nmuwildcat

Not sure if this has been discussed, but with Mickey now doing the Ram commercials this season, is his speech during the commercial a slight dig at Franzen? "...It's like everyone else is playing shorthanded and that's no place for a nervous person."

Haven't watched the Wings there since 2009. From what I've heard the Blackhawk "fans" have gotten just awful toward any opposing fan. Had a friend get told to, in not such nice words, to get the eff out of town for wearing an Ovechkin T-shirt to last years Caps game at the UC. The friend lives in Oak Lawn (just outside Chicago). It's even bad at the Chicago Wolves games when the Rockford IceHogs play. The home fans are called *******, assholes, "how can you root for those Blues (was Vancouver) players?" etc. all by the Blackhawk "fans" that show up to root for the IceHogs. You can tell the "fans" from the actual Blackhawk fans, because the actual fans are more respectful to opposing fans and don't think their team is an expansion franchise from 2008. I know every fan base has the very small handful of idiots that ruin the game for others, but the United Center currently makes the jerks and ****** bros in the bleachers at Cubs games look like choir boys.

That's because it's cheaper to drive from Chicago, buy two Wings tickets, pay for gas, pay for a hotel room, and drive back than it is to get two tickets to the United Center. As a Wings fan stuck in Hockey Hell... I mean Chicagoland... I'd rather drive to Detroit for games anyway.

Individual AHL teams have had this for years. Griffins have had a Cintas patch for the last few seasons. Chicago Wolves w/ Kia. The Milwaukee Admirals with the Milwaukee Brewers. If anything, it will be sized like the Cintas patch on the Griffins or the Amway patch on the practice jerseys and the Wings will likely have: Cintas, Amway, Kroger, Belle Tire, or Ram Trucks on the patch. I can't see them going all out Euro Hockey/Soccer before milking companies for sponsorship like the AHL does first.

How is it a dislocated shoulder? Or did he injure that reaching for the actual injury? It looked like a textbook Kari Lehtonen-esque groin pull.

From the NHL.com game notes:http://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/m_gamecenter?id=2014020164

Really hoping my AppleTV and NHL Gamecenter continues to be unaffected by national blackouts. Was able to watch the TSN feed of the Wings first game, and the CBC feed of the Hawks/Blues yesterday. Not using a VPN to get around it either. If I try on the laptop, it says Gamecenter is unavailable, watch on the NBC channels, but my AppleTV has no problems.

So does Susan Lucci. They'll give one of those to anyone now days.

When he sells his tiny Shriners-sized car so he quits pulling his groin getting in and out of it.

Not for those of us in the US. ****ing NHL Network US blackout.

Cleary is a good locker room guy? Then maybe that's where they should leave him.

As a collector of jerseys, I weep when I see a perfectly good jersey cut up into tiny squares for those trading cards.

Kroger is all over the large banners above the scoreboard covering the speakers. The corners of the scoreboard have the Wings logo on a white background. Have photos from this past weekend, but don't have them saved on the web. Amway wasn't spotted anywhere. Except maybe on the patches sewn on the practice jerseys that Hockeytown Authentics were selling.

Not my plate, but I did see around Chicagoland the following Illinois plate: STVE Y 19. And, it had a Red Wings 2008 Stanley Cup champs license ring.

But, they have a lot of pesky Icehogs who love to start crap and then whine about it. I forget who it was, but one of the Icehogs loved waiting for the linesmen to break up fights, then he'd throw some cheap shots at the opponent. I know about the Griffins/Icehogs brawl from earlier this year, but YouTube Icehogs/Wolves for some awful displays of Icehogs talent this season too...

Google "Don Levin Seattle" Don Levin is the owner of the AHL Chicago Wolves, and has PLENTY of money to burn. I recently get the impression he's silently got a deal (either through expansion or relocation) like True North had put together for the Thrashers. Levin has the finances to support a team, and the passion to make it a winner. He knows how to put the right people in place. Two IHL and two AHL championships in just 20 years of minor league hockey.

Most frustrating is watching as a fan of the minor leagues where Pekka Rinne got lit up like a Christmas tree on high shots. How the Griffins players suddenly forgot this was embarrassing to watch.

That's exactly how the NCAA does the Frozen Four tickets. You pay up front for tickets, wait six months, and either get tickets or a refund.

Blues might be willing to take anything for Ben Bishop. He's a UFA (when I looked quick, could be wrong) who has spent more than his share of time in the minors (ala Jimmy). And with Halak/Elliott for another year, Bishop is likely going to want to out of the Blues and into an organization that needs someone like him. At 6-6, he can practically cover from post to post in the butterfly, and his shoulders are equal to the crossbar height when down. A huge body that makes it hard to score on. He's been frustrating to the opponent every time I've seen him play against the Chicago Wolves. He definitely got better the longer he stayed in Peoria (just like Jimmy in GR).

Uhh.. That little notch is like a compass point. Pointing North. "True North" if you will...

Do not want. Saw enough of his prima Dona attitude when he was with the Chicago Wolves (as a prospect for the Thrashers). Felt he was too "good" to fit in the system and wanted out. Then played just good enough to get a new contract then he dissappeared. If I'm not mistaken, he also directly lead to the Blackawks Stanley Cup GWG.