Dabura

Yes.

True. Is it really 24/30? Geez.

The owners will opt for a lockout the next time they get the chance, regardless of who's Commissioner. Just saying.

This is what I came to post These.

What's to stop Chris Chelios from starting a new NA pro hockey league? And what's to stop that league from supplanting the NHL? Obviously I'm being a little silly. ...and yet, I'm kinda not. Discuss the idea of a "new NHL." (National Cattle League?) Is the idea appealing to you? What would you like to see in a new league? How would someone, or multiple someones, go about actually creating a new league here in North America? Or would they even be able to? (Is this idea at all feasible?) Discuss potential obstacles. Discuss potential awesomeness. Explore all angles.

I should've said: That is what you do when you know you'll soon be losing a guy god like Nick Lidstrom to retirement. Holland didn't do it, and now he has to overpay. And he doesn't get points for trying. Sadly, though, I'm sensing his solution is to not try at all. Because, you know, parity and growing from within and we kicked the tires and impossible to replace Nick Lidstrom, so why try and priced out and we like our team. Mmmmm. Mediocrity.

"I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want" "So tell me what you want, what you really, really want" "I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want" "So tell me what you want, what you really, really want"

Players aren't going to criticize their respective team-owners.

We could burn Little Caesars Pizza pizza boxes outside the Joe.

National coverage plz kthxbai~

John, that is what we call "lip service."

Our D is not where it needs to be. We need to add an elite piece, one of the better defensemen in the league. That's what you do when you lose a guy god like Nick Lidstrom.

(Sorry, I'm really rambling here. I'm trying to get my mind off this unholy hammering headache. Gotta make it to 1:00 in one piece, sanity intact.) Actualy, if it were up to me, I wouldn't pursue a premier scoring-line power-forward. I think I'ma vomit pretty soon. g2g deal with that, and then I have to be somewhere until much later. I think I'll start a spin-off-ish thread when I return. (Sorry for the rambling. I have no real pride in any of this, so if it seems fit for moderatorfication, go for it.)

It's the Shanahan factor. We were soft, always getting pushed around. All the skill in the world (and all the regular-season success) meant nothing against the Devils and Avalanche in the playoffs. So we ponied up for a power-forward. And we all know how that went. The key was, it wasn't just Shanahan. It wasn't a one-man thing. I mean, yeah, he was a wrecking ball for us, and it was awesome. But, more than that, it's the way our game changed. Before Shanny, we could only hurt in one way. Teams got wise, realized, "Hey, all we have to do is shut that s*** down. Then they just fold." It's the same way today, really. All we have is our skill (especially up front, on the scoring lines). I've said this before and I'll say it again. Are we superb defensively? Can we play lights-out lockdown D? No, even with Lidstrom. Are we especially big? Are we really young? Are we fast? Is our PP especially lethal? Is our penalty-kill ruthless? Can Howard steal half a dozen playoff games for us?

I'm not talking about enforcers. I'm talking about premier scoring-line power-forwards, e.g. Bobby Ryan, Corey Perry, Wayne Simmonds, Milan Lucic. Our blue line is not where it needs to be. And that bothers me. But I'd give it a fighting chance in the postseason. Our scoring lines, on the other hand - I know their chances in the playoffs. Because I've seen the future. It's in the past. (Fwooosh, plot twist!)

OK, a few things: 1. I think this is edited (I mean, beyond the obvious). Or it was just done for the cameras. 2. I actually like the message Wilson's trying to get across; it's really fairly bad-ass. It's just, he doesn't really get it across. Because, well, he's kind of a boob*. 2b. * " Hanta yo! , bay-bee!" 3. I feel like Dale Hunter would've done a better job with the material. "So there was this crazy Indian who thought he was a horse. Or something. [crickets] Anyway, the point is: KILL THE WINGS!!! [much roaring, beating of chests, etc.] 4. Good book.

You know what it is? What irks me the most about this team? It's the scoring lines. And it's because, come the postseason (whenever it may be), they're not going to be *scoring* lines. They're going to be stifled, frustrated, underachieving lines. Because they're going to be boxed out to the perimeter in the offensive zone. And they're going to have no answers. Again. This'll be, like, the 90th time this very same issue has done us in. And, accordingly, everyone will say, "Well, s***. There's absolutely no gettiing around it this time: our top-6 needs teeth. Bigger, stronger, grittier, more physical. Someone to break through the box, drive the net, cause chaos, wreak havoc, shake things up." And so we'll trade for Ray Whitney. And "Power-forwards are a rarity in this league; they're very, very hard to come by. And so, you know [ . . . ] to me, the question I have to ask myself is, Can I justify destroying this team forever [by trading a substantial number of assets] just so some jerkoffs on the interweb can sleep at night? [ . . . . ] We think Johan can be That Guy."

I like to pretend this was in Colorado.

Lights out! Locked out! Guerilla radio fellatio!

Howzabout Ian White as our home jersey?

International Leage of Shadows League?

This, this, this. "Uncle Gary" lives for two things: cultivating patronage in hard-sell markets (e.g. Glendale), and lockouts. You know what lockouts are super-good for? Losing patronage in hard-sell markets.

I'm not sore over this summer. I mean, I am - but I can't really fault Holland for it. What I can, and do, fault Holland for is his complacency and inaction re: Nick's looming retirement. There was no transition plan; he did nothing to cushion the coming blow. And so, there he was - jumping through hoops for frickin' Ryan Suter. And here he is - essentially stuck with what we have, unless he wants to pay a king's ransom (which is, actually, necessary, as we do need an elite first-pairing piece). Maybe I dreamed this, but I seem to recall Babcock recently saying something along the lines of "I don't know how we're gonna get it done [with this roster, i.e. this blue line], but we'll find a way." Translation: "Kenny, you son of a *****." This is the Detroit Red Wings. It's Cup-or-bust, 24-7-365. It's Holland's job (or at least a huge-ass, mega-central part of it) to put this team in the best position he possibly can. And, unfortunately, he's dropped the ball re: our blue line. Which wouldn't bother me if this were, like, the Leafs. Or any other organization, really. But, again, this is the Wings. And Ken Holland is the best GM in the league, no questions asked. And that's what gets me. Everyone's breathing a collective sigh of relief because - praise Jesus on high! - we've locked up a Plan B C D E in Carlo Colaiacovo. ("I never doubted you, Mr. Holland!") And, hey, Quincey was horrible for us, but he'll be amazing for us. And Kronwall's not really a full-on #1, and White should only be a #2 if the #1 is Nick Lidstrom (and even then...) - but they'll be fine! I feel like The Bar has been lowered. I could go on, but this is already ranty enough, I guess.

The current scheme makes more sense to me. (Home is special. Your colors are special. You wear your colors at home. Special.) But the old way is so deeply ingrained in me that even now, after all this time with the current way, it still doesn't feel right. I have to think about it for a couple seconds. "OK, white. So we're home away. Got it." I guess my vote is for home. Because, like, tradition, yo.

Retool. We need... - An elite defenseman. - More depth on the back-end. Team-crippling injuries are the norm for us, not the exception. - A power-forward. Too much girly Euro-skill in the top-6. And don't say Franzen. - To get bigger up front (top and bottom 6). Trade Quincey ("He was terrible for us, but he's gonna be awesome for us!"), a roster forward, and a pick/prospect for a high-end defenseman. Sign Corey Perry or die. Add some big mean bodies. Stop kicking tires.