WingNut722

@Bertmega

....and a large pizza

@WingNut722

If the AS game is going to be something worth while then there has to be something to play for.

Home ice advantage in the SCF? MLB does it and it seems to work.

That was the way before this mock draft. Now it's bit screwed up. I don't know how you would determine it with the draft. The draft is still new, and rather interesting, so I'm sure we'll be dealing with it for a few more years.

Additionally, with Montreal moving that contract, they now have 8.2 in cap available without need for any LTIR relief. Where as the Flames are currently cap compliant, but they have players on LTIR. Once everyone is healthy, they will be 2.5M over the cap and will need to shed players / cap to become compliant.

Adds a bit of creedance to the other rumors swirling around that Iginla will be traded away.

I know a lot's been said about the ALl Star game, but I still like it. The new draft style is interesting and the Super Skills is alwasy fun. While the game itself isn't as intense, I think a lot of the players still enjoy it.

@OzFlyer

I did hear that Lidstrom asked the NHL to leave him out and that's he drather be home with his family. Didn't hear that about Selanne, though.

@Digityman

Do you think you'd get a better experience if it was at the end of the season; Pro-Bowl style?

All Star Ballot is out. Nick Lidstrom didn't make it, but Jimmy Howard did. How do you feel about that?

When (If) he does come back the second time, do you think Consol Energy will follow him around with that spotlight during warmups like they did last time?

@hf101 I see that a lot, not just with the Islanders. But it appears the Islanders get it every year.

Might look even better without the mask altogether! Old Time Hockey, anyone? :-)

Follow-Up: Please keep in mind, gentle reader, that this article is not meant to "bash" the Islanders. I'm actually "bashing" the Detroit Red Wings. I do not wish to insinuate that, had they played their best, Detroit would have won. I'm simply saying, apologetically, that it appears that Detroit does not hold the Islanders in as high regard as they do other clubs, which is shameful. Thank you.

Dear New York Islanders Players, Organization and Fans-

First, I want to congratulate you on your victory against the Detroit Red Wings last night. A 5-1 score is very respectable against any team in today’s NHL. Also, it’s a great feeling to garner a solid victory at home after a disappointing road trip. Your goaltender seems to have shaken the cobwebs away. You had a great night and it showed in the result.

However, while the victory is sweet and you should toast your successes, I’d like to apologize on behalf of the Detroit Red Wings for not offering you to respect and challenge that you deserve. Last night’s Red Wings team was NOT the team you have seen in the highlight reels and in the top three of the Western Conference.

Though you have enjoyed a lengthy winning streak over the Winged Wheel, your recent position near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings has caused the loss of your recognition as a competitive hockey club by the Red Wings. The Red Wings see this as a “throw-away game.” We tend to give you our back-up goalie. We tend to favor the less experienced forwards and defense to give them ice time. We call a hangnail or dry elbow skin an “upper body injury” which allows us to rest a few of our key players.

Did we realize that we were tied three ways for first in our Division, with the other two contenders playing that same night? Did we also realize they were both heavily favored to win their own games? No we didn't. Let them get ahead, we'll catch up.

At the end of the second period, when you were ahead 3-0, did the Red Wings make a goaltender change to try to spark the rest of the team? No they didn’t. They left Ty Conklin in net, so they could rest Jimmy Howard a bit more. Wouldn’t want to scuff up his freshly-buffed goalie pads, now would we?

When the offensive strategies we were using were turning up fruitless time and time again, did we revisit our approach? No we didn’t. Wouldn’t want to change anything now, because we’ll need those ideas the next time we play a “real” team.

When you scored first, and then second, did our defense step up their efforts to keep it from getting worse? No, we didn’t. We don’t want to hit you too hard. You’re just kids and you have your whole careers ahead of you. We wouldn’t want to jeopardize that.

Understandably, a game against the Islanders may not carry as much weight as a game against a Divisional opponent, so I can agree that this is the time to scrape the rust off your less-used players. However, this shouldn’t happen year after year. At some point, you should see the Varsity Team that Chicago or San Jose would see.

Detroit is used to hearing that they are the measuring stick by which other teams compare themselves. I only hope one day, you’ll get that chance as well. You have a young, vibrant team with a LOT of talent and I enjoy watching you play. Your speed and skill are unlike that of any team in the NHL, and I’m sorry that the Red Wings are the only team who refuse to give you the challenge you deserve. But take heart, Islanders! You are building a new team brick by brick, and while it will probably take a while, you’ll get out of the cellar someday and up in the playoffs where you belong!

And as long as the Detroit Red Wings refuse to honor you by giving you Team B to play against, I hope you win ‘em all!

Sincerely,

WingNut722

@doom88 Thanks for clarifying!

Richards has a great opportunity. The team is dead last, which means there's no where to go but up. The season my be over, as playoffs are a very tall order at this time, but if he can turn the club around with a "respectable" finish, no one will speak ill of them. They'll get a fresh start next year. Convince Rick Nash to hang on for another year or so, and watch what happens!

I don't know about the culprit being Hudler's stick. It doesn't look like he hit him that hard, unless he just aggravated something already there.

but are luck ESPN will give him an analyist job

Say it ain't so, Irishjim! Of course, now that you mentioned it, that's exactly what WILL happen!

How long until this guy can just fade away like a fart in the wind?

Thanks, Jammer :-)

Good Lord........... That's really funny! And that's the absolute worst sweater in the world on Frolik! :-)

It’s been a long time since I posted anything (which is to say it’s been a long time since I’ve been able to watch a Red Wings game in its entirety). Ironically enough, the last game I was able to watch was December 6 at St. Louis.

It appears the tables have turned in the steadily-heating rivalry against the St. Louis Blues with the Wings taking this battle 3-2. Make no mistake, this was a huge, hard-fought game on both sides. Everybody on both benches had something to prove here. The Blues skaters want to prove they can dominate the mighty Red Wings. The Detroit skaters want to prove they still have what it takes to hold off a tough opponent and continue their at-home win streak. Ken Hitchcock wants to continue his successful resurrection efforts and Mike Babcock just wants to win every time. Jimmy Howard is the winningest goaltender in the league but Brian Elliot has the lowest goals-against average and is tied for highest save percentage. In fact, it can be convincingly argued that the best, and only clear advantage Detroit had over the Blues last night was a nationally-televised game on Versus.

It was absolutely a goalies’ battle last night as both netminders (literally) stood on their heads to keep the scores tight all night long. Each team had plenty of scoring chances, Detroit even only had one more shot on net than St. Louis.

Back in the beginning of the season, I failed to jump on the St. Louis bandwagon, while everybody else had picked them to run away with the Central Division. My reasoning was that while the Blues picked up a huge amount of talent in the offseason, there would most definitely be a “period of adjustment,” as the new roster would have to “gel” into a well-oiled machine. Turns out that oil turned out to be Ken Hitchcock, with a little help from Brian Elliot. The predictions ended up being true, but from an unpredictable approach. The Blues have become one of the favorites in the Western Conference and if things keep up, they should be able to make a fairly deep playoff run. I’m not going to predict just yet, but seeing the way they have played recently, they definitely have the stuff.

I could probably be shooting myself in the foot here, as a Red Wings fan, but I sure wouldn’t mind seeing these two go at it in the playoffs. The best part is, St. Louis is in the Central Time Zone, not the Pacific. Even if they don’t, realignment next year will certainly put that possibility within reach.

…and now for those pesky Blackhawks…

I have always loved the Blackhawks and I love watching them play Detroit. They bring out the best in each other. A level and spirit of play that other teams don’t see. I can’t believe the NHL has made me wait THIS LONG to see these two clubs go at it. Detroit has an outstanding opportunity to make a huge move in the Division and the Conference. They won last night. The next two games are against Chicago and St. Louis again. An extra 4 points could put them at the top of the Western Conference, pending the outcome of the Hawks tilts against L.A and Edmonton, two teams which have been known to get under the skin of the Indian Head sweater. I doubt anyone in or around Hockeytown will be satisfied with any less than 5 points from this three-game Central Conference melee.

This is a very exciting time to be in the Central Division.

Just sayin’…

@Vanflyer: Shanahan wil probably toss Kronner for a game or two, anyway.

Everything balances out in the end, I suppose....

@radoran Point well taken. Sorry I misinterpreted your post. There were a number of team expansion options I was referring to, and again, it's just what I heard. These are not my original ideas. I never expected all of them, or any of them, to actually take off. It's just fun to speculate on the new regional dynamic, should anything occur.

Winnipeg doesn't have two established hockey teams (Leaes, Sabres) within a 90 minute drive.

True enough, but then you get that whole international border hassle... I doubt that many current Leafs fans would "jump ship", and I think it would be pretty nice for both teams to have "away" games and still sleep in their own bed that night.

@flyercanuck That's the gamble... A gamble I'd rather not take.

That's probably the biggest benefit for the sport JackStraw, putting the Caps, Pens and Flyers in the same conference. Obviously, the league loves to tout the Crosby/Ovechkin matchup This will give them a few more per season. And NBC will be right along for the ride to pick up the viewership revenue. Sorry for the jab at the Flyers...all in good fun :-)

@phlfly I remember a lot of RUssians playing for Detroit in the 1990s. Big time for the Russian hockey in Detroit.

@radoran Hamilton has a lot better shot than Kitchener, granted. But I just know it's been discussed. And if New york can have two teams (hockey, baseball, AND football), then Canada's New York can certainly have two as well. They'd be able to fill both those arena's quite well.