The Wings better shut these guys up!

[stevie for president 42]

I don't think in any other sport's history an 8th seed was favored against a 1st seed in the 1st round of the playoffs. I love it. I think it's great for the NHL. Before, the playoffs were a joke. You knew it would be a top 3 team vs. a top 3 team. This year at least 12 teams are cup contenders and 20 teams are playoff calibre. I think it's great.

If you take the record minus the division record of detroit and calgary, Detroit has 63 points and calgary has 59 points, so their 50 games against non division teams are almost even. Their record against eachother is exactly even, including GF and GA (10 and 10 for both teams). On paper, this should be a close series and I dont know why people are overwhelmingly gloomy about the red wings. IMO, every team in the west should have high expectations because anyone could win the cup.

[FinRedWing 172]

That being said, I'm thrilled the Wings are the "underdog" too.

Think about it,1st seed is the underdog?

I'm sure this hasn't happened often,but I like it.

Edited April 10, 2007 by FinRedWing

[TheLegend19 1]

Firstly, they have choked in the playoffs the last several years, so I would expect many to be betting against them.

Secondly, why would you get so worked up over someone betting against them? It's just people picking who they think will win.

Yeah, as long as they're not betting with my money, I don't care who they pick.

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

What the hell does the past or history of their prior playoff performances have to do with now? That is what pisses me off. That was then, this is now. It's a whole new game. For whatever reason, analysts, columnists..etc.. love to predict failure for the Wings..EVEN following seasons where they've won the Cup. They can go shove it where the sun don't shine.

Wings will prove 'em wrong. They'll prove everyone wrong.

[BlueMonk 102]

Even those picking the Wings to win are saying 7 games. Which is basically like saying you don't have any idea who's going to win. Buccigross takes the Wings in 7 games, but said he went back and forth a dozen times before making up his mind who to pick. Clement said the exact same thing on XM 204 yesterday. He settled on Detroit in 7, but had trouble making up his mind. Phil Esposito picked Calgary.

Definitely strange seeing a 1 seed's chances evaluated this way.

[puckloo39 5,686]

hasek is proof you can go an entire season, bucking injury, playing extremely well, at 42.....and still be ignored because you're name is dominik hasek. every article or show i've seen so far just says "well doms old and gets hurt alot.......and the flames will win". like what the s***? what if he DOESN'T get hurt?

Simple. If Dom gets through the playoffs uninjured and wins for the Wings, the groin-calamity predictors will disappear. Poof! They will surface just long enough to point out that Hasek had nothing to do with the victory, and that any old fart could have been out there and we would have won anyway.

Now, if Dom does get hurt, they can all run around braying that they were "right" all along. As you already know, no other Red Wing ever gets hurt and isn't 100% for the playoffs. oh, wait... yes, they do. It merely reinforces how important Hasek is to the run for the Cup, that other fans want him gone from the equation so much.

There is nothing you can do about it, FF. I wouldn't get too upset about lame predictions about Dom from other boards. This one, yes - fans here ought to know better. Other boards, no. Just wait, the real "fun" is on the way, especially if Dom should be mortal and let in a goal.

Even those picking the Wings to win are saying 7 games. Which is basically like saying you don't have any idea who's going to win.

good point!

[datsyukismyfriend 4]

People are forgetting that Calgary went out 1st round last year too. Funny how we are considered the ones who choke.

they went to the finals the year before. since 2002 the wings have choked every year.

[puckloo39 5,686]

they went to the finals the year before. since 2002 the wings have choked every year.

Any thoughts as to why? I have my theory.

[datsyukismyfriend 4]

Any thoughts as to why? I have my theory.

let me guess... no dom?

[theman19 47]

they went to the finals the year before. since 2002 the wings have choked every year.

and the tampa bay lighting won the cup that year, also eliminated in the first round

Carolina won the cup last year,..didn't even make the playoffs. Year to year has zero baring on a current team. Including ours, anyone who says the flames will win in anything less than 7 are retarted.

Edited April 10, 2007 by theman19

[wingfan4ever 0]

the way I see it is... let them say what they want. It will just be one more thing that they will regret ever saying if we win in June.

[Zetter is Better 0]

The Wings have A LOT to prove to the hockey fans out there. I guess 3 cups in 10 years doesn't satisfy these fans.

But, Zetterberg had a great season (for the games he played) and Datsyuk just signed a 7 year 46.9 million dollar contract which better have lit a fire under his @$$. The Wings have the ability to go far but do they have the motivation and drive ????

[datsyukismyfriend 4]

and the tampa bay lighting won the cup that year, also eliminated in the first round

Carolina won the cup last year,..didn't even make the playoffs. Year to year has zero baring on a current team. Including ours, anyone who says the flames will win in anything less than 7 are retarted.

anyone who says the flames can't win in less than 7 is retarded. it'll be a tough series. it can easily go either way. there is certainly a possibility the flames will win in less than seven.

The Wings have A LOT to prove to the hockey fans out there. I guess 3 cups in 10 years doesn't satisfy these fans.

But, Zetterberg had a great season (for the games he played) and Datsyuk just signed a 7 year 46.9 million dollar contract which better have lit a fire under his @$$. The Wings have the ability to go far but do they have the motivation and drive ????

that's been the deciding factor the last three seasons. other teams have just wanted it more and played and worked harder for it. the wings have an irritating capacity for slacking off. they absolutely have the talent to go all the way. when they're on their game they are an incredible team. it'll boil down to who wants it more. if we are taking 35 shots from the blue line every night this series will be calgary's. we are tougher this year and have guys that can battle along the boards and seem to be at least a little more adept at getting through the blue line when teams are trapping this year so i think we're in better shape than we have been since 2002. it's all a question of desire. we'll soon find out!

[puckloo39 5,686]

let me guess... no dom?

Well, I was thinking Bowman, but yes, now that you bring it up, I do think Dom is key to the big shiny silver Cup. Of course, Hasek is old, brittle and over the hill but I don't doubt he's still a factor.

I think the Wings want to win, I never doubt that. I just am worried that they are not up to the task of scoring when they need to, and scoring more than two goals per game. I have given up wailing about their typical 30-40 SOG from the perimeter, with maybe 3-4 scoring chances. You know the drill: "fill in name of goalie here" for Vezina .

With a goalie like Kipper, that simply won't do. He will stop them all. So will Dom and Ozzie if they are lucky enough to be the recipients of such fortune on their end. Bert's out and Zata may be back at 50% in round one. It's up to Dats and Homer whether we win or lose, at this point. Calder will chip in, too, I don't doubt. Will it be enough?

Edited April 10, 2007 by puckloo39

[Chase 0]

Meh let them say what they want. Its a crap shoot in the whole western conference. Evey time finsihed with 100 points, which is incredible.

The "experts" are just taking the stats on paper, and looking at each team and making a guess on who they think will win. They know Detroit has chocked that past several season in the first round, and they also know that Hasek has a faulty groin. So they look at that and say "Well, Calgary in 7 then."

Whatever, I dont care what they say. Im confident in the team we got this year and I say we will beat Calgary. Not saying it will be an easy series at all, but we will get 'em.

[Guest DetroitBoy313]

WHY?WHY?WHY? Must it be the WINGS that "CHOKED" against Anaheim,Edmonton and Calgary.THOSE 3 TEAMS MADE IT THE "SEVENTH"!!!!!!!!!!! GAME OF THE SCF.How do you call that "CHOKING" when you lose to the soo called "best" team of that year or 2nd best,soo the other 28 teams didn't choke huh?.But whatever im sick and tired of people saying the Wings "CHOKED" and everybody predicting on what's gonna happen this year just because of years prior.I say Wings in 5,I truly believe they will take care of Calgary this year.

Edited April 10, 2007 by DetroitBoy313

[squirrelbait 0]

calgarys playoff record is pretty rotten - 1 good run recently, so the pressure is on them. in a way i hate the 1st 2 games being at home; the flames take one, the pressure is all on. Predictions are just a way of generating copy before the games start - if i was a journo, the obvious story is that the wings choke, what else would you write?

Edited April 10, 2007 by squirrelbait

[arnoldbuck 0]

WHY?WHY?WHY? Must it be the WINGS that "CHOKED" against Anaheim,Edmonton and Calgary.THOSE 3 TEAMS MADE IT THE "SEVENTH"!!!!!!!!!!! GAME OF THE SCF.How do you call that "CHOKING" when you lose to the soo called "best" team of that year or 2nd best,soo the other 28 teams didn't choke huh?.But whatever im sick and tired of people saying the Wings "CHOKED" and everybody predicting on what's gonna happen this year just because of years prior.I say Wings in 5,I truly believe they will take care of Calgary this year.

Because even though those teams were the years Cinderella story, we were blatantly better than them. Yet we lost. We were the team that should have won the series, (more so than any other team they came against) and they still won. Thats why it goes like that. I am not callin' it this year. I think we have everything to make it this year (minus Steve obviously) btu I think we can do it. - I know we can!

[unkempt 0]

I think that this time it will be the Wings who will play with desperation. They will be out there to prove they do not choke. If dom/ozzie do not completely break down, which I they most likely won't, Detroit will win it 5 max. :flamingmad:

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

These guys are sports analysts and get paid to do activities such as this. This is their job. They are supposed to make predictions. Heaven forbid somebody doesn't pick the Wings to win.

Oh the humanity!

[CUJO#31 0]

These guys are sports analysts and get paid to do activities such as this. This is their job. They are supposed to make predictions. Heaven forbid somebody doesn't pick the Wings to win.

Oh the humanity!

If you want to impress someone, throw up a statistic that shows how accurate these turds predict first round matches.

[Guest tangstoiggy]

Just out of curiousity, What is the Wings record against the NW division

Seems to me they had trouble with NW Division teams

[Viperar 16]

Just out of curiousity, What is the Wings record against the NW division

Seems to me they had trouble with NW Division teams

9-6-5

[Lidstromrules16 7]

Just out of curiousity, What is the Wings record against the NW division

Seems to me they had trouble with NW Division teams

They did..........they did. I thnk the Wings best chance of winning is in 7 games. They take the first two at home. Lost both in Calgary, wing the 5th, lost the 6th, and win the 7th. However anything is possible

[mooose kiiisses 0]

Just think about it this way. Every season since Lord Stanley's Cup came to Hockeytown in 2002 we have won the President's Trophy, and CHOKED in the post-season. This year we DIDNT win the President's Trophy so we wont choke in the post-season.

HOPEFULLY!