norrisnick

Cheli got 3:04 in PP time Saturday. He was on the ice for Homer's PP goal.

A GM saying a player is ready to play and a coach actually playing him are two very different things. Kenny is in the PR business and optimism sells. You'd never hear Holland answer the question about Schneider the way Babcock did. "He has a broken wrist. He's done." There would be some hm'ing and ha'ing about preliminary diagnoses and further tests. Not, "there might be a miracle... but he's done."

Kenny may think he's ready to go, but I doubt Babcock will play him. Coach didn't seem too sure in the post game and mentioned that Meech and Ericsson are up now and he expected to have Kronwall, Schneider, and Lebda but he doesn't so he'll deal with it. I can't find it now, but there was an extra quote in some post-game write-up that said Piet Van Zant hadn't set a time table for Lebda's return yet. Not to mention that rushing a guy, whose game is based on mobility, back from an ankle injury is just a really bad idea.

He might be able to get out there, but he won't be taking any slappers. I joke about High and Wide, but Schneider without his slapper... It's the same thing with Lebda and his ankle injury. It takes away his greatest asset. If the injuries were flipped I might see them coming back ahead of schedule, but not the way it actually happened.

I don't like the concept of any team getting 3 straight games at home. Too much to overcome if there is an early split or the top seed manages to rattle off 3 home wins to start.

From Bruce MacLeod. "Holland said after the game that Lebda will be ready to play Game 6." ---------------------------- I'm not sure I like that bit of news. I'm worried about putting a guy whose game is based entirely on his mobility out there on a bum ankle.

Just another reason not to like Pavel...

Would being the 4th seed be any better? You might have an argument for the Preds being seeded too high given the way San Jose dispatched them, but I woulnd't necessarily place them ahead of Anaheim or Detroit and Vancouver got the 3rd seed for winning the Northwest. Is that one spot that big of a deal?

It's a bit self-serving to do away with 3 point games by simply dropping the OTL point. Detroit had the most regulation wins and fewest regulation losses this season. So all the extra crap helped all the other teams more than it helped Detroit.

No. You still have to be part of the organization. You can't have been traded away.

Ellis is WAY too slow. He tries harder than just about anyone else out there, but he'll never overcome his lack of mobility as it isn't augmented by enough skill ala Hudler.

It only takes one game. A finals game (Slegr played game 5 vs the Canes when Fischer was suspended for a crosscheck). Or 41 in the regular season. And actually not even that. The Wings successfully petitioned the League to have Konstantinov's name engraved for the '98 Cup win.

I don't think he's so great. I know he is. Lidstrom most definitely has been our best defenseman (who else comes even close?). And he's been out best player as well. The mistakes he's made this series are mistakes every other defenseman makes in a single game. Just because he never used to make ANY mistakes doesn't mean he's horrible all of a sudden. He's still going to walk away with the Norris and should the Wings keep going far he's pretty easily the front runner for the Conn. And you say he's forgiven for his reputation. If anything his reputation is hurting him here. Apparently nothing short of perfection is acceptable... And if he "turns it around" we're f***ed.

Yeah, Datsyuk was on a line with Hull. And received the fewest minutes. Hull got most of his time on special teams. Pandolfo still the policing? 34 players had more PIMs THIS YEAR ALONE than Pandolfo has in his 10 year career.

Thornton has a 7 game point streak going. A few of those games are on the road.

He's been perfect too long and Wing fans can't wrap their brains around him being "merely" Norris calibre rather than the customary godly. He's still amazing out there. And he's still our best player. It's hard to defend a guy that's just as good with the puck/stick as Nick is, but 50 lbs heavier. Apart from experience Lidstrom doesn't have a single advantage against Thornton, but he still wins as many battles as he loses. You can't ask for much more than that.

Typo (recently fixed at that). $2.65M. $800somethingK/year. Not bad for a good energy/defense/PK guy. And the best thing is he's 34. If it doesn't work out, Kenny can make the cap hit disappear which wouldn't be the case if Kirk were 35.

Well, in this game, http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/stats/g...p?game_id=12941 , he picked up 13 PIM. One elbowing, one slashing, two roughing, and one fighting. Oh yeah, and 2 goals.

Ok. I'll admit it. Pavel's been alright this go 'round.

If I were to hazard a guess it'll be Datsyuk - Zetterberg - Holmstrom (whoever replaces him for now) + Lidstrom/Markov squaring off against Thornton's line. Force Joe to play defense. Beyond that, Babcock will probably just roll the lines. Lebda and Holmstrom are more than likely missing game 1.

Unfair? Lidstrom wasn't just good. He was dominant. Those 2-3 unusual mistakes he made in a 6 game series are mistakes every other defenseman makes a handful of times a game. We are spoiled to the point that Norris/Conn Smythe quality play (which Lidstrom displayed) looks bad compared to Nick at his absolute best. Cleary and Franzen played about as good as any 2nd/3rd line winger can in the playoffs, but that still doesn't make them more important or valuable or better than Lidstrom. Even if he doesn't score he limited a 94 point power forward to 4 points in the playoffs. But Nick did score. Two GWGs and the primary assist on the other two and a total of 8 points. He doubled Iginla's offensive output. For some perspective only one player in the LEAGUE has scored more in the playoffs than Nick. And Gomez isn't a shutdown defenseman.

Kipper was godly, but for the Wings we'd have been good and rightly f***ed without Lidstrom. It's great that we had almost everyone show up and contribute and a couple guys playing the best they ever have, but we still have to remember how unbelievably important Lidstrom is to this team. He leads on defense. He leads on offense. He leads in ice time, regardless of the situation. Etc... Plainly put he leads. And good on everyone else for following! Oh and scoring two GWGs and assisting on the other two doesn't hurt either.

The only reason Kipper is being "run" this series is because his defense funnels everything into him. Must be beacuse they're based in cowboy country or something but they do a lot of herding and riding a guy into the boards or alternatively into the crese (where Kipper resides). The no-goal in question Maltby was plowed by Hamrlik I believe. As for you last comment, your tenure here will be short if it contines. As an aside, the same will hold true for regular LGWers that respond in kind. This is a hockey discussion forum. Not a school yard.

He went feet first into the boards. I wouldn't doubt it one bit if he wrecked a knee or ankle as well as the concussion.

Holy f'n hell that thing was butchered.... Yeeesh!