons why I think he sometimes struggles in San Jose is that he probably feels that he has to be the man. In Detroit, he wouldn't have to be the man. At say 4.5 mil I would most definitely be interested. But I would rather have depth by signing Eaves, Miller, and Bertuzzi.

I'm fully comfortable with Stuart and Kronwall as 1/2 defenseman. If you got Jack Johnson, you replace Kindl. They are the same age with similar skillsets. Johnson is more physical than Kindl, but their offence is probably equal. With JJ you know what you have. Assuming Lidstrom Retires per your "winding down" theory: Kronwall/Stuart Rafalski/Ericcson JJ/Meech and just for you Kindl+2nd rd pick+3rd rd pick for JJ Essentially a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd rd pick for JJ

In all honesty I would go a little further than KH probably would to get him. I.E.: Lebda+Leino+Kindl+6th rd pick+7th rd pick for JJ and a pick LA gets: 5/6 defenseman in Lebda 2/3 line forward in Leino Our top defensive prospect in Kindl and 2 draft picks Det gets: JJ and a pick and remember this is the same team in LA that traded us Brad Stuart for what, three picks? And he was supposed to be a #1 defenseman.

I for one would love to see JJ on our third pair. Lidstrom/Rafalski Stuart/Ericcson Kronwall/JJ Roll all 3. You really would never have to worry about matchups for defense pairings Strengths: Is an incredible skater. Possesses good size, excellent all-around instincts, physical prowess and offensive upside. Is never shy about laying on the body. Is better than average for a defenseman when in alone against the goaltender. Weaknesses: Needs to avoid getting caught out of position in order to land the big hit. Could stand to simplify his game a little more so as to maximize his physical tools. To me that sounds quite similar to Kronwall. Except for the size comment. Honestly if I was Ken Holland, Lebda+Leino for JJ and a 4th rd pick or Kindl+5th or 6th rd pick for JJ

2 years 3.5 mil. 1.75 mil per season. And, unlike some I think he would play better knowing that he had a contract in place. He could be comfortable, knowing that for the next 2 years he has a contract. I will be the first to admit we are not signing the 2002 version of Bertuzzi, but I have been watching him, and his skating is much better the 2nd time around, and his renewed commitment to defense make me think that he and Ken Holland would get a deal done. Preferably before he turns 35. So he could retire and not affect the cap.

My vote goes to a tie for Bertuzzi and Eaves. I would love to see both of them back next year. Bertuzzi has been skating pretty well this season. He looks healthy and I think he is getting his confidence back. The only thing that I could ask from him is to get a little more nasty to place against. I would like to see him muck it up a little more, maybe drop the gloves a couple of times. Eaves has been phenomenal. He very well could turn into the next Cleary reclamation project. I think the Helm, Draper, Eaves line has been our best and most consistent line all year. Those three seem like they were made specifically to play on a line together. And on a side note, I really think Bertuzzi will be back. I think he really likes it here. He has said that he really liked it here the last time around and that he didn't know why he ever left. And most importantly, he wants to be here, and the Red Wings want him here. Eaves, I think the Red Wings would welcome him back, but he might see this as his chance to go to another team and get back into a top 6 role, and make some cash too.

I was thinking of a possible rule change. Instead of rewarding an extra point for a shootout or overtime win, why not just use the win as a tiebreaker. Take for example, todays game. Under the rule change both Chicago and Detroit get a point, but Chicago would get the edge in a tie breaker situation because they won in a shootout. And in the standings record it as a tie. What do you guys think?

How about a post for 500,000 posts for a Wings Stanley Cup Victory?

you do realize that Pavel is only about .5 ppg off a 100 pt. pace? Considering how many fewer goals are being scored, I would cut him some slack. He contributes a lot more than points. Down a goal, up a goal, tied late in a game, key powerplay, key penalty kill, he is one of the guys you want on the ice. After Lidstrom, there is nobody else I want on the ice more than Pavs and Z.

Somewhere Jimmy Devallano is laughing his ass off. He told us all to lower your expectations. Did we heed his warning? No. People, we all know that this was going to be a transition year. If you didn't, well I don't know what to tell you. We will get scoring, just not this season. Kenny Holland will not, I repeat, will not, tear up the future of this team for one year. There will probably be no blockbuster trades, there probably won't be any trades, and if a trade were to occur, its most likely for depth on the defense. As for guys not performing, people have off years, its just that no one expected everyone to have an off year at the same time. And remember, no team has played more hockey the last 5 years than the Red Wings.

Anymore, its not about the refs screwing up. Fans want communication and accountability. In this instance, a simple explanation of "the no goal signal has been overturned by commitee decision and the play is under review to determine if the puck did not cross the line" could help fans understand what is going on. A simple lack of communication. And the other issue is accountability. Fans are tired of leagues who trot out the tired excuse "we trust our officials to make the right call in the heat of the moment, blah, blah, blah." Fans want people to say "hey, we made a mistake." The notion that the refs are infallible is nonsense. If fan Joe Sixpack makes a mistake at work, his boss doesn't say he made the right call, he tells him he screwed up. Most likely reprimanding him, or at worst firing him. If refs continue to go unscathed for their actions and are portrayed as infallible the league will lose touch with its fans and reality. And, in closing, people bitching is not going to get us an extra point. It will not get us a win.The league won't go back in time and change anything. Take off your tinfoil hats and enjoy the game. Focus on the fact that the Red Wings put themselves in an unfavorable situation. Not on how the refs "screwed us." Rant if you want to, if it makes you feel better.

I was a bit surprised to see Howard in net against Carolina. I thought after the Islanders game Ozzie would have gotten the start. But, as others have pointed out his rebound control is keeping him from eventually joining the greats. His rebound control, or lack thereof, cost him a shutout against Carolina. That being said, I don't think Babcock rides him back to back days especially since they are both afternoon games. I would think Ozzie would get one of them.

As a passionate Wings fan I really, really want to put the tin foil hat on and claim conspiracies, but lets face it the NHL and Gary Bettman are incompetent. Merely implying that they could orchestrate a conspiracy grossly exaggerates their intellectual capacity.

When I think of fighting and the Red Wings only a handful of guys come to mind. 1. Probert 2. Kocur 3. McCarty 4. Grimson 5. Shanahan *These are all guys I have seen play (started watching hardcore in '94) **There are guys who fought who I thought were tough, hardnosed, not "fighters" And imo Gordie was one tough son-of-a-*****. I think some people underestimate the old timers and their abilities

He could have taken a cab like Patrick Kane.

Is Jimmy Howard playing lights out, world class goaltending? No. Is he doing enough to get this team some wins, yes. For the most part we need solid goaltending. Not spectacular goaltending. And it isn't about the number of saves or gaa, its about making the saves we need him to make at crucial times.

In no order: Sidney Crosby: I hate how the NHL has built him up Teemu Selanne: b/c he seems to be clutch against the Wings Dion Phaneuf: OVERRATED!OVERRATED!OVERRATED! Jordin Tootoo: I hate those train whistles Brian Campbell: hyprocrite, called Kronwall gutless after the Havlat hit, w/o considering that he did the same thing to R.J. Umberger

Unfortunately, I don't think we will tank bad enough to get a high end player to help us next year. So my wishes for drafting include: 1. Power Forward who is physical, goes to the net, and drops the gloves 2. Sniper, someone who can score at will 3. Stay at home Pronger type defenseman

Are you maybe suggesting that we kill teams like Chicago with kindness?

Playing hard, finishing your checks, playing with passion. All things that are part of good hockey. All things that I don't consider to be "goon" hockey. For the most part anything more is extraneous. But don't get wrong I enjoy a good tilt every now and again.

We have to make the playoffs first...

Yeah, it would be nice to goon it up and send a message. But, this team probably shouldn't try and out goon most teams. For one we risk more injuries, two, you're asking some Euro's do something that they aren't comfortable or familiar with (i.e. play roles they can't opening themselves up to get hurt), and three, because we still have to play them again (i.e. retaliation). Now that I have indulged the logical side of my brain. I want to see Abdelkader throw down. I want to see him brutalize someone. He is a big kid, power forward type. And, I want to see Bertuzzi throw'em. Bert is a big boy. He needs to throw caution to the wind and pummel someone. May really doesn't need an invitation. He should fight whenever he feels like it. With him we're not losing a high skill guy so what the heck, let'em go.

I have lost the most confidence in Osgood. I figured after last season's debacle he would have been more focused and this unfocused play would be nonexistant this year. He used to be able to get a free pass b/c he really turned it on for the playoffs, but we need playoff Ozzie now so we can make the playoffs. As for Kovalchuk, I would trade somebody say Filppula, Kindl, Larrson and a 2nd +3rd rd draft pick. Provided he signed for around $6.5 mil for 5 or 6 years. This team lacks a bona fide sniper. A guy who can score at will. Too many of our guys are all around guys, do a lot of things good, but never really excel at one thing. Not everybody can be a 2 way stud. We need guys to focus solely on defense, guys to focus solely on offense, and a few guys who do both well.

For the most part we don't need spectacular lights out goaltending. On most nights if we give up 2 goals or less than we really should win a good portion of those. If we lose, you should probably look at the forwardds. The tricky part of our situation is to find the hot hand and ride them until they lose. Jimmy Howard seemed to lose a little momentum today (12/19), but we were going to Osgood anyway for the next game. Now, its Ozzie's turn to get hot and carry the team for a while.