Dabura

Datsyuk's a diver!

FWIW: Report: 'Tension' between Jets and Evander Kane [ProHockeyTalk] Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Kane lolololololol

One of my all-time favorite movies. +1

I agree. Though I think it's ok to say the team sucks when it's obviously the case. And it's generally been the case for the past several weeks. The big thing: when this team shows up, it's a sight to behold. You just wish it'd happen more often. Like I've said, I think the Datsyuk injury could actually be a positive thing for us. Everyone has to step up - and that's exactly what happened last night. Keep it up, boys!

http://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/recap?id=2013020370&navid=DL|NHL|home From the comments section:

Props to the elder Smith.

Mule's accent is so heavy. "Way to go, Alf!"

This win is huge for everyone, the whole team, the whole organization. But you know who I'm most happy for? Alfie. Because he could've gone to Boston. Tied for second place: Monster and Tatar. The latter is becoming a "man" right before our eyes.

I. am. so. HAPPY. !!!. Would've loved the shutout, but you had to know it wasn't happening.

I can't believe what I'm seeing.

Terrible, terrible ice. Puck is rolling all over the place. Need to stop sucking in our own end. I liked that Babs called the Smith call what it was: a cheap penalty. Actually a pretty good period, though. I hope Mule is ok. He's been great.

We are absolutely godawful in our zone and on the transition. Kindl needs to wake up.

He'll probably net a natural hatty, and the universe will implode.

Ugh, drop the puck already!

Strader-Engblom! I don't like our chances. But I get more worried when we're playing a middling team. I think the guys really get up for these big games. So a win wouldn't blow my mind.

Kevin Weekes weighs in: http://www.nhl.com/ice/blogpost.htm?id=23229&navid=DL|NHL|home

So Brendan Shanahan gave George Malik a call: http://kuklaskorner.com/tmr/comments/what-happens-when-brendan-shanahan-calls-you-to-speak-about-datsyuks-injury

Hear, hear! Though I'm not Canadian, so I guess I can't really talk. (TSN...CBC...none of this really means anything to me.)

Yep, this is the harsh reality. I actually think Kronner has made a very smooth transition into the #1 spot. He still makes those stupid, lazy mistakes now and then, but, for the most part, he's owning his role. He's become one of the best defensemen in the league, and by all accounts he's a great veteran leader. We're very lucky to have him. I'm perfectly happy with Ericsson and DeKeyser. It's just - to beat the dead horse - that hole in the top four. In a perfect world (to beat another dead horse here), we make a strong addition in the summer through free agency. There are some very appealing names on the list, though I expect pretty much all of them to re-sign. (P.S. There Are Maybe Ten or Twelve)

Even so, they're all gonna have to push themselves to be (even) better. I'm with zombo: (even) more secondary scoring will only help this team in the long run. With that in mind, the guy who interests me the most right now: Darren Helm. He's not really a second-line center, but more and more I'm thinking he might actually be the right guy for the role. Mental lapses aside, he has really impressed me. And I was already a huge fan.

"I'M GONNA KICK YOUR TIRES!!!"

I think you're reaching a bit, kip. Not that your points are necessarily invalid. (You're right about defensive defensemen being, in a way, unsung heroes. If I'm reading you right.) It's just, any way you look at it, Quincey has been a disappointment. As an offensive defenseman, as a defensive defenseman, as a defenseman, as a hockey player. As a guy making almost four million a year. The one thing that I think might really help his cause: not being counted on to be our # 3 or #4. He's essentially a third-pairing guy playing in the top four. Too much responsibility. Too many opportunities for him to look silly and possibly even lose games for us singlehandedly. Unfortunately, we don't really have a better option. Kindl has regressed to the point where I don't trust him to do anything, and Lashoff is perfect as a depth defenseman. It's been awhile since I last mentioned DAN GIRARDI. Ahhh, that felt good.

Whoops, I probably should've read the thread first.

I dunno if you can really separate the two, defense and offense. Ideally, the latter mostly comes from the former. You take care of business in your own end, move the puck out of your zone cleanly and with purpose, and all of a sudden you're talking about offense now. That transition is what has been killing us more than anything else. So I'll say: our transition game. Defense to offense. We're really, really missing Lidstrom and Rafalski there. We really, really need a great puck-moving defenseman.