Lord Stanely

Pretty sure Michigan has TONS of farmland- just saying.

Holland absolutely should have been working to upgrade the team over the past few years- with who: I don't know - would have to go back and see who was available via free agency and will never know who was available via trade or what draft picks were available. Fischer health issues- who replaced him? Rafalski retires- White replaced him???? WHY NOT WILLIE MITCHELL!?!?!?! Stewi leaves- who was here two years ago to replace him??? Knowing it would happen. No early replacement for Lids- that should have started happening 2 plus years ago. As far as people griping about Suter/Parise going to Minni over Detroit here is my take. I was born in Warren- grew up near Adrian MI. Moved to Chicago (NW Indiana) lived there for 18 years and now live 3hours from Minni in Iowa. I worked for a company based out of MInni and have been there many times. Visit family in Detroit area often. Minni is an AWESOME town. More entertainment per capita than anywhere in the world. Great food. Beautiful scenic. Not bombed out like Beruit, err I mean Detroit (let's be serious about that for once- Detroit proper is a hell hole- even though we all LOVE it). They both have family there. I would move to Michigan if my father was still alive if I had an opportunity work wise. But without family I would decide on MInni. I would as a player wonder if Detroit wasn't slipping- I think they have lost mystique around the league with players and now Lids is gone so yeah I would wonder "do they have a chance going forward with no Lids, older players, no picks, no young talent, etc". If or one can't blame them. I think the ownerships seriousness, tradition, current players and fan base would be a boost for Detroit but I think we have some holes that could detract from this. My 2 cents. Oh and I still think getting rid of Commodore 64 was a mistake- when I watched him actually get into the lineup he looked like the only guy that would play DEFENSE. Talking stay at home nasty D- not comparing him with Lids, Kroner- just thought he was never really utilized properly and hmmm wouldn't it be useful to have somebody like him right now this season with our holes?

Was just coming on to ask about that as I relied heavily on the stories to know what was going on as an out of state Wings fan. Would LOVE to have that back!!!! PLEASE!!! Love the red theme. Franzen needs to go bye-bye (perhaps osgood in the background)

Will be taking my sons to a game in Denver (March 20th) against the Flames and curious if anyone has ever been there before. Planning on rocking out our Wings Jersyes just because! Looking for info on best place for tix (legal to buy near arena, etc). Good places to sit, eat (not bars). Will be staying in a condo a few blocks away on 15th. Thanks in advance for any tips you can give.

Mentioned before about wearing Wings gear to a whitesux game in Chicago (lived and worked there for 20 years) while Wings and Blackhawks were palying in Divisional series a few years ago- fans were NASTY- My kids were about 6-7 (Now my kids are 11-12) and they were being "Fed" at all game. Same thing at every Wings/Hawks game I ever went to. Went to Minnesota game this past year (sat right behind wings bench the night Cleary got his ankle broken) and fans there were awesome to us. Very good hockey fans -an enjoyable time. I think I will just plan on box officing the tix.

Hoping somebody will KNOW the answer to this situation/question. Overtime. Shot on goal. Goalie makes save- puck is lost by ref. Whistle blows. short time (2-3 seconds)after whistle goalie moves forward to reset and puck is behind him across goal line. Goal? no Goal? Where is this rule located in youth hockey? What is the rule in the NHL. I ALWAYS thought whistle blows- NO GOAL period. one coach says no goal the other says goal- because it was under goalie behind line after whistle (ref lost sight of puck) and once puck is now seen it is across line so GOAL! Thoughts- more importantly- proof. Still reminds me of the silly rule called against Detroit a while back in the playoffs- I think against Dats- No GOAL! The ref INTENDED To blow the whistle!

Taking a detour from another topic about what curren ex wings are doing this season as far as point totals I thought I would ask for people to list what former Wings are doing now in life: Example Steve Yzerman- GM lighting

Older Posts: You and Dean Chelios are now friends!

How did he do that! OMG! that boy has skills that pay the bills!

Well played, sir... well played.

Especially when it says it is something else on the description like "A day that changed the game"

WOW! Some of those picks were real dipsh$t picks! Luongo HA! Malkin in his spot HUH?!?! But nothing as bad as Luongo!

I'll 2nd Minny fans being VERY nice. Sat right behind Wings day after Christmas there year on the glass behind the Wings bench with several out of town Wings fans. All of the Minny fans and staff were very nice to us, offered to get my kids close to the tunnel, etc. Best atmosphere outside of a hometown arena that I have ever been too. Also been to: Chicago many times- complete DB's- cussing at my (at the time)7 & 8 year old sons saying things from afar to him (wearing a Wings jersey)like: F$%& the Wings! Osgood su&*s %$@&, etc. Total classless. My 8 year old gave it right back to them albeit a bit sanitized! Also been there without Wings garb on and it was MUCH better. Oh and at a Whitesox game against some scrub teams while the Hawks and Wings were playing a series we wore our Wings stuff and heard it ALL night! Buffalo- Good fans- went the 1st season of Marine Midland. Bunch of polite Canadians going across the border to see the game. Florida- DEAD! Missing something- too tired to recall.

1) I think the greatest victory of all in this would be during the presentation of the Stanley Cup- Bettman is handing it over to Lidstrom and a Pi lands right in the cup or on Bettman. 2) Small octopi- baby ones shot from a tennis ball sling shot from the upper deck areas. Hold it down near your feet and let them fly. Who could see where they came from? 3) remote control activated Pi launcers? Fill the confetti bags full of seplipods and boom away it rains. 4) Can somebody please make a History will be made video showing a man throwing a pi and being arrested with Bettman smirking? Maybe play it backwards and erase history?

Seeing him square dancing is rather strange. Cross country shorts- YIKES! That was really neat thanks for posting it. I now FULLY expect to see take over for the Old Spice commercials (please somebody with video editing skills make this happen) or at a minimum Dos exies most interesting man.

Tampa game was crazy with wings fans- Mickey kept talking about it. I was at a Wild game this December and there were a TON of Wings fans. The entire area right behind the Wings bench where I was sitting was all Wings fans.

The thing about Draper is he is a LEADER! On his last few goals I noticed something about him that I think is well planned out on his part: He gets more excited than just about any player I have ever seen score a goal- like it's his first ever NHL goal. The smile on his face just draws his teammates together. I think he does it on purpose because he knows that the team has been going though some struggles the past few weeks and this is just a little way he can turn the ship a degree in a positive way. It's a way to just make the guys part of a team. After the Sunday Boston game he was waiting in the tunnel high fiving, smacking and Arse grabbing all the other players- just being light hearted and fun. One of the players threw a playful (yet hard) shoulder into him and just about knocked him over- I think it was Z. Of course this is another example of how he brings a lightness to the team that makes the guys want to be there. I think he is a bigger glue to this team than we may ever know. Work ethic- I have heard how he is one of the hardest working men on the team behind the scenes during workouts, etc. I'm sure this is something that rubs off on the younger guys on and off the ice. He isn't playing poorly- in fact he seems to be doing fine enough for a 4th line. We all want to see what our young guys can do, but without a seasoned grizzled vet to really nurture them along the way and to shape the character of the team- the Wings might not be what we now know them to be. I really think the intangibles of a guy like Drapes are well worth the money. That said a few months ago I was ready for him to hang them up along with Malts. Granted- a pay cut does need to happen.

My observations: Kessel looks just like my Brother in law who works at a water store delivering bottles of water. The entire time I was watching just kept thinking how Kessel looks like he's a guy who works at a The Beer Store somewhere near Toronto loading trunks with cases of beer. his picture on NHL Allstar website looks like a mug shot after he gets picked up breaking Canadian Bawdy House laws. http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8473548 Hiller might well be the ugliest athlete I've ever seen in my life behind Scottie Pippen and Detlaf Schrempf. He could have captain several other players on Team Ugly. Perhaps he could have picked: Erikkson, Chara, Buff and Burns to start. Several of these guys looked like they really were annoyed by other players- Tim Thomas seemed irritated by carry Price. Duchene also seemed to annoy a few players. Toews looked like he was about to cry- my wife kept saying she felt bad for that "toes" guy.

Name some of the great nicknames players have been given over the years: The Great One- Gretzky The rocket- Richard The pocket Rocket- Henry Richard Mr. Hockey- Gordie The Russian Rocket- Bure The Angry Ute- Sawchuck The Turtle- Lemieux The Tooth Fairy- the Rock

My sophmorish mind always giggles when I hear some of these names: Nittymaki always sounds "dirty" too me. Clutterbuck reminds me of a Clusterbuck Zidliki rocks Jeff Finger Satan Hakan Loob Darren Pupa For cool names- Bates Battaglia (like a tank battalian) Bukaboom Pietranglo Tim Dr. Hook McCrakken Fred Knipscheer Larry Goodenough Carl Knucklepuck Jones Ogie Oglethorpe

Board seems a little slow lately -probably because of all of the injuries. I thought I would try something different just to get some action going. Which NHL players have you met- were the nice or pricks? Also how did you meet or know him? For me: Marcel Dionne- Rockstar cool- met him at his store. Franzen- Very nice- met him after game 2 of SCF as he was leaving the arena Luca Caputi (sp?)- decent but distant (he was just weeks away from his first call up to the big show)- met him after a minor league game as he was walking out with his agent and parents. A couple of guys whow were drafted but not yet in the NHL while they played for the Niagara Ice Dogs- they were OK. A former Blackhawk who I can't for the life of me remember his name- he played in the 70/80's. Lived in a condo assoc I managed and was extremely nice. Alice Prius- nice- Pass it on hockey tournament. That's about it for me.

I was like you a few years ago. I never even put skates on my feet until I was 18 and that was for 30 minutes with a girlfriend in college. Fast forward about 10 years. I went out to a game with a friend and was too nervous to even get on the ice. My second time out I did and had fun. Certainly I was was the worst skater out there and everyone knew it but they all treated me good and were patient with the new guy. I skated just thos two times and then not again for 2 years. I then started skating weekly with a group called Pass It On Hockey. It was a weekly group that had all different levels of players. I was still one of the worst and I tended to get very frustrated with myself- but everyone else was always very good to me. I played nearly weekly for about a year and a half and then moved away to a place with no rink within an hour and a half. I was never able to learn to skate backwards in a game (can sowewhat do it on the ice by myslef at a very slow speed). I can't hockey stop- I have to sort of stop in a circle. Shooting is difficult (but I have learned wrist shots) and stick handling is almost impossible for me. Let me reiterate I was VERY FRUSTRATED with myself and not being able to keep up with everyone else and not beaing able to skate/pass/shoot/stickhandle like the rest of these guys; but they were not frustrated with me- they were always very patient and kind. Most of them would take time after and before games to work with me on things like learning how to stop, etc. They would also in games make sure to try to get me passes and shots, etc. Even though I am a poor hockey player my love for the game kept me on the ice and I just want you to realize that you aren't the only one to start late in life and it will be a good time for you if you decide to do it. Be patient with yourself- most guys are just happy to have a new player on the ice with them. Read this after I posted and just want to stress that he is dead on. I was impatient with myself- but nobody else was impatient with me. Don't be hard on yourself just enjoy learning a new SKILL.

Don't think I can post any of the videos but was just watching some of these- anyone else seen them- can you post them. Crosby shooting at a pyramid of pucks and hits just the top two then hits one puck as it is rolling across the boards. OV shooting Russian dolls filled with Russian salad dressing. Dats being Dats (several videos) Crosby shooting at a loose net and gradually moving it back into place. Jurco on shootouts Basically these are the videos for January 19- they show of some nice skills.

OK, so could you imagine say Crosby, Ovechkin, Malkin, Lidstrom, etc ends up injuring somebody on an illegal hit and the person he injures is some 4th line player who is just filling in for a heavily injured team. Lets say Hossa from Chicago injures Kindl or Miller/Mursak- I'm telling that guy to get on permanent disability and to suffer a career ending injury if I'm the coach or GM. Get rid of one of the best players in the league who is also a division rival while "only" losing a depth player.... As great an idea as it seams- it can't be too realistic of an option to match the suspension with the injury.

I'm picturing a bronze statue of Gary Bettman's rear-end with Crosby's lips moving towards it. Along with a mirror image of the opposite (Bettman smooching towards Crosby's) connected to the statue.