Dabura

I get the sense that Mantha understands and embraces how this whole Being a Red Wing thing works. Be a good soldier, be a good teammate, be a good person, do your best, do what's asked/demanded of you, don't rock the boat (even if people in the organization call you out in the media) -- and don't go HAM when negotiating your second contract. If you can manage all of that and become anything remotely resembling a core guy, the Wings will take very good care of you.

Eh, still more attractive than Nyquist.

Pacioretty is a low-key elite scorer, IMO. But overall we're in agreement.

Fire Holland.

Then he'll fit right in!

Dunno why the Bruins would settle for Nyquist. I've gotta think they could do better. (Pacioretty?) #TeamKlefbom

You lost me at Haggis, you filthy Scottish propagandist.

Pic 2 guy: "Y'know, now that I'm getting an up close look, I'm quite surprised by how thin the Loch Ness Monster's neck really is."

I dated a Scot. The sex was amazing. I miss her. The late night talk show format died when Craig Ferguson left The Late Late Show. Sean Connery. Trashcan Sinatras. Bagpipes. Irn Bru. That's all I've got.

AA will score zero goals this season and will finish -497. Bank on it. He is quite possibly the worst player in the history of the National Hockey League.

The good news about the AA-Franzen comparison: Franzen was wholly unremarkable for his first two NHL seasons (2005-06 and 2006-07). Actually, even his 2007-08 regular season wasn't anything terribly special (27 goals, 38 points).

"I will fill the Wings' nets with pucks." - Zadina ohgodwe'vecreatedamonster

I could actually see Helm being traded this season or next. Abby is and will "always" be safe, regardless of how much talent we have in the forward group. I'm not complaining, just saying. Two things working in Glendening's favor: he's considered a role model for the younger kids and he's a right-handed faceoff specialist. I think he's on the brink of falling out of the top 12 (think there's also a not-entirely-remote chance that he's traded this season), but I'm not holding my breath. I don't mind Glendening as a fourth-liner. Just for the record.

Hadn't heard about it until now, tbh.

Yeah, him being AHL-eligible prolly hurts his cause re: making the team out of camp and sticking. I'm hoping he has a lights-out training camp and leaves them with no choice but to make room for him on the roster. And if they stick him on the farm instead, I hope he tears the AHL apart.

yaaas

Helm and Abby will never be healthy-scratched, but I'm starting to wonder if Glendening isn't as safe as we assume he is.

I want to see AA win more board battles and get better at holding the puck under pressure. Way too easily separated from the puck. I'd also like to see him take a cue from Larkin and really work on his playmaking. Less "I'ma cheat high and you hit me with a stretch pass," more forechecking and cycling and give-and-going. Do something other than trying to get a breakaway or trying to deke around a defender in a one-on-one situation (never works for him). I do think there's something to the argument that playing him on the wing encourages laziness and bad habits in his game. I'd be down with giving him a long look at center. It'd have to be on the fourth line, though.

So this means we're getting Karlsson, yeah?

The HYPE! is real, regardless of where he plays this season.

mehhh.

I especially like his assessment of the Habs' situation. SparkNotes version: "S***'s bad. S***'s real bad."