Heroes of Hockeytown

Well, Ritola seems to be able to hang onto the puck better than Leino was, anyways.

I defy you to find a PP worse than Detroit's. Teams accidentally score more goals than these guys are right now.

Not gonna get another shot like this, fellas. Make it count!

Getting close... time for another anemic PP!

Well, if you're gonna get rocked, may as well punch your aggressor in the face afterwards.

PP must be humming along at 3-4% in the last ten or so games, eh?

May just cleaned house.

Having some trouble moving the puck through the middle.

I missed the game, but so it was.

I can't remember the last time they scored a PPG. They must be approaching some franchise record drought.

I also endorse this, the program is only a few megs and the picture is crystal clear and doesn't lag.

Oh wow Jimmy, great anticipation on the back door.

Not sure if hook or totally legit stick check.

Game's not on for 30 seconds, Eddie O already going off about interference. Unreal.

Don't forget burying the Sharks. Bro's got a flair for the dramatic.

^^^ Then only one piece remains. <===== Do this, Kenny, no matter the cost. We will be as gods.

Ovechkin for captain!

Dude doesn't know about Sammy's clutch. Plus, it's kinda funny when someone says "player so and so brings nothing... except scoring... to the team," as if that isn't the whole point in the first place. Big picture though, he's probably right, not a huge impact one way or the other.

Every game feels like a must-win but getting 2 points against the dregs of the West is something they just have to do; take the easy points while you can. They're hanging around the 8th-9th spot like they've been all year, this would be a great time to get some people healthy and get on a roll. Everyone is so close right now you can't rule out the Wings finishing at any spot -- the sky's still the limit!

Everyone else is making their "best of the decade" list, so it's time we got in on this. I figure there will be a lot of the same names popping up on most of them, but maybe we'll get a few interesting additions/omissions and radically different opinions. And remember, though many of these Wings have done great things in other decades, this last decade is the only one eligible for your consideration. Here is my Top 10, in rough order: 1. Lidstrom 2. Zetterberg 3. Osgood 4. Datsyuk 5. Yzerman 6. Hasek 7. Fedorov 8. Shanahan 9. Holmstrom 10. Draper The list is biased to the more recent Cup winners than the '02 ones, perhaps because the latter were on their last legs and didn't have their best years in the aughts whereas the stars of today did. Plus, returning to the Finals after a Cup win gets you bonus points as opposed to being swept out of the first round. Lidstrom is obviously a lock for number one. Hank, along with being one of the Wings' top players since '04, has been the best playoff performer of anyone in the league since the lockout, so he gets the number two slot. Osgood, having won far and away the most games of any Wings netminder in this decade and being the catalyst for two great playoff runs gets the next spot. And then Datsyuk, who's led the Wings in scoring every season since '04, and is the winner of multiple Selkes, Byngs, and a Hart nomination, but loses points for playoff struggles. The rest fills out the old-folks home, which I weighed and ordered via tenure, regular season and playoff performance.

I was going to give him an honorable mention for: Leading the Red Wings in scoring in the 2004 and 2006 playoffs Putting up 60 points despite being a third-line center behind Hank and Pavel during the '06 season Even when he sucked all season scored two of the biggest goals in the history of sport during the '07 playoffs Keeping Hudler out of trouble when he gave him a place to stay (and wouldn't you know the first thing he does when he skips town -- Jiri and his hookers) Being a generally chill dude with a bitchin' old-timey mustache But I figured I had already written enough. Anyways, Bob knows he's always number one to me.

Maybe another day would be good, but New Year's Day is just as good as any. The Winter Classic doesn't compete with any bowl game, because the game is over at 3:30 or so and the Rose Bowl doesn't start until 4:30. EDIT: I take it back, there are a couple games scheduled in that slot -- notably the Capitol One Bowl featuring Penn State, way to divide Philly's attention!

I don't think so, Finns.

Depends on how long you live! Then again, I was at my grandad's yesterday for holiday business and he was telling me about how he remembers the last time the Lions won a championship, so it may require some patience.

Until Sid and Geno take out each other's knees while attempting to chest bump after a goal! Woe unto the Pens on that day!