FlashyG

They don't necessarily play a more physical style, but some guys in the NCAA are 23-25 years old vs the CHL age limit of 19, with the exception of 3 (Max), 20 year olds per team. I agree with you that the better elite talent tends to come from the CHL, but I think the best team in the NCAA would beat the Memorial Cup champs quite easily. Its basically elite level boys vs an excellent Men's team. The Mens team will win the game, but not because they were more talented.

I think the CHL produces better elite talent, but if you were to play the top teams in both leagues against each other, the NCAA would win in a walk. Mostly due to the fact that players are recruited rather than drafted so the talent isn't as spread out. Combined with the fact that the NCAA tends to have a lot more older and more physically developed players.

This is a quote from Hockey Prospects director of scouting and full time scout Mark Edwards. He has managed to make me even more excited about Sproul and his transition into the NHL.

Quincey is +10 so I don't think his playing would have all the sudden turned this game into a loss, its more likely to have ended his point drought and possibly extended the lead by a goal or 2. The difference was Kronwall and Cleary having their best games of the season and Howard finding the form he had against LA. Also Franzen is better than both the kids playing forward right now, Tatar isn't far behind, but Andersson isn't anywhere near as good as Mule

They probably wanted to get out before having to listen to Journey

If Cleary played like this every night he wouldn't be the target he has been for the past few weeks.

I'll give credit when its due...That was a nice tip by Cleary

It costs a lot more to play hockey as a kid than it does Basketball/Baseball/Football etc. Perhaps household income has something to do with it as well.

That's why I don't want him out of the line-up, I'd just rather he play on the 4th line with Abdelkader and Tootoo (when everyone is healthy). They would form a checking line that would be effective defensively, could forecheck the hell out of an oppositions top line or put up points against their bottom lines. He could still kill penalties and in the case of injuries fill in on the PP. I don't think he's earned 20+ minutes a night though

You could be right, but personally I think the best defence is playing in the other teams end. Cleary is where puck possession goes to die so he's the last person I'd want playing with a guy like Datsyuk.

Nice defensive play by Abdelkader there.

That was a hell of a knucklepuck by Kronner

I agree, but I still think Tatar, Tootoo and Miller have all been better despite playing a fraction of his ice-time.

When I bash Cleary, by extension I'm really bashing Babcock for the amount he plays him. I don't really have a problem with Cleary. when he's in his proper role (3rd or 4th line) but if he's playing in the top 6 with one of the best players in the world I hold him to a higher standard. How he gets more than double Tatar's ice time is beyond me.

I swear every time he's mentioned its about how he "almost" did something productive.

I wonder how drunk you'd get playing a drinking game where you had to drink every time Ken Daniels said "Cleary tried" or "Cleary tries"

Ok boys 2 goal lead, time to shut it down and play 100% defence

There was a "Huge Number" of Red Wings staff at tonights game between London and Sault Ste. Marie. They could have been there scouting for the draft but its also possible they were getting a look at Sproul playing against the best team in the OHL to guage his abilities defensively. I doubt they'd use an emergency call up on him, but its not completely out of the question considering how much he's destroying the OHL this year and the current state of our defence. London won the game 4-3 in OT but Sproul finished the game +1 with an assist.

Referees: Eric Furlatt (27) - Ian Walsh (29) Linesmen: Steve Miller (89) & David Brisebois (96)

I'd rather lose Kronwall than Quincey.

Then you'll probably like my alternate Breaking Bab Photoshop. I didn't like it as much because it was hard to blend the ground into the rest of the GDT.

Sorry for the Jean Jacket picture, someone on HFboards used it as the GDT for the first game against Columbus this year and it was kind of an inside joke since then, as is the flaming poo replacing Dan Cleary's head. I wasn't expecting there to be no GDT artwork here today so I volunteered mine and was told to post it at 5:30 EST if there wasn't one already. If Hockeytown does one I'll replace mine with his. Hopefully this losing streak ends tonight

I think the fact that he's going to a University program next year will improve his chances of making the NHL. We already know he can fight but without improving the rest of his game he'd be looking at a the likelihood of being a career minor leaguer. I hope playing a couple of years in a no fighting league won't hurt his abilities to scrap though, its been a while since the Wings had a guy like him.

It took those guys 4 years to transform the 2nd worst team in the league into a team that finally won a playoff series. On this current roster it would probably take a minimum of 4 years for all those guys to even make the Red Wings. For all we know we already had a monster of a draft in 2011 with Ouellet, Sproul, Tvrdon, Jurco, Backman and Marchenko. It wouldn't matter where the Wings drafted, no matter who they picked, there would likely be a thread within a few hours where you'd tell us that they aren't a future star and that we should trade Datsyuk and Zetterberg for 2 first round picks to try again.

If you're not willing to trade draft picks how do you expect to add a "Star' to this team since from your posting history, you don't think the Wings have any in their prospect pool. Star for Star trades don't happen and we're not going to blow up the team to get a top 5 pick, so other than moving a bunch of high end prospects or giving up a bunch of draft picks we aren't making a big trade. Personally I agree that we shouldn't be trading prospects or Draft picks, but I don't see the need to trade at all other than getting rid of some of our extra pieces to make room for Tatar and Nyquist when everyone is healthy. I think we still have a few years with Datsyuk and several with Zetterberg so if we could get a coach willing to give some of the young guys some ice-time we should have no trouble developing the next generation of Red Wing Stars.