frankgrimes

Yes, the bar is very high, not a lifetime Wing, changed sides and is working on destroying the game for the league. Easily an HHoFer but not one deserving to hang there with Develchio, Howe, Y, Lindsay Sent from my BlackBerry

Can't wait for it, I am sure we are going to hear and see his final words again: The great one was just shocked we will never ever see a player like him or Lemieux again.

I think not being captain and focusing on his game could very well have been the main reason for him to leave Ottawa.

I can only speak for myself but even if the Wings were doing it, I'd still call it lame because it's ony water. At least they are selling for charity whichnis obviously a good thing.

Who in his right mind would.pay a premium for water? Nobody knows if it's even the one from game 6 Hey indians how about selling used drinkwater-bottles from game 6 too? Greedy bastards...

Deserving would be an understatement, easily top 3 defenseman of all time, class act too bad the team didn't finish the job back in 2009. The perfect human deserved another back to back Stanley Cup. 4 Stanley Cups, 7 Norris Trophies, 12x All Star that's amazing. Words alone can't describe how good that guy was. Swedish offensive defenders will be forever guided with the task of becoming the next Lidstrom. This guy will soon join his good friend Yzerman at the rafters. Will be a sad and great feeling for every Wingsfan. One.more year one more year one more year

Why was he even allowed to enter the lockerroom? I find it hard to believe, that this thing would be open to the public even in the off-season?

This league is turning into an absolute joke, they can't even support 30 franchises and are now trying to go for 32? It's so stupid just fold a few teams and get something around 20 - 24 teams.

Jagr is what he is, for sure a great player but his loyality is really bad. I mean, for the Devils it's a winwin either he helps them making the playoff and they then turn him into something useful (draftpick), or they don't and send him to a contender.

This is a good point and shows what's wrong with league. Under this premise the owners would just be renting a team without ever having full control. The league is operating like a regime under a front office which for the most part doesn't have any real hockey-guys running the show. I really don't understand why owners aren't pushing for each team being an entity for itself --> it would solve lot's of the current problems. I want the Wings to return to glory while Datsyuk and Zetterberg are still superstars, the sad thing is this more difficult than ever thanks to the lockout. I jist fear rhat rhe popularity could easily shrink further before increasing if things aren't improving.

I am not looking forward to these games, they are going to be a bloodbath but the others should be tight and high emotional ones.

Maybe maybe not, like I said if the Wings are doing well I am happy. There are 30 franchises in this league so it's natural that some are doing better than the others. No, it wouldn't hurt the Wings why should it? To be honest it's absolutely irrelevant how others are doing. Think about it this way; the Leafs are posting record numbers and are the only team on the forbes top 50 list; relevance for this team still 0. It shouldn't matter, how the opponents are doing they are enemies and the goal is to be netter than them and return to former glory. If it means only a few strong markets and less competition so be it. Guess what the Blues are going to re-sign Pietro with money out of Ilitch pocket, so that's a great player who would help tremendously not hitting the market supported by money from an opponent I fail ro see the benefit here for a team like Detroit. Another point being, a guy from his caliber would also increase the popularity of this team again. So I am not going to care for opponents or franchises that can't survive on their own, period.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=428723 great deal for both sides, Jets basically are buying 2 UFA this could look like a steal in a few years.

These numbers still need authorization, which of course is granted by the NHL. Also even if the increase or as some call it explosion were true it doesn't help it's the opposite: 1. this would guarantee another lockout in a few years 2. That point is even more important: the Wings are declining ---> as a Wings fan this is not good at all. Personally I'd rather see the league doing worse and the Wings doing well than the other way around. This thread is about the popularity of the Wings not about the 29 other franchises, so I couldn't care less if they are doing well or not. Sure people want a more gritty hardnosed team while still having superstars like Datsyuk and Zetterberg nothing wrong with that. Seems to me some posters are more worried about the league as a whole instead of the team they support, which I find hard to understand but to each their own.

I think they are just trying too hard to create rivalries, although the best ones are already set. I mean wednesday is now officially rivalry day how stupid is that? Players and fans already know their opponents amd rivals, no need for the NHL trying to build one. In terms of Chicago I very sure they are going to miss their old and only original 6 rivalry soon enough. The new playoff format just sucks but I am really looking forward to the games against Montreal, Toronto, Rangers and of course Pittsburgh.

Ah sure like the NHL would publish bad numbers ... the popularity of the Wings is declining. The fact, that some people believe everything doesn't make it true. Sure because the profits are up the cap is down to 64 million this makes as much sense as the owners and NHL crying about losing money in every lockout year but are posing big number and magical increases every other year makes total sense for sure. I am also sure destroying whatever magic the winterclassic had left is a result of the record profits and popularity, again makes total sense. Fully agree with Vladdy the game was more interesting, intense, informative and overall just better. Not only because the Wings had a great roster I also loved warching guys like Stevens, Niedermayer and the physically of the games. In case of the Wings - which is way more important - the popularity needs to be renewed, the young guns deserve a packed building and enthusiastic fans.

It was clear from the get go that players wouldn't give discounts they have lost money and now want to get it back just like the owners. Also comparing pre to post lockout salaries doesn't work, because GMs can't get creative with the contracts anymore, thanks to crap like variance and 7 or 8 years limits. So 5,145 aav is really not that bad at all for a guy like Bogosian. If I were a Jets fan I only would be worried about bringing the whole team back, so far their roster has underachieved so change wouldn't be a bad thing.

Well Milburry is just an idiot not a Mcguire fan eirher but at least he doesn't clme of as a complete clown. He is one of the worst TSN analysts and more often than not completely of base with his thoughts. Basically I view Pierre as a lesser version of Tortarella but Milburry is jist a joke.

I don't understand the outrage either most Winnipeg Jets fans are fine with the signing, this could easily turn into a steal 3 years from now. Bogosian is a very promising player he has great size and is still fairly young. The times of players giving hometown discounts are a thing of the past, thanks to the lockout and owners not sticking up for their players. Also I think the desl is very fair the Jets are paying for potential and for and for 2 years of UFA. A guy like Pietrangelo absolutely has to love this contract, he eill easily get around 7,5 aav and that may be too much for the Blues :-D

My bad I will rephrase it: I think the system the NHL had pre 2005 was not broken, so no need to fix it. The lockout has taken a lot of good things from Wingsfans and I am sure this is also a reason why the popularity is declining. Most people don't like to watch millionaires fighting billionaires in tough economic times. The good thing is, this is also a chance for the new Wings core to get some fans back and at least have the city more interested in the DRW once again.

Why should I care how others are viewing the sport? I don't like soccer but I am sure soccer fans couldn't care less how non-fans are viewing their sport and to me it is the same with the NHL, personally I care about one thing: seeing the best possible Wings roster out on the ice and another cup for the best owner in all of sports If people are viewing the sport as <insert whatever> fine, couldn't care less. Also a market can only grow for so long at some point you can't grow it anymore. As a fan its not my job to talk about growing the game, expanding it or anything else I have picked the Wings and I what them to do well if others are having trouble and what not too bad for them but not Wings related so their problem. Personally speaking, I think as hockey fans sometimes more pride in supporting a "more" niche sport would be a good thing. Sometimes if things aren't broken, it is better to not fix them..

If a guy like Roenick (shame on you for betraying the PA), Milburry (has there ever been a worse GM?) can land a job, McGuiere should easily have one too.

Explosion? Looking at some arenas there are often lots of empty seats and it's not because they have high ticket prices - like I mentioned some are basically giving them away - maybe just maybe not enough people are interested in the NHL. I don't know about the ratings but I think the lockout combined with the catering to non-fans has had some sort of impact of course nobody will ever know how big/small because the NHL would never publish such stats. As for Avalanche I couldn't care less about them, the only chance for a renewed rivalry would be playing against them again, which won't happen for a long time because the Wings would need to come out of the east and the Avs be the winners of the West and personally speaking I'd love having Landeskog or Duchene on the Wings.

Yes I am serious their is a difference between no support and not caring at all. For example some NHL teams are having ticket prices like 10 dollar a game plus free food parking and all the other stuff, the attention rate is still weak what does that tell? Simple people in certain cities are not interested in the NHL. It's the same in other sports too not every market can and will support certain sports. Big cities like New York are the exception not the norm. I am not saying these fans should lose their teams but holding back teams like the Wings and others because of some weak markets can't be a solution either. And yes, I think 30 teams is too much for the NHL would be prefer around 16. No other major sport is sacrificing so much fans for non fans like the NHL does and like it or not, that's also a reason why the Wings aren't as popular as they once were which is sad.

Oh well Pronger always played on the line and was a dirty player but today has guys like Torres or Cooke who are not only dirty they are out oof control and extremely dangerous. Watch out for Cooke getting suspended more often now since he is no longer playing for the NHL's darling club. The NHL can have all the rules in the world as long as they aren't punishing the intention nothing will change. All we can hope for is some sort of concussion reducing equipment in the near future.