YoungGuns1340

I think its pretty clear Babs is going every other game for Mac. At this point it looks like hes just going to be around for playoff depth. And Mac is definitely a guy you can expect to pick it up in the playoffs. Im not too worried about this.

Honestly, as bad as this sounds, there are about 12-15 other players on this team that I would be more worried about not having for the playoffs. As long as Drapes and Homer are back for the playoffs...

If that strategy is so simple, why dont more teams use it to beat the Wings?? I mean, the Northwest conference is a hell of a race right now. Why then didnt they just apply this simple strategy to win themselves some freebee points? Why is it then that the Northwest division didnt decide to kick the Wings asses all around the ice instead of what? Winning all of 3 or 4 games against the Wings amongst the entire division??? Also, I do find it ironic that the Ducks were the only team that got the benefit of the Red Wings being without Mathieu Schneider and Niklas Kronwall. I also think its funny that the Ducks "manhandled" us when they had to get a weak call to go their way in order to turn around Game 5, which they were less than a minute away from losing. And then also almost letting Game 6 slip away - which Ironically was NOT on home ice and Hank and Datsyuk DID play well in. Hmm. Funny.

Ugh. WHY DO I LIVE IN ARGENTINA?!?!?

Actually, no. The Wings offense starts and ends with Niklas Lidstrom, followed shortly by Rafalski, and finally Kronwall. You want to know why we couldnt score last year in the playoffs? All you have to do is look at how much the Wings scored when all of their Top 4 Dmen were out this season. Missing Kronwall and Schneider (the only time we were missing both was ironically when we were playing Anaheim and, in Game 5, couldnt score on a few 5 on 3 chances to put the game away. Again, having only 1 offensive Dman in your lineup will do that to you.) We live and die with our outlet passes. Fortunately, Lidstrom, Rafalski, and Kronwall make up a dream-team of smooth passing skilled defenseman - probably the best in that regard. As Ive stated and stated and for some reason, will state again, the Wings depend on their system first, their defense second. After that comes all else. Goaltending, physicality, scoring, you name it. Look at the Top 4 teams last year. Detroit was one of them. Did they have top 4 goaltending? doubtful. Did they have a Top 4 forward corps? Not really. Were they top 4 in physical presence? Big head shake. Why were they a top 4 team? Because their defense makes it easier on their forwards, because their system makes it harder for the opposition to be in position of the puck in the offensive zone, and because their puck possession style means the Wings are often getting rid of the puck before the opposing team comes to whack them. Detroit is not a physical team. It probably wont ever be again, because the system they use is probably the most consistently effective one in the league. What Detroit is, however, is a smooth-working machine. Without a doubt, the smartest team in the league. Holland has assembled a team with players that are built to serve the system, not to play somebody elses crash and bang style. Thats not how they win.

I dont think so at all. I lament the fact that we lost some good size up front, with Lang, Bertuzzi, and Calder being gone, but lets face it. Outside of maybe 3-4 games for Lang, and 1-2 games for Bertuzzi, out of the 18 that we played, they were pretty non-existant. I wont even start talking about Calder. If anything, I think losing them is an advantage. Why? Because we put more energetic and hungry players in their place and give them more ice time. IMO, we cut a lot of fat off of this team and are more edgier because of it. Ill be much happier seeing the likes of Cleary, Flip, and Franzen getting the ice time that Bertuzzi and Lang wouldve gotten were they still here. Defensive liabilities all-around. The way Ill remember Bertuzzi is how he coughed up the puck in our own zone and it cost the Wings dearly. IMO,

When it comes to TSN analysts, you have to understand that theyre human. All humans have a bias. If you were a former player/coach/whathaveyou, and you didnt dedicate your career to the Red Wings, chances are you dont like the Red Wings very much. There are a lot of guys like that out there spewing their opinions with an anti-Red Wings bias. We are, after all, one of the most hated teams in the league. At any rate, to be honest, it is a great thing to pin on the Red Wings. But really. The only goaltender in the West I can think of that is as confident in net and as good under pressure as BOTH our goaltenders is Giguere. That canNOT be underestimated. Half of a goaltenders performance - if not more - is his mental game. There is not a single doubt in my mind that if Hasek is having trouble finding his game, Osgood is going to be able to come in and take over. That said, the only thing I worry about is Babcock's silly "he's the goaltender I chose, and Im stickin' to it." If Dom starts to bomb some games, Im going to be absolutely pissed if he doesnt at least considering switching tenders. Also, where are all the analysts talking about Vancouver's goaltending?!?!? "Um, Hi! My name is Roberto Luongo and I...was pulled 3 times in the month of March. Nice to meet everybody."

No excuse on this one. We had a chance to eliminate Chicago and clinch the league. What did we do? Suck absolute ass. What a bunch of punks.

Great way to start a comeback from a 3 goal deficit.

Chicago isnt making the playoffs.

Good news is, is philly loses tonight, theyll only be one point up on the Caps with games even. Still a chance for the caps.

Well considering we couldve clinched the top seed tonight with one lousy point, you do have a reason to be pissed. Especially if we lose the next game. Cause you know San Jose is going to win theres. Havent lost in regulation since Feb 20th.

Anyone know what our record is wihtout Drapes? Seems to me we got clobbered playing without him against Columbus or something.

Of course. The night where all we need is one point to tie up the #1 seed and we slack off. Go figure. Wings always like to make it hard on themselves.

Wings 10 Hawks 0 Goalie with the shutout Lidstrom = 4A, +10 (70pts, +51) Datsyuk = +9, 6A (+50, 100pts) Zetterberg = 4G, 6A (45G, 100pts) Franzen = 4G (30 goals) Flip = 1G (20 goals) And thats all you need to know..

The question was never whether or not he was old and washed up. Its ALWAYS been his durability. I dont care if he can score 2.5 points per game. If he only plays 20 games a season, hes not worth it. That said, yes, Im glad we didnt get him. 100 points in 8 games or 3 points. One hit, one shove, one stride too far, and hes out. When the goin gets tough, where will he be? Probably on the bench.

People started talking about Ellis' shutout streak and then next thing you know, its 3 goals on 7 shots. Hello Manny Legace version 2.0. Looks like he cant handle the pressure...

Caps with the first goal. Cooke!

Oh, and TWO goals for Ovechkin. Most goals by a LW in a single season EVER!!! Sorry Luc. Go Alex the Gr8!

Go Caps! Id love to see the Caps squeeze in and the Flyers fall out...

QFT. They take a lot of penalties, and their PK hasnt been too good this year..

http://www.nypost.com/seven/03302008/sport...4233.htm?page=1 The Wings will have a hefty chunk of cap space next season...

Zetterbergs new contract. Will. Not. Kick. In. Until. The. 2009-2010. Season. Regardless of whether or not hes signed July 1st, 2008, or June 30th, 2009.

If confidence and/or playing time was the issue with Franzen, and he can maintain this level of play, then I think we have a top 6 that is capable of winning a cup. He gives Detroit something we havent had in a long time. A big man scoring threat. When you take guys like Sammy and Hudler out of the top 6, and put Cleary and Franzen up there, you suddenly go from having a very unbalanced top 6 to a dynamic one. Each line will have 2 great defensive forwards, a goal scorer, an elite set up man, a net-front presence, a hardhat player, a guy wholl use the body, and all of them have a great work ethic. If Flip and Homer are truly healthy for the playoffs, Id have to think we have one of the best top sixes going into the playoffs.

I dont know about that. Those contracts have been heavily criticiized this year, in many ways similar to the criticism many GMs received after last years trade deadline. Not surprisingly, GMs were a lot more tentative to throw around big picks and players for rentals this year. I expected Prospal to easily land a first, and a guy like Stuart to cost us at least a decent prospect. Not the case. Now, I wouldnt be surprised to see GMs take that thinking into the off-season and not go throwing around 8-9M contracts at players just because they can. What I do expect to see is GMs handing out longer term contracts though. Honestly, I think Hossa is the only guy getting significantly more than 5-5.5M as a UFA. I expect Campbell to be re-signed, but then after that, the talent pool drops down to the Demitras, Langkows and Huseliuses of the league. And even less so for the defenseman. I could see people dropping 5M on those guys, which is overpaying, but as not as much as 6M per year for those guys would be. And suggestions that prices will inflate to that extent because the cap went up 6M to me isnt realistic. Particularly, I think the RFA frenzy is going to have an effect on that as well. Lowe opened a can of worms and I expect to see the lid left off if guys like Carter and Suter cant be signed because their GMs went and overpaid several million for a mid-level UFA.