RockyMountainWingGal

Maybe he'll remain on the trip with the team, but no way he plays tomorrow, and I'll actually be really disappointed if he does.

Apparently the team wasn't doing well financially - thus the potential sale and relocation to Hamilton Ontario - I'm sure you know the whole story. I cannot say whether Nashville deserves a team or not, but I don't see what's wrong with moving struggling franchises to other locations. Since that fell through, can't say I know how the team is doing financially this year. It's too bad there are bad fans at every game and the topic starter experienced that. There are always a few A-holes when i go the the Wings-Avs game in Denver too. Especially this year with the rants geared towards Detroit and the auto industry - real mature - and 99% of wings fans in Denver haven't lived in Detroit for years. I also enjoyed the "Red Wings suck" chant last year during the POs when we swept them! for the most part, though, I don't have problems. Had I been at the game last night, even I might have joined the "Red Wings suck" chant.

Ott is a jerk - but it just figures he'll get suspended right before the Stars are set to play the Sharks next.

Yes true - who would care if fans want to watch the pre, post game etc? It's all in the advertising market rules etc. I'm hoping as broadcast technology changes, this may end. I did pay for the "sports package" for about 6 months on Directv. This allowed me to watch everything on FSDetroit except the actual game itself. Occasionally they would screw up and the game wasn't blocked out, but rarely. However, for 9 or 10$ a month I couldn't justify continuing to pay for that, just for extra Wings coverage!

For one, the NHL should try to get a decent television contract, then the very fans Bettman is trying to retain won't be surfing the internet nightly for illegal streams. Second, why not offer a TEAM-specific package? I only have time to watch the Wings - I could care less about watching the Lighting, Coyotes, etc etc. Make it more reasonably priced but only air your fav team.... Thirdly, I think the days of being stuck with your market team only should come to a close. People move alot and want to watch their favorite teams. And I think consumers are tired of paying "fees" for everything on top of an already expensive satellite/cable bill. Man, I remember the good old days of aiming your satellite towards anything you wanted to watch - anywhere, anytime. Lastly, online streaming will never cease - just change sites, venues, quality. A few years ago I only had Sopcast, now there are 4-5 options. If one gets shut down, likely another will pop up. I coughed up for the second half center ice myself ($119), but between NHLnet having HNIC every week (3 games back to back last Saturday), my local team (Avs, cough cough), weekly Versus, and occasional NBC, things are starting to get a *little* bit better.....

So since you act like you are 16 yourself, i guess I can see why you read teenagers' myspace rants.

Not an intentional hit to the head - and it looked like Marian didn't have his helmut strapped on tight enough or at all (?) since it came flying off - heard some comments to that effect on NHLnet last night. Sounds like it's minor - hopefully - and since we have a back-to-back (again ) not a bad time to sit out.

Who cares what some 16 year old kid says on their myspace? Is that what it's come down to discussing on this board? I've never looked for a Sharks' forum but if I want opinions from other teams' fans, I'd start there.

This is why I love this organization- making bold moves to improve the team, while still giving a loyal franchise (mostly) player a chance to redeem himself. I am glad they did something, rather than nothin and keep biding time until the POs. Plus I think it will be very nice to see Howard at the NHL level. We pretty much have the 2 seed locked up - and maybe even move up if things go our way - but I'm more concerned with preparing for the POs. I like that the team is addressing the GT issue, although I do feel horribly for Osgood, and wish it had to come to this....better move than trying to force a trade when there is not much out there...

Agreed. I don't see why we need Downey on this team taking up a roster spot. A 4th line guy that can't play sitting on the bench waiting for someone take a cheap shot at one of our guys. I respect that he kicked Laperriere's ass last year after his cheap hit on Nick, but I think our guys can take care of themselves. Sure teams try to push us around, because the score is 6-2 or the like and they have no other recourse. I'm sure Franzen was saying "f*** you idiot look at the scoreboard - I'll score another one if your dumb ass winds up in the box again". It was great that Hossa will drop the gloves - I though that was awesome and I'm not against fighting - I just don't want some goon on skates taking a spot from someone that can actually play hockey....

Peter McNabb is annoying - but he does give the Wings their props and he had a nice interview with Cleary during the 2nd intermission. Mike Haynes is awful - totally biased. I cannot stand listening to him. I always thought he was a dick, then he got in trouble with the law for road rage last year sometime - rear ended some teenage girls - hurt a few them badly. He's on some kind of probation now. Not that people don't make mistakes, but the off-ice anger just kind of fit his personality. On a side note, he some kind of brain surgery last year and missed announcing the last part of the season and POs last year. While I don't wish health issues on anyone, I was sorry he came back to the Avs.....

You must have missed the PO series last year. A team like that is no match for us in the POs - although it is baffling to me that we don't play a little better vs. them during the regular season. They won't even make the POs so it's a mute point. Funny how we won 9 in a row vs them, then suddenly they win a few and now they "own" us.

All three games vs. the Avs have been "phone it in". This team has no desire to "bring it" vs. a bottom feeding team, and most players don't remember any rivalry because they weren't around. Sad for me to see because I live in Denver and I'd love for them to play with intensity and blow them out - but likely not going to happen this season. I hate to say it but the Wings did not deserve to win today, poor goaltending or no, we sleptwalk our way to 5 goals, but got to hand it to an Avs team full of journeymen - they didn't give up and deserved to win in the end. Hopefully the Wings will be embarrassed by this and actually show up next game.

Hmmm, didn't see that coming until maybe the offseason. Can't stand the guy but he did take them to the SCF last year - they just ran head on into a much superior team. For entertainment's sake, I hope the Pens squeak in and displace one of the southern teams - just my preference. But all in all, don't really care what happens in the east too much...

Can we please just smoke this team - the worst in the West- and I'll feel much better?

Meh - 4 back to backs this month - we weren't going to win all 8 games. The BJs put forth their best effort trying to stay in the PO race. The Wings didn't match the intensity - we didn't deserve to win. As long as we smoke the Avs, a reeling team, on Sunday, I'll call it even. I'm just pissed some wayward eastern team doesn't take care of business and beat the Sharks in regulation for once.

OK that might have been the worst call I've seen all year - duo on Dats AND Hossa at the same time. lol It wouldn't be so funny except we outmatch the Wild so bad letting them have a free goal doesn't even matter. Love the energy - the Wings are fun to watch right now. Looking forward to a big game on Sunday (yeah I know Friday first) to beat my local team the Avs.

Sounds good to me - so fans of all the popular teams get screwed because Bettman wants to force an audience for Atlanta vs Florida games. Great so we are stuck with Versus because of this. Maybe people watching the Wings vs. Pens will become more interested in the game and actually want to watch the Thrashers-Panthers.

Ironic how lots of posters here are always crying for a tough guy on the roster - Lilja has gotten pretty tough this year - maybe laid a bit of a hard hit on Backes last night, but not a 5 min major's worth. Now some people want Lilja kicked off the team for being mean. p.s. remember when Laperriere had a questionable hit on Nick last February? That wasn't even called a minor penalty and Nick got hurt from that...

I don't know if I would call it crumble per se. Finally Federer has someone to compete against who is in his league, has the talent and mental will to win. Thank God for that, because I was sure as heck getting tired of watching Federer cruise through every Slam save the French. Competition is good for the sport - nice job Nadal!

Bummer. Although if he needs another game off to get better - by all rights we should be able to beat the Blues shorthanded (knock on wood).

Great YouTube video of the Russian Five- as long as we are digging for memories - and this is a good one.

I could never forget that awful memory - although I do try very hard. I remember the press here in Denver crying it was over, and then -boom- secret agent Ranford strikes again. How about Norm Maracle?

Yes! This doesn't really even come close to that debacle. In fact we had the triumvirate of goalies that year - Hasek, Cujo, AND Legace. I personally think Osgood burned everything in the tank last spring to help win us the Cup. He has certainly not played well this year - at least not well enough. But putting in career backup Ty Conklin isn't going to improve our fate either. I see both sides. Yes the team D has been horrible, but on the other hand, can either of our GTs make a save when our D breaks down?? That is their job. The other problem lies in the cap system. You cannot have expensive players at EVERY position. The Red Wings have chosen to put their money into their defense and forwards and go cheap on the goalies. In order to get an upgrade in goal (and who's to say we would even get an upgrade) we would have to trade some of the forwards or defensemen, for such GT. The Red Wings have not had that long term "franchise goalie" for a few decades. Ozzie is about as close to that as we have come. It seems to be the teams' way. I am hopeful one of these youngsters in GR turns out to be something worth holding onto long term - it might be nice for a change. In the meantime, we are stuck (if you could call it that) with a stellar team (that hasn't been playing like one) with mediocre goaltending. We are still Cup contenders and if Oz and the team can only play a little better - we should be right there in the end. If not, then we obviously don't deserve to be.

One way to fix the slump is to have the Blues scheduled as their next game. Even though any team is capable of beating us right now, the Blues are just dreadful, and dreadful vs. the Wings.....