Dabura

I like ZDCleary, in theory.

Watch, he scores 40 goals this season.

I'm actually pretty ok with ZDAbdelkader. If he - Abdelkader - can become a power-forward, or even just a decent Homer replacement, I think our top line will terrorize the East.

You know what'd be cool? If training camp had any kind of bearing on the actual season. How has no one thought of this?!

Let's be real, Crymson - Holland's going to put on a good face, regardless of the actual reality. Any GM would do the same. That's just how it goes. I'd like to add one more thing about what Tatar's saying: http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2013/09/red_wings_signing_of_daniel_cl.html So it's not like he's folding his arms and pouting in a corner. And again, he's saying this after four years in Grand Rapids - when, really, he should've been a full-time Wing at least one season ago, if not more. If anything, I give him a lot of credit for taking this all as well as he has and is.

What's maybe most interesting to me about this whole thing is how Tatar's saying he's straight-up "scared" that his performance in the exhibition games might be the deciding factor. I find it interesting because 1) he always comes off as so supremely confident in his abilities (maybe it's an act?), and 2) it's a good point. Sometimes things just don't quite click, for whatever reasons (see the thumping Weiss's line took yesterday in the scrimmage). The guy just proved himself in the biggest way he possibly can. Calder Cup. MVP. Beastly play. Tons of goals. Would a string of "just decent" preseason games for him really be solid justification for giving him the short end of the stick again? And another thing: it's not like he looked completely lost at the NHL level last season.

Haha, I was considering asking the same thing. What if three weeks from now we've got several guys out with injuries? I bet Holland is (very secretly) making voodoo dolls.

To be fair: - This isn't exactly the first time Tatar's been, shall we say, snubbed. - He's been proving himself for how long now? What else is left for him to prove? He was a monster for the Griffins in their Calder run, and he was named the MVP for his efforts. So, what, does he need to be an even more valuabe MVP? - It's not like he held a press conference. I actually think Sarah is slightly at fault here; she probably shouldn't have said what she did. - If this were any other organization, any other one, this wouldn't even be an issue. - What happened to the "youth movement"? Isn't building and promoting from within our bread and butter? - Ultimately, yeah, like I said, Tatar probably has some *issues*. But, again, he's friggin' 22. You know what other 22-year-old pro hockey player has *issues*? Coyotes GM 'not happy' with absent Ekman-Larsson - It's easy for us to wag our fingers at Tatar and tsk tsk him. But if you were in his shoes, I think you'd probably be pissed.

I stannd corrected. Didn't know this was normal for him.

Maybe they can split the number, each wearing one of the ones? I know 1 is retired, but 11 cut in half isn't. Plus, 24 should be an unofficially off-limits number, because of Probert, and...who was it, Chelios? Not saying Alfredsson's a ******, just saying, why not pick a number that he can kind of make his own? Like, I dunno, 92 or something.

I do think Tatar has issues with maturity/arrogance, all that. And I do think he'd probably be humbled in an 82+ season in the big league (if only because he's so friggin' small). But you kinda have to feel for the guy, no? And, honestly, isn't this the kind of thing Babs sort of likes to hear from young guys? I mean, not the threatening-to-bolt-to-Russia part, but the chomping-at-the-effing-bit-and-seething-with-anger part. Remember that anecdote about Smith from last season? Babs sat him down and told him he was scratching him for the next game. Smith said ok, I'm ok with that, and Babs snapped, No! It's not ok! You're not ok with it! (or something to that effect). Or what about Bert saying he was livid about being scratched during this past postseason run? Granted, again, neither Smith nor Bert made threats or anything like that (as far as we know). But, then, Tatar is how young again? 22? And Holland is (supposedly) how high on our young talent, and building from within, and, like, totally giving the kids a chance, man? The whole thing smells. It's a mess. But I'm on board with the let's-wait-and-see-how-Holland-handles-it-before-calling-for-his-head camp. I think.

http://www.wingingitinmotown.com/2013/9/13/4724930/quick-hits-daniel-cleary-edition Read those tweets from Sarah Lindenau. This isn't awkward. This is genuinely bad. Bah, once again, everyone here's ten pages ahead of me.

If you crop the bottom, so the blade and puck are out of the pic, he looks kind of like a senile old man with a cane. In Red Wings gear.

That's the thing about running: being "ripped" doesn't necessarily mean a lot. So much of it is just what goes on in the torso - and, of course, the legs and feet. I guess Torts is somewhat "punishing" them...and maybe taking out some of his own anger on them. Wouldn't surprise me.

They could be lying.

It's not crazy to assume Cleary will see more (NHL) ice than Tatar will. Not crazy at all, actually. Exhibit A: History.

Detroit News: Red Wings' top line is off to blazing start in training camp Granted, it's only training camp.

So I guess it's true that Babs was/is considering playing Cleary with Z and D: http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2013/09/daniel_cleary_followed_his_hea.html

Disney is so gonna make a movie about this.

So, about the unicorn...

Is it true that Babs said he was/is considering playing Cleary with Z and D?

The "youth movement" was a lie. It was a matter of sheer necessity, not Holland finally coming around. "Over-ripe."

I was actually joking, but ok.

I posted this in the main Cleary thread, but I figure it's just as relevant here: SI.com: Signing Dan Cleary could hurt Detroit Red Wings prospects

SI.com: Signing Dan Cleary could hurt Detroit Red Wings prospects Apologies if this has already been discussed.