WingNut722

@Podein25 I must clarify, however, that I've never been to Halifax. But if it's similar to Buffalo, then maybe I'll just stay home....

Nah...more like Buffalo....

The Kings are "right there" and just need that one little nudge to push them into the fast lane. I don't think they need a top 6 forward, but a young, speedy, third or fourth line scorer would be the catalyst.

@hf101 Agreed. Schneider is a good goaltender and he's proven that he can carry the weight when Luongo is off his game. If they're interested in trading Luongo, they should hold onto Schneider.

@jammer2 You live in Detroit? Or from there?

@SpikeDDS JoeyMac could be used. Hes got a bit of playoff experience (like 2 games in the early rounds) but in order to use him as prime backup, you'd have to buyout Conklin's contract. It's only a $750,000 deal, but it's still something to consider. @yave1964 The depth defenseman can wait until summer. The defense as they have now is just fine. The Wings are still among the least shots allowed per game. They should concentrate on the backup goaltender first, and grab a power winger for the playoff run.

@flyercanuck Done, but throw in an order of fries. Fresh ones, though. Not the cold soggy ones that have been sitting out for an hour. And ketchup... @SpikeDDS Getting Bryz back in top form is one thing. The salary requirements are outlandish, and he'll never want to play bakup. Nabokov would probably be the same. My first choice would be Curtis Sanford from Columbus. Another option would be Cory Schneider from Vancouver, but I think he's good enough (and realizes it) to be a starting goalie instead of just a backup.

So you put a team in Seattle...do you then move Colorado to the Pacific? That seems the most logical move.

That's it. That was his one chance. WIth Jimmy Howard out for his first injury of the season, it was Ty Conklin's time to step up and show Ken Holland what he's made of. With the trade deadline a mere three weeks away, Conklin had to know that the window of opportunity was very narrow and he'd have one, maybe two shots at solidifying himself as a serious backup goaltender. Well, he blew it. He got pulled after letting in three goals in one period against Edmonton on Saturday night. Grand Rapids call-up Joey McDonald had to step in and give them Wings the opportunity to snag a point out of it. So forget Tuomo Ruutu, forget Zach Parise or any of the other headline trade fodder. Kenny Holland needs to get a backup goaltender, first and foremost. The problem is, you need to unload Ty Conklin to do it, and the way he's played, who wants him? Any team in their right mind will try to sweeten the offer with a decent third or fourth line forward and maybe a draft pick or two before taking Conklin. The Wings are looking to buy, not sell. So what do you think? How can Detroit get out this?

@SpikeDDS @hf101 @Digityman Great conversation, all! Sorry I missed out on it. Welcome Spike! Real glad to have a new Wings fan to yak with on this site. How did you find us? I think the salary cap issue, and keeping pay low is an bonus in and of itself. There are only 82 games in a season, and only 20,000 fans who can attend a game. That in itself will keep salaries in check, versus 50K fans for 162 baseball games. Still it seems that hockey players in general tend to be more humble and gracious than athletes in other sports (hear that Avery?) and that's a quality that's largely overlooked.

Holmstrom is becoming a drag on the team, even before his knees started acting up. He can't skate or shoot very well, so his only place is in front of the goal. The trick now is that a lot of other defenders are getting wise to Homer's strategy, they get guys in there too to mess him up. It's so crowdxed in front of the net, that a lot of shots aren't getting through. And there's no reason to keep Homer in a lineup just to play i front of the net on power plays. I think it's time that Homer began to evaluate his future as his contract winds down. It would make a LOT of room for a young speedy, gritty winger on that fourth line

Throw in an order of fries and you got a deal!

@blocker Sorry to hear that, blocker. My grandmother had it as well. It's not easy no matter which way you slice it...

Detroit Free Press reports Jimmy Howard suffered a broken finger last night in Vancouver and will miss the rest of the road trip. Ty Conklin will be in net for the next two games against Edmonton and Phoenix. Howard will be reevaluated upon return to Detroit. http://www.freep.com/article/20120203/SPORTS05/120203022/Red-Wings-Jimmy-Howard-out-2-games-with-broken-finger I've broken fingers before and they take longer than a week to heal up. Expect Howard to be out a little longer than 2 games.

@jammer2 Thanks for the post. I actually found this story on the Detroit Free Press yesterday evening in which Gordie's son Marty downplays the report, saying it's not dementia...yet. http://www.freep.com/article/20120202/SPORTS05/120202048/gordie-howe-dementia

As much as I hate Long Island, I have to side with Wang on this. Keep them in Nassau County. It's been a viscious cycle for the Islanders. On one hand, the taxpayers don't want to pay a little more for the arena because they haven't been Islanders fans since the 80s. On the other hand the Islanders could really use the new building and increased revenue to bolster their team and get the fans back. It's really been silly. Last year, the voters of Nassau County rejected a proposal to construct Charles Wang's new arena. The average household in Nassau County would pay an additional $4 PER YEAR in property taxes. That's it! But it seems that four bucks is worth more to the citizens than the New York Islanders. And that is a shame...

This blog is fantastic. Great work guys!

Streit? Wow I never even considered him. It's possible he could be bought out from the Island, but probably not since he's the cornerstone of their blue line. The Isles have a TON of contracts expiring this year, and I doubt they'll renew them all. They're probably more concerned witih goaltending and re-signing Tavares/Moulson/Okposo than the D-Line. But then again, an even swap for Ericsson and maybe somebody like Gustav Nyquist or Fabiann Brunnstrom could be enough

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/globe-on-hockey/holland-looking-to-bolster-red-wings-lineup/article2321333/ Ken Holland finally opens up about what he's looking for come the trade deadline. To no one's surprise, he's considering defensive depth, given Nick Lidstrom's impending retirement sometime before the 2045-46 season. Rumors are also slipping around that Brad Stuart, whose contract is up at the end of this season, is looking to return to the West Coast to be be closer with his family. It certainly makes sense. Since his acquisition at the 2008 trade deadline, Stuart started off incredibly strong and a favorite on the blue line with fellow Crunch Brother (thanks Doc) Niklas Kronwall. But in the past two seasons, his style and production have been dwindling, which suggest his thoughts are elsewhere. Ken Holland's style is to do his hockey shopping in the summertime and make little or no moves at the trade deadline. Given the Wings' cap flexibility and the uniquie position he's in now, with a number of defense and forward contracts expiring, look for Holland to make a defensive move at the end of the month and pick up a few power forwards in July with what's left, after the current contracts are re-negotiated.

@Digityman made a quote in another post mentioning that hockey may not be doing well there for reasons other than ownership anbd business practices. The Blue Jackets tried moved into an area that is already hard-core Ohio State fans. Its tough to think that an Ohio citizen would shun an Ohio team because they've been rooting for an Ohio team for the past 50 years, but it's true. Which is why you never hear the citizens of Wisconsin clamoring for an NHL team. They have the Badgers and that's plenty. The great state of Minnesota has only ONE professional hockey team. You don't like the Wild (or the North Stars for that mattter)? There's always the Gophers.

Cab driver played by Marian Hossa....

Love reading this series guys! I have no mind as a GM to be able to discuss the trades proposed, but this is a fantastic glimpse. I look forward to each installment!

The All-Star weekend won't draw attention to the slumping Blue Jackets team in an effort to make them better. It's comepletely aside from that. The Jackets will be the same team after the ASG as they were before. It will, however, give the fans a chance to really sheer again, and lift their spirits.

In the past, I’ve followed and commented on a number of threads on this site regarding bloggers’ thoughts on the All-Star Game and the weekend festivities. The sentiment I’m finding is that the event needs to be rescheduled, reworked, combined with the Winter Classic, or just plain cancelled entirely. It seems that the arguments bloggers have made for the change is the lack of entertainment value. I kept this in mind as I watched the festivities all weekend long and I have to disagree with every post. Everyone knows this is a low-intensity, slow-moving, high scoring game with little or no hits, shoves, toe saves, dangles, and dekes…in other words, it’s exactly the opposite of what we’ve come to love about this sport. However, while watching the Fantasy Draft, the Super Skills Competition, and the game itself, and lamenting on how silly and childish the whole affair was, did anyone happen to catch the smiles on the faces of every one of the players? Half of the players on the ice were recording the event with cameras and cell phones. These guys spend the whole season jawing at each other, gritting their teeth, fighting, slashing, elbowing, roughing, boarding, cross-checking, tripping, and for the most part hating each other all for the opportunity to win the Stanley Cup. The All-Star weekend gives them a chance to breathe a bit, settle down, and remember why they started playing this game in the first place. We’ve come to expect 110% performance during every single game, and we’re upset when we don’t see it. These guys are human too, and it’s fun to see the lighter side of their jobs. I welcome the capes and the sunglasses; the mini hockey sticks and the Tebow-ing goaltenders. I think they’re fantastic. Every last one of those guys was beaming ear to ear. In fact, when was the last time you saw an NHL goalie smiling through his mask after being scored on three times in one period? The All-Star game is the only chance these guys have to play the game the way it was originally intended…a congregation of friends, new and old, enjoying a few hours together. It’s been said the All-Star game is “for the fans.” It’s also “for the kids.” I’ve even heard that the All-Star game is “for the sponsors.” But I think a good portion of it is still for the players themselves. It’s a fresh change of pace to a light-hearted, whimsical weekend of fun and hockey bloopers. In fact, the only thing I would say is to lighten up the rules! Let the defense clear the puck by picking it up and throwing it over the blue line! Let Patrick Kane wear his cape through the whole game! Let the goalie turn the net around so it faces the back boards! Not only that, but I want to see goalies take some penalty shots with forwards guarding the net! Can you imagine Pavel Datsyuk dangling the puck around three skaters wearing one of those giant green foam cowboy hats? Of course you haven’t, but now that I’ve mentioned it, you’re thinking about it, and you kinda want to see it too. There should be some raucous laughter in those stands and on the benches. This game doesn’t count for anything but fun. True enough, in capitalist fashion, as long as people watch, money will be made, so I doubt the sponsors will care. Might as well have a few laughs. This is a game. And just occasionally, it must be treated as such.

I liked it actually. I think the silliness factor is what makes it likable. These guys are human too, and Kane is allowed to have a bad season once in a while. But at the same time, this is the sport they love and grew up playing. And these are the same goofy antics they used to do when they were ten.