Hockey Convert

A good 60 minute effort; also, even with 3 given up, Joey was good tonight. Congrats to the Red and White!

He and Keith Jones are absolutely unbearable. I hate watching national telecasts because of them.

Yes, but apparently he's not expected to report to camp until the playoffs.

Everyone seems to have decided it's open season on our goalies, and the Flyers do it regardless. I'm not sure just Commie is enough, but I agree to the hope that he'll be in there.

I have been informed (though not confirmed) that today is Kindl's birthday; perhaps that's it.

Sadly, this would not shock me.

Against a team with a well established record of goonery, this makes no sense to me. Then again, there is an equally well established record of Holland and Babcock not caring what I think. Edit: Hmm, that might be part of it.

Yeah, hockey-fight fans throw those terms around really loosely. If you go by hockeyfights forum rules, about 5 guys who are now in the minors are "legit heavyweights", and every regular roster player who fights is a "light heavyweight" or a "pretty good middleweight" if they're above average in fighting skill while being able to play hockey. This applies almost regardless of actual weight.

I get the impression that Babcock is for it; I just don't think Ericsson wants to, or in cases like the Edmonton game, isn't willing to go the extra mile to force the issue. As someone said above, he just lacks a mean element. And I don't mean that as a criticism or accolade, it just seems to be the way he is. It seems to me like the Swedish players generally are less demonstrative in their emotions on the ice. I'm not sure if that's a cultural thing, or just peculiar to our crop of players; it's just the way it appears to me. Ericsson especially almost always has the same expression on his face. He may be really fired up, but I can't tell one way or the other. This is one reason I'd really like to get an energy guy with a temper on the team, just as a depth-forward. I think having some more nastiness/intensity might spark the regulars a bit more, and I think it would help in playoff hockey. Now, is that a "need" in Holland's eyes? Probably not, but no way to say for sure. We'll see what the deadline brings. Edit: Jesus, I use the word "seems" a lot; sorry.

Better question: why not Miller?

I will admit, I am becoming a believer. Miller has stepped it up and up again this year. Would that leave us ANY actual shooters?

On an until-a-deal-can-be-reached basis, though? Look, even if J-Mac is no better on an absolute scale; if the team just flat out plays better in front of him, don't you have to give it a shot?

Coming from GMR, I'm pretty sure that was tongue-in-cheek. I agree with you to the extent that Franzen definitely had his upside, but really does not have the mental fortitude to pull the team out of a tailspin, though.

Yeah, it's not ideal. J-Mac for official backup. Kenny, please get us a goon. That is all.

Yep, sharp so far; I'm liking it.

It seems like NO ONE wants to shoot tonight. WTF, do you guys not like to score goals?

I agree, but it really does absolutely kill me that the most experienced fighter on our team can't beat down Ben fricking Eager. Jesus. As my wife put it, "Bob Probert has to be out in space saying, 'Oh, what the f***...' right now."

I don't think I'm getting it... So the Stars are in a playoff race, but *may* drop out of it. And if they do, *maybe* Morrow would wave his no trade clause, *if* the Wings had the right assets? I mean, it would interesting; but is this the length we have to go to for rumors now? There aren't any players a little more available we could speculate about?

Depends; how many times are we going to blindly take the same shot from the point that every team is expecting all the way instead of trying something new like going to the net?

Oh yeah, the hit was a BEAUTY, and clean.

He did jump, I'll give him that; but it wouldn't have been necessary if Backes hadn't skated right at Jimmy making no effort to go anywhere else.

Eh, it wasn't that exciting. Brad was in way over his head, and paid for it. I give him a lot of credit for not backing down, though.

Go to the front of the net, and good things happen. AWESOME goal!

LOVE it! This is the spirit I love to see from these guys!

Agreed, but you're going to get about 3 or 4 assents and about three times that many personal attacks about how you're not a real Wings/hockey fan.