webwing91

Great, Classy post. As a Phoenix fan, I am very proud of them. They've fought so hard for two years against incredible odds. However, the Wings fight hard too. And rooting for another team this series, I've gained an appreciation for Red Wings hockey I never had when I was just a Wings fan.

Despite being a Wings fan my whole life, I was definitely cheering for Phoenix this year. However, the Wings really and truly played flawless Red Wings hockey from beginning to end. The Yotes didn't play their game until game 4, but regardless there was no chance for them. There are tougher teams out there, but if they play like they did this series, the Wings will be tough to beat. That said, I am still ridiculously proud of the Phoenix Coyotes. They've done so much with so little, against so much. There is so much hate out there for my city. For my home. But in the midst of this negativity this team has been an inspiration, a beacon of hope. To me these two teams are what hockey and life is all about. Doing things the right way, undeniable heart, and never backing down. Anyways, onto the next series. Go Wings! (And long live the Phoenix Coyotes).

Well this is an article from a writer who writes about the Yotes once a year. He doesn't have any hockey credibility in Phoenix either. Though I will say that a decent number of Wings fans do wear white to the arena: don't see too much red. Anywho, as the Coyotes are my #2 team, I have to pipe up and say there are a lot of good fans in Phoenix and new people being brought into the game every day. I've gotten tons of people interested in hockey in the last couple years and I see a strong future if Hulsizer buys the team.

It is plenty safe. About 3-5 miles east it starts to get a little shadier, but nothing like a bad area in Detroit. Anything north of the arena is brand new, safe neighborhoods and areas. South of the arena and west into Avondale is safe too, and you're starting to get into the desert at that point so the hotels are probably a bit cheaper. The Renaissance hotel is right next to the arena, but it is quite pricey. I ask that as a visitor to the area, you be respectful while at the game. Cheer for the Wings, wear red, partake in some good natured ribbing, have a good time. But do not get completely obnoxious and belligerent at the game. These games have some of the worst behavior I've ever seen. The only real danger is getting into a fight at or outside the game.

Key Subtractions: C - Matthew Lombardi Probably the player they are missing the most right now, and their biggest weakness (playmaking center). He was defensively responsible, won faceoffs, and his speed was critical for the Yotes as it caused a lot of disruption in the opposing zone and allowed him to carry the puck in instead of dump and chase (an ability the Coyotes sorely lack right now). D - Zybnek Michalek Good matchup/shutdown D that played solid defense and good decisions. F - Wojtek Wolski/Scottie Upshall The 1st line winger for Matthew Lombardi who could make stuff happen on offense but also pull the trigger. Key Additions: D - Rotislav Klesla Good shutdown D (with size) that plays a physical game and makes smart defensive decisions D - Michal Rosival Plays a relatively quiet, reliable defensive game, but also has a great shot. Forwards - Kyle Turris, Mikkel Boedker Rookies that posses the most raw skill on the team outside of Yandle. Have shown flashes of brilliance, but yet to put it together for continuous. If they are able to take their game to the next level for the playoffs, they give the Yotes four solid lines and could be a dangerous offensive threat. But are prone to disappearing for long stretches and are relatively small/easily pushed around. Basically, the defense is as good as last year. The offense is weaker and relies too much on dump and chase/cycle hockey. If everyone steps up, and the Rookies grow up, then the series will be a tough one. Bryz is as good or better than last year.

From a Phoenician who's moved to Detroit in the last week. BOOO WINNIPEG!!!!. Doesn't look good, but I still hold out hope the Yotes will stay. PHOENIX FOREVER

I say Nashville for selfish reasons. My favorite (Wings) and second favorite team (Phoenix) playing each other is pure anguish for me. Don't feel good about celebrating anything that happens in the game. Plus my playoff goals for this year were that the Yotes win 1 playoff series, and the Wings win the cup. But those of you looking for the easier opponent, it's definitely the Yotes. The Yotes are a decent team this year, but not nearly as deep as they were last year. They've got the same great goalie and stout D, but without Lombardi, their forward lines are simply not able to generate any kind of offense. Same goes for Phoenix. Detroit is a better matchup for them because they simply cannot handle the size of the Sharks for any long stretch of time.

Certainly some of it is just enjoying to see a great team lose (who doesn't like seeing the Sharks go down year after year eh?). But there is another component, and that also comes from being so successful. Often many Wings fans are elitist. In that they make it known that other fans don't belong there, or are somehow less than Wings fans. I don't know, just sitting and observing as a Wings fan at Coyotes games this year, some other Wings fans were extremely annoying with their arrogance. Coming on here I sense it too, a higher than though attitude. As far as the team, I don't think many fans really hate the team. Except for maybe Holmstrom, when you actually think player by player, there isn't anyone they can really hate. I mean who can't help but appreciate Datsyuk, Z, or Lidstrom? Everything else is things you seem from fans of every team honestly.

I disagree. He's not allowed to like other teams? In the end this is a sport and the end goal is to provide entertainment/enjoyment. So if he gets entertainment from watching the Penguins, more power to him. Hockey is an amazing sport that is super fun to watch, and the sport goes beyond one team. And if you saw where I live and are wondering if the Coyotes are my "second" favorite team, yes they are. It's been an amazing ride since I started attention to them at last years deadline and I enjoyed every minute of of it until they drew Detroit in the first round.

Just something I've been wondering... if someone threw a bunch of snakes on to the ice at the Joe... would you guys be upset at all? It seems that most of you think that would be great, and honestly how it should be. I don't know. Completely understandable when it is at your own arena, gets the fans in a great mood, and everybody going. But opposing arenas, of course people will get mad at you. They're drunk and they just had a hugely deflating and upsetting loss. Not a big deal either way, got to remember it is just a game. And the finger is really no big deal, now the guy in Columbus last year, that punched a Wings fan... that's over the line.

Calm down. Nothing wrong with getting excited about the playoffs. Hard to disagree with either side though, some super annoying Coyotes fans at the games this year, but then again, there were some douchbag Wings fans too. Got to admit that many Wings fans do have that "holier than though" attitude. It will be interesting to see if there are that many Wings fans as in the past at games 1 and 2 as many of those tickets were sold before the opponents were decided. I myself waited and decided not to go incase these two teams did play each other.

Please, seems incredibly unlikely that this could happen. I've been watching them all season long, they get no more calls go there way then any other team does. Just like I don't buy that the league "fixed" the cup finals against us last year. The thing I love about hockey the most is that you have to EARN everything, and if I didn't see that in the NHL, then I wouldn't watch.

That would be cool, but I don't think it is that much of a movie-esque thing at all. This season thats the Avs or Phoenix. Esepecially Phoenix if you consider how bad everyone thought they would be this year or the perceived sheer lack of talent. I believe I read something along the lines of "A team with Matthew Lombardi as their 1st line center is barely an NHL team" before the start of the season. They really don't have a single star w/ the exception of Bryzgalov. Just a lot of really decent players.

Is it just me, or is San Antonio getting ridiculously loaded? The Coyotes have sent down Spina, Maclean, Turris, Tikhonov, Porter, and even Boedker now. Thats in addition to already having Hoggan, Kolarik, Ahnelov and several decent players on the team and being the AHL affiliate of the Ducks as well. Next year I'm thinking they get Summers from Michigan, and Ekman-Larrson as well. Thats a pretty loaded AHL team, with 3 players having a full NHL season under their belts.

Are you kidding me? What do you do a tour around city before getting to glendale? 50 Miles west of Phoenix? It's right next to Phoenix! During the school year I'm in Tempe (the east side) and for last nights game I left at 6:15 and got there at 6:55. It's maybe 15 minutes slower if you take the 10 (or 202 to the 10) the whole way. I jump on the 17 and take that to the 10 on the west side, the 17 is going about 65 by 6. The stretch from the 202 to the 17 on the 10 is the worst, but still not a two hour delay like you describe it. And don't tell me its way worse were you're at because I can get to the east side of Mesa in 20 mins from campus.

Turris is too small. Needs to mature, the Coyotes are going to have to have a lot of injuries before he gets called up this season. Boedker is prettymuch an NHL player, just Phoenix got so many players over the summer, it was a waste to keep him on the fourth line and stunt his development. Porter is probably second to get called up after Boedker. Great two way skills from the UM alum, very finished. Nearly ready to make the jump. After that I'd say Maclean and Spina are probably more ready, but they will probably call one of Tikhonov or Turris up first because of their high draft status. Still, with the exception of Boedker and Porter, not likely many of them will see much NHL time this season. Ahenelov could get called up if there is an injury on defense later in the year. There just isn't any space on the NHL roster.

Any thoughts on Scottie Upshall? I'd like him to re-sign with the Coyotes (as they badly need him) but they seem to be closer and closer to not signing him. If they don't the Wings should definitely pick him up. He works hard every shift, is super fast, and has some real skills. Honestly if the Coyotes do sign him and he gets consistent minutes (never know when the Gretzky seems to change lines every ten minutes) I think that he could definitely approach 30 goals. He wouldn't get top 6 minutes in Detroit, but he would be great for the 3rd line... Leino-Helm-Upshall. Fast, hard working, skilled. Seriously, that would be one heck of an "energy" line. He only made 1.25 million last year.

Does anyone think that the Coyotes trading the 6th pick, and maybe prospect or two for Phil Kessel is realistic/a good idea? Boston needs to unload some salary and would get some great prospects (Phx is loaded in that department) and Phoenix needs young, NHL ready players badly as they won't be doing much in the free agent market. Boston could get Jared Cowan and have 2 Chara style players in a few years.

Lets go Wings! Get it done!

Wait, they did that on purpose? I thought that was just a glitch and they didn't realize that they didn't cut away to commercial. I didn't find it as interesting as hilarious. Watching them pick their teeth, talk about non sensical stuff, groom themselves. Bill Patrick was hilarious, he was constantly adjusting something in his crotch area, underneath the table, and then he did a little dance. The feed was a little glitchy though. They'd play a coach interview, then ten seconds later they'd play it again. I'm thinking they tape it all 10 seconds to a couple minutes before they air it, I thought it was live. It was cool though, you got to see him waiting on the wings bench waiting for a coach interview, meanwhile they were zoomed into Babs and you could see/hear what he was telling the players to do for the penalty kill.

wait... Babs thought that Datsyuk and Hossa were taking over at the end of the game? They were better, but far from Dominant. This mean we won't see ZDH?

Look, I'm sure everyone agrees that the team needs to play better as a whole. And I understand that right now Zata, Cleary, and Mule (ZFC) are our best line right now. However, we can do better as a whole. ZDH isn't just a good line like ZFC, it is a dominant line. They are our best offensive and defensive grouping. They can play against Getzlaf and win. I know Babs is smarter than me, but I cannot understand why he won't put them together. Hossa, is just not gelling right now, and we need atleast one in command line. Whatever line Hossa gets moved to, it can't be a worse line then Dats, Hossa, Holmstrom. Datsyuk is all alone out there it seems like, he can't get by all five players himself. He's barely getting any support. If the Ducks try to put four guys on him, they would be leaving Z wide open. Theoretically this should work for Hossa too but it isn't right now. Often it seems like he has to do nearly all of the work to get the puck, move it up, and then try and create something out of it. While he does all this Holmstrom goes to the front of the net, and Hossa is trying to get wide open, well that doesn't work because that leaves Dats to do 90% of the work. With Z both of them can be play makers as well as finishers. They don't always need to do it all them selves. The Ducks would have to worry about two instead of just wrapping up one. Hossa should be moved down to Fil and Hudler. The two are playmakers and work hard to get the puck, they don't have the finishing touch, so that can be provided by Hossa. Major upgrade to Sammy who just gets the puck and puts a soft floater on net. Either bench Sammy in favor of Leino or Abdelkader, or stick him on the fourth line. Move either Helm or Leino to the second line.

Yes god dang it, if ZDH was together it would change Datsyuk having four players on him? What you just said is exactly why they need to be together! Datsyuk has no support. You can see it. Last year if they tried to do it to Datsyuk, he would just pass it to Z and instant scoring chance. I understand that the Z, Franzen, and Cleary line is the best we have right now, but even they didn't play great all game, just at the end. ZDH would be a better best line then ZFC! They are dominant. And they are the best defensive line too. They open space for each other. And this would have a trickle down effect. All the lines play better when the top line gets it going. I knw Babcock knows better than I, but I know he's going to keep the lines the same. I almost wish we had lost this one worse and ZFC had been crap all game too so he would change it. ZDH > ZFC. You can juggle the other lines around if needed. But for god's sake, just put Datsyuk and Zatta on the same line! Dats had little support half the time he fought around two or three guys. He can't skate past the whole team himself! I'm not usually a Sammy basher, but for god's sake! With the exception of one powerplay when he played ok, what the heck is he doing! Everyone else does a lot of work, and then he just takes the puck and throws a soft shot on net. And where is the traffic? The whole first half of the game there was barely any traffic in front of Hiller. We know how this goes from plenty of painful playoff memories. We're not going to beat him with any pretty goals or shots, ugly goals like the one Z scored, or the one Hossa got robbed off. Which means one thing! Traffic Traffic Traffic! Regardless, we can still win this series. I'm reallly only this angry because of the loss coupled with the terrible Phx news. All I ask for is ZDH!!!

Actually, I disagree. There was traffic in front, and I don't think he even saw the shot. Regardless he took away the angle and at least made it a tough shot. I'm not usually an Osgood lover or basher but he's played outstanding thus far, we wouldn't have been in that game if not for him. Btw, you could also say that most goalies would have come up with the saves on those softies Hiller let through and we shouldn't even have been tied in that game.