Detroit Red Wings & the NHL

[WingsFan]

Much better! Just for you OP! Enjoy this SICK shoot out goal! This 'kid' has major skills!


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJ2VHXXO6rY"]Damien Brunner Shootout Goal of the Year Must See!!! - YouTube[/ame]

[Mike]

Victory is ours!!

[Optimus Prime]

Of course Packy, he's been coached by Canadian great Sean Simpson, best thing to ever happen to Swiss hockey. Shootout with Nash-less Columbus? Iceberg straight ahead!

[Hannibal]

The Wings do suck this year. Actually, they have been donkey shit ever since the end of the home winning streak last year.

[WingsFan]

Yea this year im just hoping they can get the 7-8 seed and see what happens (injury and such - hot goalie). I feel a sleep near the end of the 1st last night. I thought the Wings looked (good) like their usual frustrating self, outplaying the Stars while Howard got beat on that on a perfect shot.

[Hannibal]

They did have a good first period, but it was pretty much disaster after that. Then, the Red Wings played their customary strong last five minutes of the game, which is something that they have been doing since Game 7 of the '09 Cup Finals.

And that's the thing. The Wings aren't doing anything fundamentally wrong that they haven't been doing for the past four years. But now, the talent level available to cover it all up is drastically reduced. Lots of high end contributors and role players from that incredible '08 team are gone or have aged five years and are now past prime. A lot of people want to blame injuries right now, but defensive busts and giveaways have been a problem for a long time. The guys who are injured aren't difference makers.

I must say, it was at least a bit entertaining to watch Mickey giving a great big hummer to Jordan Tootoo after talking about hwo much he sucks for the better part of a decade.

[Hannibal]

BTW -- remember a couple of years ago when I said that the Red Wings should have ditched Lidstrom's last year and gone after Shea Weber instead? I think that I was pretty much alone in that sentiment, but now you see the reason why I felt that way. The Wings have a whopping $8 Million of unused cap space now, terrible penalty killing, and an absolutely terrible power play. FYI -- Weber's cap hit is $7.8 Million. I don't know if they tested those waters, but not landing a big time top 2 defenseman free agent the past few years has been IMHO the biggest mistake that Holland has ever made. The last couple of off seasons have been kind of puzzling. Did Ken Holland honestly think that Jordan Tootoo and Kyle Quincey are going to be difference makers? Is it due to small market economics? That's a really scary thought -- that we are the new Edmonton.

I also wonder how long Mike Babcock has left. This is his eighth season. You just don't see guys in professional sports lasting much longer than that nowadays. Even guys who have won a championship. The team doesn't look like it responds to Babcock anymore.

[Hannibal]

Here's another question. Something that I haven't heard discussed at all. How crucial was the loss of Todd McLellan? He has been at least a decent head coach at San Jose and they beat Detroit twice in the playoffs since he took them over. Maybe he was an excellent assistant coach that wasn't adequately replaced.

[Tony G]

BTW -- remember a couple of years ago when I said that the Red Wings should have ditched Lidstrom's last year and gone after Shea Weber instead?

Lidstrom deserved the right to go out how he did. Period.

[Optimus Prime]

1/3rd of the truncated NHL season in the books, 16-48 games played and I must admit a few surprises. In the East, NYR & Philly are both flat while Pittsburgh is in first followed by the Habs in 2nd? As for the West, Chicago has an impressive start, just 1 game shy of the 1984-85 Oilers start. Anaheim & Vancouver are looking good, as for the Wings, sitting in 9th a single point out of the playoffs is not what I expected.

On a bright note.... Connor McDavid is tearing up the OHL as 16 year old. Bobby Orr is the kid's agent....

"I've seen 100's of hockey players in my lifetime, this kid is exceptional." Bobby Orr

[youtube]RfwWR2sEfgU[/youtube]

McDavid had to apply for "Exceptional Status" from Hockey Canada in order to enter the OHL as a 15-year old where he routinely battles 19 & 20 year olds.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/hockey/minors/2013/02/17/connor-mcdavid-nhl-hockey-ontario-hockey-league/1926709/

[Tony G]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6hWW3DCyjTY

http://youtu.be/6hWW3DCyjTY

[Mike]

What time is it in Detroit? 8 past Luongo.

http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?hlg=20122013,2,264&cmpid=embed-share-video

[WingsFan]

Major blow to the Pens

NHL's reining scoring champion and MVP Penguins center Evgeni Malkin had a horrific fall into the boards and his head whip lashed to the ice. Reports surfaced Saturday that Malkin had been suffering from severe headaches and disorientation the day after the hit, a report the Penguins denied. Now he has been diagnosed with a concussion and will not accompany the team on its upcoming road trip.

[Mike]

Sweet. One more knock on Cindy's egg and we're all set.

[Optimus Prime]

PittPostGaz:

Malkin's back and head slammed into the end boards and his neck snapped violently in the third period of a game Friday night after he was checked by Florida defenseman Erik Gudbranson.
Bylsma said Malkin had some short-term memory loss after the hit, although that has dissipated. Bylsma said Malkin did not have headaches or disorientation, which can be concussion symptoms.
As per NHL protocol and the latest in treatment of concussions, Malkin will need to be free of symptoms and get medical clearance before he can skate, practice, have contact and, finally, return to the lineup.

Bylsma also said Malkin is feeling "pretty good right now."