3/26 GDT : Blue Jackets 2 at Red Wings 7

[PredsFanTheBayouState 263]

the wings clinched a playoff spot tonight,shouldn't ya'll be celebrating.

[Bring Back The Bruise Bros 1,029]

Yea agree with you about White, great signing. Holland's smart, he doesn't want to sign anyone on the blue line long term until Lidstrom calls it a career. Plus he's after Suter or Weber.

White was up and down in Toronto, but I remember thinking "Pair this guy up with Lidstrom or Kronwall and I think he could do well". For some reason, I've always liked White. Good signing by Ken.

[b.shanafan14 733]

Start playing consistently. Keep the pressure on and attack like last game. Eliminate mistakes and bury the Jackets when you get the opportunity. With each game, Pav and Nick will get better, and if nothing else, take enough pressure off of Fil and Hank so that they can continue to dominate.

Detroit 5 - 2 Columbus

Hank and Fil combine for 5 points.

Datsyuk with 2 points.

PP with at least one goal.

Great game, boys!

Detroit 7 - 2 Columbus

Hank and Fil combine for 6 points

Datsyuk with 2 points.

PP with two goals in the first two tries.

I like being off in that sorta way

[VM1138 1,921]

If you guys are getting the FSD feed, the Bugsy Watson that Mickey was just talking about owns a hockey bar in Alexandria, VA that is totally badass. They play every Wings game and have all sorts of Wings history decorating the place. Plus, all sorts of players go in there after games in Washington. Had to plug the place because it's a Wings fan's home away from home when you're living in D.C.

Seriously? I may be moving near Alexandria by the end of the year. That's going to be amazing, makes me feel better about moving there. I was worried about being cut off from the hockey culture. I'll be there for every game!

[kipwinger 8,520]

Seriously? I may be moving near Alexandria by the end of the year. That's going to be amazing, makes me feel better about moving there. I was worried about being cut off from the hockey culture. I'll be there for every game!

Yeah, the name of the place is Bugsy's and it's on the main drag in Alexandria, King Street. The place is totally awesome and right down where everybody in that area goes to party. And Bugsy himself is in there a couple times a week to drink and watch games. The bartenders are all really great and will put on any game you want and there are tons of flat screens. Plus the food is awesome. A buddy of mine met Mark Messier down there one night but it was a night I wasn't at the bar. I just moved back to michigan from there about a year ago.

Edited March 27, 2012 by kipwinger

[esteef 2,679]

I wonder who is happier, Wiz or White.

Yah his four assists and plus 5 rating really supports your argument...

His physicality on the Nyquist goal was f***in' delicious. Take notes Franzen!

esteef

[Dabura 12,207]

Man. It must suck being a Blue Jackets fan.

[VM1138 1,921]

The thing I'm most glad for is that Zetterberg is right around he season average. He's below it, but not drastically so (especially if he can finish with 70-73 points. So much for his drastic decline.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

I get the feeling that Mason won't be a Jacket come next season.

[RedWingsRox 614]

Finally had time to watch highlights ... OMG, never seen so many beautiful goals in one game ! It really was like the Globetrotters on ice.

[Red Wings Addict 787]

Can't wait for the Wednesday rematch. Jackets will be pissed as hell. Could be a good game.

[Esquire 324]

[b.shanafan14 733]

^ This is amazing! Great job, Esquire!

Man. It must suck being a Blue Jackets fan.

If you manage to find one, let us know. We'll send an EdibleArrangement

The thing I'm most glad for is that Zetterberg is right around he season average. He's below it, but not drastically so (especially if he can finish with 70-73 points. So much for his drastic decline.

I had no doubts Z would come around. The real best part: remove his first month-and-a-half of the season slump (18 games, 7 points), and his play is that of an 84-point player. Better yet, if you look at his pace just the past two months (24 games, 33 points), Zetterberg is entering the playoffs playing like a 113-point player. FUN WITH MATH!

For a while some of us were forgetting the days when Z and Pavel were neck and neck for best player on the team, and both in conversation for the tops in the league. THIS is what it looked like!

Edited March 27, 2012 by b.shanafan14

[dat's sick 1,002]

I had no doubts Z would come around. The real best part: remove his first month-and-a-half of the season slump (18 games, 7 points), and his play is that of an 84-point player. Better yet, if you look at his pace just the past two months (24 games, 33 points), Zetterberg is entering the playoffs playing like a 113-point player. FUN WITH MATH!

For a while some of us were forgetting the days when Z and Pavel were neck and neck for best player on the team, and both in conversation for the tops in the league. THIS is what it looked like!

Zetterberg has been nothing short of amazing in the 2nd half of the season. If not for his god-awful first 20 games or so, this would be maybe his best season since 07-08.

[Konnan511 1,736]

Yea agree with you about White, great signing. Holland's smart, he doesn't want to sign anyone on the blue line long term until Lidstrom calls it a career. Plus he's after Suter or Weber.

Every GM is after Weber or Suter, except Nashvilles.

[wingslogo19 281]

Nyquist is here to stay, Holland would be insane to send him down. Hank is looking really great this last little bit!!

[kipwinger 8,520]

God damn I hope Holland doesn't get into a bidding war for either one of those guys. I'd hate to end up with a 7.5 or 8 million dollar cap hit for those guys when we don't really need an 8 million dollar defenseman, when a 5.5 or 6 million dollar guy would do just as well.

[VM1138 1,921]

God damn I hope Holland doesn't get into a bidding war for either one of those guys. I'd hate to end up with a 7.5 or 8 million dollar cap hit for those guys when we don't really need an 8 million dollar defenseman, when a 5.5 or 6 million dollar guy would do just as well.

Normally I would agree with you. But when you're replacing the best defenseman to play the game, you don't just find an "acceptable" band-aid. I'm usually a fan of building teams in an understated way, but once in a while you do have to go out and grab the big name superstar. Weber or Suter would fit that bill. So would a few other players in the league, but those obviously have the most attention on them.

We shouldn't overpay, like with Wiz, but you've got to pay for quality. If they are among the best defensemen in the league you have to pay them like it.

[kipwinger 8,520]

Normally I would agree with you. But when you're replacing the best defenseman to play the game, you don't just find an "acceptable" band-aid. I'm usually a fan of building teams in an understated way, but once in a while you do have to go out and grab the big name superstar. Weber or Suter would fit that bill. So would a few other players in the league, but those obviously have the most attention on them.

We shouldn't overpay, like with Wiz, but you've got to pay for quality. If they are among the best defensemen in the league you have to pay them like it.

Well when you consider that Brent Burns agreed to a contract extension with the Sharks for 5.7 million and he's as good as Suter and not much worse than Weber, I don't see how someone can justify paying either of them 7.5 or 8. Nobody is going to be as good as Lidstrom, so what I want is someone who's first class, but who's not the current media darling. Weber and Suter will go high, just like Parise will go high, not because they're SO much better than everyone else, but mostly because they're good enough that people will get into bidding wars for them.

Other top flight defensemen with good contracts include Yandle, D. Keith, Pietrangelo, Letang. I'm hoping that will be the model for Holland in terms of quality of player and contract size. I just don't want to see them give out some Drew Doughty sized contract to guys who aren't all that much, if any, better than the guys I've listed here.

Edited March 27, 2012 by kipwinger

[GoWings1905 2,694]

Well when you consider that Brent Burns agreed to a contract extension with the Sharks for 5.7 million and he's as good as Suter and not much worse than Weber, I don't see how someone can justify paying either of them 7.5 or 8. Nobody is going to be as good as Lidstrom, so what I want is someone who's first class, but who's not the current media darling. Weber and Suter will go high, just like Parise will go high, not because they're SO much better than everyone else, but mostly because they're good enough that people will get into bidding wars for them.

I completely disagree. Brent Burns is nowhere near the class of Ryan Suter or Shea Weber. Those two aren't "media darlings" -- they get attention because they are the best shutdown pairing in the league.

[Dabura 12,207]

Don't think of it as going out and getting Suter or Weber. Think of it as doing the best we can to replace Nick.

"Lidstrom insurance."

[kipwinger 8,520]

I completely disagree. Brent Burns is nowhere near the class of Ryan Suter or Shea Weber. Those two aren't "media darlings" -- they get attention because they are the best shutdown pairing in the league.

This is what I mean. You say that Burns isn't in the same class as Suter. Based on what? Burns plays comparable minutes, has comparable points, more goals, higher shooting percentage, and an equally respectable +/-, and managed to do it all without playing beside Shea Weber and Rinne standing on his head every night. You just assume Suter is that good because everyone talks about him as if he's the best defenseman in the league, instead of the best defenseman in his UFA class. They're a really good shutdown pair who play in front of one of the best two goalies in the league. Ryan Suter is good, but he's not two million dollars better than Burns, Yandle, Keith, or Letang, and yet he'll get that kind of money. Again, why pay out 7.5 or 8 million dollars to a guy when you can get someone as good, or almost as good for 6?

[kipwinger 8,520]

Any chance a mod can move these last 5 or 10 posts into a new thread about a defensive replacement. It might just be me, but I think it's an interesting debate (Best D-man vs. Best Value for D-man) but nobody will be looking for it here?