b.shanafan14

holy s***! Brind'Amour is built like a brick s***house

Here's hoping the Big Sexy Giant Killer, Big Daddy Cool Diesel, the Outsider Kevin Nash signs as the Wings backup next season! (sorry, haven't watched wrestling since i was a kid, but i used to love it)

Is it possible to overrate a 3-time cup winner, who won last season, with two shutouts in the SCF, and is leading all goaltenders this post-season AND is making around $1.4mil? No, honestly, is it even possible?

Well, ladies and gentlemen, theres your sweep.... looks like I'm missing Game 1 of the Finals on Saturday

I can understand his opinion regarding it not being the greatest for non-Penguins, non-Red Wings fans to see the rematch of last season's final. I understand Bettman's plan for parity is to encourage every fan that their team has a chance every year. But its a moot point: these are the two teams that earned their spots in the Final again. Thats life. Go Wings!

terribly sad condolences to his friends and family.

I've been thinking a lot this week, with the Stanley Cup finals nearing and the looks of a rematch looking more and more likely: what grounds constitute the winning of a Conn Smythe trophy as the most valuable playoff performer? Personally, I have always believed that in order to become the playoff MVP, you have to both win the Stanley Cup and out perform every other player, especially at your position, throughout the playoffs, which includes the Finals. If one is to do the latter without the former, their numbers must be grossly out of reach with similar competition and adversity. Also, play in the Finals when conference meets conference for the first time must be a continuation or improvement on play in the previous rounds, not a drop off. And most of all, without that player, it is known that the team would not have achieved the prize. When J.S.Gigere won the Conn Smythe without the cup in 2003, inflated pads aside, he had grossly out performed the competition to the point where everyone knew without him, the Ducks wouldn't have lasted through Round 1 vs. the Red Wings, let alone through 7 games of a Stanley Cup Final. Having said that, my question to the board is this: give the ability of Malkin and Crosby to dominate the weaker, severely less defensive Eastern Conference, if they don't win the Stanley Cup this post-season, does either merit the winning of the Conn Smythe trophy? How crucial to voting is the championship round? Who are the Red Wings candidates who fit the above description and is it enough to make a cup win, a Smythe win? We all know the league has a chubby for Crosby, and whether he is the highest scoring player on his team or not won't matter if the Penguins win the cup. Also, I believe if they win the cup, one of their players deserves the Conn Smythe. Having said that, the Eastern Conference is nothing like the Western in competition level, and if we see a similar drop in production from the two Penguins stars as we saw last Finals, I don't see how they will win the Cup or the Smythe. What are the chances the league still presents one with the Smythe as a loser? My candidates for Conn Smythe from the Red Wings are Osgood, Lidstrom, Franzen, and Zetterberg, in that order. Apologies for the long-winded explanation.

I too will be rooting for Carolina to win tonite, not only because the Red Wings need rest, but because if the Finals end up starting Saturday, I'll have to miss Game 1 for a concert. Not cool. Go Canes!

And we all thought the unearned comparison between the current Penguins and the '80s Oilers dynasty were overblown last SCF. Wait until this year....

I agree with you on the individual award being a footnote in the greater prize. I was just wondering how others felt about the award. I personally believe that if you are to win the Smythe without the cup, its something that, at least for me, the having both Malkin and Crosby on a team, one negates the other in the category of "we are here because he took us here" spirit of the award. And the "we are here because he took us here" is always going to be amplified by the "here", being the runner-up or the Champion. Thus my personal importance in winning the Cup.

Campbell embarrassed himself, and will continue to do so through the completion of his immovable $7+mil/season contract. He is the punchline of NHL free agency: a one dimensional player, over paid to fill a perceived hole on a desperate team that becomes a greater liability than asset which the team will wear like a lead hood for the remainder of his days in Chicago. Not unlike their signing of Huet. The Blackhawks signed two big-money goats to put them over the top, instead, not only will those players bury them this post-season, they will make the resigning of young talent an impossible feat, as they struggle with the cap even now, as Seabrook makes around $3mil, Versteeg and Keith make peanuts, and the two young guns yet to cash in huge. Congratulations Blackhawks, you learned what will be a 5 year hard lesson about succeeding with a salary cap: Its better to be thoughtfully patient than foolishly proactive. Its better to approach a wall with room to change than hit a wall with time to lament.

Exactly! Great defensive pair. They play such a similar game. Stuart is the best I've seen with that hit check. He makes himself so big and immovable when he moves into position with his ass out like that. Its great to watch.

Way to go Ozzy. Not that he is really saying much, but it is rather enlightening that the players can't even find the games when they look to find them, how will prospective fans. When I tell my girlfriend to change the channel to the Wings game on Versus: what the hell is Versus? haha it used to be.... Outdoor Life Network, OLN. What else do they air? Bass fishing, bullriding, and bloodsport.

I knew this was coming after he was so blatant about it. I don't agree with fining coaches or players for being critical of the refs. This is what Babcock is always referring to in his press conferences, how no one is allowed to say 'boo' about the refs. Quenneville could have at least made it a worthwhile call to ***** about. That was definitely not the "worst call in the history of sports" and definitely not worth $10,000. Still, fining anyone for bitching about the officials is ridiculous and just goes to show how the NHL is becoming a fascist regime.

The idea is to have current good players on the ice, not retired good players in charge. Roy as GM and coach spells further doom for the Avs.

Seems like a no brainer. But with Holmstrom struggling big time, better to have Cleary on the top line and move Homer to the third line. Then Franzen and Cleary are interchangeable on the top two lines. Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Cleary Franzen-Filppula-Hossa Holmstrom-Hudler-Samuelsson Maltby-Draper-Helm

Posted this in the Quenneville thread:

I want it sooner than June 5th, but not as early as the 30th. Wings have lots of injuries and I have a concert Saturday night! How about June 2nd or something instead . Plus, BOO back-to-back games in the SCF. AKA Go CANES! (though unlikely)

The difference between the Red Wings and Hawks is maturity, top to bottom. As far as I'm concerned, Q unraveled first, then his young team did. "Worst call in the history of sports"... Scenario: Game 3: Red Wings are down 2-0. Kronwall lays a clean hit on Havlat. Possible momentum swing for the Red Wings is destroyed by a terrible 5 minute major and game misconduct, leaving the Wings without their Number 3 defenseman. Blackhawks don't score on 5 minute powerplay, but score early in the 2nd to make it 3-0. Red Wings maintain composure, refuse to goon, play hockey and within a period are tied 3-3, taking it to overtime before losing on the road to the Blackhawks. Game 4: Blackhawks are down 2-0. Franzen just scored with 20 seconds left in the first period. Scrum ensues after Kronwall gets a piece of Kane. Bad penalty to take anyone out of it, if anything, served as a unreceived message to the Blackhawks to stop starting scrums after clean play. Red Wings score early in the 2nd to make it 3-0. Blackhawks score on the powerplay and begin to show signs of life. 12 seconds later, Hossa scores to reclaim a 3 goal lead for Detroit. Half the game still to play, and they might as well have shut off the lights and called it a win by default. The Blackhawks no longer had any will to win the game and dedicated the next period and a half to gooning on the Red Wings players to send a unreceived message that they aren't finished yet. The refs didn't ruin the game for you Quenneville. You and your porous $5mil backup goaltender ruined it for you.

No. Their team is talented, but its not what worries me. Its the media love and the officials we have to worry about, both will be on Pittsburgh side again. Not sure my blood-pressure can take more of last year. Bad ju-ju to wish this upon another team, makes hockey gods angry and feeds trolls.

I'm semi OK with the 9 or 7 days off between series. I don't like games on back-to-back days in the post-season. Really hope they don't move it to the 30th, cause I have a concert I've been waiting for a long time to see Saturday night, and making me choose between watching the Wings in the SCF and going to a Third Eye Blind concert is like asking me to choose between children.

Since the Wings didn't sweep, according to the NHL, the Finals won't start until June 5th either way. http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=279589 We have plenty of time to wait. Maybe too much time.

His wrister, especially from the right faceoff circle to the far corner is disgusting. Love seeing it everytime.

And its nice of the Blackhawks to pick up the tab for our assist leader , really classy. Some people will buy you a drink, some even dinner, but paying a guy $7mil to serve up the plays he has been for us all season. That is Peace Corp-esque generosity.

Filppula is great, just needs consistent top two line minutes. He'll get them next season.