RockyMountainWingGal

Entitled to your opinion. I maintain mine that he's a huge fraud. Four teams in three years - something's not right. If he is go great like you make him out to be - how could we have lost in the finals last year? Or Pitt the year before? He may be a great asset during the regular season - but he is not a clutch player you can rely on. His disappearing act last year in the whole 7 game series was the worst I've seen from a player who is supposed to be elite - and I've seen many disappearing acts in my time. But whatever, some people like the guy for some reason. As a lifelong Red Wings fan - I never will. He cost us - and that's not forgiveable in my book.

Cry me a river. This guy's got more excuses than a politician in Washington. Who's not banged up in the SCF? I don't hear other guys complaining about it - they still do their job - bruises, bone chips and all. I just don't get why Wings fans still defend this guy. We are minus one Cup alot to do with him. Glad he's not on our team - good riddance.

He had 3 goals all POs in 22 games. One in the finals, which is an improvement over last year. He was all zeros across the board the last three games - which, imo, just re-emphasizes that he is not a clutch player. And don't spit out he does all the little things - he is paid to score. He's not a 4th line grinder. But whatever, some people seem to think it was OK that he floated around for 7 games of the finals last year with the Wings, and just dandy that he finally won. He rode along with three contending teams - and the odds finally paid off. IMO he was a HUGE part of costing the Wings a Cup so don't expect me to cheer for him - ever.

Hossa might be a nice guy and all - but after his no-show act in the finals three years in a row - can't say he deserves to win it. You can bank he'll be invisible now for the next 11 years as well.... Then again there are probably alot of guys that are much bigger dicks that have their name on their - I can think of a few. Might make a good off season topic...

Oh come on - Toews is as good as any other Hawk for the Smythe. They played great as a team. The only person on the team that would be a total joke winning the CS is Hossa - I would start a thread myself if that along-for-the-ride fraud won it....

NO! An NHL ref would never man up enough to admit they made a mistake. When's the last time one them apologized to Homer for reversing a good goal? I have a lot of respect for this guy for admitting he made a mistake - most umps/refs would never do that. Life lesson - you make an honest mistake, come out and admit it and the consequences will be better than if you try to hide it. This guy has no reason to be ashamed - it happened. He didn't commit a crime, it's just a baseball game in the end.

Ridiculous comparison. Both great players in their prime right now - who knows where they will be at 40? AO=great player but where was his team after the first round? consistent is not a word I would use to describe his playoff performance. Last time I checked, when #87 plays a against #5 - the latter shuts him down, even in the playoff series that the Pens won, Crosby was not a big factor. If you want to compare current players to Lidstrom, find someone who plays his position that is better and more consistent. There are only a few D-men you can even toss out there that would even warrant a discussion.

Nor was Holland going to pay him any less than Raffy. The Wings treat their players well - especially one like Nick who has been with the organization for almost 2 decades. He was one of the players that deferred salary to get Hull in 02. He also could have gotten more after the lockout - and the players association was actually POd he didn't take the max. I think it is fair that Nick not make less than Rafalski. He took a cut - not a real steep on, but the guy played all 82 freaking games last year. People that point to Stevie's last few years forget he was out a good part of those seasons and was really only in for the playoffs. Good deal for Nick and the Wings. I shiver when I imagine the Wings without him - now I can postpone that agony for at least another year....

Yeah the Bolts are a horrible organization. Who hires the mullet for a coach in the first place? On one hand, it's a chance for Stevie to make an impact with a bad team. On the other hand, they are so dysfunctional maybe nobody can help. In that case, I hope he's back in Detroit. I wish him the best of luck though - would never want him to fail at anything. (although I can't say I was rooting for him in the Olympics, esp with Crybaby on his team). Imo, Tampa shouldn't even have a franchise. Sure they won a Cup - freak occurrence just before the lockout, all the West power teams got knocked out. Waste of top draft picks going to a Fla team (why are there 2 teams in that state?). I guess it just irks me to reward repeated ineptness with high draft picks, but that's the way the system is set up - gotta live with it. Between the 2 teams, I'd leave the Bolts and dissolve the other team (Panthers? ). One of the forgotten teams of the NHL....

Wow - digging up the PASS videos. Brings back memories. My UM college roommate and I scraped together to buy PASS so we could watch ALL the Red Wings games....

I really thought this was their best opportunity to win with the team they've got. The Wings didn't bring it this post-season and they passed that test - one they usually fail. All they had to do was compete to their talent and capability against a young Hawks team with an inexperienced goalie - and they had home ice thanks to us on the last day of the season. They also had waiting for them a low East seed team - not Pitt, not the Caps. I'm convinced that team will never win with any of those players. No excuses for losing - even if the Hawks are a great team - they aren't better than SJ on paper - and SJ has alot more PO experience. Can't say I want the Hawks to win the Cup but I'd rather the West win it than a second tier East team. Hossa is doing his usual offensive disappearing act in the POs - yet he might get lucky and ride his way to the Cup this time. Some good post-season hockey by the Flyers, but the East is just not as a good of a conference by far. In fact, I'm still embarrassed the Wings choked the Cup away to the East last year.

Because their goal was to beat the Red Wings - apparently that was their Cup. They played a weak Avs team in the first round that probably shouldn't have even been in the POs, and that was still a close series. The opportunity was there for the Wings to win vs. the Sharks but for all the reasons listed above we didn't do it. The Sharks big test was beating the Red Wings and they passed. Now their usual no shows have gone back to being ghosts (Thornton). I think they looked past the Hawks and thought this wouldn't be as hard as it is. The Wings have had great success vs. Q- coached teams. Apparently that didn't rub off on McLellan. But more likely this cast of characters the Sharks have are just not winners in the end. A rare WCF appearance is overachieving for this team.

Why would any Red Wings fan want Hossa to win a Cup? He tanked it last year in the finals and cost us one. He's bolted from team to team in search of a Cup winning team, but really wants to just go along for the ride. He cursed the Pens, the Wings, and now the Hawks? Sorry, his performance last year still leaves a bitter taste in my mouth - he can go Cup-less as far as I'm concerned. If he wanted one so bad, he should have shown up when it really counted....

You must have not met too many other fan bases like you claim to think Sharks fans are that bad. Did you go to a game in the Tank? Try hitting Philly or Chitown with your Wings jersey on... Most of the Sharks fans that post here are pretty nice and respectable - even during our series with them. I actually kind of respect that they follow their team even though they come up short repeatedly. I don't like a few of their players (Thornton ie) but I don't blame their fans for that. I can't think of any reason to want the Hawks to win - like someone above pointed out - can't cheer for Hossa, Quenneville, Kane, and Co.

Sharks have paid their dues - especially their fans. I think they deserve to win - but still have to prove it. They've choked so many years with great teams they are due. Although I was pissed at the reffing and Thornton irks me - I've got nothing against most of their team. I would rather McLellan win than Q. Habs are a great story but the West is a much stronger conference top to bottom (I don't think the bottom 3 teams in the East would have even made the POs in the West) and I would like the West to take the Cup back....

Had the unthinkable happened and Yzerman never won a Cup but was with the Wings for his whole career - his jersey would still be in the rafters. Osgood has been a great Red Wing and we were lucky to have him. Not entirely sure about his jersey in the rafters because I think that opens the door for alot of other ones that probably otherwise wouldn't be there. I kind of like that is an exclusive, exclusive club. Not something that ridicules jersey retirements like the Avs have done.

For Christmas, my husband bought me Wings tickets for the 2nd game versus the Avalanche here in Denver - down on the glass. That was the first game right after the Olympics (day after) and was the start of our post-Olympic run. I think we won 3-2 or so. All Wings fans down close there - it rocked. Never sat that close before so was special for me..plus beating the Avs in their building and outnumbering their fans is always big fun!

I had the Habs radio play-by-play guys on in my car (English version) and even they were criticizing him at the end of the game for his unsportsman-like cross checks - what a whiny little punk - go Les Habitants!

Patrick Roy

Is there any possibility that maybe his son would go to school in Sweden and stay with relatives or something - he's old enough at 16? just a thought.....

One of the things I like about this board is that other teams' fans come here and post during series and some of them stick around. Sharks fans have been pretty cool, as far as I can tell. The way I look at it the Sharks kind of modeled themselves after the Wings. You took our assistant coach - play a good puck possession game, kicked our butt in faceoffs (right out of our "old" playbook", etc. What I really notice is that McLellan has everyone buying into the team game instead of me-me-me (#87 anyone?). What I saw last night from the Sharks reminded me of what the Wings usually do. I catch quite a few of the Sharks games since I live in the mountain time zone. Do us a favor and bounce the Hawks next....

Good call. Love this organization and team. Second round out nothing to be ashamed of after going WCF-Cup-SCF the last 3 years - in the cap era. Sometimes you just have the enjoy the ride. Had a blast watching the Wings fight their way to the 5 seed after being at about 10 several weeks prior to the playoffs. They didn't give up either - just don't have enough in the tank to beat the Sharks this year - no shame in that. Looking forward to many more years of watching the Wings and this great organization - also saying some prayers that #5 blesses us fans with his presence for another year. Wings fan forever...

Agreed. Their fans have been through a lot. McLellan is a good coach and wouldn't mind seeing Bab's mentee do well. The only player that bugs me a little on their team is Thornton - but he is actually playing better this year and contributing. Sharks-Hawks will be a good matchup but I think SJ has the edge in goal and coaching. The West needs to crush the Pens - still hoping Habs do it but they have such a pansy path to the SCF it's ridiculous.

Sending good karma your way. Hopefully the Wings got the memo and will hang in there for ya'