kliq

If this is in reference to me, I didn't say anything negative about Yzerman. I just think if he was strongly against this policy, it wouldn't be happening, that's not praising or criticizing him. To be honest, I'm indifferent about this. I'm not for it, but I'm not really against it. 100% agree with you Frank, hence my quote below.

Like I said, I don't think he is the one who created this policy, but I'd be shocked if he didn't have veto power on things like this. In most business's GM's have a lot of say on marketing. "General Manager" is literally my job title, and that is one of my main responsibilities. Though I completely realize that doing what I do is completely different then running an NHL team.

If Yzerman was firmly against this, this would not be happening. Unless its coming straight from the owner or the president, I'm sure he has veto power. A GM literally runs the team.

Ive seen a few close calls during the Toronto games where "security" (by security I mean 60 year old men in suits) had to come and break it up lol.

My guess is that he wants players who can fight AND play hockey, I dont think it's one or the other. There is no doubt that Orr and McLaren are two of the toughest guys in the league, I will give them credit for being willing to stick up for teammates night in/night out. But they just don't have the skill-sets required to play in the NHL in 2015. If toughness/grit/fighters are what he wants, he probably wants guys like himself, McCarty, etc. Guys that will drop the gloves, then score a goal. Not a guy that had 53 GP, 0 points and is -3 (Orr's stats last season). If you want a fighter, get a guy like Laraque, a guy who can go with anyone, and score 15-30 points with some clutch goals.

Ya thats BS. I hope they dont get the #1 pick.

I love our future, I have never been so excited to be a Wings fan. I remember back in 2011 when I looked at this roster the future scared me. I knew we were getting older, and Lidstrom, D, Z, Kronwall etc. only had so many years left. In the old days Holland would have just gone shopping, but those days are gone. What he has been able to do to this roster impresses the hell out of me. As far as a #1 center, we have Larkin, AA, and Sheahan. I'm pretty confident one of them will turn into it, or be a part of a package to be traded for one.

If Babs went to Toronto, I could just see him giving the media the death stare after they ask him a stupid question lol. This team is a mess, whoever they hire they will just fire in a year from now anyways.

I dont think he was saying Z was a loser, just that Z wasnt playing to the level that we are used to seeing him play, the bar is very high. I'm sure its because of injuries/natural regression and you cant fault the guy for that at all. He gives it his all, and that's all you can ask for. My point with posting this thread now, was I wanted to get a idea for what people were thinking before the playoffs started. I wanted a true reflection of the regular season. Once the playoffs start, people will forget the regular season and just focus on the playoffs (and rightfully so).

Ya I could see that, though I don't like splitting up 2 guys who have played great all year together. But Marchenko on first pairing going up against guys like Stamkos & Johnson scares me. The more I think about, the more i think Babs just sticks Marchenko in Smith's spot and changes nothing else.

I agree with pretty much everything except Howard as I feel you have to grade him twice. In the first half he was one of the best goalies in the league, he had a GAA of 2.08 (if that still stood he would have finished 3rd in the NHL) and was in the discussion when talking about the Vezina. In the second half (post injury) he was awful. Tough to judge with simply a pass or fail. He still was a HUGE part in the 100 points we got, stole a lot of games early.

If Marchenko is playing, does Babs go with two lefties in our first pairing, and 2 righties in the second? Or does he do Kronwall/Zidlikcy - Erikkson/Marchenko or Kronwall/Marchenko - Erikkson/Zidlicky?

Normally I would go for St. Louis as I dont like Minny. But I want to see Dubnyk make some noise in the playoffs. I pick Minny in 7. I dont see Elliot/Allen stepping up in the playoffs.

Hammond's record is unreal, the guy is 20-1-2! Agreed on Murray, the guy definitely deserves this. Whats happening to him outside of hockey is absolutely horrible.

I hate to admit it, but it does seem like this is the way things are going. Sucks, just a few years ago he was a guy that people couldn't to see play.

The funny thing is that with the new playoff structure even if they got 9 more points this season and finished with 109, we would still be facing TB in the first round, just with home ice advantage. I kind of wish they went back to the 1-8 seeding. Though I guess this new structure does put more of an emphasis on divisional games. Montreal's reward for winning the division is a red hot Ottawa, they cant be loving that right now. That's the last team I would want to play. I don't see them winning the cup or anything, but I see them taking a top seed or two out while they are hot.

People also forget that he is playing against the the best of the best every night. The guy is better suited as second pairing guy, he is currently being miscast.

I think we slightly underachieved based on our roster. I really like the kids on this team, and I think they could have done a bit better, but unfortunately they hit a huge roadblock after the trade-deadline. But that's a pretty common thing for young teams, consistency is typically one of the last skills for young players in any sport to pick up. I also think Howard's injury hurt this team badly, I don't believe that its a coincidence that his sub par return happened to coincide with our D starting to get exposed. I think his great play early in the year may have hid some things. Overall its our best placing in a few years, and the most points we have gotten in the post Lidstrom era. A lot of our kids are showing they have what it takes to play in this league at a high level, and I would say I am satisfied with this season. I do think we could have done better, but we're a young team and we had a very rough stretch to end the season. Lets hope we can make a run and give these kids some much needed playoff experience! Funny that we are facing TB in the playoffs, the team everybody was comparing us to in the off-season.

Enough Said lol

Why do so many people act as if we get bounced from the first round every year? Since 2007 we have only lost in the first round 2 times, its by no means the usual. Ottawa scares me, they seem like a team that cant lose. I have to wait and see who they play, but I think are going to upset one of those 3 teams. The team was great in the late 90's and early 2000's, I miss that as well. But they also spent way more then mostly everyone else, its now an even playing field (or at least to a closer degree).

I think the guy is done, probably his last NHL game. Pretty bad when an AHL team doesnt want you.

I dont see the Leafs taking on Weiss's contract unless we gave them a stud like Mantha with him. It doesn't make sense for a team re-building. The ONLY way I could see this, is if the Leafs think they can turn his career around and trade him for more assets. I don't see it, but then again it is the Leafs.

I feel like Edmonton has taught people nothing. Having a first or second overall pick, even if its for a projected "phenom" doesn't mean anything if you cant build your team the right way. For every Crosby and Ovie, there is an Alexandre Daigle, Pat Falloon, Rick DiPietro, Patrik Stefan etc.

So the LA Kings were officially eliminated from the playoffs tonight. If this doesn't show people how much parity there is in the NHL, I don't know what does. This is a team that for the most part stayed healthy all year, had no major roster changes (I can only think of Voynov & Mitchell), does not have an aging/regressing roster, and has had no major personal changes. I think this just goes to show you that, it just takes a few players, or 1 bad losing streak to go from top of the world, to the outside looking in.

What do you consider "losing with style"? Taking other players out?