GoalieManPat

Good job Bert on getting into it with Weber. Now if he would just do something useful the other 55 minutes of the game I could appreciate him fully.

What do you expect when the crowd has to be told every-time the "Preds......are......on.....the....powerplay!!!"

And once again people are overexaggerating. My point still stands.  A lot of players didn't play up to snuff, Datsyuk especially.  Franzen made some plays to the net and was able to create havoc in front at times.  In fact, the power play was as good as it has ever been thanks to a better consistency throughout the units

Franzen made one play to the net. Even in that he took the soft route going for a low percentage short side shot instead of taking it hard to the opposite side of the net using his size. Had the two Nashville defenders not fallen into each other he more than likely would not have even made the move to the front of the net based on the last couple months of his play. I agree Datsyuk did not have his best game but that is an abnormality for him. Lately it would be an abnormality for Franzen to have a good game. That is why he catches the hate on here this year and I believe its completely deserved.

Give the kid a chance, he's learning, Babcock doesn't keep bad players.

Ummm Emmerton has had the whole season as his chance.

Cant play worse than Emmerton.

Him feeding off of Datsyuk passes is exactly what he's paid to do. He's not that gritty big guy who would dig pucks out of the corner or make eye popping plays night in and night out. His job is what it is: to put the puck in the net.

That logic would work if he was more consistant. Hes not consistent enough to be a "just put he puck in the net" player. At his size going into the corner and being gritty needs to be the strong-point of his game. That is what frustrates us who are hard on Franzen because he used to do those things. Now when hes not scoring he is useless. If he would at-least use his body and hustle then he wouldn't catch as much flack when he goes into scoring droughts.

Until Franzen is able to put that effort into multiple games instead of just one period I will not consider him back.

Every-time I think Milbury makes a smart point (which is rare) I think back to the fact that he single hand-idly killed an NHL franchise with bad personal moves like very few have ever done. And then the World is back in balance.

I just loved the look on Crosby's face after Scheen Cross Checked him. He was like "What The Hell Just Happened."  LOL Classic!!

I read it as more of a "Bu...bu...but Uncle Gary said nobody could hit me because of my head booboo's" kinda look.

I suppose it isn't all that surprising that they're struggling right now.  They have a bunch of players who are still trying to get up to NHL speed.  Datsyuk, Franzen, Cleary, Ericsson, the list probably goes on if we had more information.  

Franzen hasnt been at NHL speed long before he sat a couple games. Cleary has been at AHL speed all season.

seriously? anybody who's ever played hockey in their life loves dan cleary....works hard, team guy, a guy i would never scratch.....there has been way too many topics hating on our players this year..."whats up with datsyuk?" "has zberg lost his touch?" "hudler blows like always" "big E is a *****" "franzen floats" "scratch bertuzzi" "homer sucks" and now cleary????? GM's would chop their own hand off to have a guy who plays with as much heart as cleary does. Ill go on record all day sticking up for cleary....some ppl on this forum i swear dont watch or have ever played hockey in their lives....this is the wings boys and cleary is the s***. that is all.

You can have all the heart in the world but if your skill does not match that heart you dont win the Cup.

Cleary is a good third liner and they need his depth for some years before they let him go. He had 26 goals last year and had some sick goals this year and Nyquist needs to stay in the AHL for a year or 2 more for him to develop.

Your post would have been correct if we were talking about last year. This year Cleary has been s***. The only time you notice him is when he takes the puck across the blueline along the wall. Gets the slightest of rubs from the defender and then falls down. In the rare event that he does get past the defender he usually takes a shot from between the bottom of the circle to the end line. This shows why he has the worste shooting percentage of Wings forwards other than Mursak yet is third on the team in shots. Nyquist is NHL ready and his recent callup has proved that. Of the 8 games since his callup earlier this month Nyquist scored in every game but 2 while playing 5-6 minutes a night less than Cleary.

If Nyquist spends another two years in the AHL it will hinder his development. Hes already a top player in that league and you get better by playing tougher competition. You get complacent by playing below your skill level. Yes usually the Wings let there prospects overripe but Nyquist and Smith are the best two prospects since Datsyuk and Zetterberg (both who never touched the AHL). Im hoping Babs is giving these last couple games for Cleary to try and work himself out but Ill bet you come playoffs Nyquist has more a chance of being in than Cleary.

Thoughts from the game:
1. After Monday the Wings thought they could just show up and be given the 2 points. No urgency whatsoever.
2. While Conklin didn't lose the game for the Wings he did nothing to push them to winning. You expect an NHL goalie to make 2-3 big saves to keep your team in a game. He did not.
3. Franzen must not have realized he actually was playing tonight. He made as much of an impact tonight as he has the last 5 games.
4. I admire Cleary's heart but if hes that injured to play that way he really needs to park himself in the press box.
5. Nyquist getting 5 minutes two days after probably his best game in the NHL is a crime. He was getting better with each game.
6. The inconsistency of this team is appalling. Not something you expect from a veteran team who considers themselves a Cup contender.

Laughed during the pregame opening when they showed the Jackets coming out and right in the middle you saw the Winged maize and blue helmet. lol

Yeah it's definitely bad, he had to use his stick to get up off the ice tonight.

I really wish people would stop using the whole "he had to use his stick to get up so his knees must be super injured!" thing. Using the stick as leverage to get up is used by players 90% of the time they get knocked down.