Barrie

Well tonight's probably the night. First division title since 1987! Just for fun, the Baseball team I play on clinched a trip to the finals last night. I play LF and it was fun yelling and screaming running to the infield to join the team after the last hitter struck out. I hoping for the same for the Tigs tonight.

With a Tigers win and Indians loss tonight, the Tigers clinch the Central. If it doesn't happen tonight, I'm sure it'll become official Friday. 2011 AL Central Division Champions (almost)

excellent point! I wonder if Bertuzzi can counter sue that Moore should just leave him alone? Enough is enough!... Wasn't there stories out there that no players came to Moore's defense because Moore was one of those players who's actions and words always crossed the line? I'm not saying that the players were happy he was hurt, but that he pissed off enough people where he had no allies in the game.

Man is the NHL ever in a mess, despite what Bettman says.

Me too! What a great series! No salary cap either, so teams could load up on talent.

Oh ok I see my mistake. 5 for the White Sox in 2nd, but 6 for Cleveland in 3rd, due to the White Sox playing one more game.

Ericsson's contract was due to the market value of free agent defenseman this off season. It was either sign him at that price, or lose him. x2

Pulkkinen and Jarnkrok will be ready to go in two years. Nestrasil, Jurco, Nyquist, and Sheahan will be a year or two after that.

Agree! The cool thing is there's no right answer. I understand and appreciate the points for both Yzerman and Lidstrom as the better player. My points are probably unfair to Lidstrom since Yzerman is my "man crush"

I remember that too, well the one when the engines turned off in the air. I had a friend say to me when the news broke, "what would you have done if the Wings plane went down?" Obviously I didn't want to think about it. I think that one was during the 2000-01 season.

The Tigs are my pick to win the AL and play Philly in the World Series. A guy who lives down the hall on my floor is a Tigers fan, every time we see each other we're talking Tigers and updating each other on the score. Sunday, the day after Inge's walk off HR, we saw each other in the parking lot and all I said was, "Hey, Brandon Inge". The Tigs will be popping the champagne this week to celebrate the 2011 AL Central Division title, first one since 1987. The magic number is down to 5.

RIP Galimov, and again for everyone else who lost their lives in the crash. You never want to wish anyone dead, but when I heard Galimov suffered burns to 80% of his body, I was wondering what kind of life he would have if he survived. Whatever's after this life (I believe in the Bible) Galimov is probably better off there. I hope the entire team is enjoying playing hockey together in the afterlife.

Red Wings: 1. Howe 2. Yzerman 3. Lidstrom No offense to Lidstrom (and I don't think he'd be offended), but it was Yzerman who helped make Lidstrom and everyone else on the 1997, 1998, and 2002 teams Champions. It was his work ethic that guys like Lidstrom, Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Holmstrom, Ozzie, etc. carried into the 2008 Cup. Yzerman's 2002 playoffs was only something you'd see in the movies.

Thanks, and we're hoping Crosby makes a complete recovery and he's back on the ice A.S.A.P.!

Maybe this isn't the time or place, but I've been hearing that Russia and the KHL have had a horrible reputation for air travel, and now this. Even if the plane was in peak condition, this crash will hurt the KHL's chances of becoming a rival league to the NHL. Like it or not, but this is something the KHL is going to have to deal with for decades. Also, I wonder if how this will effect the 2014 Olympics? It's amazing when you think about all the flights athletes take and how very very very rare it is that their planes crash. Including today, I can think of only 3 teams that were lost due to a plane crash in 50+ years. Despite the devastation, flying clearly is the safest way to travel. R.I.P. to everyone who lost their lives today, and all the best to the family and friends who now have to deal with the loss of a loved one. Also all the best to all the fans of this team.

Lack of depth? The Wings are one of the deepest teams in the league! Honestly, I only time I see anything Eklund is when someone posts it here.

I'll probably get more negative ratings from you old school hockey fight fans, but it was good to hear a player FINALLY say the NHL needs to ban head shots. Cindy made a good point that there's 50,000 hits a year and a ban on head shots would only effect about 50 of them, so the game won't change. I for one do not want to see this type of press conference for Datsyuk, Zetterberg, or any other player in the NHL. Let's put a stop to head shots NOW!! I hope Cindy continues to talk about this. I don't think he sucks, as much, anymore.

Here's mine, and I'll try the entire Conferences... East: 1) Washington 2) Boston 3) Pittsburgh (even without Crosby) 4) Buffalo 5) Tampa 6) Philly 7) NY Rangers 8) Montreal --------------- 9) Carolina 10) New Jersey 11) NY Islanders 12) Toronto 13) Winnipeg 14) Florida 15) Ottawa West: 1) Vancouver 2) San Jose 3) Detroit 4) Chicago 5) LA 6) Anaheim 7) Nashville 8) St. Louis -------------- 9) Colorado 10) Minnesota 11) Columbus 12) Calgary 13) Dallas 14) Phoenix 15) Edmonton

Agree. Despite all the moves Burke has done, Toronto still doesn't have a superstar, which is a must in the Cap era, and they're 2-3 years away from having one (assuming Burke doesn't trade away his picks again). The last two drafts were Burke's chance to get one, and his time has passed. All the other teams around them in the standings are leaving them behind when it comes to young talent. The Leafs will finish 12th in the Conference. Edit: Any other city, Burke would have been run out of town for the Kessel deal.

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=18781581&source=MLB&c_id=det&tcid=facebook_embedded_player&gid=2011_09_03_chamlb_detmlb_1 I'm starting to wonder if the 2011 Tigers are a team of Destiny? They seem to be getting stronger as the season goes on, and are pulling wins out of the bag at will. Another big comeback tonight. I know we'll face the Division winner in the East in the 1st round, but we've been playing well against the Yankees and Red Sox all year. Plus if the series goes 5, Our Savior (no disrespect to those of us who believe in Jesus) Justin Verlander will be pitching twice. I have my Tigers car flag, t-shirts, long sleeved shirt, and jacket ready for the post season. Do you?

Wouldn't it make more sense to do a simulation with the real rosters?

Agreed, the role of enforcer, and fighting in general, time has passed. Fighting should be an automatic game suspension. I've read many times the pressure enforcers face before games knowing they have to fight and the possible injuries they could face. Players shouldn't have to go through that, plus all the mental problems they have after their career's are finished. Also, it's been said many times, hits to the head should be taken more seriously. I don't understand why it's so difficult for people to understand what's going on, and how easy things can be avoided by doing something as simple and civil by banning hits to the head. Either someone is going to have to die on the ice, or Don Cherry and the old generation of thinking will have to pass on for anything to change.

Same here. And I'll add, if I started playing hockey as a kid. I've played Baseball my entire life, hockey I started playing when I was 13, by that time, it was to little to late. I was at 13, and still am, years behind my friends. Plus I don't really want to play hockey, I'd rather watch the Red Wings play. Baseball and Football (Flag Football now) I want to play. Right, I'm in the huge minority as a Canadian. As mentioned, playing sports I'm a Baseball and Football (Flag now) guy. Nothing beats sports outside on the grass in the sun.

There's been a few suicides in Baseball as well. Sad. Plain and simple, they need to get fighting out of the game along with head shots... We're going to see the same thing in 10 years with the UFC fighters dying of early deaths too.

Still sounds difficult if you ask me.