StevieY9802

No one will know until game time on Thursday whos in and whos out. If I had to pick one guy to have to wait until Sundays game it would be Bert. I think they can live without him for a game. I would rather have Zetterberg back in there.

If Bert is out game one Hudler will be in. You need the checking guys in and thats what Franzen is. And Babs has been loving him lately.

They didn't do it last year. They were all at night. NBC follows what worked for the NBA. The early round games, ie rounds 1 and 2 get afternoon games when on nbc, and conference finals and final games are at night. ABC/ESPN did the same thing. They've been doing it for years.

you make it sound like CBC doesn't get the game at all. I agree its s***ty that NBC gets to pick what games it wants but CBC still get it just not in primetime. It could be worse. CBC could have been shutout of showing the game at all.

Against the Flames they want the size I think. I think we know the top two lines are this: Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Holmstrom Calder - Lang - Bertuzzi I really wouldn't want to waste Hudlers skill on line #3 or 4.

why does everyone think cause its on NBC that it won't still be on CBC in canada. It will be. http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?service=page&page=Schedule once again CBC is just pissed cause they wanted primetime not the afternoon.

They probably won't break them up unless its not working. And as of now I know they aren't breaking them up because there were practicing together yesterday. Lang Calder and Bert can produce enough for a second line imo.

and the game will still be on cbc most likely. just in the afternoon. they are just pissed cause they wanted it at night.

yeah I don't see any sweeps really. The Sabres are the only team that I see sweeping. Maybe NJ but even doubht that. As for the Wings/Flames. I don't see it but you never know. The shortest I see it is 5 and thats if the wings win but I don't even see that. 6 or 7 most likely.

Exactly. Hulder would probably be playing on the fourth line anyways and I think he would be better served on one of the top two lines and whos gonna go? gonna break up Dats Hank and Homer? Calder and Lang have played well together but are you gonna give Bert 3rd line playing time? It sucks but this is a good problem to have. That seems about right but with Val at center probably. I could also see Cleary and Franzen being interchangable. will find out in about 2 days.

I understands CBC's point but the league needs to grow everywhere. And people in canada will probably be watching with it being in the afternoon too.

My expectations are also low. And not to make it easier to take if they lose, which it will help, but they need to prove to people that it's not a yearly thing. I honestly think this is the most balanced team they have had in a few years. The 03 and 04 teams were, it may sound dumb, but too stacked. You had guys who were pretty talented getting very little ice time. And last years team was pretty good but even if they got out of round one they weren't a team to go deep. But the Wings did the best they could with as little money as they had I think. But again if they lose I expect it and if they win thats even better.

Datsyuk - Zetterberg - Homer Calder - Lang - Bertuzzi Fanzen/Cleary - Draper - Maltby Cleary/Franzen - Filpulla - Samuelson Hudler will the odd man out to start. Lidstrom - Markov Schneider - Lilja Lebda - Chelios. The bottom two d pairings are interchangable imo. And not sure if either one will be #2 or #3 pairings because they both maybe getting decent ice time.

I think the Rangers/Thrashers series could be a good one. You could go either way in that series. I think the Rangers take it though.

Their early losses have made me pessimistic about this year. But I wouldn't say the wings want it any more or less, this year, than any other team. You're lack of hope may be judged by the last three seasons but to say they want it any less this year you won't be able to judge it until at least thursday. now I agree that they have played that way in the past or is seems that way from watching. What I think they need to do is come out hittong on thursday. watching those looks back on the 97 season and hearing Drapes say how the first shift of the finals that Mac and Malts were finishing every check I think that could help set the tone early. Make the Flames know you won't get pushed around. Just my opinion.

Don't know if I would really consider the wings underdogs but the expectations from the media seem to be pretty low. But you know if they win you will hear the media will say it was because they were supposed to and if they lose they will say how the wings keep choking. Gotta love the media.

They said he had a lower or upper body injurty whatever it was. And he sat out against the Hawks on Saturday. He was at practice yesterday and isn't expected to miss any time. You shouldn't worry about it. From Ansar Khan's Mlive blog: "Everybody else who's been bothered by a nagging injury lately -- Dominik Hasek, Nicklas Lidstrom, Chris Chelios -- is fine and ready to go."

Agreed. This alone will give the team more confidence. Not saying they will win because I will doubt them in every game but thats me. As for the prediction its from Al Strachan. He's one of the most opinionated people in the world and is often wrong about stuff. not saying predictions hold any water but this guy has his favs for sure. Did you notice every canadian team won in his predictions?

I agree hockey is the hardest to predict. It has been for years really. But the last 3-4 years for sure and even the last 10 years really too. I mean in 98 and 99 the top 3 teams in the east were knocked out in round 1. It makes it exciting overall, but nerve racking for me as a Wings fan. I will love to watch the other series for sure. As for improving the Wild improved for sure. I agree the Ducks are last years team with Pronger. Now that is an improvment but I think they would be good without him maybe not #2 but they would probably be in the playoffs. Wings also improved. Calder has been good and is better suited for the playoffs than Williams was, Samuelson looked very nervous out there last year so that should be better. And the edge over last year is Hasek. Like Babcock said recently every time they, the oilers, went down the ice you were affraid it would end up in the back of the net. If a team is thinking that they are going to be playing scared. So they should have more confidence I would think.... and hope. Should be a fun playoff for all 8 matchups.

They aren't the oldest team in the league though. Their average age is 29.5. If thats the oldest then that sucks. I mean it hurts that they will have to play the next day. But just try not to put yourself down 3-2 and I don't think its tas big of a deal.

But the wings aren't on NBC on Sunday.They are on NBC on Saturday at JLA. they are on Versus. So playing game 6 sunday makes no sense. Game 1 -- Thursday at Detroit, 7 p.m., Versus, CBC Game 2 -- Sunday at Detroit, 1 p.m., NBC, CBC Game 3 -- Tuesday, April 17 at Calgary, 10 p.m., Versus, CBC Game 4 -- Thursday, April 19 at Calgary, TBD, Versus, CBC x-Game 5 -- Saturday, April 21 at Detroit, 3 p.m., NBC, CBC x-Game 6 -- Sunday, April 22 at Calgary, TBD, Versus, CBC x-Game 7 -- Tuesday, April 24 at Detroit, TBD, Versus, CBC

Its stupid scheduling I agree with everyone there but its not going to cause any team to win or lose. Like I said I believe it is an advantage if you win the game before because you want to keep that momentum rolling. But if people blame this on the wings losing that really stupid. If they are down 3-2 going into game 5 and lose they lost because they lost 3 games before that game 6.

If Sakic was retiring or Quenville was getting axed we would have heard of it by now don't you think? Thats not something you can keep under wraps. Nevermind its up now. Sakic signs one year deal like they said. http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=203493&hubname=nhl

I'll get back to you after, I would say the first two games maybe 3, and let you know where my faith is. Honestly a lot of my lack of faith last year was that, and Babcock said it too, every time Edmonton went down the ice you thought iwas going to end up in the back of the net. But last year I had faith until the wings were down 3-0 in game 5. Then it was gone.

It hurts whoever loses game 5 I think. It sucks for both team. It couldn't be games 3&4 or something? I really don't see it making a difference so I don't know why they did it. Why does game 6 have to be sunday? whatever. what do I know right? But like I said I don't think its the Flames advantage if anything it sucks for both teams if any advantage, like I said, its to the team who loses game 5. IMO