Kp-Wings

It's the principle of things. When you lose a guy like Stuart, who was the big deadline deal, and yet guys like Lebda and Lilja seem to be indestructable for some reason (probably because they suck and don't do anything), it gives reason for frustration. Frustration then turns into panic. The thing that angers me the most is the fact that all of the Wings impact defenseman have suffered substantial injuries at some point this season, yet those two *explicit deleted* losers, Lebda and Lilja, seem to come out of every situation unharmed. I mean, what gives? Do they manage to avoid injury because their both so useless and don't do anything ever? I can't figure it out, and it's annoying, to say the least. Stuart has quickly become one of my favorite players on the Wings, and it's really a shame that this has to happen to a guy that has come out to play, and gave it his best every night since he came here. Yet, the guys who go through the motions, show no intensity, act like they don't care, and, quite frankly, suck at playing hockey, seem to get out of the situations and reap the benefits of them. Now Lilja is going to get regular minutes again? God, help me... I may be overreacting, but it's a stupid situation that has gone on here all season. You really can't be sure that if Stuart even does come back he'll be playing the way he did before his injury (after the trade here of course). The people downplaying this injury are crazy, because it's pretty damn difficult to hold onto a hockey stick when you have a broken finger, among other things.

I'm surprised an Yzerman sope-on-a-rope hasn't been invented yet. But this is close.

So now this means Lebda and Lilja will be on a pairing together? Just the fact that one of them would be in the lineup was bad enough before, now both will be playing regular minutes again in the playoffs. Wow... just, wow. Anyone know Steve Duchesne's phone number?

Friday: NY Islanders @ New Jersey NY Rangers @ Philadelphia Toronto @ Buffalo Washington @ Atlanta Minnesota @ Vancouver Anaheim @ San Jose Saturday: Colorado @ Edmonton Chicago @ Nashville Los Angeles @ Dallas Boston @ Montreal Toronto @ Ottawa Tampa Bay @ Florida Detroit @ Columbus New Jersey @ Pittsburgh Anaheim @ Phoenix Minnesota @ Calgary Sunday: St Louis @ Chicago NY Islanders @ Philadelphia

Unbelievable. It's always the guys that I like that get injured. God forbid one of the s***ty defenseman like Lebda sustains an injury like that. I really hope he won't be gone for too long, because he's been a really great pickup. The Wings need his physical play for the playoffs.

What a great game! Zetterberg is phenomenal! ...and here I thought every game from now until playoff time wouldn't be worth watching. I definitly need to set the DVR for the reply on FSN later, because this game is definitly a keeper.

All of the 1,000 fans who actually showed up for the parade will be so disappointed, though.

No, not at all. He's been a nice surprise these past couple games. Now he just needs to keep up the pace.

So now it's either Vancouver or Nashville? Boo...

This is pathetic. McCarty might as well wait until next season. I certainly think he'd bring more to the team on the 4th line than, say, Hudler (Come on. We all know Babcock will not give him top 6 minutes when the lineup is healthy again, and he'll back playing with the grinders). I really don't think it'll even come to that point, though. At this rate, he won't be in a single game this season, and Babcock already stated he'd evaluate his progress and see if he can play in the playoffs during the remaining regular season games. His comeback will more than likely have to wait until next year, if he can go that far. I hope he does, since McCarty will always have a special place here in Detroit.

Heh. You make it seem like the people who defend Samuelsson are such nice guys that value our opinions to the full extent, and don't say anything mean to us.

My ideal lines for next season: Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Holmstrom Cleary - Filppula - Ryder Maltby - Draper - Avery Gratton - Franzen - Downey McCary, Kopecky Lidstrom - Rafalski Kronwall - Stuart Montador - Chelios Quincey Howard Osgood The Wings need to dump these useless players like Samuelsson, Hudler, Lebda, Lilja, etc. They all suck, and I hate them. I feel my replacements are better players anyways. The main goal of this lineup is to increase the toughness, something the Wings lack. Note that this is all done by adding guys who are NOT goons. Avery and Gratton are both plenty capable of putting up points. Downey will be the teams 4th line enforcer, while McCarty will be the extra guy to start off, until he proves himself. Kopecky, for as much as I don't like him, still has size and some potential, so keep him around I guess. Just make it so he has to earn a roster spot by playing tougher. On defense, I have Steve Montador, who is a good skater, and will make the blueline much more physical. He's a lot better than Lilja, and will make a good replacement. Re-sign Stuart to add a good, all-around defenseman. The other issue is secondary scoring, something I think will also be addressed. Although I have Avery playing on the checking line, he can easily be moved up to one of the top lines with Cleary, Filppula, and Ryder. I have Ryder signed because he's a former two-time 30 goal scorer, and since he's coming off a bad season, the Wings can get him for cheap. He's also a right-haned shot, which is very useful, and also replaces the one thing that keeps Samuelsson alive on this time. Now, for the goaltending. I really don't know that much about Howard, and he really doesn't impress me that much, but Hasek is nearing retirement. Somebody needs to step up and take the reins, and Howard will be the guy. For all intents and purposes, it is time. I obviously don't expect this will happen, but this is what I'd personally like to see. Just saying.

Haha. I can just imagine Yashin and Grigorenko sitting next to each other in a locker room drinking Russian vodka and sucking down cigars before the start of game. Somebody needs to make a picture of that!

double post

I was going to make a thread on this myself, but never got around to it. Nevertheless, I share the exact same feelings of Samuelsson that everyone in this thread has stated... except for the ones actually defending him. Those people I don't quite see eye-to-eye with, if you know what I'm saying. It was Zetterberg who put in the recommendation, if I remember correctly. I had seen articles about it in the Detroit Papers back in the summer of 2005, and Zetterberg's name was mentioned quite a bit. The Wings management seems to take whatever he says into focus. He recommended the Wings sign Downey as well (which, was a good decision), and maybe a few other guys, but I'm not sure. Hopefully Zetterberg puts a word in with Holland this summer to sign some secondary scoring, along with a physical defenseman (namely, re-sign Stuart, among other things). Didn't he play on a line with Zetterberg and Shanny, or something of that nature in his first season here? I can't remember exactly who it was, but I know he was playing with two guys that could easily make him look like a top 6 forward. Heck, anyone could be a top 6 forward if they were playing on a line with Zetterberg. Just look at how much better guys like Franzen and Filppula get when they play on a line with him. Exactly. Someone should try telling that to the idiots in this thread that defend the guy because he scored 20 goals one year. Jason Williams scored 20 goals once as well, and people were clamoring for his demise here in Detroit, so I don't see how Samulesson should be any different.

Almost! I'll take 14, as it's welcome relief from some of the terrible weeks I've had before. Congrats to the winner!

I know. Just poking fun is all.

What? Is that Greek or something?

I would rather have seen Jamie Tardif be called up, but whatever. Ritola didn't play enough in that game to really leave an impression on me one way or another.

But... BUT... Kopecky is 2nd on the team in hits!!1!1 If you can remember, he also beat up Super Enforcer™ Patrick Sharp in his one NHL fight. That is no small feat in itself, because when you think of team toughness, you think of Patrick Sharp. Or Lilja.

Yeah, I guess you're right about the stats. But you're not helping my arguement any. As for Drake, I remember him laying out a couple of really good hits last year; one against JM Liles on Colorado, another against some guy on Phoenix, and who could forget that hit on Lebda. He hasn't come close to doing anything like that this season, and quite frankly, I'm disappointed. The Wings don't need another guy just for killing penalties, because they have enough players who already can kill penalties. Considering that both Zetterberg and Datsyuk kill them on a regular basis, along with Draper, Maltby, Cleary, and Franzen, what is the point of having Drake if all he can is kill penalties? I was under the impression that when the Wings signed Drake, they were finally getting a good, forechecking forward. Ken Holland even said that when they signed him. Yet, all they got was another guy to kill penalties, which they didn't need. Drake was somewhat decent last season in St. Louis, and even though he is old, he was still a lot more physical there last season than he has been here this season. That's why it's disappointing.

Exactly. Great post, and I agree with you. I know it's still just the regular season, but the Wings lack of overall passion is pretty stupid. I mean, just look the times when they got blownout this season by teams like Atlanta and Columbus, two non-playoff teams. Instead of trying to come out and set the tone of the game with physical play, and change the whole momentum to try and get back into it, they just lay dead in the water like fish. Even today can be used as an example of that. Regular season game or not, at least make an effort. According to Mike Babcock, team toughness is the exact definition of Tomas Kopecky.

Then answer me this: why is it that when he comes here, he no longers plays physical? Is that any coincidence that he comes to a non-physical team and doesn't play physical himself? He was still an old man in St. Louis, and that didn't stop him, so it's not because of his age.

Oh, I agree with you. But when you consider what that Oilers team had, who shouldn't have been the playoffs if you ask me (yes, the made it to the SCF, but they still sucked), whose to say that the Canucks aren't capable of that as well? The Oilers of that season were the cinderella team that, for all intents and purposes, sucked throughout much of the season, and only just barely made the playoffs. The Canucks of this season share many of those same qualities... you know, just sayin'. Thank you.

I can't believe you're going off of the NHL's hit stat to say that the Wings are really outhitting their opponent. You do know that they consider even the weakest of nudges hits, right? Also, keep in mind that those are home games that those stats are taken from. The Wings have a nice, considerable advantage at home when it comes to stats, at least I've noticed that. If the Wings all of a sudden come alive in the playoffs, then fine, I'll change my opinion. But for the majority of this season, this team has been very soft. I mean, look at what happened to Dallas Drake. This guy was one of the most feared hitters in the league until he came here, and now what does he do? His only asset is a second teir PK guy; something we already in abundance. You know, we clearly have different views of physical play, and that more than likely won't change. So, for the benefit of everyone, I see no need to continue this arguement.