Rice

SJS/COL: 4-0 CHI/NSH: 4-2 VAN/LAK: 4-2 PHX/DET: 4-2 WAS/MTL: 4-0 NJD/PHI: 4-1 BUF/BOS: 4-2 PIT/OTT: 4-1 Western Conference Winner: Detroit Eastern Conference Winner: Pittsburgh Stanley Cup Finals Winner: Pittsburgh Sorry guys, the East is just too much of a cakewalk this year.

East: WSH/MTL - 4 NJD/PHI - 5 BUF/BOS - 6 PIT/OTT - 5 West: SJS/COL- 4 CHI/NSH- 6 VAN/LAK - 6 PHX/DET - 5

1. Sharks in 7 2. Hawks in 6 3. Hawks in 6 4. Kings in 6 5. Predators in 6 6. Penguins in 7

I want to make it clear that I don't think Hossa is the reason the Wings lost last year, but I want to clarify something as far as his injury goes. The Wings knew about his shoulder injury when they signed him in July '08, and I believe surgery was suggested at the time. Obviously, he didn't have said surgery and went on to score 40 goals during the regular season. I don't think the injury was debilitating enough to fully explain his lack of goal scoring in the playoffs.

Did you see their defense all of last year? Much worse than its been this year. They'll tighten up in the playoffs.

Right. It was no one else's fault that the team scored two goals in the last two games.

I think the Wings can beat anyone in a seven game series, but getting through the West as a bottom four seed is going to be difficult any way you cut it. As far as the first round goes, give me Phoenix. They remind me of Columbus last year... strict system, no big stars, hot goalie, and extremely inexperienced. I think the key for the Wings will be making the first round quick to get the ball rolling against tougher opponents. I think Phoenix is the only team that they could make a quick series (four or five games) out of. Any of the other three (Vancouver, Chicago, SJ) would go six or seven.

For whatever reason, Holmstrom and Datsyuk seem inseparable to Babcock. No point in changing the top two lines now when both are playing really well.

Hey, a Canuck hitting from behind... where have I seen this before?

It's Tippett's.

If anyone else subscribes to game center, they just recently added a ton of classic games to the archive. There's 11 Wings games up from over the years right now, from '55 to '98. Pretty cool.

Yep, full games.

Awesome, Matt. Been waiting for this for a while!

First of all, you're assuming Hossa would've played here for $4.5 million. You can't assume that. Secondly, it seems to me he really wanted to play with Kopecky, as I mentioned in my other post in this thread. He earned Kopecky a pretty solid raise, a raise the Wings wouldn't have been able to afford.

Don't want to read through this whole thread, but has it been mentioned that Chicago also signed Kopecky for $1.2 million (overpayment) in addition to Hossa? The two are best friends and I'd bet there was a "package deal" type thing going on there. You're essentially paying Hossa $6.4 million for the duration of Kopecky's contract since Kopecky brings nothing to the table. Granted, Hossa at $6.4 million is still somewhat of a bargain but the Wings weren't going to bring back both of them.

Should've never signed him. The Wings could've really used that $1.5 million in extra cap space today! On a serious note, no clue what happened to Bertuzzi.

Work ethic and high talent level. Specifically, finding highly skilled players in lower rounds thanks to other teams passing on them due to their size.

Look at the first post of this thread.

Are you serious? You have no idea what Atlanta wants. It also seems to me you're neglecting this key piece of information: Kevin Allen: OMG HOLLAND!

He's played 24 games this season... on a team that is horrible offensively. Datsyuk and Zetterberg aren't quite tearing it up either. Since his last stint in Detroit, Williams put up 89 points in 143 games. That's .62 PPG, 51 points over a full season. Like I said... decent offensively. Especially for one year at $1.5 million. I can't believe LGW has driven me to defend Jason Williams.

Williams sucks, I agree. But Holland needed offense. Williams can produce offense decently.

Prospal would only play in the East. Everyone thought Afinogenov was done coming into this season... I don't blame Holland for not signing him. Who knows if he even wanted to play here.

Right, because who needs a player that can help all season when you can overpay for someone at the deadline! Look, I'm no Jason Williams fan. In fact, I threw up in my mouth when I heard the Wings signed him. However, the Wings needed scoring badly. Williams is capable of putting up decent numbers. Holland wasn't going to not sign him based solely on the chance that he might be able to get someone better at the deadline eight months later.

Last three years... hmm... Conference Finals, Finals, and a Cup. So boring!

Oh, it'll suck after the 20th time you hear it. Just wait.