C-TownWing

This. Coming back when EVERYONE (except me) had them dead and buried at 0-2 and 1-3 could be the giant turning point for their playoff fortunes. I personally don't want to find out. You can argue Ducks vs. Canucks for an opponent, but if it's a close call (and it is), I'm taking the one that has the Sharks out and gives us home ice the rest of the way through the West. There aren't really that many teams that we owe one to in the playoffs, but the Ducks are definitely one. Not just once, but twice (2003).

lol @ Pat Kane. He just yelled over to Pierre to correct him about Dustin Byfuglien's weight.

The reaction of the ladies in the front row is freaking classic. They stopped the clip before he held his hand up on NHL On The Fly though. Ouch.

Cheap plug for the website where I made my sig, icejerseys.com. I ordered the replica WC jersey there and got Lidstrom on it. They are hardcore about authenticity and embroider all of the customization stuff. I mean, that won't help with the front crest and shoulders, because all the "Premier" jerseys come like that, regardless of where you get them. I couldn't find an authentic anywhere because I waited until after the game, and they did a fantastic job making the replica as uncrappy as possible. Also, if you have a blank jersey you can have it customized there even if you didn't buy it there, which is sometimes hard to find. I just got Pat Verbeek on an authentic Whalers jersey I had since high school (they have a lot of older lettering styles too, obviously). Basically, I used to get replicas a lot, because there wasn't really that much difference. Now they crapified the replicas and I'm pretty much authentic or nothing except in that special case above. I guess that's exactly what Reebok wants though lol. But I generally get about one authentic per season and that's enough to hold me over--I'd rather have one of those than three of the crap replicas.

He'll be retired there eventually, Cup or not. He's one of the top 5 or so players in franchise history, and I have to think that a lot of the old grudges have melted away, especially with Dollar Bill dead. My final word on this: Lidstrom and Osgood yes, Datsyuk and Zetterberg maybe if they keep it up, everyone else no.

I believe that still stands as the only time a team has swept through the playoffs. In both 1977-78 and 1978-79, the whole Patrick Division (Islanders, Flyers, Flames, Rangers) made it. 12 of 17/18 teams made it back then, so it was a little easier. In 1980-81, the whole Adams Division (Sabres, North Stars, Bruins, Nordiques, Leafs) made it. 16 of 21 made it. Don't forget for a lot of the post-expansion era--for about the first 8 years after 1967 and for the 80s and early 90s--the playoffs were division-based, so it would be impossible for everyone to make it. Edit: HockeyDB says Elias is full of it: http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues...hl19271978.html http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues...hl19271979.html

Exactly. If the choice is sweep and get a week off vs. a long, tough seven-game series, I'm taking the rest and whatever rust might come with it without reservation. Although it's all moot if we play Vancouver, which IMO is looking more and more likely. Anaheim needs to put it away tonight or they're done.

You guys might get your wish soon enough--I heard on XM this morning that he's a candidate for the Wild GM job. I missed the interview with him that happened after the mention though.

Scary thought, but absolutely correct. Crappy teams with low attendance but at least some semblance of history (or sometimes not) are notorious for retiring numbers that probably don't deserve it to get a cheap sellout out of it. And someday, hopefully a long, long time from now, the Wings will suck. BTW, the answer to your question is "because most people wanted Feds back but wanted Shanny to leave."

Pretty much agree with this. My opinion's always been that hey, #s 1, 7, 9, 10, 12 all contributed to the four Cups in the 50s in one way or another. Why would it be so horrible to have 5, 13, 19, 30, 40 (assuming continued production from 13 and 40) retired from our four (and counting) Cups from 1997-present? That's not relaxing the standards--it's being consistent.

Mine too. Well said.

I wish he was just a little bit smaller--just bought a Griffins gamer but couldn't get Helm because he was one size bigger than I wanted to go. Had to settle for Ritola.

The fan probably deserved it, but that's just a line you can't cross. I'm ok with the game suspension, but I would've been ok with no suspension too.

High praise from a couple pretty good players. I love watching the guy too, he's non-stop and turns our fourth line into something more than "get the big guys some rest and don't get scored on," they can now create momentum on their own.

Ok, that was effin creepy. I've never got why he's universally despised, I don't see him as a Barry Melrose, who had a clear reason to hate us and an apparent vendetta. I just think McGuire's a symptom of "everybody in the media hates us" syndrome, which every team's fans have, not just the Wings. That said, his "gust of wind" theory at the Winter Classic was pretty idiotic.

Mike Ricci sighting. All is not lost as far as I'm concerned!

Nice point. We're going to have to beat all comers one way or another.

Perry: "Sharks are gonna get it."

Ducks do have a goalie that's done something in the playoffs...except he's on the bench. I'm taking Luongo before Hiller. Actually, I do think there are arguments either way, and the Ducks' play in this series has sort of made me hesitate on my opinion lately, but I just don't fear anything they bring except their top line, and we ALWAYS win a best-on-best matchup. Vancouver has way more forward depth, Anaheim's way better on the blueline. Vancouver's a tougher place to play, Anaheim has experience. Both teams have discarded Todd Bertuzzi at some point, so that's a plus for both. Just depends on the POV which one you'd rather play. Agree, not worried at all about the Flames and Hawks. I'd be more than happy to see one of them in the WCF.

This. I appreciate Pierre's enthusiasm for the game, and he's probably more insightful than any other hockey TV personality out there. There, I said it. Where was this thread last weekend? Didn't Pang fill in then too?

I'm torn between rooting for the Ducks (who I'd still rather play than Vancouver) and a longer series.

Holy crap Hiller...

Given what we got for Kozzie and Primeau (one of my personal faves) in particular, I can't complain too much. Gotta give something to get something. Quincey was difficult, since we gave up a good player for nothing, but we were in a tough spot. Like others have said, I could give a crap about Fleischmann and Matthias at this point, wake me when either one does something.

I caught that too...it was almost like they expected the video evidence to back them up, then were surprised when it didn't. So they switched to the "he was only a few feet from the bench" argument. Like others have said, it's not like a hook, hold, trip, etc. because those all come in varying degrees of severity. With too many men, it either is or it isn't. When I saw that Danny O was doing the game, I said "guarantee we get a goal waved off in this one" to the gf. Happy I was wrong.

Interesting point...I'm not going to pile on the guy that hard, he's obviously a tremendous player, but he had a few more goals (about 10, IIRC) than Parise, Carter, etc. and probably TWICE as many shots (I'm at work, can't look up the exact numbers). It's hard to believe that he didn't leave at least a few opportunities on the table streaking down the wing and firing an easy save on net. LET'S GO RAN-GERS! (but I think the Caps take this one)