HockeytownRN

It's his elbow (again, from what the team rep. said), so yes playing even a non-physical game such as the ASG is not resting it, let alone having to rub elbows with all of Bettmans' corporates (I mean the fans) and shake hands all weekend long. It's not a matter of him playing 5 minutes of hockey, and if his injury was say...sore ribs....i'd say suck it up and be at the All-Star Game. Rest means not using that limb as much as you can, and i'm being serious here i'm not trying to argue with you. I just went through a football injury with my son so learned a lot more about it than just my medical experience and knowledge. You don't have to agree with me, I just wanted to give you something else to think about. What really bothers me about this whole thing is that the media, Bettman, Crosby, Burke (I could go on and on) are dragging Nick and Pavel through the mud about this and I really do give them the benefit of the doubt that they thought they needed to skip the ASG. I don't know them personally but i've met them both several times at the Toast of Hockeytown, I never miss a Wings game, and as a fan of theirs I just believe that they had no idea that this whole fiasco was going to happen. Let's see what they say tomorrow night to form more opinions.

First the orgasm joke in the other thread and now this, you are cracking me up today!!! You're definitely on a roll.....

Neither you nor I know the extent of Lidstrom's injury, but pure speculation can also go the other way. Some injuries do not need surgery, but do require treatment AND REST in order to heal completely. Repetative usage causes more pain, and even more damage. Why not go out on a limb here and say that Lids has been tough and has been playing through pain most of this season already so that he doesn't miss any important regular season games, and takes advice from his Doctor that resting the injury is what he needs to do right now. Thus, letting him heal for the most important "gala" of HIS career, the playoffs. As a fan (who you say the ASG is all about, not the corporate ticket holders) I would much rather a healthy Lidstrom in the playoffs. If he DID play in the ASG and ended up having to be out a couple of weeks, or even need surgery, I as a fan would in that case be really pissed off that he played in the ASG with an injury.

Is this concept that difficult for people to understand? First of all they weren't VOTED in for the ASG, they were invited. You can question whether Lids should have played or not all you want, but to question him as a captain is laughable. He didn't SHOW UP b/c he obviously decided it was more important to heal (and who knows, maybe he got treatments here in Detroit), instead of showing up at the ASG when he didn't even know it was an option. Has ANY other player just "shown up" in the past years? Name one. I bet you are another Crosby lover, and let me tell you as a Captain of a team he lost all respect from me by the insinuations in all of his comments regarding this whole thing. He didn't PLAY either, so why are you calling Lids and Dats d-bags? You say you speak at Galas? Why don't you watch and see how Lidstrom handles this whole thing and see how he represents himself and his teammates.

Even though we disagree on Crosby, I like your sig.

I always got tickets to the games he played at the Joe, and the people booing him around where I sat were always 20-year-old kids. I had a blast asking if they knew why they were booing him. They have every right to, but most boo just b/c everyone else does. It bugs me too though.

He is still one of my favorite players, but I warn you that there are LOTS of Sergei-haters. Have fun and I hope he likes the signs!

Visit My Website Ok, so it's not my website but I that's the only way I could figure it out. lol Read the above link. I do NOT think it is ok for a Captain of a team, who knowingly got exempted from the suspension over a conversation taking place the day before the ASG, to insinuate that Lids and Dats knew about this exemption and just failed to show up. He also insinuates that they are not hurt. I think it is pathetic for him to do this, especially because he is a Captain and should know better. He is letting the media crucify them when he knows the facts. Read the link about and tell me that is not wrong. Yzerman and Lidstrom would never have done something like this, and to question Lidstrom's contribution to the NHL just puts the last nail in the coffin. Broken, answer your phone......Crosby is calling and wants to help you get your knickers out of a bunch.

The problem with Crosby is that the ORIGINAL rule was to miss a game before or after the ASG if you don't play. Give kudos to Crosby for still going, no problem Who cares what he said to Bettman on Friday but the fact is it was THREE days after the last Wings game that this exception was made to Crosby that he could get out of the suspension. If Lids and Dats knew of this exception on Tuesday, they may have still decided to sit out and all of the media (and fan) bashing could be warranted. If they had that option though, at least they could have decided THEN if they would rather take the suspension or rest. Who knows where they are and if they had the ability to hop on a flight and head to Montreal in a few hours. Now they aren't here to defend themselves, and Crosby has the audacity to question their injuries in the media? THAT is my problem with Crosby. Not that he went, not that he got exempt from getting a suspension, but that the exemption was made the day before the ASG activities and the disrespect he has for Lidstrom especially. Crosby has yet to play in an ASG as he was hurt last year also, and he has that little respect for Lidstrom who has played in it 10 years?! I have lost all respect for Crosby as a person.

"I bet some of these new guys don’t even know who Ted Lindsay is. Have a chat with this Hall of Famer and I guarantee when he’s done you’ll have a whole new respect for the game and what these guys did for your spoiled asses. This is not about you, it’s about it’s about tradition. Get with the program" This story is unbelievable! I'm sure Pavs and Lids have no idea who Ted Lindsay is. Has he been around to watch Lidstrom the past 10 years?! He talks about never being hit while playing in the ASG....has he ever played INJURED?! I think it is rediculous that all of this is happening b/c of a spur-of-the-moment decision the day before the ASG. I bet Nik and Pavel will be told certain things they can say about this, but I would LOOOVE to be a fly on the wall to hear what they really think. Wish they could defend themselves right now though as this is only getting further out of control if you ask me.

Nice, respectful post!!!! My fav. players other than the Wings are Fedorov and Ovechkin, so I watch the Caps as much as I can also. A Caps/Wings final would be awesome, here's hoping! (Of course the best outcome would be when Bettman comes out with the Cup to hand it to Lidstrom and the fans at Joe Louis arena boo him so bad the place shakes). Have a great day!

LOL I'm done, I swear! But it was nice seeing Luuuuuuc coach the rookies.

I'm not watching, BUT....the pre-game sucked. Don't know who the chick was but she was horrible, and it basically consisted of the "Ole Ole Ole" song. Ovechkin was hilarious in the breakaway challenge. Didn't hear any talk of Nik and Pavel but was a little distracted so I could have missed it. Ok, back to not watching....

Is there a course on Hockey that I don't know about? So Bettman, the league's "spokesperson" (you mean Commisioner) doesn't set the rules. Ok the GM's voted on this rule, and there is no one here that I know of disputing the rule that they should get a game suspension. Since it IS the rule, does Bettman then get to make the decision (almost a year AFTER the rule was put into effect, and the DAY before the skills competition) that the rule can be tweaked a bit so that players can opt out of suspension by showing up for media? Of course two players are by then unavailable and not even able to DEFEND themselves in the media who is bashing them? But Bettman didn't do something like that. no need to be upset with him. I suggest you read the whole thread, or at least skim through parts of it.

I totally agree with you on this. I agree that they knew about the suspension and agree that they SHOULD miss the game on Tuesday. My whole problem with this thing is that Bettman made the exception to Crosby yesterday (i'm just assuming it happened yesterday with all of the media and comments by Crosby and Bettman). I have a problem with the fact that if Lids and Dats were already accepting the fact that they were going to get a game off by resting knowing they weren't playing in the ASG, but had they known about this exception three days later would they have gone? In this case it's up to them, and if family or resting was more important, so be it. If it was important to them to not have a suspension in their career though, and they COULD have been exempt by showing up for media, they should have had that option in my opinion.

Here's the thing though....Holland said in his interview that he will not call them. Holland found out about this "loophole" on Friday, which is obvious by his remarks in his interview. Sidney Crosby also talked to Bettman on Friday, at which time he was able to turn off his big screen, pack a bag, call his mom, and hop on a plane knowing he won't be suspended now. Lids and Dats probably knew they were going to have the game suspension, and still decided to take the week off to rest. The whole point is Holland refused to call Lids and Dats yesterday to tell them that there is now an "exception" to this new rule, and they COULD get out of their game suspension if they hopped on a plane right now and headed for Montreal. How was Holland to know that this exception would be made THREE days after telling Dats and Lids they could have the week off? The worst part is Crosby is now in Montreal criticizing Dats and Lids for not being there. I had respect for Crosby before as a hockey player and being such a young captain, but his age and lack of experience and guidance SURE shows here.

Wow, good analogy. Sure they can "hop on a plane" at a moment's notice. Where are they? I bet they are Chuck E Cheese as you say. I'm sure they can't be in Sweden, or Hawaii, b/c they make such good money that in the middle of winter in Michigan they would be enjoying time with the wife and kids that they don't see regularly during the hockey season sitting at home. They probably already figured they were getting a game suspension or weren't going to play anyways. The question is, do you think they would have AVOIDED the suspension if they knew THREE days earlier that they COULD have avoided it before they made last minute plans with their families? God forbid their wife and kids mean anything to them b/c they make so much money.

Duck Guy i always like your posts even though I don't post much on here lately, and this is just your opinion. Here is my problem with it. I'm sure Kenny knew on Tuesday after the game about the possibility of Dats and Lids being suspended. They asked Kenny for the week off to rest their injuries and he said yes. Where they went after that, none of us know. Maybe Lids is in Sweden, or maybe they are in the Bahamas, who cares. The fact is, THREE days later Sidney Crosby gets on the phone with Bettman and all of a sudden Bettman makes an exception and says that if you go do the media and events at the ASG you are exempt from this NEW rule that has never been enforced. In this article Kenny says himself that he doesn't even know where Lids and Dats are as he gave them the week off. So basically Kenny already knew that the two might get suspended a game, and I'm SURE that the both of them knew as well, but because Cindy has no wife and kids, and crawls further up Buttman's ass on the phone Friday, he is able to hop on a plane and head to Montreal, WHERE he now further criticizes the two most respected players in the league! Lids and Dats might be on a beach somewhere with their phones off, obviously Kenny has not called them. THAT is the problem everyone has with Sidney Crosby.

And in the rule it states that said All-Star participants will not be notified that they will actually ENFORCE the rule until said participants are ouf of the Country, the day before the All-Star game is to start (and after Crosby arrives in Montreal).

No you do have a point. Plus the fact that as Kenny says Lids has played in the last 10 All-Stars, and Sid the "Kid" has played in.....

Wow, you go Kenny! So it does sound like Lids and Dats asked Kenny for the week off after the game Tuesday b/c they were injured, and yet it is FRIDAY now and this story comes out with Bettman?! Seriously, i'm sure that Kenny notified Bettman after the game on Tuesday that Lids and Dats weren't going to be there as there was another article talking about trying to get another Wing player to go in their place. It is bull s*** that this just came out today, seriously. I always liked Kenny Holland, but his comments just solidify that even more.

Jay, I think they didn't know this rule was going to take place. The last Wings game was Tuesday, and the link on the main thread about Kenny Holland said they asked Kenny for the week off and since they were injured he said yes. Kenny said he was not asked by the league to call them, and he wasn't about to call them. I think he gave them the week off, they left for "wherever" and are just hearing about this today. Which is total bull s*** if you ask me of Buttman.

What is the event called, b/c with that link it only signed me into my facebook page. I think the Wings need to win the Cup again this year, and win at HOME, so that when Buttman comes out with the Cup the Joe boos his azz worse than he has ever been booed before, literally shake the place. THAT would be total satisfaction.

Wow this thread is growing fast, i can't keep up! The link above makes me believe that Kenny H. gave them the week off, and then they heard about this decision from Buttman. I am interested to hear what both Dats and Lids say about this when they return, I bet they are a lot more pizzed then all of us are.

We all know the drama, and at the end of his Wings career the "inconsistency", but Sergei was well respected and liked in the dressing room for the better part of his Wings career. He also won the "Hart" trophy in addition to the two Selke's. His 4 years of playoff points 20 or greater is better than Shanni's.....umm...zero? Plus Shanni has 5 more years on Fedorov. I don't think Feds will come near 600 goals, but to say that Shanni is way better than him I have to disagree. They were both good players. Look at his points the 12 years he played with the Wings and see how much "inconsistency" he had.