LeftWinger

No, No and No. Right now that line is doing great. The issue of course is going to be when Mursak gets healthy, who goes? Who stays? With his performance thus far, I don't think Conner will clear waivers if he gets sent down. Will Emmerton get sent down? He will most likely not clear waivers either. Safe to say Brunnstrom is done, but right now they are at their max for Roster spots, when Mursak is activated they will be one over and someone has to be sent down. Do you think this is when a trade will be done? This is what sucks about this rule, there should be a clause that if a player is being called up to replace an long term injured player, then they shouldn't have to clear waivers going back down, but then that still doesn't help our situation because Conner has earned his stay here and the odds on guy to go down should be Emmerton...this stinks...

Should also be noted that if the top seeds made it out of the respective conferences, and the re-seeding for the final two rounds were to be the rule, Detroit would've played Boston in the semi's along with Vancouver vs. Washington, which could've led to to a Det vs. Van finals or Boston vs. Wash. That will be so cool, I seriously hope they vote for the re-seeding for the 3rd and 4th rounds....

I just want to say that I am so gald to see Babs took my advice a left Cleary with Helm & Conner... Honestly Cleary looks so much more comfortable on the third line, he is like a whole different player. Conner is sure making a name for himself here, BIG decisions to come when Mursak gets healthy....

f*** me!

Of course.....just as I talk about him....

Thank you Babs for putting Cleary back with Helm. We have 3.9 good lines clicking tonight and looking pretty comfy together. The only guy that doesnt fit in is Hudler. I feel for Z and Fil.

They have gone away from that for some reason. In 2008 they had two players like that, Drake and Downey. Sure they didn't play all 82 games, but when they did play, the other team knew it. Nothing personifies their play like Downey destroying Laperierre after injuring Lidstrom. Nobody on today's team will do that. Nobody. Datsyuk gets run around and there is no retaliation. Goon? No, but someone to patrol, yes.

...sadly all those hits would be deemed suspendable according the NHL's new hitting standards. Besides, Bertuzzi is afraid to hit like that anymore.

not a spear by the definition of the rule, but he did get his stick on him almost like a little jab. Whatever you call it, he disguised it well.

Kronwall is on the decline. He used to hit way more than he does now. Sure he still has a doozy once in awhile, but that year he hit Havlat, he was a killer (yes obvious reference to the other thread ) out there. It seems his body just cannot take it anymore or he is starting to believe the hype that he is Nick Jr. and feels he is better suited in that role. Especially now, after his contract has been signed. I just think he will never be the number one defenseman. I may have at one time, but given his play recently, I don't think so anymore. He is here because of the way he played, he needs to continue that, if he can, but like I said, he peaked already and is on his decline. For the most part, they avoid the hit, so the rare time that they try, it doesn't work out too good.

I think they need more than one guy. Definitely a guy like you are describing, but they need that defenseman that other teams fear. Babcock refuses to give Commodore his time to prove if he can play or not, so damn, trade for someone then, because this current D corps, with all their goals, couldn't scare their way out of a wet paper bag. Just like my wish says for 2012 TWO snipers and a LEGIT #1 defenseman. Another second round (or earlier) exit and heads need to change tables. You got cap space, if our "kids" are that good, bring one up and show us, give them a couple games on the top line to show us that they are snipers or power forwards, let's see them, one at a time and when one clicks, he stays. And so on and so on...

Well, I think (and this is only my opinion) this team needs a shakeup. Either from within or out. The so-called "Top 6" are too comfortable in their role and the "Bottom 6" know Babcock will not give them a promotion, so they do want they are asked to do and nothing more. I love the addition of Ian White, but he is not that physical presence that this team has lacked since, say it with me, Konstaninov and Rouse. They haven't had a true power forward since before Shanahan got married. Yet they were a great team in 2008 and 2009, why? Hunger. Experience. Excitement. In 2009 the team had much more of a physical presence AND they had more reason's to win the Cup. Say what you want about Downey, but he was a intricate cog in the wheel that year. Dallas Drake was Dallas Drake, not a superstar, not a scrub, but he did his job and wasn't afraid to get his nose dirty or stick up for a teammate, plus the team had some motivation to win it for him. They had motivation to win it for Lidstrom being the first Euro-Captain to hoist the Cup. They wanted to prove that Chris Osgood WAS a legit #1 goalie and he showed that when he took over for Dom. Draper and Maltby may have been on the end of their careers, but they had a hunger and drive that would probably still rank higher than most players on this team today. They had a young core playing to prove they belong in this league, Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Hudler, Franzen. Out of that group, Datsyuk is the only one continuing to live up to his contract. Franzen is becoming more consistent, but he has shown this before only to go stretches of 15-20 games without a point, so far so good with him. Zetterberg has got to be hurt or he just has the Shanahan marriage disease, because his play as well has gotten worse since he said "I Do." If he continues at this rapid decline, he will be scoring 20 points per season for the majority of that life-long contract. I only hope its an injury and he gets himself healed and soon! So, what to do, well, there is always an internal shakeup, sit some players that aren't producing, sit Ericsson, sit Cleary, sit Hudler, make up some injuries, teams do it all the time, bring up some youngins' and let the "top 6" guys get the picture. For pete's sake keep Cleary out of the top 6, that is too big of role for him! Babcock needs to get his head out of his ass and dress Commodore for a stretch and see what he can or cannot do. He cannot do any worse than Ericcson, nobody could. If you ask me, he is the biggest bust on this team outside of Hudler. and if that doesn't work, there is always the trade. You guys speak of "Drake" type guys out there, who is out there? Well for one Shane Doan, but right now Phoenix is doing very well and if they continue won't be looking to trade him away. There is always Iginla, of course he isn't a Drake type, he is more of a sniper, but if the Wings could acquire him that would be huge. You can look to all the bottom teams and find someone who you could argue that would help Detroit. Look at Montreal, Calgary, Blue Jackets, Hurricanes, Ducks, Islanders. Somewhere on those rosters is someone looking to come to a Stanley Cup contender, looking for one shot (or multiple) at the coveted Silver. Just who though, are you willing to give up to get that player(s) here. I love this team, I am glad they have won 9 of the last 13 games, but sadly, this team in its current state, is no more that a playoff contender, first or second round. Far from the Cup, yet for most of the bottom teams, those players would love to make the playoffs and if the right cog gets placed, Detroit will be that Cup contender... Agreed, and you can list those players: Zetterberg, Ericsson, Hudler, Franzen to an extent...

I would say, the way they are playing so inconsistent, the team(s) they fear the most will be any team that doesn't end with the letters ROIT.

Har Har Hardy Har....I do believe you are referring to the 2008 Leftwinger... NHL totally wrong on this suspension. This will no doubt be the first step to taking the hit out of the league...

Ya, he and Dave Bing should hook up...

He ducked out of they way of a jackass known for cheapshots...Same thing happens when you put a retard in the same class as a scholar, one thinks his way through, the other just runs around drooling, banging into everything...

uh....ya, seeing that replay, especially the ice level one from :51 to the end, it obviously shows Perron being hooked by Stuart, but that hook doesn't cause Perron to raise his opposite arm up and lunge into Howard. It was a common hockey play, all players try to get away with it, it is sort of like a Cindy dive, he was being hooked and took the opportunity to embellish it by lunging into the goalie hoping to draw the penalty on Stuart and get the free shot on Howard... ...Pronger play? You lose. Pronger was going high on Yzerman and Yzerman ducked and Pronger's big body caused him to flip over top and bust his knee. He did it to himself. He was trying to check him? Ya, I believe even back then it was a dirty play to try to check someone with your forearms up going towards their head, Yzerman just ducked and Pronger got what he deserved, yet you guys seem to think that Yzerman should've just stood there and not tried to avoid the hit and take two forearms to the head. The funny thing is, even though the Wings were eventual Champs that year, the Blues were doing well against them that round, that is, until Pronger tried to take out an opposing player and in turn, took himself out of the series and was a big reason why they lost to us (again)

He is very expendable right now...damn that NTC he has...

or maybe that is the correct way of pronouncing it? Maybe he asked Val exactly how is it pronounced and that is what he told him....Nobody is worse than Budd Lynch. Period.

ummm.....seen it. The onus is on Perron to do what he can to not hit the goalie, pushed or not. Period. Just because you get pushed, doesn't mean you can just let yourself go into the goalie, what's next, if someone pushes you offside, it's not really offside? But this is coming from a city and a fanbase, if you recall, that blamed Yzerman for Chris Pronger running at him, missing and destroying his knee that kept him out of the rest of the playoff round. All Yzerman did was duck, yet according to these same fans and media, Yzerman was at fault....damn those physics...

Ya, they are good. They do it all there, from custom stuff to professional. I got some stuff done for the wife and son last spring when my son was playing Mite's with the Wyandotte Warriors. Good prices, good quality, I was happy, you should be too!

haven't seen it here yet so.....Get It Done, Kenny!

...well after listening last night, I guess it isn't decided, but when Ken Daniels was talking about it a few games ago that is what he said was on the table with this realignment format and this is the one that he was talking about and it was chosen. If we aren't going to have an East/West anymore and have a true 4 conference setup, then that is how is should be, the only other way to not be that way is to put two conferences in a mega-group? That makes no sense, we may as well have the word division back and have 4 of them in 2 conferences again. If this is truly 4 separate conferences, then the re-seeding is the only way to go. Keeping groups I & II together and III & IV together defeats the purpose of this setup. Of course this realignment, so far, has been great for the fans, so I guess Gary can screw it up somehow, and by separating the 4 into 2 would be that way. I think the re-seeding gives the NHL some excitement that it hasn't had in a long, long time! It also gives it a uniqueness that no other league has. Having the chance that Boston can play Montreal for the Cup is epic. Imagine the Lions playing Green Bay in the Super Bowl or the Tigers against the Yankees for the World Series, instead of just a first or second round series...the MLB wold LOVE a Yankees/Red Sox World Series, eh? This ormat would bring that kind of excitement back into a league that, well, needs something to bring up the excitement level a notch and I hope they adopt the re-seeding of the final four in the spring, if not, then I think this was all just a waste of time...

every dog gets a bone, but that "energy line" plays so well together, Cleary looks more comfortable with those type of players. He is not a top 6 guy...

Won't be watching until later on DVR, but if Backes is allowed to run Datsyuk all game again without someone stepping up, I am gonna puke. Abby, Ericsson, SOMEONE stand up for your teammates tonight!