SouthernWingsFan

I'd go ga-ga if the Wings somehow landed Ryan Smyth. I'm not banking on it happening as his heart seems set on returning to Edmonton.

Speedometer - Wait Up

If Giguere can somehow be had, make a pitch for him. I'm perfectly content going with Osgood starting though if Hasek does decide to retire. I highly doubt that is going to happen though. Me thinks it'll be Hasek/Osgood for another season, and all the better if that happens.

By some good ol' fashioned hazing of course!

Happy birthday!

Giguere is overrated? Hardly. I'm not trying to make him out to be the second coming of Terry Sawchuck, but he's very solid. I think without him stealing games 4 and 5, there could be at the very least a game 7 tonight.

It was also great to meet the man behind the mask as well the few times I have been up here, as well as getting to meet your significant other and one of the two kiddies. Daughter 1.0 is adorable, and I have little doubt 2.0 is just as cute, even though I wasn't able to see her the last go-round. I've also enjoyed putting some of the faces with the names as well, a few that have been quoted above. I've also enjoyed putting the face to the name of that SouthernWingsFan character, he's such a handsome dude. Oh wait, that's me! Glad we were able to attend and see a helluva rally against St. Louis in December Matt in that OT win. Hell, I'm just glad I got to see A win that game and against Toronto. I thought I was getting to be bad luck Seeing the Wings play like moosefarts the first time I came up the season before against St. Louis and Toronto, not to mention seeing the Fischer incident live. I really knew how to pick the games then! Seriously, I have enjoyed the few times I've been up, and the few members I have been able to meet. Hopefully I'll make another go-round next season. No it wasn't! *Has bad flashbacks*

I didn't even know such a jury existed so early for Babcock. He overachieved with this team when nobody was expecting the Wings to make a whole lot of noise. He's not going anywhere anytime soon, and even if the Wings did bow out in the 1st/2nd round, he wasn't going to go anywhere.

Billy Preston - John Henry followed by We're Gonna Make It

Hate to break it to you, but Osgood is in the final year of his current contract in the 2007-08 season so he isn't going anywhere next year. He doesn't want to play anywhere else and loves this franchise, or so I am assuming. I got no problems with that. As important as it is to watch out for yourself and your career, very rarely do you see people these days who put company/sports franchise with as high of an importance compared to one's own personal sitaution. I commend Osgood for doing this these past few seasons, he's the man. He wants to be here, he's still a good goalie and a great team player, let him be here.

War - Cisco Kid

In this order... Lilja Filpulla Cleary Franzen Samuelsson

For the love of god I would like to see this organization not play goalies like a game of musical chairs for the first time in forever. Would I like to see Howard play for the Wings eventually? Yes. If Hasek thinks he has enough juice left in the tank physically and keeps in shape, where's the major risk? He's proven over the last 2 seasons here and at Ottawa that he's still got it when he stays healthy despite being over 40. Age and wear-and-tear will eventually catch up to him like everybody else but he didn't have any groin issues this past season. And if he does return, I highly doubt it'll be for a much higher salary than he made this season. $1M, $1.25M at most if I had to guess. Playing the puck in traffic is something that irks me with Hasek. The way he stops pucks and his style doesn't irk me. For those who get all over his case for flopping around and unorthodox style, that style has helped him win 6 Vezina trophies. It helped the Wings win a Cup in 2002, and it helped the Wings make a deep playoff run this year when it probably wasn't expected. It all depends on what Hasek wants to do. If he doesn't return, I gladly welcome Osgood/Howard. If he does return, I look forward to seeing Hasek/Osgood once again.

Whether he will consistently be one of the leaders of the playoffs for his 7-year deal will remain to be seen, but even though he wasn't the best on the road for the Wings, you can't ask much else out of him, especially after his really bad start to the season. 8 goals and just averaging under a point a game in 18 playoff games, when goals/points are usually harder to come by, is pretty impressive. I don't care how great (or bad) of an athlete you might be in any sport, a 7-year deal is too long IMO for anybody. However, I expect to see a much more relaxed Datsyuk at least for next season, because he's financially set now and he is playing in the place/franchise he wants to play in (or so I am assuming).

Phil Dwyer - Deep Dish

I get that sometimes too. People tell me I don't need to lose any weight, and it's not like I'm planning to go overboard as I don't need to lose much, but still would just like to lose about 6 - 8 more over the next few weeks. Currently hovering in the middle pretty much around 145 - 150. Keep in mind I'm only about 5'7" so my weight/build is pretty respectable and average for my short size. One thing I have started to add to my workouts during the week is treadmill running during the early mornings. I cannot stand it with a passion, but I just said f**k it recently and quit being a baby and am sucking it up and doing it now. I try to do it at least 3 times a week for 20 - 25 minutes a time (along with running outdoors or cycling once during the weekends) will greatly help me get in better shape. Working out on EFX machines is nice, but when you hold on to the handrails more, you don't get as much workout with the legs obviously. Unless I'm just going way too hard or fast on a treadmill, I'm not grabbing any handrails, which will mean more work for my legs and more energy to put into it.

Congrats to the Ducks indeed. Minus Chris Pronger and Brian Burke, I got no ill will towards the Ducks. No ill will towards Giguere either, it gets a little irritating seeing people make fun of his equipment and what not. He's a solid goalie who stole two of these wins for the Ducks. All of us need to get over ourselves with the anti-Giguere bias. The Wings outplayed them in games 4 and 5, but sorry fans, the Ducks did deserve to go to the finals. The Wings might have had more chances, but they didn't do quite enough with them, while the Ducks did just enough with the fewer chances they had,

To the posters who are roasting him really badly, his "flopping around" has won him 6 Vezina's in his career. Now he should change his style because the Wings got eliminated and the Ducks could've easily had 6, 7 goals this last game? Yikes... Anyways, locker room b.s./what Hasek did off the ice in the past aside and whether you like Hasek the person or not, Hasek has proved that he and his groun can hold up physically even over 40. And even being over the hill, he's still one of the better goalies in the league when he's healthy. Was the case this year, and it was the case last year in Ottawa. I definitely wouldn't have said this at the beginning of the season, but if Hasek think he still has enough fuel left in the tank physically, I'd definitely welcome him back because I have little doubt that he still has it mentally to push himself hard.

Lack of heart? The collective majority thought this team was going to get manhandled by the Flames. Then they thought this team was going to get manhandled by the Sharks. The Wings came back from a 2-1 games deficit against the Sharks, which could've easily been 3-1 after game 4. And the original creator of this thread is questioning this team's heart? Don't make me laugh.

Absolutely. Always have since I've started watching hockey as a teen, and always will. The Wings bowing out coming oh so close to the Finals doesn't change that. The Red Wings are a big deal to me, but it's just a game and it's just a sport that I have no bearing on. It's not healthy if I'm that bitter and don't watch the rest of the games because I'm just that upset from them getting eliminated when I have absolutely no control over the outcome of a game as a spectator. You soak in the defeat, take a day or so to settle down, and move on with your work and your normal routine.

While it was a bit disappointing that it took them 40 minutes to get going, I got no regrets or complaints about this season overall. If you thought they'd make it this deep at the beginning of the season, you are kidding yourself. Extremely far from being sad or angry or bitter, and am extremely proud of this year's version of the Wings. :beerbuddy:

Apollis - What It Is

This is it folks. One last hurrah to the West Coast this season. No more lengthy travel and time zone changes for the players after tomorrow night. No more late night watching for us fans who live in the East or Central Time Zone with very little sleep. Just one more time we have to do this. Let’s suck it up and finish this final West Coast trip right.

Border war? This is hockey, this is a sport. This isn't a military ambush.

I don't mean to sound like a jerk, but I'm glad you aren't the GM. Re-sign Calder, maybe, but for that much? No thanks. Sign Anson Carter AT ALL? Pass. How many damn times must this be stated? DRAPER HAS A NO TRADE CLAUSE AND HAS GIVEN NO INDICATION HE WANTS TO PLAY ANYWHERE ELSE