Hairy Lime

Eddie Olczyk does a good job of hiding his bias

You just don't get it, do you? Please tell me you're not our next GM. But to give you one example: If my memory serves me well, I remember a game against the Ducks, where they were beating us up both physically and on the scoreboard. Downey went out and challenged Parros, won the fight, and Detroit seemed to respond. I still think they lost, but they came back and made a game out of it. They looked dead before the fight.

Ok, just listened to it. I don't like Cherry too much, especially after he criticized Datsyuk for a perfectly clean hit a couple of seasons ago, but I have to agree with him 100 percent on this issue, mainly because I have been saying the exact same thing, ever since Holland hired his lap dog Mike Babcock. Trade for a guy like Dave Clarkson or Chris Neil, or draft one these good young tough players that also have the ability to score that every other GM is drafting, but do something to make playing against Detroit a little harder, and let other teams know that we have a guy who "can do that too". Steve Yzerman understood it, Scotty Bowman understood it, and Mike Babcock, I think, also understands it, but he's just too much of a wimp to say anything to Holland about it. Yes, he did manage to get Brad May on the roster a few seasons ago, and May did his job, but he was just too old, and besides, he didn't even play in the game against Philli??? That was head-scratching.

After that double whammy from last night(Wings AND Lions), we fans need this one. Detroit is in third place for crying out load.

"FACT." Really? As Don Cherry said, when is the last time Detroit won without one? Admittedly, the lack of an enforcer has not been as glaring as it has been in past seasons, namely the season after we won the cup and anybody with half a brain knew teams were going to be targeting our stars. BUT! we would still be better off with one, and it would certainly make blowouts, one way or the other, a little more interesting. There are McCarty's out there, Holland just isn't drafting them.

I suspect Ken Daniels will be updating the Lions/Saints score during the Wings/Leafs game. Personally, I gotta watch the Lions game. We'll all be able to watch the 1st, and maybe some of the 2nd period(not sure exactly when kick-off is?) before the Lions game starts. Then I'll watch the Lions game (flipping back to the Red Wings during commercial breaks) until the Saints start blowing out the Lions, then I'll turn back to the Wings. Yes, I know, my confidence is weak. I just don't want both the Lions AND The Wings to both lose. But if I had to choose, obviously I'm going to take a Wings loss over a Lions.

Dammit! Airs the same time as the Michigan/VT game, and Saturday's Det/Tor game airs through the Lions/Saints game. No damn consideration! My remote will be getting a workout.

Road game against a great team that just lost at home. Detroit had better not come out flat, or this game could be over before it begins. I really thought Chicago skated circles around Detroit in a few of their meetings last year.

Seen way too many of these types of games following a lose. Far too many for a veteran team like this.

A win tonight would give Detroit 20 wins through 30 games. Not bad for a team that, at times, seemed to be struggling. But if they lose, that just gives them 19 wins through 30 games, and that, for some reason, doesn't sound as good??

I don't think it was Lindros' "choice" to receive those head-shots courtesy of Scott Stevens. And I was simply referring to the possibility of Crosby's career coming to a premature end a la Eric Lindros, not necessarily the way the two players play.

This reminds of Eric Lindros. Too bad. Sure, I don't particularly like the kid and think he comes off as a spoiled brat, but he's a good, young talent, and good for the NHL.

That's because some fans have foresight. Regular season wins only get you into the playoffs. If you have a team that A. get's banged around twice as much as other teams in the regular season, that doesn't bode well come playoff time; and B. If you have a team that can't dish it out as good as it gets in the playoffs, advantage opponent. The last Detroit team that had any real grit was, well, the championship team. Any coincidence? Sure, Downey only played around 40 regular season games or so, but he was an effective deterrent in those games. And sure, the only key piece from the championship team that is not here now is Dallas Drake, but Dallas Drake should of won the Conn Smythe for what he gave Detroit in those playoffs. If Abdelkader wasn't such a complete and utter puss, he could maybe fill that role, but he is. And if Bertuzzi would stop playing no-touch hockey, he could also be a more effective player, but he won't. All that being said, outside of the Bruins game I don't think Detroit's lack of physicality has been as glaring as it has in past seasons. But that will change come playoff time. This team would benefit greatly from looking into acquiring a Dallas Drake-like player by the deadline. Chris Neil, maybe? David Clarkson?

Yeah, it's teams like Boston that can highlight how un-physical Detroit is. They won almost every physical battle. I thought they were going to force the Wings to wear dresses to start the 3rd. The only Wing that seemed to win any physical battles was Datsyuk, but what's new . I was kinda hopin' Bertuzzi would respond with a few big hits of his own, but I think he was scared of Lucic. But they won, so... But I have no desire to play Boston in the finals, assuming Detroit can get past the second round. Ouch! I'm sore just thinking about it.

Is there a game where Detroit ISN'T embarrassed in a physical way? Ok, maybe that's a little too harsh. I just hope Lucic doesn't kill Lidstrom...or Howie. Keep your heads up, boys!

I don't mind a thread like this, as it might get Bert playing the way he should be playing: PHYSICAL! Go see a psychologist and get Steve Moore out of your head, Bert, and start running people over again, like you used to do to poor Chelios. I mean, I doubt he visits this forum, but after he started getting criticism from fans last season, he came out and kicked the s*** out of Shane O'Brien...twice, and played better overall. Fans started chanting his name, remember. It'd be nice if he could chip in with a few goals, but if not he would better serve this team as a kind of enforcer...if Holland would allow that.

Yeah, but if we don't bring in a deterrent, maybe Konopka or even Janssen, those Chicago games are going to be brutal to watch. Carcillo and Mayers, two bonafide head-hunters? Who's the deterrent? Bertuzzi and Comodore? No, if Holland has any intelligence left in that head of his(and after the Ericsson signing, I just don't know) he'd sign an enforcer. I'm sick of having a team full of little ******* every season just because our GM disapproves of fighting.

Absolutely! I just read this on the Yahoo! message board: "The Dallas Stars have agreed to terms with D Sheldon Souray to a one-year deal worth ($1.65 million). That's a steal. Where was Holland on this one? Kenny is getting owned, and has been for the last 3 seasons. A washed-up Mike Commodore for 1 million or Sheldon Souray for 1.65, who would you rather have?" He makes a point. Are we even still in the Richards sweepstakes? Or were we even in them in the first place? It's still early.

What's everyone talking about? Grit? Toughness? Enforcer? We have Justin Abdelkader, the next Joey Kocur! Right? Trade for Colton Orr or sign Rick Rypien.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Injury-questions-for-Datsyuk-Franzen-in-Game-5-;_ylt=AnheFsY3zvja6mjn_XMPQER7vLYF?urn=nhl-wp4453 Uh oh!

Hudler and Flipper have been invisible. Someone mentioned shipping both Hudler and Filppula at this season's trade deadline, and bringing in a gritty forward like Dave Clarkson from NJ, and then just promoting Mursak. I can't say that sounds all too bad right about now. They both could of helped in these first two games, while those two were sleepwalking. I'd try to move them both in the off-season, along with Ericsson.

Babs needs to switch up the lines in OT. Franzen is getting no good looks; put him on a 1st line with Datsyuk and Cleary. Move Z down with Flipper and Helm. Now just roll those 2 lines. What? Time to man up! Oh, and put in Mursak for game 2.

I think this game will test Detroit's mettle. A hungry, determined Chicago team vs a Detroit team that has struggled at home, is playing without Zetterberg, and has pretty much been Chicago's ***** all season. I don't care if Detroit doesn't necessarily "have anything to play for", this a potential first-round opponent... kick their ass! And besides, not playing hard is exactly how you can get yourself hurt in games like these - Chicago's players aren't going to take a shift off, you can be sure about that! You've got to play this game like it game like it were game 1 of the season, not 81. I've already said that I thought Chicago could beat Detroit in a seven game series, well, here's their chance to make me reevaluate that stance. If they can go out and take both these games against a team that is not only fighting for their playoffs lives but has owned them all season, I'd be a lot more optimistic about their chances against them(or Nashville)in the playoffs... and if they do win both games, they might keep Chicago out of the playoffs altogether. If you don't want a player to get hurt, sit 'em out. But if they are going to play, I expect them to play hard.

Nice to see Bert showing some balls for the first time in two seasons - maybe he's been reading what I've had to say about him? Now maybe some of you "Detroit doesn't need an enforcer" folks can see the benefits from a good message-sending fight. Maybe Bert can go for the hat-trick and have a go with Weber? Maybe not. I don't know if Detroit will come back and win this game, but I've actually liked a lot of what I've seen. The trick for them will be to harness it: be a little more disciplined and try to keep playing the same way offensively, ... BUT DON'T SHY AWAY FROM PHYSICAL PLAY!! Initiate it!

Come on, guys. The Blues ARE playing for their playoff lives. That explains it all. Oh, and Datsyuk is out, lets not forget that one. Yeah, and I get called a troll and non-fan for pointing out Detroit's many MANY weaknesses, and saying that this team could not beat Chicago or Nashville in a 7 game series. You get your clocks cleaned by the San Jose Sharks in the playoffs and your two big off-season signings to make this team better are a 40yo Mike Modano(although he did score tonight!...) and a 36yo Ruslan Salei? I'm not sure what Holland was expecting? I would of skipped on Modano all together and signed Aaron Asham, then tried to acquire David Clarkson from NJ for either Hudler of Filpulla. They might of gone for it. No, that would not help our pathetic defence, but it sure as hell would make games like this a little more interesting. And with a couple of players to bang some heads around, maybe this team would not look as dead as they have these last few months, or the fans. But as for the defense? I have no idea. I know I would not have Ericsson in the line-up, that's for sure. I was really hoping that Lidstrom would of taken a much bigger pay-cut(I know he's worth twice what he's making, but he did say he came back to win another cup, didn't he?) so they could of maybe pursued Willi Mitchell. But lets face it, Detroit had a very kind schedule to start the season and piled up a lot of wins early. Maybe they just aren't as good as some of us thought? But hey, maybe this is just an off night... a REALLY REALLY off night! And when Datsyuk comes back they are going to start blowing teams out... maybe?