b.shanafan14

what a let down....

Best part, Gary Thorne. "Oh MAN! The story of this game: THE REDEMPTION OF CHRIS OSGOOD!!!!!" .... goosebumps....

Personally, I think Lidstrom is the best, but right now AO is absolute dynamite offensively, so he is of course gonna get the nod. But agreeing with NFM, I truely believe if a team wanted to WIN, most teams if given a chance would pick Nick Lidstrom first on any wish list. He is one of the top 3 defenseman all-time and with the premium for even slightly skilled defenseman going through the roof (Finger, Redden, even Campbell for Lidstrom money), you give anyone else a crack at Lidstrom for the two-year deal we just signed him to and you would see contracts that would make Mats Sundin's $20mil look like pennies. That said, if a team wanted to WOW the pants off their weak fanbase, Ovechkin would be number one purely because of explosive skill and charisma.

Just something I rememebered from just after picking up Hossa, interview with Babcock. Majority is of course about Hossa, but he once again says he expects Ericsson to play "big-time" minutes next season. Take it as you will.... http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/2008/07/ba...om_about_h.html

Can we please stop comparing Yzerman to Lidstrom. Not only is it pointless, forum dividing banter as it is comparing Apples to Oranges, it is also awkward and sad to heatedly compare two people as classy, talented, and loved by all Red Wings fans. Getting back to the original intent of the thread: Ovechkin Lidstrom (Debate the rest)

I used Center Ice Online last year and probably will again this year. Lagging will depend on connection I suppose, but I NEVER had a problem and I was working on my old laptop (MB of processing, MB of memory). I had my laptop connected to my TV via S-video, Y-audio cable and it looked fine, after a minute you don't realize you're not just watching it on cable. If you get CI Online the problem is never the games you can get, its the games you randomly can't get. Anything on VS. NBC or NHL Network is blacked out, which is extremely frustrating when you look forward to watching hockey after a long, s***ty day only to find out last minute you don't get it that particular night, and I'll never understand why I pay out the ass for a hockey package and they basically rob me whenever they want me to find a TV with the NHL network on it. There are streaming alternatives available for free which you will need to know when your game is missing, but at best they are unreliable, at worse unfunctional. The upside to CI Online is games on demand, the ability to watch any game already played whenever you want, of course sometimes it takes longer than others to get a game you want to rewatch up. Thats my piece on Center Ice Online, recommended but could be better (and cheaper). EDIT: Just noticed the Hockeystreams.com link and looked into it, has anyone seen livestreams in action? Seems like something too good to be true or something that would surely be shut down and sued once the NHL was onto them. Thoughts?

Word.

I dunno about in Detroit, but I go to school in Milwaukee, WI now and I just bought my tickets to the Oct. 25 game in Chicago, can't wait!

Fixed. I agree with you, but the NHL won't. Think back to last year, we had damn near all the starters even tho Hank still hasn't been able to play, but still Rafalski got completely shafted. At the time, Pronger was out of form and underproduced all year, Nedermier was out until like 15 games before the All-Star game, and Rafalski was second only to Lidstrom in points and +/- and still didn't get the invite until they were scrambling at the end to fill the spot and he was already going on vacation.

Ozzy is the best man for the job. He is solid without needing a boat load of shots to stay focused. The Red Wings rarely need a goaltender to steal a game, but Osgood played lights out the whole post-season. The Red Wings don't need a goaltender to win it for them, they need a goaltender who makes the saves he is supposed to and doesn't screw it up, which is actually a lot easier said then done. Two years ago when Manny Legace was in goal losing it for us, I was lamenting an injuried Osgood. Season after that, we got to the Western Conference final and then Dom spent most the last couple games on his back. This playoffs we were on route for the same fate before Ozzy stepped in and played as good as any goaltender in the league could in his situation, if not better. Ozzy will need to be rested to produce likewise in the playoffs, so expect him to see around 50 games, or less rather than more.

Word. BTW, thanks for informing/reminding/unblocking-it-from-suppressed-memory me, that was pretty ridiculous. Looked it up just now, Ozzy had Carey beat in Wins, GAA, Save%. Just another footnote in the underrated career of Chris Osgood, *sigh*

Well said. And I do like the idea of Helm/Hudler/Kopecky line. Which then brings me to the realization that we have a ridiculously good team top to bottom.

Yeah, and then he'll bolt to Toronto, leaving them crippled, much like in Vancouver

Good stuff, I was starting to seriously believe he was done. Good guy, like others I had intense hate for the Avs when they were worth it, but Sakic is undislikable

Link?

I agree completely. Pittsburgh isn't going to be as good and I think/hope the majority of the people in the media that had the Pens of Sid pegged to be the second coming of the Oilers of Wayne have come to their senses. Crosby is going to have to learn to play PK eventually (don't know how he gets the 'great all-around' stamp when he is neither a defensive stand-out or a penalty killer) and I'm not sure Therien's attitude is the most conducive to building a team of champions given the way he went about the finals. The Sharks have been a paper lion for a few seasons now, being among the top picked to go all the way only to fizzle. But them adding on defense and giving the reigns to Todd McLellan does frighten me, a lot. The Stars will continue to be competitive, though I don't know if they can beat out the upgraded Sharks team, even with Avery pissing in everyone's Cheerios. But I guess we'll all have to wait and see, Stanley Cup or no, summer is just as long! UGH!

Yeah, some one the selections are a bit suspect. Getzlaf was a HUGE surprise, definately shouldn't be in the Top 10, and how he is in front of Datsyuk is beyond me. Also, Lidstrom was in #28 for a sure fire Norris winner/contender for 2 full seasons while there are top 15-20 forwards with one or two years of contract left in the top 20 or so on the trade value list.

I love Chelios in a Red Wings jersey, but I don't blame him in the least for going back to Chicago to hang them up, whenever he decides to do so.

True that.

Sometimes I wonder how many sit-downs long tenured Red Wings have with upcoming free agents to try and convince them to stay. Obviously everyone except maybe Cujo who i've ever seen play in the Winged-wheel feels the organization is high-class both on and off the ice and that the organization treats you good as hell. I wonder if guys like Chelios, Osgood, or even Rafalski, guys who have been elsewhere sit down guys like Hossa and say "the money is never going to be the greatest here, but you will never find a better organization in professional sports as far as quality of on-ice product and taking care of you as you will here, and if you leave you'll regret it real soon". I like to think they do, then again, Hossa has been a few other places, hopefully its a revelation coming to the Red Wings and he is dying to sign around $6.5-7 mil a season come seasons end. But first, one more Stanley Cup please.

A tad overblown and inappropriate. Is it true that some people on the forum have their own differing opinion on some players coming back? Yes. Which is what makes it a discussion forum instead of an agreement forum. As far as Chelios, I am really happy to have him back but I am concerned as are many people that the Red Wings have so many great defensemen, that Cheli has fallen too low on the depth chart to play as frequently as him and some of us as fans would like. And what you were saying about leadership: if there is any team in the league that puts extreme emphasis on leadership, its the Red Wings. Is leadership important? Yes. Are the Red Wings lacking it? Not by a long shot.

Good news if there is still a spot for him . I love Cheli, but I can't see him continuing to be a majority starter on the blueline, hopefully tho. Also, wouldn't Chelios be looking for his FOURTH cup? Once with Montreal and twice with the Red Wings is my count...

Osgood, in my opinion, has improved as a goaltender even over the younger years of his career strictly thanks to the butterfly style that he has seemed to master in record time. He plays much more positionally now then say in 96 or 98. Osgood is made for the Red Wings so to speak because he is tremendously low-maintenance guy who the players in front of him are confident in. Also, Ozzy can mentally handle games with long dry-spells which is the kind of games the Wings play, him seeing only around 18-24 shots on any given night. Personally, I think if you throw some of the upper echelon goaltenders in the league in his situation, they would look really average, really quick. As far as Conklin, he will make a superb backup goaltender this season and I see him taking around 2/5 of the games, simply because Babcock is going to want Osgood hungry and rested come playoffs. Howard is the goaltender of the future, as others have pointed out, its been like that for years now, just a matter of time. Barring an absolute dominant training camp, the Wings will want Howard getting as much playing time as possible in GR. Next year he'll be backup to Ozzy. Almost forgot... Contenders: Stars, Blackhawks, Sharks Pretenders: Ducks, Wild (both have remained stagnant)

I cannot even believe how many pathetic fans are on that Blackhawks board. There was ONE guy who acknowledged the fact that Cheli was just bring the cup back to his hometown. Everyone there thinks its some elaborate 'F&%$ YOU' Chicago gesture. It would be funny if it wasn't so damn sad...

Does Stevie deserve his own GM spot? Like no other. Is he capable at this point? From all accounts, yes. How would I feel to see Steve Yzerman do anything with any organization besides the Red Wings and Team Canada? I believe I would honestly first start to cry, then hurl. Love the idea of everyone eventually bumping position up, but that's still unrealistic.