BlueMonk

This game was a microcosm of the rivalry between these teams. I remember watching this game. The Blues lost the season series to Detroit 5-0, most of them not even close. This was the last of their games that season, and they started sending their tough guys out to hit non-fighters on the Red Wings. The funniest part was after the game when Barret Jackman was quoted saying something about how the Blues "sent a message" that the Red Wings would "dread playing them" the next season. Yeah, that turned out well, big guy. The highlight was Nash, who blamed Shanahan for cutting his lip open with a stick, going after Shanahan late in the game. He had already had stitches to sew up his lip and he took on Shanny. Shanny proceeded to facewash open his lip again, leaving him a bloody mess. Good times.

He's nowhere near as bad as Brashear.

I look at all of this a little differently. Regardless of how poorly he might do in the playoffs, I'm not sure the Wings even get there without Datsyuk. You need someone to score goals in the regular season, too. Between him and Zetterberg, the Wings can expect to win most nights. The playoff failures of Datsyuk partly owe to his style, but they're not helped by the team's one dimensional hockey style. If they had a few more bangers and put a decent power forward on his line, he might have a little more room to make plays. Personally, I would like to see how he plays with Zetterberg and Homer in a playoff series. But regardless, even if he sucks again in the playoffs, he's essential to their offense over the course of 82 games. I say keep him, regardless. I think the Wings can improve their goal scoring without necessarily adding pure goal scorers. Just add a little versatility to the roster. Keep Schneider, too, unless you have a serious replacement in line with a great shot. The Wings PP and offense in general is so dependent on a great point shot. Maybe Bertuzzi will help with a down low threat or they'll acquire another scoring winger to take the pressure of Schneider. But this team, as it stands, would have problems scoring without Schneider. He's terrible at times and lacking in a lot of areas. But aside from Lidstrom and Schneider, none of the other defensemen can generate any scoring. Chelios can't even get a shot through to the goalie. Kronwall may have a great future, but right now he's a disappointment. He can't score to save his life and he looks like he's hit some kind of wall this season. Lebda is no offensive threat, either. Maltby is garbage right now. He's not playing with an edge, at least not consistently. He's really been hurt by the loss of McCarty and the absence of a real tough guy on his line. He was free to play his under your skin style, hit and agitate before, knowing Mac had his back. But he's a different player today, lacking intensity and generally avoiding the physical stuff. And yeah, he's not getting any younger.

That All-Star season, Probert said that if he had scored his 30th goal, he would have immediately hit the closest guy from the other team to have a 30 goal, 400 PIM season. Good times. Probert was a solid hockey player. If an in-his-prime Bob Probert played on this Detroit team, they'd be a much better hockey club. He was everything a tough guy should be. Maybe the greatest fighter ever, and he followed the code like nobody since. Always gave the up and comers a shot at the title, never cherry picked. He was also scary as hell. He used to share an apartment in the building I lived in near downtown Detroit. His roommate? Joe Kocur! I sh** you not. They don't make 'em like Probie anymore. I seem to remember Fedorov joining McCarty in the penalty box after that incident and McCarty visibly asking him, "Why did you do that?"

The problem in St. Louis is John Kelly went there from Altitude. The good news is, they split up the worst team in professional sports history when they took Kelly away from Peter McNab. The bad news is, now there are two teams soiled by complete idiots instead of just one.

The lack of crowd noise on the FSN feed is really strange. When Toronto played at Detroit on Hockey Night In Canada earlier this season, I switched between the feeds and the difference was startling. The HNIC feed made the crowd sound really loud, while the FSN feed was quiet as usual.

For some reason, none of those Hudler hits was memorable. It might have something to do with him being 4'9" tall and weighing 115 pounds.

I don't know how anyone could have Center Ice and not agree that both the Detroit and Nashville crews are among the best in the league. I have no problem with the Nashville crew, I think they do a great job. I've watched all of the crews, and they rank near the top. I don't think they suffer from blatant homerism by any stretch. Same with Daniels and Redmond. They try to be fair and even handed. Sure, these crews get more excited about and pay more attention to the exploits of the home team, but that's their job. You want homerism, go watch an Altitude broadcast. Cut my eyes out with a dull knife, please.

Bootland dressed, and the Wings won anyway. Stunning.

Don't get too excited yet, folks. The Wings were skating Darryl Bootland in this game. I'm pretty sure they couldn't afford to do that, because I kept hearing that the Wings can't afford to dress a guy who isn't a great skater or scorer or doesn't make a pretty "first pass." So, I'm not sure the Wings actually won this game. Let's wait and make sure. Since Bootland was on the ice, and no team can afford to skate a player like him, the Wings probably actually lost this game, and there's some kind of mistake with the score. Just sayin'. Good win in a shootout by two M*A*S*H* teams. It's nice to see a shootout win, or any OT win, for a change. Both teams played really hard and yet there was a lot of sloppiness on both sides. One point down with a game in hand, the Wings are hanging tough. How about Nashville's road trip? 8 out of a possible 10 points? And with injuries, no less. Impressive. The goalie controversy gets way out of hand here, but there's also no doubt in my mind that the Detroit announcers, especially Mickey Redmond, show a lot of bias for Osgood and against Hasek. Judging by them, Osgood has never seen nor had a chance at a goal he's allowed this season, while Hasek would like to have all of them back. Silly.

For all the talk about how the Preds couldn't use Upshall, he's off to a great start in Philly. Granted, there's not the kind of depth on the Flyers that there is in Nashville, but after today's game, he's got 4 goals and 7 points in 9 games.

Closer to vacation. Half these guys would be playing if it was the playoffs.

Do I know how to work the reverse jinx or what??

Schneider and Lang look terrible. That's two games in a row for them having no energy and showing no urgency. Unless these guys are playing through injuries, there's no excuse. Lang had one great game, but that's been about it.

Oh, I've never even been to the Preds board. I was just taking a gratuitous opportunity to speak in generalities and pat myself on the back.

Preds fans are going to love seeing a Wings fan talking about how their star trade deadline acquisition is out with an injury after only three games. How many has Bertuzzi played again? I think the Preds did overpay, but all the Preds are worried about is whether he's ready for the playoffs. He has plenty of time to make them very happy they got him.

Hehehehe

All fans think the fans of other teams, especially rival teams, are "arrogant" or "don't know anything." It's been that way forever. Wise up already. One qualitative difference between fan forums, however, is the tolerance for bad behavior like trolling and trash talking. In other words, let's hear it for the LGW mods!

I don't expect Booter to go with Hordichuk. Different weight class altogether. Booter and Tootoo is the more likely scrap. Hartnell might go with Booter, but I think he's still out with an injury. Not sure about the other guys. Nashville is hurting on the injury front also.

"But, but, but... he's not a goal scorer and he's not a good skater and he doesn't have a great first pass WAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"

He also wins. The style of play is ugly, but there is no better GM in the NHL than Lamoriello.

David, The Preds addressing the size up the middle with Arnott was a great move, IMO. Smallish centers have historically had trouble in the playoffs.

Seeing Holland at 90 doesn't bother me nearly as much as Glen Sather at #12. WTF?

I know Ducks fans who didn't like him even when he played on their team. He's just not one of the more likeable players in the league. He's such a little queen. He's not as annoying as Maltby, but he's pretty annoying.

Saw Pavel Datsyuk at the Starbucks on Woodward near Square Lake a couple months ago.