Yzermania19

I would have liked if the Wings could have signed Bert, because I wanted to see what he was capable of during a full season, but oh well. I'm not going to sweat the fact that he's gone. He was fine while he played for us, but really it was like, whatever. It was nice to have his size and at least the impression of his grit and I hope Kenny can find someone to fill that void, cuz it is a void with this team. The Wings are in better shape today with the signing of Rafalski than they were on Saturday, with Schneider, Bertuzzi, and the dead weight of Calder and Lang. Ken Holland hasn't made too many wrong moves and I have faith and confidence in him that he will find the necessary pieces to replace what's been lost and take this team to the Cup in 2008. Free agency has just begun, and there are players to be signed yet, plus we can't count out a trade or two, if it is necessary. And then, if things aren't going as well as they'd like or if the right deal presents itself, there's always the trade deadline next spring.

No worries here. At first I was not happy when I heard Schneids signed with the Ducks, of all teams. I mean, look at the way the team played after he broke his wrist. We really needed him in the WCF. However, after I heard about the Rafalski signing, I thought things are looking up! We basically got a player similar to Schneider, but younger. He can be a partner for Nick and instantly makes our power play better. So the disappointment at the loss of Schneider was tempered by the signing of Rafalski. Does anyone out there think Kenny had the Rafalski deal in the works before Schneider decided to sign with the Ducks? I mean, it just came down too fast. According to TSN.ca's real-time tracker, the Schneider signing was announced at 2:49 PM and the Rafalski signing was announced at 4:01 PM, just over an hour later. As for Dom and Bert - I have no doubts the Wings will sign Dom, it's just a matter of time. I doubt he is looking at other teams - Dom wants to stay here and the Wings want him to stay. I don't expect it to happen too soon, though. It's kind of like the way the Yzerman signings would go - we all knew that Stevie wasn't going anywhere, yet often he wouldn't be signed until later in the summer, sometimes just before training camp. Bert, I'm not sure about. I'd like to see him back because I'd like to see what he's capable of, playing a full season with his surgically-repaired back. But I certainly wouldn't give him premium money. Maybe performance bonuses based on the number of games he plays, but reasonable ones. I think he'll be back here because he indicated he liked the short time he spent here and I really don't see any team offering him too much. Not over $2m per season, for sure. No one knows how long - or if - his back is going to hold out.

Free agency just started today...that doesnt' mean players have to be signed today. It's not like trade deadline day, where all signings have to be complete by a certain time. I am sure Holland is working out deals with Hasek and Bert. Not sure about Markov, after the Rafalski signing, though. Anyway, sometimes these things can take a few days. So just relax...I don't think Dom and Bert are going anywhere, and within a few days we will be hearing they have signed with the Wings, too.

Remember that crazy home/road/home series we had with the Blackhawks a couple of seasons ago? Three games in a row against one team. That was some messed up scheduling! Yeah, that's right...forgot about that. I'd rather see a home/home with one division than hosting one and playing another, while leaving the third out in the cold. Better yet, cut the number of games played within the division back to 6 and go back to the pre-lockout schedule. Yeah, it was imperfect, but it was a helluva lot better than eight games against the likes of Chicago, St. Louis, Columbus and Nashville.

It's going to be the same as last season, with eight games against each of the Central Division teams - Columbus, St. Louis, Nashville and Chicago - and playing only one division in the East.

Well, last year it came out somewhere around the middle of July, I believe, so I guess it will be out within the next couple of weeks.

I love that it comes with white gloves...lol Since it's plastic and can't be engraved, get a P-Touch machine (labeller) and stick your names on that way! Of course, as someone above suggested, Sharpie will work too. But $250?? That is a bit pricey, even with the crate, gloves, tablecloth, etc. And it's not even life size. If it was cheaper, though, I would so get one.

I don't think the Islanders jerseys are all that bad...at least they look a little more traditional in style. I never was crazy about the blue and orange but yes, they are a lot better than the Gorton's Fisherman one!! I don't like the number on the front, though - I didn't like it when Buffalo did it last season and I don't like it on the Isles sweater either. And what's with the one in the frame - that patch on the left shoulder? Is that an 88 or a BB on it? As for the Caps new jerseys, I like them! Kind of old-school retro. Pretty cool!

*stands up and clears throat* O Spamalot, Spamalot, wherefore art thou Spamalot? Thank you, thank you.

I know...there are threads on other boards with those old photoshopped pics of the unis with the weird patching and no horizontal stripe on the bottom, and the topic poster is saying "here are the Wings new unis!" And of course the subsequent posters are getting all bent out of shape because the jerseys are different. THE ONLY THINGS THAT ARE CHANGING ARE THE FABRIC AND THE FIT (it'll be the new Reebok moisture-wicking fabric and fit closer to the body). THAT'S IT!!! Oh, of course the prices will be higher... Otherwise, there aren't going to be any strange new vertical stripes or reflective piping or underarm colorblock patches...it's basically going to look like the Wings jersey we have come to know and love over the years.

Another honor for Stevie!! The article lists the names of the 10 other nominees, too - Yzerman, 10 others named to Michigan Sports Hall of Fame Congrats to all!!!

Thanks for the link!!! That artwork is awesome! Great job!! BTW - for those who have downloaded the ceremony...how long did it take to download? It is taking for-freaking-ever for me. The time remaining keeps changing but it varies between 14 and 21 hours, depending on the download speed, which varies, too. I've never downloaded a torrent before - is this normal? I have a normally very fast broadband internet connection...

ROTFLMAO!!! Regarding the Vancouver jerseys, I like the first two - the blue, green and white ones with Johnny Canuck and the hockey stick on the white background. I always liked those old old Vancouver unis. Those late 1970's-early 1980's "Lost In Sapce"-looking unis were hideous!! :puke:

Is that link still available? I had it bookmarked and I lost them all a little bit ago, including the one to the retirement ceremony.

Well, what can you do? We all know Bettman sucks, has always sucked and will continue to suck. That is a fact and unfortunately until TPTB realize that, he will continue to be the NHL commissioner. I don't like the idea of him fouling up the league even more, but there is precious little I - or any other hockey fan - can do about it, because it is apparent that Bettman could give two farts about the fans' opinions. As for the Ducks, I freaking hate the Ducks. I don't believe they "deserved" to win the Cup, any more than any other team, but they won the requisite 16 games first, therefore they earned it. Yes, that's it - they earned the Cup. They didn't deserve it, they weren't necessarily the better team, they just got to 16 wins before anyone else. And the future of the game? Well, I would love to see about six teams contracted, and some of the remaining teams relocated to more viable hockey cities. But I doubt the contraction part of my hope will be realized. If anything, there will be expansion. For the exisiting teams, I'm not necessarily talking about moving them out of non-traditional markets, because I think the key to the future of the NHL lies in non-traditional markets, but they have to be the right markets. Two teams in Florida is one team too many. Atlanta had a team a generation ago and couldn't support it. California does not need three teams. Studies need to be done on some of the existing franchises that are struggling, and some potential new markets, like Portland, Kansas City, Houston, Las Vegas. Of course, the NHL really needs to advertise like crazy. RedRockit mentioned there were no commercials for the NHL on NBC, and I agree. I did not see ONE commercial for the NHL during NBC's prime-time lineup. Not even during the Stanley Cup Final. That is not only pathetic, but it is inexcusable. How the hell do they expect to attract an audience if they don't advertise? Maybe, just maybe, if they'd had a commercial on, someone might have said, "oh wow, the Stanley Cup. Hmmm...maybe I'll check it out." Instead the NHL is treated like the ugly stepsister that no one wants to acknowledge is part of the family. The NHL needs a advertising and marketing program that is going to make household names of some of it's up and coming stars - put a "face" on the league - so that everyone, regardless of what team or sport people follow, will know who these guys are and want to watch them, whether it's on TV or in person playing against their local teams. They need to get commercials on NBC prime time. They need to get on a better cable channel than Versus. And they need to get better coverage on NBC - there is no excuse for a contract that says NBC can cut away from a overtime playoff game to show the pre-race show for a horse race. That is appaling, disturbing and absolutely sickening. No other sport - whether it be football, basketball, baseball, golf or even bowling - would put up with that crap.

I'm having a difficult time since my brother in law is from South Africa and is a HUGE soccer fan (Man U). He is as into soccer as I am into hockey. But I will triumph!! Here are a few more... ...you have a CD on to which you have burned songs they play at the Joe, including both the US and Canadian national anthems, "Hey Hey Hockeytown," the music they play when the Wings score and various songs they play during the pregame warmups and on faceoffs (including AC/DC's "Hell's Bells" and you HATE AC/DC!). Of course, I made it before this season, so it includes the Irish Jig, just for Shanny... ...you celebrate Steve Yzerman's birthday like it's a holiday. ...all of your message board screen names and email accounts have something to do with the Wings, like either a player name or number, even if the message boards and email accounts have nothing to do with the Wings or hockey.

I found these scouting reports on RedWingsCentral.com - Mattias Ritola - Johan Ryno - HTH

And the sad thing is, nor do they care to.

...if when you make a list of the things you want for your birthday and/or Christmas it consists entirely of Red Wings stuff. ...if every time you go shopping you come home with some Red Wing related thing. ...if you've ever considered going to or went to a Halloween party as your favorite player (doesn't matter if you're male or female). ...if you make it your life's mission to turn your nieces and/or nephews into Wings fans. ...if your family thinks you don't want to go to Omaha, Nebraska, to look for a job because you will not be able to go to Wings games (seriously, this is happening to me right now. Why Omaha, you ask? Because my sister and brother-in-law are moving there and supposedly I can live with them while I look. Sorry, but I do not want to live in Omaha freking Nebraska!!! )

I think that's all we're getting...the Freep is switching over to Pistons cards starting this Thursday. Rasheed is first up, according to the paper. I don't know why they didn't start the Wings cards earlier, like when the playoffs first started.

You read this entire thread and saw yourself in about 80% of the posts... You have a whole system for when the Wings play west-coast games, you live in Hockeytown and have to get up earliy in the morning - come home from work, eat dinner, go to bed until 10 PM, get up, watch game, go to bed when game is over (around 12:30-1 AM), get up for work at regular time. You won't go to bed before a west-coast playoff game is over no matter how many overtimes it goes to, even if you have to get up early in the morning. You remember numbers by player's jersey numbers. For example, on vacation one year our room number was 529 - Lidstrom, Fetisov and Howe, or Lidstrom and Vernon. You work in the PR department of an ad agency and the media buying manager comes to you to ask what the best Wings games are during which to purchase ad time for clients. You walk into the Joe and it feels like you are entering sacred ground. You say, "Jesus, Mary and Curtis Joseph!" You have a framed picture of your favorite Wing player nestled among your family photos. You talk about the players like you know them personally, usually using their nicknames. When the Wings lose in the playoffs, people come up to you saying things like, "are you okay?" and "I'm sorry" as if someone died. You can never have too many things with the Winged Wheel on them. No matter who has the C on his jersey, Steve Yzerman will ALWAYS be The Captain.

I love Shanny and he will always be one of my all-time favorite Red Wings, but the development of the younger players last season shows me that we don't really need him now. Shanny had the foresight to realize this and move on before he overstayed his welcome. Yes, when he signed with the Rangers last off-season I was worried. I thought we were going to be in serious trouble without his 40 regular season goals, despite his disappearing act in the playoffs (to be fair, it wasn't just Shanny that disappeared last playoff season...a lot of the Wings scorers did). But we managed to finish the regular season just a hair away from the President's Trophy and we made it to the Western Conference Final for the first time since we last won the Cup in 2002, without Shanny. I was sad when he left but he seems to be happy in New York, so I am happy for him. He will probably play another season or two then retire. Maybe by then the owners will wake up and see how Bettman has nearly destroyed the sport and put Shanny in his chair??? Hey, a fan can hope!

LOL!! These are great! Stevie's Weavies - hand-woven home textiles Lilja's Lilies - florist shop Dom's Bungee Jumping Supplies Mickey Redmond's Ginger Ale

2007 Stanley Cup Finals Game 1 Monday, May 28 Game 2 Wednesday, May 30 Game 3 Saturday, June 2 Game 4 Monday, June 4 Game 5 Wednesday, June 6 Game 6 Saturday, June 9 Game 7 Monday, June 11

I am absolutely 100% certain the Wings are going to win tonight. No doubts, no worries, nothing. Tha Stanley Cup Final begins May 28 at the Joe!!!