Motown4013

I'll agree Ericsson has improved, but I don't think he is a top two D man!  He still turns the puck over too frequently, generally doesn't think the game all that well, and doesn't use his big body effectively in most situations.  And when you think about it, this is his sixth season playing with the big club!  I expect more from him for the salary he is paid and for the years of experience he has!  He has developed too slowly, and in my opinion, the Wings should look at trading him while they still might get something for him, rather than letting him walk as a free agent!

We can agree to disagree on where he should be in terms of lines but I do disagree with not using his body effectively- that's one of the features of his game that has become a weapon. He lead ALL defenseman in hits by a landslide ( 26 more in the regular season that Kronwall)
As for trading him.....we just signed him in the summer so he isn't slated to become a UFA  for 3 years. At a 3.25 million cap hit, I would also disagree with your assertion that he is overpaid. Quincey makes more!
Anyway, I am not arguing that he is the next Bobby Orr or that he should win the Norris....I simply wanted to give Kudos where they are due. We dog the guys when they don't show up...I think we should also praise when they excel.

I need to make an addendum as well Karen!  Since it looks like Toots may not reinserted in the series, I would like to offer Bert his money on the board. So, 2 bucks for every Bert fight, 2 bucks for every Bert goal AND since OT has been a pattern, I want to add 5 bucks for any RED WINGS OT winner. LET'S GO RED WINGS!!!!

I have always been a supporter of Johnny...even when he struggled to find his game I always thought he could elevate. I thought last night that the Big E had the VERY best game of his career. I think it was overlooked by Pashas unbelievable shot and Bruns OT winner, but he has really impressed me in the playoffs and especially last night. He used his size to punish the quacks over and again. He has been a difference maker on the PK. He also made some really good decisions with the puck. Like a few guys on this team, he stepped up.
After being the goat on this roster, I wanted to give props where they are due. We are watching Ericsson turn into a legit shut down Dman and it's very cool to watch!

Jimmy was due for a bad game...he has been a wall the last five games. We were able to win it when he was terrible....that says a lot!

Totally in!
I'm going with the 22 special. 2 bucks for every 22 goal. 2 bucks for every 22 fight
5 bucks for every series win....another 5 for every shut out! LETS GO RED WINGS!! Make me poor

My Z jersey has no letter on it.  Maybe I should add a B for beard!

You should add a B for BEAST!

I just wanted to start a topic for us to say Thanks to the Red Wings for providing us with a great regular season despite all the adversities and drama and odds against us! (Thank God, we didn't hear the "Too Old" card this year.)
 
So, despite all of this:
 

• Nick Lidstrom retiring
• Tomas Holmstrom retiring
• Brad Stuart trade
• New Asst. Coach
• Losing out on Parise, Suter, Schultz, Doan and every other "Top" UFA
• Countless injuries to our Defense creating our youngest average D since Nick and Vladdy were Rookies
• Gustavsson hurting himself and never really turning into a reliable backup
• Losing Helm for the season (again)
• Losing Bertuzzi's experience and Sammy to injury

 
(I am sure that I am leaving something out)
 
But anyway, despite all of this and despite the experts having us out of the playoffs for the first time since I turned 20, THE Detroit Red Wings proved once again, that when it comes to being a perennial winning team in the NHL, nobody does it better! Eat that Olsen Twins!
 
SO, Despite all the above mentioned scenarios that were supposed to have us dwelling at the bottom of the NHL, you guys did it.  No matter where you go in the playoffs, this is a winning season and every other team in the league is just shaking their heads right now!
 
Watch out NHL, don't look now, because the Red Wings just rebuilt on the fly and will be back on top sooner than you can say 22 straight years!
 
THANK YOU DETROIT RED WINGS for a regular season to remember! (now lets spoil some parties!)

Great post!
When you look at the cumulative losses and changes to this team, it's not hard to admire what this team did this year. I think we can beat the ducks in round 1 but even if we don't, we have a young, talented team to build around. Says a lot about the character of this team. LET'S GO RED WINGS!!!! Here's to another 22 years!

I think we have to edit the OP title to DET, Columbus, Dallas and Minny in the playoff race. The Wild are in a downward spiral. The have won only 3 regulation games and 1 OT in the last 10. They laid a shard against Calgary yesterday ( hey, it happens to alot of teams!) but they are also a factor here. The sit tied in points with CBJ at 51, DET and Dallas with 48.

 

We are in a advantageous situation with GP having 4 games left, while Columbus only has 2. The rest have 3 to play. Minny has the easiest schedue BUT, in a slide...no games are easy, especially against opponents you KNOW you shoud beat....EDM and Colorado is how they finish the year.

 I think we still make the playoffs but to be confident, we need the next 3 of 4. Playing PHX, LA, Nashville and Dallas...its totally possible. We need two tonight in regulation to start this homestand.

Even though we are 3-4-3 in the last, I think we played great hockey in Vancouver and hopefully can match that type of intensity in the against the whiney dogs tonight.

GO WINGS GO!!!

Huh?
 
Howard was taking a coffee break for most of this game.  He made some saves, but we carried the play just like the Calgary game.
 
Once again, the other goalie was the star.

The OTHER goalie was the star because we can't score.....not because our goalie needs to be better. We can carry the play all we want but if you can put it in the net, you never win. It's absurd to even mention Jimmy as a reason we didn't win this game.

But when the other team's goalie stands on his head every game, then you should blame the Wings, and not give credit to the goalie.

Again, pushing the echo button here but friggin Darren Pang would look like a Vezina candidate if he was playing the offense of the Wings.

Yep.  Another game where we only score a goal.  How many does that make now in recent memory?
 
And Howard needs to study tape in shootouts.  Lapierre was going so slow that Howard should have just kept his ground and not committed.  Instead, he goes down quickly like he always does.

Howard was the ONLY reason we got a point in this game. I don't think he's the guy that needs to study tape. I think our forwards need to study some tape on how to score a F' n goal

I REAAALLLLY hope that isn't the case.  Dallas always brings it there against the Wings.

Yeah, where the he'll is Turco when we need him? He was brutal against the Wings!

Columbus won't make it in. Not enough games vs too tough of competition.
 
Dallas is your only worry, but both teams have 2 games that wash (vs Van, vs LA) in terms of schedule. From this vantage point, it looks like game 48 determines who goes.

I totally disagree here. Columbus is playing the best hockey in our division right now. They have won the last 5 in a row, 3 of which they came from behind. Bobbrovski has been unreal.....second in the league in save percentage at .931. They were in 13th spot before the trade deadline and they have played hard, physical hockey and deserve to be where they are. We have a game in hand but the last 5 games they have NOT been playing the oilers....they have consecutive wins against SJ, St. Louis! Minny, Col and Anaheim last night. Everyone on that team is contributing and they frighten me. Detroit needs to take a page out of that book....never say die, never give up and keep it SIMPLE! Let's hope we can do that

I am obviously in the minority here but I thought they played very well tonight and good last night against San Jose. Am I pissed that we didn't walk out of Chicago with 2 points....of course, but it seems like we are playing with passion. Gus belongs in this line up and Miller and Abby have superceeded their potential. I think a lot of the guys have stepped it up, even though we apparently cant score more than two goals in one game ever. The Toews goal wasn't some lame five hole garbage from the point. Howie made the 1st save and NOBODY is going to make the second save on Toews. This is a team that will most likely win the Presidents Trophy, the best goalie tandem in the NHL and has offense out the wazoo.
To me, the last two games, playing very talented teams have been really good. I'm more concerned about playing teams that are clearly less talented than us. Nashville will show this teams true colours, much more than us losing in a SO to the leagues best.

Perhaps I am the only one on here that thinks Pomminville would be great in a Wings jersey. He's not big ( 6 foot, 185) so a bit bigger than Z BUT plays a physical game, its a lowish cap hit and the dude is a "score first" winger. I think he would be great with either Dats or Z!

The more in-depth report from Lebrun:

 

And Detroit?

The Wings were in on Bouwmeester, but, in the end, they didn’t get him because they didn’t include a first-round pick, a source told ESPN.com.

Which quite frankly, is a smart, smart, smart decision by Wings GM Ken Holland.

Yes, Bouwmeester is the top-four D-man the Wings have been craving all year, but Detroit is not in a position organizationally to be trading first-round picks. They moved a first-round pick last year for Kyle Quincey when they still had Nicklas Lidstrom and Brad Stuart on the team and felt they had a shot to really contend.

But now? Of course they still like their team if they get healthy and make the playoffs, but this is an organization that needs to re-stock and use its own first-round picks to actually draft players.
They’ve been near the top of the standings for 20 years. It’s time to draft and develop again.
There is no way Holland could have ever justified moving a first-rounder to Calgary. What if the Wings miss the playoffs? Even had they structured the deal like St. Louis by deferring the first-rounder to 2014, who’s to say what Detroit is going to look like next season if they miss the playoffs this season? That pick could be even more dangerous to give Calgary.

My belief is that Detroit’s final offer on Bouwmeester was a second-round pick and two prospects. And frankly, that’s as far as the Wings could have gone.