imisssergei

Even though the Wings scouts find some gems in later rounds with end of the round picks, there is a higher chance that a top 5 pick that these same scouts pick will blossom into something pretty special, and these earlier picks would let them draft players that are higher up on their boards.

I see it be given to a first time winner, like Drake or Cleary.

Look at Doms season. He didn't do anything overly impressive. In the few games Howard played, statistically he was better than Dom.

Overrated: Hasek: Yes he is playing the good boyscout role, but that is it. So what if he hasn't thrown a fit about being benched. You can look at it however you wish, but this is how I see it. Do you really think the Wings would put up with Dom being a distraction? I don't, the way I see it if Dom would have become a distraction I wouldn't have been surprised to see the team simply tell him not to come to the rink anymore. Howard is a capable backup. He played average in the first two games against Nashville, and well below average in the third and fourth games, realistically what does he have to whine about? He blew his chance! Kronwall: Yeah, he is having a pretty good playoff run. However, he has yet to put together an impressive regular season. He set career highs in nearly every statisical category this season, but those stats aren't impressive especially when you see the way he is capable of playing as he has shown in these playoffs. Hudler: He will never be the top 6 winger the Wings envisioned he'd become. He just isn't good enough. He is a solid addition to the third line. Underrated: Osgood: All year long he proved he was the better of the two netminders. Come playoffs, Hasek gets the nod. Osgood outplayed Hasek, and deserved to be the starter in the playoffs. Without Osgood, the Wings possibly don't win the division. Remember, Hasek got off to a horrid start, and it took him a good 2-3 months to be able to compete. It was Osgood who secured the net for the Wings. He never gets the respect he deserves from the media, and most opposing fans. Afterall, he is just Osgood. He has played for the Wings most of his career, therefore his stats must be padded. He isn't acrobatic, flashy, or exciting to watch every night. He doesn't make breathtaking saves all the time. All he does is keep himself in sound position, control rebounds, and give his team a chance to win every night, all this while putting up incredible numbers. A product of his environment or does he allow that environment to exist as it does? Rafalski: He often gets overshadowed by Lidstrom, but Raffy is the perfect compliment to Lids much the way Murphy was (except Raffy is faster, stronger, and owns a better shot). In these playoffs when Lidstrom hasn't been himself, Raffy has stood up and been stellar. Babcock: No one seems to give him any credit for his ability to get his best players to be better. If Babcock isn't the coach, Hank and Pav are Selke candidates. It's amazing to see how he is able to get more out of his stars. If Babcock were coaching the Pens right now, we might have heard Malkin and Sykora might have made it onto the score sheet a few times.

Howard today is absolutely as good or better than Hasek is today. There is no doubt Howard would have put up very similar numbers to that of Hasek, had Howard actually gotten to play. Now will Howard see the personal success in his career that Dom did? Few goalies ever have or will, so that is an unfair comparison. This Wings would be foolish to invite Dom back.

If it's any other goaltender in net for the Wings with Ozzies stats, he wins hands down. But since it is Ozzie, it's a toss up. Does he deserve it? Yes. He saved the Wings season twice. Once at the beginning of the season when Dom couldn't stop a beach ball. And then again against Nashville when Dom lost his mental edge. All things aside, I'd like to see Hank win it, only to because he'd be the second Euro to win the award, but Ozzie is quite deserving.

I bought the cheaper version of the new RBK jersey. I really like the new cut better, it feels more like you are wearing a hoodie. The biggest difference is the sleeves, they no longer drape over your hands because you aren't wearing shoulder and elbow pads. It makes it much easier to eat, drink, ect. while you are wearing it. However, I'm not so sure I'd like to play in one.

"Listen here Hank, Mr. Bettman said he fixed things so we would win, didn't you get the memo?"

I didn't say Helm should sit, just that it's a gut reaction. If Helm were to sit, I would see it as more of a reward for Mac who has been with the team longer, ect.

Gut reaction is to sit Helm and Lilja for Homer and Cheli. But Pittsburgh isn't going to hand the Cup over to the Wings. I would think that Cheli will do all he can to dress for the game, I wouldn't be surprised to see him get the nod, Stuart and Lilja haven't been rock solid and Cheli couldn't do much worse. I expect Babs to keep the lineup the same, inserting Homer in for Mac as the only change.

So a buddy and I made the trip to Pittsburgh and back for Game 3, I just got home. Mellon Arena is a GREAT venue for a hockey game. Even though it's the oldest barn in the league, and doesn't seat 18,000, it is still a great place to watch a game. We had pretty good seats, about 40 rows up, even with the faceoff dot, on what would have been the bottom of your TV screen on the end the Wings shot twice. The atmosphere there was electric, the fans were absolutely crazy about the game. I think I was one of 50-100 Wings fans there, if that. For the most part the fans at Mellon Arena gave me the expect ribbing, and trash talking, no big deal, I gave it right back. There were a few assholes who took it too far, but in each instances (except when the second Detroit goal was scored, someone told me to 'Sit the F*ck down! What the hell did you do anyway?!' to which I replied 'More than you, I drove about 400 miles to be here!') there were a few Pens fans who came up to me and apologized for the inappropiate conduct of the other fans. People, something has to be done at the Joe. About 45 minutes before the game, with less than half of the crowd in the arena, Mellon Arena was louder than I've ever heard the Joe, not to mention during the game. But it's more than just the fans being loud. They do more stuff at the arena to get the fans pumped up, they showed several cuts from 'Miracle' when Brooks is giving his speeches. The place was simply rocking, especially when Gill put together the string of 3 hits late in the third. Something should be done at the Joe other than the stupid sound meter. I think lowering ticket prices would help too. I was looking at getting some tickets to goto game 5, but they are more expensive than the gas, hotel, food, souvenirs, and ticket that I spent to goto Mellon Arena. Bottom line, it was a great game to watch, great experience, great atmosphere, and I'll tip my hat to Pens fans for being so pleasant to me (for the most part).

I believe it was Gill who caused Homer to fall into the net. Speaking of Gill, I've never seen someone get away with more blatant crosschecks to the back. I don't think Homer ever went to the bench with his helmet on.

I'm not sure how the game looked on TV, or how the announcers tried to spin it, but from the arena, Pittsburgh controlled the game. The Pens had a lot of chances, but couldn't put the puck in. Every goal they had was a direct result of a big mistake by Detroit. Pittsburgh deserved to win the game, but Detroit gave it to them. The Wings looked flat compared to the tempo the Pens set. I don't know what the stat line said, but it looked like Detroit got out hit, out chanced, and out skated. Ozzie stood on his head when he had to, and had the team not let him down, at minimum, it's a 2-2 game headed to OT.

I don't know if it was Barry just trying to push things off until the playoffs are over, but today on ESPN he blatantly said that nothing is going on as of right now. Since Tampa Bay is out of the playoffs they are allowed to hire a coach if they choose to do so. Here is the link to the ESPN article in which Barry dispels the rumor. Take it for what it's worth, but I don't see why Barry would deny the rumors, it isn't as if Tampa is playing in the Finals right now. Makes zero sense to me that he would try to hide it. Also, I find it odd that he claims to have high interest in coaching in the NHL again, and every year since he joined ESPN teams call him, yet he chooses ESPN over coaching. Doesn't fit.

I was very impressed with the conduct of about 95% of the fans there. Especially since I wasn't hiding my colors one iota.

Crosby has yet to take over a game. He got 2 rebounds on powerplays. He needs to step his game up a notch or two if the Pens want to win.

Could have been me! Hah, I was wearing a red Zetterburg jersey and red hat, my buddy was wearing his Crosby jersey.

Damn, you beat me to it. Dats has got to have the most oddly shaped head in the NHL. It looks very much like a greys head.

Anyone remember Cleary destroying Fanoooof last year? Well, the official scorer didn't credit Cleary with a hit on that play. Hits are just like scoring chances, it all depends on the mood the official scorer is in at the time of the play. It doesn't matter, the Wings are up 2-0.

Really? Refresh my memory, what were all the names I was calling Holland? Looking back at the deadline, and the state of the team then, I think it was a bad move not to bring in scoring help. Again, no one could have predicted Franzen's surge. Without that, the Wings aren't the same team going into the playoffs, and definitely not the same in the playoffs.

Smart? I'm not sold on that. If Franzen doesn't take his game up a few levels, there is a good chance the Wings don't make it to the Finals, maybe not out of the first round. No one could have predicted the way Franzen stepped it up, and both Flip and Rex weren't putting up solid second line scoring numbers. Holland had $5m, and lots of defensive prospects to work with. There were a lot of guys he could have made a move for. Guys like Prospal, Hlavac, Fedorov (just an example I don't need to hear why it was smart not to get him) Richards, and Campbell all would have boosted the secondary scoring quite a bit. I think Hossa was too much of a risk given what the Pens ultimately had to give to get him, the Wings could not have matched that offer. Even if the Wings win the Cup this year, I'll still be disappointed that Stuart was the only player brought in. I still don't think Rex is going to be much of a scorer in this league, and it would be nice to have a 30 goal scorer in that spot.

I agree, sort of. I don't think that Malkin necessarily wants to be 'the man' over Crosby. However, I do believe that Malkin is much more effective without Crosby than with. If I'm coaching the Pens, it's Malkin as first line center, Crosby second line center. The reasoning the benefits of Malkin on the first line rather than second are greater than the losses of having Crosby on the second line rather than the first. Also, if I'm coaching the Wings, I would split of Pav and Hank for game 3. I think it would create more headaches for the Pens than they could deal with. Now not only do the Pens have to watch the d parings, but two forward lines. Just makes it tougher on Crosby.

In the months leading up to the playoffs there were a ton of threads about who should be the goaltender in this years playoff run. To all of you who thought it should be Dom, you can apologize to Osgood here. It's ok. And if the Wings win the Cup, I'll gladly get in line to eat some crow on that one.

It could be just my small circle of 'hockey friends' but we all pretty much agree, the Wings play more confident in front of Ozzie. I don't know if the Wings get passed Nashville if the change isn't made. Nashville had a mental edge.

Just thougth I'd bump this up. My buddy and I are leaving at about 3 today for the game tomorrow. Anyone else making the trip?