AUWingsFan

Door Man, I'm extremely jealous....not only do you get to meet the Wings and see the Cup in person, you get to see the President of the United States of America and visit the White House! I haven't watched the video yet, but read the transcript. It sounds like it was a great ceremony. What I think will be cool is if George W and his dad show up sometime in the playoffs (if we make it) wearing their jerseys!! I honestly wouldn't be surprised to see it since he used to own the Rangers and seems to be a fairly down to earth guy......Imagine how great it'd be to brag about having two former presidents and Kristen Bell as Red Wings fans!!

I was as shocked as anyone that we were able to land Hossa. I think he'll fit in just fine. I'll admit that I was looking forward to him coming in the first two games and breaking out, but that wasn't being realistic. In my opinion he's shown flashes of what he can do, especially the other night when he showed off his amazing speed. From what I've read Hossa, Holmstrom and Datsyuk weren't able to play together too much during the preseason so I'm sure they are still adapting to each other.....once they end up gelling I think they'll be something special! Go Wings!

I think that as part of the team they earned the right to celebrate. Wouldn't they be kicking themselves for never touching it this time and never winning a Cup again? I understand the superstition, but always sort of thought about it in the way of being on a team that won the Cup, not necessarily being one of the players who played most of the games....if teams didn't want the guys who didn't "contribute" to touch the Cup and be a part of the celebration then they'd make sure the players/staff/whomever else, didn't get on the ice to celebrate. At least that's my opinion.

So obviously we have a logjam on D.....does anyone think we might trade a D-man and a forward? If I were Holland and could find a taker, I'd trade a D-man and Samuelsson.....according to the salary figures on this site Samuelsson will be making 1.2 mil this season....if we can trade him and Lebda (honestly I know some people dog Lilja, but I do like that he's willing to drop the gloves every now and then and has a bit of an edge to his game) then I think we'd free up more than enough room for the guys remaining and may even have some left over. By the way, does anyone know what the smallest salary is we could actually pay Chelios? I'm sure the CBA has some stipulation on a minimum salary for a player that has been around for awhile, but I was wondering if he made the league minimum last year or if he didn't, so that would free up some more space if Chelios would sign for a little less money.....it seems to me that he's waiting to sign a contract until Holland has put all the other pieces into place so he can figure out where he fits cap wise...

I hope we can keep both McCarty and Downey, but don't know how we'll be able to do it under the cap and even with roster spots......I have faith that Holland will do what is necessary he's proven that we should give him the benefit of the doubt and then some... I know that some don't think they played an important role, but I thought it was nice having Downey around during the regular season to step up when needed....sure they didn't get much playing time in the playoffs, but I think winning the president's trophy helped out... Is there any way we can keep Downey on as a consultant? Didn't Holland ask one of the younger guys (Quincey?) to work on their fighting and learn from Downey??

he will wear 74 (for the 7.4 million).....but I wish he'd wear 00, no one ever uses double zero and I think that's a shame

I am excited about the Hossa signing but getting Filpulla signed is beginning to be my big concern now. But the thing is everyone seems to think that all these guys want is money, but the Hossa signing has shown that they can choose success over a huge payday (although I'd gladly work for 7.4 million...its not exactly chump change)..... If Filpulla wants to stay here he will and I have faith that Holland will put the best team he can on the ice at the best price..... I'm curious to see if Hossa will buy into the system after a year and we'll be able to resign Hossa, Zetterberg and Franzen after next season....wouldn't that be something!!

Wow!! This is great news!! I wish the season would hurry up and start soon....we are going to be unbelievable!!

I am not going to lie, I liked seeing the guy in a Wings uniform and I still wouldn't mind seeing him again for the right price (i.e. he clears waivers and we can get him for much less than he made last year), but as others have said where would he play? I think he'd give us another huge body around the net....imagine how great it'd be to put him out with Franzen and Holmstrom every now and then to bang around and cause some matchup problems..... I trust Holland to do what is best....he thought Bert was worth going after a year ago, but who knows what he'll do now that we won the Cup..... Go Wings! P.S. If Holland is looking for a veteran to replace Drake I don't think Bertuzzi would be a bad idea at all, he brings size and more of a scoring touch...at least in my opinion

Personally I love Downey because for the most part he didn't take stupid penalties....so if he's the guy we keep around I'll be more than happy! I also wouldn't mind Laraque since the guy is a beast. Those videos were great. The fight with Brashear was a great one, but my favorite was hearing Darren Pang announce the one where Laraque was mic'd up so we heard the two guys talk about the fight before the faceoff.....Although that is sort of a problem to me, because the last thing we need is for someone to take a penalty when one isn't needed, but chances are good both players would be in the box and so the teams would be at even strength. My heart is still with Downey though because you can tell he's giving it all he has every shift, which is nice. He also is great at picking his spots and doesn't just try to start a fight to do it (so he doesn't take an instigator penalty). Who knows, maybe Pavel and Downey can work out an agreement for Pav to help Downey with his scoring and Downey will help Pav with his fighting!! Go Wings! P.S. I think we should all be happy the Wings are going to carry an enforcer....it's nice to know we have one somewhere instead of watching our guys get run and becoming frustrated because there's no one to do anything about it.......

You know its funny to see this thread here today because I had a dream last night that I was watching the Wings at the beginning of next season and saw a player with the name Avery on the back of their jersey....I was really pumped up, but then I found out it was someone else with the last name Avery....... I wouldn't mind having him back I've always been a fan!

I'm actually happy to hear that Hossa will test free agency because I hold out hope that he'll decide he wants to play for the Wings and sign for less money that he might elsewhere. I know he is giving up a good opportunity to win the Cup with Pittsburgh but if you were given the choice between going to the defending Stanley Cup Champs or return to a team that came up short which would you choose?? I know he probably won't sign here, but unless I'm missing something he could still sign anywhere but Pittsburgh for less than they offered him, that's the benefit of him being an unrestricted free agent correct??? Hopefully he wants to win and is willing to take less money to do so..... But just for the record I don't want to lose any of our up and coming talent like Franzen or Filpulla to sign Hossa, so if we can't fit him without being dangerously close to getting ourselves into cap trouble then I say Kenny doesn't even bother....but it never hurts to ask so hopefully Kenny will at least see if he's interested......

I hope we can resign Stuart, I really liked the physical play he brought with Kronwall, and it was nice to be able to pair Lidstrom or Rafalski with Kronwal or Stuart to give the team another way to mix offense with big hitting.... Hopefully he'll sign on for more money, but regardless I have faith that Holland will do the right thing.....sure I've been disappointed with some moves in the past few years (I thought it was bad to lose Schneider and Bertuzzi, but Kenny replaced Schneider with Rafalski which was brilliant and we really didn't miss Bertuzzi, especially with the emergence of Franzen).....but overall I trust that Ken Holland knows a lot more about the market and each situation than any of us know so he'll be able to make a very educated decision, so I'm cool with whatever he decides because we do have lots of talent on D in our system.....

That's by far the funniest thing I've heard in a long time!!!

yeah being in the South I have no chance of seeing it unless someone posts it on youtube or even better in a torrent.....I want to see highlights of Hudler since he was supposed to be so pumped up! Go Wings! And thanks in advance to anyone who can help us out with some video!

Has anyone been able to order the DVD online? Since I'm in Alabama I most likely won't be able to grab one in person, at least not until we visit our family up there..... Another question is whether any of you know if the DVD they advertised last night is the same thing as the previous Hockeytown videos that were released when we won the Cup in 02 and I believe I have one from 98? Thanks in advance for the help! P.S. I've checked the NHL Shop online but couldn't find the DVD they advertised, only a generic placeholder for a 2007-2008 Stanley Cup Champions DVD which I'm guess will become the Red Wings DVD now that they know we won........

I loved the entire playoff run, but a few highlights are: -Seeing some of our younger guys step up in the playoffs (Helm, Filpulla, Hudler) -Watching Franzen continue to emerge -Seeing Pav and Hank dominate -Watching the Wings play physical (Pav punching Gary Roberts anyone?) -Seeing Lidstrom hand the Cup to Drake first and seeing the excitement on his face.....that is what is great about the Stanley Cup playoffs and if more people were aware of how grueling the run can be and how hard it is to win the Cup then I think the sport would have more fans The biggest highlight for me was that the Wings won the Cup and showed they could win games in any number of ways.... Go Wings! One last highlight was seeing Gill and Holmstrom shake hands and give a little smile....that was great!

I was really angry that there was no call on that play, the guy knocking the stick out of Lilja's hands should have been called and the play resulted in a goal. If the Pens had tied the game you can bet there would have been more than a few angry Wings fans! Oh well, I think it only goes to show how great this team is that they were able to win the Cup despite some questionable officiating! Go Wings!

I am glad Babcock said something......he's awesome! You know what I think would be great? I would love to see Fleury try to get a call by embellishing some small contact (or even no contact) but the refs not make the call and the Wings put in the game winner because he was trying to get a call....wouldn't it be great?? (It'd almost be as great as Roy's statue of liberty move without the puck back in 02) Go Wings!

I'm glad to see that Babcock finally said something! I know that the goal was scored on the high sticking call, but the Wings were not helped by the fact they had to kill off two "goaltender interference" penalties....... I tell you though, Babcock looks even more fired up and I can't imagine how pumped he'll have our guys tomorrow night when they take the ice in Pittsburgh!! Go Wings!!

I'm not nervous....I don't play the games.......... I honestly think it might be easier for us to get the fourth win on the road because you don't have the pressure of trying to win it at home, you don't have all the distractions that you would if you were at home (like having to worry about family calling all the time or old friends looking for tickets, etc).....so basically the away team can work on isolating themselves to focus without all the distractions that come with being at home..... If the Wings play their game the way they can they should be able to close out the series in Game 6, but I'm not nervous because I don't know if the Pens will get the benefit of the Wings accidentally shooting a puck off a Penguin's foot into their own net again...... Also I knew going into the game last night that we only had to win one out of the next three, where the Pens had to win all three...... I'd also like to add that the loss wasn't really crushing, crushing would have been blowing a 2-0 lead on the road to keep your team's season alive and then allowing the home team to storm back to take the lead, only to see you tie it in the closing seconds of regulation, and then your team losing in 3 overtimes and going home.....so no I'm not crushed at all, and I don't think the Wings will be, they're professionals and have been in these situations before...... Go Wings!

I may be wrong, but I was watching NHL Live! a few weeks ago and they had the "keeper of the cup" on the show and he said that there really aren't any hard and fast rules used as much anymore.....so I'm pretty sure that Downey will be on the Cup. I agree with the others that he's played enough games to get his name on the Cup now, but even if he doesn't qualify initially I don't see the Wings not putting his name on the Cup because of how much he contributed during the regular season, not to mention moving the forklift out of the way before practice the other day in Pittsburgh! Oh and he'll most definitely get a ring (unless something strange happens) because I heard that the rings are a private thing done by the team and the Cup is the only thing totally affiliated with the NHL...... Go Wings!

I've got to be honest that I do worry that even if the Wings do win the Cup the Conn Smythe will end up with Sidney Crosby. I seem to remember Giguere winning it the year the Ducks lost......since it goes to the MVP of the Playoffs I wouldn't put it past the league giving the award to Crosby (especially if he remains the points leader)..... Having said that, I hope the Wings take care of business in Game 5, win the Cup on home ice and one of our boys gets the Conn Smythe....my guess for the Wings player is Zetterberg, but if Franzen has a big game I think he should get consideration, but I think looking at overall play I'd give Zetterberg the nod because of his D. Go Wings!

I think that it was one of those frame by frame deals they do in some replays for other sports (golf comes to mind most of all)..... I figured it was a test run to see what type of reaction they'd get for using it.....personally I didn't like it. Granted I was younger then and maybe thought it was just really cool, but I liked the glow puck (and I seem to remember that the line would change from blue to red the harder the puck was moving....but maybe I'm confusing it with Wayne Gretzky's 3D hockey for N64!)....... If the new technology is what they showed after the game I say don't use it, it's a bit too distracting... Go Wings!

So I hadn't heard about the lovely Miss Bell's crush on Ozzie until you guys mentioned it.....I know if I'd have heard that she had a crush on me I'd have told the coach I was sick and invited her to watch the game with me while I recovered....... She needs to show up to a game so they'll stop talking about Sidney Crosby.....and since she's in Heroes it wouldn't be too much of a stretch.......a guy can dream can't he?