barabbas16

49 days until preseason. 66 days until regular season.

So, whose decision was it to start Mrazek over Howard in the playoffs?

Nah that wouldn't be weird... as soon as Minnesota or Dallas participate in a Winter Classic.

I didn't. Brown worked well with Fedorov. That Fedorov/Brown/Kozlov line was money. Brown scored a goal from Fedorov and another from Kozlov in game 4 of the 1998 Finals. I think the goal that won a certain game on 3/26/1997 was Larionov to Shanahan to McCarty ftw.... I think that's why that line stands out in my head from 97.

For 97, I think I remember seeing... Yzerman with Sandstrom and Lapointe Fedorov with Kozlov and Brown Larionov with Shanahan and McCarty Draper with Maltby and Kocur

I don't think Andersson, Ferraro, Callahan, Miele, or Aubry are likely to 'tear it up and try for more money.'

Could you post some of the advanced metrics that prove the Red Wings are better off without Franzen, please?

Franzen's .75 points per game that he consistently provided over the past 7 seasons are easily replaceable by any number of prospects. Kindly place him in the dumpster where he belongs, with the rest of the refuse.

The two subjects are connected, though. If Franzen is healthy, it could directly affect the playing time and goal totals of Jurco and Pulkkinen. If Mule is able to handle even a moderate load of games played, Jurco and Pulkkinen may be competing with each other for a spot in the lineup.

Well, now he's ruined his shot at the Hall of Fame.

I don't know if I like this better. I liked the idea of 3 on 3 if it got rid of shootouts. I wasn't looking at it as a replacement for 4 on 4 OT. 4on4 > 3on3 > shootout How much it reduces the shootouts will be the determining factor for me, I guess.

Dominic Turgeon?

Wow. That does seem like a bad deal for Montreal. Agree that it seems to make the possibility of Detroit signing Green or Franson less likely. Also, maybe makes Phaneuf's contact appear slightly more palatable...

It's tough... but it seems that since Detroit has a good amount of numbers retired, that the standard for number retirement is much higher. If a player wants his number retired in Detroit, he can't provide a reason for it not to be...and Fedorov arguably did that by leaving when and how he did.

Well, I'll post here anyway. I didn't really mean to be obnoxious. I admit that "completely worthless" was an exaggeration on my part (and I really meant it in reference to last year, not necessarily at present). And I agree that i am certainly being impatient with Jurco. I really do think that Jurco's lack of scoring last year is why people are ready to give up on Jurco. And, higher expectations are why his output is so disappointing. I meant to concede the discussion with a little sarcasm with my last post, but I can see how that could be interpreted as putting words in peoples' mouths. I apologize, though - did not foresee my posts as being received as they were.

Why do you feel the need to be a jerk about it?

Wow - ok sorry guys. Jurco rules... not disppointing at all. Patience is a virtue, people!

You, Bill, and Ted are all welcome to disagree with me, of course. To me, Jurco was the biggest disappointment for the Red Wings that season. Yes, I expected more points out of him than I did from Abdelkader and Helm in their first few years. Didn't you? Didn't everyone? Am I incorrect in saying that Jurco has always been viewed as a future top six forward.... whereas that was not the case with Abdelkader or Helm? I don't want and the Wings don't need Jurco to be another "quality possession player given his role" who is "good defensively" and produces no offense. Those guys grow on trees. Ferraro and Callahan can come in and do that. Glendening, Miller, and Andersson do that. Jurco is supposed to be and should be better than that. And he wasn't. At all. Yes, maybe some of my disappointment is the result of higher expectations for him on my part than some other players... but I don't care. He was hugely disappointing and not at all "excellent."

Because "didn't meet expectations" is putting it lightly. I didn't expect him to light the world on fire.... I did expect him to score more goals this season than Big E and KFQ.... Drew Miller.... Kindl... Joakim Andersson. He did score more Dan Cleary by 2, though, so hats off to him. Of course, Danny boy scored more goals per game than Jurco, so nevermind. The expectation wasn't just that he wouldn't be completely worthless (which he was for the entire year), but that he would actually be good (which he wasn't.... for the entire year).

It seems difficult to compare AA/Nosek vs. XO/Marchenko... XO and Marchenko (2nd year in GR) are a season ahead of AA and Nosek (1st year in GR). And, XO and Marchenko have had ample opportunity to show themselves at the NHL level, AA and Nosek have had no such opportunity. Also, you said Mantha had a good year, but AA's year was just mediocre. I do not agree with this differentiation. Could you elaborate on why you feel that Mantha's season was better than AA's?

No, no. Put any scoring forward on defense and they'll be a better defenseman than Kronwall because they will score more points.

Your math is correct. However, the Griffins did not play 82 regular season games. They played 76. 62 of 76 is between 82 and 83%. Either way, calling it one half of a season is simply false.

He played over 80% of the regular season games and all of the playoff games so far. I'm not necessarily in support of the comment - at the least, the "very, very, very" could have been excluded. But, 'disappointing' seems... appropriate. Who knows what motivates this kid, though? Maybe it lights a fire under him and he lights Rockford up in the next series.

OMG Datsyuk and Zetterberg are getting old and there aren't any prospects that are as good! Get some! Now! 3, 2, 1, get them! Do you have them yet!?

He was right. Filppula is better than Weiss.