Red Wings

[Malto Marko]

“Up until about a week ago, I never cared about hockey one way or the other, but ever since I saw Stephen A. Smith criticize the game, I’ve been a huge fan,” said local man Paul Bradford, echoing the sentiment of millions of Americans, who since the polemical sportscaster derided hockey have fanatically followed every wrinkle of the newly popular sport. “He said he doesn’t like it when a hockey game is low-scoring. Well, I love when that happens. Because I love hockey. It’s my favorite sport.”

Huh?

[Newbomb Turk]

Onion

[Tony G]

slamming Mr. Smith

[chemiclord]

There is never a time in which slamming SAS is the wrong thing to do.

[Tony G]

Wicked save by the Marlies goalie

[ame]http://youtu.be/UdiHOogSZWU[/ame]

[Malto Marko]

Onion

OIC.

[chemiclord]

Something I want to bring up, because I haven't seen it mentioned;

If the Wings DO go on a run, DeKeyser is going to be a big reason why. His addition has really paid some significant dividends already in shoring up what had been a very shaky blue line.

[jaadam4]

If the Wings DO go on a run, DeKeyser is going to be a big reason why. His addition has really paid some significant dividends already in shoring up what had been a very shaky blue line.

The kid has been solid. I wasn't expecting much after I saw his miniscule college point production but he's been on point with his outlet passes

[chemiclord]

It's not just his outlet passing, he's been a much more "stay at home" defenseman, which has been a saving grace when Smith or Kindl push a little too hard and get caught on the offensive end. He's covered for the more aggressive play from his fellow blue liners very well.

[jaadam4]

Hopefully he doesn't regress after the season like Ericsson did. Ericsson was awesome as a rook then all the sudden he opened a can of suck ass the next year.

[chemiclord]

Thing is though... was Ericsson really all that great though? How much of it was him and how much of it was that he was at the time surrounded by a LOT of very good (if not all time great) defensemen?

Think about it, Ericsson's first real taste of the NHL had this group he was put into:

Lidstrom
Chelios
Rafalski
Stuart
Kronwall

Whereas this was the five that DeKeyser gets to play with:

Kronwall
Ericsson
Smith
Kindl
Quincey

Whereas Ericsson simply had to not completely fuck up, DeKeyser has had to shoulder quite a bit of weight. There is a bit of a difference.

[jaadam4]

That is very very true but my statement was, why did he regress so much after a VERY promising first taste of the NHL? He looked terrible when the Wings were counting on him to be in the lineup.

[chemiclord]

That is very very true but my statement was, why did he regress so much after a VERY promising first taste of the NHL? He looked terrible when the Wings were counting on him to be in the lineup.

Well, that's exactly it. They were counting on him at that point. His rookie showing, his entire requirement was to not screw up. He could do that.

But be someone they had to rely on to make plays? Not... so... much.

[Panoptes]

Well, well, well...ANA arch rival....again.

Can't wait for the series to start.

Eh EL GATO?

[froot loops]

Erricson has a been a solid defenseman the last couple years. But if you're expecting a lot of offense from him, you're bound to be disappointed. Those big lumbering types on the blue line take awhile to get settled.