Wings_Dynasty

Here's my thinking.

Lose 3 games. No Ritola.

Win game with Ritola in.

Play with Ritola in.

When certain guys are in the team plays different. You get different looks and you play a different game because it affects who you get passes from and who you pass to. You play a different game when Datsyuk is your center as opposed to Draper or Helm.

With Ritola there is more play along the boards on his line, with him doing it there is another player open waiting for a pass or covering a man who would otherwise be the guy playing along the boards with Williams just standing around waiting for the puck.

If he is back what do you think the lines will be?

Come on, come on... TAKE THE BAIT!!! LET'S GET DRUNK!!!

I'm as real as could be. Cap hit is ridiculous for sure. I have never seen a player get moved off the puck as bad as him. Maybe Leino, but we ditched him. I don't think Rafalski has heard of a gym because he obviously never uses it. He's scared to get loose pucks and gets blown by or walked around every game. His decision making ability is just gone. He seems so indecisive with the puck unless he has no one within 40 feet of him.

I don't like how he plays and I have really had it with the guy.

His defense on the OT goal was one of the worst displays I have ever seen in the playoffs. Ericsson would have done a better job. He at least knows that "Hey, I'm 6'5", I bet if I lay down on the ice or at least put my stick down I would be in the way of a potential pass."

Waving your glove at it?

No matter what happens in the playoffs, I see Detroit making some changes. I wanted to see what people thought would be actual, possible signings they might pursue and also see what you would try to do if you were Ken Holland.

Try to be realistic with what you would do. I know that it's possible to trade Datsyuk and Lidstrom for Crosby in NHL10, but it just won't happen in real life.

Possible: I can see the Wings pursuing depth guys from high cap teams that didn't make the grade this season. I know with the Lightning's new leadership that they might make some changes and usually the Wings try not to send their players to the West. I could see someone like Ohlund or Meszaros coming in to play on the 3rd pairing with Lilja (if he's here) and switching off with Kindl if he's not doing to well. I would like to see Malone come over here to play on the second line.

Wish List: Guys like Lucic or Byfuglien would look real good on the third line. I would also like to see an enforcer with talent, a Gratton or Neil type guy, someone who can hit/score odd goals as well as punch people in the face well.

Trying to be positive, I thought of this.

Is it possible that the Wings could have swept the Sharks?

They still can.

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"HOLDING?!"
"Wow, really?"

Exactly what I thought when I saw it. Except the second thing was like when you see something that shouldn't exist in our universe (like a Mariah Carey movie) and you say "WOW, really?!

So what if the refs make it one sided in the Red Wings favor for Games 3 and 4 and the Wings end up winning? How would you guys feel about that?

I'm not really sure what is fair and what isn't these days but I wouldn't feel right about it. I mean, really, what the hell is going on here with the game of hockey? What has happened to my skoooo? (+1 if you get the reference).

South Park.

If it is lopsided for the Wings, my brain will probably say "Well, we're even now" but my heart will say "We need KHL refs."

I hope not. I would hate to see an unstoppable juggernaut in the playoffs who can play in any situation as a forward, center, or defenseman on the Pens.

Living anywhere near an airport sucks already, the rule makes sense.

$2500? That's nothing to the Wings. They should just send Williams to the airport as a downpayment with a note pinned to him saying "This should cover at least 3 more late landings."

Although wreckless and should have been tripping, the puck looked like it may have hit the crossbar, bounced down, and stayed near the line from his POV. The trip may have been trying to get to the puck or keep Z from getting to it.

May not be about "class" here.

Made these the last time we played the Sharks.

You hate Rafalski. We get it. And you hate Rafalski enough to suggest that Ericsson, who cannot get a shot through traffic to save his life and is too slow to wind up against a penalty kill that challenges shots from the point, should replace him on the first power play unit.

Roger. Glad we are past the whole getting to know you phase.

Ericsson turns the puck over less than Rafalski. Yes, Rafalski has more TOI to give the puck away, but that TOI is more important than the ice time Ericsson gets. I think that the worst that could happen if Rafalski is replaced by E is that we give up a couple short-handed 2 on 1's. WHICH HAPPENS ALREADY!

He has a 100mph shot and he doesn't get to use it. He is paired with Lilja in a virtual shut-down pairing. They are expected to play most of their time in the defensive zone, which is why he doesn't shoot and therefore doesn't score. Rafalski does have those opportunities to shoot and plays with Lidstrom (during 5 on 5s AND powerplays) and doesn't score.

How can a change hurt?

I will concede that attempting this switch on the road in Game 7 is probably not the time to do it. But if they are down in the 3rd and a PP comes up, they should try it.

Well, he definitely contributed on the score sheet. My point is, it was one game. I mean, would you retract your statement if Rafalski scores the GWG Tuesday or even a single goal that results into a win? I'm having a hard time wrapping around your reason for wanting him over Rafalski.

1. hard shot
2. uses it
3. throws an occasional hit
4. salary
5. doesn't eat up ice time that a better player could have simply because it is the general consensus that since he makes 6 million dollars and has 3 Cups that he is better at his job than a player that can do everything he does and occasionally throw a hit at half the price
6. has better understanding of when it is OK to pinch

Right now, I wish we had Schneider instead of Rafalski. The shot on the power-play makes up for all his faults. When he scored I immediately missed him on the team. Only one player on our blueline has a respectable point shot on our PP and we need at least two.

Going into game 7, who would be more dangerous on our D corps?

HOLY f***!!!

Datsyuk and Zetterberg on the ice at the same time!!!