TCfan1340

I live in Traverse City. On Wednesday they said on the radio that the Red Wings still haven't released the dates for training camp or for the sale of tickets.... apparently they have got a few calls asking about it. If I hear anything else I will post it.

I agree, I have no complaints about Hank's play at all, he is last person that I would worry about in the playoffs. But it seems like everybody is forgetting that it was Pavel who killed off most of those 5 on 3's. Hank was in the box for the first one, and on the second one he killed off most of the 4 on 3 and then Pavel came out to finish it and the 5 on 3.

Datsyuk is very funny. There was a thread last year, with a bunch of his quotes, but I couldn't find it. This one was from this summer when he learned that he and Hank would be playing on seperate lines. "My reaction? I start crying. I can't sleep two days."

How about having the All Star game at the begining of the season? After traing camp and pre-season games... we could start off hockey season with the All Star game. Not many players would have injuries at this point, and they have all just finished their vacations.

Pavel is my favorite player by a huge margin. He is so much fun to watch, great offense, great defense, hard worker, team first kind of guy, and he has a great personality. I was never a big Fedorov fan, but he is/was definately a talanted player (his years in Detroit). I would have to say that for now, I would take Fedorov. If Dats can continue this level of play (and he will), throughout the rest of his contract, then I will pick him.

That was definately a winnable game last night when Datsyuk left. The score was only 4-3 when he took his last shift.... the announcers just didn't say anything until much later. I think that Kira's unimpeachable source was maybe refering to the fact that Datsyuk was already being bothered by the hip flexor and was playing through it, but would not go to the all star game because of it. Babcock stated after the game that Datsyuk was a little tender before, but that they thought he was okay. Then in the third he just couldn't go anymore and that they thought if he stretched it more he might be able to come back, but it didn't work. That kind of sounds like he has been fighting this thing for a while, at least to me. Anyway, I do not believe that Datsyuk would pull himself out of a game, saying he is injured, just to get out of going to the All Star game. He is too much of a competitor to do that, and I he is a leader on this team, that would be a very bad example for him to set. The injury is real, and hopefully the time off will be just what he needs to take care of it, because we can't afford to lose him.

I think the new nhl.com site is worse than the old one, much too dificult to find what you are looking for. To find the takeaway stats : click on stats, then I usually go to points leaders and click on all stats, above the players names will be a grey box with a list of statistics, you have to click on hits, when those stats come up it will show takeaways and if you click on takeaways it will list them in order of who has the most.

That's my point, everyone expects it from Hank, even though we have seen this from Pavel for a long time.... it's like they are just noticing all the things Pavel does. Sometimes I think people forget that he has been throwing shoulders in to people and stealing the puck for a few years. He is stronger than he used to be and I think that has helped him to be more dominant and consistant. He is definitely worth what he is paid, and then some. Maybe he is trying to prove something to people, if he is, I think that it is more like "if you say I can't do it, I will show you I can. He wants to win and I don't mean just the game. He works his butt off every shift, he wants to win every single battle and when he does win the battle he just moves on to the next one. I think that is part of the reason why you see him improve so much every year, he doesn't like to lose, ever, so he works hard on what he is weakest at so the next time he wins. I always tell people Pavel plays the "that's my puck" game. They have his puck and he is going to get it. Right now I think he is playing the "that's my cup" game, and he will do whatever it takes to get it. He plays with a lot of heart (always has, even if people didn't think so). I also agree that some of his best games have happened when he doesn't show up on the score sheet. LOL, I just realized that I don't think there is a"weak spot" for him to work on anymore, but something tells me he will still be better next year!

What did he say?

Both Zetterberg and Datsyuk are playing great right now. I think the reason people are talking more about Datsyuk is because of how physical he has been. Let's face it, when there is a fight in a game, it gets a lot of attention from the fans. When that fight involves Datsyuk, everyone is going to be talking about him. A few years ago he didn't throw many hits, now he leads our team in hits and was even involved and initiated some rough stuff. Last year he had a hard time scoring on the road, this year that is where he is excelling. I think they are both better players than they were last year, but if someone would have told you last year that Dats would lead the team in hits, take on Roberts and Malone, finish with the best +- in the league (regular season), be 4th in scoring and a selke finalist, would you have believed it? Probably not. Now if they told you last year that Zetterberg would have the season he has had, completely dominate at both ends of the ice, selke candidate, lead the playoffs in scoring, you would probably say of course he will.

I think more than a few on this board have taken the Datsyuk a little too far and have exaggerated what really happened. To be clear, unless someone has other video that I haven't seen, Datsyuk and Roberts were in a scrum and the cameras were all over the place, when it came back near those two, from what I could see, Datsyuk threw a couple punches at the same time a linesman was basically pushing Roberts away. You're right, I think people were excited to see Datsyuk stepping up like that, and maybe making a little more out of it than it was. I also agree that the cameras were all over, we don't really get a good look at what happened. While I agree that the two punches Datsyuk threw at the end were when the refs were trying to push Roberts away, the ref was already in there before Roberts lands his first punch, he had his arm between them and was holding on to the back of Datsyuks jersey trying to pull him back. It doesn't really make much of a difference except for that on the Pen's board they are trying to say that Datsyuk is a pu*sy because he waited to throw his punch until the refs had Roberts tied up. I also think Datsyuk landed another punch earlier in the scrum that most people didn't notice, it pushed Roberts over the top of Malkin and Franzen and then Datsyuk tries to pull him off of them and that is when Roberts grabs him and hits him. This is a really bad picture I took off my dvd.

Seeing Datsyuk fight (also sticking up for Hank earlier in the period) was my favorite part of the game last night. He has become such a complete player. I'm not saying I want to see him fight every game, we definately don't want to see him in the box or getting hurt, but it's nice to see him say "we aren't putting up with that sh*t". For six years he has been pushed around and now he is saying "enough". As for him one day being captain, I don't really see it happening, not that he wouldn't make a good captain. I just don't think he really wants it. I think he would be happy for Hank to get the C. He doesn't seem all that comfortable giving interviews, making speeches, or doing all the ceremonial things that the captain will have to do. I know we are talking about a few years down the road, but from what I have heard, he is a shy, quiet guy. It isn't just his poor english that keeps him from doing more interviews.

Does anyone else remember when Turco clotheslined Datsyuk? I think it was a couple of years ago and Datsyuk was skating by the crease and he stuck his arm out and got dats in the neck. After the play was whistled dead, Dats skated up to Turco, bent down and "talked" to him for about 15 seconds, I always wondered what Dats said to him. It seems like Turco does stuff like that every game, he should be the last one to say anything about Ozzy.

In the 3rd period of the last game Babcock sat the top line all but a couple of shifts at the begining. About half way through the period, Holmstrom started playing on Franzen's line and Fil didn't play again. I didn't see him get hurt, and he was out there for the handshakes... but I thought at the time he was probably hurt or sick.

I agree, every game I find myself wondering where these guys came from. I have two sayings that bother me. The first one is, so and so "feathers a pass". I'm not sure why that one bothers me so much. The second one I know why it bothers me, it's "activates". I was watching a game earlier this year and the announcer said, "Zetterberg activates from the point". I don't think I have heard any other announcer say that and I thought that it just didn't sound right. It also called up some old images from when I was a kid (and I know I am showing my age here), but when I was young there was a cartoon on Saturday mornings called the Justice league, with batman, superman and others. There was a brother and sister called the wonder twins and when they needed to use their super powers they would say "wonder twin powers activate". So now when I hear him say that, I get this mental image of Zetterberg and Datsyuk as the wonder twins and they are going to activate their super powers.