Hairy Lime

Would we have won if he didnt dress ?  Can you give an example of when Aaron Downey was the game changer with a timely fight ?

You just don't get it, do you? Please tell me you're not our next GM.

But to give you one example: If my memory serves me well, I remember a game against the Ducks, where they were beating us up both physically and on the scoreboard. Downey went out and challenged Parros, won the fight, and Detroit seemed to respond. I still think they lost, but they came back and made a game out of it. They looked dead before the fight.

Ok, just listened to it. I don't like Cherry too much, especially after he criticized  Datsyuk for a perfectly clean hit a couple of seasons ago, but I have to agree with him 100 percent on this issue, mainly because I have been saying the exact same thing, ever since Holland hired his lap dog Mike Babcock.  Trade for a guy like Dave Clarkson or Chris Neil, or draft one these good young tough players that also have the ability to score that every other GM is drafting, but do something to make playing against Detroit a little harder, and let other teams know that we have a guy who "can do that too". Steve Yzerman understood it, Scotty Bowman understood it, and Mike Babcock, I think, also understands it, but he's just too much of a wimp to say anything to Holland about it. Yes, he did manage to get Brad May on the roster a few seasons ago, and May did his job, but he was just too old, and besides, he didn't even play in the game against Philli??? That was head-scratching.

After that double whammy from last night(Wings AND Lions), we fans need this one. Detroit is in third place for crying out load.

Wings win. That's all that matters. Sounds like insecurities from him. Wings don't need a tough man to win. FACT.

"FACT." Really? As Don Cherry said, when is the last time Detroit won without one? Admittedly, the lack of an enforcer has not been as glaring as it has been in past seasons, namely the season after we won the cup and anybody with half a brain knew teams were going to be targeting our stars. BUT! we would still be better off with one, and it would certainly make blowouts, one way or the other, a little more interesting. There are McCarty's out there, Holland just isn't drafting them.

I think LGW is the only forum in hockey that will whine about the team being soft after a 4 game win streak.

Sure, snarl would be nice to have, but going on a rant while the team is playing great hockey?

That's because some fans have foresight. Regular season wins only get you into the playoffs. If you have a team that A. get's banged around twice as much as other teams in the regular season, that doesn't bode well come playoff time; and B. If you have a team that can't dish it out as good as it gets in the playoffs, advantage opponent. The last Detroit team that had any real grit was, well, the championship team. Any coincidence? Sure, Downey only played around 40 regular season games or so, but he was an effective deterrent in those games. And sure, the only key piece from the championship team that is not here now is Dallas Drake, but Dallas Drake should of won the Conn Smythe for what he gave Detroit in those playoffs. If Abdelkader wasn't such a complete and utter puss, he could maybe fill that role, but he is. And if Bertuzzi would stop playing no-touch hockey, he could also be a more effective player, but he won't. All that being said, outside of the Bruins game I don't think Detroit's lack of physicality has been as glaring as it has in past seasons. But that will change come playoff time.

This team would benefit greatly from looking into acquiring a Dallas Drake-like player by the deadline. Chris Neil, maybe? David Clarkson?

I just hope we're not embarrassed in a physical way, like they did to Buffalo.

Is there a game where Detroit ISN'T embarrassed in a physical way? Ok, maybe that's a little too harsh. I just hope Lucic doesn't kill Lidstrom...or Howie.

Keep your heads up, boys!

I don't see it happening due to the Miller signing - that would be too many forwards (remembering Mursak and Emmerton are out of options).  Not that I'd mind a player like that, it's just clearly not in the plans.

Yeah, but if we don't bring in a deterrent, maybe Konopka or even Janssen, those Chicago games are going to be brutal to watch. Carcillo and Mayers, two bonafide head-hunters? Who's the deterrent? Bertuzzi and Comodore? No, if Holland has any intelligence left in that head of his(and after the Ericsson signing, I just don't know) he'd sign an enforcer. I'm sick of having a team full of little ******* every season just because our GM disapproves of fighting.

What's everyone talking about? Grit? Toughness? Enforcer? We have Justin Abdelkader, the next Joey Kocur! Right?

Trade for Colton Orr or sign Rick Rypien.

Babs needs to switch up the lines in OT. Franzen is getting no good looks; put him on a 1st line with Datsyuk and Cleary. Move Z down with Flipper and Helm. Now just roll those 2 lines. What? Time to man up! Oh, and put in Mursak for game 2.

Come on, guys. The Blues ARE playing for their playoff lives. That explains it all. Oh, and Datsyuk is out, lets not forget that one. Yeah, and I get called a troll and non-fan for pointing out Detroit's many MANY weaknesses, and saying that this team could not beat Chicago or Nashville in a 7 game series.

You get your clocks cleaned by the San Jose Sharks in the playoffs and your two big off-season signings to make this team better are a 40yo Mike Modano(although he did score tonight!...) and a 36yo Ruslan Salei? I'm not sure what Holland was expecting? I would of skipped on Modano all together and signed Aaron Asham, then tried to acquire David Clarkson from NJ for either Hudler of Filpulla. They might of gone for it. No, that would not help our pathetic defence, but it sure as hell would make games like this a little more interesting. And with a couple of players to bang some heads around, maybe this team would not look as dead as they have these last few months, or the fans. But as for the defense? I have no idea. I know I would not have Ericsson in the line-up, that's for sure. I was really hoping that Lidstrom would of taken a much bigger pay-cut(I know he's worth twice what he's making, but he did say he came back to win another cup, didn't he?) so they could of maybe  pursued  Willi Mitchell. But lets face it, Detroit had a very kind schedule to start the season and piled up a lot of wins early. Maybe they just aren't as good as some of us thought?

But hey, maybe this is just an off night... a REALLY REALLY off night! And when Datsyuk comes back they are going to start blowing teams out... maybe?

Seriously?

In addition to missing one of their best players, the Wings have little to play for, whereas the Hawks are fighting for their lives. Yet it still took the Hawks to OT and a PP goal from a weak call made at the end of regulation.  

I don't know what game you were watching, but the Hawks barely won against a team that needs to stay healthy more than they need points.  

And if saying the penalty on Z was legit, then so was the Hawk player interfering with Z minutes earlier (which wasn't called).

Suuuure you're a Wings fan.   Wonder where your IP address is from....

Check the IP address. It's from Michigan. And again, were you watching the same game I was? MacDonald stood on his head!! I know some Red Wings fans tend to be delusional, but come on... be honest. And again, stop saying Detroit had nothing to play for. I'm sure they want that 2nd seed. No, it's not the same as playing for your playoff lives... but it's a bad excuse.

And I could argue that Sharp is Chicago's best player. He's not, but I could make that argument.