achildr1

That's extremely interesting to me. Only thing is, they want to buy a lower level junior team. I personally feel like if the team wasn't at least a major junior team it would run into a couple problems.Who knows anything about personel/players for low level junior teams? I'm sure enough knowledgable people could come together for a CHL team though.It's a lot harder to follow a team like that then a higher, more publisized league. I feel like if this started at at least the CHL level, it could be done. Even with the high price tag. I've watched and played hockey for over 15 years and been a subscriber to The Hockey News for almost as long. I am nearly 100% positive that there are tons of Canadians alone that would put up 50 bucks to have a stake in a CHL team.

Drett Mebda. Meech is in no way, shape, or form a top-4 d-man on any NHL team. Lilja would be a top-4 d-man before Meech and I personally cannot stand Lillypad as a player. If lilja didn't get much more than a sniff, it goes to show what other GM's think of Meech.

Not only did I not watch the game, me and my wife had just got to Pittsburgh on our way back from Boston on vacation. She wanted to go to Pittsburgh on the way back, I wanted to go to Montreal. So we arrived in Pittsburgh, parked, and by the time we reached the exit of of the parking garage, the Pens were 7 seconds away from winning. As we stepped out, the city went ballistic. I was pretty positive we were going to win the series, probably why I agreed to go at that time. The Tigers were playing the Pirates that weekend as well, so there were Detroiters everywhere. I watched the ceremony in a bar. Seeing Crosby lift the cup on our ice was pathetic, I hated watching it. Some drunk woman was screaming "F you Hossa!", it was pretty lame. It was kinda cool to watch the city when they won, they were a tad bit excited to say the least. I can't stand the Penguins though, so it was bittersweet. P.S. That day cemented my Lemieux/Forsberg-type dislike for Maxim Talbot and his playoff heroics...

I met Mickey when I played against him in an Alumni game in Monroe about 5 years ago. Somehow I kind of got matched up with him when we were rolling lines, I was playing LW and he was on the RW so we were bumping elbows and trash talking at face-offs. He messed with me a bit seeing as I was the youngest guy on the ice, I think I was 19 at the time. Next closest guy was probably 26. He got around quite well skating wise. Definetly mucked it up with me, little hooks and slashs between the both of us. After the game, me and my girlfriend talked to him for a minute as he was leaving. Bill Muckalt, Craig Wolanen, Mickey, and more were there, just can't remember a whole lot. I scored one of our goals on one of the Wing's goalies from the 80's, but I always forget his name. Definetly a good time and worth the money.

WTH. Did anyone actually get their copy yet (if you subscribe)? I've been waiting, I thought it usually came in early August. Should be anyday now.

That lineup is pretty sick for 20-unders. Larsson might be a top 3 guy next year. OEL is a huge prospect. MP-Svj, Klingberg, Jarnkrok, Josefson, Landeskog...sick. That Almqvist is playing on the first D pairing is a good sign. Who are the goalies?

I wanna know why people like to limit Helm and tab Abby for 20 goals soon? Maltby scored 50 in junior (can't you just hear Mickey saying it) but never touched 20. I feel like Abby's upside might be like Malts, except more physical. I believe Helm, who I deem the fastest player I've ever seen in my 15 years of hockey playing/watching, has the higher upside. This guy is on a whole nother level of fast, and he does have hands. I feel he's above Abby in terms of development right now and their about the same age. If he gets stronger on his feet and learns some puck skills from Datsyuk, look out. If Flip ends up on the outs and Helm gets a bigger role on the third line and first PK line duties, I could see him pulling a Draper-esque Selke season. This kid is the real deal. The biggest thing I can say about the kid is that nearly everytime he touches the ice, HE makes something happen. Babs said so too. The guys on our team that I feel stand out the most when I watch a game are Datsyuk, Lidstrom (only to the trained eye, otherwise he makes it look TOO smooth), and Darren "the real deal" Helm.

Btw, my bad about Doughty. Kudos to him for the Gold medal.

"WHO IS THE BEST SHUTDOWN DEFENSEMAN? Nicklas Lidstrom, Red Wings 25% Zdeno Chara, Bruins 23% Shea Weber, Predators 10% Chris Pronger, Flyers 9% Scott Niedermayer, Ducks 7% Based on a survey of 272 NHL players" This poll was within the last year. Doughty and Keith don't even crack the top 5. Even if this was before the Hawks won the cup, 1 year doesn't raise Keith that high. This was only one category in this survey in which Lidstrom took more categories than any other defenseman. 272 players is about a third of NHL players, pretty strong support for the arguement. Even if Nick slowed last year, he was judged way too harshly (as were the Wings in general) on the first half of last year.

This is getting absurd. First, who would you rather have on the ice in Game 7 of the Cup Finals? Doughty or Lidstrom. That's what I thought, you don't want a kid that hasn't won jack out there when you could have a 4 time cup winner and a Olympic Gold medalist who won a string of Norris' quite recently. Even if he has lost would some would call 'pefection' in his game. That's still way better than Doughty or Keith are, period. I bet Duncan keith and Drew Doughty still watch Lidstrom when they play him to see how to be better than they are. I wouldn't be suprised at all if Nick won the Norris this year, not one bit.

I have over 100 Yzerman's including his rookie card. It's the Topps one though, O-Pee-Chee is the money card. Not to mention tons of cards from 95-99 Wings era. My Favs are Yzerman's RC, a Mickey Redmond card from the 70's that he signed, a card I sent Yzerman in a letter when I was a kid that he signed, and a signed Holmstrom card that I gave my wife (one of her favorite players) for her birthday. Oh, I took my wife to meet Kirk Maltby, her favorite player. I got him to sign a card from when he was with Owen Sound. Big fan of that one too.

It seems that ever since Steve went south we've been pineing over even the smallest TB moves. If any other team in the league signed Chris Durno, and their was a thread about it on LGW, I'd be shocked. This isn't to critisize though. Because I'm guilty. I've caught myself thinking, "who is Steve going to round out his bottom two lines with?" (Durno, Pouliet) "Wow, he stole Gagne!" And "Guy Boucher...who?.." Regardless, those thoughts have me wishing them well to the point of wishing I had NHL Center Ice so I could root 'em on. I think I am a Lightning fan now. (but always Wings first)

As soon as I seen the title of this thread I thought of your number 1 video. I remember watching that when it happened and just being awestruck by the skill level of those two. It felt alot like watching Datsyuk put Turco's jockstrap in the rafters in the shootout. It's almost unfair but man is it ever entertaining.

Ok, so apparently the word "fan" was out of line. Based on the preceding outcry, I would not define myself as a "fan" either. Rooting for them against the other 28 teams is more like it.

He has been great the times he's filled in on the morning show before. I wanted this to happen right after hearing him on 97.1 before. I hope he replaces Stoney on the Morning Show. As a side note, I hope he keeps doing Versus games as well. He brings real color and humor to that panel.

Brown isn't as big obviously. But niether is Downie if I'm correct.

Yea, why not? 60pt player. From what I hear he's a big hitter. Not too much of a stretch. Getzlaf is probably the only real one. Downie is my #2 But I would put Brown in with Lucic, Clowe, and the like.

Dustin Brown

BTW, I am not a Hawks fan. I do believe they will take a hit. You can't replace half the team and think the chemistry will be the same. The skill level right now, after the trades, is lessened as well. But for the situation they were in they've done fantastic.

Agreed. The style that Big Buff plays is similar to Holmstrom (but bigger and younger, yet less skilled in that area. As a Wings fan, I love Homer. He is the best at what he does. But if Holmstrom was not surronded by Hall of Famers his whole career he probably does not end up being that player. Even if he did, his game take players of a certain skill level to reach its maximum (Datsyuks puck control, Lidstroms point shot). Buff is the same style player. From what I believe I know about him, he has never shown the ability to consistantly put up points, let alone be this dominating force everybody thinks he will be. Even with good players around him. So going to Atlanta with Nik Antropov running the show, probably isn't going to be his coming out party.

Right. Knowledgable fans should know that Chicago has done incredible given their situation. Morin, Vishnevsky, a 1st, 2 2nd's, and players to fill spots of the departed is an incredible return for the players traded. Any true fan or judge of talent should realize that. That said, it stinks as a Wings fan to see it be so easy for the Hawks. It also burns be up that the Thrashers continue to burn theit franchise to the ground with bad hockey decision after bad hockey decision.

What gets me is how much Atlanta keeps giving the Hawks. Don't other GM's know that the Hawks HAVE to trade these guys? Doesn't that allow them bargaining power to drive down the cost of Ladd (a fringe second line player)? Or for that matter, Byufglien (who's never had a 40 point season)? Atlanta has basically restocked Chicago's fourth line and their farm system for SUPPORTING players. Vishnevsky (who equals Lehtonen) and a second rounder for Ladd? Its rediculous. Atlanta traded most of what they got for Kovalchuk (THE Franchise) and Lehtonen (former franchise goaltender) for depth players. It's like Phaneuf for B.Burke's odd's and end's. Chicago should be ecstatic.

OMGosh. Haha, ok guys, McIlrath is gone, lets get back to reality. I'm gonna say that NY regrets that pick anyway. Bring on a good forward! But man, there's a couple good d-men that should be gone by now.

I read the Red Wings draft history today, from about 1989 till present. Its actually pretty painful between '92 and '97. 1997 Rnd Pick 2 23 1997-49 DET Yuri Butsayev RUS 6' 0" 195 Russia Tolyatti Lada 3 23 1997-76 DET Petr Sykora C CZE 6' 3" 206 Czech Pardubice HC 4 22 1997-102 DET Quintin Laing CAN 6' 3" 193 WHL Kelowna Rockets 5 23 1997-129 DET John Wikstrom SWE 6' 3" 200 SEL Lulea HF 6 23 1997-157 DET B.J. Young R CAN 5' 10" 178 WHL Red Deer Rebels 7 25 1997-186 DET Mike Laceby C CAN 6' 1" 180 OHL Kingston Frontenacs 8 23 1997-213 DET Steve Wilejto C CAN 5' 11" 178 WHL Prince Albert Raiders 9 22 1997-239 DET Greg Willers D CAN 6' 1" 195 OHL Kingston Frontenacs 1996 Rnd Pick Overall Team Player Pos Country Ht Wt Amateur League Amateur Team 1 26 1996-26 DET Jesse Wallin D CAN 6' 2" 203 WHL Red Deer Rebels 2 26 1996-52 DET Aren Miller G CAN 6' 2" 208 WHL Spokane Chiefs 4 28 1996-108 DET Johan Forsander L SWE 6' 1" 174 SEL HV71 Jonkoping 5 27 1996-135 DET Michal Podolka G CZE 5' 11" 146 OHL Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 6 9 1996-144 DET Magnus Nilsson L SWE 6' 1" 187 Sweden Vita Hasten 6 27 1996-162 DET Alexandre Jacques C CAN 5' 11" 165 QMJHL Shawinigan Cataractes 7 27 1996-189 DET Colin Beardsmore C CAN 6' 1" 194 OHL North Bay Centennials 8 26 1996-215 DET Craig Stahl R CAN 5' 10" 193 WHL Tri-City Americans 9 26 1996-241 DET Evgeniy Afanasiev L RUS 6' 2" 180 Midget Detroit 1995 Rnd Pick Overall Team Player Pos Country Ht Wt Amateur League Amateur Team 1 26 1995-26 DET Maxim Kuznetsov RUS 6' 5" 230 Russia Moscow Dynamo 2 26 1995-52 DET Philippe Audet L CAN 6' 1" 175 QMJHL Granby Bisons 3 6 1995-58 DET Darryl Laplante C CAN 6' 0" 185 WHL Moose Jaw Warriors 4 26 1995-104 DET Anatoly Ustugov L RUS Russia Yaroslavl Torpedo 5 21 1995-125 DET Chad Wilchynski D CAN 6' 3" 179 WHL Regina Pats 5 22 1995-126 DET David Arsenault G DEU 6' 1" 165 QMJHL Drummondville Voltigeurs 6 26 1995-156 DET Tyler Perry C CAN 6' 0" 175 WHL Seattle Thunderbirds 7 26 1995-182 DET Per Eklund L SWE 5' 11" 194 SEL Djurgardens IF Stockholm 8 26 1995-208 DET Andrei Samokvalov RUS 5' 11" 169 Russia Ust-Kamenogorsk 9 26 1995-234 DET David Engblom C SWE 6' 1" 183 Sweden Vallentuna 1994 Rnd Pick Overall Team Player Pos Country Ht Wt Amateur League Amateur Team 1 23 1994-23 DET Yan Golubovsky D RUS 6' 3" 205 Russia CSKA Moscow 2 23 1994-49 DET Mathieu Dandenault CAN 6' 0" 208 QMJHL Sherbrooke Faucons 3 23 1994-75 DET Sean Gillam D CAN 6' 1" 187 WHL Spokane Chiefs 5 10 1994-114 DET Frederic Deschenes CAN 5' 9" 164 QMJHL Granby Bisons 5 23 1994-127 DET Doug Battaglia L CAN 6' 0" 185 CJHL Brockville Braves 6 23 1994-153 DET Pavel Agarkov R RUS 5' 11" 167 Russia Krylja Sovetov 8 23 1994-205 DET Jason Elliott G CAN 6' 2" 183 RMJHL Kimberley 9 23 1994-231 DET Jeff Mikesch C USA 6' 0" 175 NCAA Michigan Tech 10 23 1994-257 DET Tomas Holmstrom SWE 6' 0" 198 Sweden Bodens BK 11 23 1994-283 DET Toivo Suursoo R EST 5' 10" 176 Russia Krylja Sovetov 1993 Rnd Pick Overall Team Player Pos Country Ht Wt Amateur League Amateur Team 1 22 1993-22 DET Anders Eriksson D SWE 6 ' 3" 224 SEL Modo Hockey Ornskoldsvik 2 22 1993-48 DET Jonathan Coleman USA 6' 1" 190 Mass. Phillips Academy 3 22 1993-74 DET Kevin Hilton C USA 5' 11" 170 NCAA U. of Michigan 4 19 1993-97 DET John Jakopin D CAN 6' 5" 239 MTJHL St. Michael's H.S. 4 22 1993-100 DET Benoit Larose D CAN 6' 0" 194 QMJHL Laval Titan 5 22 1993-126 DET Norm Maracle G CAN 5' 9" 175 WHL Saskatoon Blades 6 22 1993-152 DET Tim Spitzig R CAN 6' 0" 195 OHL Kitchener Rangers 7 22 1993-178 DET Yuri Yeresko D RUS 5' 11" 178 Russia CSKA Moscow 8 22 1993-204 DET Viteslav Skuta D CZE 6' 0" 198 Czech Vitkovice HC 9 22 1993-230 DET Ryan Shanahan R USA 6' 0" 161 OHL Sudbury Wolves 10 22 1993-256 DET James Kosecki G USA 6' 1" 170 Mass. Berkshire H.S. 11 22 1993-282 DET Gordon Hunt C USA 6' 5" 200 NAHL Detroit Compuware 1992 Rnd Pick Overall Team Player Pos Country Ht Wt Amateur League Amateur Team 1 22 1992-22 DET Curtis Bowen L CAN 6' 1" 189 OHL Ottawa 67's 2 22 1992-46 DET Darren McCarty R CAN 6' 1" 210 OHL Belleville Bulls 3 22 1992-70 DET Sylvain Cloutier C CAN 6' 0" 195 OHL Guelph Storm 5 22 1992-118 DET Mike Sullivan C USA 6' 1" 190 Mass. Reading H.S. 6 22 1992-142 DET Jason MacDonald CAN 5' 11" 205 OHL Owen Sound Platers 7 22 1992-166 DET Greg Scott G CAN 6' 2" 191 OHL Niagara Falls Thunder 8 15 1992-183 DET Justin Krall D USA 6' 2" 170 USHL Omaha Lancers 8 21 1992-189 DET C.J Denomme CAN 5' 11" 180 OHL Kitchener Rangers 9 22 1992-214 DET Jeff Walker D CAN 6' 4" 190 OHL Peterborough Petes 10 22 1992-238 DET Daniel Mcgillis CAN 6' 3" 220 COJHL Hawkesbury 11 22 1992-262 DET Ryan Bach G CAN 6' 1" 180 SJHL Notre Dame This is rough. 2 22 1992-46 DET Darren McCarty 1 22 1993-22 DET Anders Eriksson 5 22 1993-126 DET Norm Maracle 2 23 1994-49 DET Mathieu Dandenault 10 23 1994-257 DET Tomas Holmstrom These guys, i think, are the only ones to have more than a cup of coffee on the main stage.

For sure, it's funny how excited we get for the 21st pick. Imagine if we had a top 5 pick, LGW would resemble Toronto the day they get to the second round again. Too bad my cable just went out past channel 24. Probably gonna camp out over my in-laws, NHL network in HD. So I can see the Wings select anyone other than Dylan McIlrath in stunning detail! (JK, guys who already have McIlrath sewn on the back of their jerseys...)