Drake_Marcus

WOOOO! Ozzzyyyyyy with the Shut OUT! 36 wins in the first 50 games. I like those numbers

Rolling over the opposition! Still- I'm sad he hasn't assaulted someone ala-Gabby again I think I youtubed that about 40 times.

I'd fix it for him with an elbow if he's game

Hell no! I hate Pronger with every bone in my body. God I hate Pronger.

Hey- it's hardly the first time Hasek's used his head to make a big stop!

WTF dude? Just because he's moved on to another team doesn't make him a different person. God forbid someone offer you a huge raise to change companies.

Oh, and good on Sammy for stepping it up while the rest of the team's in a bit of a rut. Note who leads in shots this game. Sammy with 4. I love it when players from any of the 4 lines can spur the team onwards. That's the sign of a winning club.

"But coach- I swear I aimed right for the crown!"

Bah! I hope Chris hasn't been bunking with Dom. That's a bad attitude. Hockey sticks are there for a reason.

Gross. But, to be honest, if the NHL can't spin the recent winter classic into big network time. *sigh*

Oh god. Honestly. You're not going to get Hossa for Hudler. If you could I'd be the first to scream yes. Hossa's a beast. Throw him on a team like the wings and his poor playoff performances could be a thing of the past. (could) But I'm f-ing sick of people saying Hudler is expendable then placing Filppula on a pedistle. HUDLER is a better damn producer and a peer defensively. Hudler has more raw talent than Filp and he's a freaking finisher. Filppula's proven time and time again when an empty net presents itself- he's not a finisher. Guess what the wings need- talented finishing wingers. Guess what they've got in spades- defensively responsible centres with a modest offensive upside. It's fantastic that Filppula manages to score in spades when fed by Datsyuk. But I could do the same with Dats as my centre. I like Filppula, but he's not better than Hudler. He's taller. I'll give you that. Face it people- the Wings haven't got the stable of young players to land Hossa. They're better off courting a player with a no-trade clause and huge returns. What do the Wings have? A great shot at the cup. Use that bargaining chip with someone who's got a say in who they're traded to.

That and a back injury can be infinitely worse than a knee injury. Honestly. I'd rather a bum knee for the rest of my back than a wheel chair. Oh, and don't forget the pain difference. Stevie was a damn gladiator, no question. But spine pain ain't knee pain. Z could screw his back up so bad he'd be in trouble sitting in a chair, let alone skating. Obviously I doubt there's much of a real risk of that- or he'd never step on the ice again. I'm just saying- knee pain isn't back pain. Knee trauma isn't back trauma! (I'll refrain from commenting much on how much this unfortunate event has justified my earlier comments in the Z for C thread about my Z back worries. Needless to say- I could have a field day with the quote function between these two threads.) Please, please, please- Zetterberg- get healthy! Sit out the rest of the season and the playoffs if you have to. But please- get healthy!!! Z's key to the future of this team

Come on boys- pick it up in the 4rd! Please, on please Pavel and Hank- step it up! You boys haven't had multi-point games in what seems like forever

Dear baby jebus, Please make Zetterberg collect at least 4 points tonight. Thanks little buddy, Marcus

Extremely impressive comeback for Dom. No question there. I hope he keeps it up for the rest of the season and into the playoffs! GO DOM! GO WINGS!

On a related note- it warms my heart to see Cleary on the top six and Sammy on the bottom line! Cleary belongs on the top line- not stuck on the checking line! However, I'd rather see Drake slotted down on the fourth line and Sammy on the third if only to make use of his frequent shooting and possibly force him to check more

Dear baby jebus, Please make Zetterberg score at least two goals and two assists tonight. A hat-trick would be great, especially if paired up with an assist or two. Please make Datsyuk pick up at least two points and Hudler light the lamp or at least get a few more assists. Thanks little buddy, Marcus

Bingo. $5million a year is a big risk. Lots of NHL players have had great half seasons coupled with 3 mediocre seasons. That's a ton of money for a 60 pt player. However, if he was scoring like that for a full year, with the current salary situation in the NHL, it would actually seem pretty tame.

Great post. Love the indepth discussion. No way Antro is leaving the Leafs- they know he's money. It would take wayyyyyyy too much to land a talented young player with that kind o fsize. Gill, however, if availible, is a nice big body with more skill then Lillypads

Meech is playing in a tough spot right now. He knows he isn't a superstar and hasn't been given many chances to play like we all want him to. In the nine games he did play he wasn't too impressive. Here's the thing, though, I really believe he CAN be a great player. He has the tools. All he needs is the confidence. Even the best players in the NHL suck when they have no confidence in themselves. And very, very, very few people can jump into the league and play really impressive defense off the bat. Even the best young d-men in the league right now have some rough times. Defense is much tougher and less forgiving then forward. I'd love to see Meech play really well in GR then come right up and play a fantastic game here in Detroit. That's what he needs. To bust his balls and play a really great game without worrying too much about it (ie. having some fun - ala Dats and Z) for two weeks in GR. Prove to himself that he's got it. Once he's convinced he can do it he'll be ready to impress. There's no way sitting out 32 games in Detroit hasn't shot his confidence- but he's got to look at the roster ahead of him. He's playing for the Detroit Red Wings. Very few 23 year olds crack that roster. And only in times of real need!

I guess the Blues didn't count on the DOMINATOR showing up! Mowahahahahah Go DOM!

Like I said- I was playing the devil's advocate here. I agree that Zetterberg is far and away the most likely candidate. I did, however, see fit to point out the few potential doubts I saw.

Done. Friendship terminated.

Rabia. I was merely saying there's a chance this back injury isn't a simple bump in the road. You're a doctor, hun, you tell me whether back spasms like this tend to be a chronic injury. Now look at his case history. Two years in a row we're seeing back problems. The whole situation with Hank's back scares the crap out of me. Nothing would make me happier then to find out he's ready to go soon and have this back crap behind him. I'm merely playing the devil's advocate here. Clearly Z is the most likely choice. He's still doesn't provide the case had did back before the back problems.

To be honest, I think it has a lot to do with how far Z gets past his back problems. If he's unable to put together a 75 game season on a regular basis then he might not be the best choice for captain if only because he's not always present. Now, I hope, in the name of every retired number in those rafters, that Z keeps playing at the pace he's been playing this year and the end of last and does so for more than 75 games a year. As it stands now I'm pretty bummed about his injury. BUT if he has to sit out the rest of the frickin' season to heal that back- he damn well better. I want to see #40 making goalies cry for 20 more years!