Aussie_Wing

This just goes to show pre-season means absolutely nothing. We beat the Leafs 5-3 with half our team.

Now I don't want to say I told you so but I kinda did tell you so.

Are there lots of Toronto fans in the crowd? Sure sounds like it on radio. Well this game could be over, disappointing.

OK predicition time, who's scoring our first goal of the season? I'll say Holmstrom.

That sounded close, third line seems to be playing pretty well and getting some chances.

I tell you what, it should be!

Welcome! You obviously don't need to be told because you've been around the place for a while but this really is a terrific site and I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun here.

I can't believe it's actually here, season opener! Just crawled out of bed to listen, I mean it is 9:30, but that's very early for me. Oh I wish I could see the banner raising ceremony, I remember the last time it occured it was live into Australia. Unfortunately not this time. Oh the excitement, go Wings!

Gyroscope- Australia. Such a great song!

To be fair to Dallas though, Detroit were prepared to offer him virtually the same deal...

Helm played 67 games in the AHL last season…

His time on the PK has been dramatically reduced over the past 1-2 seasons with the emergence of Franzen and Filppula. They are both now given significant time while shorthanded and as a result Maltby’s ice-time is on the decline. I have been calling for the Wings to trade/waive Maltby for a few years now. I was absolutely ready to give up on him last season but I must admit he was pretty good during the playoffs and now I’m happy for him to be around for another season. Sure Helm is probably a superior player and it would be nice for have him in to have some more youth, but Maltby is a pretty important member come playoff time, that’s what he’s here for.

Hossa won't be back. Chances are Samuelsson won't be back either because Franzen, Zetterberg and Hudler are going to demand pretty hefty salary increases. Leino will need to be re-signed too. I'm sorry but as much as we would all like Hossa to stay, and in a perfect world he would, he is merely a rental, a perfect one at that because it cost us nothing but $ to sign him. I'm a tad disappointed Leino has been sent down but man those are some massive compliments from Babcock. Injuries happen, and as soon as one of our scorers suffers an injury he will be the first to be called up. He hasn't put a foot wrong in the pre-season, scoring 6 points in 8 games, and taken advice from Babcock on board. He'll be back sooner rather than later. As for Ericsson, was always going to be sent down, no disappointment on that one despite how good he obviously is. It's quite staggering how much depth we have, we are loaded!

McCarty seems to be banged up an awful lot. I doubt he'll make it through the season.

Boyd the Void! Let's get him back! Staffan Kronwall placed on waivers? I was only just reading some Toronto fan who said he would finally get the ice-time he deserves this season to prove himself...

The only thing that slightly comforts me in all of this is looking at our current depth and the defensive prospects we have coming up. There's always rumours surrounding Lidstrom and when he's ready to retire, but quite honestly, he just isn't slowing down and could be playing for another 5 years. Rafalski, Kronwall and Stuart are all on long term deals and are all reasonably young. Ericsson will be a top 4 guy in a couple of years. Lebda and Meech will always be #5/6 guys, and Pyett shapes up to be in this group too. Then there's Kindl, and Smith. Should both reach their potential they are top pairing defenceman, and certainly no worse than #4. Then there is the recently signed 'bonus draft pick' Lashoff as well as last years draftee Max Nicastro. As of right now we have a ton of depth on defence, and even in 4-5 years time a lot of the current guys will still be around and by then Kindl and Smith will be making major strides. They obviously see the least upside in Quincey and hence he's the one to make way. But I am still disappointed; you know what I'm like, I hate losing any young prospect.

Even though that best defenceman didn't even play half the playoff games last year? Or even though he will be gone next year and Quincey could well have developed into a very solid NHL defenceman?

Dallas to defeat Columbus on Friday. Cheers for the game timothy!

I'll be honest, I'll be very disappointed if and when he is traded. I like the fact that he's only young and plays a physical game, I like the fact that he could develop into a pretty solid NHL defenceman. And despite the fact people have already written him off on the back of a few pre-season games, he's still only 23. He'll end up playing consistent minutes with another NHL team this season and that'll be painful to see. I wanted him to make it with the Wings.

And furthermore, didn't he have a lot of supporters on this site and a few wanted the Wings to sign him? 25 goals, 48 points in 2005/06 along with 107 PIM's. It's all been downhill from this point onwards, on and off the ice.

Just thought I'd add that while we might use the word bird, I only rarely hear it. And when does Quantum of Solace come out?!

Don't worry, I agree. As I posted over at HFBoards, Meech might have the highest upside of the 3 (Meech, Lebda, Quincey) but I would still take Quincey of the lot. He has size, is pretty solid defensively (should be a given I know) and he will dish out some hits. He's starting to fight now and he can provide the odd offensive production. His AHL rookie season is still probably his best year to date in professional ranks, and it's a bit of a puzzle as to why he hasn't developed much thereafter. But he's still only 23 and given the impressive tools he has, he could potentially be a 4th/5th defenceman down the track IMO. I still haven't given up on him.

I don’t get this view. Sure we were up, sure he doesn’t have to fight, but why then initiate things by cross checking your opponent which is most likely going to leave him wanting a fight?

Leino is a real good player, he just makes things happen. He's been chipping in with points in virtually every game. Although he will start in Grand Rapids, its only because we have so much depth on offence. It's a shame that he doesn't start in Detroit because he deserves it with the way he's been playing. Hudler has been quietly having a very impressive pre-season too, that's nothing new though, I remember he once scored a hat trick in a pre-season game when he was only about 21 (9-0 thumping of Boston if memory serves me correctly). He's played about 6 or so games and would have at least a point per game. Not sure what's going on with Filppula, he might still be struggling with his thumb injury. Not worried about his general play, but he still isn't taking shots. No SOG today and he would be lucky to be taking 1 a game. It's something he worked on over the summer so I hope he's not going back into his shell. A few more points, Franzen is unbelievable. Already showing his form to end last season wasn't a fluke as he's been truly dominant in the pre-season. He's scoring goals at will. Downey taking 3 minor penalties today probably wouldn't have impressed Babcock. Good to see Ritola still up with the club, he'll obviously be cut but one of the last cut which is promising for him. Good to see Conklin hit a bit of form after his average form of late, and Quincey played more than Ericsson tonight, do we read anything into that? Is he picking up his play?

Helm. End thread. Easily the best hockey player of the players competing for the last spot.