egroen

Orr was very good defensively. He had unparalleled speed, excellent position and stick, and played physical. Easily the best all-around player in history. A +\- of +123 in one year was not done with offense alone.

I'm happy with the Wings rolling 4 lines all year and no one scoring more than 80 or so points... that's been the case for 3 of the 4 Cup wins.

I'm calling 60+ goals from the 3rd line right now. Ridiculous. Modano just fits in with the Wings puck-possession style more than he did with the Stars' game lately... I think he'll do pretty well - and if he doesn't, not the biggest deal. I am expecting great things out of Hudler -- he made McCarty and Helm into a dangerous scoring line; imagine him having the option of Modano. Modano may float, but he still has legs, vision and a nice shot. You literally have 3 goal scorers on the 3rd line now, and Hudler and Modano are good playmakers as well. If Babcock can get Modano backchecking again, with Cleary, that line is awfully nice defensively as well.

Both Howe and Orr were much better all-around players than Lemieux. Gordie Howe finishing top 5 in scoring for 21 straight years strikes me as one that will be around for a while. Gretzky managed 16.

I don't think Gretzky would be scoring 200+ PTs in today's game, but 160 seems very doable. Gretzky would have thrived with the increased power play time of today's game and the reduced clutching and grabbing. Obviously he would also benefit from much better skates and stick. If scoring was so easy in the 80s why weren't more doing it? Take the 1987 season, for example: 1 Wayne Gretzky 183 2 Jari Kurri 108 3 Mario Lemieux 107 3 Mark Messier 107 5 Doug Gilmour 105 6 Dino Ciccarelli 103 7 Dale Hawerchuk 100 8 Michel Goulet 96 That is an absurd measure of dominance, and over some none-too-shabby players as well. I do not find it hard to believe Gretzky could do the same to the likes of Henrik Sedin as well.

Gretzky still holds the record for highest PPG for one season, or any number of seasons. Cancer was the least of Lemiuex's problems. He missed far more games due to back and hip issues. The fact he did not take very good care of himself early in his career (heavy smoker, famous junk food eater and someone who got by on talent a lot more than hard work) coupled with the style of play he had - had far more to do with his games missed than cancer. Ultimately, everything Lemieux 'could' have done, Gretzky did.

One of Gretzky's seasons he was on pace for about 240 Pts through a similar amount of games. The grind definitely takes a toll. Lemieux was incredible but the 'difference' between Gretzky and Lemiuex would be one of the greatest players of all-time (5 harts, 2 cups, 5 scoring titles, etc...)

Lemieux never scored 200... What boggles my mind is Gretzky *averaged* over 200 pts for 6 full seasons!

It's obvious the NHL will have to draw a line somewhere - as GMs will only continue to push the envelope with these signings (Howe did play until the age of 51, after all -- Zetterberg's cap hit could be $2m a year if only Holland had signed him for an additional 10 years!). I'll go ahead and say the age of 40 should be the cutoff designated by the next CBA. 46 skaters have played at the age of 40 13 at the age of 42 4 at the age of 44

Love it when Babcock speaks frankly.

IMO both Getzlaf and Forsberg are more dynamic players, while Zetterberg and Sakic are better all-around.

His wife certainly seems like a real Detroiter, I'm sure she is favoring the Motor City over sunny California!

Sakic's production was similar to Forsberg's, with Sakic being the better goal scorer and Forsberg the more physical playmaker, and Sakic was better defensively. Sakic also had a Conn Smythe and was a better leader. I see a lot of similarities.

No. 1) Zetterberg is better now and with a limited time of elite Lidstrom left I want to win now. 2) Zetterberg is a living breathing testament to the Wings system - drafted late; became a humble, hard-working star and two-way force. Every prospect drafted, no matter how late, only has to look at Z to know the sky is the limit w/ hard work and believing in the system. 3) Zetterberg is signed for life to a very good cap hit. Getzlaf is not. 4) Zetterberg is not a ******. Getzlaf is Forsberg-lite and Zetterberg is Sakic-lite.

He made a dangerous scoring line playing with Helm and McCarty - I think he can manage with whatever linemates he ends up with this year.

And I think he was noticeably struggling with his injury. His name belongs right there with Ovechkin, Crosby and Zetterberg in terms of playoff monsters the past few years. Now if only we could get a full season out of him!

Rafalski is underrated by Detroit fans (Lidstrom effect) - he's easily Top 20. This is the guy that is usually in the top 10 for points, just was the defenseman of the olympics and plays pretty good defense to boot. Kronwall has it in him to be up there too.

Did I just see Kopecky projected on a 2nd line???

Lidstrom was 4th in voting for the Norris and was selected as a 2nd Team All-Star -- making it 11 years he has made the post-season All-Star Team, which is an incredible accomplishment. That ties him with Doug Harvey, but still well behind Ray Bourque with an amazing 19.

Thanks, I had no idea - thought he was injured dog sledding.

Just that Teemu could be derailed by injuries as well. Skill and talent is there to be elite talents.

Seen a lot of debates a couple years ago as to who would go first - Hall or Pulkkinen. Before the injuries many thought he would be NHL ready right out of the draft. Total boom or bust here - could be a franchise player or could be the next Grigorenko.

Green is average defensively at best, and that is generous. Even when he is not caught up the ice he gets burned on almost a per shift basis. His +\- is great b/c the line he mainly plays on scores buckets against primarily grind lines that rarely score anyways. Caps make no effort to have him out against top lines, and appear to actually avoid it. He's anywhere from their 4th to 6th option on the PK. Every year he is a downright liability in the playoffs, when checking becomes tighter. I do view his runner-ups for the Norris as a joke, especially when every GM in the league would want at least 5-6 defenseman ahead of him. That he did not even make Team Canada is particularly telling. IMO a defenseman like Green needs Coffey-like domination to beat out more well-rounded defenders, and Green is certainly no Coffey.

The league was effective when it fined for diving and published the fines (using video review). The NHLPA threw a fit and it was done away with. It just can't be effectively deterred at ice level.

Try saying that fast ten times.