b.shanafan14

This is absurd! Who didn't love Murphy, goofy as he was. This is very sad. As Nev said, you blame ratings for a hockey game on the Pierre McGuire of your local broadcast team? "Damn, Larry is on again, can't watch my Wings tonight"... Gimme a break!

LGW should prepare a petition, or at least a thank you/support card.

I do, too.  But let's face it, Murphy was not a good commentator or color guy.  I like him as a player and hate to see someone fired, but its probably a smart move.

I think he was entertaining. Not exactly the brightest or best, but loveable goof. What more do you want?

Hahaha curly fries... You have to be s***ting me...

Abdelkader is the best power forward and sniper in the league. Period.

Huh... No goal? Funny watching Pavel bouncing pucks in off Abdelkader

I can see his frustrations with his linemates over the last several seasons, as well as his desire to play in Russia more before hanging them up, but one point made in the article seems to make no sense: according to the article, Datsyuk sees the realignment as a reason to get out. Umm... What?

 

Datsyuk sees the realignment, knows the kind of nightly abuse he's going to take in the Eastern Conference and wants to "go out like Barry Sanders did."  Healthy, in other words. And he wants to give the KHL a few years of brilliance. He wants his home country to see him while he still has magic left. 

 

 

This makes me cry 'bullsh**', at least to the supposed source. So, he wants to leave because he is going to see greatly diminished travel against juggernauts like Montreal, Buffalo, Toronto, and Florida instead of Chicago, St. Louis, and Nashville? Obviously Boston is a bruiser, but I think overall, the teams the Wings have seen consistently out West, especially combined with the travel, is a much bigger bear than the Bruins (pun intended).

 

I don't doubt Pavel will leave earlier than we hoped, but the main, if not only reason, will be to play at home (with possibly better linemates), not avoid the realignment.

Kipper spends the whole game down early, and we can't figure out how to beat him (hint: up)

Are we done with the grinders on top lines now?

esteef

But but but... The defense?

Anyone got a stat of how many games go into Shootout? 

 

Since the shootout was introduced after the lockout in 2005-2006, about 13.24% of games have been decided in a shootout. That's 1 in about 7.5 games going that way. This season is just above that average, sitting at 52 of the 375 games played, or 13.87%.

 

If you count overtime on top of that, or any game where the 3rd point comes into play, and you're looking at 95 of the 375 games played. That is more than 1 in 4 games! That is the real form of parity. Not the competitive on-ice product, but rather a mechanism in the standings which makes 25% of all wins and losses matter half as much.

 

Getting back to the shootout, I couldn't agree more. Skills competition with 3 shooters should never decide a game. That'd be like ending NBA games with a game of pig or a jump ball (like it could get anymore boring). Might as well flip a coin, especially given how loose some of the interpretations are (spin-o-rama, Kane, etc.)

This sucks.  I wanted to see him test the UFA market and hopefully answer Kenny's call.

 

At that price, Kenny would GetzLAF in his face. "How much?! Hahaha!... and I thought Parise was nuts..."

How about we have a contraction draft. That will be much more fun! Dissolve two struggling franchises (Phoenix and....) and sell it for parts.

Wow... talk about "contract year" boost:

 

2011-2012

82GP 11G 46A 57PT -11

 

2012-2013

22GP 9G 18A 27PT +10

48GP 20G 39A 59PT +22 (current pace)

82GP 33G 67A 100PT +37 (pace over 82)

 

That contract is obscene. It will be interesting to see if he disappears again. AKA Franzens out.

http://www.thehockey...-decisions.html

 

Article from the end of November in The Hockey News about the possible expansion draft and the rules about who each team can protect, including a list of projected players each team would/could/should protect. Essentially, if it goes like it did in 2000, we get to protect either: 1 goaltender, 5 defensemen, and 9 forwards OR 2 goaltenders, 3 defensemen, and 7 forwards.

 

Howard

Kronwall, Lashoff, Ericsson, Smith, Kindl

Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Brunner, Franzen, Helm, Filppula, Tootoo, Tatar, Nyquist

(Still unsure how things work with prospects like Tatar and Nyquist, assuming they are in play)

Off topic: Holland's "overriping" method scares me with Dekeyser.  I doubt he will want to go pro and stay in the AHL for 3+ years.  I'm not saying he shouldn't earn ice time, but at least start him in the bottom pairing right?   

 

If the Wings are going to stand a chance in the 'bidding' process with a guy like Dekeyser, they'll do so partially by "guaranteeing" ice-time in general or even with a particular player. Otherwise, he'll go elsewhere. There is no lack of teams willing to give him a shot in the big-leagues right out of the gate.

During his best games this season, Kronwall has been Norris caliber on both ends, creating offense and making some great plays on the back end. During his worst games this season, Kronwall has looked lost, bumbling, and even overwelmed. We are starting to see more of the former than the latter, but consistency is what separates the best from the rest.

 

Kronner is still adjusting to the number one slot and may very well come out on top by season's end. Consider also that Letang is on an offensive powerhouse in Pittsburgh (sitting 1st in the league at 3.54 G/G) versus Kronwall who has rotated partners all year, on a team in transition, riddled with injuries more than any other team by a long shot, and offensively is below average (sitting 18th in the league at 2.67 G/G). It should be interesting...

 

Kronwall for Norris in a down year for D-men is definitely far from the dumbest thing Lebrun has said about hockey.

How great is it to watch a game that isn't riddled with soft penalty calls, eh?