PavelValerievichDatsyuk

Sadly, the right call.

Smitty!!!

Love the Red wings fan photobombing the Ducks commentators on the ducks feed.

Halak has been pretty bad this season. He's 6-8-5 with GAA 3.23. That's why he was waived. I don't think his situation has much bearing on Howard's situation. Howard's always been a long shot to get traded due to his contract. I think most of the speculation for him going is due to the expansion draft. I think it would be fine if he were taken, but if he's not picked I really can't see us waiving or buying him out to keep Coreau - Howard's a much better goalie and I can't foresee us needing the cap space so badly that we would handicap ourselves like that.

I should have specified that only the first line of my post was responding to your post. It was more at others earlier that suggested trading him or just getting rid of him. And I don't think you're response is aimed at my post either since it's not close to what I said. He's lost the #1 spot rightfully for the time being. I don't even think he should have been declare #1 so early on in his career when he struggled for that long last year and Jimmy is still a very good goalie. I'm saying he's a young goalie who I do feel will get there. Jimmy's getting older and we're a team building for the future - why would you get rid of the only goalie in your system that will reasonably be expected to be a starter in 5 years? (Luongo's 37 so maybe Howie could do it, but that would be the end of career and I think it'd be a stretch). Finally, there's many other reasons people are high on him that you didn't mention. A big one is the Calder cup that he won in his rookie year in the AHL. And his stellar play in the AHL in general.

He's only been on the full time roster this year and last year. Edit: plus half the year before - i forgot - so about 2 full years. I think keeping the 32 year old goalie and getting rid of the promising 24 year old would be a horrific decision for our future. Sure, Howard's playing better now and could be better next year or 2, but we're not winning in these years. And we have no one else in the system projected to be a starter. I'm kind of amazed the extent to which people have turned on Mrazek. He's lost 11 games this year - I'm not sure how many people would consider bad games for him, but to me it's less than that number. Some may call this unfair, but I found it interesting: Even with Mrazek's current horrible stats (which make up a larger portion of his career) he and Howard have almost identical career stats: Mrazek: GAA: 2.44, SV%: .916 Howard: GAA: 2.43, SV%: .915 That suggests that overall, Mrazek's been on par with Howards play over the years. I'll go with the goalie that showed to have the higher ceiling and in the developing years. Or if we have both for the next couple years, I'm good with that too and we'll have insurance rather than betting on one horse.

Gotta say, I'm kind of surprised on the call on the Nielson goal, though. Especially after we got a call with one of their guys just standing in the crease.

All poise, no vanek! Good for Coreau!

Jensen's in again - goalies beware!

Svechnikov played for Cape Breton in the QMHL for the past 2 years, so the switch to the NA game doesn't apply. But I agree that players often struggle getting into the AHL and a pro schedule and it's not something to worry about. I'm high on Svech from what I've seen. Your calculation for his scoring pace is off, though. AHL teams play 76 games so he's on pace for 19. That would be a better goal per game amount than Mantha and slightly less than AA in their first years.

You said we need a backup goalie for the future, if Coreau's a backup isn't that perfect? I don't think anyone has claimed that he's a future #1. Anyway, as I said, backup goalies can be picked up in free agency if he doesn't work out. We picked up Gustavesson, Conklin (1st time he was good) and it seems to me backup-type goalies are always available in free agency as the amount of talent at the goalie position has expanded in the past while.

I didn't think that this week would mean much for our chances, but Green and Howard's injuries have kind of changed the outlook, i think. I hate to say it, but I could see the possibility of things getting out of hand. They've been 2 of our best players this year and we've already been struggling with them. Time for players like Larkin, Mrazek, AA, Nyquist, Tatar etc. to step up big time or it could get rough. Blashill, of course, needs to slot AA in a better spot and switch Glendening to get the lines in better order so that this can happen. On the bright side, we are playing a whole lot of young players now and it could be a good trial for them, if you're thinking about the long run.

Yeah, Coreau looks pretty good. Anyway, I don't think a getting a backup goalie should be a huge consideration. There seems to be an expansive amount of good goalies in the league in recent years and there's been options in free agency.

I would look at Nicolas Hague in that 7-14 range as well. He's a 6'6" Dman who has 28 pts in 32 games in the OHL (3rd of OHL dmen). He's ranked 7th by future considerations, 10th by ISS hockey, 10th on TSN's november ranking (higher than foote on these 3 lists) Here's a quote from TSN's october list (was at 10th then as well): "Runs the power play, has a nasty streak and won the OHL’s academic award last season. Scouts have some concern about his skating while others maintain he’s a bona fide top-10 pick and the skating isn’t an issue at all." For what it's worth, I've also read Foote had skating issues, but has improved that area. For Cal they wrote in October list "Cal Foote plays a sound defensive role but can also chip in offensively. He has a bullet from the point, but seems to always default to the pass first. He’s loved by his teammates and has captain material."

Looks like he's a point per game player so far.

There are couple differences: Numbers on the arms, shoulders, simplified bands on the Leafs jersey, but you're right. Just never seen those versions and thought they looked really nice. But have no idea where they come from - they could even be knock-off jerseys - the picture did come from a kijiji (Canada's craigslist) ad.

Someone was selling tickets online and they had this picture. Don't know if these jerseys were ever used or where the picture was originally from, but they look pretty cool to me. The Wings' jersey in the picture might just be the previous winter classic one with the colours reversed. I actually kinda like the Wings jersey they're using as long as it's not see-through like the other pictures of it we saw in another thread.

I second the suggestion of the Henry Ford museum/greenfield village. Also, the Motown Hitsville U.S.A. house for some music history. I've never been to Cheli's bar, but I always go to Cobo Joe's before the games. It's right by the arena, filled with fans and the bartenders spit fire behind the bar.

Solves the back-to-back problem. Maybe Green Heals before tomorrow? Probably too much to ask

Bure?

Damn, Green was injured with that stupid late game hit. Hopefully Sproul gets some time in Green's offensive role. Marchenko, Green, maybe Lashoff injured - They're dropping like flies.

Maybe I should have said: hasn't been that bad that you should lose faith in his potential. As for your stats, they just say to me that he's not a #1 yet (there are 30 teams and 30th and 32nd does count him just on the outskirts of that group). Also, struggling teams will not be kind to goalie's stats (I know someone will throw Howard's stats at me, but he's been close to spectacular so far) Anyway, we are talking about potential in this thread and not considering their current level as the plateau. If you were: AA has 6 points - 1 less points than Helm (7), and with 1 more game played (18) - and Mantha 9 points in the same # of games as Helm (17). People praise their play this year with the assumed qualifier at this point in their career. In the same way, I say Mrazek hasn't been bad for this point in his career.

I think Larkin and Mrazek have the greatest potential to become elite. I notice that everyone seems to have cooled off on Mrazek after this year's performance, but I really don't think he's been bad and still has the really high potential that seemed to be a consensus before this season. As for Larkin's potential vs. Mantha and AA, I really like the other two - and AA especially - , but I think it's easy to forget that Larkin's 20 and 2 years younger. Really don't think we'll ever see Frk on the team or in the NHL elsewhere.

Honest question: do we know how much he makes and how much other GMs make? I couldn't find that info.

Here's some good extended highlights (NHL.com and others just show goals so you don't get much of a sense of the dynamics of the game). Definitely not a perfect game, but they definitely showed some heart. An exciting game with big goals, a fluke goal, a controversial goal, a fight, even a mini version of one of Kronwall's backward hits. Hopefully we can call this a turning point.