gcom007

Yeah, it can definitely be tough. I truly get it. I’m in the minority down here without a doubt, but I feel like somewhat of an evangelist. I’m at the bar with a bunch of friends under normal dinner and drinks pretenses but we’re watching a game and I’m helping them understand. Little by little they’re getting into it and learning about the beauty of it all. The speed and skill on exhibit is hard to ignore if you give it a second, and I’m helping turn some heads. It’s a ton of fun. Again, if I can’t watch the Wings, this is becoming the next best thing. Watching this team grow and persevere and play hard nosed hockey is a ton of fun. I know it’ll be different in the next few years as the Wings get more competitive again, so I’m enjoying it while it lasts.

I don’t give a f***. I’m having the best time not watching the Wings that I’ve ever had watching hockey. It’s weird, admittedly, but I like rooting a bit for the local team, and it’s easier when the Wings aren’t in it. This is pure fun. Plus, I can probably end up getting tickets to the game a hell of a lot cheaper.

If you can’t watch the Wings in the playoffs right now, it’s good to be in the great state of North Carolina!!! BOOM!

1-0 Canes!!!

I changed my mind.

Lidstrom would still be our best defenseman sadly.

40-50 points seems very doable with the offense we’re starting to get going. Not sure why anyone would turn their noses up at that.

His agent seems adamant that the possibility is on the table, and Friedman suggests the matter was discussed with Holland earlier. I’m not saying it’s a given, but the way things are looking after reading this and hearing about him bringing his family to Detroit, I’d be more surprised if he didn’t return to the Wings next year at this point. And I’m personally getting pretty excited about it. I feel pretty confident that the Magic Man still has some tricks up his sleeve. He won’t be the player he was, but he could be a solid asset at a great price.

I’m not as concerned about goaltending as I am the defense. I think Howard and Bernier are serviceable, but the D really is terrible...

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nhl/red-wings/2019/05/01/ex-detroit-red-wings-star-pavel-datsyuk-informs-khl-team-hes-not-returning/3638027002/ “(But) if Pavel decides to continue to explore the possibility of playing in the National Hockey League, I can tell you the only club he would play for would be the Detroit Red Wings. “He would not consider any other options.”

Guys, come on. Stop thinking small. We know big things are coming. Jimmy D said so. We can’t even fathom what outside the box voodoo they have up their sleeves. On a serious note, I do wonder what all that talk might mean in the context of Steve Yzerman coming in. Was it all fluff in the first place? Was it the plan before Yzerman came into the mix and now, poof, it’s gone? I know many think we’re still years from the playoffs, but I’m with Holland in thinking that next year we’re a potential playoff team; I don’t think that statement was fluff at all. I don’t think we’re contenders next year, but I do expect us to be in the playoff hunt. It does make me wonder about how serious the plan was to make a splash this off-season either via trade or free agency, or Jimmy D’s magic box ideas. Again, Holland and Jimmy D were talking up this off-season pretty hard a few months back, and I tend to think Yzerman is more likely to move fast and make some moves than Holland. I’m very curious to see how it plays out.

If he comes back, he’s coming to Detroit. Didn’t his agent even say something along those lines awhile back?

I don’t think there’s a snowballs chance in hell that he signs for two years if he signs at all. I do think it’s interesting that he hasn’t announced his retirement in light of the rumors about a return to the NHL/Wings. And Yzerman is back. There’s rumors about Federov coming back. So Datsyuk for one last year? Why not? Let the reunion tour continue. I would bet the price to value ratio on this one would pay off, and I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t want to see a little more of the Magic Man before he hangs them up. I think it’d make next year special, and I also think we could be in the playoff mix next year. It’d be good to have his leadership and experience around for that.

I wouldn’t be as wildly opposed to this as some.

I mean, I’ll fully admit I’d probably be excited if we got him. It’s hard to explain why in completely tangible terms, but I have a bad feeling about the idea though. Maybe it’s just our luck with free agent D in the past. It’s gone south on us a fair number of times, or simply not worked out leading to disappointment.

Mrazek out for game 3: https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/hockey/news/hurricanes-petr-mrazek-unavailable-for-wednesdays-contest/ McElhinney should be fine though for a game or two, especially with the home boost. The two day rest should help the skaters. I’m hoping they can pull off a sweep to give some injured guys some rest before the semis. If they get Mrazek back solid and don’t add any more injuries and get some guys back for round 3, I think they’ve got a chance to keep this train going. I’d love to make the trip to Raleigh to catch a game in the next couple weeks.

Definitely agree. I’m not saying he didn’t burn bridges here or put on the best face. I do think there’s an argument to be made that he had the talent that deserved a bit longer rope though. And again, for me, I wonder how the situation might’ve played out without Howard. I think he felt jerked around by coaching/management when he got signed to his deal and the Wings planned to move Howard and then didn’t, leading to a tense locker room situation between both players, and too much room for confidence to slip and get called into question. That sort of situation doesn’t help the coach-player relationship or anything in general.

I get what you’re saying, and if you noticed my follow up, I acknowledged that my comment was made somewhat in jest. It’s fun to stir the pot a little. That said though, I do think goalies can take time to develop, and I think the Wings could’ve handled the whole situation better. He was young coming in and probably not totally ready to take on the role of starting goalie, especially with Jimmy Howard still around. That whole situation was a bit of a tension-filled mess. I really do wonder if things might’ve gone smoother had Howard been dealt. It seems like Mrazek performs best when he’s the guy carrying the weight and he knows it. He seems to thrive with that pressure, and the biggest reason I would’ve liked to have kept him is that he seems like a goalie that performs in the playoffs, and he seems to be getting better in that world, which shouldn’t be shocking as he grows and matures. You talk of the goals he let in, but if you watched the games or read the commentary, he was clearly great and widely praised for playing so well against Ovechkin and company, the defending Cup champs, and his team didn’t show up the first couple games of round one. Holtby let in 6 goals in a game against a weaker offensive team. And he’s got two shutouts already. And what about game one of the second round? The Hurricanes as a team did nothing to help Mrazek; they looked tired and terrible, and Mrazek without a doubt stole that game for them. Carolina is clearly a better team overall right now than the Wings the last couple years, but as you said, Mrazek has talent, and when he’s on, he’s on. If the Wings were likely to struggle either way, I’d rather bet on the younger goalie with the talent and see how he matures as the team matures. In the end, it simply got messy and the contract extension was going to be tricky, but again, I do wonder what would’ve happened had the whole situation been handled better earlier on. Mrazek may do something Howard has never done very shortly as well, make it to the 3rd round, despite Howard getting a chance to do so with better teams than the current Canes in front of him. Canes are a good team, but Mrazek has been a huge part of their postseason success. No one watching is arguing that. They win the Cup, he might get the Conn Smythe if the current trajectory keeps up. And that’s looking like less and less of an outlandish suggestion every game.

I generally agree with you but I have to pause on Karlsson. Something about the idea of throwing a lot of money and term at him really doesn’t sit right after this season. The injuries, the age, the off-ice sideshow...I get that he’s great, but it doesn’t feel like a smart move.

The Carolina hate is fueling my enthusiasm for their run. Pumped for 3!

Love it. Mrazek stole that game for them. They looked very tired as a team, but you have to find a way to win in the playoffs. Can definitely afford to lose Sunday now and hopefully catch that home ice fire again. That place is going to be LOUD next week.

I like the Canes chances in this series but had a feeling they’d lose this game handily. Any way this goes, solid start.

I want nothing to do with Karlsson at this point.

Nah, I know. I said what I said somewhat in jest. It definitely wasn’t working here, though I don’t think the situation with him and Howard was handled well and I do wonder what would’ve happened if Howard was dealt and there wasn’t a sideshow in the locker room. In any event, it was real fun being out in North Carolina and watching the Canes beat the Caps. I’m fully on board this bandwagon at this point.

I still think we should’ve kept Mrazek... Bring it motha uckas!!!