yave1964

Good pick up if the Isles can get the right wing nut job out of his bunker and back on the ice.

Still worried about the depth, but contract years are amazing, arent they?

I understand taking a stand for a teamate if a goon for the other guys goes after one of your skill players but Desjardins is six foot 190, and in over 100 nhl games has eighty penalty minutes. Mayers is six foot one, 214 pounds and in 900 games has 1200 penalty minutes. Mayers is the Hawks tough guy, he was defended by a skill player for a clean hit. Keith is one of my favorites for his skill set but wow what a moron. Mayers would have taken care of it himself later if he felt it warranted it.

Filpulla is turning in to one heck of a nice player, I hope he stays. The problem as I see it with Howard is he really has not made real money yet in the NHL, the Wings have gotten maximum bang for buck, if he hits free agency, a team, the Leafs come to mind as a for instance who hand out long term big money contracts like they are going out of style will over pay. I bet you a dozen game tokens Wingnut that Howard is gone aftger this year, and I also bet you it is Toronto who ******es him up. We really are not set up too badly if that happens, plus it frees mony up to fill more pressing needs.

IMO Desjardins used a good clean hockey hit, Mayers was out of position and unprepared but that is his fault. I know it was not actually third man in, but Keith WAY overreacted.aand had no business jumping in like that. Keith is one of my favorites, but frankly he deserves a fine or something for jumping in. The hit was clean but brutal, and is part of the game.

Well, so far, out of the third and fourth lines, Eaves, Miller, Tootoo, Helm, Samuelsson, Abdelkader, Cleary and Emmerton, also known as the arson squad, we have exactly zero goals through nine games. NO TEAM, can win with this lack of production from the bottom two pairings. Babcock has been screaming for help in this area for years but it just gets worse and worse. Tatar and Nyquist need to be permanent NHLers for this to correct itself, if not it will be a long, long season. Calgary and Columbus, two bottom feeders were next on the schedule after the emotional 5-3 win against the Blues. We lost the two games by a combined 8-3. The jackets had won only two games all year, the Flames had won only one. Jimmy Howard needs a game off. His .890 save percentage and a defense that doesnt give up a ton of shots but when they do, they are quality chances for the opponent will make him an old man soon. Mrazak, the 19 year old kid who was tearing it up at the AHL level has been called up to back him up as Gustafsson continues to rehab, give the kid a start. The defense again against Calgary did not give up a ton of chances but when they do it is like vapor lock, they play their butts off for a while then give up highlight reel shots to the other team. Quincey is as usual the well deserving scapegoat, but with Brendan Smith and his plus four going down and a bottom pairing of Lashoff, a AHL lifer if ever there should be one, and Huskins, who was signed off the street, the talent level is the lowest I have ever seen on a Wings blue line. Holland needs to step up and do his job. Last point, Filpulla and Howard are both free agents after this season. Do we sign them long term and risk not having cap space for the free agent class next season or let them go and try to pick up some new blood in July? If we find ourselves on the outside do we trade these two to get something before losing them this summer? All and all, it has been a wonderful twenty two year run, but it is looking more and more like it is over. The Flames and Jackets. Ugh.

picking up Rupp from the panicky Rangers was a very underrated move, he is a special team/fourth line guy who is huge, with all the kids and skilled players on the club they needed someone like him.

Samuelsson and Helm have been hurt, (Surprise) Cleary has been playing hard but has clearly lost a step, Eaves missed a year and was not very good before that, I have always felt Abdelkader is our most overrated player, Frankly Miller and Tootoo have done a good job, but the other six not so much. I dont think a team in the game can win consistently with zero from the third and fourth lines. Short term yes, long term no.

From Cleary, Helm, Abdelkader, Emmerton, Samuelsson, Tootoo, Eaves and Miller WE HAVE ZERO GOALS. That is third and fourth lines with nothing for production. It is broke we need to fix it, or it will be a long season.

IMO the number one problem the Wings are encountering right now, even more than the injuries on the blue line is the lack of scoring from the third or fourth line. We are talking zip from these two lines, Tatar has been called up from the Griffins hopefully to help with this. IMO it would not be a bad idea to move Filpulla to third line center between Tatar and Cleary, with Nyquist taking Val's spot on the second line. I feel for Eaves coming back after missing a year but he provides zero offense, Drew Miller and Emmerton are dead weight, Abdelkader frankly does nothing either. I think the Wings would look best with lines of: Bertuzzi Datsyuk Nyquist Franzen Zetterberg Brunner Cleary Filpulla Tatar Tootoo Helm Miller Abdelkader and Samuelson as the extra forwards, Eaves gone, Emmerton in Grand rapids for insurance We signed Huskins off the street and called up Lashoff who frankly is not ready. Injuries to the blue line have decimated a thin corps, we really should have signed Wade Redden, but water under the bridge now. Kindl is getting power play time right now for Gods sake, of course Samuelsson and White would be playing the point if healthy. 4-3-1 good for 9 points. Borderline playoff team, I think with some healthy players coming back, cap space available for a blue liner we will be okay. Again, if we dont get the third and fourth lines going it is a moot point, we are doomed without some secondary scoring. Tatar and Nyquist bring a skill level that guys like Eaves and Emmerton never will.

Like I said we will take the two points against a tough, tough blues crew but ugh what a bad call

What a cheap hit and no penalty. I love good clean hitting as much as anyone but god that was ridiculous. Double digit games suspended is called for.

Loved the game tonight, won by the Wings 5-3. Mickey Redmond was in rare form complaigning about every penalty as usual called against both teams, and man crushing on Franzen. With ten minutes to go, Backes was given a five minute major and a game misconduct for targeting the head of Kent Huskins, an absolutley horrible call, It was an perfect open ice body check, the head was not even touched, it was shoulder to body and just a wretched call. The score was tied 3-3 at the time, Datsyuk scored to put us up 4-3 and Hank added as cool of an empty netter as you will see all year to wrap it up. A couple of points. Backes got hosed. I love hitting, the game was in the balance, Backes just destroyed Huskins and a Ref behind the play blew the call. Dont get me wrong, I will take the two points but wow what a bad call. Since we lost to the Blues on opening night, we are 4-1-1 and look crisp. White is due back onon Tuesday, but even without him in the lineup the blue line had four points tonight. A team takes on the personality of its captain, I love Nick, he was an amazingly skilled player but the intensity Zetterberg is playing with has rubbed off on the whole team. Hank looks like a man on a mission the the Z who embarrassed Cindy during the 2008 cup finals. With our next two games against two of the leagues weak sisters, the CBJ tommorow and Calgary and Happy Hudler on Tuesday it is time to make hay while the sun is shining.

Top five speculationjs of why Bob is wearing number 72 IMO: 5. The main interstate going in to Columbis is 71, he may be looking for 72 to get the hell out of there 4. Because that is all the higher he can count in english 3. Because he hopes it wont take that many years for the Jackets to have a winning season 2. Because with the Jackets that is the average amount of shots he expects to face nightly 1. Secretly fathered by Vlad Tretiak, the soviet superstar goalie from the 1972 summit series

Great, great game changing hit by Stuart. Where was that last year?? I swear it was like he was sleepwalking his way through his last season with the Wings and California dreaming..... I think it is apples and oranges with Stu and Schenn, I love the hitting, love the tough rugged play and think Shanny, who was as tough of a SOB who ever played the game needs to let boys be boys just a little more. But Stuart looked legal to me.

My problem is not scantily clad young things, it is a matter of time and place and IMHO these little darlings have no place in hockey. Can you imagine going to a strip club with your wife? Every time I see these girls that is what I think. My wife laughs her rear off though.....

Went to the Lake Erie Monsters/Toronto Marlies game last night, remember the name Michael Sgarbossa, that kid was all over the ice and it looks like the Lanche have found a super young prospect. My only compaint is one that has nothing to do with hockey, it is the damn ice girls dancing all over the place with no clothes on. Now dont get me wrong, I am a warm blooded hetero male who loves the female form as much or more than the next guy, but I was there with my wife, sitting four rows off the glass and I swear every time I turned around one of these young things was standing a foot or two away from me waving their damn pom poms and wiggling and giggling like a stripper in a gentlemens club, distracting and frankly taking away from the game. My wife got a kick out of it, was actually laughing about my annoyance. Now I have been to a few strip clubs in my life, not once did I see anyone check someone into the boards there. Hockey and strip clubs dont mix. Whoever decided to combine these two leisure activities needs to have their head examined.

Okay, the game last night against Dallas did have some good points, Brunner getting his first goal, Jimmy Howard playing like he did last season pre injury, but that was about it. A few thoughts. Injuries are a part of the game, but three games in this is getting ridiculous OUT Todd Bertuzzi Carlo Colaiacovo Jonathan Ericsson Jakub Kindl Michael Samuelsson Jan Mursak Darren Helm Jonas Gustafsson All out. The monster and Mursak are spare parts but the other six are regular members of the rotation. Sadly through all of this Kyle Quincey remains healthy. Babcock NEEDS to break up Zetterberg and Datsyuk-period. Teams are able to concentrate on one line. As I see it, our two top lines need to be: Franzen Datsyuk Cleary Filpulla Z Brunner Cleary has always played well with Pavel, Filpulla was amazing playing on the wing with Hank last year and Brunner has developed a spark with him as well. These top two lines would keep the other team honest. I also think we need to rethink the defensive pairings when everyone is healthy, Ian White and Kronwall would make a fine puck moving top pair, Ericsson and Quincey played together for years at Grand Rapids and supposedly work very well together, and Smith/Colaiacovo would match well together as well. Kent Huskins was a good signing, IMO. You can never have enough blue liners, and with Smith/Lashoff both rookies, a rugged veteran with a career plus 50 to fill in during injuries is not a bad idea. Still not panicky, bbut we need to get the offense going soon or it will be a long season.

Trapped in Ohio as a Wings, fan, I do watch a fair share of Jackets games as well, and Bob LOOKED like a goalie out there against the Preds. He had a calm confidence, something that Mason has been missing since Hitchcock left. Flyers and Canucks 0-2. Wings lose 6 to zip to the Blues. Dont panic anyone it is a short season but not a one or two game season, the universe will straighten itself out shortly. Nobody needs to jump off any rooftops yet.... Now if my Wings lose tonight to the Jackets, well......

Yes. He is not the player he was ten years ago, but he still brings grit to the team, solid two way play, an amazing shootout ability. Plus they had Mursak in instead of Nyquist or Tatar. Mursak simply does not appear to be able to play in the nhl.

I think the Blues benefited from flying under the radar last year, this year with great expectations and no way possible Halak and Elliott can possibly be as good this year, I have them finishing third, behind the Hawks and Wings. Good luck this year.

A little better offense but not enough here to take this team serious as a playoff contender

We had Lilja and Lebda at the same time, Lebda had heart but no size and really never developed, Lilja had size and snarl but zero ability, he cannot pass, he has a hard shot but no idea where it is going, and has about as much quickness back on defense as a pylon. He was good in the corners, that is about it. And he was a swede and from what I read well liked by his teammates. Gotta think he is about out of NHL chances by now and should be in the Swedish elite league by this time next week.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Or the Wings