Wingsfan31

The show was "Arrested Development", IMO one of the greatest shows no one really watched. The actor's name in the video is Will Arnett, the guy you refer to in dodge ball I believe was Jason Bateman. One of the greatest lines ever came from the brother-in-law, Tobias, explaining that he had painted himself to be a stand-in for the "Blue Man Group", "Michael, you'll have to excuse me, I'm a little dizzy because I just blue myself". The look on Jason Bateman's face was priceless as he replied, "Yeah, you might want to consider rephrasing that in the future." What a classic show.

I don't know, there are a lot of burned bridges on both sides after he left. Would the Wings be willing to keep a guy like Emmerton from making his NHL debut for a 38-year old Sergei? Unlikely, IMO.

All the other Original Six teams are owned by people/companies that see the team as an investment or are seemingly indifferent about the team's success. Wurtz and Jacobs don't give a crap about the Hawks and Bruins and the Habs, Rangers are Leafs are owned by large corporations or, in the Leafs' case, a portion of the team is owned by a teacher's pension fund. Yeah, I'm sure they are real interested in taking risks with their investment to win a Cup.

I was simply making the comparison that initial impressions about a player's ability to perform in the playoffs aren't always right. Steve did always perform offensively, but many questioned his ability to lead a team in the playoffs. Yes, that's right, a guy considered one of the greatest leaders in his sport's history was once considered a crappy leader and was nearly traded for Alexi Yashin for it. So, in that aspect, I think it's early to call Pavel a playoff bust and I think it's a stupid reason to not re-sign him.

Pavel has also matured into a solid two-way player. Zetterberg and he are both very responsible in their own zones. To have two dynamic offensive talents that backcheck is rare, and I think that alone merits his return, regardless of what heppens in the post season. For those with short memories or who weren't around, there was a time when the prevailing thought was Steve Yzerman couldn't win in the playoffs, too.

They say that imitation is the highest form of flattery, so we as Wings fans should be honored. Honestly, who cares? They are trying to start a tradition of their own and it will likely go the way of the "Rat Attack" in Florida. You have to remember though, in their short history, this is about as close to the playoffs as you can get without being in them. They are challenging for the President's Trophy, which may be no big deal to us but is to a franchise that is 10 years old. Also, they are fighting what they consider their hated rival for the #1 spot. So, I can understand them throwing them to "show us up", kind of like a little brother realizing he can slap box with his bigger brother and hold his own now.

The Preds are doing the same thing the Wings did in the lat 80's/early 90's. You build through the draft, trade assets you do not need for those you do and hope you strike the iron while it's hot. The Pred's biggest foe right, IMO, is the salary cap. The Wings had the luxury of paying their drafted players what was needed to keep them around. This kept the core together and allow the Wings, IMO, to win the '98 and '02 Cups. I give full marks to Poile, Trotz and the Nashville organization. They have followed the Tampa Bay model to perfection and are seeing the same results.

If you're down by two goals and plan on pulling your goaltender, what's the difference between two minutes to go and one minute? Actually, pulling him with two minutes to go makes more sense since if you score with the extra attacker, you might have some time to pull him again and try for the tie. If they fill the empty net with 1:30 left or :30 left in the game, either way it's over.

I've known Sean informally for a while - he used to host a sports talk show here in Toledo that we used to go to. He's told me he hates the Wings, he hates how the Wings fans think Detroit is the center of the hockey universe and how the organization feeds into it. So, in that aspect I'm not surprised he took the opportunity to take some shots at the Wings, which obviously he doesn't get a lot of chances to do if he wants to stay on the air. That Brady - Baligian drop is one of my all-time favorites. I think Shep picks fights with Brady because Jamie is so laid back. Although, if you start dissing Jordan, you can get Jamie's hackles up. I remember how Henson used to just pick at him about that, just to watch him get fired up. Now THERE was a jackass. Hell, I remember when 3G and JB used to be on "The Afternoon Sports Page" waaaaayyy back in the day. Enjoy the game tonight between "Detroit" and "Nashville" on "Teeee-Veeee". "Should be a good one." I agree, the Wings have little to play for right now and have an injury-decimated team to boot. I don't think the Wings really care where they finish either, especially since the team that finishes first may have to play Calgary in the first round. The other game the Wings lost in regulation recently? The Sunday prior to the Bruins game when they played an uninspired game against the Avs. Obviously, the team doesn't like the noon starts. If they lay a total egg tonight, I'll be slightly more dismayed, but only slightly.

Considering Baligian is a Habs fan and Brady is Mr. Negativity about everything (he and Shep have had some historic shouting matches on the morning show), I'm not surprised. To a degree, they are right. The Ducks, Flames and Oilers all beat the Wings by playing an up-tempo, physical style that took the Wings' ice away. Take away a puck-possession team's ability to move the puck and you've stifled them. The addition of Calder and Bert is not going to change the fact the Wings don't play ugly hockey very well. Since most teams with size employ this system well against the Wings, its plausible that the Sharks would be a tough team for the Wings to handle. Personally, I'm voting for the Canucks or Stars in the first round. The Canucks don't play a slow-it-down style and I think the Wings can solve Luongo, especially with a healthy line up including Bert and Hasek. The Stars are a solid team but I'm not convinced Turco can win in the post season and I don't think they'd out-hit the Wings either. It's not like Lindros is going to be throwing his body around.

Try tucking your chin into your chest when facing high shots. You can still keep an eye on the puck, especially at your feet, and it will help deflect pucks away from your throat.

I played goal for 20 years and now I coach. If you have any questions, I am here as well.

I think you could argee Dats just got fitted for the saddle once Z went down. 11 points in his past six games, including a goal and an assist tonight; looks to me like they are still a one man show for the time being. Not that it's all that surprising considering the injuries this team has had to deal with. I think they will be quite a deep team when everyone is healthy, but one has to worry Dats is going to end up in the same position as last year's post season -- nagging injuries from being all things to all people for the WIngs right now.

No, 10 minute misconducts do not result in a short-handed situation. The player is merely in the box for 10 minutes. This is kind of a fundamental rule of hockey. Usually they are assessed in conjunction with 2 for unsportsmanlike or with a game misconduct. Unlike most penalties, goaltenders DO have to serve their own 10-minute misconducts.

The Shillelagh's bus drivers are off-duty cops, which is why they drive like maniacs. You can park in the lot a block north from Fishbone's for $6, take the shuttle to the Joe and back at the Shillelagh and be on the road before most people have moved 20 feet in the parking garage.

Sibiriak, I stand corrected, you certainly are entitled to your opinion regarding Bertuzzi's state of mind. Part of me wonders if Bert is getting any heat from the PA in fighting the award, too. As much as I'm sure the NHLPA supports Moore, they probably don't want a precident set where players are suing, and settling, for incidents that occured within the confines of the ice arena. I think the league and the PA go down a slippery slope when players are paying out damages for injuries that occured during the game. What's to stop a guy for suing on a kneeing hit that causes him to never be the same player? What about a check from behind where the player turns into it and ends up with a broken neck, and no clear fault can be assigned? That's where the cynical side of me sees this going in the end,

Were you a fan of Dino? Because he two-handed a Northstars player across the chest and was charged with, and convicted of, assault when he played for the Capitals. I agree that, in the judicial system, the result is taken into account with the act to determine a punishment. But, in the NHL, the punishment seems to be determined by the result with little regard for the act. Yuo want to know why players don't take care to avoid hits to the head, because in a lot fo cases little-to-nothing is done about it. My major point it, in the context of the NHL, there have been incidents that started as violently as the Moore-Bertuzzi thing. To say more reprehensible of a player because of the result is not fair, IMO. He gets beat up because Moore broke his neck and the NHL decided to make an example of him. One final thing, who are you to determine who is and isn't repentant? I think it's okay to judge the man by his actions, but to make assumptions about someone's feelings, especially when the appearance runs contrary to that assumption, is irresponsible, IMO. Steve Moore was a career 4th liner and if I was Bert and Moore was trying to get $19 million from me, you're damn right I'd fight it to the bitter end.

G&S&T, It also appears that Mac tried to throw Lemieux into the boards face first, a la what happened to Draper. In fact, if I recall, he throws Lemieux into the boards in almost exactly the same place Lemieux hit Draper. I loved the Mac incident and I think it, along with the Wings coming back to win that game, were major reasons the Wings went on to win the Cup that year. Personally, I like the way Ruff handled the Drury hit, he basically put his tough guys on the ice against the Sens top players, basically playing a ***-for-tat game. At least the Sens players knew it was coming and Ruff did it immediately after the incendent, unlike Crawford, who let the situation stew and then ran his mouth, along with May, about bounties and the like.

Amen! Everyone acts as though Bertuzzi was thinking, "I'm going to break Moore's neck, ruin his career and my name forever." The sucker punch was stupid and cowardly, to say the least. As I alluded to on another forum, Fedorov basically did the same thing to a Sharks player in the '94 playoffs, jumping on his back and crosschecking him in the back of the neck. He received a mild suspension to start the next season, and that was that. That play could have easily ended with the same result as the Bertuzzi incident, so why didn't everyone vilify Sergei as a cheapshot artist? The media has nothing to talk about as we are in a bit of a dead period in the NHL -- the trade deadlinehas past and we are still weeks away from the crunch time at the end of year. The fact that this is the anniversary of the incident and Moore is still keeping giving interviews to keep the civil heat on Bert only adds to the situation. I can bet you if Bert and Moore settled the lawsuit already, Morre wouldn't be granting interviews. Look at the Damien Cox story -- Moore gave the interview from his attorney's office, what does that say about his motivations?

Um, didn't Polanco go oh-fer in the World Series?

I think the poster meant if you sign him now and he fizzles in the post season again, the Wings would have the option of trading him.

Well, the NHL doesn't have a franchise tag like the NFL, so that's not going to happen. The Wings have already started preliminary negotiations with Maltby, so I'd expect him back. I know Hollnad loves Schneider and Schneider loves playing here, so don't be surprised if he's back next year too, although with his numbers last season and so far this year, he'd get a ton in the FA market. As for Datsyuk, I think the Wings really want to keep him and I know he and Hank are tight, so don't be surprised to see Pavel back next season. I think the Wings see Hank and Pavel as the next Yzerman - Fedorov type combo. Both guys have different dimensions to their games that compliment each other so well, kind of how the Wings could check a top line with Yzerman or Fedorov's line and know the other line would be dangerous offensively. As for Maltby, I think Franzen makes Maltby kind of redundant at this point. the Mule's a gritty guy who goes to the net, has more offensive up side and will be cheaper in the short run. Filppula will eventually replace Draper as a solid, two-way centerman, but he's not to Draper's level yet, IMO.

I believe those are called famous last words...kind of like all the people hoping to play the Oilers last year because we "matched up" with them so well. Ooops.

Now that the team that ices the puck is not able to change lines, icing it just to relieve pressure isn't a very viable strategy in the NHL. The Wings could stand to dump and chase a little more but you need the horses to do it, and the Wings really don't have a ton of those players.

I like Verbeek because he's not afraid to call out the team, or individuals, when they aren't playing up to par. Granted, he doesn't seem to understand the concept of amplified sound, but he's better than Larry "Snooze-fest" Murphy or any of the other guys they've tried. I know FOX2 used to use Johnny O in the studio, maybe the Wings could give him a try?