cupforwings

This early I don't think Hudler has done enough to raise his trade value any. Maybe get closer to the deadline and see how he is than. Of course than the question may turn to whether the Wings will want to trade him when the time comes. If he can improve and get back to his form from like 08 than I'd be all for keeping him and not making a trade what would possibly see the Wings take on more Cap this season. Once this season ends after all the contracts are up that are do to be over this season and before we re-sign anyone or sign any UFA's; If I did the math right the Wing will have somewhere in the ball park of $30 Million and that is depending on what happens with the cap. Personally I'd rather see the Wings save that money for the off-season and make a big splash in Free Agency. When Mursak comes back if Emmerton is doing well enough than perhaps the Wings can look at tradeing Huds for a draft pick or something and free up that space right away. The Wings have enough depth in Offense to be able to help carry Hudler's load depending on how well he improves between now and the deadline. Just my 2 cents, this is an issue that I have been thinking about to along with some other ones throughout this season that the Wings can possibly make small adjustments to the team as we see some of the older players like Liddy, Holmsy, and Bert get older and closer to retirement.

4 points in 4 games is already looking better then last year.  You would really just trade Hudler for a draft pick?  That draft pick would most likely never become anything in the NHL.  Really terrible idea.

No, because if Crosby is done, now we will hear that he's the greatest to ever play the game if only he could have finished his career.  Whereas if he finished his career everyone would realize he's just a talented player but not nearly the greatest.

Crosby is more then just another talented player... The guy is a beast, is 23 years old, and was on pace for 120 or more points.  I hate Crosby as much as the next guy, but he is one of the most talented players of all time.  Hopefully he is able to recover and keep putting up monster points like he was this year.

If Babcock plays Hudler over Modano, I will f***** lose it.  What is Hudler good at? He's small, not physical, slow, and doesn't even shoot the puck.  Modano is big, fast, and has a leathal shot.  I guess even in the NHL coaches have players they just like for some reason.  I mean, predicting 70 points from Hudler this  year was bad enough....

I'm surprised this thread isn't titled: Question: Why do Wings fans hate the 2011 Stanley Cup Champions Vancouver Canucks?

this is why Detroit is hockeytown... the only state that prefers the NHL playoffs

this one should be 1920x1080

too bad Howie had to let in that weaksauce goal at the end

sorry, but no.  Pav and Hank together make the team better.  Our secondary line is a force.  Our third line is coming together finally.  And our 4th line has been great.  Why change up a lineup that is 6-2-1?  I don't get this thread.

Rule 48 - Illegal Check to the Head

48.1 Illegal Check to the Head – A lateral or blind side hit to an opponent where the head is targeted and/or the principle point of contact is not permitted.

Definitely a lateral hit to the head...

it was neither lateral or a blind side hit...  Franzen turned right into it...  also, Selei has not looked good at all

If the wings blocked as many shots as the stars, our whole team would be injured

This is going to be sweet

If you're going to copy and paste the whole article (which is discouraged on this board)... think you could take 10 seconds to make it readable?  

Seriously?  There was one thing out of place.  Those types of comments are discouraged on this board.

Babcock set to show Wings still among NHL's elite
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. -- Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock never is at a loss for words, but he somehow managed to sum up his thoughts on the upcoming season to just two.

"We're back."

That was his message to Red Wings fans and the rest of the NHL. The reason for Babcock's optimism are both the new and familiar faces in and around the Red Wings' dressing room these days.

The veteran coach recently took the time to sit down with NHL.com at the Traverse City NHL Prospects Tournament to discuss the 2010-11 season.

NHL.COM: What players stood out in your eyes at this year's Prospects tournament?

"He's still thinking like a player, but seven years from now he's not going to be thinking like a player. Look at (Lightning GM Steve) Yzerman now, he's management. I'm a big believer in surrounding yourself with the best people and asking them questions. In the end, you have to make your decisions. He'll be a wealth of knowledge for us, if we tap that wealth."
"The Joakim Andersson kid is strong and looks to be a safe player down the road. Tomas Tatar obviously has some real skill -- he reminds me of Jiri Hudler a little bit. He anticipates and makes plays, hangs on to the puck well. (Brendan) Smith is a high-end skill guy. His game has to evolve without the puck a little bit, but I like how powerful he is and how he skates. He sees and moves the puck pretty well. (Landon) Ferraro has a chance as well ... looks like he has some skill level there. I was also impressed with the size of (Brian) Lashoff (6-foot-3, 207 pounds), and I like goalie (Thomas) McCollum. So there's six kids and, when you think about it, it's hard to have six kids that you're already really excited about within the organization. There might be others, too, but those are the ones that popped out at me."

NHL.COM: Do you feel it's inspiring to a young goalie like Thomas McCollum to see the success Jimmy Howard achieved in the minors?

BABCOCK: "I think it's real. Look, this is a man's league and it isn't easy at all. It's hard on everyone. A classic example is goalie (Steve) Mason in Columbus. In my opinion, Mason is a star. He was a star his first year and (coach Ken Hitchcock) did a great job with the team. But Mason struggles his second year and Hitch isn't the coach anymore. Mason will be back this year, but that's how hard it is to be good in the league. I know McCollum struggled a bit in the AHL, but that's good. You have to learn to fight through tough times; that's all a part of it. McCollum has a great work ethic and fought hard all summer (training with goalie coach Jim Bedard)."

NHL.COM: What did Jimmy Howard learn from last season?

BABCOCK: "Obviously he thinks he's good and he was good. Now he has to be good this year and if he can put 18 good seasons together in a row, then you're like (Chris Osgood) ... the real ones. The real ones do it year after year and the message, just like in life, is really clear. Your ups have to be longer than your downs. That doesn't mean there won't be any downs, but you can let those things weigh heavy on you or you can have momentary downs and move on with it."

NHL.COM: What does it mean having Jiri Hudler back in a Red Wings jersey?

BABCOCK: "It means 70 points. It means your second power-play unit is as good as your first power-play unit, maybe better. (Dan) Cleary, (Mike) Modano and Huds will be on the same line to start. He's a good hockey player and knows how to play this game. It's great to have him back. He made a decision in his career (to spend last season in the KHL), but there's lots of respect. Did I think it was the right decision? No, but it was right for him. The great thing about decisions is when you make them, you move on. He's back now and we're thrilled. He doesn't have to prove anything to me; I know he can play."

NHL.COM: What will Mike Modano bring to the Red Wings?

BABCOCK: "He's been a good player for a long time. (Pavel Datsyuk) will center Z (Henrik Zetterberg) and on the right side I have Homer (Tomas Holmstrom), Bert (Todd Bertuzzi) and (Dan) Cleary. I don't know what line they're playing on, but I know I got Z with Pavel, (Johan) Franzen with Fil (Valtteri Filppula) and Hudler with Modano. So he's going to play with good players. If I'm the other team, my first defensive pair is playing against Pavel, the second against Fil and a third against Modano -- that's a heck of a third line. He can really skate and I like the fact it's a change for him. Change is exciting. I think we should all change our professions every 10 years. When you go to a new place, you're fired up, a little bit nervous and there's momentary doubt. Those things will help him and we think he still has a lot of hockey left in him. He's going to be happy being a Red Wing. He's going to like getting the puck on his tape from good players and he'll play on our second power-play unit."

NHL.COM: What makes Detroit General Manager Ken Holland so good at what he does?

BABCOCK: "He's a passionate guy who loves hockey. He's 24/7, is a great numbers guy and very smart. He's got a philosophy and he doesn't deviate. I talk all the time about the 'success circle.' What that means is, you practice, then you execute. When you execute, you become reinforced and reinforcement leads to passion because you like it and it starts over again. When reinforced, your expectations get a little bit higher. So now you expect more success with the circle. Time after time, Ken's had success and has been steady on the rudder and patient and he knows what he's doing is right. You don't deviate as quickly as maybe someone who hasn't had the success. His knowledge and ability to treat people the right way really make him a fun person to be around. There are lots of things that go into it, but, to me, he's a guy who's been in the business forever and he's passionate about doing it and working hard every day."

NHL.COM: Are you excited to have Chris Chelios aboard?

BABCOCK: "We're thrilled. I like having a guy who's an ultimate competitor, who just left playing. I was asking Cheli a bunch of questions recently while talking to some minor-league coaches and we were discussing practice. What does a player like? How long can the meeting be with a player? What's the best way to teach this? He's still thinking like a player, but seven years from now he's not going to be thinking like a player. Look at (Lightning GM Steve) Yzerman now, he's management. I'm a big believer in surrounding yourself with the best people and asking them questions. In the end, you have to make your decisions. He'll be a wealth of knowledge for us, if we tap that wealth. He just has to figure out his job. He's got to find his job, find his passion and figure out where he fits in. Is it helping (Brendan) Smith get better or working with (defenseman Jakub Kindl)? Is it helping coaches on the power play or penalty kill? Is it simply coming to me and asking, 'Hey, why are you not playing that guy?' I'm all ears."

I feel like that design fits him.  He is a goalie so he is automatically a little weird and he comes off kind of nerdy anyway.  It is not that bad.

My link

A Long Time to Go in a Motor City Far Far Away
by J.J. from Kansas on Aug 24, 2010 11:49 AM CDT in Opinion   9 comments

I checked my calendar this morning and it turns out it's still August.  Yesterday's signing of Justin Abdelkader to a two-year deal pretty well shuts the Red Wings down as far as free agency signings go until Maltby takes a two-way deal.  Training camp is still three weeks away and we're left with little to do other than argue about whether Mattias Ritola will clear waivers (short answer: Yes, short-short answer: Y).  While it would be easy and probably fun to take the easy way and put myself into a three-week coma to cut the intermediate time short. my job and my family force me to put the skateboard, hammer, pyrotechnics and Def Leppard soundtrack away for now.

Instead, my mind wanders to silly lists.  Since SpikeTV has been showing the first three Star Wars movies recently, I'm inspired to take a look at what characters from the Star Wars universe fit with which Red Wings personnel.  Now, Star Wars comparisons aren't new to hockey discussions; in fact, Avalanche fans have been calling our team the Evil Empire for quite some time.  Of course, if they're the Rebel Alliance, I guess that makes their team management Grand Moff Tarkin, since he's the one who blew up Alderaan their roster.

Check to make sure your hyperdrive motivator hasn't been damaged and follow me after the jump to light speed.



Pavel Datsyuk is R2D2: Before you furl your brow and curse at me for making one of the best Red Wings players a sassy blue trash can, take a second to think of everything that R2D2 did for the Rebellion in the movies.  He had every tool needed for just the right time and often surprised people with new abilities that seemed to pop up almost instantaneously.  Combine that with his inherent three-legged stability (wink-wink) and the fact that very few people can understand what he says, but we all know that it's funny and you've got yourselves a comparison.

Darren Helm is Boba Fett: He's got jets, son.

Tomas Holmstrom is Chewbacca: Another character in the saga that nobody can understand when he talks, Holmstrom is big, hairy, mean, and gets in people's way.  He also gets unfairly handcuffed more times than anybody else in the entire saga.

Henrik Zetterberg is Han Solo: He's the cool, skilled, handsome one who gets the hot chick at the end. We've watched him grow from the guy with tons of natural talent into the leader he's become.  He's the guy I would want out there when we're outmanned and outgunned, even if it is for only two minutes.

Todd Bertuzzi is Darth Vader:  There is good in him, I have felt it.  He's got serious skills and a willingness to change for the better.  That doesn't completely absolve him from having slaughtered children in his youth, but it at least buys him a viking funeral when the time comes.

Valtteri Filppula is Princess Leia:  Before you laugh at my categorizing Val Filppula as a woman, realize that Princess Leia could kick your ass.  They're both tough, resourceful, overlooked contributors with interesting hair; what more do you need?

Kris Draper is Yoda:  Seeing his lightsaber fight in Episode 2, you know that back in the day, the guy had some speed and skill.  Nowadays, he's around to teach the young guys the right way to do things and to provide comic relief interspersed with serious messages.

Nick Lidstrom is Obi Wan Kenobi: Up there in age with a wealth of knowlege and experience, he was taught by some of the best.  It may seem like odd coincidence that he was in exactly the right place for things to get started in the original trilogy, but you come to appreciate that his good positioning is never accidental.  His skills are still better than pretty much everybody else in the galaxy to boot.  Remember, Kenobi didn't lose to Vader, he made a tactical decision to let a guy kill him so he could be everywhere at once.  That's just incomprehensibly smart.

Mike Babcock is Admiral Ackbar:  He's in charge, he talks funny, and he doesn't like traps.  That's deep, yo.

Johan Franzen is Luke Skywalker: Crunch time is where this guy shines.  We picked him up seemingly out of nowhere and have guys that taught him how to be so dangerous.  He worked as hard as he could to get back to his friends to help them last season when they needed him.  He's also the guy I would trust to bulls-eye a womp rat if there's a womp rat that needs bulls-eyeing.

Jimmy Howard is the Death Star: That's no moon, that's our goalie. He's big, round, scary to face, and also has a small hole in him that leads directly to paydirt.  Fortunately, you have to get through some pretty strong defenses to get a shot at it and it's very hard to hit.

Niklas Kronwall is Wedge Antilles:  Almost nobody outside of the Rebel Alliance appreciates what Wedge Antilles did for them.  He's the only pilot in the entire saga to have flown in and survived both Death Star attacks.  He was also there at Hoth catching the AT-ATs with their heads down and blowing them up.  If it weren't for the incredible talent around him, he'd be the star of the show.

Honorable Mentions

Mikael Samuelsson is an Imperial Storm Trooper: Their aim and shooting percentage is almost identical

Gary Bettman is C-3PO: To himself and in the eyes of furry savages, he's a golden god; to everybody else, he's an annoying poof.

Larry Murphy is a Jawa: I'm pretty sure they both jump out from behind rocks and yell "Uttini!"

Mike Cammalleri is Wicket the Ewok: The star of a tiny tribe that beats people who don't take them seriously enough.  Too perfect...

Kyle Wellwood is Jabba the Hutt: "Kyle Wellwood is fat" jokes are too easy, but you don't leave a dollar laying on the street just because it's easy to bend over and pick up, do you?  Well, maybe it's not easy for Kyle, but you get the point.

Please let hockey season start soon.

Pretty funny stuff.