kipwinger

What would it accomplish? He didn't even injure the other guy. In your scenario he would do that to Chara, Chara would keep playing, Boston would be galvanized, and the Red Wings wouldn't get the benefit of the doubt on a single penalty call for the remainder of the series. We'd be short handed every single game, and probably lose. And if he HAD injured the other guy? Then you'd have a Bertuzzi incident. Which is worse. I'd be pretty upset.

He wasn't JUST talking about fighting. He explicitly said "if other teams won't accept the fight start it anyways". Fighting someone when they don't want to fight is called "attacking" them. I don't think it's a stretch to suggest that attacking someone, with or without a stick, should probably not be allowed in any sport, at any time. It's a little hard to take Frank seriously when he opens calls for attacking players on the ice, and then tries to condemn something which is entirely the same in spirit. Don't attack people. It's a ******* sport. I can't believe I have to explain/defend that position.

You've just speculated on a reason why guys have slowed down (because Babs is leaving), while at the same time providing a much more plausible explanation (because the season is long and hard). These guys don't want to lose. Your scenario makes it seem like the primary thing stopping these slackers from slacking is the contract status of their coach. Which seems unrealistic. You don't make it to the pinnacle of your respective career field by being a slacker who is ok with losing. Don't get me wrong, if I could find a plausible connection between something Babcock did and a drop off in the teams' play, I'd point it out. At this point I honestly feel like it's my mission to be the voice of objectivity when it comes to the near deification of Mike Babcock. But I really, truly, can't find a link between our drop off in play and his contract status.

You've regularly argued that goons like Orr and McLaren should attack other players whether they want to fight or not. For no other reason than to "entertain the fans". I'm not sure your condemnation is exactly credible. "If I'm Nonis I'd call up Orr, McLaren, Devane and Biggs tell them to do whatever it takes to give the fans some enjoyment for their money and if other teams won't accept the fight start it anyways, there are too many rats running around and fans want entertainment." - Frankgrimes

Tatar needs two goals to be the first player since 2009 to break the 30 goals plateau. Does he do it? Also, anybody remember when Helen St. James started a trade rumor about him this year? Lol. She's sooooo good at her job.

Lol. One overlooked misspelling changes everything. You haphazardly wrote "loose" instead of "lose". And, once written, surrounded the word "loose" with "stretch" and "pump". Thus turning your well intentioned post into extremely raunchy porn. Get your mind out of the gutter.

I don't know about that. I think the coach determines the on ice product in a lot of ways, but I've never believed that a coach's contract status affects the team. I don't see a bunch of ultra competitive athletes being so sad (or vindictive) that they either can't (or won't) listen to a lame duck coach. For one thing, their millions upon millions of dollars of pay depends on their one ice accomplishments. Even if he weren't coming back, winning means you get paid more, and have more job security, etc. No reason for them to throw the baby out with the bath water.

Don't worry guys and gals, we've got this. I burnt an offering at my Katie Strang alter today...and the goddess was pleased.

True. But Emmersson, on the other hand, could team up with Lake and Palmer and you'd have an unstoppable hit machine.

Jesus Christ! Apparently you shouldn't ever make this guy upset.

I can't imagine how it feels to lose a parent. I really feel for babs. I hope his family has many fond memories to help them through what is obviously one of lifes toughest moments.

Who's Brian Hilarity? Oh. I see what you mean.

Soooo if we lose this, does that mean Mrazek sucks and he's only average?

I know he sucked until Dylan Larkin made him look super duper good. Screw this kid, he's trying to cash in on one good season that a rookie center gifted him.

Well I missed this one. How'd we look? I mean, clearly four goals and a shutout means we looked good. But anybody got a run down?

Is mike Babcock still our coach? If so, it won't be so cut and dry.

Could be worse. Columbus is so beat up that their assistant coach is even injured. He has to get surgery to fix a torn tendon in his arm.

Do they have a stat for straight up possession? Like, literally how many minutes (per game) one team has the puck?

I remember that Glendening was really strong on faceoffs at the beginning of the season. I think he led the team in FO% for a while. But I don't remember how everyone else was looking.

I don't know why not. We played our best hockey, against the toughest competition, on our West Coast trip. Marchenko was in on defense, and Mrazek was in the net. I'm not saying it a guarantee or anything. But we can clearly win with those guys in the lineup consistently. And what do we have to lose? The fragile chemistry that's earning us all these points right now?

Well, it depends on whether you'd actually be willing to change the defensive roster a little bit. If you're married to the six guys we've currently got playing, then yeah, you've got very few options. However, if you're willing to consider replacing one of those guys with Marchenko, then you're got some pretty good options IMO.

I mean, I'm not in love with Andersson (nor would I hate Cleary either), but he's not costing us games. He's a plug, sure. But pretty much every team has a cheap guy on the fourth line who's easily replaceable. Not really an issue as far as I'm concerned. Again, Andersson isn't the reason we're in a slide. That said, I never want to seem him doing anything other than being a fourth line winger. If your third line center is hurt, move Hem or Weiss to that spot. Don't promote Andersson (as Babs has been doing). On my team he's either a fourth line winger, or he's on the bench. We've got better options everywhere else.

Well I wouldn't put Zidlicky with Smith and I wouldn't put Cole with Abby. To me those guys are too similar to play together. I don't really think it's the most efficient allocation of resources.

Z-Dats-Abby Tatar-Sheahan-Cole Nyquist-Helm-Jurco Miller-Glendening-Andersson

Well I'm going to speculate and suggest that Holland probably didn't acquire those guys expecting them to be utilized the way they have been. But that 's just me.