Dabura

Agreed. The way they're playing, the Cup is currently theirs to lose. Scotty Bowman, I guess.

They're pretty lame.

So this is what it feels like to be a Blue Jackets fan.

Tirekickers.

"FIne" as in...losing in the first (maybe second) round again because of the same bad habits, glaring weaknesses, etc. that've spelled ultimate defeat for this team for the past however many seasons? Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate not wanting to get down on the team. And I can appreciate the argument that this may just be injuries taking their toll. And, true enough, that's gotta be at least a minor factor here. The real problem, though? Again: same old crap. "Let's come out flat, then flip a switch for a strong ten minutes to finish the first, then let's start the second with five minutes of glorious, God-powered wrath and fury--BUT ONLY FIVE MINUTES! because we have to spot them a lead on their third shot of the game (versus our 400, all but nine of which were fired from center ice, because, HAVE YOU SEEN HOW BIG THAT DEFENSEMAN IS? What, you expect us to GO NEAR HIM?!), and this'll break our collective back for a good period and a half, and Datsyuk might score or something--WAIT. WHY DO I CARE? I'M MAKING MILLIONS! AND KENNY WILL NEVER CUT ME LOOSE! BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT HE DID LAST SUMMER!" This is the Detroit Red Wings. Y'know, Hockeytown, USA? Class of the Western Conference? What happened to our high standards and expectations? What happened to "To whom much is given..."? Warm and fuzzy and endlessly patient and understanding and people-pleasing and overly-sentimental is ok...but too much of it for too long turns everything to mush. (See: "We need more joyyyy!!!") And that is why Ken Holland needs a wedgie. [/rant]

*double take* We're winning?!?!?! And Filapoola SCORED?!?!?!?!?!

BURKE: I MADE YOU, TEEMU! AND I CAN UN-MAKE YOU!!!!! [sELANNE roundhouse kicks BURKE in the face and through a window] BURKE [as he falls to his seemingly inevitable death]: NOOOOOO!!!!!!! [bURKE lands on KARIYA. KARIYA breaks BURKE's fall, unintentionally saves his life - at the cost of his own.] SELANNE: NOOOOOO!!!!!!! BURKE: HAHAHAHA!!!!!!!

EDIT: Whoops.

We've lost Rafalski, Stuart, Lidstrom. We've "replaced" them with, basically, spare parts. That makes Baby Jesus cry. No one was expecting Lidstrom 2.0. (There is no other Nick Lidstrom. We all know this.) I don't think any of us were even truly expecting a top-15er in the league. I think a lot of us were expecting much more, and/or better, than what Holland has pulled out of his magic ass hat (a rabbit with one leg and no eyes and one of its ears is Barry Trotz's missing neck).

Cleary and Abdelkader? Seriously?

This.

tmmlol (in public)

Sorry, forgot the [/captainobvious] tag. Definitely seen people call him off-limits. As in, like, full-on off-limits. And so they'll probably go to hell when they die, and what-not. FILAPOOLA!

Depends on what we're getting in return. Good guy, hard-worker, team player...but in terms of his value to the team and organization at large? I don't see what other people are seeing when they say he's off-limits, is an essential part of the team's plans going forward, etc. He's a softish Euro playmaker who plays a good two-way game. Does this organization generally struggle with finding guys like that? Are there no Fil-types on our roster, in the pipeline, in every draft?

They are playing some damn good hockey.

There are no words. Only laughter.

Hang the DJ GM, hang the DJ GM, hang the DJ GM.

Tatar's in the top six in my most recent custom/fantasy rosters for next season. So I'm pretty stoked to see him there right now. Not so sure about Tootoo playing those minutes, but I like the idea, in theory!

Is 1.9 - or whatever it is - an overpayment? Yes. BUT, Tootoo gives us something we don't normally have (or, we've grown used to not having). And that something is, I think, reasonably important. And it may become even more important in the playoffs, assuming we make it that far. (We will.) This has been Rationalizing With Dabura. I'm here all week. (Tip your waitress.)

"When we put on our sweaters we have to find a way to win. It doesn't matter who's in, who's out, who's at home. It's the NHL. Let's play." - Mike Babcock (Source) And this is why I heart teh Babz.

Die, [insert team that is not the Red Wings], die!

Pretty much.

Been this way for some time now. Same with just about all of our problems.

Wait, is our second line really Flip centering Cleary and Samuelsson? (I've no way to watch the game.) Good God.

He must have dirt on Babs. Or else he's sleeping with the right people. Maybe both?