Learn2LuvIt

Dear Sammy, I think your wrist shot would go in the net more if you shot it within 50 feet of the net. Sincerely, Physics

I would agree. However, to me, I'm not very concerned about "selling" my favorite sport to anyone. I know, I know, it's for the long-term preservation of our game, and some people don't get exposure to the game.....but if people don't like hockey, fine. I sometime feel, even among my friends who don't really watch hockey, that we are begging people to like and watch our game. My question is why? So we can be like the other major sports. The last thing I'd want for hockey is an over-saturated product in which our players perform dances (yes, on skates) after every single good play...vying to get there face on TV. I like that as a league, we are humble, if not by choice, then by popularity. Imagine Zetta after scoring a goal doing a two minute dance and then pulling a Sharpie out of his skate and signing the puck. Ridiculous. I'm happy just the way we are....and I don't care if everyone else doesn't like hockey. I've always been extremely proud to be a fan of the NHL. Go Wings

You've got a point- IMO-Just wait till after we play against him for three games, he'll be public enemy #1. I'll go on the record as officially stating that he will be in the same class with us Wings fans as Tootoo once this is all over with.

We don't have to worry about Fraser...he was not seleced to work the playoff's this year

I respectfully disagree. Maltby hasn't been an effective aggitator for the past two seasons. He's a very good reciever of aggitation by constantly getting glove washed by the other team after the whistle. But when you take bad penalties like he did last night, the other teams have every reason to try and provoke a stupid penalty. It's not cause he proked the action, it cause they know he's capable of taking dump penalties. He's still a valuable player to our team, but not a good aggitator anymore.

Thanks for your thoughts. WOW....you seem very angry...so much that you direct personal attacks and profanity towards me. I wasn't trying to imply that NFM#25 was dumb, or his points were not valid (in fact...I even commented that I appreciated his points), his message was just so scattered that it took some focus to read through. Dunce, huh. Ask around, in lieu of having any intellegent input to an argument,... some people often revert to personal attacks. No big deal, please don't let this get you down. And to your point, in a seven game series, the best team at that time always wins. Please think about this before you fire off a profanity laced attack in my direction. I come to this forum for hockey and Wings intellect, nothing else. Thanks again for your thoughts.

I appreciate your statements above. I however had to read it four times to seperate the random sentences thrown in. Point One: When the hell have you have ever heard me (NFM#25) say anything like I have bolded in your last paragraph? Please find it for me.--????OK. I guess I never researched everything you've "said" before, and furthermore, I never referred to anything you've ever posted before. Were you using your "outside voice" to speak to someone besides me?? Point Two: Teams get bad bounces, pucks bounce off 3 players and somehow find a way into the net, a team gets injured (see the 05/06 payoff Buffalo Sabres). This sport isn't like Basketball. A lot of times the President's trophy winner doesn't get to hoist the cup that season.--???. This is so random I guess I don't know what your point is. My response to the "bad bounces" statement is, if your teams season is ended by a bad bounce, your team really wasn't going to play much longer anyway. I don't care how many people the puck bounces of off??(three...I guess??). Basketball--I don't get it...did I miss something...was there a comparison to basketball?? Presidents trophy doesn't get to hoist the cup (no Sh#@!!...thanks for bringing us all up to speed on how the hockey playoffs work). Thank you for making me laugh and realize that paying attention in school was a good thing.

Not realistic....but very much the case. The Wings ownership may view being in the final four as a very successful season, not me as a die hard fan. I don't sell tickets. I don't sell Wings garb. I don't operate a veding station at the Joe. Very successful season to who? I didn't get to run around my neighborhood scaring neighbors completley drunk banging pots and pans screaming "We Won The Cup!!!" Success is measured by results. To measure success in the NHL means only ONE THING, the Stanley Cup. I agree, it's very nice to get deep into the playoffs, but I wouldn't say being in the final four teams in the NHL is a very successful season. Good season-yes. But who will care about that in five years--NADA-Nobody. And yes, I (or we Wings fans) may be "spoiled" to expect this, but we've created are own situation. We give A LOT to our hockey team in this town-and what they give back is dependent on there success throughout the season and ultimatley the playoffs. And just as it says in the Wings locker room, "To whom much is given, much is expected!" Don't hate on us cause we strive for the ulitimate goal of winning the Stanley Cup every year. And please don't give me this warm and fuzzy "it's just great to be a fan, and we love our players and there contributions to the community, they're such great guys, they try really hard, etc...." I'm not dating them so I could care less if they're nice guys and try really hard. It's the NHL--See Charles Darwin.

All due respect....I completely disagree.

IMO...I don't think it completely has to do with on-ice lineups and game management. I also think that a coach is held responsible for players responding and playing for the them. If a coach isn't respected and can't get his players to play up to there ability, well that ultimatley falls on the coach. A coach has to motivate and inspire players to want to play for them...night-in, night-out. Sad to say cause he's a great guy, and a Wing at heart, but Dave Lewis fell victim to this exact scenario. He's was too much of a buddy, and couldn't get them to respond they way he needed to. I believe a coach has to find that perfect balance of with players through motivation, pride, fear, anger, mentor, and trust. Scotty Boman was the master at motivation through fear, anger, and trust (due to his track-record).

Great News!! The 1st comment below the article about the line-ups left me perplexed....There's no Sammy in the line-up?

Yes!! Game-on Preds! If he and Dom stay healthy....I like our chances against anyone. I wonder when he'll be ready to play. I can't wait to see this.

Good pick-up Kenny. Now we need to hire another team doctor and physical therapist to follow-up Dom and Todd around at all times. How will Bert and Chelli get along? There was some very bad blood there at one time--it even got personal in the press. I'm sure they'll be good teammates and professionals.

I'll file this idea in with the "Playing OT Blindfolded" idea. Or ...the releasing of hungry lions on the ice during OT.

I'd like to preface my post with one thing: I don't want to get our team into the mentality that we NEED another player to be successful in the playoffs. However, an addition or two would surely be good. Tough call on which out of the two...but if we could get either a player like Jamal Mayers or Marty Lapointe in addition: I'd take Guerin. But if we are only eventually going to be able to land one player: I'd take Tkachuk. I think our priority right now is a big phsyical player over a fast, scorer. The Flyers game this week is going to be the most viewed game tape by our opposition in the playoffs. They will pin what the Flyers did to us that night, as a major piece to a winnng recipe to beat the Wings. If we look at our stable of talent, there is no reason we should be looking for more scoring. The fact is, we have a slew of players that haven't been producing as of late (Lang, Williams, Cleary ((I thought I'd never be able to say that)), and Schnieder, Kronwall (who IS expected to produce offense)). In addition, with Sammy being hurt we're missing some points there as well. I think if you look at the season up till now, we've been doing well in the scoring department, not great by any means...but good enough to be beating most teams on most nights.

Our defense is the least of our problems. We need a solid winger, and a tough one if possible

I voted Other: Wings baseball hat Interestingly enough I've gotten a lot of positive comments about the Wings while wearing it out of North America.

Make it Lang and Schnieder and I'm all for it. Curious...if Howard is 1-2 years away, why wouldn't we pick up Eddie and have a decent goalie core (Eddie and Ozzy) and look to spend or trade on some bigger needs (goals and grit). The Maxim part if the deal I like but giving up a very promising, young, hard hitting D man in Kronner for no D-man in return is questionable. Especially since Biron hasn't proven anything yet.