DickieDunn

Linemates need to have chemistry. You don't get chemistry in a period.

Spent some time with my daughter, turned the game on, saw Glendening on the top line and Larkin between Helm and Abdelkader. Blashill and Holland have to be working together to tank without looking like it. There is no way they can be this dumb. Right?

So "the forseeable future" was a half a game before the lines went in a blender again. And the obvious choice is to put Glendogmillionaire on the top line and play Larkin with 2 grinders. How can anyone defend this moron?

I agree. I don't want Blashidiot coaching him into a grinder. Frk on a checking line is as useful as Jiri Hudler lining up at LT for the Lions. He can't play a grinding role and the grinders can't get him the puck where he needs it. Either play him with scorers or bench him.

gotta learn more process. He shoots and tries to do offense too much now.

Nyquist-Zetterberg-Mantha AA-Larkin-Frk Tatar-Nielsen-Abdelkader Wilson-Helm-Glendening Three scoring lines and a checking line. Blashill's ideal lines: Helm-Zetterberg-Abdelkader then 9 Glendening clones Which is a problem.

I don't mind sending a message to a young player who's loafing, but when you have Sheahan playing 79 games and getting PP time before he finally scores in the last game of the season, when you have Tatar and Nyquist taking shifts off or not doing the things Blashill criticizes the younger guys for with nothing being said to or about them, and when he keeps rolling Helm and Abdlekader out on scoring and PP lines despite limited production, it's just irritating. You need to be consistent.

Frk can only be successful with the right linemates. If he's not going to be playing with a couple skilled players who can get him the puck for his shot then he's useless unless they're going to use him as a PP specialist. Even then he'd be better off on the 3rd line than with 2 grinders. But Blashill isn't a terrible coach at all. Just ask the "troll hunters" around here, they'll tell you that all the criticism is unwarranted and driven by blind hatred.

I live near GR and go to Ludington 2 or 3 times a year, so I know those places fairly well. Haven't been to TC often though. Not a fan of cherries, so I'd probably skip the cherry burger.

Remember when Larkin was "already elite," Ericsson was going to be the next Pronger minus the dirty stuff, Abdelkader was going to be a perennial 20 goal 45 point guy, Helm was the best 3rd line center in the NHL, Howard was going to win the Vezina, Mrazek was going to win multiple Vezinas, and Barret Jackman was better than Zetterberg their rookie years? Good times.

a mediocre player with good speed and stone hands

"special blend" Maybe LC is better now, but last time I had it, it was nasty

Little Sleazers is basically cardboard covered in ketchup and cheap fake mozzarella. I'd rather buy a frozen pizza. Best pizzas I've had, in no particular order, are M-57 Bistro in Greenville, Ucello's in GR, Luciano's in Ludington, and Vitale's, either the Leonard St (GR, the original spot) or Comstock Park locations, since it seems each family member has their own Vitale's and they can vary.

what about that is a lie? Or are you just being a ******?

Fallin' (in the standings) for Dahlin.

he can't stay healthy, he can't be counted on, that makes him mediocre

If the new GM either takes his directions from Holland like I think he will, or continues this s#!t show, yes, he will and should be called out. If he stops the grinder love-fest that's been going on under Holland, then it will be an improvement. Despite what you seem to think I judge people based on their performances. When Holland was regularly doing a good job, I supported him. When he started handing out bad contracts like they were candy on Halloween, I criticized him. I said he did well with moves like trading Datsyuk, Jurco, Smith, and Sheahan because he deserved it. I criticized him for Nielsen, Abdlekader, the other bad contracts, and drafting a guy who's not projected to be an impact player when there were players with higher ceilings available because he deserved it. With the coaching, I always said Babcock was a good coach, but he could be too stubborn, and that it was time for a change. I reserved judgment on Blashill, unlike others who immediately anointed him the savior who will allow our young guns to finally fly free. He's failed in almost every way. That deserves criticism.

There are trades to be had that can improve this team, and they don't need to be major moves. He just proved it with the Sheahan trade, but he only makes those moves if he absolutely has to. You can build through the draft and still make some moves. In fact, that's how a winner is built. You can't go almost exclusively either way. Too many draft picks don't amount to much, and trading too much catches up to you eventually. His biggest failing is over valuing middle of the road players and giving them deals that are at or near the top market value of what they'd get on the market, instead of looking for value. I don't mind Abdelkader Helm, and Glendening on the team, you need those types of players to win. But they shouldn't be on those contracts. They're all at least 2 years too long, and pay $500k+ too much. If you lose them, you replace them with a cheap vet or a rookie. Yeah, the guy you lose might be a little better, but not that much compared to the contracts. Nielsen wasn't needed with where the team was. You sign a guy like that when you have a contender and need center depth. Ditto for Daley on D. he made two trades because he had to in order to get AA on the team. Both of those moves could have been made earlier.

they have 2 mediocre goalies. One old, one young. That's not changing anytime soon.

Then after a loss all he talks about is "we did a lot of good things." He sounds like a mites coach telling his players that they can still have ice cream after losing because they tried hard.

People are way too butthurt about this hold out. He thought he was worth more than he was being offered, Holland disagreed, and AA thought he had more leverage than he did. It's not like he publicly stated that he'd never play for Detroit again, or badmouthed the coach or organization. He'll have to eat some humble pie from his teammates, but he makes the team better and in the end that's all the players really care about.

Guy cares more about "the process" than he does about results and thinks that it's better to sit back, let the other team outshoot you while trying to limit quality chances and try ti win 2-1 than actually take chances and play to win. It's losing hockey, and the focus on "process" over results is more suited for youth hockey.

yeah Tori Spelling has a horse face. That's Tori That's Tara

she was pretty hot in American Pie. Then she went overboard on the plastic surgery

Unless the wheels fall off in TB there's no reason for Yzerman to leave. There'd be more pressure and he'd be taking over a team in need of a rebuild filled with bad contracts here. DItto for Nill. I'm assuming Fedorov likes in in his home country, or he'd have stayed in the US. I'm 100% convinced that it will be Martin and/or Draper filling the GM role and Holland will be giving "suggestions" as the president.