b.shanafan14

Rinne was good. Hudler was awful. Franzen was invisible. PP is flacid. PK is confused. Status quo. Other than that, not too shabby. Good effort from most of the squad.

When was the last Halley's comet?

HUDLER YOU PIECE OF s***.... ugh... Filppula sets him up perfectly...

ABBY! (NYQUIST!)

You must have the same calendar as Franzen

Used to be, we could rely on our fourth line for at least some degree of shut down. Our fourth line now are skilled guys that aren't skilled enough and Holmstrom. Instead, we have to rely on our best (only) offensive line to do any and all shut down.

Time to sit the 4th line for the night. And find someone, ANYONE for the other wing with Hank and Val. Watching Hudler is going to give me a rage stroke

Good start to the third

If Franzen scores "1 goal a game or better" I'll soil myself He may very well return to dominant form come the playoffs, but eventually this lazy BS through 82 games if going to catch up with him. I have loved his previous playoff performances and have been as big of a Franzen fan as anyone, but while some shrugged/laughed off his "I get bored during the regular season" comments and excuse his nightly float-fest, I don't. Home ice matters, thus the regular season matters. His stance is that its cool to slack because he is some playoff genie around these parts. You don't see a problem there? Watching other guys break tail to get this team where it is while others coast is part of the problem. Don't you think the team might be healthier and a bit more fresh if folks like Hudler and Franzen did more to lighten the load on Zetterberg, Datsyuk, and Filppula during the regular season? The guy get paid for every game, he could at least feign interest. As attitude goes, whats the difference between Franzen and another familiar face : http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/45311-Say-What-March-7.html

That's better. Stuart is great, a steady defensive defenseman. His absence will hurt, but Smith will definitely help soften the blow.

Imagine if Franzen actually played in the regular season. You know, like everyone else on the team? He's paid to play them all. Last year he clocked out during the regular season and got injured in the playoffs, so he wasn't worth jack.

Franzen doesn't move.

It hurts when the Wings PP... (Poor Nashville got called for tripping over Hudler)

This. If ever he was going to prove himself not the passenger, now would be the time.

Too many turnovers at the Red Wing blueline.

Only a little over 5 minutes of Ice Time for the Zetterberg line in the First Period. I know they are probably gassed from having to do all the work last night, but gonna need more than 16 minutes from them if the Wings are going to win. Saw too much of the awful fourth line and not enough of the studs.

Ericsson's playstyle:

If the Wings are close in the standings to a team, especially a division rival like Nashville or St. Louis, I consider games between the two clubs to be four-point games. Basically, depending on the outcome there is a 4 point swing in the standings. In this case, a Nashville regulation win means they close on the Wings two points, while a Wings win adds two points to the separation. The same can be said if the Blues win tonight and the Wings lose, or vise-versa, however the two are not related and the positions in the standings in terms of separation can just as easily stand pat. Not to mention nights where the Wings play and another team like St. Louis is idle, the Wings may win, but it doesn't mean a great deal because St. Louis will still have that game in hand. Head-to-head games guarantee both teams burn a game and depending on the outcome (+2 separation or -2) there is a possible four-point swing. A bit convoluted, but does that any make sense? I believe I've heard Babcock refer to games in a similar fashion in the past.

Hopefully Hank and Fil aren't too exhausted from carrying the load last night, we'll need them again. Gotta love four-point games late in the season! Lets go Wings!

That definitely sweetens the deal. The inside track on negotiating his extension (though the Ericsson contract pretty much ensures that he'll make more sooner than he'd make less), but even if the Wings do lose him to an offer sheet, assuming at or above his current salary, they'll be compensated to the tune of either a 2nd round pick (if at) or 1st and 3rd round pick (if above). Not to shabby for a late 1st round pick. http://thehockeywriters.com/2011-12-nhl-rfa-compensation-rules/

As sour as I was about the Quincey trade when it happened, I think he has played pretty well. He's made the team better. I too would have preferred a forward to provide help in the scoring department or some fourth line improvement, but all things considered, I'd rather have Quincey than what will be the 30th pick .

8GP 1G 4A 5PT +3 ; 1 Fight + physical play Smith has been playing terrific in his first 8 games with the big club. Last night he was hard on the puck and that play to Filppula on the backdoor was a thing of beauty. He has been sound defensively and showing great offensive instincts. Since seeing him at Wisconsin, I think the guy is a "can't miss prospect". That said, as other posters have warned, we mustn't get too high on him in his first few games. Keep up the good work, Smith!

Yes, and yes. When Franzen finally scores these days, it seems all too easy; "effortless" because it was without effort. He floats like Lang used to and pots gimmes after Datsyuk or other harder working players do most of the work. It was a good play to Helm last night, which got plenty of Franzen backers saying "look look" but all that proves is that he can make those plays falling outta bed. No one is doubting his skill, but his effort is not there. For me, that's a character flaw that needs to be rectified; everyone is expected to show up, whether you say you're bored or not. In my opinion (that's for you, OP) Franzen will be judged statistically on goals and, just like every other player on this team, intangibly on effort. The effort isn't there, and his goal totals since signing his contract are pretty lame. Leading the team doesn't count for much when its only 25 through 68 games, and that's all you really do. Cleary had 26 goals in 68 games last year. Franzen's potential is MUCH greater, but being the teams leading goalscorer is becoming less and less of an accomplishment ("in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king"). TO THE OP: Lording education and salary on a hockey forum is moronic. Entitlement at its worst, but thanks for your credentials: Bachelor's Degree recipient, overpaid, self-aggrandizing, whiny, confrontational, and has played hockey. Way to go! That ought to get you into at least the 45th percentile! Filppula is playing up to the potential that I truly believe the majority (albeit not overwhelming) of folks on LGW thought he had in him. Hate to break it to the OP, but you are not some oracle for defending a guy who most people enjoy watching play. Most trade talk had Filppula as a legitimate top-end outgoing asset to acquire another top-end asset, which is how trades work (not "Hudler and a 2nd for Nash"). I'm happy to have him and never thought he was being "paid on potential" like some people did, simply because he has always given 100% effort, played strong defensively, and made his linemates better. Statistics were then and are now, a bonus. He has been worth $3m since he signed and has since surpassed it. He is finally cashing in on the scoresheet, and the play last night was a great display of the poise and confidence he is playing with. Keep up the good work, Filppula!

This. Don't want to see another game this season without him in the line-up. I think he's been THAT good.

THANKS HANK VAL and JOEY.