kipwinger

Putin is such a heel. I love this guy. It's like if Gary Bettman laced up some skates and beat up a bunch of children. It's comedy gold.

Some guy in the comments section said, "is it just me or do Green and Smith look alike?". Someone responded, "you can tell Smith by the vacant look in his eye". Lol

Apparently you're not the only one. Per Henrik Zetterberg today: "There's a lot of guys in here who've been through the same stuff for many years," Zetterberg said Thursday. "I think now with the additions of Green and Richards, and the new coach, it's given us a little fresh start. Obviously, it's going to be a different voice behind the bench and sometimes you need that." Zetterberg clearly felt it was time for a change after 10 years under the hard-driving, abrasive Mike Babcock. "I want to thank Mike for the time he had here, but I think both him and us probably decided it was time," Zetterberg said. http://www.wingingitinmotown.com/2015/9/3/9258235/henrik-zetterberg-says-it-was-time-for-mike-babcock-to-go

I completely agree. It was Stevie's team, and it should have been. I'm not suggesting that Fedorov should have been made captain or anything. I'm just saying that when you're already "the guy" on a team, wanting to be recognized as such may make you narcissistic or egotistical, but it sure doesn't make you entitled. Fedorov earned everything he ever got in hockey by doing what was asked of him (which was significantly more than what was asked of just about any other Wings...except maybe Lidstrom), and doing it better than anyone else. Entitled is when you want the payoff without having to do the work. Fedorov did work son!

I never understood that whole contract demands = entitlement argument. He didn't hold out for more money. He wanted to leave because he was tired of playing second fiddle on Yzerman's team. He wanted to be a leader, he wanted to be "the guy" on a team. And he was quite clearly capable of being that. He was, after all, the best player on earth. Being the best, wanting to be recognized as the best, and wanting to prove it by carrying your own team, doesn't scream "entitlement" to me. It seems like the exact opposite. IMO he would have been entitled if he chased big money while riding Yzerman, and Shanahan, and Hull, and Lidstrom's coattails. When he first came into the league, Crosby was entitled. He hadn't earned anything, and wanted the benefit of the doubt all the time. In his mind, he was a star when he was still a rookie. Fedorov was never, ever, that way. Like I said before, he worked his way to the top and left because he could never be recognized for it on Yzerman's team.

Are people forgetting that fedorov grew up in the red army system? From the time he was a child he trained under the harshest possible conditions. I mean, insanely harsh conditions. And then came to the U.S and played for...the most demanding coach in the NHL. Where he worked his way into being a premier two way forward, and at one point the very best player on earth. He may have been arrogant, but that doesn't make him entitled. I'd say he earned every single thing he has, and doesn't have, in life.

I'm good. I've got EA Sports UFC already. That game is awesome. I use Ronda Rousey and beat up on all the dudes. It's super life like.

Like I said, it takes all kinds. I'm like you, but some folks probably aren't. But I don't think anybody, regardless of their personal preferences, can deny the allure that the management aspect of the game has for a ton of fans. It's WILDLY popular. Like I said, look at the popularity of fantasy sports, or the "armchair GM" function on GAPGEEK (RIP). Whether it appeals to us personally, it's obviously something that tons of people really get into. And personally, I get really juiced up for it as well. Hell, outside of the playoffs, the biggest events in hockey involved roster management. The draft, free agency, and the trade deadline all get more interest than the all star game or the NHL awards.

Well it takes all kinds. But I suspect you may be in the minority there. If it was all about the game play for most people, why bother picking a particular team? Or making trades/FA acquisitions? Why think so much about a fantasy draft? Might as well just do it all at random if the most satisfying parts are what occurs in real time. But I'm genuinely not criticizing you here, because I know that people like different things. It's one reason why people either love or hate baseball. Because all of the interesting stuff happens before the game play. Before the ball is in motion. If you're the kind of person that loves the fluidity of real time sports, baseball is probably torture. But if you love the planning, preparation, strategy, etc. you probably love seeing the outcome of your critical thinking.

I realize that Detroit hasn't been good literally forever. I'm suggesting that this upcoming season, for instance, will probably be more interesting for me than the 1999 or 2000 seasons. Even though these were heyday years of the Wings "dynasty". I like the question marks surrounding an upcoming season. Going into it with Cup or bust on your mind is fine (especially if you haven't won in a long time), but it's a little less interesting when you've seen a ton of them. I love the competition for spots, the youth movement, the goalie debate, the new coach, the emerging stars. All those story lines are more interesting to me than anything we were talking about heading into the 2010 season (for instance).

I may be in the minority, but I actually think the recent rebuilding years 2003-2006 and 2011-Present, are far more interesting than the contending years. There's more to think about, talk about, speculate about, and (quite frankly) ***** about. Watching your team win the Cup is awesome, but I don't want to see it every year. Or even be a real possibility every year. Sometimes you have to struggle a little bit in order to work through it and know what optimism feels like. IMO being a fan of a super team is lazy. And boring. Which isn't to say that I want our team to be the Chicago Cubs of hockey. But I don't want us to be the Yankees either. If you choices each season are A) compete for the championship, or B) be disappointed, then you're missing out on a ton of awesome fan experiences.

Do you think RFA Petr Mrazek is going to make 5 million dollars? I don't. I don't think that's remotely probable, regardless of the season he just had. Everyone always thinks that good young players, with tons of potential, are going to make a fortune after the ELC runs out. They might for other teams, then don't for the Red Wings. Look at Nyquist and Tatar. Both are on reasonable bridge contracts. Mrazek will be too.

Why would they regret it? They got good production, for less than market value, and then traded him for futures. They got everything they wanted out of the deal. I don't think there's a problem signing and hometown discount. But if I were going to do the organization a solid and take less money, you bet your ass I'd want a no trade clause. No way would I do them that favor without some insurance for myself.

He's really that heavy. He's 5'11 and 285 lbs.

That's because it's Bartolo Colon and not CC Sabathia. A man who weighs the same as CC Sabathia (285 lbs) despite being 8 inches shorter.

As I understand it, the first season in the new arena will be the 2017-2018 season.

Who asked you to empathize with him? He didn't. Neither did anyone here. You're entirely fabricating a point that Glencross was never making, just so you can disagree with it. He was talking about his experience with topics (contract negotations and home town discounts) that affect every single player and organization in the industry. The point was never, "how can I make regular joes empathize with me more". And it shouldn't have been, because your empathy for Curtis Glencross means to him about as much as his empathy should mean to you. Zilch.

If I'm understanding the themes in this thread correctly, if you're wealthy you should shut up and enjoy it, and never ever talk about what you'd have done differently in life. Does that mean that if you're poor you should constantly talk about your past regrets and failures and pine for a change in fortunes? Or could we all just agree that regardless of the size of your bank account, you're entitled to talk about your life however the heck you want when someone asks you?

Leave it up to Helene St. James to be baffling stupid in her preview of Pulkkinen today. According to her, Pulkkinen didn't get any meaningful powerplay minutes (he had over 2:30 minutes per game) but he should also be utilized as a point man on the PP behind Green. Because you know, guys with his skillset always play on the point (cough...Ovechkin...cough Stamkos...cough, cough). How does this dummy have a job again? http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nhl/red-wings/2015/08/29/detroit-red-wings-teemu-pulkkinen/71385228/

Brad Boyes is still unsigned as well. If I were Montreal I'd sign him. They could use the scoring.

Nope, he never played center when healthy. I think he did play center a bit in that first season when he was injured, but at no point last year did he center a line. It's too bad for Weiss that he had the injury he did. Skating seemed to set up the whole rest of his game, and after that injury he lost a step. He scored 25 points in 50 games last year in large part because he sees the ice well and is smart enough to know where to go to get scoring opportunities. But speed is what would take a smart veteran with good playmaking ability from a 25-30 point guy to the 60 point guy he used to be, and unfortunately for him he lost it.

Agreed. He's a good goalie, and he's obviously going to get much better. But anybody thinking that we've got an elite goalie on our hands already is setting themselves up for a lot of disappointment. Mrazek will probably be good, but not great, this season and then begin tearing it up next season (if he's ever going to tear it up at all). I fully expect Jimmy to play the majority of the games this season (barring injury) with Mrazek starting about 35. I absolutely don't believe he'll be named the number 1 goalie until the organization has seen what he can do with a regular NHL workload.

Once Pav is back, you've got Z, Tatar, Gus, Franzen, Abby, Jurco, Pulkkinen, and maybe Helm all competing for winger spots on the top three lines. I don't think Pulkkinen is necessarily the lowest on the depth chart, but he's at the lower end. So I don't think he'll get enough minutes to consistently score goals. I'm looking for around 15 from him this season, and about the same number of assists.

Short and simple debate to start another dreary, hockeyless, week. In order to win a Cup, is it more important to have a first rate center, or a first rate defenseman? Why? For discussion's sake, think about the centers for the 2011 Bruins, or the 2003 Devils. Conversely, think about the top defensemen for the 2009 Penguins or the 2004 Lightening.

Closest I can find to what you were saying is this...http://thehockeywriters.com/trade-talk-shopping-taylor-hall/ Which was Hall and Petry for Sheahan, Mantha, Pulkkinen, and Sproul. Not Sheahan, Sproul, and a 1st. It was also an entirely speculative piece written by a writer for the Kelowna Daily Courier. A periodical with about as much circulation as the Flint Journal. Not an "Oilers reporter". Edit: However, I'm not even really trying to blow your s*** up here. If the Oilers would trade Taylor Hall for Jimmy, Smith, Sproul, and a pick I'd make that trade too.