Nightfall

As for this whole discussion about playoff performance... Seems that a majority of players seem to have adjustments when it comes to playoff hockey. Look at Datsyuk for instance... 2003-04 Detroit NHL 12 0 6 6 +1 2 19 .00 2002-03 Detroit NHL 4 0 0 0 -3 0 9 .00 2001-02 Detroit NHL 21 3 3 6 +1 2 20 15.00 In 3 playoff seasons in Detroit, 37 games and a whopping 12 points with only 3 goals. What about Zets? 2003-04 Detroit NHL 12 2 2 4 0 4 23 8.70 2002-03 Detroit NHL 4 1 0 1 -4 0 10 10.00 Gee, only 5 points in 16 playoff games his first 2 seasons. Only 3 goals. Lidstrom? 1993-94 Detroit NHL 7 3 2 5 +4 0 20 15.00 1992-93 Detroit NHL 7 1 0 1 -2 0 8 12.50 1991-92 Detroit NHL 11 1 2 3 -5 0 16 6.25 His is a little better, in 25 games he got 9 points. Not bad for a defenseman. Point is that it seems that players need some time to adapt to what playoff hockey is like. Like Malkin struggled after the first two rounds last season. This coming season he will be even better when the playoffs roll around. Some players and coaches think the playoff slump happens more to rookies and newer players to the NHL because of the regular season 82 game grind. Most other seasons in college and overseas are half that if not less. I am sure there are other reasons that people can come up with. Hossa had a great playoffs last season. Its my hope that he will have another good playoff performance this coming season too.

Yea, they do.

SABRES INK MILLER TO FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=243691&amp...s=headlines_nhl Guess that blows this rumor out of the water.

Last time I checked, 2 wrongs don't make a right. The insults on this board fly around a little too often IMHO. I am as guilty of it as well at times and am trying to change my ways. Still, are insults really necessary? In a word....no. Now kiss and make up and continue the discussion at hand.

Center ice is about $150 for the season. I am a hockey nut, and watch more than just the Wings. For me, any live hockey game on TV is a good thing. So I buy into the Center Ice package every year on TV. $150 is small change when you consider how much hockey tickets are, drive time, gas, taxes, and so on. I live in Grand Rapids, and I can't even see a game in Detroit/Chicago for $150 for 2 people by the time you factor in gas, time, parking, and other expenses. I have been buying into the Center Ice package since the season before the lockout, and I have enjoyed each and every year I have had it. Pros: See every regular season game and 1st two rounds of the playoff games. The HD feeds are very nice Very reasonably priced Sometimes you catch games that aren't commercially interrupted so you can hear what the announcers are saying, and watch video of them working on what they will replay or you can watch what is going on when the players are at their benches. Cons: They cut the feed too quickly sometimes. Would be nice to see the postgame wrapups all the time. The hockey night in canada feeds are all SD. Would be nice to see them in HD. Wish all games were in HD instead of just 1/2 of them. Wish they would show all preseason games that are televised normally. My advice, do it.

I will wait to hear his side of the story before I pass judgement.

The same people said Steve Yzerman didn't need a mentor either. Yet, Bowman helped make him a complete 2 way player. Ovechkin needs that kind of mentoring as well in addition to other things.

To some he is overpaid. To others he is just right. Personally, I think 3 million was just right. 4 million is over. 2 million is under. Just my .02 cents. Good signing for Washington though.

This is all dependent on the cap going up. The cap can't go up forever thats for sure. There is part of me that wonders, with the economy in the crapper and gas prices going up, is next year the year when the cap goes down?

While I am pleased to see the Wings play the outdoor game this year, I am not the happiest with the location. You would think that the NHL would have worked hard to make the game at a place where it has the potential to break the record. It has been 7 years since the Cold War when Michigan and Michigan State. I was there and it was quite a momentous occasion. Why not try to break the record by offering it at The Big House? The only downside to that is you can't buy beer at The Big House. Maybe thats why they don't try to play it there.

You know when some asshat has to lecture another on grammar instead of offering an opinion or point of view is when the thread has run its course. After 3 pages of people offering their point of view, all I can offer are a couple thoughts. Fedorov was a great player for the Wings. He was a key component in each of the Stanley Cups the Wings won when he was here. While you may not like him, you should at least respect him for what he has brought to Detroit. I don't think he is worth 4 million a season either. I think he will probably sign for 3 million a season. I think he is worth that much thats for sure.

There are a lot of Penguins fans out there right now that just don't understand why Hossa would take a 1 year deal to play for Detroit. As a rec league hockey player, if I was given the choice to play for 7.5 million a year for 6 years and play for 7 million for 1 year but my chance to win the cup would be much much better, I would opt for the 1 year deal. If I am playing professional hockey, my goal is to win the stanley cup every year. The deal Hossa signed is not without risk. If he sustains a career ending injury, he wouldn't get that much contract money from insurance. However, the benefits are awesome. He gets a chance to win a cup, and its an excellent chance at that. He has played in at least 78 games in 7 of the last 8 seasons. Last season he only played in 72, but big deal. He scored 66 points last season, and will score more in a very offensive puck possession system in Detroit. If he gets 1st line, which I think he will, he will top 80 points next season and I wouldn't be surprised if he hits 100.

Hossa was commanding 8 million a season. He signs here for less and for only 1 year. He knows this will probably only be a 1 year situation, but he is coming into a situation where he will be challenging for a cup. The only difference is that Hasek is retired and I think Drake will retire too. What a incredible signing. Since we won the cup with the same group last year, this year we should be able to do it again.

Nothing compares to some of the dumb signings like the NY Islanders signing Yashin to that 10 year 100 million dollar contract. As for contracts today, with the salary cap I am not as concerned with the long term survivability of the league right now like I was before the lockout. Players were getting paid way too much when you consider how much the league was making. At least now there is some cost certainty in place. As for the fears of another lockout, you can count on one happening again. It has happened a few times in the last 20 years when it comes to hockey. If you consider the NBA and MLB, they had lockouts too. There was a shortened season back in 1993-1994 I believe. Then we had another lockout in 2003 that wiped out the season. When this contract is up, you can bet one side or the other will feel that changes need to be made and they will fight over them resulting in a shortened season at least.

Well, when you go from a playoff team to not making the playoffs, its sick. Look at teams like the Chicago Wolves, who have a turnover every season, and still compete for the championship. The coaching staff has a lot to do with that. I hope they can find someone with experience and a desire to excel.

What the heck does it matter if his last name is Muslim, Jewish, Arabic, or Australian? If he is a good person and a good hockey player, it shouldn't matter.

I hope so!

Yea, obviously the manners of some people.

Heh, and 90% of the people on these boards wanted these two guys signed. Now, we have people stepping out to try to disrespect them. Crazy.....

No, his glory years are far behind him. He will be a 3rd/4th line guy for the rest of his career. The good thing is that he is getting back on his feet and cleaning himself up. Thats what really matters. If he doesn't sign with Detroit, he will be playing for Grand Rapids or something. I see him playing for the Wings next season though.

The Maple Leafs were near the cap max last season. They weren't even close to the playoffs.

That has to be the dumbest statement I have ever heard. The fact that I have to see people mentioning that the refs were against us the whole time makes me ill. Lets get a few things straight here.... 1. The refs weren't against us. The Wings got more power play chances in the series than the Pens did. 2. The conspiracy theories that the NHL wanted the Pens to win and the refs just couldn't deliver it to them is a huge crock of s***. 3. Let NBC and the NHL coverage on other stations all hump Crosby's leg. In that series, how many times did you hear about the Detroit stars? Not much. What about the other pens players? Not much. It was all Crosby, and if the NHL wants to primp him to be the next star, thats fine. The NHL has had a problem with star power in the last 10 years. Bettmen should have been getting star players other than Crosby and Ovechkin ahead and in the starlight of the NHL. Players like Zets and Dats from detroit. What about Paul Stasny from the Avalanche? What about Backstrom from the Caps? What about Eric Staal from Carolina? I can name a lot of young stars that should be promoted heavily and if they were back when they were rookies, they would be big stars today. The incessant whining about this on this forum is getting tiring. Especially after we capture the cup.

They would have if the hockey game was in OT and the Derby was running. Make no mistake about it. They get more money from the Derby than they do from the NHL.

You notice that everyone remember Crosby, but no one else got very good coverage in that series. Hossa? A little. Malkin, also a little. Lindstrom, Zets, and Dats got more than them, but less than Crosby. Crosby is the face of the new NHL so he was pushed more than normal. I don't blame the announcers for pushing Crosby. I blame the NHL for not pushing their stars more until now.

I did a quick google search on it and didn't find anything so I am curious as to know where you read that at and if you can provide a link to more info. As for Bettman, he was his usual self. He included the Penguins just like he does ANY losing team like Calgary and Edmonton in years past. As for him being booed, I took it with a grain of salt. I have met the man once, and is a nice guy. I got a chance to talk to him for 5 minutes, and while many disapprove of his expansion and the health of the game under his regime, I can't wish ill will upon him.