uk_redwing

Very true. I dont see why countries have armies these days. To win wars, you just need to sit back and absord those shells and bullets.

Fighting does not prevent it, pre-enforcing does.

Yeah, if you like being somebodys *****

I wanted to say something along those lines, but couldnt be arsed dealing with "blah blah goals on powerplay team toughness" s***.

A hockey check/high stick could have given him the exact same injury. Dont be stupid. As our own Micky Redmond says: "No one gets hurt in a good fair fight."

It wouldnt be hard to be tougher than last years line up. Last years line up was cringeworthingly soft. I agree with bringing Janik up. He's a far better defenseman than Meech or Lebda and brings that extra element of toughness/fighting. Lilja said in an interview hes done fighting. May definately needs to be in the line up regulary. We've all just seen why, shouldnt need to go into it more than that. Im already fed up with Bertuzzi. He brings absolutely nothing. And as for Ericsson, hes squared off unsuccesfully twice this season against Rosehill and Perry, so has seemed fiesty on plenty of occasion so Im not too worried about him yet. Abdelkader will have his first fight within the next 10 games easy the way hes been playing. Having May, Abdelkader, Ericsson and Janik in the line up will make us easily tough enough both to play good balanced hockey and also have that extra entertainment value...obviously what do we know, eh? Derek Meech is obviously awesome and a much better option if Holland thinks so.

True hockey player having some self respect and standing up for himself right there in the form of Steve Yzerman. The only star player we have who sticks up for himself is Datsyuk. Sad times.

Laraque is one enforcer this league could do without. The good news is, according to Holland, we get to see 2-3 weeks MINIMUM of Derek Meech! WOOOO!!!!

People really need to start watching some Grand Rapids games! Janik has been by far the most solid defenseman in the AHL for us this season. If anyone gets called up (which they wont because Holland said they'll just use Meech *expletive*) it will be Doug.

Not execution, but me and my friend Mr Five Iron would certainly be giving them a visit.

Cheapshots happen when you dont dress enforcers. Meh.

Its called hockey. Funnily enough, Detroits D does it aswell.

This team could do with someone who had a goal every 4 games ratio last season to replace one of the guys we've got now.

They dont have one. Or anything close.

I'll watch this for 30mins before the wings game internet permitting

The officiating in this league is a joke. Doesnt go much further than that. If we all made mistakes like they did tonight in our jobs, we'd get fired.

Of all that guys to get a CLEAN AND LEGAL goal ruled out, it has to be Brad May. Poor guy. Wings got f***ed.

He should be looking to do that anyway. And he DID take a penalty. 2 minute minor for turtling.

Or maybe Stuart should realise that hes playing hockey and throw some punches back! Its a scrum in front of the net...he cant expect to shove and turtle and draw a penalty. Never happens.

Hell yeah baby!!!

I think this video clearly shows why we need to get rid of the instigator rule. There was a bear taking cheapshots at one of the teams star bears, and their enforcer bear took exception, but the cheapshotting bear ran away and hid behind the linesmen and the enforcer bear knew he couldnt do anything or his team would come up against their lethal powerplay. Tsk tsk. Worst rule in hockey.

Are these bears undrafted? If not I think we should at least put a few of them in Grand Rapids for a while. See if they can adapt to North American hockey where stupid circus trainers DONT interupt them as they square off

Whilst alot is made of guys like Tatar and Kindl, one guy whos gone relatively unnoticed is Grand Rapids captain Jamie Tardif. Currently on a 2-way contact with Detroit, Tardif is leading the Griffins in scoring with 5 goals this season in 11 games. There's not much to not like about this guy if looking to replace someone like Maltby. Hes chirpy, a great leader (hence GR's captain), can put the puck in the net, is gritty, hits hard and is a good fighter. He had a fight tonight against the Chicago Wolves and gave the other dude a thorough beatdown. Has trained with Aaron Downey all summer. What else could you want in a 4th liner I ask you? He'd be cheap as well. Cheap, gritty, tough North American hockey player who can score goals right here.

Good article on Jamie: GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — When Jamie Tardif speaks about leadership, he mentions his father Marc and former teammate and fellow Wellander Matt Ellis. Marc was the former general manager of the Welland Junior Canadians and was basically in charge of the on-ice operations for the junior B hockey team, while Ellis, who is now a member of the Buffalo Sabres, served as captain of the Grand Rapids Griffins and is somebody Tardif admires. Tardif says he too is a leader — someone who thrives in that role and accepts the responsibilities it brings. "I have that trait in me, that quality, that leadership," Tardif told The Tribune. "No matter where I've been, I've always been looked up to. I love to be that leader — lead guys by example, on and off the ice." "It's something that over time I acquired. I've had a lot of good captains in my day: Matt Ellis from Welland, last year playing with guys like Aaron Downey, Darren McCarty, learning so much from those guys." And of course, his father. "A lot of it comes from family. The way I was raised, my father played hockey. The leadership qualities that he has I see a lot in myself — I'm getting older you start to understand things better." So it's fitting that the former captain of the OHL's Peterborough Petes was named the captain of the American Hockey League's Griffins, which is the top farm team of the Detroit Red Wings. It was earlier this season when Grand Rapids head coach Curt Fraser walked into the dressing room and announced that the 24-year-old from Welland, would wear the 'C' on his jersey. "He didn't give me any heads up at all, so it was a surprise to me as well. It's a good honour, that's for sure," he said. "It was definitely in the back of my head coming into the season. If you look at our roster we have guys with a lot of experience in this league and the NHL. I really didn't know what was going on, I was hoping for it. "It's good to get that recognition from the coaches." With veteran hockey professionals such as Kris Newbury, Andy Delmore and Michael Nylander on the roster, Tardif said there's plenty of leadership on the team. And just because he's now the captain doesn't mean others can't take a leadership roles as well. "There's definitely a lot of respect there, it goes both ways. I still look up to them, I respect them," said Tardif, in his fourth year with the Detroit organization. Tardif is leading the charge in Grand Rapids with hopes of making a long playoff run and trying to get more fans in the seats at their homes games at Van Andel Arena. The captain admits filling those seats is a challenge, but college students and Friday nights help greatly. For Friday home games, the Griffins have a promotion where they offer beer and hot dogs for $1 each. Students seem to love it. "They are drunk by the second period," he said. Even with him carrying the 'C', Tardif hasn't lost sight of his ultimate goal: getting called up by the Red Wings. Tardif, who was drafted by the Calgary Flames in the fourth round, 112th overall, in the 2003 entry draft, hasn't played an NHL game yet, and some might say he won't as long as the Red Wings continue to be a competitive club and contend for the Stanley Cup. Tardif admits it's not easy to get called up to Detroit and he needs to be in the right place at the right time to get a promotion to the big league.

Janik>Lebda. Ive been saying it all season! And will continue to do so.