yave1964

Lets look at the standings right now for a minute....

1. Detroit

2. Canucks

3. Sharks

4. blues

5. Hawks

6. Predators

7. kings

8. everyone else.

Realisticly I cannot think of a season that the number one seed has mattered more. No offense to whoever gets the eight seed, Phoenix, Avalanche, Stars, wild or Flames, none of them is in the class as the top seven teams in the west. Whoever gets a one seed would easily in five games tops handle any of those listed, while 2 through 7 beat each other up. In all likelyhood between detroit, the blues and the Hawks, the two who dont win the division will likely face each other in a bitter first round battle. The worst is over for the Wings schedule wise and we have the best record in Hockey, the Blues have a tough stretch coming and the Hawks play a brutal nine game road trip coming out of the break. It is time to put some distance between these guys as the number one seed has the clearest path to the cup.

I really didn't like the fact that Stewart went after a non-fighter for a clean hit. There's a whole thread about this over on the Flyers Forum. http://www.hockeyfor...flyers-1222012/

Cheap...absolutely. Suspension worthy...I don't think so.

Right call by Shanahan, the great eight has a history of this kind of hit and is better than that.

Wow what a game!! A few observations.

Pietrangelo had a horrid game. Drilled cleanly by Stuart led to a dumb penalty by chris Stewart and Datsyuk capitalized. Then got knocked down by Franzen before he stuffed in goal number two. Then got ran cleanly by Helm and Colaiocovo took areally, really dumb penalty which led to Kronwalls goal. He is on my fantasy team as my fourth defenseman, have never seen him look so confused and lost out there.

I understand Halak has been hot, but I was surprised Elliot wasnt in goal, he has played the Wings tough this year.

Jimmy Howard is reminding me more and more every game of an all time favorite of mine, Billy Smith. Since Pavelski and the constant snow showers last year he has found a level, and even though the Wings lost that series in seven you could see the intensity in Howards game grow and it has carried over this year. He has an intangible, his will to win and his god help you if you go into his crease mentality.

I know it is silly, but guys like him and vernon Fiddler when they were teamates on Nashville always killed us. Fiddler played us tough in the playoffs with Phoenix and Nichol did the same with San Jose. For some reasons those two seem to score 90 percent of their goals against us, or at least play our top lines so tough. Of course,I could probably grow to like them if they wore the winged wheel.

Is Chris Stewart facing a suspension? Suspended earlier this year for his cheap hit on Kronwall, he came off the bench and even tho the puck was a mile away from him went right after Brad Stuart. I know he is having a bad year and is trying to get out of Hitchcocks doghouse but that was cheap.

Been looking forrward to this one for a while. It is getting to the point where if the Blues are a fluke it is a long running fluke, gotta take them serious.Backes is solid, Oshie is having the year everyone expected since his rookie season. Pietrangelo and Shattenkirk on the blueline are solid as can be. Still waiting on the Elliot/Halak bubble to burst but this team is molded around their coach in his style, a pesky style of play, never give an inch, responsible play in their zone, everyone knows their role and god help you if you wind up in Hitch's doghouse (think Chris Stewart).

Wings on a 16 game home winning streak but a little smoke and mirrors, too many shootout victories. Franzen got nicked up in the last game, I still think the wings will win tonight but expect the Blues to come out with a lot of emotion, almost like a playoff game. Go Wings!!

Well, my guess is you are looking at Pacioretty at his best. A solid top six/nine who cant carry a team but will be around forever. Subban will be okay, think Mattieu Schneider. Good years/bad years plays on first PP, better as QB on second. Diaz is fairly impressive but not overly so. With the huge franco thing in Quebec, Guy Boucher if he gets canned in Tampa (which I doubt) would be a nice peace offering.

You guys need first line players. Maybe you could make a case for Plekanec. Maybe, but that is it.Some nights he is your only real top six player. I know Camellerri was supposed to fix it, same with Gionta, bad signings occur with almost everyone, but keep plugging away. Look at all the Rangers wretched signings before getting Gaborik and Richards. And the one player you didnt mention trading called him untouchable was Carey Price. He is a solid goalie, but what type of return could he net if les habs dealt him? He could fill two solid top six forward spots, take the pressure off a young defense with a good offense as it were.

I know that I am a Wings fan and can be accused of bias, but that hand on the shoulder of Nikitan by Zetterberg was not deserving of a penalty, let alone a game misconduct. Hard to believe Sanford kept them in this game, Columbus went 20 minutes, one full period without a shot after they scored their second goal. 16 in a row at home, only four off the record, but an asterisk needs to apply even if they hit the mark, the 1930 bruins and 1976 flyers did it pre shootout, the amazing number is the 1979-80 flyers 35 undefeated games in a row, wins and ties. 35 straight games with a point!! If the Wings do that, maybe we can finally shake the Hawks preds and blues. Hard to believe the Hawks went from best record in hockey to fifth in the west in one night. God is this gonna be a fun stretch run.......

Columbus played a good solid team game against Nashville two nights ago, outshooting them 38 to 24, everything went well except Rinne had a wonderful game. They looked so defeated and dejected when Weber fired in a shorty into an empty net. The Wings just got four points on a two game road trip, great shootout goals from big Bert and Happy Hudler won the games. 15 game home winning streak, fairly well rested, playing a dejected team, Wings lost to them the first time they played, a little revenge may play a factor too. Look for the Wings to win 5-1 tonight in a solid performance.

He has to be on the short list, wouldnt be surprised if Torotella doesnt win tho, east coast biase and all.

Wings take on the Coyotes this evening, I see this as a possible trap game, kind of like the Isles game week or two ago. The coyotes are hanging around the fringe of the playoffs, got it handed to them by the Ducks last night needing a win. Always emotional when the Wings come to town, we knocked them off in the playoffs two years running. Seems mediocre talents like Korpikoski and Pyatt always do well against us. Short on talent, this is one of the best coached teams in the league though. Expect them to come out hard after last nights debacle.

As a Wings fan, I get to see my fair share of Weber every year, gotta say, he is as perfect of a defensemen as there is in hockey today. Hope Nashville can keep him, a lot of young solid forwards breaking in, if Weber and Suter stay this team could be loaded. Of course, I think Suter is the heir apparent to Lidstrom after this year.

Carter let the media know this summer with the whole Jersey shore fiasco. However, I can understand his frustration but in the end it's his own fault. He signed a long-term contract thinking he was going to play for the Flyers for the rest of his career. BUT it's his fault in the end because he didn't negotiate his contract the right way. It's a business after all.

Nash, I feel sorry for - as much as you can feel sorry for someone playing a game for a living - a 7.8m a year living. He's 27 years old and really in his prime. Everyone knows that Columbus isn't going to win a cup in the next 5 years. He wants to win one and the time is right for him to move.

Only problem with trading Nash is his contract, championships are built from the middle out, and that is an awful lot of money to give to a wing. Somebody might do it, but he will never fetch market value.

Unlike the Oilers and Isles who have done a good job of drafting and stockpiling picks, the Jackets record of first rounders, Filatov, Brassard, Zherdev, Leclaire, Picard Brule is horrible, Only Nash and Klesla have proven sound as a top ten pick. Voracek and brassard were the next best, and they have been minor dissapointments at best. Hard to think Howson deserves another chance. The Oilers and Isles at least have hope, the CBJ are the worst organization in all of hockey. My personal pick for the next GM in Columbus should be Jim Nill, a solid assistant GM for Detroit who has been part of the Wings management team for twenty years. Dont know how someone hasent snagged him up to run their organization, he has a lot of say in the Wings personel, and knows talent.

Hatcher. Haven't heard that name in awhile. 2-2 in the second. Good game so far

Six minutes to go. Hard to be picky but we have to figure out how to solve this road curse.

Always liked this rivalry, since 1998 when we met in the playoffs and Ozzie gave up the goal in OT from three counties away, then came back to prove he was a champion as the series went forward. Guys like Hatcher, Hull, Gilchrist Turco, Modano have made for some fun exciting hockey.

They are a wounded animal right now, their best player, Jamie Benn is out, Mike Ribiero is hurt and even if he plays will be nowhere near 100 per cent. We knocked them off 5-4 a week and a half ago, they have Robidas back but the forwards are hurt, look for the Wings to win 4-2.

Been reading a lot about how injuries and other factors have taken the CBJ season down, that it is a solid team with a hard luck season, that with a bit of luck they could have been a playoff contender. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Aaron Johnson has been one of the best defensemen. Ugh. Curtis Sanford beat out 'Steve the Sieve" Mason.Dakanich has been a non factor in goal. Nightly, guys like Letestu, Gillies, Dane Byers, Derek Mackenzie, Cody Bass, Sanford, Aaron Johnson, in short other teams non prospects, are getting significant minutes. 'Steve the Sieve" has proven he will not recapture the magic of his rookie year. Arniel looked hopelessly lost, led the team, using the word loosely to its worst 12 month period in this inept franchises history. As far as prospects, Johansen looks solid, but guys like Savard, Moore, Giroux, Calvert, Mayorov and Atkinson look more suspect than anything else. Guys like Boll, Dorsett and Brassard appear overvalued. Carter cannot stay healthy. Wizniewski has the worst signing of the offseason, hey Howsom, superstar defensemen arent on their fifth team in three years. Nash looks like he has packed in the season. In short, I dont see ten players in this whole organization who are winning, quality players. They are putrid.

So where to go? Well, firing the GM before the deadline and bringing in someone new is a start. Trading for a goalie who isnt allergic to rubber would be next. I love Carter, get the rational of trading for him, but even he were healthy, scoring 80-85 points this team still finishes last. If you can trade him for Bernier or Schnieder right now you have to do it. Guys like Umberger, Vermette and Palsson arent going to net you much with their indiffent play this season, but stockpiling picks and real prospects for these guys isnt a bad move either. And pray you win the lottery and get Yakupov. Cant call this a rebuild, they havent ever been built yet in eleven seasons.

I am a Wings fan, promise I am not trying to kick your team when you are down. We live in Mount Gilead and get to 6 to 8 games a year in Columbus because of how close it is. Plus when the Wings have a night off and the CBJ are playing, I watch them on TV, usually with fists clinched in rage over how bad they are. I would love the rivalry if Columbus got it together, think OSU and Michigan, it could be like that. I just hope these guys turn it around before they wind up in Hamilton or Seattle or Kansas City. The fans of Ohio deserve a chance to see some quality hockey.