NeverForgetMac25

Absolutely....because he should feel so honored and privileged to play for the Winged Wheel.

Now imagine driving 9 hours that morning to get there and actually being at the game. That's the boat I was in. Bitter doesn't do the feeling justice.

That gentlemen's agreement that was put into place no more than two weeks is really working out well.

How do you know what goats humping sounds like? They don't own the rights to it anymore. It's not a matter of the song being old or poor.

I never said that. My exact wording was "....and Mikeal is very defensively responsible (especially on the PP point) if the play gets broken up." Just because I stated that Sammy is very defensively responsible doesn't mean I was insinuating that he is moreso than Stuart. That being said, Sammy's defensive play is beyond solid and something that most members of this site either don't admit or just don't understand the game enough to notice.

I don't see Babs splitting up the first PP unit to *start* the season either. The nice thing about adding Marian to the mix is now they have options if the first unit runs into a dry spell. However, I love the idea of keeping the ZDHLR 1st PP unit to start the season, and having a second unit of Hudler-Franzen-Hossa with Kronwall and Sammy on the back end. I still don't like the idea of Stuart being on the second unit due to the fact that he's a LH'ed shot (compared to Sammy being RH'ed) and Mikeal is very defensively responsible (especially on the PP point) if the play gets broken up.

Actually, in NN's defense I have heard those two are extremelly close friends.

This can't be true! ESPN hates hockey! They must just be showing the Pistons game twice rather than a Wings and a Pistons Game.

Here's one for you to do the leg work: Thu Oct 9, 2008 Maple Leafs @ Red Wings 8:00 PM ET Sat Oct 11, 2008 Red Wings @ Senators 7:00 PM ET Mon Oct 13, 2008 Red Wings @ Hurricanes 7:00 PM ET Thu Oct 16, 2008 Canucks @ Red Wings 7:30 PM ET Sat Oct 18, 2008 Rangers @ Red Wings 7:00 PM ET Wed Oct 22, 2008 Red Wings @ Blues 8:30 PM ET Fri Oct 24, 2008 Thrashers @ Red Wings 7:30 PM ET Sat Oct 25, 2008 Red Wings @ Blackhawks 8:30 PM ET Mon Oct 27, 2008 Red Wings @ Kings 10:30 PM ET Wed Oct 29, 2008 Red Wings @ Ducks 10:00 PM ET Thu Oct 30, 2008 Red Wings @ Sharks 10:30 PM ET Sun Nov 2, 2008 Red Wings @ Canucks 10:00 PM ET Sat Nov 8, 2008 Devils @ Red Wings 7:00 PM ET Tue Nov 11, 2008 Penguins @ Red Wings 7:00 PM ET Thu Nov 13, 2008 Red Wings @ Lightning 7:30 PM ET Fri Nov 14, 2008 Red Wings @ Panthers 7:30 PM ET Mon Nov 17, 2008 Oilers @ Red Wings 7:30 PM ET Thu Nov 20, 2008 Red Wings @ Oilers 9:00 PM ET Sat Nov 22, 2008 Red Wings @ Flames 10:00 PM ET Mon Nov 24, 2008 Red Wings @ Canucks 10:00 PM ET Wed Nov 26, 2008 Canadiens @ Red Wings 7:30 PM ET Fri Nov 28, 2008 Blue Jackets @ Red Wings 7:30 PM ET Sat Nov 29, 2008 Red Wings @ Bruins 7:00 PM ET Mon Dec 1, 2008 Ducks @ Red Wings 7:30 PM ET Thu Dec 4, 2008 Canucks @ Red Wings 7:30 PM ET Sat Dec 6, 2008 Blackhawks @ Red Wings 7:00 PM ET Wed Dec 10, 2008 Flames @ Red Wings 7:30 PM ET Fri Dec 12, 2008 Red Wings @ Stars 8:30 PM ET Sat Dec 13, 2008 Red Wings @ Coyotes 9:00 PM ET Mon Dec 15, 2008 Avalanche @ Red Wings 7:00 PM ET Thu Dec 18, 2008 Sharks @ Red Wings 7:30 PM ET Sat Dec 20, 2008 Kings @ Red Wings 7:00 PM ET Tue Dec 23, 2008 Blues @ Red Wings 7:30 PM ET Fri Dec 26, 2008 Red Wings @ Predators 8:00 PM ET Sat Dec 27, 2008 Red Wings @ Avalanche 9:00 PM ET Tue Dec 30, 2008 Blackhawks @ Red Wings 7:30 PM ET Thu Jan 1, 2009 Red Wings @ Blackhawks (Wrigley Field) 2:00 PM ET Sat Jan 3, 2009 Red Wings @ Wild 8:00 PM ET Tue Jan 6, 2009 Blue Jackets @ Red Wings 7:30 PM ET Thu Jan 8, 2009 Stars @ Red Wings 7:30 PM ET Sat Jan 10, 2009 Sabres @ Red Wings 7:00 PM ET Mon Jan 12, 2009 Red Wings @ Stars 8:00 PM ET Wed Jan 14, 2009 Red Wings @ Ducks 10:00 PM ET Thu Jan 15, 2009 Red Wings @ Kings 10:30 PM ET Sat Jan 17, 2009 Red Wings @ Sharks 10:30 PM ET Tue Jan 20, 2009 Red Wings @ Coyotes 9:00 PM ET Tue Jan 27, 2009 Red Wings @ Blue Jackets 7:00 PM ET Thu Jan 29, 2009 Stars @ Red Wings 7:30 PM ET Sat Jan 31, 2009 Red Wings @ Capitals 12:30 PM ET Mon Feb 2, 2009 Blues @ Red Wings 7:00 PM ET Wed Feb 4, 2009 Coyotes @ Red Wings 7:30 PM ET Sat Feb 7, 2009 Oilers @ Red Wings 3:00 PM ET Sun Feb 8, 2009 Red Wings @ Penguins 3:00 PM ET Tue Feb 10, 2009 Red Wings @ Predators 8:00 PM ET Thu Feb 12, 2009 Wild @ Red Wings 7:30 PM ET Fri Feb 13, 2009 Red Wings @ Blue Jackets 7:00 PM ET Sun Feb 15, 2009 Avalanche @ Red Wings 5:00 PM ET Wed Feb 18, 2009 Predators @ Red Wings 7:30 PM ET Fri Feb 20, 2009 Ducks @ Red Wings 7:30 PM ET Sat Feb 21, 2009 Red Wings @ Wild 8:00 PM ET Wed Feb 25, 2009 Sharks @ Red Wings 7:30 PM ET Fri Feb 27, 2009 Kings @ Red Wings 7:30 PM ET Sat Feb 28, 2009 Red Wings @ Predators 8:00 PM ET Tue Mar 3, 2009 Red Wings @ Blues 8:30 PM ET Wed Mar 4, 2009 Red Wings @ Avalanche 9:00 PM ET Sat Mar 7, 2009 Blue Jackets @ Red Wings 7:00 PM ET Tue Mar 10, 2009 Coyotes @ Red Wings 7:30 PM ET Thu Mar 12, 2009 Flames @ Red Wings 7:30 PM ET Sat Mar 14, 2009 Red Wings @ Blues 2:00 PM ET Sun Mar 15, 2009 Red Wings @ Blue Jackets 5:00 PM ET Tue Mar 17, 2009 Flyers @ Red Wings 7:30 PM ET Fri Mar 20, 2009 Red Wings @ Thrashers 7:30 PM ET Mon Mar 23, 2009 Red Wings @ Flames 9:00 PM ET Tue Mar 24, 2009 Red Wings @ Oilers 9:30 PM ET Fri Mar 27, 2009 Islanders @ Red Wings 7:30 PM ET Sun Mar 29, 2009 Predators @ Red Wings 5:00 PM ET Thu Apr 2, 2009 Blues @ Red Wings 7:30 PM ET Sun Apr 5, 2009 Wild @ Red Wings 5:00 PM ET Mon Apr 6, 2009 Red Wings @ Sabres 7:00 PM ET Thu Apr 9, 2009 Predators @ Red Wings 7:30 PM ET Sat Apr 11, 2009 Blackhawks @ Red Wings 3:00 PM ET Sun Apr 12, 2009 Red Wings @ Blackhawks 5:00 PM ET

No one should have to apologize for not being a Lions fan. Go Pack Go!

Schedule Notables: - Home & Home Series against: Atlanta (Hello...Hossa), Pittsburgh (Hello...Hossa) and Buffalo - The Eastern Conference teams Detroit plays a Home & Home to are all from different divisions - For all those in the Midwest Area: Detroit plays all 3 games against Chicago either on a weekend day or a national holiday (January 2nd, Winter Classic) - Aside from the Pittsburgh Home & Home with Detroit, every game the Wings play against the Atlantic Division will be at home - Aside from the Atlanta Home & Home with Detroit, every game the Wings play against the Southeast Division will be away - Aside from the Buffalo Home & Home with Detroit, the Red Wings will host 2 games against the Northeast teams TOR & MTL and will visit OTT & BOS Did I call that or what!

Unbelievable! I'm going to be able to make the trip to Chicago for all three away games against the Hawks! Saturday, Oct 5 Thursday, Jan 1 (Winter Classic) Sunday, Apr 12 Thank god for weekend games and holidays!

Thats what the players wanted, but IIRC it didn't go through. Travel costs I'm sure were the major deterrent in this coming to fruition. From what I remember, every team will play every other team in the league atleast once. It also sounds like the games against divisional opponents will be dropped to 5-6 per season. If you take that into account, that removes 8-12 games per season against division opponents, and seeing as that the old schedule had the Central division matching up with only one other division in the East (on a yearly rotating basis), I would assume those 8-12 games will each go to 10 other teams in the Eastern Conference that the Central wouldn't have played otherwise. This is a rough breakdown, but I'm assuming it will be some combination of the following: Central Division Matchups: 20-24 Games Conference Matchups: 40 Games Eastern Conference Matchups: 15-20 Games Most likely: 24 Divisional, 40 Conference, 18 Eastern Conference Games (meaning they'll play 3 teams twice)

Actually, I found it to be a great read from the normal everyday stuff we're used to. Point and case, you can't just plug a "proven" vet into a young team and expect the kids to be falling over themselves for him. Most kids are proud and bringing in a vet doesn't always come with the message it should, because the younger you are the more likely you are to think you can do anything. As a result, bringing in an "old" vet may cause proud, talented kids to think they don't need help from the new "dinosaur" or from the other side, question themselves or their place on the team. I think the solution is handling things the way the Wings have.....you don't bring in a leader, you build one. Yzerman was that guy for the Wings, and when he retired it was a no-brainer to have Lids follow. Some here were arguing for Cheli but the organization absolutely did the right thing giving it to not only a proven leader, but someone that had been in the Wings locker room for over a decade. TBH, they'll do the same thing with Z when Lids decides to hang 'em up. Now, teams like Pittsburgh recognize what they have in Crosby, and they are following a similar path to what Detroit did with Stevie.

That has nothing to do with what I'm saying. I'm saying if you can't afford it (in terms of paying it back) you don't buy it. In the event that something unforseen comes up, then you have a backup plan. A guy that has made as much money as Sergei has should have no problem coming up with the cash to pay off those loans.

Who do you (or anyone for that matter) suggest center the second line in the event the ZDH line is put together?

Ok, that I could get on board with. If these are the lines you're thinking, I have no problem with running with it: Hossa - Datsyuk - Holmstrom Franzen - Zetterberg - Cleary Hudler - Filppula - Samuelsson Kopeky - Draper - Maltby Downey/Mac (for play against the rough teams) That being said, I would assume you would interchange your third and fourth line ice-times based on the opposition and home/away games.

No one (including myself) was questioning that. At this point, its hard to argue that given the type of player Val currently is. All I'm saying is that given a new role on the team and capable Wingers may change a thing or two. Again, no doubt it would, but then you take away some of that production from the first line. TBH, I don't think there's a wrong answer here. I can most certainly see your point of putting Z inbetween Fil and Hossa and Dats inbetween Homer and Hossa, but no matter what there will be a trade off.

I think more people would have had Hossa not been added. That being said, he did phenomenal on the shutdown line and if there top two lines perform, why would he be bumped up if it isn't needed. Besides, which Winger would you demote to the third line if Cleary is moved up? Homer is most certainly not a shutdown line type of player, Hossa obviously isn't going anywhere near that line, and Franzen showed a phenomenal touch from March through the rest of the season. Obviously Filppula won't play on a line with Draper given their current positions, so I guess I'm a little confused by what spot you feel he should have on the top two lines.

QFT

Nothing, and I never said it would. I said, "If". On top of that, the lines would be different. Z would have Franzen and Filppula on the sides, while Dats would have Hossa and Homer. If Z was on the top line, Hossa would be on the second giving Filppula more options than what Z would have if he played with Franzen and Val.

Initially thats what I was thinking as well, but if the other line that Z centers struggles, I can absolutely see Filppula centering the aforementioned line. Don't get me wrong, I completely understand the lack of assists Val has put up over the course of his career, but if he can prove capable there's no need to break up the ZDH line.

Actually, when it comes to this situation it had to do with the type of person *I* am rather than Fedorov. I pay all my bills on time and have savings in case the unforseeable takes place. I understand things happen, but thats why you prepare for them. In regards to it being a business decision or market value of the collateral vs the outstanding loan.....it's called being responsible. If that is the avenue Feds decided to take, than he's just another reason our economy is in the s***ter. Surely sibiriak, you realize how many things are debated on an internet forum without *all the facts*.

My argument has nothing to do with liking or disliking him. I'm actually indifferent in regards to the way he left and wouldn't boo him if he were playing for the opposition of a Wings game I attended. As I stated in my initial post, *based on the information we know*, Sergei needs to pay his bills. This has nothing to do with liking him or not. Atleast for me it doesn't.

All those reasons are self-inflicted.