SouthernWingsFan

Interesting... I would've prefered Hussey stayed for a few more games and Langfeld go down, but regardless of Ellis/Langfeld/Hussey not really putting points on the board or being snakebitten, I've been really impressed with all three of them. Yeah we all wish they could put a goal or two up there (and they probably should have by now), but they've bought some pretty good energy and hustle on just about every game, and haven't taken too many bad penalties during their extended stay with the Wings. Good to see Bootland not get the shaft immediately as the Wings are slowly getting healthy again. I doubt he'll do anything to warrant an extended stay with the Wings, but I'm glad management isn't cutting the floor from under him too early.

Those pics are pretty damn good. I get a kick out of the first pick of E.T. It looks like he's about to do a complete split.

It'll be interesting to see where he ends up once the forwards start getting healthy again. I'm expecting him to be back with Draper/Maltby, but that's just a guess obviously. Good to see him take advantage of more ice time and be in a bit of a different role, should definitely give him more confidence going into the postseason.

I'm probably going to be kicking my own rear for making this thread as I am unfortuantely afraid where it might head, but I'll reluctantly take this chance. Yep, it's largely going to be about if he could produce in the playoffs. Yep, it's only been a few games with Zetterberg out, for those who are strong of the opinion that Datsyuk needs Zetterberg to be largely effective. I can actually roll with this opinion (to a certain extent). He's looked really good though with all the injuries and being counted on to produce. His new line with Flipper hasn't dropped off much production, and he's still been able to make plays. Now I've never been one to completely dispise Datsyuk like you sometimes see on here, but I'm not even close to denying the fact that he needs to be better in the postseason. I guess I've been neutral on my feelings toward him. He's greatly skilled obviously, but could have proved to been good trade bait (before it was all but obvious the Wings weren't going to trade him once the new year rolled around and he slowly started to get it going), and there's the contract/money issues obviously. That all being said, he's starting to grow on me with his recent production, I'm hoping and am cautiously optimistic that he'll be one of the go-to guys this postseason, hopefully he can produce early in the 1st round to get on a hot streak.

You are just one Debbie Downer, aren't you? I'd hate to see how you reacted when the Wings won the Cup with *insert goalie* in net in '98, or I'd hate to see how you react if/when they win it again.

Wings could easily be down two whole points instead of one if Osgood melted after that 3rd goal. Enough already.

A tad disappointing to not win in regular time, was an unfortunate goal given up by Osgood, but good for him for being a brick wall in OT and the shootout. I will just shake my head in disbelief if the people who ripped on Ozzie saying the game was over come up and say "I knew all along the Wings would win in OT." Didn't tie the Preds for points but 1 point is closer than two. Was a tough, intense back-and-forth game with some sloppiness from both teams, which was too be expected with all the injuries. Very entertaining though. Give Ozzie a break for a few days, he deserves kudos for not breaking after giving up that not-so-great goal in the 3rd.

Stop posting and stop watching if you already know what's going to happen then to save you the heartburn. The game is played on the ice, not in an Internet forum.

Simmer down please to make the rest of the thread enjoyable.

Comination of column A/B. We can recall how resting players in 2002 when the Wings all but wrapped up the division early nearly bit them in the rear in the first round of the playoffs of Vancouver, so you don't want to cross that fine line with too much rest. A good bit of it is injuries right now, but if it were playoffs, some of the guys that are injured would probably be playing given their current injuries IMO (Holmstrom, maybe Bertuzzi/Samuelsson if they weren't too banged up). Even though the Wings are still in a tight division race with Nashville, unless they just completely tank these next few weeks (which I doubt they struggle that much), they'll either be #1, #2, or #4. That doesn't mean they should just slack off or throw wins away, I still want them playing their best going into the playoffs, but I wouldn't be surprised to see more rest from some players given the playoff seeding for the Wings should be predictable (to an extent).

I want your autograph again!!!!

I'm not trying to discredit winning any championships, it's hard, and the Wings have deserved all 10 of them. But you also got to consider, the Wings won a few of those Cups with fewer teams in the league. Nashville joined at a time when there are 30 franchises. Winning Cups this day/age is probably a bit harder right now, and it was especially harder for teams like Nashville when there was no salary cap. I just don't see the argument as something to gloat over when the Wings probably should have one more Cups being in existance much longer, with less amount of teams, etc.

We're gonna win by 10 touchdowns! Or something like that...

nm

Yeah, because everybody Nashville or anywhere further South is either a Redneck or a Coon Ass. All we like to do is play kumbaya songs in the woods on our acoustic guitars, chew on burgers and meat all day, watch football and NASCAR. And don't forget we've all married our 5th cousin and our IQ's are below 30. Wait, I can't forget that we have a lot of cowboys and hippies and hillbillies too, with our horses and cows and potbelly piggies either! Preds have only been in existance for a decade so the 10 Cups argument is kinda moot, with Detroit being in existance since 1926 (?) compared to Nashville in the mid-90s, I'd expect Detroit to have just a few more Cups and for it not to be something to boast about and tell Preds fans to stick it where the sun doesn't shine.

Oh boy, cue excessive celebrating from fight/toughness guys.

Welcome and wassup?!?!?!?

Yipers. Crazy injuries abound. Probably just pre-cautionary measures though as stated. Personally, I'm not all that concerned where the Wings seed. I don't want them to tank the rest of the regular season obviously, you want them to win, but first/foremost I want everybody healthy and the team having decent momentum and some kind of winning streak going to the playoffs. It's all but determined that they will probably finish etiher #1, #2, or #4 in the conference. I highly doubt Colorado or St Louis will catch up, but the #5 to #8 seeds are ridiculously tight right now. In terms of a first round matchup, I just don't see any kind of advantage being either 1, 2, or 4, when who the hell knows what teams will be seeded #5 - #8, that probably won't be determined until the last week of the season.

I got another stupid fan story. It was way back in the early 90s, I was probably no more than 13 or 14. I was at a college basketball game down here. University of New Orleans. They play in the Sun Belt Conference, a conference you definitely wouldn't mention first over the Big Ten, Pac 10, SEC, Big 12, etc. Being that the university is largely commuter and there was plenty of other things to do in New Orleans entertainment wise, basketball games weren't a priority for some. Anyways, they actually played a big name opponent this game, hosting Arizona. It was either '92 or '93. I think U of A was probably ranked high, and back in the early/mid 90s, UNO, for being in a middle-tier conference, was always competitive and held their own, posting solid winning records and even making some NIT and NCAA Tourney bids. The arena was as packed as I've ever seen it, nearly sold out with just under 10,000. The game was back and forth throughout, but Arizona pulled away at the last minute and won by 3 I think. We were exiting our seats with under a minute and were standing to see the final plays. I leaned over the walking balcony and an a**hole adult about 10 rows up threw a game program or something at me telling me to back up. I swear, even though I was only a kid back then, I nearly just ran back up the stands and gave him a piece of my mind. He was so far up that me leaning over had no impact on blocking the court, and the game outcome was all but determined anyways.

Also another sit/stand story... Again I'm not one to go loud/crazy and constantly stand or shout at stands, I usually just like to watch the game in peace and quietly, but I'm not going to a jerk and get on somebody's case for standing for a play to get excited and all that stuff unless they are just constantly shouting or ruining the game for everybody in a section... Anyways, this was my first Wings game I was ever at in Detroit, early last season around Thanksgiving against St Louis. The Wings were on a 5-on-3 PP. Most people around our section were still sitting, but into the action obviously. These two couples in front of us were a joke, the women were drunk out of their minds and I guess they were leaving to take a whiz or something, it took them literally almost 2 minutes to either leave or sit back down. I normally don't flip my lid or show emotions during a game, but I almost just blasted back at them. Come on, it's a 5-on-3 PP, I want to watch the action on the ice, not drunk people scrambling around their seats who aren't interested in the game. Another story, but not a Wings game...my alma mater used to be in the same conferece for sports as Tulane University here in New Orleans when I was still going to college in Texas...we play a football game that season back here in the Superdome. I just go with my family so nobody was really riled up (I rarely tailgate or drink heavily at sports events anyway), and it's Tulane, they usually aren't good anyways so the 'Dome rarely gets crowded. Well, Tulane actually played a solid game and steamrolled TCU by about 25 points. Tulane slowly/surely pulled away throughout the game, but there was this one jackass fan who kept shouting and complaining and bitching about EVERYTHING, even when Tulane was well ahead. We were sitting next to a few contingent of more friendlier Tulane alums who unfortunately warned us of him. The Tulane alums told us one time he brought his kid to a game and was holding him over the railing (we were in the middle tier of the 'Dome) and nearly dropped him a few stories. As stated, I rarely blow my top at games so I was pretty quiet and even-tempered even though my school was getting destroyed that game. I eventually confronted the fan who was ruining watching the game for everybody else calmly, and told him to please settle down, your team is actually doing good and will win this game, be happy. After being absolutely stunned, he eventually shut up.

It went into its grave where it should be. I only (thankfully) read the last couple of pages after the game and they were an absolute joke. Some people (I'm not going to and don't want to call out names, I figure these people know who they are) need to simply grow up and not just blatantly attack, attack, attack. Disagree all you want, this place wouldn't be as exciting if there weren't any, but keep it calm and fairly civil, I don't think that's such a hard request. This is why I rarely touch GDT's. No I'm not calling for a ban of them alltogether, that's never going to happen, but some of the things you see in there, after a goal given up, or especially after a loss (i.e. scapegoats, overreacting panic attacks) are just ridiculous sometimes, way past the point of being laughable or funny.

The heck with that fan. I don't get too jumpy or excited at games, but if you don't show at least some emotion/excitement on the anticipation of a penalty shot....that just doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. You should have told him I'll sit down after the penalty shot is over like a smart-ass.

It's way, way too early to predict if I'm able to do this in about a year, it'll probably cost a good bit of cash, but I'm bouncing the idea of maybe coming up for next year's Annual Toast of Hockeytown. The ticket will be retardedly expensive but at least I could meet a few players there along with having free wine and treats.

nm, posted in wrong thread...

Eating cheesburgers and fat fast food makes you even lazier and suckier! Just messin', that sounds like a good ol' time and it seems like Lang is a good, down to earth quiet guy outside the rink. We're gonna need him in the postseason once again!