number9

Sporting News article on the NCAA vs. the CHL from a couple of years ago. It does focus more on the business of colleges losing recruits to the Canadian junior leagues mostly, but does have a few quips that are relevent to this conversation:

http://aol.sportingn...y-ohl-whl-qmjhl

Can't seem to track it down, but I also remember an article from around the same time describing a survey done about parents being more willing now to send their kids the college route instead of the CHL as the NCAA was closing the gap in developing NHL ready prospects with the CHL.

As a parent I would always send my kid the NCAA route. Even if my kid was Crosby. You just never know how someone will pan out, e.g. Daigle. Much better to have an education to fall back on... plus it's good to have a college education, even if you never need to formally use it.

I think the CHL produces better elite talent, but if you were to play the top teams in both leagues against each other, the NCAA would win in a walk.

 

Mostly due to the fact that players are recruited rather than drafted so the talent isn't as spread out. Combined with the fact that the NCAA tends to have a lot more older and more physically developed players.

If you meant that NCAA players are older and thus farther along in physical growth, then yes you are correct, thats a given. But if you meant that they are more physical players, or better because of that growth, that's dead wrong. Many 16 yr old OHLers would out muscle/grind 21 yr old NCAA players. The physicality of OHL games is far above anything in the NCAA

Sorry, but can't think of a coach I'd rather have than Babs. His attitude is perfect for this team. Classy in the street but a hardass in the lockerroom. Blaming this bad stretch on him is ludicrous. He's a great coach dealing with some of the most limited options in the league right now, theres naturally going to be ups and down. Keep calm, and hockey on.

A lot of talk that Dallas will be selling him at the trade deadline. Any of you interested?

Filppula has very little trade value because he's a UFA next year.  I don't see him moving at all.

Guys who are coming UFA's are usually the ones traded.... hence why speculation is he could be on the block...

BS. No one was saying any such things in 96. We were all saying "with this much talent we should be wining cups". Then Holland and Jimmy D made the move for Shanahan, to add to Yzerman, Federov, Kozlov, Lirionov, McCarty, Lapointe, Draper, Kocur, etc etc etc........ The only 2 guys that currently compare with that group are dat and Z. That is it.

Again, AHL points mean nothing. Zero. Zip. Nadda.

nice comment. way to add some intelligence to the convo. BTW I don't play video games. Never have. don't even own a game system. I would rather do things in real life than hide in a video game. You should try it sometime.....

Kindl for Stamkos

Stop times I can understand that feeling. But I grew up in the 1970's and remember the Dead Wings all to well. Watching us play now is like watching a close family member slowly die. That does hurt and upset me, as it should all RW fans.

I find it hard to believe that someone who plays as much NHL 13 as you do grew up in the 1970s

There's no way he goes undrafted by the Wings if he's ranked high enough to be considered 

It's quotes like these that assure me you don't know anything about our prospects.

We have two guys in juniors that are battling it out for the CHL DMan award. We have an amazing Swedish DMan that is near the league leaders for DMan points. A Swedish forward that is making men look like boys all while being on a super craptastic team. One of the best up and coming DMen in the KHL.

That's not even considering a two time hobey baker finalist who is NLT down in the minors to keep our depth alive when it is darn apparent that depth is the key to success this year. Brunner and Tatar are showing they are NHL ready and doing a very fine job in their roles (don't straw man me and remind Brunner wasn't drafted by us).

On top of all that you can't spell XO's name or Jarnkrok's name correctly and you somehow throw McKee in the mix when talking about talented prospects. Just stop talking about Detroit prospects. Just stop.

Marchenko is rising and rising fast. We all thought he would, but I'm gald he's finally proving it. This league will revel in our drafting and development process yet again soon.

It amazes me when ppl on this forum (mostly not regulars) think we should sell or trade our vets and rebuild. The fact that we haven't done that has earned us a reputation that brings us guys like Brunner & Marchenko, while still being cup capable. Brunner chose us despite similar offers from many other teams. And Alexei chose us as one of the only NHL teams he'd be willing to play for. Reputation does matter.

I hate to be bold, and this opinion is definitely based on the fact that he continues to play with Datsyuk and Zetterberg, but Brunner looks like a 30 goal scorer right now (for an 82 game season anyway) and this is still his first year....Knock on wood but if this kid settles in more than he has already could he turn out to be a potential 35, maybe even 40 goal scorer? Right now it seems possible, but I think he may lack the size to ever compete at that level. He certainly has the skill though.

I don't think anyone doubts Avery's ability on the ice. He's a PREMIUM agitator and decent grinder. IMO equal to Steve Ott.

But he clearly had off ice and locker room issues galore. Runs his mouth so much that he can't seem to stop once the game stops. I would certainly entertain the argument that he is the best agitator of all time. He's so good that he agitates his own team as well!

Howard is a different style of goalie than most.

A lot of goalies have crazy reflexes or crazy aggressiveness, and will post shut outs or incredible games where they stand on their head. Howie grits his teeth and does work. He might not get shut outs or glamorous wins, but he does consistently find ways to win and is very level-headed. He doesn't often post amazing games, but he also doesn't often post crap games. Reliable and efficient.

Lids was amazing to say the least, but many people give him way too much credit for Howards play. One man, even Lids, only does so much. 

If McCollum never plays for the Wings again, his 12.00 GAA will supplant Dave Gagnon's 10.29 as highest in team history.

Did you have to use the special shampoo?

Yeah. Totally works though. Gets rid of all that lingering groin smell.

Some girl I used to fool around with in college gave me Lingering Groin once. Takes weeks to get rid of.