clutchngrab

Too many aged players (not Lidstrom) who decide not to take it on themselves to make a difference. Can't fault the young guys or Flip tonight. This is all on the crap that Bert, Z and Mule display as often as not. It's a pretty complacent group in the room without Dats.

Still pretty useless. He had a horrible game except for a few shifts in the 3rd where he actually did something. I'll take Hudler over Cleary any day.

I don't know, he had a number 1 hit with "The Joker" and "Rock-n-me Baby" plus "Jet Airliner", "Fly Like an Eagle", etc. I think he'll be OK.

It's pretty simple - if the Holland wants to win a cup then either thru trades, call-ups, or signings, the wings need to find better players for the roles that Bertuzzi and Hudler currently play. Keep in mind none of the other active forwards belong in the top 6 either - especially Cleary. The ironic thing is that overall our goaltending and defense is as good as it has been in years. Its the forwards that have taken a dive. Pretty much the opposite of our power years in the past.

Actually, we need both. If you look at our top 6 we are not doing service to the talents of Z and D. Especially Datsyuk. At least Zetterberg has Filpula who has been playing very good hockey. Franzen... too much of a no show night in and night out. Hudler and Bert in the top 6 pretty much says how far the wings will go this year.

Here's trouble - Shanny would actually check at times.

He's a border line grammar retard. Every time I hear him say so-and-so played "good" instead of "well" I kind of cringe in a subtle way - and I ain't no grammar police. I don't know he just seems pretty dumb - not GWB kinda dumb - but close....

Babcock is a pretty good system coach, but a pretty poor bench coach in general. I really don't know why he doesn't adjust playing time and line combos based on the evidence in front of his face on any given night. It seems pretty simple: every line needs a corner guy, a play-maker and a shooter. If you mix up lines on the fly, then make sure the roles are covered. For example, tonight Helm looked very good and his speed could have countered the Blues aggressiveness. So maybe, just maybe, put him om the second line w/ Z when we see the hitchcock system smothers guys like Hudler or Cleary. The wings are too predictable and too easy to beat if a team runs a disciplined system and we don't have the skill we used to. Plus, I'm guessing Babcock doesn't "engage" the players like he used to. Scotty was the best at that and I don't think it was an accident that he won so many cups and pissed off so many egos... At the end of the day, whether you want to blame the players or the coach losing in the stanley cup finals with a 3-2 lead is never reconciled between the coach and the players. It's the same reason Vancouver won't be back. I think this phenomena haunts babcock and the team. Babcock's time has run its course, but Holland has no real balls in any kind of personnel changes.

Great post. I have no idea how Babcock and Holland can surround one of the top players in the game with the likes of Bertuzzi, Cleary or even Homer (at this point of his career). Homer gets the nod for now, but how in the hell do you not reward/punish based on performance? I miss Scottie. s*** would be rolling right about now.

Oh yeah? What style was that? Somehow worse than Hudler? Ridiculous. Babcock and Holland can't manage personnel - it's been obvious for a while. For example, not finding legit wingers to play with Dats is borderline criminal. Here we have one of the top few players in the game playing with no line mates. What a ******* waste.

Rentals are so pre-cap

I want to win the lottery...What's wrong with posting that? RFA's just don't make sense - especially with a very expensive Weber and a post-concussed Doughty. Please - can we be a little more realistic? Thank you.

I realize most of you are in the eastern time zone and don't get to watch Vancouver that much, but their team is the real deal and it's partly due to having a very good and tough puck-moving defense headed by Bieska. He skates, hits and shoots very well. The best potential d-man out there, though he may cost more than 4 mil to move.

Torres > skill than Perros + is more of a checker than a fighter.

Please no to Kaberle or Brewer. Keep in mind Torres is a UFA as well. Not sure the Canucks cap situation, but after they win the cup, it should be harder to retain everyone.

Personally, I really like Bieska in these playoffs and he has been pretty good for a while now. He would be more than a serviceable replacement for Rafalski and if Lids takes less in salary (not necessarily bonuses) than we still have 3 or 4 mil to play with. Dropping Huds seems to be a no-brainer and now we have some interesting possibilities at forward as well - even though the crop is not that lucrative. This is what we need to be contenders again. All eyes will be on Holland and he will have to earn his keep for the first time in a while.

I was really hoping for one last kick of the can from Modano, but it never really happened this year. He's done. I actually expect more from Draper at this point - and that's not saying much. At least Drapes can win a face-off and get his ass off the ice.

It all comes down to whether Franzen, Cleary, Bertuzzi and Flip can turn the dial it up a notch. All of these guys have under performed during the last couple of months.

Babcock has never figured out how to coach a veteran team. Unlike Bowman, he doesn't know when to drive or lay off. To be honest, I don't forgive him the loss in the SCF when we had a 3-2 lead in games. Coaches have a shelf life and maybe Babs has expired.

given these refs, this is a game for an enforcer - and I usually don't say that.

Yeah JH looked annoyed at the end. Gave up a softy or 2 and the D quit on him - but maybe that's good and they will show up on time for the next game. If the victory is too sweet, then they get complacent.

Hudler has hit his stride and is playing well within his limitations. The reason he plays so well with Datsyuk is that once in the zone they are both creative play-making type players that can shoot and see the ice well. The difference is that Jiri doesn't have the skating, physicality or creativity to create the time and space he needs that Datsyuk does - however if given space and time Hudler is very good. So, Dats creates time and space for Huds. Of course Dats will elevate anyones game, but I am glad Hudler recognizes the opportunity to play with one of the top 2 or 3 forwards in the game and is working hard - unlike Mule.

The D looked like: Future fossils caught in a tar-pit. Molasses flowing uphill at 0 degrees. Turtles in a 100 yard sprint underwater :hehe:

Martin Lapointe all over again... Actually, I forgot he's on D. Take him over Rafalski's 6 mil any day