achildr1

Anybody else think Stuart is hurt? He really is playing like something's wrong.

I was shocked by that.

Is he trying to showcase to Holland how terrible Rafalski, Ericsson, and Salei are by playing them until we lose?

Kronwall! He has been very good this series. One of few Wings.

Yup.

I can't stand Ericsson. How, I mean seriously how, does Babcock keep playing him?!

Because he looks to have some serious issue with dressing Modano. Modano would have to have been a better choice to play today, for a few reason, than Franzen at 40%.

Rafalski reminds me soon much of Samuelsson on the point now. He shoots almost everytime he gets the puck, doesn't matter how low percentage the shot is. It has always been a sign to me, not waiting until you can get a shot through, of players that don't fit in here anymore..Schneider, Samuelson, and now Rafalski.

Its incredibly obvious, isn't it? I've heard them makes jokes pointed directly at the Predators inferiority, say that the Preds may never make the second round again, and tonight they said something to the effect of Vancouver needs to stop beating themselves (as if the Preds couldn't be good enough to actually outplay them). It burns me up. CBC is blatently pro Canadian teams, and to a degree, thats fine. They are a National station though. NBC and Versus may like the Hawks or Penguins a lot but they don't act like its because the Cup belongs in the US. It's always been a little annoying but since Vancouver has become the favorite to win the Cup its got out of control. Suddenly Vancouver is the envy of the league and they only lose because of some uncontrollable cosmic anomaly. The thing is, Nashville is really working hard and playing great, give credit where credit is due. Currently I only have about 14 channels, 3 without sound. So we've been watching enough CBC to have me nearly more informed on Canadian politics than our own. We've watched almost the whole playoffs on CBC broadcasts and I've seen almost all of Vancouver's games so far, so I'm not thrilled about listening to the entire panel drone over the Nucks with near palpable man love the majority of the time.

I'm baffled by this, very short sighted. There's a reason Holland and Babcock are considered possibly the best people at their jobs. I'd write out their accomplishments but you probably already know them and are ignoring them, not even considering that there probably isn't anyone available who is even remotely as qualified. These are essentially the same players who won the Cup in '08, they know what it takes to win. They just aren't doing those things. I believe, as veteran guys, its as much their job to get up and play when it counts then it is Babs job to make them play like they want it. This Franchise is still the envy of the league. Think about for a sec, will ya?

This is rediculous. If the team played with Draper's passion and physical play we probably wouldn't be close to this situation.

Agreed. I was pretty surprised.

Filppula most likely stay and is 3rd line center. Mursak and Draper fill a fourth line spot and extra forward. Eaves, Helm, or Abdelkader move up a line. So essentially... Mursak, Filppula, FA Forward (hopefully someone who is physical)

As for Draper and Osgood leaving, good luck with that. Draper, at very least, has played 5 years younger than his age and works as hard as anyone on the team. Osgood, as much as I want him to hang em up, apparently isn't going to out without a fight. Holland doesn't push these guys out unless they've proved they're done (Maltby and McCarty), although thats what I believe Osgood's done. At this point Draper brings more in leadership, effort, and even the odd goals than Miller or Modano and I think Emmerton may even be let go before Kenny pushes Drapes out.

Good point. Hadn't thought of that.

I'm going to disagree with you. I was at game 2 of the first round, a game I thought Fil was pretty good in. That said, Helm was easily, and by a mile, better than any forward not named Pavel "Dipsey dangle" Datsyuk. Datsyuk, and occasionally Helm, have been the only Wings forwards to even show up in San Jose though, and Fil has been invisible. I'm calling out way more players than Fil, but I wouldn't mind at all if he were part of a trade to land a Bogosian-type guy in the offseason, if that were possible. Tomas Kopecky put up Fil-like numbers this season, is meaner, and makes far less money. And for a guy not to thrilled with Tomas "the real deal" Kopecky, that's a little disturbing. Every year is supposed to be his breakout year, but it isn't. He's essentially a less intense, more skilled version of Dan Cleary who doesn't put up Cleary-like production or go to the net like Dan. 3 million for a third line center isn't ideal. But niether is 4 million, 11 years, for a 6'2" 220 lb pylon that plays like Bossy for 4 games, Hilary Duff for 25, and should, but choses not to be, a physical force. Whatever, that's another issue. These guys need to wake up, period. If we play like we can, we'd win the Cup this year. But we aren't, and we haven't very much this season. I think Babs needs to realize to sit Franzen (cause he's hurt and currently Hilary Duff) and put in Drapes who embodies the change we need to win this series. If Fil plays like he can, but rarely does, that would help as well. McCrimmon needs to be gone, for sure. Ever since McClellan left this team has defensively underachieved.

Draper should be in next game period. Sit Franzen. We need exactly what Draper brings right now, work. Playing like you want to win hockey games.

Did we win a faceoff all game?

We need players who don't get pushed around. We look a Bantam team out there.

Ericsson Hudler Modano Miller (not for lack of effort tho) Franzen. We need a guy like him, when he's on. He's so useless when he's off though. Osgood. Salei. Patience is thin with... Rafalski Filppula. Probably is worth something in a trade, but he's topped out here and is invisible often.

Franzen shouldn't be on the ice, he's hurt and useless. Rafalski has been terrible. Nobody but Datsyuk, Kronwall, and occasionally Helm look like they care. We need a few guys who've never won Cups on this team. This is 95% different team than the 1st round Red Wings.

This game is sad. We look tired. I'd love for us to pretend like we need to score a goal.

You gotta love the "Wings are too old" jokes. Ten years of it and 2 Stanley Cups later, they keep on comin'. Take away our Cups and we've still had more success in those 10 years than the Sharks!

Jimmy was good and looked confidant but I don't think any of his games this series were as good as four games from his rookie year (including a near 60 save effort against LA) when half the team was injured. I had rarely ever seen a Wing goalie play games like he was during that stretch.