RusDRW

We still have enough skill in the lineup. What is about a bit more toughness? Tootoo-Ott-Abdelkader as out 4th line? Whta would it take considering that Ott played 2nd line minutes last leason in Dallas?

Godard, yeah? He and every other pure enforcer is not not on the ice in the play-offs. We need guys like Darren McCarty. Ott fits this well. Traded? f***. Looks like I forgot.

Helm will never be a second liner. He might be the best 3rd liner but it does not mean he could fill 2nd line role.

If they both are going to maintain their current level of play through their late 30th their numbers are going to be up there. Steve. Y and Lids are very exceptional players. There are only few of them in the history. Still there are more than 100 retired numbers around the league. For example, I bet LaFontain's and Trottier's numbers are out of circulation in Buffalo and NY. Dats and Zet are pretty comparable to them.

St. Louis added Tarasenko as well. This could be a substatial increase in offense.

The return isn't that bad as people make it to believe. Erixon is a very good D prospect that has potential to be as good as , for example, T. Enstrom. Dubinsky and Anisimov are hardworking top-9 guys and 1st round pick never hurts. They need a coach like Babcock to make things happen with that roster.

I doubt Ryan's value is less than that of Nash.

A bit of provocation, yea. Still, who do you think would be worse for us? Something tells me Kostitsin is what Holland says "one of the agents we are moderately interested in".

just like I said take a look at the WJHC 2012 game between Russia and Canada and you'll see that all. Speed, creativity, accurate passing of Russian players vs brute force, activity, pressere of Canadian players. It does not mean that there are no good forecheckers from Russia (Dvuruchesly) or speesters (Etem) from Canada. It is somethings that has never changed. Well, for a short time Russians tried to play like Canadians in 90s. It din't work. Now it is once again: will hardwork outwork skill or not... Looking forward to more games between Canada and Russia. In late 90s and 00s Canada dominated which is understandable. Closer to 2010s we were better, well except for that Olympic quarerfinals. The rest was ours including three concecutive wins in WJHC that Canadians values more than WHC meetings.

and then just after singing they trade him to Columbus to be a "center/winger/mentor/whatever" for Nash getting Johansen, Umberger and say Wizniewski back. That the way Philly is operating

"The mother of all elbows" by a Russian

What if it is Ilitch who decided to stop spending up to the cap seeing that the "parity" is indeed there and "any team" (not "can" but "must") must win? Have you thought about that? It is business and if you know you're not winning anyway why to spend up to the cap?

well the blind hate is there. W.E.D.

there is some truth here. We were united more or less up to 90s. We indeed had something to play for and that was not money. Now, money is the only law in Russia. We have no uniting ideas (bet you don't get what it is), no support from each other, no support from goverment, nothing... It is like each individual is alone and feels alone, not only in hockey. This stimulates influx of players with individual mentality, e.g. Filatov.

We play a very different style of game (I'm Russian in spite of my place of residence) that may sometimes LOOK lazy. If you would watch some old games between Russia and Canada you see that most of the time Russian players spend energy on the ice when they see there is a chance to score. We usually spent way less time in D and always look for an opportunity. It is in our minds. Canadians on the other hand are taught to work first and only then to create on the ice. That's why you see so many excellent D-orineted forwards in Canada. Sometimes one side prevails over the other. Last WJHC game between Canada and us (6:5) was a clear indication of this concept. All the goals scored by us were creative speedy ones, while those scored by Canada were hardworking ones. Sad to say but hardwork usually wins... PS To anser precisely. Russians are not lazy, they just play a different style of game. PPS Datsyuk is different. Fedorov was a prototypical Russian forward. Eager to get offense going still sufficiently reliable defensively.

Well, I won some money predicting LA as the winner this season in one local Finnish betting agency. At least for me it was not a big surprise. Just a quick look at their roster shows that they can go very far this season as well. Same quick look at our roster shows 1st round exist at best.

Well, it is tough to face the fact that we are not a contender.... I took it for granted for 19 years that I followed the Red Wings. Any advices?

a true king of US-English? Wanna talk some Finnish, Russian or Swedish?

Well, good bye Logan. I've heard we have a guy named Lashoff? Is he stil with us? + Marchenko who is jus behind Oulette in your list.

I bet Kenny is golfing right now....

Yes, excessive passing on PP is the root of the problem. Don't think it works like you proposed but shooting the puck on PP never hurts. Especially, still having good forwards like Cleary or Bert that can collapse to the crease. However, getting Sammy I think our problem is automatically solved.

Semin and Doan would make this offseason A. Trading/waiving Emmerton would make it A+. This is what the doctor ordered for this team. Our D is not that bad as people picture it to be.

Looks like it is a circle as Russian media quotes "Sirius/XM radio" for this rumour. See here http://allhockey.ru/news/126603/

It was awful every year since 2008 (including 2009 SC). Makes me think it is more about players not wanting to work hard rather than 3 coaches who tried to run it.

Why not to compare Granlund to, say, Pulkkinen. You know that guy we have in our system.. 2010-11 Jokerit Helsinki SM-liiga 55 18 36 54 2011-12 Jokerit Helsinki SM-liiga 56 16 21 37 last two seasons in, how you say, "in a superior and defensive minded league" and "in a league where he's playing with men years older than him". Looks like we're in "win-win" situation. If AHL is better we have Tatar, if for some reason you think Finnish local league is better, Pulkkinen is on par. Meanwhile, last WHC Granlund was a shadow of his former self. Bust?