Creasemonkey

Shaved for the last time after Sunday's win against Chicago, technically when our playoff season actually began. It's not that I needed a head start, I'll look like a mountain man in another week, I just didn't want to be babyfaced for game 1. Call it game one o'clock shadow. Will shave neck area today. That's a must.

Las Vegas, NV. Is this the year? Yes. Yes, it is.

Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Franzen (Mule is hot lately, roll with it) Cleary-Filppula-Holmstrom Drake-Draper-McCarty (call them the "Are you Experienced?" line, sit Mac when Maltby's back) Abdelkader-Hudler-Downey Lidstrom-Rafalski Kronwall-Stuart Chelios-Meech Osgood Hasek If only I were the coach. I like those top 3 lines. Lilja and Lebda would sit, or maybe try the whole "d-man as forward" experiment with Lebda instead of Meech, in which case Abdelkader sits.

I'll be shaving immediately following this game, and not again until the Wings playoff run is complete. I guess we all do it a little differently.

Anybody annoyed with the PBP and viewing with surround sound setup, just unplug your center speaker. During play you have authentic JLA sound without the annoying "DRIVE!!!!" when every shot is taken.

My favorite quote from Milbury/McGuire 1st intermission: Milbury: "At least I meant it, I didn't just make it up." Downright catty. I love it. He said what was on all of our minds.

Unless you're Mike Ilitch himself (who by the way won't even hang Aurie's number), you don't really have the status to do anything other than speculate like the rest of us, but having the guff to be right just because you say so is mildly admirable, if not something I'd ever try myself. Welcome back to earth. Thanks for playing though. We'll add your name to the list, how do you take your crow? Let's just break down what it took for other guys to get their number retired: Sid Abel: 12 seasons as a Wing, after which he was traded and played merely 2 seasons as a Blackhawk player/coach (totaling 42 games during which he scored 9 total points) Alex Delvecchio: 23 seasons, all as a Red Wing. Gordie Howe: 24 seasons as a Red Wing, one other NHL season years later after 6 in the WHA. Mr. F'ing Hockey. Ted Lindsay: 13 seasons as a Red Wing before being forced out for starting the players union, a highly unpopular move. 3 seasons as a Hawk before retiring, came back for one more season with Detroit. Quoting Terrible Ted himself: "I just had the desire to wind up my career with the Red Wings," said Lindsay. "I liked playing in Chicago, and I gave them everything I had, but I knew in my heart I was a Red Wing." Terry Sawchuk: 14 total seasons with the Wings. 3 with the Leafs, 2 with the Bruins, 1 each with the Kings and Rangers. Sawchuk's story is more complicated than the others, and for the sake of expediency, anybody that wants to know how/why he bounced around so much can check his Wiki. When he died, he had been the greatest goaltender in NHL history (and is still considered as such by some). Sawchuk's probably your best argument to say Fedorov should have his number retired, but he was traded to the Bruins and claimed by the Leafs via intraleague waiver draft. He didn't leave willingly, and came back two separate times. Plus you wouldn't get very far suggesting Fedorov's greatness is similar to Sawchuk's. Steve Yzerman: Should be fresh enough in everybody's mind. Point is he played his whole career here. Fedorov's name just doesn't belong. Sorry.

You're kidding yourself if you think it will. The way he left, the '98 contract dispute, and the language Holland used to describe the team's decision not to trade for him at the deadline...he'd have to come back here and have a few more decent years for it to even be considered, and my guess would be that he'll re-sign with Washington, so count that out. The argument has been made in detail on these boards before, consider this a summary.

If Tootoo tries anything, somebody should just elbow him in the face at full speed, preferably against the glass. They'll only get one game for it. Oh, just the one guy gets to do that? Nobody tall enough on our team for the old "law of physics" trick? Hmm. Wings in 6.

I believe the winning nickname for Pierre on Kukla's Corner was ****** Canoe. I almost forgot. That's what I'll be calling him from this day forth.

Hasn't anybody pointed out the names Franzen, Cleary, and Filppula to Pierre yet? Unproven goaltending? Sure, both of them are in the top 10 for GAA and we're in line to get the Jennings, awarded to the team with the FEWEST GOALS AGAINST. For the love of God, somebody get this guy a computer and a life.

Well, it IS spring time. Birds and bees, whatnot, etc. I suspect it's just an excuse to rest guys, really. The old "we don't plan to rest anybody" switcheroo. Miraculously, they'll all be back by game 1 of the playoffs.

King Crimson might not be everybody's favorite band, or even anybody's, but they should be.

First time I've looked/posted that I recall. The wife and I just heard thunder and there isn't a cloud in the sky. Sure hope nothing important exploded.

Why not just ban Patrick Roy and his talentless son? I liken this to scratching your back with a sandblaster. BTW, condolences on the Leafs.

Agreed. I always preferred this video of that dive though.

Extremely pumped for this game. Never looked like he belonged in a Flamer's sweater. Here's hoping he's got anything left.

Luckily for my playoff beard, I'm in construction. They barely care if I've showered.

When calling anything stupid, checking your grammar is a wonderful idea. Thanks for your positivity. Maybe if you push really hard, the stick will come out. Keep trying.

I think we should have a LGW playoff beard contest this year. I'm in for sure. But when do we start growing it? Day after last regular season game? Day before first playoff game? Too late for "day your team officially makes the playoffs", but that's what I did last year. Let's get some rules in place and start annoying our wives. (Those of you without wives, just annoy yourselves. If you've ever tried growing a beard before, you'll know exactly what I mean.) Girls, I like the idea of the beard shaped patch on the leg. Draw a little smiley face in on game days if you like. You can be judged seperately if you want, as I doubt you can compete with some of the grizzly adams types around here (or at least I hope not). Proposed rules: Shave clean with a razor after the last game of the regular season. (electric shavers don't shave close enough and give unfair advantage) Post a picture of said beard the day of each playoff game. Goatee's acceptable, full beards preferred (some of you probably can't grow a full one because of work) No trimming, pruning, etc. until the Wings are out or win it all. Waiting until any team finally wins the cup is up to you, but the judging will be based upon your beard the night the Wings playoff run ends. Help out if I've forgotten anything, this is just a sketch. Matt, if you want to officiate or add/subtract any rules, I'd say that's your right as admin.

Nice. Let me guess...they'll suspend him until the last game of the regular season? Oh, that's right. Not at all. I almost forgot. Unless the entire hockey world SCREAMS for a duck to be suspended, it won't happen.

I'd love to see any of you guys questioning his heart go out there and play hockey with a broken finger. You wouldn't last a shift. Easy to question a guys heart from behind your keyboards and monitors, folks, entirely another trying to hold a hockey stick with a broken digit and compete at the NHL level, not to mention take shots, dish out hits, etc. As has already been stated, if it were the playoffs, he'd probably be out there. And this time of year, who the hell knows if it's actually a broken finger or he just wants to go home and spend time with his wife and soon-to-be born child.

If we end up with Vancouver, all we have to do is not shoot at Luongo's chest 85% of the time. We should be fine.

Just Pronger's wording in that interview makes me begin to seriously consider that the conspiracy is f@#*ing REAL.