BlueMonk

I missed a lot of the action but Flames-Canucks really is a terrific game. Tons of hitting and end to end action. Man, the energy Luongo has to expend just to keep his team in a game is ridiculous. No way can a guy play 70 games at this pace and have anything left for the playoffs.

The forward lines needing time to adjust is to be expected. But it wouldn't be a problem if the whole team was taking the body. Where's Stuart's physical play? Lilja? Where are the Kronwall open ice hits? There's no Mac or Downey or Drake here, so someone needs to start hitting Senators.

Absolutely. Hit somebody, start a fight, make the rest of the guys feel a foot taller.

Ruutu deserves some payback for that. I'm not holding my breath, though.

I don't like Brashear, but this fight needs to be taken in context. The guy head-butted him and deserved the beating he got.

Mental mistakes on almost every possession. That icing just now was brutal. Come on.

Attaboy, Homer!

Oh, I know. I know. And yes, it makes me sad.

Definitely. I was thinking the same thing.

I gotta say, this is exactly how I expected the Wings to play today.

Wings are playing pond hockey out there. Stifling defense was what won them so many games last year, they can't forget that. Too loose, gotta tighten it up a bit and settle things down.

I got chills.

Yes, we could go back and forth, on an on, forever. I'm just not interested. I really have more in common with most folks here than differences, but it's a funny thing about internet forums; people tend to focus on and engage relentlessly over a single topic they differ on. That's often the case here with the role of fighting/enforcers in the NHL. NN, you and I in particular would probably have a thousand things we agree on, not only in hockey but life in general, based on some of the topics we've talked about in the various forums here. Anyway, I'm excited about this team. If Downey clears waivers (and I think he will), I'll still be content knowing he's available for call-up from Grand Rapids. I attended the Boston game and had a chance to see some of the kids up close (hardly any of the regulars played in that game). The future looks bright.

I've never thought much of Avery, but I have to admit, this piece made him a little more likable for me.

I guess confidence is where you find it, but I wouldn't look too hard in a season that ended with a first round elimination at the hands of an 8 seed. As Heaton said, it's a pointless debate where we can submit ad-hoc arguments ad-infinitum. I do have players like Nick Lidstrom and Henrik Zetterberg on my side, though. Just sayin'.

They survived by enduring the indignities their star players suffered. Whether one believes this impacted their confidence and ability to forge bonds as a team to overcome adversity in the ensuing postseason is where I'm guessing some of us part ways.

Most teams have a tough guy or two so it's not like Downey is a sure fire thing to be claimed off waivers. Yes, I'm annoyed by this move. I'm not going to argue with anyone here about it anymore, though. If you don't think having Downey benefited the team during the 82 game grind last year, okay. I disagree.

This was the last piece of the puzzle I needed to feel really good about this team going into next season. I'm breathing a big sigh of relief and officially getting excited about the start of training camp now.

Exactly. Hating Burke is one thing, but citing anything Strachan writes as supporting evidence is another. Strachan's inability to even be professional on CBC's Hot Stove with Burke a few years back was comical. He hates Burke.

Anyone who complains about fans booing should, themselves, be booed.

There's really nothing left to say about this ridiculous situation. He'll come back in time for the trade deadline, some team will sign him, he'll get hurt and screw up the chemistry and then we'll hear about how he was playing through double stress fractures in his leg, a dislocated pelvis and a torn brain. Then we'll do it all again next year. Good times.

All I want is Aaron Downey. I'll be really happy if they can get him to take a two-way contract. He can dress with the Wings for 35-40 games, 3 minutes of ice time a game, patrol the ice during the regular season and sit during the playoffs. That's all I need; if we get that, I'm happy.

I don't know about Salley living in Grosse Pointe, but at one time he did actually live in Detroit; in the Palmer Woods neighborhood. This was his house. He sold it in the mid-90s.

I don't want to completely derail this thread, but both sides of this discussion are being oversimplified. First of all, I stand by my original statement until someone proves otherwise: No Detroit Red Wings player lives in the city. Not a rookie here or there... none. Back in the early 90s, I lived in the Lafayette Towers apartments on the east side of Detroit. At that time, the word was that Probert had an apartment there for a while. I don't know if it was true; I never saw him, but that's what people said. But today? I doubt it. The players usually live in the Bloomfield/Birmingham area. The Swedes mostly live in Novi. Babcock and Hasek lived in Northville. But the situation with the city itself is more complex than the dismissive remarks being made by people who don't live here or know the area. Hell, some of the most ignorant things said about Detroit are spoken by people who live in the area, especially the suburbs.