Nightfall

Heh, it is now that we lost this one. Everyone forgets the 6-0 spanking we gave San Jose at the Joe so conveniently.

Hahah! True story! San Jose has to perform in the playoffs before they can claim they are better than the Wings.

Actually, the 6-0 whitewash in Detroit was the big game of the season before this one in case you forgot.

Yea, his defense stepped up and didn't allow a breakway in the 3rd period.

At Detroit, that gets called for sure. In San Jose it doesn't get called. Thats just bad though. That should have gotten called.

I agree. Armchair hockey fans. Woot! 6-5 Rafalski.

Yea, Osgood has stopped many this season. I suppose you aren't going to blame the D at all in that situation? Stuart played that puck half ass on the first breakaway. As for the second, it was so close to being offside that I will give the ref the benefit of the doubt that he was onside just by watching the replays. Still, the D let him sneak behind them. Crap defense by the Wings at a crucial moment.

Not Osgood's fault. Two breakaways off crap defense by the Wings.

What I like to see is the fact that Conklin only had 3 shutouts prior to joining the wings. That means, in 111 games prior to this season, he had 3. Yet he has played 21 games for the wings and gotten 5. That just goes to show you not only how well he is playing, but how good the wings are in front of him. Conklin came up with 2 beautiful stops last night alone off odd man rushes. Its not all the Wings D, but when you are playing with confidence, as a goalie, any save is possible.

Ok, my thoughts on the game and then I am crashing for the night. Chelios looked pretty good again today. The Griffins as a whole however didn't play well. Their passes were off and they weren't playing as a team. The only difference this time was Hamilton had much better opportunities to score and cashed in 5 times. Jimmy Howard kept his team in it and I couldn't have asked more from him. The goaltender for Hamilton outplayed Howard though. Howard got scored on 4 times due to rebounds. The Hamilton goaltender only 2 times. The shots were tough though and as a goalie, I can't fault Howard totally because his D has to be there for him. Hamiltons D was very aggressive. I don't know if it was Chelios causing the Griffins to not play their game, but they didn't play very well this weekend and deserved only 1 point from the OT loss they got on Friday night.

The Griffins played very average. Chelios played pretty well overall. I also agree he was a little slower than a few of the younger players. However, he played solid and even got an assist. I was pretty disappointed with the way the Griffins played overall though. They were getting beat in the battles to the puck. The only Griffin I thought that played VERY well was their goaltender. Larson was great in net considering what he had to work with. I just hope they play better tomorrow.

I bought tickets for the Griffins on Friday. I might get them for Saturday too. It will be very entertaining to see Chelios here in Grand Rapids.

I am a big fan of Fedorov, but even I can't say he would have his number retired in Detroit. He was an integral part of the Wings championships they won in 97, 98, and 2002. Its possible, but if there is one thing I have learned when it comes to having a jersey retired, about 99% of the fans have to agree on it. Yzerman? No brainer. Lidstrom? No brainer. Fedorov? I approve of it, but there are a lot that don't. So my bet is he won't get his jersey retired in Detroit. He will get into the HHOF though. Thats good enough for me.

I agree, this is all hearsay. Paul Kelly says that Radulov wants to come back. Radulov isn't saying he wants to come back. The title of this thread is incorrect. It should read "NHLPA director says Radulov wants to come back." When Radulov himself says it, or comes back to the USA to be with the Predators, I will believe it.

I agree with you. His long term money making ability has been shot down the tubes probably. Especially if Bettman makes the right call and bans him from the league. However, for the short term, he comes out a winner making millions more than he would have made at the NHL level. At least for next season. With the way contracts are being handed out, he could have topped 4 million a season if he would have played for Nashville and piled up a lot of points in the last year of his contract.

Actually, that score is incorrect. It should be the other way around. Radulov signed a $3.5 million dollar a year for 3 year deal. With the predators, he would have only gotten $900,000. If there is a 1-0 leader here, its Radulov. He is making more money than he would with the preds and the preds lost a man they could have used thats for sure. I am not saying his decision was the right or wrong. A contract is a contract and I would honor the deal I signed. However, you have to look at it as a job. If you signed up to do a job for 3 years, and 2 of the 3 years are horrible and you were offered another job, would you take it? What about if you could get by with a loophole to get you out of your current deal? What about if it was for 3x the money you were making. Whatever makes him happy I suppose.

The only reason this hasn't happened at a college stadium like the Big House is because of the alcohol rules. There is no alcohol allowed to be served there which is a huge turnoff for a lot of people. Personally, I don't mind it. However this has been discussed before by the NHL and the NCAA. The NCAA won't allow it so the NHL really has no choice but to look at professional ball parks and football stadiums. A Cold War 2 with Michigan/Michigan State at the Big House would be awesome!

2007-08 Colorado NHL 44 13 27 40 -4 20 124 10.48 2006-07 Colorado NHL 82 36 64 100 +2 46 258 13.95 2005-06 Colorado NHL 82 32 55 87 +10 60 263 12.17 Tell over a point a game player its time to move on? Maybe he could move onto Detroit because I know I would like to see a player like that here. A class guy who plays hard every shift and doesn't play dirty. Can't ask more from him.

My story is pretty interesting..... All through my childhood and into my teenage life, I wasn't into hockey at all. I watched a few highlights on TV but never spent time to watch or listen to a game. Never was at a game in person either. I went to a school that didn't have a hockey team so that probably contributed to things as well. Then, in 1994, I attended Ferris State University. I was 23 years old at the time. My girlfriend (future wife) was an RA in the dorms and won season tickets to the hockey games that season. Being as that she was an RA, she couldn't go to all the games. So she gave them to me. I found people to go to the game the first few weeks, but then there was one week I couldn't get around to it so I decided to go. It was the most awesome sport I have ever seen. From that point I was hooked. I started watching the Wings in the spring of 1995 and really started to follow them in the playoffs when they were swept by the Devils. Watching them get beat by Colorado was even harder the next year. Still, I stuck with them as my hometown team from 1995 on. I didn't get a chance to play hockey until 1997. I have been playing in goal ever since. Today I play 3-5 times a week and otherwise spend as much time playing hockey as I can before I get too old to play and be competitive. My wife to this day says that if she wouldn't have gotten me those tickets I never would have been hooked on hockey like I am now. That may be true.

I love how some people think when it comes to young hockey players. Why give up the 7 figure salary of the NHL? It was obviously a personal decision driven by personal issues. Could have been anything physical or mental, we just don't know but it will probably come out down the road. While I am disappointed to hear a great young player won't be coming to the NHL, I also have to applaud his decision. I would rather see players who are operating at 100% and ready to dedicate themselves to their team than someone who isn't ready to do that. Hopefully one day he will return ready to play in the NHL.

Its funny that you mention that you paid more than you should have. I have a friend who was taking his daughter to that game that night. They were in greektown walking to the people mover, and someone asked if they were going to the game and asked if they had tickets. He said yes to both. He offered $1000 cash for both tickets, they declined. He offered $1500 cash for both tickets, and he was tempted but declined. Finally, he offered $1700, all the cash he had, for the tickets. He accepted. Him and his daugher had dinner out and watched the game at home. I called him the next day and he said it was the best deal he ever made.

The more I read the replies, the more I understand what makes you like or hate Bettmen. Seems that a lot of hockey purists don't like him because he has changed the game. Others don't like the fact that he is trying to get rid of fighting, something I oppose as well. The people that like him see the benefits he has brought to the game like the obsctruction that is being called. I can no longer watch college hockey because of all the obstruction. Personally, I like the moves he has made for the most part.

I just got a chance to read that article. I can see how someone would be misled to believe that the NHL was bringing in better numbers than the NBA. Sure, at one point it was the hottest ticket in town. However, from a pure numbers perspective, the NBA, MLB, NFL, and Nascar have been bringing in more money. Good discussion on the article. http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=346372

I agree on Detroit in the west. The expansions were not just his decision. Ownership of the teams need to take responsibility as well. I think that more Canadian teams should have been given expansions, but thats just how I feel. Marketing a sport that is a niche is tough to do. I feel they do a pretty darn good job. Oh, and I feel that spending advertising dollars wastefully is dumb. Some hockey fans think that spending money on advertising during the NBA finals, the super bowl, and other sporting events. ESPN treated the NHL like a red headed stepchild. I am glad they are gone from ESPN.

The NHL was never that big. Why pull something like that out of your ass? It doesn't make you look smart.