haroldsnepsts

It turns out the repeat offender status is really about withheld wages. Kerry Fraser clarifies (by citing Bob McKenzie) in his column on TSN (emphasis mine). http://www.tsn.ca/blogs/kerry_fraser/?id=450109

I understand people are upset after the loss but let's knock off the name calling and notch back the infighting a bit. Discuss the topic, not the person making the post.

Seems like a disproportionate amount of focus on Howard considering the Wings haven't scored a goal in a game and a half. They managed it in game one but this team wasn't exactly winning games 1-0 during the regular season.

Look at the Wings roster (subtract Franzen because it's not 2008-2010). Now look at the Bruins roster.

I dont' mean grinding effort in that they were winning 1-0. It's a grinding effort in that it's guys without much experience and guys playing bigger minutes hanging on for dear life. Grinding out wins, often in ugly fashion. Look at the roster they had, especially the second half of the season. This team should not be in the playoffs. I just think it's overreacting for people to blame Babcock. He was the hero a week ago, and rightly so. This team didn't get here just because Nyquist got crazy hot. Now that a young Red Wings roster without Zetterberg, Ericssson, Alfredsson, and with a less than 100% Datsyuk is looking bad against the Presidents Trophy winner and Cup favorite in the East, people are calling for his head again.

Strongly disagree. Obviously those guys were key, but it's not like the Wings were winning them 10-3. There were a lot of young guys and role players doing the little things necessary to help eek out those wins. It took the kind of commitment and grinding effort that Babcock preaches.

The thing is, that's basically what got this team to the playoffs.

but... his cap hit???

Someone get him some skates! Ansar Khan ‏@AnsarKhanMLive 3m Sergei Fedorov is in the building. He's talking with Wings' brass in the press box.

I think from 2011 playoffs until now, Cleary has more points than Franzen. And that includes this playoffs when Cleary hasn't even been in the lineup.

I'm guessing there's some overlap but here's another good recap of Cooke's cheapshotting history. http://www.russianmachineneverbreaks.com/2011/03/21/video-a-timeline-of-dirty-and-reckless-matt-cooke-hits/ People often overreact and say a guy is nothing but a cheapshot artist who should be kicked out of the league, but Matt Cooke actually should. Even simply from a business perspective it doesn't makes sense to have an average player running around ending or altering the careers of star players as often as Cooke has. Someone at hfboards also put this together: (I haven't verified this is 100% accurate either)

Blatant knee from a dirtbag player who shouldn't even be in the league. When you're lining a guy up and he moves out of the way, you don't flare your knee out wide and push off with your other skate.

I wish it was Kindl and he dropped the gloves with Chara. Even assuming he'd take a pounding, he'd have taken Chara off the ice with him for 5 minutes. That would've been a big gain for the Wings.

I didn't see the game so can't speak to specifics, but the Kings got shelled in the game without Greene as well. I don't know that he's what's going wrong with LA right now. That being said, my main concerns with acquiring Greene though would be his health and his lack of footspeed.

A beast, and a POS. I'm conflicted. Now he knows what it feels like to be on the other end of a late hit. Keith is a total POS too for his stickwork. And especially if that was him saying wakey wakey. I hope these two teams destroy each other.

Agreed. Lucic is a POS for a move like this. But the Wings shouldn't engage the Bruins. That's exactly what Boston is hoping for. In the playoffs the best way for this Wings roster to deal with a rat like Marchand and dirty player like Lucic is not to respond to all to their cheapshots.

James van Riemsdyk ‏@JVReemer21 3h Datsyuk just took the saying "you can't make a bad pass to a good player" to a whole new level

Wings doing a good job not engaging with the dirtbags Marchand and Lucic. Smith looked like he was getting into it a little, but mostly kept his cool.

Holy crap. Great job Red Wings. wow. They not only won, they looked good.

Olczyk must be proud to see his work paying off. Say it enough times and people will start parroting it. The funny part about people crying subtle interference now is that with this many young players in the lineup, the Wings are so much less likely to get away with any interference (hence the number of penalties this year).

I've always been a fan of Greene's. Very physical defensive defenseman who makes you pay in front of the net and in the corners. Great team and locker room guy too. It sounds like the physical toll on his body has started to catch up with him though, and while he's never had great footspeed, he's gotten slower. As a bottom pairing guy/pk at the right price, sure. It'd be fun to watch him and Ericsson knock guys around.

I don't think Babcock will win it, but he may get more votes than usual because of the Olympics. It serves as a reminder to the none too bright hockey media that he's a great coach. And looking at last years results it's unbelievable the guys who got more votes than Babs. Oates?? Carlyle? And Sutter at the bottom of the list with one third place vote. It makes me think Babcock will never win one because the hockey broadcasters sure have a funny idea of which coaches contributed most to their team's success. At least one person at CBC thinks he should win it. http://www.cbc.ca/sports-content/hockey/opinion/2014/04/mike-babcock-deserves-coach-of-the-year-award.html

Everyone on ESPN (I know, I know) had the Bruins winning the series but no one picked fewer than 6 games.

Bob McKenzie ‏@TSNBobMcKenzie[/size] 27m FLA wins draft lottery. Panthers have first pick in 2014 NHL draft. Then it's: Buffalo Edmonton Calgary Islanders Canucks Carolina Toronto Winnipeg Anaheim Nashville Phoenix Washington

I like "how much assholery does rescuing puppies make up for?" If you choose "A lot" then you can root for the Blues (Backes being the a-hole in question).