Some Red Wings that I have really grown to respect in this series

[Psychlone 0]

These are just a few guys that I have a lot of respect for and would love to have on my team.

Head Coach Babcock- This guy always tells it like it is in the pressers. stand up guy, rarely makes excuses when the team loses, isn't afraid to give credit to the other team.

Helm- Wow, this guy is a hitting machine. Would love to have a guy like this.

Osgood- Has been incredible the whole series. A Hall of Famer to be sure.

Zetterberg- The guy defines 2 way play, definition of a complete player, maintains his composure even when things aren't going well.

Franzen- The Mule, there isn't another player like him.

[crotty99 302]

Head Coach Babcock- This guy always tells it like it is in the pressers. stand up guy, rarely makes excuses when the team loses, isn't afraid to give credit to the other team.

I think the same of Bylsma, very classy guy.

[ilmickeyli 40]

I think the same of Bylsma, very classy guy.

I concur, he's TONS better than Therrien.. You guys have a great guy at the helm. And Scuderi, man, way to stop like 3 shots at the end of the game last night..

Psychlone is the only Penguins fan I can stand here, I think

Edited June 10, 2009 by ilmickeyli

[Sgt. Angry 23]

I think the same of Bylsma, very classy guy.

Agree - you have to wonder what he thought about his team behaving badly at the end of games 2 and 5? Hopefully he'll get better control of them next season.

[OsGOD 3]

I think you collectively singled out our bright shining stars

[hockeysattva 8]

I concur, he's TONS better than Therrien.. You guys have a great guy at the helm. And Scuderi, man, way to stop like 3 shots at the end of the game last night..

Psychlone is the only Penguins fan I can stand here, I think

ReggieDunlop is also a great Pens poster here (hope I got the name right).

You think any of Babcock rubbed off onto him when he was his player?

Or is it like Babs has said, when you start you don't know anything?

I surprised you didn't say more about the D though. That's where most people start. I think its cool that Helm is getting noticed.

[Psychlone 0]

ReggieDunlop is also a great Pens poster here (hope I got the name right).

You think any of Babcock rubbed off onto him when he was his player?

Or is it like Babs has said, when you start you don't know anything?

I surprised you didn't say more about the D though. That's where most people start. I think its cool that Helm is getting noticed.

The D for Detroit is awesome of course, led by Lidstrom, but the players I mentioned were just ones that either have surprised me or maybe I underestimated a bit.

[gentex 0]

I think the same of Bylsma, very classy guy.

Yeah, I've really grown to like Bylsma. Obviously, I prefer his temperament and demeanor to Therrien's, by a long shot. Is it too late to vote for him as coach of the year? The turn around the Pens had after naming him coach is amazing. Going from 10th in the East to game 7 of the finals in just a few months is pretty damned impressive.

[kegacide 0]

these entire playoffs, the players who ive grown to respect more are Filppula and Helm...

Helm obviously has shown he can be a great player, his hustle, heart and fearlessness have really stood out all playoffs, especially as we've gone further along... he can be careless with the puck but hes still young and has so much potential...

Filppula to me really has emerged as a playmaker, though hes kind of subdued in the finals... the Chicago series he showed what hes capable of and he has a lot of potential already...

the rest of the guys we already know and love, no surprises from them

[Snazzy 0]

The player on the Penguins team that I grown to respect is Hal Gill. It's just so amazing how he is always in the way.

[Guest micah]

Helm has consistantly played better than he "should" have throughout these playoffs. Franzen, Osgood and Zetterberg are all star players that much should be expected of, and they are delivering. all three have played some of the best hockey of their carreers in this playoff run. Hossa and Datsyuk are underperforming (perhaps due to injurry, but underperforming nonetheless) as is Lidstrom. His play has been merely "very good!", not "best dman in the league". I've liked the way Maltby and Draper, two guys who I pick on alot, have played thus far too. Cleary has been great. Detroit's depth is truly awesome. Holmstrom should never play on a regular strength scoring line again.

On the Pittsburgh side, I love and have always loved Orpik's game. Crosby has surprised me a bit by mostly keeping his compsure despite underperforming. He's shown (though many here would deny it) incredible poise and leadership for a 21-year-old kid. He's been a better leader this series than I would have guessed, but not as good a player as I would have guessed.

Edited June 10, 2009 by micah

[Broken 16 381]

The player on the Penguins team that I grown to respect is Hal Gill. It's just so amazing how he is always in the way.

QFT

I also really like Staal. Him, Scuderi (sp?) and Orpik. I know I'll probably get flamed here for naming Orpik, but I like what he brings and he seems to give 100%.

[StormJH1 231]

I think the same of Bylsma, very classy guy.

No problem with Bylsma so far. I guess Therrien was kind of a ******, but I actually respected him too b/c I remember him taking the helm of that Pens team when they were TERRIBLE and calling out Gonchar and everyone else for how "soft" they were.

I'll play the reverse role with some Penguins guys:

Fedotenko - Talk about a nothing hockey player pretty much everywhere he went, and suddenly, he's a dependable guy you can throw out on a top line or to grind on a lower line. Reminds me of some of the Wings' grinders and secondary scorers we always brag about.

Staal - Thought he regressed in his 2nd year, but watching him in the playoffs, I'm not so sure he won't be a better player than his brother (Eric) within a year or two. He's already a better two-way player, which makes him more valuable in the playoffs.

Scuderi/Orpik - Gonchar and Whitney were always my picture of the Pittsburgh defense (high risk, high reward), but I think it's the emergence of these defensive guys that have made as much of a difference in this series as any supposed "evolution" of Crosby and Malkin. All the top Pens guys are playing well, but we aren't getting "lit up" by any of them. The difference has been that your squad is actually blocking shots and showing a committment to team defense.

[Snazzy 0]

No problem with Bylsma so far. I guess Therrien was kind of a ******, but I actually respected him too b/c I remember him taking the helm of that Pens team when they were TERRIBLE and calling out Gonchar and everyone else for how "soft" they were.

I'll play the reverse role with some Penguins guys:

Fedotenko - Talk about a nothing hockey player pretty much everywhere he went, and suddenly, he's a dependable guy you can throw out on a top line or to grind on a lower line. Reminds me of some of the Wings' grinders and secondary scorers we always brag about.

Staal - Thought he regressed in his 2nd year, but watching him in the playoffs, I'm not so sure he won't be a better player than his brother (Eric) within a year or two. He's already a better two-way player, which makes him more valuable in the playoffs.

Scuderi/Orpik - Gonchar and Whitney were always my picture of the Pittsburgh defense (high risk, high reward), but I think it's the emergence of these defensive guys that have made as much of a difference in this series as any supposed "evolution" of Crosby and Malkin. All the top Pens guys are playing well, but we aren't getting "lit up" by any of them. The difference has been that your squad is actually blocking shots and showing a committment to team defense.

I agree on all points. Just goes to show that Penguins have a small window to win the cup before they dismantle.

[Mister Puck 0]

I've been watching the Wings ever since I moved here from Pittsburgh in '92. In my opinion, the biggest star of the Red Wings is Ken Holland. From the mid-90's on, he has put an exceptional team on the ice every single year. It amazes me how he is able to do it. When the cap was put in place, I thought the Wings would surely suffer the most, but somehow he still found a way to put a deep team on the ice. And that's really the biggest strength of the Wings...depth. There really aren't any teams in the league that can run four solid lines out there like they do. It's easy to single out the key players for the Pens. But with the Wings, the big plays can come from anyone at anytime.

I think it says a lot about the young Pens to take this series to 7 games against a team like Detroit. There's no question in my mind that we are getting to see the two best NHL teams battle it out right now.

Edited June 10, 2009 by Mister Puck

[MississippiWing 14]

I've been watching the Wings ever since I moved here from Pittsburgh in '92. In my opinion, the biggest star of the Red Wings is Ken Holland. From the mid-90's on, he has put an exceptional team on the ice every single year. It amazes me how he is able to do it. When the cap was put in place, I thought the Wings would surely suffer the most, but somehow he still found a way to put a deep team on the ice. And that's really the biggest strength of the Wings...depth. There really aren't any teams in the league that can run four solid lines out there like they do. It's easy to single out the key players for the Pens. But with the Wings, the big plays can come from anyone at anytime.

I think it says a lot about the young Pens to take this series to 7 games against a team like Detroit. There's no question in my mind that we are getting to see the two best NHL teams battle it out right now.

That says it all right there. Don't get me wrong the Pens are no pushovers, but there is no reason this should be going to 7 games. It wasn't the Pens skills or will that pushed this to 7 games. It was the fact for games 4 and 6, Detroit tried to win on talent alone and went into relax mode. I think the Pens are a good hockey team, but the Wings deserve some credit for making this series go to 7 games as we all saw last night.

[Mister Puck 0]

That says it all right there. Don't get me wrong the Pens are no pushovers, but there is no reason this should be going to 7 games. It wasn't the Pens skills or will that pushed this to 7 games. It was the fact for games 4 and 6, Detroit tried to win on talent alone and went into relax mode. I think the Pens are a good hockey team, but the Wings deserve some credit for making this series go to 7 games as we all saw last night.

I think it goes both ways here. Neither team has played well on the road, and the home team has capitalized on that respectively. I think this is going to 7 because of both teams skill and will. I think, while these two teams are different in many ways, they are pretty evenly matched on the ice.

[Psychlone 0]

I think it goes both ways here. Neither team has played well on the road, and the home team has capitalized on that respectively. I think this is going to 7 because of both teams skill and will. I think, while these two teams are different in many ways, they are pretty evenly matched on the ice.

I forgot to mention Filipula also. He has impressed me quite a bit.

[Echolalia 2,961]

This year's Helm is last year's Franzen in terms of energy instead of goals. I always think of the Adolf Hitler's reaction to the Wings sweeping the Avs from last year and how he asks "where the hell did this guy Franzen come from??!" I always thought the same thing as Hitler in regards to last year, and I'm doing it again with Helm now.

[GoalieManPat 1,007]

Franzen- The Mule, there isn't another player like him.

If you mean someone who has been lazy in 9 outta 10 shifts a game and stays to the outside instead of using his body to drive then net then yes there isn't another player like him.

[Psychlone 0]

If you mean someone who has been lazy in 9 outta 10 shifts a game and stays to the outside instead of using his body to drive then net then yes there isn't another player like him.

I cringed when he went into the boards last night, that could have been very serious but he got up like it was nothing.

[LetsGoPens 0]

What amazes me about the Red Wings is the way they plug in a rookie and they don't miss a beat. Helm, Abdelkader, Ericsson and the list goes on.

I get all of the Fox Sports channels and watched Abdelkader play for MSU. He scored the winning goal in the national championship game a few years ago and now has a chance to win the cup. Almost as good as Ken Morrow winning olympic gold medal and the cup.

[T.Low 1,011]

Helm has consistantly played better than he "should" have throughout these playoffs. Franzen, Osgood and Zetterberg are all star players that much should be expected of, and they are delivering. all three have played some of the best hockey of their carreers in this playoff run. Hossa and Datsyuk are underperforming (perhaps due to injurry, but underperforming nonetheless) as is Lidstrom. His play has been merely "very good!", not "best dman in the league". I've liked the way Maltby and Draper, two guys who I pick on alot, have played thus far too. Cleary has been great. Detroit's depth is truly awesome. Holmstrom should never play on a regular strength scoring line again.

On the Pittsburgh side, I love and have always loved Orpik's game. Crosby has surprised me a bit by mostly keeping his compsure despite underperforming. He's shown (though many here would deny it) incredible poise and leadership for a 21-year-old kid. He's been a better leader this series than I would have guessed, but not as good a player as I would have guessed.

Excellent post.

I would have to say that Osgood has surpassed expectations of nearly everybody, however. Especially in the Finals. He has shutdown a Pittsburgh onslaught at the beginning of nearly every game and kept Detroit in it. The one game in Pitt that the media says he had a let down, I disagree. He was screened a lot by Pitts and his own team.

Osgood has been nothing short of Stellar and gets my vote, with a very slight edge, over Z for the Conn Smythe should Detroit Hoist Friday.

Osgood has earned more of my respect this year than even last year.

[bonan78 1]

Good to see some Penguins fans that are not flame-baiters and trolls.

On the flip side of the coin, there some Penguins players I have begun to respect as a result of this series:

Jordin Staal, after being the Invisible Man for most of the playoffs and the early part of this series, he has really stepped up his game, and managed to keep his composure and not stoop to the level of his teammates with the cheapshots and frustration penalties.

Rob Scuderi, this guy deserves a raise in my opinion. He's been a great positional defenseman, doesn't get beaten like his more flashy and offensive-minded fellow blueliners (Gonchar, Letang), and he single-handedly saved his team's season last night, clearing a juicy rebound a split second before Hudler an d Lidstrom could bury it, and then stopping Franzen on 3 tip-in attempts.

Bill Guerin, I actually get more nervous when he has the puck than Crosby and Malkin combined. I scoffed at the deadline deal that brought him to Pittsburgh, but it looks like he has fit in well.

Dan Bylsma, complete 180 degree difference from Michelle Therrien (intentional misspelling), a complete class act behind the bench. Hopefully his star players pick up some of his personaiilty traits, specifically the ability to not whine.

That is all.