clutchngrab

If you are a fan of a team and you consistently lose to another team especially in the playoffs you develop a dislike for said team based on frustration.

Lou, I define soft as someone that can't take or give a check and refuses to skate in the traffic areas. Do you have a diff definition? Sure Dats isn't going to hammer anyone, but obviously that's not his game. Willie, who was the biggest ***** of the lot, is gone. Huds doesn't check real hard, but he skates in the traffic areas. Franzen, Homer? Not soft. Zets? Not soft. Maltby, Draper? Not soft. I think you are one of those fans that goes "ooh and ahh" when some forward lays a big body check and completely forgets the puck and/or defensive responsibilities. As a case ion point, they were not a "soft" team the other night against the Preds which is the closest we have been to a playoff game so far this year. Now imagine that same effort minus Willie + a reasonably healthy Bert and we should be fine. I'm curious as to what team you feel is sufficiently "hard" out there?

Well, it would be nice to have 1 guy that could play the enforcer role. Not sure that is Bert, though. As I'm sure you know, fighting is pretty irrevelant anyway in playoff games, so it is much better to have guys that can skate and finish checks. Now I don't feel as bad about playing the Sharks, Ducks or Flames, and I think we positively match up against the Preds. Here is something to ponder: Imagine late in the 3rd period of a game 7 down a goal. Your ace in the hole becomes Dats, Hank, Bert. Scary huh.

2 plus some of the grit we already have. Don't forget you need talent as well otherwise nothing happens. I don't think grit is now the issue. Unless you are mistaking grit for say fighting.

Halleleuja - All of you grit slappies can finally shut up. Holland hasn't been perfect but he has been pretty good over the years: He has stopped mortgaging the future anually in the Deadline sweepstakes He signed Lang for nothing from Washington He found Sammie and Cleary pretty much out of nowhere He (and the organization) have done a commendable job of drafting thru the years with late picks He helped keep this team competitive post cap when everyone was saying the emd of the wings is near He made 2 potentially big payoff trades this year while giving up nothing He has arguably the best player in the NHL right now for what 2 or 2.5 mil a year? An absolute steal He is paying Datsyuk commensurate with his CURRENT market value He and babs are slowly but surely changing the shape of this team to be harder to play against. He has no outrageous contracts to contend with. (Sure, I would not have signed Lilja or Williams to the deals they got, but that's a trifle). Best of all he is patient, Grit Slappies, and he has not mortgaged the future for today like a few teams did this deadline season. If Bert pans out, we sign him and Dats and let Lang go, we should be very good next year too.

I agree with all that, plus Calder will skate and work in the corners. Williams is crappy on D, won't hit, won't get hit... I could go on, but why? He's GONE -- YEEHAW

Its a better team because we just shed some useless contract money. That's important now-a-days.

I'm late too. Overall this may benefit the wings slightly. Both are under-performing this year, but Williams had worn out my welcome at least. Maybe Calder will come with some energy. Besides we didn't want Williams contract the way he was playing. Anyhow, I'm sure there will be more done before the end of the deadline.

Just ******* waive williams already, free up some salary and move Huds to the 2nd line. I suspect the 2 czechs will have some chemistry.

Marty brings nothing special that we don't get from someone like Franzen. He's a 2-mil a year grinder. No thanks.

Nice link. Kudos to Kenny for not morgaging for a rental. Appaently Nashville feels they are deep enough in prospects. We'll see. no f'ing way! We need a bag of pucks to seal the deal.!

Relax kiddies. This is like poker - right now the preds look like they have the cards, but you never know. I still think they are soft and will lose maybe even to the wings because I believe our defense is actually better. You all know that the playoffs turn everything upside down. Remember top seeds 1- 4 all lost in the first round last year. Assville has holes just like all teams do ( even, apparently, the Ducks and Sabres). We'll get some players and maybe go on a run. Hell - all we need is one more line that can score and we are as dangerous as anyone else.

maybe, but he isn't as good a skater and his numbers aren't close to Guerin's. Walt doesn't seem near the player he used to be.

Exactly, stick a horse on his line and Lang will be fine. (Hey that rhymes.)

Why Tkachuk over Guerin?

Don't worry, he's having dental work on Monday and then he'll be all pretty again.

All of you crying for a deal right now need to be patient. It will happen and it will be good - you'll see. Take a deep breath, say to yourself " I am not afraid of any team that wears mustard yellow sweaters." See now doesn't that feel better?

oops yeah! good catch. I like Lebda for a young guy.

Probably offered Williams and Lebda and the FLyers recoiled in horror.

Well at least we all have a better reason to hate the preds. BTW, I still think we match up pretty well, they are mostly a bunch of figure skaters and are not as tough to play as Calgary, Anaheim or San Jose.

3.5m for 2 more years is all that should need to be said.

me too. Wings are still completely suceptible to a trapping team game like we saw against St. Louis. We'll see this again in the playoffs.

tick tock, is the sound of a clock. Time waits for no man. Especially professional athletes who's better days are past. No to D-Mac, Feds, LaPointe, Drake, Gordie Howe, Sid Abel, Alex Delvecchio, etc. I have great memories of all of these players. Don't ruin my memories by bringing them back.

What about renting Sundin? Though the leaves are pretty hot right now and won't part until they inevitably tank.

I think Dats has performed commensurate with his current salary. He will have to have a monster playoff to get to the 6 - 7 mil mark. Currently, I think he is about 36th in the league in ppg average which does not justify that anywhere near what his agent wants.