Hockey Convert

From what I've seen, what they do right is score ridiculous numbers of goals. I think their problem is consistency, maybe defense. Some games they seem to absolutely blow teams out, others they get blown out themselves. If they can tighten it up and get consistent goal tending (Roloson seems to be helping this already), it seems like they could be scary.

Yeah, I'll line up and admit that I didn't give him a lick of credit before this season; but the last couple games, he's come out and played his ass off. Well done and well deserved to Drapes tonight. This really bugs me. Way too many times I've been screaming at the TV "shoot it! SHOOT!!!" this year. Less fancy, more shooty, guys. And will SOMEONE please go to the net, instead of skating hard into the zone, and pulling up? I'm about at the point of saying let Big E play winger because he's the only one willing to drive on the goal...

Hehe. Well said. Honestly, well done to the Mule for ripping a great shot off when it counts; glad he woke up. The defensive breakdowns lately are just unacceptable, in my mind, even with a bunch of starters out injured. I wanted to believe it was a slump, but come on; at what point do you start to point at (defense) coaching?

Remember when the Wings used to play defense?

After watching almost every Bruins game this year, I would kill to have Shawn Thornton as a Wing. This year: 7 G, 2 A, +5, 86 hits according to TSN (http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/players/bio/?id=1314). The local sports talk station has him on every week; he is great, brings a great attitude and it looks to me like he does a lot to fire up his team and be a leader. It seems like most posters here would dismiss him as a meathead, though, because he will take on ANYONE in the league and frequently does. As far as skating, he kept up earlier this year with Campbell and Marchand fine, I thought, though I think playing him with Seguin as they're currently doing is somewhat of a waste. He would be fine with Abdelkader and Draper/Miller/whoever. Other than that, I've made all my arguments before. This thread is actually mildly entertaining so far, actually, without devolving (yet). Not to mention, was available this off-season. I knew it was unrealistic at the time, but I'm still a little sad the Wings didn't surprise us and pick him up.

Part of what makes this question difficult is a related question: how to define an "average American"? The U.S. is a big place, and I can tell you from experience that the "average person" varies wildly from region to region. I've only had what I'd consider direct experience with three places I've lived, so I'll stick to those. The one I know the least/am still learning is Providence, RI, where I've been traveling for work for about 4 months now. There, and in the Boston area, it seems to me that the average person is at least aware of hockey, has probably seen a Bruins game, and may very well be a fan. People also play hockey, and I hear advertisements for hockey supply stores on the radio. This is a huge contrast to where I live (and have for 3.5 years), in central South Carolina. Here, the average person is barely aware that sports exist other than college football. He also might follow college baseball, possibly basketball. Hockey is, to people here, one of those things that they're aware exists, but in an abstract way; something that exists in theory but really has no bearing on their lives. It's not any one aspect that keeps people from liking hockey, it's that hockey is nowhere in the local culture, and if there's one thing that will rile up Southerners quickly, it's any prospect of change to their culture. I don't think less fighting, more scoring, or anything else would sway the average person in SC. I grew up in western Washington state, and I'd say it's halfway between the two. There were hockey fans around, and a few junior hockey league teams that most people would have at least heard of. However, I'd say the biggest problem there is again culture, but due to the climate; lakes and ponds are generally not frozen over solidly enough to skate on, so the average person has probably never been ice-skating. Now, eastern WA is different, because it gets very cold, and I think there are probably more hockey fans per capita (I would guess that the Spokane team, I think it's the Chiefs, has a bigger following than the Thunderbirds or Everett team whose name escapes me). I think the average person in WA could be a hockey fan, if it were more prevalent somehow. Truth be told, I didn't watch hockey growing up; I'm really here because I started dating and later married a girl from the Detroit area. She converted me to hockey and the Red Wings. I really watched it for the first time the first couple years we were together, and she'd turn on the playoff games. I gradually realized how awesome hockey is, and now I can't get enough; but it took that experience to wake me up. The point of all this rambling, really, is that it's hard to say the NHL needs "less fighting", or "more scoring", or any other factor to draw in the average American because while you could define that average, the variance is just so high.

I'm indifferent on the Modano front; I haven't been impressed by his play, but will yield to Holland's and Babcock's judgment there. I really would rather not see Kindl traded since I thought he looked very solid when he was playing. I'd like to see him get more time, and have him ready when Lidstrom and probably later Rafalski decide to call it quits.

As soon as he gains 50 lbs. and several inches of height, we'll see.

The Bruins, who are now my secondary team because I'm working in New England, absolutely manhandled the Sabres. Two short-handed goals in the first period, and it threatened to get pathetic. I thought it might be since Buffalo is struggling and had no Miller in goal, and it was. Bruins got lazy with the big lead, but still no real threat from the Sabres. The rest I can only look at the scores, but it warms my heart a little to see Pitt and Chicago losing. Here's hoping.

I hear Stevie felt bad, and sent up some cases of Ovaltine.

Agreed. Also: Colton Orr.

Still need to work on faceoffs, I think.

The power-play is our enforcer. Edit: Beaten to it; well done, BigWil.

Yeah, I don't think the fact that some people will disagree is a valid reason to not have the discussion. Just try to at least consider everyone's points rather than getting all bent out of shape. Anyway, I don't think I've followed hockey seriously long enough to address the topic, but let me ask a question of Bruise and anyone else who wants it: do you think the decline is due to changing rules/trends in the NHL, or is it more that this type of player is rare and by chance there just aren't as many in the NHL at the moment?

Yeah, I think the same. I would add that though none of the individual teams may challenge those listed above, the Atlantic division as a whole seems to be gearing up for a roughneck season. I'm not sure all the causes exactly; it seems like the Rangers may have just been choosing to go that direction, and the other teams followed. Or maybe to some extent trying to match Philly's success? Not sure, but I think those games could be fun to watch this season. I may try to get the extortionate Center-Ice package for that reason, plus being able to really see the Wings games.

I don't want to draw this thread off topic, but I'm curious; what are the other things you have noticed?

Why not? Haven't the Wings done just that for several of our current players? More to the point, I don't know much about Witt. Why are they buying him out? Does he have injury problems, or is it just to make cap/roster space?

Yeah, I'm not sure why there's some incredulity in this thread about roster spots... When the Modano thing started, up, everyone seemed to take it as given that Meech and Ritola would be trade-bait anyway, along with possibly Miller for being superfluous, possibly even others. Now suddenly it's a crisis that Downey gets to come to camp because of too many forwards? What happened to "well, if <insert player> earns a spot..."? That was well-put.

Interesting, thanks. I like Abdelkader and would hate to see him leave the Wings, so this is somewhat reassuring. As far as O'Hallaran, I'll echo the others: let it be. If he's an *******, he's an *******, but let him have his home life.

Yeah, I'm curious about the numbers. My coworker, who is a huge Pens fan, HATED Ponikarovski.

This worries me, and honestly, reading that article I kind of feel for the players. If they really are giving up 12% of salary to offset revenue shortfalls, that is bulls***. The other side of the coin, though, is that I can see the problem with the salary floor for the smaller markets; they're almost guaranteed to lose money no matter what they do. I kind of like the soft cap and tax method idea. It might give that Columbus-Atlanta final less of a shot at happening, that's true; but it seems that's a TV revenue dog anyway. TV exposure is a big one, for me; the NHL has got to get more exposure. Partially that's selfish, though; I do not live in the Detroit area, so it's really hard to watch most Wings games unless I go to an online stream. So, perhaps trade a lowering of the salary floor for a loosening of the hard cap, with luxury tax system? I don't know the best answer, but I hope it doesn't come down to lockouts/strikes and no compromise. With Bettman in charge, though... This is a hot-button issue, it seems like, but I agree; for one thing, it will boost ratings. I don't really care for the off-faceoff arranged bouts, but the heat-of-the-moment policing should be let alone, cheap shots punished, etc. Add to that a softer salary cap so that competitive teams can keep a goon around without compromising skill players... Well, I'd at least like to see where that could go.

I agree with this heartily. Nick retiring will definitely leave a gap, but I don't think that means we should try at all costs to fill that gap exactly. As many have pointed out, there's really no "replacing" Nick; so I think there may be more shuffling to build other strengths, and solidify the defense rather than just trying to find a snap-in part to play Lidstrom v2.0. Babcock, Holland et al. will have to make that call, and decide how to fill the gap. Maybe they will choose to give up prospects. That approach just makes me uncomfortable, though, and I hope it doesn't come to that.

Sandpaper! OK, on topic: I think it's obvious by now that there is some feeling in the Wings front office that some grit is lacking in the current lineup. The onus is on them to address that, or not. At this point I'm not really sure which way they'll go. I think the fact that Callahan is generating so much buzz/excitement despite being barely a speck in the prospect eye, if you'll pardon the awkward metaphor, is an indication that the fans want to see that extra grit. Seems to me that keeping that in mind would be courteous to the fans, if the Wings organization is concerned with that kind of thing. I like to think they are.

Exactly. I really think this dance with the Wings etc. was aimed at drumming up interest by the California teams where he actually wants to play.

Fighting at a prospects camp seems a little unnecessary; then again, two of our prospects ended up injured, one requiring surgery, without any fighting reported...