Doc Holliday

Lidstrom can play for the next couple years. Consider the calming prescence the guy has. He never panics. This team needs that influence during this transition period. I hope he takes a cap hit of like 3 million or less. He deserves more, but he probably has enough money at his age to where he won't need the extra couple million of salary.

I take offense to you calling a 22 year old a kid Electrophile.

Thornton is the only one who is close to comparable (considering his two 90 assist seasons a couple years back). None of those players have put up the amount of points Crosby and Ovechkin have in their first four years in the NHL. Ovechkin and Crosby have identical PPG at the moment (I believe Ovechkin has a slight lead in that department at the moment). They are both game changers and have done it on a much more consistent basis than anyone else in the NHL. Neither Kovalchuck or Iginla have put up 100 points once in their careers. Heatley has done it twice in seven years. Neither Sedins have hit even 90 points. What other players other than Malkin have been able to put up consistent numbers that Ovechkin and Crosby have?

Zack, Steve: Argue the ******* point instead of attacking the other poster. You are embarrassing yourselves.

They should leave the rule as-is.

Bettman realizes this decision could affect whether or not Ovechkin (and possibly Malkin) plays in the National Hockey League. Ovechkin: "I'll go play the Olympic Games for my country," Ovechkin said. "If somebody says to me you can't play, see ya." Malkin: "I would rather pay fines and still go," Malkin told Puck Daddy. "If there is something serious like a disqualification for a couple of years in the NHL, if there is something like this I will probably still go because I can even leave to Russia to play. It is very difficult to say right now. But I can give you 100% that I will go.""

I'd give Kenny an 8 or 7 and Mickey a 5. As much as he loves the hometown boys he calls it like he sees it for both teams. The Pens announcers are a 9 and 8, respectively. When the Caps were beating the Pens 5-3 a couple months back Steigerwald sounded like he was about to cry because of the outcome. He is terribly unprofessional.

If you are talking about the Pens home announcers, well yeah. Those two are morons. I have not once seen any reputable hockey source say that Crosby has the same talent in goal-scoring as Ovechkin, and if any of them did they would ruin their own reputation as being an "expert" on anything hockey related.

But he has always made it into the top 20 in goal scoring, save one year where he played 53 games. Unless you were saying he "barely cracks the top 20 each season." I don't see whats wrong with that anyways considering Crosby has been a playmaker (not so much this year) in the NHL. Joe Thornton's first 90 assist season only came with 29 goals. His second with 22. That's normally what happens with playmakers.

For Pete's sake.... How are players not world talents if they aren't promoted by the NHL? The reason there aren't that many hall of fame players on one team is because of the SALARY CAP.

Roenick hates Canadians, so that doesn't surprise me. I want to see Milbury talk about how great a coach Babcock is just for Reonick's reaction.

Yup. Ovechkin will score with or without Backstrom. Backstrom is just icing on the cake. I also forgot to mention that Original-six is flat out wrong in the "Crosby hardly breaks the top 20" argument. He has been in the top 20 every single year except for the 07-08 season, in which he played 53 games.

*inb4 s***storm*

At least the team is healthy after the Olympics.... *knocks on wood*

Sports broadcasters like to disagree with each other. Roenick is a tool too so it doesn't surprise me to disagree with everything Milbury says, even if Milbury doesn't know what he is talking about half the time. Ovechkin only does well because of Backstrom? Really?

Hmm, that is interesting. I don't think it holds much merit since the Wings weren't expected to be in this position when the season started, but is definitely interesting to hear from O.

Anyone got a direct quote?

Yes they are. Show me someone who has done what those two have in the same span of time (including this season and the playoffs). Original-Six: Crosby was hyped up as the "Next one" before his rookie year, and since then that notion has been quickly been rid of for its ridiculousness. Crosby is not going to get even close to what Gretzky did. Nobody in our lifetimes will. Also this is his placement in goal scoring since his rookie year T-12th with 39 goals T-16th with 36 goals T-64th with 24 goals (played only 53 games that year due to injury) T-20th with 33 goals T-1st (currently) with 42 goals. I don't think he is that bad when he is getting the point totals he does with the linemates he does. Shows that both he and Ovechkin perform whether or not they have quality linemates.

Deleted.

And if Crosby wasn't playing in that series then Malkin would have gone up against Zetterberg and Lidstrom, the two best defensive players in the playoffs that year. And the Pens would have also lost. He is marketed more than any other athlete, of course. At least he doesn't have his own website like Zetterberg and Pronger do. Agreed.

Crosby shook hands after the interview he had. He didn't flat out refuse or just skate away when the Wings were lining up. He was already talking in an interview and immediately went to the handshake line after it was over. He is a young captain enjoying winning the Stanley Cup and was asked questions about it. Says more about the media than it does about Crosby.

So everyone knows how many teams play on NBC this year: Red Wings: 5 Penguins: 5 Flyers: 5 (Including Winter Classic) Blackhawks: 4 Bruins: 4 (Including Winter Classic) Washington: 3 Rangers: 2 Hurricanes: 2 Colorado: 1 Buffalo: 1 Tampa Bay: 1 Dallas: 1 The bias isn't towards a specific team, but it is towards American teams located in the Eastern side of the country. The Wings and Pens are focused more because of their large fanbase and the Stanley Cup "rivalry" between the two (they had the same number of NBC games last year as well). No Sharks games. No Ducks games. No Kings games. Few sunbelt expansion teams (Thrashers being the exception with a game against Pittsburgh and Lightning also playing against Pittsburgh. Carolina with two games, one against Buffalo). No Jackets games. No Wild games. The bias is in favor of the heavily marketed east for a reason. I don't like it but from a business standpoint it makes sense. SWF: I don't notice them talking about Crosby much (Camera pans to him on the bench or on the ice 80% of the time between plays however) but I wasn't really paying much attention to the game anyway.

They are indisputably the best two hockey players in the world right now. Not such a stretch for the media to focus their attention on two players who are as dominant as they are.

I sincerely hope you don't think of me as the bolded, because you couldn't be further from the truth (but you wouldn't know me anyway, so it's easier to make judgments from a keyboard and attack than actually discuss or debate the issue at hand, right?) Can we get back on topic? Having you attack my character is fun and everything but it would be nice to have a discussion with people who don't automatically call you out for being a homer when you disagree with them on certain points. And honestly that's all I want. A good healthy discussion with other Wings fans about other issues. If you want to continue to act like I am a blubbering idiot and never back up those accusations then I will focus my attention to those who have honest intent to discuss the Red Wings and hockey on this DISCUSSION FORUM. Actually I'll go ahead and do it. At the start of the Olympic break Howard has shown he can consistently play above his head (at least what was originally thought of his "head" when the season started) and is right now the #1 contender to take the playoff reigns if the Wings happen to make it. It will be interesting to see how Babcock addresses the situation when the Olympics are over and Kenny makes a move before the deadline. Will he give Osgood more starts or keep going with Howard for 95% of the starts from here on out? My money is on Osgood starting against the Canucks (first home game of the month and Osgood has been better at home than on the road) and if he doesn't bring up his game then he will be benched for the rest of the year. Howard will play in the playoffs (assuming the Wings make it) and his real test will begin.

Not true till you prove it. Hasn't been done yet. But go ahead. I feel honored to be given so much attention to you three. Makes me feel special.