Anomalously

DMAC - Sammy does shoot right.

Homer will be there for season ticket holders.

You mean... Drapes and some alumni.

I'm buying an HDTV in the next couple of weeks, looking at cable and satellite providers right now. Basically, it's $65/mo. for the cable with the HD channels included (Time Warner Cable) or $50/mo. for the satellite and an extra $10/mo. for the HD channels (DirecTV). For the most part, both packages have my bases covered for what I'm looking for. Almost a wash. Anyway, what's everyone's (someone's?) experience with games in HD on Center Ice from DirecTV? $600/year for satellite plus HD plus the $1,300 I'm going to unload on this TV, I better not get stiffed with 3 Wings games in HD (besides the Versus and NBC editions of the games). Anybody have any advice on this subject?

I think most of us are hoping they'll have chemistry elsewhere...

Just send the media. Crosby can play [and can stay] -- that's how I see it.

Don't worry, happens to me too. I got it.

What's exciting about this is the fact that he has 300 practice jerseys and he's wearing Wings gear in the offseason. You can just feel how excited he is to step on the ice, that he's wearing it now. You know he wasn't wearing Thrasher gear at Gabs's rink in August last summer. Edit: And like, he has Mike Babcock, the motivator, as coach. That's a sick combination.

And what, just skip over Chelios? You don't need an A to be a leader in the room. I think Maltby is comfortable with his evolving role with the team -- otherwise he wouldn't be here. I think the team is fine with the roles each player has -- they just won a Cup.

Thought about making a topic about this, too. The whole presser is on stars.nhl.com, and it's actually somewhat interesting.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/stor...&id=3515195 ESPN ranking of the best (and worst) coaches. Divides them into categories. Also, check out the bit on Therrien...

Hasek, anyone? Edit: Just saw Shoreline said something about this. It's very similar, IMO. Really tied the hands of the Wings' organization.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=244659&amp...os=topStory_nhl This ought to make for an interesting deadline...

You honestly think that's the way the judges see it? Look at Modano, for example. If a life-long Wing is in (Lidstrom), think they'll pass up Modano for Fedorov?

Opie's right -- and the best way to argue if Sergei is a first-ballot "stone cold lock" is looking at the players around him -- at his potential draft class. The players in the league older than Fedorov that have a shot of getting in before Fedorov: Chelios (second-oldest player in NHL history, 3 Norris trophies, 948 points in 1616 games, 3 Cups, 2873 PIM) Roberts (1 Cup, 2533 PIM, 903 points in 1194 games, might have the respect of voters) Shanahan (650 goals, the 19 consecutive 20-goal seasons, 1340 in 1490, Gordie Howe Tricks, Competition Committee, Olympic Gold) Sakic (100 points in 6 seasons, 188 playoff points, 1629 in 1363, 623 goals, this is too obvious) Blake (Norris, Cup, 1509 points in 1127, Olympic Gold) Guys younger: Brodeur (538 wins, 3 Cups, several records, 4 Vezinas) Lidstrom (938 in 1252, 6 Norris Trophies, Olympic Gold) Modano (all-time scoring, points leader for USA; more than 500 goals; 1283 in 1320) Selanne (Calder; 1158 points in 1067; 552 goals) Sundin (consistency, longest European captaincy, Leaf franchise records for goals, points; 1321 in 1305, 555 goals) Jagr (this is another no-brainer, several more Harts, active leader in offensive categories) Niedermayer (Gold, 663 in 1101, Norris, Cup) Roenick (500 goal club, 1203 points) Keep in mind that I'm not on the committee. It depends who is on the committee and who Fedorov retires with. Fedorov is older than a lot of guys on this list and yet some of the younger guys have accomplished more. Shanahan, Sakic, Blake, Modano, Selanne, Sundin, Jagr, and Roenick all have more points. All of those guys with more points except for Blake, a defenseman, have more goals. And Lidstrom is obviously a lock above Fedorov. If Fedorov retires with Lidstrom, Sakic, and Sundin, he's not a first-ballot HOFer.

Homer re-signs one year. Lidstrom re-signs two years. Osgood re-signs one year as backup/mentor. Everybody else is done when their contract is over.

Best way to figure out who is centering most is to look at how many faceoffs they're taking. Zetterberg 1210 Draper 944 Datsyuk 833 Filppula 621 Franzen 390

I love the Bruins. Savard, Bergeron, Chara, and Lucic are some of my favorite players not on the Wings.

Calm down.

I was pretty sure it was, but then I imagined me being the first respondent to the thread, and everyone admonishing me for remembering the details inaccurately. That's when I threw in that disclaimer.

That was Shanahan. (edit: I'm almost certain it was, but I should put a disclaimer that I'm not 100%; it has been a few years...)

I was going to say something to the effect of, "Well, I guess we know who's winning the Cup next year..."

Not the coach, but Ken Holland has said he expects Z and D to be broken up. Not just that, but why put Hossa's goal scoring prowess with 11 assists and 17 assists? Datsyuk had 66, Z had 49, Hudler had 29 [even Sammy had 29]. Detroit has enough depth at this point to bring three fairly potent lines. Put Malts-Draper-Kopecky together, and then: D with Franzen, Hudler Z with Homer, Hossa And still have Fil, Samuelsson, Cleary That way, you've got size/net presence/goal scoring (Franzen) with 66 assists/pure skill/puck handler (Datsyuk) and an undersized but incredibly talented and young Hudler. Hudler's lack of defensive instincts aren't as huge a deal because Datsyuk and Franzen are great in their own end. And Hossa and Zetterberg, both capable of 50-50-100 and 300 shots/each with the best distraction in the league. Again, Homer isn't the greatest in his own end, but he's working with two excellent two-way guys (similar to last year, with ZDH). We're going to have to make some sort of salary concessions next year, it makes sense to raise Hudler's value now [if you like him, put him on the top line because that's where you think he's effective; if you don't, put him on a line where he can produce so we can ship him].

Hudler: 847 ES, 27 ESP, 1 point every 31.4 minutes Cleary: 779 ES, 29 ESP, 1 / 26.9 Hudler: 218, 15 PPP, 1 / 14.5 Cleary: 167 PP, 12 PPP, 1 / 13.9 Just saying.

Yzerman scored 155 points, a number that only Gretzky and Lemieux have matched. He finished second that year, behind Lemieux. Fedorov finished #2, after Gretzky, in 93-94. In the two decades, the 80s and the 90s, the prime of both Yzerman and Fedorov were blocked by a ten-time and a six-time winner. Those were the best two offensive threats on the Wings in the 80s and 90s, and they couldn't win it because of Gretzky and Lemieux. Shanahan might have been next, but his best seasons were behind him by the time he got to the Wings. Zetterberg and Datsyuk are the next best players of the last 15 years. And they're in their prime now. In seven years, seven different players have won the Art Ross. It's a different era. Crosby and Ovechkin could take over at this point. Crosby could win 5-10, Ovechkin 3-6 (and 8 Rocket Richards) and take any chance Z or D have. Ovechkin is reckless, though; he could be out a month next season, and a potent second line could mean the oppositions' best defenders might not be dogging Zetterberg all night every night. That could mean Z pots 52, one better than Lecavalier, and he takes home another big trophy. Ovechkin ends up with 47, a better gpg, but no dice. I don't think the expectation for Zetterberg is to take home all the hardware. I think there's a better shot Z takes time off than Ovechkin. I just think bad arguments (like historical precedent) are made to suggest he won't.