gcom007

Wow. I'm surprised to see this. I think it helps that despite my thoughts on Hasek, my allegiance is to the team and winning first and foremost. I don't have an agenda. I just enjoy the discussion of this topic which is why I tend to be involved. I don't think many people here realize how much I would love to see Hasek go out on top to cap off a great career that's gotten ugly at the end. I'm hardly the biggest Hasek fan for a number of reasons, but I have respect for what he's done in his career and I try to think the best of guys in general if I can. As said, I'd love to see him turn it around. But eh, like I've also said, I'm just not really convinced it's going to happen when we face tougher teams and real adversity.

I know he knows way more than me. But I also think there are certain things that are easier for people on the outside of a situation to accept or see. At this point though, my argument has more to do with psychology than hockey. Basically, it's the whole head/heart thing. If I'm in the room with these guys everyday and all, I think it makes a lot of the decisions a hell of a lot harder. I'm not hating on Babcock here either. I think he's a great coach, but a human too. It ain't easy any way you shake it. I know he ultimately is trying to do what he thinks is best. Sometimes I just think a more detached party might have a more realistic idea of what that is at the end of the day. Loyalty is so important to life, sports, hockey, the Wings, Babcock...but it can bite you in the butt too and you just have to deal...

Funny, I just brought that up as well. I really, really like the fact that Babcock's a loyal guy and tries to empower people by instilling confidence in them and giving them assurance of that. I think that's a strong suit of his, but at the same time, I think it's also a weakness that he'll have to learn to balance in time. I don't doubt that he will though. Maybe this is the year he really learns that lesson. The Legace issue was a little cloudier because Osgood had injuries that year and neither goalie has the prolific profile of a guy like Hasek. This year, it's a lot more cut and dry. You've gotta figure he knows deep down that he's gambling on Hasek this year all things considered. I'm sure he's recalled the Legace situation numerous times down the stretch. He's riding the hope that the difference here is that, well, Hasek will become "The Dominator." Meanwhile, in doing so, he's benched the guy who clearly was the better goalie down the stretch. Should things continue as they're going, I think Babcock learns an important lesson this year. It'd be a sucky way to learn and I certainly hope Hasek can turn it around and go out on top, but at the very least I think Babcock would be a better coach moving forward from the experience. As much as the regular season and playoffs are different games, at the same time, you can't ignore what's happening in the regular season altogether either.

I'm in them a lot because I find goalies to be the most fascinating. There's so many extra psychological factors at play and it's such an important position. The drastic rise and fall of goalies year to year is enough to prove that. Jim Carrey anyone? It's just a fascinating topic to me. And also, so incredibly important.

More often than not I'm a middleman. I wasn't when Legace was around. I said all season long going with him as the starter into the playoffs was a big mistake and look where it got them. This year, I feel it's a similar situation. You've got a big name goalie who's old and hasn't played well and another guy who's had an All Star year. Of course the big name guy goes in the playoffs, but is it really the best move? Especially at this point, you've gotta at least wonder. What makes this situation worse is that I'm still not at all convinced that much of the decision-making doesn't have to do with worrying about how Hasek will respond in the locker room given his well-known past. You go with Osgood and should he fumble which you also have to ask after the 2nd half, can you trust that Hasek's going to have his head on straight to come in and make it happen? I'm not so sure. I don't think anyone can deny that he's got about as delicate of an ego as anyone. Again, you can call it conjecture, but his history is pretty clear and you've gotta consider it. And that's not so cool. It shouldn't be that way and that's what makes it hard this year. Again, can you honestly say if it said, oh, Turco or Kiprusoff on the back of Hasek's jersey this year that he would've started over Osgood? I don't think you can. And you can't argue with the fact that Hasek's 43 and hasn't proven much this year and now at this point, all things considered, he hasn't proven much in the playoffs either. Now, I'm not arguing they should put Osgood in now at all so much as trying to illustrate why I think there's more substance to the goalie issue this year. Last year? None. This year? Plenty. Given that a lot of Detroit fans dig the whole team aspect the Wings tend to embody, it's also tough to get over certain aspects of Hasek's personality, history and the crap he has put this team and the fans through. I don't like that aspect of his personality but ultimately I'm committed to winning. Last year Hasek had all my support despite the fact that I didn't feel he was as strong as he once was. He still had a solid season and he had a solid playoffs as well, but I think he definitely proved that he wasn't the goalie he once was when it counted. Again, I'm committed to winning. Hasek has not convinced me this year that he's the best guy we've got when we need to win. Thus far in the playoffs, he has done nothing to convince me otherwise. Again, watch some other games if you think he's been great. Watch highlights from tonights 1-0 Canadians victory over Boston. Hasek ain't even close to great right now compared to most of the other goalies in the playoffs. That's the bottom line. Stats aren't everything but they're something and they're quite telling right now. And lastly, while I don't expect this to happen, should we lose Game 4, unless Hasek truly is great, I think if you forget about names on the back of the jersey, you go with Osgood in game 5 if only to shake things up. Even if we lost I doubt it'd happen, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't. Just look at Legace a few years back. He should've been done and granted Osgood ended up injured, they were going to sink with Legace. It shouldn't have happened. Oh well. And also, I still think we'll win in 5 anyways, though I'm not convinced Hasek will rise above average play in the process. We'll get out of this one still easy enough I think, but round 2 is going to be very, very telling.

What's sad is that this is pretty accurate. Although I did read somewhere today where someone was questioning how a .907 in the playoffs is acceptable on a team that's leading the series and given that Detroit really doesn't give up a lot of shots. Again, if you don't get how tough it is on other goalies, go watch some of the other games. They face adversity all game long and look at their sv%'s. The winning goalies and even many of the losing goalies have far better sv.%'s than Dom's. It's pretty early to fall to .907... And again, I'm not saying he's been total s*** at all. He hasn't. But I don't think he's been great for a second and I'm sick of the countless excuses for him. If he's going to start over a goalie who blatantly outplayed him all year long based on his reputation, he better live up to it and he simply is not. Again, if you think he is, go watch some other teams and watch their goalies. There's just no comparison. None at all. And go on and make excuses, but don't be shocked or upset when we get lit up in the 2nd round.

Well obviously the coach disagrees. And I don't know what games you guys are watching, but the Wings haven't exactly been impressive this series. When they're as talented as they are they should be slaughtering the Predators but they've let them into every one. There are some serious holes. We most certainly will win this series, no doubt in my mind, but if we play like this against any other team moving forward, we're gonna get lit up.

Give Lilja a day off to think about his play and see if he can get it together. He was, well, way better last year.

That's the thing that struck me too. I wouldn't have been shocked if either a) they pulled him right then or b) they scored another quick goal after that and then pulled him. Totally agree that the team needs to get better, specifically the D, but Dom absolutely has a whole lot of room for improvement. This isn't rocket science. And I'm betting Lebda will be in the lineup in the next game... Stop making sense. I mean, obviously the goalie can never be faulted especially if there's a defensive breakdown. What's the point of a goalie then people??? He's the last man standing and we have "The Dominator" so when we do have these defensive problems (that every team has from time to time...) we've got the best chance at saving a goal. It'd be nice for once if the fans would expect a little more out of both of our goalies. It's the theme of 2008. It's never the goalies fault. News flash: Osgood and Hasek are paid to stop the puck whether the defense breaks down or not. That's their job. Neither of them have done a tremendous job of that in 2008 when our defense has lacked and all you guys do is apologize for them. Try watching some of the goalies on other teams and see the crap they have to deal with all game long and the seemingly massive number of shots compared to the shots we allow. One more time, to be frank, our goaltending, Hasek or Osgood, simply needs to be better than "average" if we're going anywhere. Sure, the D sucked and it doesn't help, but every players a part of the puzzle and the goaltending hasn't been there either.

3-1!!!!!!! It's like last night!

Wow...2-1 Flyers...this is crazy...

Man, this Philly/Caps game is picking up pace in the scoring department...

I love it too, but the leaving your feet thing is asking for trouble. I want to keep it clean for the sake of integrity, but also to avoid suspensions. He just needs to make sure he doesn't get too gung-ho about pushing the boundaries of what's acceptable in the league. Plenty of big, clean hits to be made.

I don't think many if any are pissed that we lost so much as pissed at the manner in which we lost and the fact that scary regular season trends are still alive and well in the playoffs. I don't think anyone doubts that we won't win this series. I still say Wings in 5. Nashville's just not that good of a team. But watching the Avs/Wild game tonight, I can assuredly say that we will not beat either of those teams playing the way we are now. I think that's more the concern. All season long it's been "just wait for the playoffs...we'll be more physical then...our D will come together then...Dom will close the door then...our forwards will dominate then..." Except now it's the playoffs and it's just not happening. They could've easily lost Game 2 as well and I personally don't think any of the games have shown a really great team effort, let alone even a consistent 60 minutes of just good hockey. Again, simply put, they're going to have to really elevate their play if they're going to advance past the 2nd round. It's not going to be this easy after the Preds. And call it doom and gloom all you like, I wouldn't say so. These are the same problems we've had for the last few months. Nothing new. I said many times leading up that I'm going to give them a chance to prove me wrong and elevate their play for the playoffs, but there's a lot of cause for concern. If you look at our D and you look at Dom and you look at our general poise when it comes to holding a lead or when we get scored on, it's very obvious that things need to get worked out. Again, I can't say it enough, these are the freaking Nashville Predators! Easy! Everyone else still alive in the West, not so easy! Time to turn it up. I'm not saying they can't, but they sure better if we're going anywhere.

Quality. I'd say I'm rooting for the Avs because I hope to face them, but you know, it doesn't matter much either way. Either team is going to be tough.

For the record, Hasek's sv% is .907 after tonight. This is bottom of the barrel among playoff goalies thus far. Backstroms going to jump way up after tonight. He's playing like mad. About to face 50 shots as it's in OT now. Actually, over, Wild just won...

A cop out? Excuse me? What do you call your post then? You want to rip on my opinion with no justification and I ask you to justify yourself and you say I'm copping out as you disappear? Seriously?

I call it how it is. If Osgood's in net playing like that, I give him the same grief. Search back in my post history if you have to. I direct plenty of criticism his way when he deserves it. I call it how it is. It just so happens that Hasek didn't really play well throughout the season and now he is the starting goalie in the playoffs and isn't playing well so you see it a lot more. But I give Osgood or Legace or Cujo or whoever their due when they deserve it and I call s*** when I see s***. It's not nearly as personal as you seem to think. I'd like to see you debate anything I've suggested logically before you suggest it's blind hatred. I don't think you can, thus, the fact that you really didn't address any of my actual points. You telling me you don't like my style won't shut me up. Prove to me logically that I'm wrong and I'll stop posting what I deem to be truth via a process of objective analysis. My devotion is to winning and integrity. I could care less about tearing Dom down if we're winning. Seeing as he's the starting goalie, I'd love to build him up, he just hasn't given me much of any reason to. And again, just incase we forgot, this is the first round and we're playing the Nashville Predators.

Not to mention the fact that we're playing the effing Nashville Predators who only got in because there goalie had a 3 year shutout streak to cap off the season. They're not an offensive powerhouse to say the least. I still argue with her, but I've learned by now that she's not really at all rational so you can't take her opinions too seriously. Everything Hasek does that's slightly positive is amplified to the max and any mistake he makes is minimized to the max. That's just how it goes with her.

That's the thing. You can make excuses all day long and many of them are totally reasonable. That is, if you're content on going out early and losing games like this. Only with Dominik Hasek is average play heralded as great. Only with Hasek do we make all the excuses in the world for some of the things that have happened all year and are continuing to happen when it finally counts which is also the time all the lovers suggest is his time to shine. Again, any way you shake it, no goalie even with defense that gets vaporized from the heavens gives up 2 goals seconds apart 3 times in 2 games. And to think, twice it was almost 3 if not for posts. That is beyond inexcusable in pre-season play let alone regular season. It's absurd that it's happening in the playoffs. What's more appalling is that he has the nickname "Dominator." That is anything but dominant play. And for the love, this is the Nashville Predators. They suck and this is still happening. We'll win this series, but if the D and Hasek play like this against a good team, we're just toast.

Bad? No. Best player? Biggest crock ever. You're delusional.

Totally agree about Kronwall. I don't like the style and I don't like the idea of suspensions. I'm all for hard hits and all, but he's really pushing it and I think he's having fun with them. That's all good and well, but a bit more enthusiasm and he's going to be sorry one way or another...

True story. I can't stand the defense breakdowns, but to not get on Hasek's ass is just absurd. Make all the excuses you want, there is no way we will win a Cup if he continues to play like this. The defense and everything can be perfect, we won't win. We also won't win with the D, but both are at fault here. D more but Hasek really as much considering that the goalie is the backbone of the team and he's just crumbling so quickly. A) You would expect "The Dominator" to not come out stinking just as bad if not worse than the team in a must win Game 6 Conference Final Game. Isn't that the allure of Hasek? He's the guy who wins the must win games? But no, he played pretty bad and even when the Wings started turning it around in the 3rd he couldn't get going and gave up another easy goal to further dampen our chances. B) The defense really sucked, I'm hardly arguing that fact at all. C) It's not that Hasek sucks, it's that people talk like he's so great and all and he's just getting screwed by the defense. I'm sorry, that's just not realistic. He's played fairly well at times, but that's about where it ends. He's played below average a lot this year. He's been injured a lot and that doesn't help. He's 43 years old. That doesn't help. This pattern has continued thus far in the playoffs. If you're going to sit her for a second and tell me we're going to get anywhere with average goaltending at best, you're just kidding yourself. Again, I ain't trying to just hate on him or cast all the blame on him because there's plenty to go around, but people who are unwilling to admit to the fact that he's become a weak link are just living in a state of denial. The defense could literally evaporate into thin air and there's no excuse for giving up 2 goals in such short time spans 3 times in 2 games in the playoffs let alone the regular season. Wake up.

You mean the post bailed him out?

What was his last playoff game like last year? And it appears he doesn't "do" playoffs anymore either...