b.shanafan14

The Chelios turnover on the first goal was horrendous and thats all he's done all year. Kopecky is absolute garbage tonite, on their second goal, Kopecky literally just stood there, its frustrating. He was thrown on Hossa and Flips line for a couple shifts (god knows why), and Babcock came to his senses and put him back on the fourth line and ever since Kopecky has been even worse than usual because he is pouting. EDIT: Kopecky goes back on the Hossa line for the third and because he coughs up the puck, the Wings take a penalty.

Ozzy has been good. The powerplay has been terrible. Too bad Chelios and Kopecky are playing tonite, or else it might be 1-0

I thought the hit was pretty dirty, if Lebda didn't avoid it then it may have been worse. Clutterbuck took far too many strides for it not to be at least a charge. He came speeding from center ice, never once intending to play the puck. I think its 3 strides on a vulnerable opponent is the standard for a charge. Of course last years finals, apparently a stride and a half is a charge if you hit a Penguin doing it, so who knows...

Wow, thats pretty ridiculous. Good on Smith to avoid a hit that could have ended very badly. Too bad he wasn't rewarded for a respectful play, but HEAVILY penalized

Pavel Datsyuk is having an absolute tear of a season. Currently 1 pt behind Ovechkin and 4 pt behind Crosby who are 3rd and 2nd respectively in the NHL points race this season. Pavel also has as many goals as Malkin and more goals than Crosby. Continued play with Zetterberg is only going to speed up his already career pace. Granted he'll never catch Malkin who apparently gets a point whenever the Pens score. Pavel is also just 2 behind the leader in plus/minus, which sees him in a pack of Bruins that I personally think are due for a rough patch. His takeaway (and giveaway) numbers are impressive as usual and once again, something I believe is only gonna get better in this last stretch to the playoffs. To me this spells another Selke season for Datsyuk. So its funny how there is no press to Pavel, or not a single muttering of MVP anywhere in the league when a guy barely off 3rd and 2nd place in league scoring is also the front runner for the best defensive forward. I know that they don't give the Hart to the best player on the best team, just remarking at just how amazing Pavel has been this season and how you haven't heard 'boo' about it.

I agree with the league wide consensus that OV is the most explosive offensive threat in the league, and due to the non-superstar status of most the players he is with he deserves the MVP which has always been described as 'more valuable to his team than anyone else in the league is valuable to theirs' which I completely agree. But with the offensive and defensive dominance of Pavel this season, we all know that all-around he is the best player in the league right now. But SHHH! don't tell the media

If Hossa understands what it takes to be a Red Wing (tremendous paycut), which I think he does, and understands that it is going to take a huge deal to keep him and our depth, he is definitely the priority to sign. I love the Mule, he is terrific and from all accounts great in the locker room too, but he is also very injury prone. There are definitely some very hard decisions to make in the next couple months, and I do not envy Ken Holland, but either way, this team is going to be very different next year. The players deserve the economic prospects that are elsewhere, but who knows, maybe a few years down the line when Lidstrom's numbers are off the books and number 5 hangs in the rafter at JLA maybe we'll see Franzen and Hudler back in the Winged-Wheel. Call me a dreamer....

... and is once again near the league low on penalty minutes, especially among the elite players. 4th straight Lady Byng?

Hossa = Fedorov? Not quite...

Two words: Brendan Shanahan .... JK ... kinda. Sorry, I'll always have huge Shanny manlove. That whole team is playing lights out, and they've gotten ridiculous goaltending that you aren't supposed to get when you lose Brodeur. Shanny dropped the mits at age 40 last night, btw.

boo Kopecky, yay Hossa and Franzen. If Franzen would sign for $4mil/season that would be sweet. I see Filppula playing elsewhere next season, which is unfortunate. Sounds like Hossa really wants to stay which is good news. But once again, I hate the salary cap.

Give Winnipeg their team back, can't be any worse.

No arguments here

I always see eklund rumours and they are quite rarely on, but how does the scale work low-high number = low-high probability?

Rangers are desperate to find something. Ever since they sprung for Gomez and Drury a couple offseasons ago they've been kinda limping along behind a solid goaltender in Lundqvist. Gomez and Drury don't have anyone to play with so their production is terrible for their pay (Gomez on pace for 16g, 58pts, -7; Drury on pace for 23g, 50pts, -6). They need some kind of spark and if you can get Avery at half-price, might be worth a shot. I think Avery is a jackass but when he is on, he can play.

I've never been a Manny fan, but I do feel for the guy.

Why not NOT start another Osgood thread? That works too.

not again....

They finally played the lines I said when we first got Hossa, with a healthy Holmstrom playing in Cleary's spot on the top line: Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Cleary(Holmstrom) Hossa-Franzen-Filppula And they did great.

NOOOO.... Helm replaces Kopecky on the 4th line, keep Leino in. Helm will be playing on the 4th line again these playoffs for one of those bums anyways, might as well get him started. Don't like the move at all.

Thats been my argument for a while too, good call. The CBA was meant to stop deals like say Mats Sundin $10mil/season kind of deals, but it hasn't. It really is punishing teams like the Wings who draft well on top of being free agent destinations, and does nothing for non-destinations like Florida and NYI.

Yay! I haven't been privy to a gloom and doom thread in minutes. Long, long, long, peaceful minutes.

hahaha great commercials, liking the obvious Wings jersey, sans logo. Second one with Demitra and Hossa figure skating changed my mind about signing for next year: keep Hossa at any cost

"Hey god, me again. Can you please bench Kopecky and play Helm? That would be great, thanks" .... its done

His question isn't about the fantasy team, its about the rules and reasons involved in NYI not placing DiPietro on LTIR even though his season is over. My guess is that regardless of injury your cap must be above the floor, being that the Islanders have no one of merit they are hugging the floor rather tightly, at least tightly enough that losing their only name player and as far as I know biggest cap hit would put them under said floor. Teams like this are why I hate the salary cap: Wings do everything they can to draft, develop, and skate a good team and teams like NYI hug the floor with no real push for improvement.