McAwesome

Just watched some highlights from last night's game and something struck me as very ironic, when Franzen scored his second goal, Emrick's exact words were "Franzen with a pair". How fitting.

So I'm a little confused by something Holland said in that interview, it sounded like he said that since Sheahan is signed to an NHL contract, he is no longer eligible to play in the AHL. Does that mean just for the rest of this season? Edit: just listened to it again, it sounds like it is just for the rest of this season. I'd be surprised to see him get in the next game, especially with Mursak already being a healthy scratch, although with Sheahan being a first rounder, maybe they have a different plan for him.

Howard starting, Quincey in for Kindl Kindl out of the lineup makes me feel slightly better about playing the team that has Parise and Kovalchuk killing penalties and has scored the most SH goals in the league, but I still have this feeling that we will get scored on shorthanded tonight. I hope I'm wrong. That being said, I still believe we will win tonight, just want it to be in regulation.

Kindl must not see the ice during the playoffs, I've been rooting for him to step up and earn a roster spot but he's actually taken a significant step backwards. I don't see him being re-signed at the end of his contract, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him dealt at the draft in some picks & prospects trade. Apparently April is the new March for Franzen, but if you have to pick a game in which to flip that switch, why not a statement game against a bitter division rival who you may realistically face in the playoffs. Our powerplay needs some serious help, they need to keep the top 2 lines together for man advantage, they have such chemistry at even strength why not see what they can do with more time and space. Franzen-Datsyuk-Bertuzzi/Holmstrom Lidstrom-White Hudler-Zetterberg-Filppula Kronwall-Quincey/Smith I hope that our playoff games are not that bi-polar, but tonight truly felt like a playoff game with the atmosphere and intensity, this is why I love hockey.

Spin-o-rama time? Edit: I guess not!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :siren:

As talented as this team is, and with as many veterans who already know what it takes to win the Cup because they've already done it (and should have done it back to back), anything short of winning the Cup has to be be considered unsuccessful. I know we as fans have the privilege of having that expectation, but the whole organization from top to bottom cannot settle for anything less because, as Herm Edwards so eloquently put it "You play to win the game...Hello!"

I think the main thing that most people overlook in cases like this is that the cable networks are customers of the NHL as well, they have purchased the broadcasting rights from the NHL, and the cable networks in turn sell the broadcasts to their customers. If the NHL were to cut out the cable networks, not only would they be throwing away several hundreds of millions of dollars in guaranteed revenue, they would also have to pay out to broadcast the games themselves. I understand the point of view of the parties responsible for filing this suit, but IMHO they either don't realize or don't care how the business works. If you want to watch your local team, you have to watch them on TV. The internet is still a long way away from being in a position to replace cable/satellite TV, though we will someday reach that point, and businesses like the NHL will have to re-think the way in which they reach their audience at that time, but not now, and not like this.

Vancouver: I don't want their fans to EVER have Stanley Cup bragging rights San Jose: I don't want to see the Cup desecrated with such whining diving douchebags (any moreso than it already has by the likes of Forsberg, Crosby, Patrick Kane, etc.) St. Louis: Little brother will probably not have as good a chance as this year, but I still never want to see it happen Pittsburgh & Chicago: I don't want either of these teams, nor their fanbases, to have 2 Cups since our last one Other than that, if someone other than Detroit had to win this year, I wouldn't mind any of the other teams still in contention.

It's gonna be hard to top the history will be made commercials, but I think they have done a great job with this year's batch. Just watching them made me forget momentarily that the Wings are struggling and made me reflect on how lucky I have been as a Wings fan to get to see my team in the playoffs 20 straight years, no matter how long or short those playoff runs may have been.

As much as I dislike the kid's attitude and the level of media attention he receives, there is no way that I can deny Crosby's status as the elite talent of his generation. Not taking anything away from Datsyuk, Malkin, Ovechkin, Stamkos, Giroux, or any of the other names that have been brought up, but Sid, like other generational talents, just seems to have an extra gear that others don't have. Aside from the personality issues that have been well discussed, he doesn't really have any weaknesses in his game anymore. Let's not forget, before his concussion last season, he was on pace to break 60 goals and 130 points, plus he has improved significantly on face-offs and defense (not to Datsyuk's level, but still better than he was a couple years ago), so IMO he is the best player in the game right now when healthy.

I voted Ott, and I echo the opinions already stated above that while he is not anywhere the cheap-shot artist of others in this list (and others not listed who easily could have been), he is definitely the premier agitator in the game today.

Like many others here, I feel that San Jose is our biggest threat, given our recent playoff history. Until we knock them off, they have that edge against us. As much as I would like to avoid them if possible, it is much more satisfying to win the Cup by beating the toughest competition possible. While I agree that our power play is the biggest concern going into the playoffs, when you look at the numbers we actually match up pretty well with the other top teams in the west (I ranked Western Conference teams only): 1 - VAN Overall PP%: 21.4% (49/229), 3rd Home PP%: 20.2% (19/94), 4th Road PP%: 22.2% (30/135), 2nd 2 - DET Overall PP%: 17.1% (42/245), 7th Home PP%: 19.4% (25/129), 5th Road PP%: 14.7% (17/116), 11th 3 - PHX Overall PP%: 13.3% (26/196), 15th Home PP%: 13.0% (14/108), 15th Road PP%: 13.6% (12/88), 13th 4 - STL Overall PP%: 15.6% (33/212), 12th Home PP%: 18.8% (23/122), 6th Road PP%: 11.1% (10/90), 15th 5 - NSH Overall PP%: 21.5% (44/205), 2nd Home PP%: 22.4% (24/107), 3rd Road PP%: 20.4% (20/98), 4th 6 - CHI Overall PP%: 16.1% (35/218), 10th Home PP%: 15.2% (18/118), 11th Road PP%: 17.0% (17/100), 8th 7 - SJS Overall PP%: 21.0% (44/209), 4th Home PP%: 23.2% (24/104), 7th Road PP%: 19.0% (20/105), 6th 8 - DAL Overall PP%: 14.4% (28/195), 14th Home PP%: 14.8% (15/101), 12th Road PP%: 13.8% (13/94), 12th 9 - LAK Overall PP%: 15.7% (36/229), 11th Home PP%: 15.3% (19/124), 10th Road PP%: 16.2% (17/105), 9th 10 - COL Overall PP%: 18.5% (34/184), 5th Home PP%: 13.3% (12/90), 13th Road PP%: 23.4% (22/94), 1st 11 - CGY Overall PP%: 17.5% (36/206), 6th Home PP%: 13.3% (14/105), 14th Road PP%: 21.8% (22/101), 3rd 12 - ANA Overall PP%: 16.7% (37/222), 9th Home PP%: 15.8% (19/120), 9th Road PP%: 17.6% (18/102), 7th 13 - MIN Overall PP%: 15.2% (32/120), 13th Home PP%: 18.2% (16/88), 8th Road PP%: 13.1% (16/122), 14th 14 - EDM Overall PP%: 21.7% (48/221), 1st Home PP%: 23.7% (27/114), 1st Road PP%: 19.6% (21/107), 5th 15 - CBJ Overall PP%: 17.0% (41/241), 8th Home PP%: 18.4% (23/125), 7th Road PP%: 15.5% (18/116), 10th We have the most power play opportunities of any team in the west, we should be leading in power play goals as well, it's as simple as that in my mind. Finally, I think that Franzen will lead the team in scoring, as frustrating as he can be at times he truly is a different player in the playoffs, but I think that Howard must have a Conn Smythe worthy performance if we are going to have a chance to win.

Definitely Setoguchi's was worse, as in more embarrassing. Eaves at least made it close enough to the net to attempt a shot even though his skates betrayed him and he face-planted. Setoguchi looked like he was trying to draw a phantom tripping call. I must admit I don't feel sorry for him at all.

Here's hoping the Flip/Hank/Huds line can break the trend of only scoring at home, and that the newly formed lines can find some chemistry. I actually like the way the lines were put together considering who we are missing, maybe Franzen can learn how to skate again by playing on a line with Helm and Miller, and that line of Cleary/Abby/Bert could have a great game crashing the net. This is about as ideal as the Wings could ask for to break out of their recent mini-slump, but they have to want it. I just hope they want it as bad as we fans want it for them.

I understand the need for preserving assets for the inevitability of Lidstrom retiring and our core players aging, but my initial gut reaction to the lack of a significant move today is disappointment. True, Holland addressed a need by picking up Quincey last week, but as many others have pointed out there are other very evident needs, and Holland himself said he wanted to add at least a forward for depth, he didn't even do that, and guys that were on his radar went to teams that we are fighting for playoff position for prices that were reasonable considering the market. The sky is not falling, and I still think the Wings have a better than 50% chance to finish first in the west, or at least win the division and secure 1 or 2 home playoff series, but the opportunity was there to improve on those odds without mortgaging the future. Chicago and San Jose have fallen off lately, and St. Louis and Nashville have not been able to gain much ground, so there is no real need for panic, but when you have a chance to get significantly better and you do not it leaves room for "what ifs", and that does not sit well with me.

It's on NHL Network

Sucks, but if it's just a broken finger then he shouldn't miss too much time. Conklin has been playing better of late, and Howard could use the break so he has something left in the tank come playoff time. Favorable schedule for the next 2 weeks, next big test is likely Nashville at home on the 17th, hopefully Jimmy can be back by then.

Is it just me, or did Kindl and Ericsson both play a lot more physical last night? I don't know how they could have been credited with just 1 hit between the two (other than a biased Vancouver stats crew), they both finished a lot of checks, separating guys from the pucks, winning battles in the corners, etc. Now, if only one of them could hit the net...

Have you ever NOT predicted a Wings loss? Seriously, why do you even bother. Go Wings, beat these pantywaists. I really hope we come out hitting and send a message early.

Relocate any struggling franchise (i.e. Phoenix, Columbus, Florida, Islanders) to Canada, either in Quebec or Hamilton Relocate any struggling franchise (see above) to any of the following western cities: Seattle, KC, Portland, SLC Each team plays home and away with every other team in the league every season Detroit and Toronto back in the same division No more 3 point games, if 5 minute OT and 5 round shootout is not enough to decide winner, the game ends in a tie with each team awarded 1 point, if you lose, whether in regulation, OT, or shootout, you are awarded 0 points. Instigator rule and trapezoid are gone. Hybrid icing implemented, referee or linesman can blow play dead if they judge the defending player will reach puck first after it passes the faceoff dot. No more fan balloting for ASG Make the Winter Classic the last game before the All Star break

Tonight's game will be on NBC Sports (the one that used to be Versus). NBC proper only shows matinee weekend games until the playoffs.

Agreed. At full speed it was hard to pick up, but Smith actually looked like me may have anticipated that move, he went into the butterfly and started to lean forward, but when he saw the toe drag he was still in a good enough position to react and push across the crease, barely got his glove up in time. I think that is Pavel shoots it sooner, he still would have beat him.

Has Datsyuk ever been stopped on that move before?

Actually it was at the division IIB worlds, Israel vs. Greece, the guy who scored that goal is from Quebec and played in the QMJHL, but his parents are Israeli so he holds dual citizenship or something. Anyway, not disputing your point, I agree that it would be very difficult to even attempt that move in any decent level of competition.

Saw this and couldn't help but laugh: Guess it's lucky for Joe that he didn't do this to Burrows