Majsheppard

The only ducks jersey I ever liked was the purple old style sweater with nothing on it but classic writing on it saying Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. They should bring those back and just let it say Ducks of Anaheim.

I still think the only celebration that should happen is one of respectfully gathering to thank your teammates for their play. I don't hate on this celebration unless it was a part of a trend. I will always respect those who act like they have done it before, but hey it is pretty awesome to score a goal like that on NHL ice. They may never get that chance again and to have fun with it is a great thing. The only thing I ever want to see during an intermission is the mites out there! keep it up boys and girls!

I liked him far more than Mo cheese. I always respected a guy who just sits there and watches the damn game instead of being an attention seeking fool. He wore the hat because of his background in the Auto industry and not because of his desire to be on Joe vision. I have been to over a hundred games in my lifetime and I always saw him with his eyes on the ice. I feel he should be honored for that and am not looking forward to his seats falling to another one of the people who would rather drink beer and jump up and down in front of a camera while there is perfectly good hockey to watch.

He hasn't been worthy of the top line this year as of yet, and that is in terms of quality of play and not just statistically. Val, Pav, and Johan have all played better than Zetter as of right now. This just doesn't mean anything but the line is off a bit. My major complaints is that he has mostly held onto the puck a bit too long instead of shooting. He is the sniper of the line and instead has tried to play like a dangler. It feels like he has more attempts off of his backhand then his forehand. He just has no chemistry with Homer yet, and has been slow to cycle. All of these things can work themselves out, and none suggest to me that he is physically weaker. The only thing that does suggest that he is slowing down is the fact his backchecking seems to have dropped off. I hesitate because it might only appear so because Pav and Val have been tearing up the defensive effort on the backcheck. He still remains one of the strongest players on the puck in the league. He rarely makes turnovers and plays solid defensively. He and Pavel still have great chemistry and can make beautiful plays. They will tighten up and if you don't believe me rewatch his first goal of the season. That was a great play by each member of the top line. It suggests to me that if Z just shoots the puck a bit faster things will work out fine. I cannot assume he is slowing down at his age based on what I have seen.

I really hope Lilja gets booed. I just didn't like him taking a try out with the Sharks over the Wings, felt like he was holding a grudge for his poor contract choice. This line just doesn't mesh yet. Give it time. If it doesn't though we have a ton of options without breaking up the top two lines. I would like to see Hudler go to the top line if Homer isn't doing anything in a bit, feel like they could get something going for a few games then return things to normal. I could also see Eaves taking Hudlers spot on the third line, he seems to have a strong first step right now and could fill the role of third line sniper better than Jiri right now. Cleary needs to step it up as well, but Modano has been solid.

This is very true, in fact as of right now he is playing better then Zetterberg. Not to say Z is playing poorly, but he just generally is not playing up to his standards while Franzen is playing a better all around game then normal. The scary part is both have much room to improve on the quality of their games this year. Whether or not that translates to more stats is not really the point, but it should translate into more dominant wins. I have to say that Val looks like the second best forward we have right now and even though his points per minute of play is not as high as Bertuzzi or Johan's, he is a big reason for the lines success. While I still don't to say Bertuzzi is great, his play has been as strong as I can remember and he deserves a ton of credit for coming ready to play after a pretty poor preseason. I normally think that Bert can be selfish and drag a line down defensively while chipping in a decent amount of goals, he has been a great team player and has established good chemistry on the line. I still think Val's defensive backchecking accounts for the way both the big boys have been racking up points, I will give some credit where it is do for Bertuzzi. Keep it up. All of this makes me think the goal total can be very high for Franzen. Much has been said about the vet work on the Mule, and this cannot be discounted. There will be down times for the line as well, and the fact that it seems Cleary is the first one to get pushed up if there is an injury on the second line makes me think that if we drop someone due to injury who isn't Johan there will be a drop off in production. If he stays healthy, and if Johan gets promoted up to the first line while Zetter gets demoted in case of injury to Valteri, then he can put up fifty goals. Plenty of ifs, but that is why we watch the games boys and girls.

There is like a 5-10% chance of another signing... It would be dependant on someone calling ken up and giving up something to get three players Meech and Miller/Ritola being two of them, and a third that would allow the signing to fill that role. I don't see anyone on the team that fits that build... So unless this is how Holland turns Meetch and leftovers into high draft picks or prospects, it is not going to happen.

Yeah the only way we could get him would be if we gave up a ton of players for him in trade or if he wanted out of LA so bad that he signed a short term deal to hit free agency. Neither would happen in the real world.

I happen to think that LA could carry the division. Their defense just got rounded back out after the Quincey trade. They have alot of power back there and with the right system they will be hard to play against.

Hate it. The Joe is hockey.

I don't ever want to see the Wings play in a shared building. Ever. I would rather they play in the Joe for the next 300 years, at least the seating is decent and the ice is fast. I could care less about the pistons. The NBA is just one small step above professional wrestling after the Ref controversy and LeBron-Gate. I would like a pettion to urge my favourite pizza mogul to leave the Wings in a seperate building. Let him build a new palace next to his wifes casino, and let the Wings only play there one season to fix the Joe in THE SAME SPOT!!! Seriously, Riverfront beats all and I love the Joe. Can't we just fix the greatest rink up? Oh and I don't know how many of you have ever been to a basketball/hockey arena to watch a hockey game.... Every one of these arenas are designed to watch a basketball game, not a hockey game. I hate how far away the game feels, not at all an intimate setting.

I take this to be a sign... I mean take a read, but it is fantastic to know that The octopus has evolved to live on the ice, and kill at temps reserved once only for the Hockey Gods. Scientist discover new deadly octopus that likes the ice...

I just read minutes after this post that we gave Modano 500k next year for bonuses?!?!? WTF I just lost alot of respect for that signing. We better win this year because this might make it harder to win next year.

I don't like the idea of us getting caught up in bonuses, because that just shifts cap problems from one year to the next. Let us ask Chicago how it works out to do that...

I don't find that as impressive, throwing money at people is easy to do. Ask the Yanks. Both are extremely impressive compared to other teams management. I would say how Chicago built their team compared to ours... Makes this offseason look genius.

Great! I knew there was some reason octopus matter was banned, anti-freeze poison is involved when Octopi are thrown. Makes Al seem to be even more of a man. Immune to poison!

Cleary was recently asked what he thought of Modano's upcoming signing and what his goals were, a short read found here. Clearly's thoughts on Modano. It seems like he should be a lock for 20 goals playing with Modano on the third line... with 15 goals in 64 games, could 30 goals be obtainable? What effects will Modano have on Cleary who already plays a solid two way game.

I like both of these sentiments. I think Hudler should be on the second line, and he would be if you went by salary-expectations. I feel like Bert doesn't fit anywhere as well as someone else does, and the third line makes the most sense next to Modano, but it doesn't seem like that is Babcock's first choice. Bertuzzi and Cleary ... I just think that Modano and Cleary would have to spend alot of their energy and defensive skills to compensate for Berts turnovers and slow speed. It could end up being a huge line though if all three really crashed the net, and boy oh boy can they! This is what makes me excited too, it seems like we have a good mix of players that are interchangeable. Must be nice to have the option to shake someone like Cleary out of a funk by flipping him with Bertuzzi, or helping out the defense of the second line by rotating Zetter with Filppula. There are many options and you can bet that all the numbers, offensively and defensively, will improve. I find the fourth line to be the most interesting story now. I am just excited to see us as ever.

He wore 27 when 9 was taken in All Star games. I bet he wears 27. Ritola is not as promising in my mind. I just don't see his role on our team in the short run. Maybe we resign him down the road. Who knows, but I am not going to miss someone when I feel like Modano gives us a chance at overcoming the very real problem of not being the NHL's team of choice to win it all.

Oh and if you are talking lines, they feel like Bert will get the 2nd line over Hudler. Which is stupid. I also don't feel like he would be great on the third line. I suppose that would be the only place you put him, though I would rather Cleary, Abs, and Modano be together... On the forth line he would be the slow guy dragging down the speedy Eaves and Helm. I assume they will eventually put him in the top two lines at the expense of Homer most likely, and then Homer would make up the time by always being on the top PP line. Or better would be to team Modano, Cleary, and Bert so they can both use their defensive prowess to make up Bert's turnovers and translate their power skills into goals. Anyways about it the team looks better than it was, and while I feel Kindl should play... I feel having someone like Mitchell would do us the most good. A PK specialist that clogs lanes better than 95% of defensemen in the league and will block shots. He would also be a great role model for how Ericsson should play the game. Imagine his size if he learned how to use that stick to take away passes through the lanes and block shots? Feel like developing him more in that phsyical sacrifical way would be more benifit than trying to make him a finesse player. His turnovers would bad. I feel like Kindl is our future number three guy, so I would rather he play then sit on the bench though. Ericsson most likely will never play off the third paring. Mitchell could help us adjust the duo into a workable third line next year.

Dramatic pause sir. You were more interested right? haha. No you are correct on that, but the speculation from the papers (freep.com) is that Ritola and Meech might be moved to get a vet defenseman.

Doesn't feel like this just sealed our division title... I mean the other teams will be no slouch but the wins that Turco will deliever to us at the Joe have to bolster our position. I think we finish third in the conference.

I hoped we could have signed him to a 2-way deal and let him lead the Griffs and be a call up if needed. He is still solid defensively, but obviously there is zero room for him.

I would have to believe that someone in that mix would have to be placed onto waivers and moved to GR to make it work. I also might suggest that Kindl might be the one getting the time over Ericsson. Just saying. Once again though - I don't see him being willing to take that big of a discount... EDIT: formatting.

YES PLEASE! Like a superior version of Lils, he is.