kipwinger

No doubt Moen and Gaustad are better than Mursak and Emmerton. It would be impossible to disagree with that.

I've been reading that he's considering taking a second round pick and a prospect on Grabovski, just because the Leafs aren't a realistic playoff threat, and Grabovski is asking a boat load to resign next year. If they don't get a deal done before monday, I expect Burke to move him, but I agree with you, it's hard saying what he'll get in return. http://www.freep.com/article/20120222/SPORTS18/120222055/detroit-red-wings-trade-rumors-nhl

I understand that, but I think we've got the guys to do that anyway. I see no reason why our defensively responsible and much tougher third line can't perform that task. Abby, Helm, and Miller were having one of their better games of the season last night and they were kept off the ice in the final minute and look what happened. Gaustad and Moen are good players, and I won't be upset if either of them come here, but not because I think we need someone to handle the rough stuff, we're fine in that department.

Grabovski dude, that's all I'm saying.

As a matter of fact, the only injury we've sustained in the last 5 or 6 years that could be attributed to a "message sending" incident was Stuart's broken jaw. And I hardly think Brad Stuart is the kind of guy who needs a big brother on the ice protecting him. "Message sending" rarely happens in today's game, and when it does, no tough guy in the world is going to prevent it. I didn't see the presence of Paul Gaustad preventing Lucic from running over Miller this season, and after the poor showing Gaustad had in his fight with Lucic the next game, I hardly think Lucic has been deterred from sending another message again when he feels like it.

Sorry I changed that last post on you. Anyway, we've been in that situation a lot over the years and I don't recall anyone sending any messages which were ever something to be worried about, at least not anymore than a team losing 4-0 is bound to do at any other point in the game.

Depends on the score. Last night we had Bert, Z, and Franzen out with under a minute and we didn't have to worry about some tough guy sending a message, we had to worry about getting scored on and losing the game. And IMO neither Moen or Gaustad would have helped much in a situation like that, except maybe Gaustad would have won the damn faceoff.

How do you guys feel about Mikhail Grabovski and do you think it's possible? I'll admit I have never paid that much attention to him, but I just watched a video of every goal he scored last season and was impressed with how often he scores on his shot. I'd really like a shooter. Your thoughts?

Since 2006: Cleary: 116 goals, 133 assists, 397 games played, 2.8 million salary. Jordan Staal: 114 goals, 111 assists, 409 games played, 4 million dollars salary. My point? Quite bitching.

Dude I agree with everything you said, but if you look back over the posts you'll see my whole line of comments came as a response to someone who thought we should get these guys to stop Joe Thornton, and guys like him, from "mugging" Pavel, Hank, and Lidstrom. I just said that this particular justification is stupid. Not that Moen or Gaustad where bad players. And after watching Franzen blow his coverage last night on the game tying goal in the waning seconds of the third, I'd be thrilled to see almost any player on the ice in the last minute rather than him and big Bert. No knock on Bert, but maybe someone with a little defensive acumen when you're trying to protect a lead. Nevermind, that's beside the point.

WAIT...WHAT?...THE THRASHERS ARE MOVING BACK TO WINNIPEG!?! WHOO HOO! BACK WHERE THEY BELONG BABY!!!!

No s***, A LOT of players cycle the puck down low and then kick it back to the defensemen. That's why our defensemen lead the league in scoring. Unless you're going to suggest that none of Cleary's 15 assists came from this play that you say he "always does". Apparently Cleary is to you, what a red cloth is to a bull. Your animalistic and reactionary hatred is only slightly less comprehensible than my willingness to stand in a ring and go round for round with you. p.s. I know the bull thing is Spanish. I was going to try an Aussie thing for you, but I didn't know if Wallabies had any sort of instinctive and unexplainable hatred for things in the same way that bulls, and indeed you too, have.

Unreal, you yourself just said that he's not a top six forward. So why, when he's filling in as a top six (which presumably means more minutes, responsibility, pressure, etc.), and out performing (statistically) all the other top six forwards (last night only), will you still not even acknowledge that he played ONE good game? Did Cleary give your sister an STD or something? If you think he's an inadequate player to fill a roll, and then when he's asked to fill that roll for a game, he leads forwards in shots, pk time, and meets his defensive responsibilities, you should be the first to acknowledge that he had ONE good game. I would think that would be an easier pill to swallow than admitting that you constantly low ball Clearly for no good reason.

1. Don't see a lot of two handed stick swinging competitions either, whether in the regular season or the playoffs. 2. I hope you're not insinuating that you want Gaustad or Moen to fight against the big guys from San Jose in the playoffs. 3. I don't mind the idea of acquiring a forward because they're good in the defensive zone, or because they use their size and strength to cycle the puck, or finish their checks, or any number of other things. I wasn't arguing against acquiring good and helpful players. I was suggesting that some people attempt to justify roster changes based on something that never happens. If you want to get Gaustad or Moen because they're potentially helpful...fine. If you want to get them because they'll "stop Thornton from mugging our stars", then you're blind or lying...because our stars aren't getting mugged. That's all.

Can't wait for the headlines when Carter or Richards inevitably get popped with a DUI in their (early) offseason.

Also, his 5 shots on goal (tied for team high tonight), 3:05 PK time (lead all forwards), and increased defensive responsibilities (as opposed to his usual third line minutes). Of course you could choose to overlook the fact that buy his standards he had a pretty good game, and just keep bitching because for some reason he's not an offensive dynamo. Or...and just here me out here...or, you could cut him some slack, quite bitching, and acknowledge (quietly and to yourself), that he had a good game tonight. Whadda say?

That's funny, I don't usually here people complaining about cycling down low and kicking back to the defenseman when the Wings are leading the league in defense scoring. I thought Clearly was really good defensively and had a lot of jump in his skates tonight. He wasn't a game breaker or anything, but I never expect him to be. Good game Cleary.

Cleary has been real good tonight. Real good game.

This would get scored on...a lot.

Ott only has 5 fighting majors this year, same as Abby. So I don't know how many offsetting penalties he really gets. Nystrom would fit the best considering we'd like a winger, but Ribeiro has always been hard on the wings, and he produces. If I could get his point production for a second rounder I'd be thrilled, plus he's only topped 50 PIM once in his career. Note: Just checked it out, Ribeiro is under contract for another year at 5 mil...so nevermind.

No thanks on Ott, 115 PIM in 54 games, and our penalty kill is terrible. Compare that to Bert (who constantly gets accused of taking s***ty penalties) at 54 PIM in 54 games, or Ericsson (same deal) at 47 PIM in 61 games, or Abby (same deal) at 47 PIM in 61 games...or...nevermind, you get the picture. Ribeiro or Nystrom on the other hand? Yes, please.

wow, reactionary much?

Again, you want to change the roster in order to fix a problem that "may" happen in the "last few minutes". I don't see what Moen or Gaustad are going to do in the last couple of minutes that Bert or Abby can't. The reason we don't have tough guys on in those cases is not because we don't have them, it's because Babs doesn't put them on the ice at the end of the game. I don't see that philosophy changing just because we bring in a guy like Gaustad or Moen. Don't get me wrong, they're good players, but they don't give us anything we don't already have, and they don't protect us against anything other than the chance that somebody, somewhere, sometime, might take a run out of frustration. And like I said, when was the last time one of our stars missed a game because of that? Note: Also, fighting rarely happens in the playoffs, either for or against. So presumably, if we're advocating bringing someone over to protect our guys, then we're talking about protecting them during the duration of the regular season. As we haven't lost any key players to dirty hits or muggings so far this season, and in a month or two nobody will be fighting anymore anyway, what's the point? What are we going to do, lose a pick or prospect for Moen or Guastad in order to keep Hank, Pav, or Lidstrom safe and healthy for a next month?

I don't really understand Carolina signing Ruutu to this extension. While I thought he was the kind of guy who would help us out in the playoffs, I don't think he's the type of guy you pay 4.75 million a year to and build your team around. He's a good player but not that good, and not for that price. He's only broke 20 goals twice in his career. Better them than us I guess.

anybody know what side Quincey usually plays on and how that fits with Ericsson, Kindl, and Commie?