RockyMountainWingGal

Raffy didn't play in the Duck's series and we won that one (barely) in 7 games (he may have come back the last game or 2?) - he played in the WCF and SCFs. I fail to see how his injury hurt the Wing's chances of winning the Cup then. Pavel's injury (and perhaps Nicks) was far more devastating. (or just revert to Hossa not showing up). It's tough to say - I think he played a big part in the Wings having a successful regular season (1 seed) and phenomenal Cup run in 2008. Maybe we don't win if another D-man is signed and doesn't quite work out. He, like several other Wings now, seems to be injury prone in the last years of his contract. Let's see what we are sayin about Franzen in 10 years.

Heh my bad - thought he was scratched for 3 PO games - guess I'm not noticing him out there. I'll give you that Franzen gets a healthy dose of leeway, but when on him game, Mule is a totally different level of player than Hudler can ever be. Nothing personal against the guy, but he has been with the Wings organization long enough to figure he is never going to be a top 1-2 line guy. Personally, I'd rather experiment with someone else, and let him get a fresh shot at it somewhere else....

Hudler is NOT a top 6 forward folks. Replay game 7 if you have any doubt about that. The guy was a healthy scratch for half of the playoff games this year (and many of the regular season games) - for a good reason. I think I'm going with Babs on this one.....

Filppula is at the very least a level above Hudler. Look at it this way: Would other teams make a trade for Filppula? Hell yes - would probably get back a decent player of the same caliber in return. If Filppula was a UFA would he get better offers from around the league than what the Wings pay him? Most likely. On the contrary, I don't think any team would trade much if anything for Hudler, and he would command very little on the open market. There's not much of a comparison to make - Flip is easily a 2nd line player, Huds is 3rd, 4th line, or a scratch....

You must be watching a different player? Only two players were a minus 1 in that phenomenal game 6 - he was one of them (Abby the other). The first thing I noticed was that he was on the ice and out of position on the first and only goal by Couture and the Sharks. He was one of four minus players again last night. What exactly do you think he will bring in the future? I don't see any upside to the Wings keeping him around at all - he can't help us win a Cup anymore.

Good assessment. IMO Hudler is past the point of being able to help the Wings anymore. He was brutal out there last night (not even counting the Cleary mishap). He's lost on the PP, his shots don't go in (does he even have a point in the postseason?), he has always been undersized, he's made noticable defensive gafs - was on ice for several of the sharks goals the last few games I think. He appeared especially useless against the Sharks this series. Try sending him down to GR and with any luck someone will pick him up off of waivers. Even giving someone else a shot from GR would be better than wasting a roster spot on him next year.

JT is a disgrace to captaincy, but that's got nothing to do with the Sharks fans. In the end, it looks like Niemi won this series for them - happens. Other than JT and Heatley, I don't loathe the rest of their role players. I'd take Boyle on the Wings. Great series - Wings needed to be stronger earlier on, Sharks risked another poor fate by losing those 3 in a row. The Sharks have been aspiring to make the SCF for 15 years now and have a long string of epic failures - fans have been through alot. While they have a few players I dislike, I'm glad for the fanbase. Although I will say I think Vancouver will win the next series - realistically I think Van wouldv'e beat the Wings too. Three west coast series in a row is too brutal. Enjoy it now while you can - only halfway to the Cup, if the (supposed) top Sharks players stay awol will be hard to go all the way...

Hudler had his best stint as a Wing in the 08 season/playoffs. Should have not tried the second go-around with him. He is a liability in many ways - GR or waivers. I think he pretty much solidified his ticket out of Hockeytown contract or no next year.

I'd call it a wash: no Clowe, no Franzen. SJ has been spreading their scoring around nicely between all their wingers - so this hurts, but not a game breaker.

I agree. Huds adds nothing against the Sharks - he gets tossed around like a ragdoll. The cliche 'defensive liability' applies in his case. Modano has done little true, but I would put him back in over Huds. Jiri Hudler is this year's Jason Williams.

I'm just hoping he didn't motivate the guy for the Wings' sake. p.s. also reminds me of his rant about how Babs hates American players and that's why old man Cheli was benched - lol the guy has a mouth! Marleau should respond with 'JR must have some extra time on hands' lol

What does this mean? I think not payroll. You mean cheap-shots I suppose. There is a little bit of that with the ice washes aimed at Howard I suppose, but otherwise I don't see a case where "cheap" play is costing the wings the series. The Wings have trouble playing SJ and staying out of the penalty box - I agree there is alot of bulls*** involved in this, but have to admit it is not the reason the wings lose games to SJ in the end. IMO the teams are fairly evenly talented - obviously - and play a similar style. Wings blew home ice the last few weeks of the season, and have trouble matching up with SJ - such are the draws and perils in the POs. Will be interesting to see what happens in the 2 games at the Joe.

With all the team defense comparisons, nobody seems to have mentioned the Wings have had a different goalie the past two years. Yes the core defense has remained intact, yet a few years longer in the tooth and obviously not as effective. Osgood always took alot of heat during the season (I'll admit from myself sometimes) but came through in the playoffs several times (was great in 2009 even though we didn't win). We'll see if Howard can improve on his playoff performance from last year....without any excuses of poor team defense...cheering for him, but have my doubts...

No show Hossa cost the Wings a Stanley Cup in 2009. Easy to rethink now, but Franzen is not the reason the Wings are in a slump, and Hossa is not the reason the Hawks won a Cup....hindsight. Team just doesn't look good - hasn't really had that special feel all season. On the upside, even with a less than stellar year, we are still one of the better teams in the NHL. Just so happens under Bettboy's dream - there are no truly great teams, just a bunch of mediocre ones... Go Wing regardless - have cheered for them under much more dire circumstances - not goint to stop now.

This looks to be the beginning of the end for Tressel at OSU - or anywhere (NFL?). This was likely the tip of the iceberg. He has been there for a long time - has been successful for the most part - but the alum will not like this - I say he resigns by the end of this season. Then what happened to UM basketball, USC football, Univ Colo football, and many places will happen to OSU - their program, students, and fans will take the hit while Tressel just moves on to his next gig.

Well haven't read it yet. Hmmm not sure if he is going Galt on principal in this? Is he motivated by money (doesn't look like it) or some capitalistic right to sign with the team he desires - and will take banishment for a year to prove his point? interesting Complete waste anyhow - why would anyone fly across continents to play for the lowely Isles for a few months - what was that pathetic franchise thinking claiming him? that he'd be happy to come? If Niedermeyer can sit out the season sans injury then waltz back in for the POs, I don't see why others cannot. Rules need to evolve....

Well we all know how this story ends. I don't mind him trying to come back, and I don't think he's Favre. His foot troubles (and spleen) forced him into early retirement. It was really too bad because love him or hate him he was entertaining and fun to watch (or root against). If he plays with the Avs for a bit, I am likely to pick up some tiks and go down and watch. Doubt he can last very long though.

They should have been folded/relocated years ago. They have been a bottom feeding team for years (although we somehow managed to lose to them ), plus all their other problems. There are already two other teams in the area. The only pep they've ever gotten since the mid-80s was when Oz played there briefly. I don't even hate the Isles - just wonder why the hell they still have team. I'm sure KH has a backup plan....

I didn't start tracking the Dead Things til the 80s. I'd listen to the radio in my bathroom getting ready for school everyday and they would announce the Dead Things or Dead Wings score - usually a loss. I somehow became a big fan of the team during this period. Of course it helped that they wound up drafting Stevie Y. They'd still lost most of their games - but they were really fun to watch. Odds of Probert getting arrested or getting into a fight were pretty much 100%. Entertainment....

If that wasn't ever a case for losing one's job - don't know what is.... It can only get better from here....

RR will go - utter disaster of an experiment. Well at least we spared the rest of the Big Ten from trying that one out. Nothing good about his program right now. Loyd Carr is sounding awful good right about now - too bad too many UM fans ran him out of town. 10-2 and losing to USC (who were cheating at the time) in the Rose Bowl doesn't sound so bad eh? Shouldv'e held onto him for a few more years and actually found the right replacement. Ah well, future should be interesting. Congrats Sparty - been what 20 years since a Big Ten Title? Shouldn't be any more ties after next year either. 3-way tie is dumb.

Wow - I rarely watch the Lions since I am out of marker and they are rarely on national tv. I only tune in on Thanksgiving each year for the annual holiday loss... They cut to the game late today however. Only the Lions can lose late the in 4th quarter up by 10 pts. Kicker hurt, leading to missed extra point, fragile QB goes out again, backup incapable of achieving a first down, clock mismanagement, stupid personal foul, bad luck on the coin toss.... This team is the definition of cursed....the Lions saga continues....

How soon can the Tigers get rid of Dumbrowski? OK so he got them out of the bottom into the middle. If they have any aspiration of actually winning the division some year - they need to get rid of this guy. He can hide behind injuries this year again, but that's a shame if anyone buys it. Although I rather like Leyland, I would say give the management a shake-up as well. Sometimes you've gotta go the next step to be a winner - I don't see how Ilitch tolerates this, esp when he can see what top notch leadership does for the Wings....

Bold = Have to disagree with you on that one. IMO he is good, but not great. He wouldn't bounce around so much were he that great. Everything is rosy when you win it all. Had the Hawks lost - there would be a few different opinions on Hossa. Likewise, had we won it all last year, there would have been less of a microscope on his invisibility.

Hossa had never owned anyone's ass. That's why he was with 4 clubs in just over 2 years. I don't need to search for reasons to dislike him - he's provided enough. Moving from team to team to cherry pick a Stanley Cup. I'm a Red Wings fan and he was a big part of costing us one - Red Wings trump any positive feelings i ever had for Hossa. Enough anyways. He's gone thankfully and Chicago will be looking for a way to trade him in a few years...