Echolalia

Yeah, some passive aggressive poster really doesn't want Ryasenski on the team.

I wonder if Chicago knew about this when they dumped half their team earlier today.

I never heard of him before. At first I thought it was the high-skill prospect in this year's draft that said he's committed to playing in the KHL. How did the Wings get ahold of him?

its not like one needs a whole lot of talent to make the playoffs in the east.

If Toronto gets him, they'll be right in the fray of the playoff hunts, I expect. I would like to see that.

i don't know it might be close

I didn't see the Awards show and don't have speakers on the computer that I'm on. Can anybody go through the trouble of transcribing his speech for me?

Its almost blasphemous for me on a personal level to debate this, because both were such monumental characters for their teams and the league, in skill and class. Every time I was asked this in the past I would note that its of no importance who is better when each of them have done so much.

December is looking pretty rough. 16 games, including 4 back-to-backs.

I think you bolded the wrong part of his quote. He mentioned ideally he would like to grab an enforcer, but he also alluded to the slim pickings on the market, especially for the particular molding Holland would be looking for. He also said he has no problem going without one if need be. I take that whole quote as saying "I know I told you guys that I was going to sign an enforcer a couple weeks ago, but I don't know if I will so much anymore..." edit: also "keep the flies off" is quickly becoming the most used Quote of Babcock on LGW.

Except after this year I wouldn't be surprised if it was everyone's mantra. I'm curious: out of all the Stanley Cup champions (or even finals appearances), what were all the salaries of the goalies? Does anyone have access to that information?

A rookie forward-turned-defensman + a plethora of injuries + the eternal desire of other teams to beat the Red Wings = -15

I've always wished that the league would mandate a couple more inches off the pads that goalies wear these days. Although the recent success of teams with low-salary goalies has me wondering whether other teams will follow that trend and spend more on high-skill skaters and less on goalies. If the demand for high-end goalies drops, their salary will accordingly, and teams may end up with around 4M more to invest in their skating players (yet that's all based on whether this "trend" plays out). If this does happen, I think goal scoring would rise a bit more than where its at now.

I just want the best players in the world on NHL ice. If that means they're all NA or all South American, or Euros or some combination, then so be it; all I care about is talent.

I thought the best offense was a good defense

noone rolls with 98th place like good ol' Echo!

I hope he ends up on the third line. He is skilled enough to put up decent numbers in the top 6, and with Hudler back we can roll three scoring lines instead of two. Homer Datsyuk Hudler Filppula Zetterberg Franzen Cleary Abdelkader Bertuzzi Eaves Helm Draper This looks ideal to me. Every line has a big body to crash the net (outside of the fourth line), the top two have playmakers and goal scorers. The Cleary Abby Bert line is a strong enough offensive threat against other third lines and its gritty enough to be a second checking line when need be, and Eaves, Helm, and Draper were phenomenal together last year. I don't remember our fourth line looking so good in a while.

Tell you friend he'll have another opportunity to see the Wings on Leno in about a year.

That was cool of him to do, but I don't feel any more intelligible on any of the matters discussed than before I read the transcript. I guess in his position just before the draft, you have to be a bit reserved.

Exactly, and I don't even need to see it every game. I know as much as the next guy that Bert is getting old, and he has a back that tends not to agree with him, but if he can get into the corners and around the net and show just a little more grit when we really need it, he'll have earned every penny of that contract in my book, and his chances at his first Stanley Cup don't seem that bad either.

I'm a bit bummed by the hit being as high as it is, but if Bert is willing to work on some issues in the offseason (ie don't take retard penalties, two hands on the stick, a little more body down low) I'll be pleased with this signing. In other words, the realm of this cap-hit isn't something to be completely disappointed about, because I feel he's potentially worth it. Its now his job to earn it.

Its only appropriate that the only team to win a Cup at Mellon Arena should play the first game at the new place.

He might add a little scoring depth to our third line, but I'd be surprised if he accumulated more than 30 points, assuming he even makes the team. But I'll be ready to eat my words if he wants to net 80.

Brock Nelson?? The guy sounds like an enforcer through and through.

I don't know, there might be a tense moment in the playoffs, game 7, down by 1 with 5 minutes left to go. Coach calls a timeout and its the perfect opportunity for Datsyuk to pass on his veteran knowledge: "I trust mine eyes to Dr. Rahmani, you should too." "Dats not now! We need to come up with a gameplan. What should we do?" "I trust mine eyes" "What is he talking about!? Where do you want me on this faceoff??" "To Dr. Rahmani" "Ugh, its impossible." "You should too."