WingNut722

@yave1964 You're right. Z needs to continue to turn it on. He's had a slumping season and is now waking up. We get all our guys back we'll be just fine. Save the free agents for the summertime. A top six forward would certainly add key offense, but it would throw off the rhythms already in place.

Ken Holland was his usual self yesterday, staying pretty quiet during the trade deadline. The only move he did make was to send part-time defenseman Mike Commodore to Tampa for a couple 4th round picks in the 2013 draft. I heard about a lot about people calling into Detroit sports radio stations threatening to "turn in the Red Wings Fan cards." Well go ahead, ya hacks! Why would you expect Ken Holland to do anything else? Some big names were in the rumor mill and very very few of them were moved. The highlight trade of this year was probably Jeff Carter for Jack Johnson. Two players the Wings had no interest in. Rick Nash, Ryan Suter, Alex Semin, Tuomo Ruutu...none of them ever moved despite the hype. Ken Holland is one of the smartest, slickest, and shrewdest GMs in the league. He's not going to buy up big names just because he can. It's not simple math...like adding Nash would add another 30 goals per season. Nash is incredibly expensive, and Holland will not bring him on so he can make more money than Datsyuk, Zetterberg, or Lidstrom. Holland treats his team like a family, and family comes first. What is going on with the Red Wings currently is their yearly injury bug. Every single year, a couple top line guys head for the infirmary at the same time, leaving a rough go for the guys who are left. Folks are just upset that it's happened so late in the season instead of earlier. Datsyuk, Ericsson, Eaves, Cleary, Howard, and Zetterberg all have dealt with some kind of injury in the last two weeks. It's no different than last year, except Franzen, Bertuzzi, and Krinwall are not on the list. Expect a few more losses in the next few games as the Wings adjust, and then they'll bounce back, just like every year. With the team Detroit has, (even without Patrick Eaves) they were able to climb to the top of the league and stay there before being dethroned by the number 2 team. I have no reason to believe that any huge deals needed to be made yesterday by Ken Holland. The acquisition of Kyle Quincy is one that few expected but nobody is really surprised. Holland also has his mind set on bringing up a few young defensemen. Jakub Kindl should now see full ice time, and Brendan Smith will likely get the call-up from Grand Rapids that everyone expected him to get back in September. The truth is the Red Wings have fallen from the top of the mountain and, in all honesty, will likely not return soon while so many players are either out entirely or not 100%. However, there is every reason to believe that Detroit can remain in the top 4, keeping home-ice advantage for the playoffs, while their team heals. With rested stars and young, energetic call ups, the Wings will still make their usual dent in the playoffs. And by the way, there are no official Red Wings Fan Cards. You got suckered....

Samuelsson would work. It rings in true with what Holland has done this past year in bringing back former players. When with Detroit, Sami was a hot and cold player. He'd have streaks of incredible play and then nothing. Worth a shot, since he knows the style

The team can win without Datsyuk. They've done it before. The went the distance with Vancouver, but lost in a shootout. Todd Bertuzzi, Jiri Hudler, and Zetterberg are all good at shootouts, but just couldn't get it done then. Having Datsyuk out of the lineup is no excuse to play lousy hockey. The team hasn't been plaing at their best, and it' individual effort. Datsyuk is not some magic catalyst. The numbers quoted by @Digityman of 0-2-1 don't look good. But they're all losses by one goal.

@SpikeDDS Helm isn't bad in the faceoff circle. Zetterberg and Filppula are decent too.

It's there. It's just subtle. It's stamped onto the toe of the hockey stick which stretches across the chin.

He's probably got three more...

I feel your pain..... I even lost 100 on the Boston-St. Louis game too.... I'm hurtin'!

Helm studied under Drapes for a couple years and played on the same line. That in itself will rub off on a young kid. I love watching Helm play anytime. He puts so much effort and heart into the game. His speed is incredible, and his puck-handling skills are contantly improving. Darren Helm, Drew Miller, and Justin Abdelkader...the Future of The Detroit Red Wings.

Don't matter how much money you pay for them, they all still crumple up just as easily.... Should have bought a Ford. He still would have wrecked the car, but he probably would have taken out the L Train too!

So now you're Scott Howson. Do you trade Nash as well or do you keep him, now that you've already unloaded a headline forward?

...and I missed it. Missed it all! Damn Thursday night leagues... I'd rather the streak end this way, in a super close game against a super good team. That would have been real lousy if they lost 5-0 to Columbus or something like that. Anyone catch the crowd shots of people crying? Crying?? REALLY? CRYING???

@hf101 I think Holmstrom will be back for another go-round, but Lidstrom is probably gone. Personal opinion though, I think it should be the other way around....

Bertuzzi will continue to keep playing for Detorit as long as he as all 8 teeth in his mouth...

I think you're thinking of Chris Chelios. Honest mistake, though. .

@Digityman Great list. Where'd you dig that up?

Welcome @poetjeff! Quincey should be interesting. This season with the Av's he's got 5 goals and 18 assists, pretty good for a late line defensmen. The Red Wings believed in him before, but just couldn't use him, which is why they let him go. Now there's a job opening.

@Digityman I think the Wings can and will pull through. The crowd will be insane that night, and will help, but it can't be a crutch for lousy performance. They show up to play, and they'll be very happy with the results. Also watch for the warm welcome Jimmy Howard will receive once he's announced at home.

@Podein25 I guess the Wild have just provided a better home for him. If he doesn't make good on that signing though, they'll unload him for sure...

@hf101 @Podein25 The Ducks have a better chance of making the playoffs than the 'Yotes. @hf101 is right. They've been the most consistent team of late and they're making a real push. It's all starting to come together. However, this smacks of the New Jersey Devils from last year. They won't do well in the playoffs if they run out of gas just getting in.

@Podein25 Brodziak has put up some encouraging numbers this year and @Todd Varga is right; he is a workhorse. This contract extension is a faith investment by the WIld into one of their growing defensemen. It'll come with more responsibility of course, but I think it's just the thing to bolster his production even more than it has. This year a third liner, next year a second-liner? $2.8M per year is appropriate for that.

The Red Wings still, for some reason, feel they can get away with not turning in a 60-minute effort. Well, they paid for it last night, losing two valuable points to the Blackhawks, who have now won 5 in a row, and snapped the Wings 6-game winning streak. I know the loss of Pavel Datsyuk is going to leave a hole, and the addition of Danny Cleary after two weeks is going to be rocky in the beginning, as he reinstitutes himself into his old line. However, that doesn't explain the lack of puck control or communication through the neutral zone. They'll need to figure this out in a big hurry if they want to stand a chance against Vancouver on Thursday. The Canucks are coming off a tough loss to Nashville last night and they'll be hungry for the same kind of redemption. This will probably be the toughest home game for the Red Wings in months. They won't be able to count on the "Joe Lo MoJo" anymore (I made that up... ). It's all going to come down to who wants it more. Expect a playoff-like atmosphere, closer than any other game this season. It's going to be fantastic, and I've bet the maximum 125 tokens on The Winged Wheel.

Just heard about this deal. Still some allegiance to the Red Wings, eh, Stevie? I never thought to consider Quincy since the Red Wings already pulled the plug on him once. He should definitely fit in nicely with or in palce of Brad Stuart. I can't wait to see what this guy is made of playing some regular minutes in the Winged Wheel.

They playoffs are a completely different story. This crew has done well today date, only because Hitch came riding in. Now they've all come together. They'll be in Playoffs for sure....that's a given. And they'll probably have home ice advantage for at least the first round. After that, I think it will just depend on the matchup, not the home/road schedule.

I like that offer betwen the Stars and Devils. Assuming Zach parise does want out of New Jersey, the Devils will get a little more depth. Zubrus is a good player, but not a household name, so it's solid trade bait.