Red Wings Blogger Roundtable Part Five...

Hello and welcome to Part Five of the Roundtable. I cleaned up some of the cobwebs that have accumulated over here while I've been slacking this summer in order to play hostess to my esteemed fellow bloggers.

1. Several of the Wings had less-than-stellar seasons last year. Whether they suffered from injuries, failed to meet expectations for offensive production, or took a step back during their first whole season at the NHL level, there are a number of guys who stand to have a rebound season this time around. Who do the Wings need to rebound the most? Who do you think is most likely to step back up to the level of play expected of him? Will that be enough of an impact to fuel the "in house improvement" that the Wings are looking for this season?

Hollis: Considering that the Wings watched their scoring totals drop significantly last season, I'm sure that a case could be made for almost any player on the team, especially Hank of Pavel. That said, I'm going to say Dan Cleary needs to be the guy to REALLY step his game up and earn his paycheck on this team. He's making over $3 million a season, but not necessarily doing a whole lot to support that pay day in terms of putting pucks in nets. Sure, he was suffering through a pretty bad injury last year, which could account for the diminished numbers from him, but I still think he has a decent ways to go to reassure fans that the investment the Wings made in him was a good one. I hope this is the year he shows all of us just how good he can be when he's completely healthy.

Malik: I think that Babcock summed it up best in his "end-of-the-season address": Valtteri Filppula, Jonathan Ericsson, Niklas Kronwall and Dan Cleary need to rebound, big time, Chris Osgood needs to salvage his game and Jiri Hudler must most certainly at least attempt to live up to his salary, never mind Babs' hype.
This really is a make-it-or-break-it season for Filppula. If he's not able to graduate to the 40-to-50-point range working between Franzen and Bertuzzi, he really doesn't justify his $3 million salary, and the Wings may very well cut ties with him if he turns out to be nothing more than a really solid third-line center who can put up 10-15 goals and 35 points on a year-by-year basis. He needs to step up, big time.

Jonathan Ericsson's picture is definitely next to the "sophomore slump" term in the hockey dictionary now, and he has to at least play like a solid #5 defenseman who can move the puck and bang bodies a little harder this year. I wouldn't anticipate a quantum leap in growth, but he needs to reestablish himself this season.

Kronwall needs to return to 50-point territory, pure and simple. When the Wings have Nicklas Lidstrom, Brian Rafalski and Kronwall healthy and pumping out elite-defenseman numbers, they've got a top three (never mind a fantastic top four thanks to Brad Stuart's ridiculously solid play) that few teams can keep up with and can play an elite puck-possession game. I think the Wings honestly missed Kronwall when he was out and at less than 100% than they missed any other player with the exception of Zetterberg. Kronwall's really the linchpin here--if he can return to his hard-hitting, hard-shooting, slick-passing form, the Wings' offense and defense alike will return to form. He needs to stay healthy for a full season.

Dan Cleary doesn't necessarily need to put up the kinds of numbers Filppula or Hudler are expected to provide. The Wings need Cleary to come to camp ready to take on the forechecking/net-front-man's role on the third line, stirring up trouble (and pucks) for Modano and Hudler as a sort of poor man's Holmstrom, all while providing a solid presence on the PK as well. 15 goals and 35-45 points would be fantastic but his work ethic and ability muck up pucks, screen goalies, retrieve rebounds and grind it out down low will matter much more than his point totals.

As for Hudler, I think Babcock's proclamation of a 70-point season is probably out of line given his 3rd-line status to start the season, but at the same time, I do think that a return to his previous 20-25 goal and 55-point form could happen easily working with Modano and Cleary. The Wings always had the ability to out-depth teams by dressing a third line when they won Cups, and establishing an offensive presence from the third line equals success.

Chris Osgood simply cannot play as poorly as he did last season for the Wings to succeed. The Wings can't make Jimmy Howard play 60+ games on a year-by-year basis without expecting him to break down and Osgood has to get his game together and provide more than mentorship for Howard--he must support the #1 goaltender and deliver in the winning department.

Tyler: I think it might be Chris Osgood. If I stick with my always-wrong gut feeling of a sophomore slump for Jimmy, he'll be needed way more than he was down the stretch last season, when he all but abandoned charting faceoffs and instead was drawing pictures of himself jumping out of a cake naked with the phrase "#400" written on the icing.

Casey: The Wings need Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg to rebound the most. They both had good seasons in 2009-2010 but Datsyuk's was nothing compared to that of the Hart Trophy nomination year previously. Datsyuk can and will rebound and if Zetterberg stays healthy he will have a good season. I think that with those two carrying the load again this year it will allow the others around them to excel without as much pressure so their health and "rebounding" is very important.

Petrella: I think that Johan Franzen needs to rebound the most. And, obviously, it wasn't his "fault" he had a slower than usual season. That injury seemed mighty awful. I think that if he gets clicking right away, he can keep up a torrid pace and -- wait for it -- even lead the team in scoring this season. I think that the re-addition of Jiri Hudler, and to a smaller degree the addition of Mike Modano, will be enough to fuel the improvement on the front lines.

Saler: Osgood's gotta be the guy who needs to rebound the most. The Wings need him to get back to playing competently. I think the way to do that is to get him regular backup work. Given the season he had last year, I don't see bouncing back to be a problem for him, so I'd peg him as the guy most likely to step back up to the expected level. If he does, it'll go a long way in adding to the "in house improvement" the Wings're going for.

A good second choice for guy in need of a rebound year would be Ericsson, who absolutely has to regain some of the ability he showed in the 09 playoffs. He took major steps backward last year and needs to show some progression this season. A veteran partner in the form of Salei should help fix the damage caused by not providing him mentoring partner last year. I hope.

Drew: You asked three questions in your first question (I'm just sayin'). Anyway - who needs to step up and perform this season? Jiri Hudler. He was the one, true departure from the 2008-2009 team that really through Ken Holland for a loop. And he better have worked his little butt off to make sure that he doesn't take a step back from the near 60 point season he had before he bailed for his tax free bucks in Russia. Who's going to step up? I think a healthy Dan Cleary - even playing on the third line - will have his most productive season to date. With a power forward like Dan, a playmaker like Mikey Mo, and a sniper like Hudler...that third line is going to do some damage. I don't know about any "in house improvement" fuel, but let's hope Jonathan Ericsson gets his hands on a canister.

Me: I think the guy with the biggest rebound season has to be Chris Osgood. He’s obviously not the starter, but the Wings need to be able to rely on him to win some games when he relieves Jimmy Howard. Jimmy can’t start every game like he did during the second half of the season last year. At some point, Ozzie is going to have to step in and take care of business. The Wings can’t afford to just surrender wins on nights when Jimmy needs a break.

I think the guy we’re most likely to see a marked improvement from is Dan Cleary. Hopefully he’s gotten his knee issues taken care of during the off-season and with that no longer dragging him down, he’ll return to form. He didn’t do nearly enough to justify his paycheck last season, but I like to imagine that that had a lot to do with his injuries. It stands to reason that if he’s healthy, his play should return to the level that we’ve all come to expect.

I don’t think that one player’s personal improvement is going to do everything. Getting Ozzie and Cleary back on track is a huge step, but so many guys had off-years last season that it has to be an all-around thing. The Wings need Zetterberg and Kronwall and Datsyuk and Franzen and Filppula among others to step up again this season. Even a slight improvement from each of them will be more valuable than adding a pricey free agent.

2. Who do you envision ending up on the Wings' third defensive pairing coming out of training camp? The top two pairings are pretty well established, but Jonathan Ericsson, Derek Meech, Jakub Kindl, Ruslan Salei, and Doug Janik are all slated to battle it out for the last couple of roster spots. Who do you think will end up getting regular playing time? What about Meech's fate? Is he destined to be cheap trade bait before the season starts? Will Ericsson turn things around and show the promise that he did during the '09 playoffs? Are we going to spend the whole season cringing whenever the third pairing hits the ice again?

Hollis: Ideally, the pairings would look something like this:
          Lidstrom/Rafalski
          Kronwall/Stuart
          Ericsson/Salei

That said, I understand that the Wings need to break in Jakub Kindl and I do expect him to see his fair share of playing time on the ice. Of course, it looks like he'll obviously be playing with Jonny Ericsson, but I will caution that I'm not so sure that Niklas Kronwall's knee is going to make it through the entire season again this year, so we may see Kindl get pushed up to the second pairing with the reliable Brad Stuart. I think it's important to get as much mileage out of Salei as possible, especially when he's paired up with Ericsson, which should help the young Swede focus on the solid two-way game that he needs to play in order to shake off the demons of a rough sophomore season.

As for Meech: Good luck in the East.

Malik: To me, the third pair has to consist of Ericsson and Salei. No ifs, ands or butts unless Jakub Kindl absolutely dazzles. Doug Janik's best-suited to a depth role as the dependable guy you call up from Grand Rapids when injuries occur and breaking Kindl in as the #7 defenseman seems most sensible at this point.
Meech doesn't have a future with Detroit barring training camp injuries. He wants to play elsewhere and he's given the Wings a versatile presence as a no-frills defenseman and forechecking forward, but he's earned the right to become a regular NHL'er somewhere else.

I do believe that Ericsson will rebound and that Salei, barring back issues, will hold up and provide a slight upgrade over Lilja. Salei's more dependable in his own end, meaner and has spent a good chunk of his career playing as a Brad Stuart-like #4 defenseman who shut down the opposition's top players. He can't block shots like Lilja can but he has better fundamentals.

Tyler: I'm not really worried about the 3rd pairing like a lot of people are. I'm really high on Ruslan Salei. Really, you'd think I shot him directly into my bloodstream. When I think about it, though, maybe I'm just stoked about Ruslan Salei + the contract he got. That was a pretty sweet deal. I'm hoping it completely distracts me from another season of Ericsson falling over himself like a giraffe that was given three Tylenol PM's and told to go wander across the Ambassador Bridge.


Casey: I think the third pairing will be Jonathan Ericsson and Ruslan Salei. I think they're the most established out of any of the others and the most capable of playing those minutes. That being said, I expect that Kindl will get quite a bit of playing time as the 7th defenseman and will definitely get close to 20 games. I think Meech is gone, I don't think he has enough to outplay the others in camp and with his voiced preference to move on if he's not in the top 6 it's pretty solidified. As for Ericsson I think he will turn around from how bad he was last year but I don't think he'll exactly be great either. I think he'll benefit from having a player like Salei alongside of him instead of Lilja/Lebda and that will help him learn and excel as the season goes on.

Petrella: I'm almost positive that Salei and Ericsson will be the third pairing, but wouldn't be shocked at all if Kindl sneaks in there instead of Rig. Ericsson was nothing if not a big steaming pile last season and Kindl has shown flashes of whoa baby. I also foresee a Babcock-like rotation of the three of them, with occasional peppering of Janik and MAYBE even Smith. Whatever the case, I have to think that the third pairing will be improved because Salei is a lateral -- if not positive -- move from Andreas Lilja.

Derek Meech is dunzo. There's no way he cracks the top six, and -- as promised -- he'll be shipped elsewhere for a draft pick. Best of luck to him, kid seems like he's got a decent head on his shoulders and he deserves a shot to play somewhere.

Saler: Ericsson-Salei. I don't know that Kindl's really ready for the NHL and tend to think the Wings would have kept him in the AHL if they had a choice. He had a good year with the Griffins last year, but the adjustment to the NHL will be tough for him. I think he'll rotate with Ericsson 20+ times. I don't think we'll ever see Ericsson-Kindl, unless injuries screw things up.

If it's Ericsson-Salei or Kindl-Salei, I don't think the cringe factor will be there too much. The big problem with last year's pairing was the lack of an actual veteran. Lebda's few years in the NHL didn't make him a mentor to Ericsson, so you had a real problem of an experience vacuum. Pairing an offensive-minded, jumping up D-man with an inexperienced, unsure of himself, effective rookie wasn't a recipe for success (not that there was any other option, really). With Salei covering for whatever young guy's in there, though, the third pairing should be less of a weak point.

I don't think Janik has a chance of making the team.

As for Meech, I'm basically in the camp that suspects he was promised a trade out of the pre-season, after he's had a chance to up his value with a strong camp and couple exhibition games.

Drew: Six questions in the second question? Come on, Kris! How about I start answering your questions with questions? How about that?

Alright, alright - in all seriousness, I see Ruslan Salei either starting on the third pairing with Jonathan Ericsson, or else he'll come in to replace Jakub Kindl should Kindl falter. Either way - those are the two I have playing on that third pairing...Big Rig is a lock. I don't see Derek Meech sticking around. He wants more playing time and he isn't going to get it here. His contract is a total bargain and we should be able to find a trade partner easily enough. One can only hope that Ericsson can turn things around - and I believe he will. He's still young and he just finished his first full season at the NHL level...he'll be fine. I think without Lebda/Meech on the third pairing, there will be a lot less fear (for fans) when the third pairing hits the ice.

Me: The third pairing has to be Ericsson and Salei. Hopefully being paired with Salei will help Ericsson find his game again. Getting Lilja back in the lineup at the end of last season seemed to help matters. As much as we’ll all miss Brett Lebda’s antics, not having him on the ice with Ericsson can only be a good thing. I think Kindl may see some time in the NHL if there are injuries or the Wings want to get him a little more experience, but barring a total disaster from Ericsson, he won’t be up with the Wings much. Meech is gone unless somebody has a major injury in training camp.

3. What's your overall assessment of the Wings' summer so far? Would you consider them to be off-season winners or losers? Do you think they improved, held steady, or got worse (in general and/or in comparison to their competition) with the moves Ken Holland has made this summer? 

Hollis: I think it's easy to see the Wings as winners in this offseason, simply for the fact that they didn't have anything happen that set them back from where they were last year. How can we forget the nightmare that was last offseason, in which Hossa jumped ship, Samuelsson left for more money and Hudler inexplicably left for the KHL. That was a losing offseason. Landing Mike Modano and re-signing all of targeted free agents can be considered nothign short of a complete success, and that's exactly what Ken Holland and company did this year. If last year was bad, this year was an excellent bounce back for the Red Wings front office.

Malik: I would suggest that the Wings have improved themselves as best they could given their salary cap constraints. That's a win in my department. With Hudler coming back and Modano joining the fray the Wings now have three scoring lines, Salei's an upgrade over Lilja, and simply witnessing a return to relative health bodes well for a team held together with duct tape for long stretches of the 2009-2010 season. Obviously the Wings' fate hinges at least partially upon the expected rebound seasons of the above-mentioned players, but a healthy year and more depth equal a solid "win."

Tyler: I'm Prodano, thumbs way-up on Salei, happy with the re-signings and, most of all, excited for the return of Hudler and whatever Euro herpes he's bringing back with him. I'm very content with things right now.

Casey: I think the Red Wings' off-season thus far has been a win. They didn't have much that they could lose via free agency that would damage their future and I think they'll profit by getting Modano and Salei. Jiri Hudler is the best change to last year's roster and he will be a big contributor in my opinion. I think they improved by more or less staying the same. They've done an exceptional job of keeping the roster together through the years and it helps create a continuity and sense of family not many teams have.

Petrella: I feel like the Wings are huge winners this summer -- and are having one of the best off-seasons of any team in the league, let alone the Central Division. Hudler's return, Modano and Salei's arrival -- costing the Wings only Jason Williams, Andreas Lilja and Brett Lebda? No brainer.

Saler: Getting Hudler back makes them winners in my book. And sneaking in a veteran D-man does too. Modano's also a win, on paper at least. But I really feel like the moves matter less than the team remaining healthy somehow and than the top guns playing like it this year. The moves of the summer are secondary to Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Franzen, Lidstrom, and Rafalski, etc. taking the lead and dominating this season.

Drew: Red Wings are winners this off-season. Any time you don't have room for players that were regulars on the team in a previous year - you have improved. We've only lost Lebda and Lilja...oh and Williams too. Those are not big losses by any stretch. Bringing Hudler back, Modano in, and getting Salei to replace Lilja are all positives in my book. I wanted to keep Lilja, for the record, but he wanted to play hardball, so...see ya, Lils. We have great depth now from top to bottom on offense. The mystery 3rd pairing is only a minor concern since they'll be logging the least amount of ice out of anyone. But when your fourth line is Abdelkader, Helm, and Eaves? Yeah, we're doing just fine.

This regular season is going to be a lot more fun than the last one.

Me: I think you have to look at the Wings as off-season winners. They’re returning the same solid core of players and adding Modano, Hudler, and Salei to the mix. Their only departures were Brett Lebda, Jason Williams (Who?), and Andreas Lilja. I’ll take that swap any day. Not only did the Wings improve, but their chief rivals the Hawks took a major step backward with the departure of a lot of their supporting cast. This season should be a lot more fun than the last one. I’m looking forward to plenty of good hockey to accompany the shanahanigans that are sure to ensue.

Red Wings 4, Senators 1: Post Game Snipes...

• It felt like it had been three years since the Wings won a game. They needed these two points. Of course, all of the teams they needed to lose tonight won, so there was no improvement in the standings.
• The little pre-game ceremony for the Olympians was very nice. (And for a change, the Wings didn’t totally disintegrate after a ceremony.) We learned that Homer’s son skates exactly like his dad and Bertuzzi’s son has the same haircut. I liked the fact that they recognized the guys from Ottawa too.
• I hope I wasn’t the only one who was thrilled beyond belief when Maltby scored the Wings’ first goal.
• Homer left the game after re-aggravating his injury. It’s looking less likely that he’s going to be playing for Team Sweden and more likely that Franzen’s going to be taking his place.
• It was nice to see the powerplay working for a change.
• After the Sens’ first goal, the Wings started to sit back, and I was afraid that we were going to get to watch the same tired script play out for the zillionth time this season. Luckily, the Wings were able to get it together and hang onto their lead.
  

GP Answers:
1. This is the last game before the Olympic break, and losing it really isn’t an option. Can the Wings pull off a win so we can have slightly less stress over the next two weeks?
Indeed they did. I know I’m going to sleep a little better during the break. The Wings’ position didn’t really change, but a game like that should allow everyone to sleep just a little more easily.

2. If Maltby decides to have his shoulder operated on, there’s a very real possibility that tonight could be his last game in a Wings uniform. It would put him out of the lineup until the end of the regular season, and at this point, there’s no guarantee that there will be more games beyond that. Can he make this game memorable?
How about scoring that first goal? If this really was his last game in a Wings uniform, I’m glad that it was one that he and the rest of the team can be proud of. Regardless of what happens, he’s a guy who I’ve always liked, dating back to his days on the Grind Line. It also speaks to the way the Wings’ organization treats its players.

3. Meech as a forward? How’s that going to work out for the Wings?
He didn’t play much, but managed to pick up an assist in his 4:29 of ice time. This is one of the reasons that I think he’s more valuable than Lebda is. Not only does he make less money, but he can also fill in up front in an emergency.

4. What percentage of this game are the Wings going to show up to play? It’s anybody’s guess.
This was definitely one of the Wings’ most consistent efforts of the season. There was a stretch in the second period when they looked like they were going to sit back and let Ottawa take the play to them, but they recovered quickly. Overall, I was pleased.

Cookies and Cupcakes for Pavel Datsyuk
He was the best player on the ice again. That shot he took from between his legs was incredible. So was one of his rushes that he nearly buried. He’s really been cranking things up lately after a sleepy start to the season. Let’s hope he comes out of the Olympics with the same kind of fire.

An Extra Stick Tap for Kirk Maltby
Just because.

Todd Bertuzzi gets the Golden Facepalm
He named his son Tag. And let him have a faux-hawk/mullet. I’m not okay with that.

What I Learned:
The Wings continue to outclass every organization in professional sports. Maybe things like the pre-game ceremony and the Maltby situation don’t mean much, but they make me smile. We’re pretty lucky here in Hockeytown.

Red Wings vs. Senators GP...

1. This is the last game before the Olympic break, and losing it really isn’t an option. Can the Wings pull off a win so we can have slightly less stress over the next two weeks?
2. If Maltby decides to have his shoulder operated on, there’s a very real possibility that tonight could be his last game in a Wings uniform. It would put him out of the lineup until the end of the regular season, and at this point, there’s no guarantee that there will be more games beyond that. Can he make this game memorable?
3. Meech as a forward? How’s that going to work out for the Wings?
4. What percentage of this game are the Wings going to show up to play? It’s anybody’s guess. Ottawa's been hot lately, so maybe the Wings will actually look alive.

I have no idea what I’m going to be doing here during the Olympics. I haven’t had time to think that far ahead. Of course, I’d be in a lot better mood if we had some Olympic coverage on American TV currently. I wish the games were still on CBC. That was one of the biggest perks of being a Metro-Detroiter. I’ve officially decided that NBC’s only redeeming quality is The Office.

Red Wings 1, Ducks 3: Post Game Snipes...

• The Wings let in a goal 1:11 into the game. It bounced in off of Stuart’s foot. Those are the kinds of plays that make things like overtime such a terrifying experience.
• Ericsson got into a fight. Don’t get me wrong, I like fighting as much as the next gal, but it was a stupid reason to fight. Big Rig threw a nice, clean hit, and then had to defend himself by fighting. That drives me crazy.
• I still don’t understand how the Ducks’ second goal was upheld on the video review. He took his had off of the stick and knocked the puck in with his glove. Last time I checked, you weren’t allowed to do that. It’s Gary’s world though, and anything goes.
• The review decision was made based on the fact that the “hand-slapping motion” came after the puck hit his glove. And people wonder why we wear tin foil hats. This league is a joke. I really do hate it. It always surprises people when I tell them that I hate the NHL because they know that I’m a huge hockey fan, but things like this are why I can’t stand it. Malik has a good take on it over at Snapshots.
  
• And for the record, efforts like this are why I hate this particular edition of the Red Wings. The San Jose game demonstrated that they have the ability to skate with the best if they actually try. If they played all their games like they did the last two periods against the Sharks, we wouldn’t be worrying about sneaking into the playoffs regardless of all of the injuries. Games like this one against the Ducks just aren’t going to cut it.
• This game seemed like it was being played in slow motion. Neither team looked like it had any energy. I almost gave up on the game and went to bed because I was bored. I wasn’t even that tired.
• Datsyuk’s powerplay goal at the end of the second period was enough to keep me interested and awake. It was the second time he split the D and walked right up the middle. Luckily he finished this time. I like last-minute goals when they’re scored by the Wings.
• The Wings pressed for most of the third period. They actually looked like they wanted to win the game. Too bad they didn’t decide that earlier.
• Filppula has missed what seems like a dozen glorious opportunities over the last couple of days. Someone find that guy some finish.
  

GP Answers:
1. I have to ask this every time the Wings play the Ducks: What are they going to do tonight to make me hate them even more? They always manage to come up with something obnoxious.
I hate the notion that you have to fight someone after they throw a big but clean hit. It drives me crazy. Go after guys for dirty plays, not clean ones. They’re supposed to be part of the game.

2. How is Jonathan Ericsson going to respond to his benching? Did he get the message?
I didn’t notice any glaring mistakes on his part. I liked the fact that he came out and threw a big hit early in the game, and then backed it up with a fight. He looked like he had some energy tonight, which was nice to see.

3. Can we pretty please keep the powerplay going? It was key to the Wings’ success last night, and they need to make that a trend instead of an exciting exception.
It clicked again late in the second period. I could get used to this.

4. Can the Wings get off to a good start playing the second night of a back-to-back? They need these two points tonight, and coming out slow yet again isn’t really an option anymore.
Well, gee, they let in a goal 1:11 into the game. That’s most definitely not the start that I was looking for. They've now been bumped back into 9th place, even though they're in a three-way tie with Calgary and Nashville. This is not a fun place to be.

Cookies and Cupcakes for Pavel Datsyuk
His goal was a thing of beauty. That’s the kind of play we haven’t seen enough of from Datsyuk this season.

Derek Meech gets the Golden Facepalm
That was a stupid, untimely penalty to take. Luckily, it didn’t hurt the Wings, but it did kill off valuable time in their comeback attempt.

What I Learned:
Yep. Still hate the Ducks. Still hate the NHL. And I miss the good old days when I used to like late games.

Red Wings 4, Sharks 2: Post Game Snipes...

• Play was a little chippy for the first few minutes, but San Jose took over after the Wings gave up the first goal. They responded in typical Red Wing fashion by sitting back and conceding play afterward.
• The Sharks’ first two goals both came off of rebound control issues. Get that sorted out please, Jimmy.
• On the first PK, Kronwall went down and couldn’t stand up at all. I nearly had a heart attack as I thought he was seriously injured again. Luckily, his skate blade had just popped out and the Wings weren’t hurt by it.
• Cleary’s goal came off of a good, hard-working play. It was a pretty novel concept.
• It was nice to see the Wings take advantage of their 5-on-3. They let those opportunities slip away far too often. Seeing the Flying Circus line click after all this time was a thing of beauty.
• The Wings looked good after they broke onto the scoreboard. I actually didn’t want the period to end because they had good momentum going. This was unusual because I’m typically counting down the seconds and hoping that the Wings survive to intermission.
• Derek Meech scored. I laughed. When the puck ended up in the net, I was just about to yell at my TV wondering why he was out on the powerplay. Clearly, Mike Babcock saw this coming and this was the reason he put Meech into the lineup tonight. Clearly.
• I love Patrick Eaves a little more each game.
• Kronwall left the game with what was described as a “slight tweak.” Normally this would be reassuring, but this is the ’09-’10 season and things are a little different. After the game, Babcock said that it was his ankle, not his knee. Unfortunately, it looks like he won't be able to play tomorrow against Anaheim. An ankle tweak's probably better than a knee, though.
  
• Jimmy Howard scared me for a minute there toward the end of the game when he got run by Joe Thornton. I never would’ve seen that coming at the beginning of the season.
• Darren Helm beat out an icing in the final seconds of the game to prevent another faceoff in the Wings’ zone. Yeah, it’s impossible not to love that guy.
• The Wings needed this win. They're now tied with Nashville in the standings and have finally actually passed Calgary. They're still stuck in 8th because Nashville has more wins, but this was especially big with Dallas and Anaheim creeping up behind them in the standings.
  

GP Answers:
1. Are the Wings going to show up tomorrow, or is Jimmy going to be standing alone again?
The first part of the first period was not pretty. I was almost convinced that the game was over when San Jose scored the first two goals. Then the Wings went and scored four unanswered goals, and things looked good. They were carrying the play and resembling themselves. Games like this make the pathetic efforts we’ve seen at times that much more frustrating.

2. What kind of impact will Homer’s return have on the offense?
That’s the Homer we all know and love. His presence was immediately noticeable. Not only that, but we got to see the Flying Circus line back in action after what seemed like forever. It’s good to see him back and looking good.

3. Much has been made of the Wings’ lack of killer instinct this season. Blown chances, sitting back on leads, lack of intensity, you name it… Can the Wings for once look like a team that knows what it’s doing?
I was tempted to start feeling happy midway through the third, but I refused to get excited because of the Wings’ penchant for third period collapses. This was exacerbated by the fact that the Wings took another late penalty. That’s a trend that has to stop. They kept up the intensity, though, and held on for the win.

4. Two games ago, the problem was the defense. On Sunday, it was the offense. What part of their game is going to give us fits against San Jose?
My only complaint tonight was the way they started the game. The defense was good, and the offense tallied 4 goals. It’s hard to be upset with that.

5. The powerplay has been looking more functional lately, but it’s still not converting as regularly as we would like. While they boys are able to establish control and cycle in the zone, but the pucks just aren’t going in. Getting Homer back should help in that regard theoretically. Can they start to get that sorted out tonight?
Look at that. The Wings converted twice. It was glorious. Please keep it up.

Cookies and Cupcakes for Tomas Holmstrom
I missed that guy. My excitement for his return was justified as he picked up two assists. He was in vintage form, causing all kinds of chaos in front of San Jose’s net.

An Extra Stick Tap for Henrik Zetterberg
He was great in both ends tonight. it was like he and Holmstrom signed a pact of awesomeness tonight.

Jimmy Howard gets the Golden Facepalm
San Jose’s first goal came off of a rebound that just shouldn’t have happened. Their second goal came off of a weak-ish rebound too. He did manage to lock things down after that, but the first goal was a killer.

What I Learned:
Nik Kronwall is the most fragile human being ever. Seriously.

Good News (Yes, You Read that Correctly)...

As I’m sure you know by now, Niklas Kronwall is slated for a return to the lineup tomorrow. This is huge for the Wings. His presence should have a trickle-down effect on all of the defensive pairings, as well as the offense. Having him in the lineup allows us to rid ourselves of either Lebda or Meech. My money’s on Meech sitting because Lebda occasionally has flashes of brilliance in which he appears to be a real, live NHL defenseman. Granted, they’re few and far between, but they do exist. Meech just goes out there and skates around and does…I don’t really know. He should be an evangelical preacher because every time he sets foot on the ice, a million Wings fans start praying. Stuart and Kronwall were dynamite together before Georges Laraque saw fit to remove him from the Wings’ lineup, and his presence may help settle Stuart down after a rough patch. He’s also been sorely missed on the powerplay over the last couple of months. I have no idea what the Wings’ percentage is since the beginning of November, but it has to be close to single digits. How excited are you for a powerplay unit that doesn’t feature Derek Meech?

I was also surprised to hear that Andreas Lilja is potentially nearing a return. A couple of days ago, Mickey Redmond mentioned that he was close to returning, but I think we fans universally wrote that off as crazy talk. This impression was confirmed when Ken Holland said that nothing had changed regarding Lilja’s status. Lo and behold today, though, Lilja said that he had gone 13 straight days without a headache. Should he reach that elusive 14-day mark, he could potentially be cleared to play. (On a side note, we’re coming up on 11 months since his concussion. Can you imagine how rotten of a mood you’d be in if you’d been having almost constant headaches for that long? I’m pretty sure even my dog would’ve stopped liking me by now.) This would be another huge step for the defense because it would mean that a) we would also be rid of Lebda and b) Jonathan Ericsson could be paired with a more experienced defenseman who he could potentially learn something (good) from. I’ve been a critic of Lilja in the past, but he was looking pretty solid last season before he broke his head, and at any rate, he has to be better than Lebda.

On top of all this, Jason Williams is nearing a return to the lineup, Tomas Holmstrom is hoping to be back soon, and Johan Franzen is considering a miraculous pre-Olympic break return. I’d probably prefer that he wait until after the break because it’s basically two weeks of free rehab for him and there’s no sense rushing him back. I have no idea what this means for the salary cap, but I'll leave that to smarter folks to figure out.

If I were a member of another Western Conference organization, I’d be looking over my shoulder right about now. The Wings have been hanging in there on the periphery of the playoff race like some kind of zombie that you just can’t kill. Now that they’re finally getting healthy, I can’t imagine that the other teams in the West are thrilled about the idea of the Wings creeping up behind them.

We have a little less than three weeks until the Olympic break. A lot can happen in that amount of time. Let’s hope they’re good things. Also, it’s unbelievably fun to be writing about happy news for a change. All this excitement has put me in a pretty good mood. I’m starting to feel a strange sensation that may in seasons past have been called optimism.

Random semi-hockey related quote of the day:
My dad, while assessing the swelling on my newly-sprained ankle: “Just be glad you’re not a hockey player so you don’t have to worry about fitting it into a skate so you can go back out and play.”

Red Wings 2, Kings 3: Post Game Snipes...

• Another chance for the Wings to climb the standings, another lackluster effort from the boys. Yawn.
• There was apparently a man up in the rafters at some point during the game, so they cleared an entire section of the lower bowl. I’m still confused about this. It was never mentioned on FSD’s broadcast, but I remember seeing a shot of the Wings’ bench during the second period when they were all staring at something up above. I assumed it was something on the big screen, but I guess they were looking at the guy.
• Filppula’s goal was beautiful, but so was the hard work Dan Cleary put in beforehand.
• Bertuzzi’s goal came on a fun deflection off of his knee. I was amused by it.
• After the first period, things were looking good. The last minute of play was dominated by the Kings, but the Wings had a two goal lead and looked like they could stay in control.
• The Wings actually scored on the powerplay. It was a 5-on-3, so there was no excuse not to. The second penalty that the Kings took was brutal.
• And then the rest of the game happened. Just out of curiosity, when was the last time you saw this team play a full 60 minute game? It’s been a while.
• One positive trend that I’m noticing is that the Wings’ defensemen are getting more shots through to the net from the blueline. Earlier in the season, they were passing more or getting them blocked. This will be even more important when Holmstrom returns.
• Stuart made another awesome goal line save that seemed huge at the time. It went to review, but even though the replays clearly showed that it didn’t go in, I held my breath. You never can tell how they’re going to rule anymore. Someone on FSD (I can’t remember who) said, “That was a goal last week against Dallas.” And he was right.
• Meech had a breakaway. There’s nothing else to say about that. I’m sure you can guess how it ended if you don’t already know.
• The Kings’ first goal was ugly. Ericsson made a bad turnover, and then Howard tried to grab the rebound but missed. The rebound itself wasn’t bad, but he should’ve been able to cover it up. He just whiffed on it.
• At one point during the broadcast, Mickey Redmond took it upon himself to announce that Lilja could be back as soon as next week. Everyone was astonished because nothing had been said about his progress recently. Ken Holland (and common sense) refuted that. Part of me wonders if Mick got a little telestrator happy and circled the wrong guy on the graphic FSD had up at the time.
• Mick also jokingly suggested that players use blood capsules a la WWE to draw the extra minor on highsticking calls.
• I really wanted to go down to this game, but I’m glad I didn’t make the trek. I would just be more angry.
  

GP Answers:
1. Can the Wings pull it off today? This game needs to be won, and it needs to be won in regulation. None of that OT/SO nonsense this time around. I don’t care about any of the trivial stuff I usually ask about in these GPs, as long as the Wings come away with two points, and LA gets none.
No. They had a chance to pass LA in the standings and continue working their way into a solid playoff spot, but they couldn’t be bothered to play more than one period of hockey. Again. Wasn’t this team supposed to be angry this season? Weren’t they supposed to have something to prove? I know they’re still missing important guys, but missing talented guys is not an excuse for lack of effort.

Cookies and Cupcakes for Valtteri Filppula
He showed some great hands and patience on his goal to open the scoring. It was a pretty good-looking goal.

An Extra Stick Tap for Brad Stuart
That puck he scooped out of the net was millimeters away from crossing the goal line. It turned out that it didn’t matter much, but it was huge at the time.

Jonathan Ericsson gets the Golden Facepalm
He made the turnover that led to the Kings’ first goal. It was a costly mistake, and he can’t be making turnovers like that in the defensive zone.

What I Learned:
The Wings haven’t really turned a corner after all.

Red Wings 4, Wild 3 (SO): Post Game Snipes...

• Darren Helm and Patrick Eaves had a 2-on-0 on the Wings’ first PK. They didn’t score, but it was pretty fun to watch. Those two are just dynamite together.
• This game was breakaway city. It seemed like there were a dozen of them throughout the game.
  
• The Wings had a fantastic first period. The Wild only had 3 shots on net. The second period, on the other hand, was not so fantastic. They let Minnesota tie the game, and seemed like they barely escaped it with the score deadlocked.
• I knew that Minnesota’s goal that went to review was going to stand. I didn’t even need to see the replay. How did I know? I’ve watched the entire season. That being said, it was probably the right call. I just felt like Leggo owed the Wings one after screwing them over on Saturday.
• Minnesota’s second goal had to be reviewed too, as it bounced in off of Marty Havlat’s foot. Where is Kronwall when you need him?
• Larry Murphy is already gearing up for $1 Hot Dog Night at the Joe.
• We were all astonished for a minute when we thought Meech had scored that third goal. I actually said, “What’s next? Ville Leino’s going to do something good?” Of course, as we all know, the goal turned out to be Miller’s thanks to a nice deflection, and Leino continued his streak of uselessness.
• On a related note, I actually yelled at my TV when Leino was announced as a shooter for the Wings in the shootout. Not only did he miss, but he also fell over. I think it was fitting.
• For the life of me, I don’t understand why Filppula is so low on the shootout list. He’s got great hands, and is definitely more of a scorer than Cleary or Leino…which he demonstrated by scoring on his shot.
• The Wings have GOT to work on their shootout skills. ASAP.
  

GP Answers:
1. The Wings have been looking like their old selves for the last couple of games. Unfortunately, they have next to nothing to show for it other than some warm, fuzzy feelings. Can they keep up that level of play, or sink back into the habits of their recent past?
The first period was excellent. They looked like the Red Wings that we all know and love. The second period was more typical of this season. The third was back and forth.

2. Despite their largely solid play, there are still glaring defensive lapses that need to get taken care of (see the Sharp goal against Chicago, and a couple of the Capitals’ goals on Tuesday). Minnesota isn’t quite as dangerous as the Wings’ last two opponents, but they’ve been creeping up the standings lately. Can the Wings find a way to lock things down and show the kind of defensive focus that they supposedly pride themselves on?
I’ll go with a hesitant yes on this one. The three Wild goals tonight were all fluky in their own way, and it’s hard to blame defensive collapses for them (ie. a shot that bounced off the glass, flew over the net, and bounced in off of a player’s elbow.). The second period was pretty shaky all around, though.

3. On a positive note, the Wings have been getting more of an offensive contribution from the blue line over the last few games. Lidstrom and Rafalski have both chipped in with key goals lately. This is a huge element that’s been missing from their game this season, especially since Kronwall went down (exactly two months ago today). Can the back end keep it going tonight?
I wasn’t really referring to Meech when I wrote this question, but he picked up two assists tonight. There was even a point when we thought that he scored the Wings’ third goal. It turned out to be Miller’s after all, but I’m not particularly broken up about it.

4. Pavel Datsyuk has looked phenomenal over the last few games after floating along for most of the season. (Not only that, but he’s graced us with two great interviews over the last couple of days. The one at Puck Daddy is a must-read, as is pretty much anything that involves Pav and speaking.) Is his recent performance a trend, or was he just showing off for NBC and AO?
Pav was flying again tonight. He was all over the place. His long pass to spring Bertuzzi for his breakaway goal was a thing of beauty. He also buried his shootout attempt, and while it wasn’t as pretty as his goal on Sunday, it got the job done.

5. “The young goalie” has a chance to cement his status as the Wings’ starter beyond any shadow of a doubt with a strong performance tonight. Even the most die hard Osgood supporters can’t argue that the Wings are better off with Ozzie in net right now. Can Howard keep up his hot streak and demonstrate why he won the starting job this season?
Howard was on again, of course. Sure, he let in three goals, but you can’t fault him for any of them.

Cookies and Cupcakes for Drew Miller
This one doesn’t need any explanation.

An Extra Stick Tap for Pavel Datsyuk and Todd Bertuzzi
They were the two best players on the ice all night. During the first period, I was pretty sure that Bert was going to net us all curly fries. It’s a good thing I didn’t say anything, because I would’ve been accused of jinxing things. He just looked like he was faster and stronger tonight. If only he could’ve converted more of his breakaways.

Ville Leino gets the Golden Facepalm
I have absolutely no idea why he’s on the powerplay or in the shootout. Or even on the ice. I liked it better when they called Ritola up to replace him.

What I Learned:
The Wings are capable of winning shootouts after all.

Red Wings 0, Islanders 6: Post Game Snipes...

• I feel like I should just keep two standard recap posts with blanks to fill in team names and scores. The first would be the obligatory (and far too overused) “they played like crap with no jump or intensity” post in which I try to make sense of the team’s inexplicable failure to resemble anything close to a playoff hockey team. The other would be the one saved for those special games like the one against San Jose in which I think that all is finally right with the world and proclaim it to be a turning point. I think I’d save myself a lot of time and effort that way. If the Wings can get away with lackluster efforts like that on a regular basis, why can’t I? I’m pretty sure I put more effort into that game than any of their players did. And I was sitting on my bed at home in my pajamas eating a TV dinner.
• Using the west coast roadtrip as an excuse would be passable if the team hadn’t shown that kind of effort on a regular basis all season. I think it’s just lack of caring.
• This was the seventh time the Wings have been shut out this season. I’ll let that sink in for a minute…seven times. Somewhere, Ted Lindsay weeps.
• The Wings mustered a grand total of 16 shots tonight. And, quite frankly, that number sounds generous. The Islanders probably could’ve played the entire game with their goalie pulled and still won. Sixteen shots.
• The first period was atrocious. That’s all I’m going to say about it. I could tell pretty early on that it was going to be one of those games. By “early on,” I mean exactly 1:11 into the game when the Islanders opened the scoring.
• This was Brad Stuart’s worst game since Game 7 of the Finals.
• I really liked Babcock’s decision to swap Ozzie in during the second period. I thought it would give him a chance to get some ice time and try to earn his way back into the net. Instead, he looked just as bad as the rest of the team.
• At one point during the second period, the Wings actually put together a good shift cycling in the offensive zone. It was novel enough that I actually twittered about it.
• Someone threw an octopus during the second period. A) Why would you bother bringing an octopus to a meaningless game like that? and B) That was just an embarrassingly bad time to throw it in an embarrassingly bad game. At that point, the only place that octopus should’ve been thrown tonight was in the trash can.
• For the life of me, I don’t remember seeing Zetterberg on the ice once tonight. Likewise, the only reason I noticed Datsyuk was because he took a penalty. Somebody needs to wake up the Eurotwins because the Wings need them to lead the team. Now. Not in a couple of weeks or next month. Now.
• Another invisible Wing (not that it’s surprising): Ville Leino. I know I said that I didn’t notice Z or Pav at all, but that was a bit of an exaggeration. I literally didn’t see Leino once. Not one single time. Admittedly, I wasn’t paying 100% attention, but still…not once.
• Only 5 Wings finished with an even +/- rating. Everyone else was negative.
• Datsyuk only played 16:06 and Zetterberg 15:18. Bert led all forwards with 17:48 tonight. Who thought they’d see that day when the season started. Eaves and Filppula also beat out the Eurotwins in ice time. It’s also interesting that not a single Wing was in single digits for ice time. What does all this mean? Probably nothing other than the fact that I can read numbers in a spreadsheet.
  

GP Answers:
1. The Wings have a chance to enter the playoff picture with a win tonight. They also need to start to pull away from the teams below them in the standings, which is almost as important. Can they follow up their latest “statement game” with another performance that brings hope to Wings fans everywhere?
No, no, and no. It’s interesting that the Islanders were also on the cusp of a playoff seed tonight. I guess it’s clear which team wanted it more. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t the Wings.

2. Datsyuk roared back with a stellar game against San Jose on Saturday night. He’s been inconsistent all year, with a tendency to fade in and out from game to game. Can he put together another strong performance and start climbing out of Wings fans’ collective doghouse?
Hahahahahahahaha. How cute and naïve this question seems now. He was absolutely invisible for the entire game except for that part where he threw a nice, hard check into an Islander…who didn’t have the puck.

3. When is Nick Lidstrom going to score a goal again? It’s been the better part of a decade since he put one in the net, and I’m going to copy/paste this into every GP until he does.
Probably never.

4. What’s Darren Helm going to do to make Wings vans swoon tonight?
He hobbled off the ice during the first period. I wouldn’t classify that as swoon-worthy, but it darn near made every Wings fan faint in a fit of panic...which is kind of like swooning, I guess.

Cookies and Cupcakes for Darren Helm
I think I noticed him skating once or twice, which is more than I can say for most of the guys on the team. This is only being awarded tonight because I set a rule when I started saying that I had to hand this and the Facepalm out for every game. I'm going to make them non-fat cookies and cupcakes tonight so that they taste like cardboard and air.

Brad Stuart gets the Golden Facepalm
His turnover leading to the Islanders’ third goal was just horrific. I’m going to go warn my housemates that if I wake up screaming in the middle of the night tonight, it’s because I was having nightmares replaying that play in my head.

An Extra Facepalm for Derek Meech (still need a better title for this one)
He was -5 on the night. Enough said.

What I Learned:
The San Jose game wasn’t the turning point we’d all hoped for after all.

Red Wings 1, Ducks 4: Post Game Snipes...

• The Wings’ powerplay makes me sad.
• They actually looked for the first few minutes. My attention was slightly divided between the WJC Final and the Wings game, but they looked like they had some jump. Then they got that first powerplay and gave up a shorthanded goal and the rest of the period was just a hot mess.
• During the first intermission, Keating accidentally called the Wings the Denver Red Wings. He’s officially banned for life. Of all the teams to mash up…unforgivable. Unacceptable. A travesty. A shamockery…you get the idea. The craziness continued after his interview with Z later on that break.
• Zetterberg joked that, “This is the first time the injured guys needed a bus to get to the game.” He also did an epic job at looking nonchalant and pretending like he didn’t notice that Keating was being weird again. I’m pretty sure he ran away as soon as the camera shut off, though.
• Team USA won the WJC. It’s not really Wings-related, but I was pretty excited. Especially since they looked horrible after they gave up two goals with less than three minutes left in the third to go to OT.
• Ritola had a fantastic move on a chance on Hiller. It was pretty, but he couldn't finish it.
  
• I hate Brad Watson.
• We somehow ended up talking about Man Pocky on Twitter during the game. @jennyquarx and I are starting a campaign to make its use as slang for attractive men universal. Get on board.
• Filppula scored his first goal since his glorious return from IR.
• There were more fights in this game than I’ve seen in a Wings game in a long time. Not that May’s and Bertuzzi’s were really great fights or anything.
• Where on earth was Datsyuk tonight? He apparently got an assist on Flipper’s goal, but for the life of me, I can’t remember seeing him on the ice more than once or twice. That’s not the kind of performance the Wings needed from their top gun.
• This game was definitely not worth staying up this late. I have to get up at 5:30 AM.
  

GP Answers:
1. Every time the Wings play Anaheim, I have to ask myself the same question: What will the Ducks do tonight to make me hate them even more?
Darren Helm got smoked on a hit before he’d touched the puck during the second period. The Wings got a powerplay out of it (and of course didn’t score), but I was just relieved that he wasn’t hurt.

2. When is Nick Lidstrom going to score a goal again? It’s been the better part of a decade since he put one in the net, and I’m going to copy/paste this into every GP until he does.
No dice tonight.

3. Cleary and Zetterberg are expected back on Thursday (*fingers crossed*). That means two guys are going to be headed to Grand Rapids or the press box. I had my money on Ritola being the first to go, but now that he’s being kept in the lineup over Leino tonight, who knows what could happen? Tonight would be a really good time for one (or more) of the bubble guys to have a “statement game.” Will it be May who starts sitting regularly? Leino (answer: most likely)? Maltby? What about Ritola? They have to know that they’re on the bottom rung of the ladder, so it would be nice to see them playing like they have something at stake.
Nobody stepped up. Nobody at all.

4. Is getting a powerplay actually going to be an advantage for the Wings tonight? It’s probably (hopefully) the last chance for some of the guys on the 2nd unit to show their stuff tonight, so maybe they’ll take advantage.
No. In fact, their lousy first powerplay and the shorthanded goal that Anaheim scored on the PK seemed to suck the life right out of the Wings. Their second go-round seemed to actually resemble a powerplay, but still…it’s pathetic.

Cookies and Cupcakes for Valtteri Filppula
He scored the Wings’ only goal to make the game close in the third period. Since nobody else really felt like doing much apparently, he wins the baked goods.

An Extra Stick Tap for Derek Meech
I liked his fight in the second period because it was the right kind of fight. He got hit and didn’t like it so he started the fight. It wasn’t staged or planned or any of that nonsense. I liked it.

Todd Bertuzzi gets the Golden Facepalm
He made a glorious pass…right to Saku Koivu that lead to the Ducks’ shorthanded goal. He also missed a glorious opportunity in front of the net on a powerplay in the second. I don’t know how he didn’t bury that one.

What I learned:
The Wings appear to be blissfully unaware of the fact that they’re currently sitting outside of the playoff picture and lack any sense of urgency.

Wings 2, Blue Jackets 1: Post Game Snipes...

• I got to go to the game tonight. I was pretty excited that we were able to get student rush tickets. We didn’t get to sit next to each other, but we were right behind one another.
• I braved the People Mover for the first time since the Auto Show Incident of ’05. Every time we slowed down to stop in a station, I became paranoid that we were getting stuck. I had no intention of sprinting through the streets of Detroit with no coat on again.
• We got there early, and there were a lot of seats open in the row my ticket was in, so we thought we might get to sit side-by-side for a while. Other people showed up, though, with tickets in that row. My friend went to climb up into the row behind us where her ticket was, and somehow managed to have the chair collapse around her leg. She got her foot stuck in the seat and couldn’t get it out for literally 4 minutes. Other people around us were trying to give her suggestions for what she should do to free herself, but I was laughing too hard to even breathe. I did manage to snap a couple of pictures during the incident. I’m pretty sure she’ll never forgive me for not doing more to help (in addition to my hysterical laughter and photography, I also elected to climb up into the seat she had been attempting to reach so the other people could have theirs and almost knocked her down in the process…which only led to more laughter). I’m also pretty sure that the people around us thought I was the world’s worst friend for standing there and laughing at her (I’m not going to fight that accusation). It was one of the best moments of our friendship…that’s probably over now because I wrote about this on my blog. I also want to apologize to all of Section 222 for the ruckus that we caused.
• I was swiping free programs left and right. They have pictures of my dad and me inside, and I collected a stack to take home and show people to make them jealous. Because I am that petty. Then we went to eat at Pizza Papalis and the waitress dropped pizza sauce on them and I was sad.
• The first period was nothing to write home about. I was pretty disappointed with the Wings’ effort and I figured we’d be in for a long game. Fortunately, though, they were able to turn things around and played quite well for the rest of the game. Although, I have to confess that my ability to intelligently watch the game was hampered by my frequent bursts of laughter every time I thought about my friend getting her foot stuck in the seat. Kind of the same way I’m having a hard time typing this now because I’m laughing again. Maybe you just had to be there.
• I don't know why I never noticed this before, but I was pretty amused to see that Henrik Zetterberg is guarding the entrance to the women's bathroom here on the concourse. It just...seems fitting somehow.
  
• The PK looked pretty good tonight. Although, at one point I did wonder if it was just that Columbus’ powerplay looked really bad. Either way, they did a great job limiting the Blue Jackets’ opportunities.
• The Wings scored a powerplay goal. This really caught me off guard and I can’t even muster a witty comment about it.
• That non-goal that was reviewed was really strange. When I first saw it, I was sure it was in. When they showed a replay on the scoreboard, I was even more sure that it was in. So was everyone else in the stands. I was in disbelief that they called it a no-goal. I thought we had just seen another incident as bad as Brad May’s non-goal last month. I had to call home and find someone who was watching the game on TV so I could figure out what the explanation was. Now that I’ve seen the replay, it’s pretty obvious. I was completely baffled for a few minutes there, though. (My one complaint is about how lousy the replays that get shown on the scoreboard are. They invented slo-mo for a reason.)
• During the last couple minutes of the game, people in the stands were chanting for Babcock to put Bertuzzi on the ice with the empty net. It was kind of a funny moment.
• The people sitting behind us in section 222 were incredibly annoying. Seriously. Nobody cares what you think.
• The offsetting minors for interference and diving kind of bother me. I’m one of those folks who thinks that a play is either interference or a dive.
• Am I the only one who barely noticed Rick Nash tonight?
• There are few things more fun than singing the Hockey Song at the Joe.
• I’ve uploaded all of my pictures (including some of the ones from our Detroit adventure during the afternoon) here. Revel in the glory of my new camera that I got yesterday. 12-power zoom=fantastic pictures even from the nosebleed seats.
  

GP Answers:
1. How will Fabio Filppula look in his glorious return to the Wings’ lineup? Being able to welcome an injured Wing back to the lineup feels kind of strange. I’ve forgotten how to be happy about hockey-related matters.
I thought he looked pretty good. There were a couple of plays on which he looked a little rusty, but he played well on the PK and the powerplay and had a couple of good chances. He consistently looked like a guy who could create offense…and at this point, that’s all I ask.

2. I haven’t seen the Wings score a goal in 12 days. While I realize that I may have missed a few while I was out living it up in the hockey wasteland that is Florida (Seriously, ESPN, it would kill you to show a game highlight here or there?), it’s still been an awful long time since the Wings put a puck in the net. By the end of the game on Wednesday, I had stopped caring if they won, I was just hoping for a goal. And that makes me sad. So, will the boys find the back of the net tonight?
It took them until the second period, but yes, they did score. Twice, in fact.

3. I’m told that Datsyuk put on quite a show while I was out of contact with reality. Will we get to see some more of his magic tonight?
Yes. He set up Bert’s first goal, and did a bunch of other nifty things that are beyond my ability to describe.

4. When is Nick Lidstrom going to score a goal again? It’s been the better part of a decade since he put one in the net, and I’m going to copy/paste this into every GP until he does. (As promised, copy/pasted from the last GP I wrote, which I’m pretty sure was right around the same time Lidstrom scored.)
Not tonight. He picked up an assist, but still no goal.

Cookies and Cupcakes for Todd Bertuzzi
Another two-goal game? He must’ve known that Petrella was in attendance. My favorite part was the nonchalant way in which he deposited the puck into the net on his second goal. I don’t know why, but it amused me.

An Extra Stick Tap for Patrick Eaves and Darren Helm
Eaves was my nominee for the baked goods after the first period. He was all over the place on those first to PKs. He had a bunch of interceptions and just all-around solid plays. He didn’t have anything to show for it, but I kept noticing the #17 over and over again throughout the whole first period. Darren Helm is obviously on here for that save of the week candidate that he made. When I saw that, I fully expected them to look at it in Toronto and announce that it had gone into the net. Again, they never showed a good replay of it on the scoreboard, so I had no idea what happened until I got home and watched the replay online.

Derek Meech gets the Golden Facepalm
Turnover city on the Jackets’ goal. Ugh.

What I learned:
Darren Helm used to be a goalie when he was a kid.*

*I made this up in my head. Unless it’s actually true, in which case I want full credit for being smart.

Interesting Quotes:
Me: *by the Riverwalk* "Don't fall in. I'm not going in after you to save you."
G: *with hockey tickets in her back pocket* "Oh, you know you'd go in after me...Just to get the tickets."
Me: "Nnnnnnno...Yeah. Okay."

Wings 3, Coyotes 2: Post Game Snipes...

• Well another game, another injury. At this point, I’ve given up hoping for the Wings to finish a game without an injury and resorted to just hoping that they’re short-term. Ericsson’s knee certainly didn’t look good. He went down immediately and wasn’t putting any weight on it as he was helped off the ice.
• That’s twice this season that the Wings have given up a goal while a defenseman was injured. That’s just a cruel, cruel joke.
• There is not one single thing that I like about this season. Not one thing. And yet I keep coming back night after night after night. That says nothing good about my state of mind.
• Mickey informed me that Kris Newbury played 2:20 in the first period. In that short time, he managed to take two penalties and score a goal.
• Kris Draper got the primary assist on Kris Newbury’s goal. I’m pretty sure I should’ve gotten the secondary assist just based on name association.
• The penalty kill continued its dominance tonight. The units had several key kills to keep the Wings in the game and Patrick Eaves came up with a huge shorthanded goal in the first period.
• The powerplay, however, continued to be a miserable failure.
• Meech’s goal was every bit as unexpected as Newbury’s was. Imagine that. Two different guys getting their first goals of the season for the Wings. It wasn’t quite as fun as that game last month when everybody netted their thirds of the season, but I’ll take it.
• Don’t look now, but the Wings have a winning streak going.
• The first period looked pretty good. It was one of the Wings’ better starts. Somebody must’ve set their alarm clocks an hour early tonight or something. They let up a little after Meech’s goal, but managed to hold on for the win.
• Bonus: No overtime, so it didn’t turn into a three-point game.
• The Wings could not clear the puck when Phoenix had an empty net at the end of the game. I’m pretty sure I scared my roommates by yelling at the TV.
• Before the game, they played a clip of an interview with Bertuzzi in which he was wearing a silver puffy vest. I texted some sort of sarcastic comment to Twitter, but it never actually showed up in my feed. However, exactly two hours later, it popped up on Twitter. Literally as they were showing more of the same interview. It’s like Twitter was holding that text just waiting for the right moment. At the suggestion of @jennyquarx, I’m going to send a text that says “curly fries” before the game on Thursday. If I remember…
  

GP Answers:
1. The Wings have had trouble with consistency so far this season. They’re coming off of a couple strong performances over the weekend. This is a good chance to string some wins together and start climbing the conference standings. Will they show up to play tonight, or will we all be banging our heads on the wall by the end of the game?
The biggest plus of the game was the way that the Wings came out in the first period. I’m so used to seeing them sleepwalk through the beginning of games that I was actually confused when they scored.

2. Jimmy Howard’s getting the start tonight. With the exception of that one goal against Anaheim, he had a good week. He would’ve skated away with two wins if the offense had done anything worthwhile against the Blues. Who would’ve thought at the beginning of the season that his play would be the least of our worries right now? I think we were all pretty pleased with the way he bounced back from that tough loss to St. Louis and the softie against Anaheim. His confidence has to be at an all-time high. Will he continue to create a “goalie controversy” here in Detroit?
He made the saves he needed to. He looked a little shakier than he has over his last couple of starts, but he got the win, and that’s what matters.

3. When is Nick Lidstrom going to score a goal again? It’s been the better part of a decade since he put one in the net, and I’m going to copy/paste this into every GP until he does.
Not tonight. During one of the Wings’ powerplays, I really felt like this was the night he was going to score. I even said as much on Twitter. If I’m still copy/pasting this when I get back from vacation, I’m going to be really frustrated.

4. How many sticks is Pavel Datsyuk going to break tonight? Any takers on a prediction on his average number of broken sticks per shift?
I don’t think I noticed any break tonight, but I was only half-watching the game.

5. How many glorious scoring opportunities is Zetterberg going to send wide? It’s time for him to stop drinking the Mikael Samuelsson Kool-Aid.
I only noticed one. Not that it really matters if I answer my crazy, passive-aggressive, sarcastic questions to myself.

Cookies and Cupcakes for Patrick Eaves
He was all over the place tonight. Not only did he net the shorthanded goal that put the Wings up 2-0, but he had a ton of good chances. I think I like him up on the second line.

Brian Rafalski gets the Golden Facepalm
This might be a little harsh, but he was the lone man back right in front of the net after Ericsson got hurt. He tried to make a play on the Coyote who was walking in, but ended up kind of listlessly spinning around in front of Howard. Honestly, it looked like all three Wings down low just kind of gave up on that play, but Rafalski was front and center, so it’s his turn to get picked on.

What I learned:
The Hockey Gods have officially declared war on the Wings.

Wings 3, Predators 2 (OT): Post Game Snipes...

• The night began with a turkey feast with my little sister’s Girl Scout troop. We dined on the turkey that I won while turkey bowling at the Joe the day before Thanksgiving. It was pretty tasty for something I picked up on the ice at a hockey rink and then carted around the stands for two periods.
• After seeing Helm take that puck to the face, one of my 12-year-old Girl Scouts suggested that the Wings should do the same to Nashville, that they should “aim for the nose, because that hurts the most.” Obviously, I’ve been a good role model. The girls did spend a lot of time distracting me so I missed large portions of the game.
• Unfortunately, I missed the goal in OT because I was too busy wrestling with my brother to prevent him from deleting an awkward picture that I took of him. I caught it on the replay though and managed to salvage the picture, so all is well. Although I have to say that when I walked back into the family room and saw the celebration, I actually thought they were replaying the end of last night’s game.
• Bert’s first goal was the result of a spin move that actually worked. It was incredible. His second goal was another beautiful “goal-scorer’s goal.” I’ve never quite figured out what that means, but it was fantastic.
• I don’t know if this makes me a bad person or not, but I was actually kind of relieved when I realized that Jordin Tootoo was the injured Predator. I certainly never want to see players get hurt, but if one guy had to go down...I feel like silencing the whistles was a public service. I was just glad that I wouldn’t have to spend the rest of the game listening to them.
• The Wings’ PK streak ended at eight games and twenty-seven straight kills during the second period. While it was disappointing to see the streak end, it was going to happen eventually. That’s a pretty darn good run, and they need to keep up the good work. Now if we could just get that powerplay sorted out.
• Pavel Datsyuk had two assists tonight. Ken and Mickey originally wanted to award Miller’s goal to him, but his shot had clearly gone off the crossbar.
• Miller’s goal got reviewed briefly, and even though the replays clearly showed that his stick was below the crossbar…I was nervous that they would find some excuse to call it back.
• Not only did the Wings score first, but they also built up a two-goal lead. I was totally confused...until they let Nashville tie the game during the third period and force overtime.
  
• I never really had anything against Shea Weber before, but he certainly earned his way onto my list tonight.
• Since nobody was able/willing to believe what happened during OT last night, the Hockey Gods went and made it happen again. I think we’ve finally arrived in Wonderland because none of this makes any sense at all. I keep looking around and all I see is Todd Bertuzzi grinning at me like a gap-toothed Cheshire Cat.
  

GP Answers:
1. Ville Leino finally picked up a point last night, and Todd Bertuzzi came through with two goals. They’ve been the focus of much of the criticism for underproduction this season. Can the two of them build on the Anaheim game and keep putting up points?
Leino wasn’t completely invisible, but he still needs to do more. Bertuzzi, However, stole the show again. When he broke the scoreless tie in the second period, he had accounted for the last three Wings goals. He now has four of the last five. Not only that, but he’s also scored two straight OT game-winners. Yeah, I know. It’s hard for me to believe too. I love how confident he looks and how much fun he seems to be having out there. If he keeps this up, he may just make a convert out of me.

2. I haven’t seen the Wings’ starter announced anywhere, but I haven’t exactly had a lot of time to go looking for it. Based on the back-to-back rotation thingy Babcock likes to do, I’m assuming we’ll see Osgood in net tonight. Will we get treated to playoff Ozzie or regular season Ozzie tonight?
Osgood was fine. I’m not entirely sure what he was doing on the second Nashville goal, but there was so much else going on during that play that I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

3. During the post-game last night, Mickey Redmond was already getting feisty about those stupid train whistles the Nashville fans seem to enjoy using all the time. Keep in mind that this is also the same franchise that used to do the ridiculous screechy air-quote fangs. No team has the right to be that obnoxious, especially one that’s never won a playoff series. How long will I last before I have to mute the TV to keep from throwing things at it?
I had to watch the first period with the TV on mute anyway and then with Tootoo gone there was little whistle-blowing for the remainder of the game. My TV was quite relived to be saved from being pelted with whatever was within my reach.

4. Datsyuk and Zetterberg have been missing an absurd amount of shots that they should be putting on net and/or burying. The Eurotwins need to collectively recalibrate their targeting computers or something. Datsyuk had the game on his stick during the final minute of the Ducks game, and hit the side of the net. Zetterberg had a great scoring opportunity in close at one point and sent his shot about 300 feet wide of the net (Go ahead, challenge my measurements if you want. I dare you.). It’s like the two of them have caught Mikael Samuelsson cooties or something. Will they be able to figure out their issues tonight, or will I spend another game pulling my hair out?
Datsyuk had two assists tonight, but they both had issues putting the puck on the net. If they start burying half of their chances…

Cookies and Cupcakes for Todd Bertuzzi
He scored two goals tonight, including the overtime winner. If that doesn’t earn you free dessert, I don’t know what does. His second goal came off of an absolutely ridiculous shot move. Please, please let this carry over and get him on a roll. (Copy/pasted from last night’s Post Game Snipes with the exception of the one correction. I don’t know what to make of this.)

Derek Meech gets the Golden Facepalm
I don’t know if the second goal can really be pinned on him, but he’s due for one of these and I couldn’t single anyone else out who I felt deserved this.

What I learned:
Maybe my dad was right about Todd Bertuzzi…

Wings 4, Stars 1: Post Game Snipes...

• I missed about the first seven minutes of the first period thanks to class, parking, and a slight detour through downtown Detroit. On a side note though, I’m pretty sure I set a new record for fastest ¾ mile ride on a rusty 15-speed bike with flat tires through snow/hail. I’m not really sure how to define what it was, but I caught quite a bit of it on my tongue on the way home. And in my eyes. And my ears. It was great.
• When we finally arrived, we couldn’t get up to our seats because we were waiting for the whistle to stop play. Naturally, we witnessed what I’m pretty sure was the longest span of time without a stoppage of the season so far. We didn’t care very much though, because when play finally stopped, it was for Drew Miller’s goal.
• While we were waiting to be let up to our seats, we were joined by a woman returning from a beer run. She ended up sitting next to us. A little while later, the guy she was with, my seat neighbor, got up to make another beer run. He was standing on the landing at the bottom of the section waiting for a stoppage when Helm scored. Not long after that, the woman made another bathroom/beer run. Guess where she was when Cleary scored? Yup, right on the landing waiting for a stoppage. By this point, everyone around us was sufficiently amused. At the start of the third period, my seat neighbor made one final beer run. As I was celebrating Bertuzzi’s goal, I looked down and saw the guy, beer in hand, arms thrown out to his sides, standing on the landing where he had been stopped to wait for a whistle. I just about died laughing. After they announced the goal and Datsyuk’s assist, we said that it was a shame they forgot to announce his assist on the goal. The first couple of times it was a coincidence. Four times though? Someone needs to start a collection to get those two season tickets and a beer fund. It would be a community service.
• Back to Bertuzzi’s goal: I can’t believe that puck went in the net. I still can’t quite figure out how it did since the replay on NHL.com just shows the wide-angle view from center ice. Todd also picked up an assist. This was great timing since I’m not allowed to say anything bad about him this week.
• The Wings looked pretty good overall tonight. I felt like they were able to establish control in the offensive zone more than they have in the past few games.
• I seem to remember Derek Meech making a couple of really solid defensive plays. He and Ericsson have both really stepped up their games over the last couple of weeks.
• There’s no way that Marty Turco doesn’t have fantasies about burning the Joe to the ground.
• With the exception of Bertuzzi’s,all of the Wings’ goals came as a result of hard work and crashing the net. I’m just saying…
• I was pretty skeptical about the Leino/Datsyuk/Bertuzzi line. I informed my mother that Datsyuk deserved better wingers. Then they went and scored a goal. Combine that with the fact that I’m not allowed to disparage Todd Bertuzzi this week, and it killed my plans to name it the Superstar and Two Wastes of Ice Time Line. (Catchy, I know.)
• During the last few minutes of the game, someone a few rows behind us yelled, “Ducks fly together!” Seat Neighbor and a couple of other people around us spontaneously started quacking. We then proceeded to yell out random Mighty Ducks quotes for a little while. I, of course, contributed my best, “The goalieeeeeeeee” impression. It was a pretty awesome moment in my life. This season, I’ve had the opportunity to watch games from way down in the lower bowl and way up in a suite, but I’ve got to say that the cheap seats are where all the fun is.
  

GP Answers:
1. The Wings broke out of their scoring slump Saturday night with three goals. More importantly, they were the kind of gritty goals that the Wings keep talking about needing to score. So, can they keep it up tonight?
Yes. Yes they did. And most of the goals resulted from good, hard-working efforts.

2. Todd Bertuzzi scored a big goal to win the shootout on Saturday. Will that help his confidence and get him to snap out of whatever funk he’s been in? I’ve done a lot of ragging on Bert over the last couple of months, but I would like nothing more than to see him get on a roll.
He had a goal and an assist. I don’t think we have a right to ask for anything more from the guy. With any luck, his luck has turned, and he’ll find a way to start burying some of those chances he’s been getting.

3. We all know what happened last time the Stars visited the Joe. We’re also aware of what went down against Calgary on Friday. This question is kind of sad, but what percentage of the goals that the Wings score tonight will actually be counted on the scoreboard?
O% I’m happy to report that each and every goal that the Wings scored counted. Bravo, referees, bravo.

4. Will Darren Helm be able to finish the breakaway he inevitably gets tonight? I kid, I kid…but only a little. One of these times he has to put one of those away.
He didn’t get a breakaway, but he did manage to bury his great chance down low. I’m going to go ahead and take credit for that. You’re welcome.

5. The Wings’ special teams units both enjoyed 100% success rates against St. Louis on Saturday. This was a positive sign since both units have struggled lately. Can they build on that tonight?
The powerplay went 0-4, but when you pick up 4 even strength goals that’s easy to forgive. The PK was technically 4-4, but Dallas’ only goal came seconds after Holmstrom stepped out of the box. He never quite made it back into the play, but I’ll take what I can get.

Cookies and Cupcakes for Drew Miller
He opened the scoring with his goal after showing some nice hustle to negate an icing. This is more for his play overall since he got picked up by the Wings since I couldn’t decide who else to single out tonight. He’s been a great addition to the lineup and has even added two goals in his short time here.

Ville Leino gets the Golden Facepalm
This is another cumulative award (not sure that's really the right term...). He got the privilege of playing with Pavel Datsyuk tonight and still didn’t look particularly noticeable and I couldn’t choose any other Wing to pick on tonight.

What I learned:
Hockey fans are indeed the best people around. (OK, so that’s not exactly new information, but it was reaffirmed tonight…as it usually is during my pilgrimages to the Joe.)

Wings vs. Thrashers GP...

Wings vs. Thrashers @7:30

1. Well Babcock’s announced his slightly wacky and yet oddly logical plan for the defensive rotation. Somehow, through rotation, line-juggling, and possibly the use of a Time Turner from Harry Potter, he’s going to make the six-man defensive lineup resemble an eight-man lineup. I kind of get it, and I’m all about anything that prevents a third pairing of Lebda and Meech from taking the ice, so I’m willing to give it a shot. Will anyone (on the ice or otherwise) have any clue what’s going on by the end of the game?
2. Babs is also going with Jimmy Howard in net tonight, which worries me much less than I would’ve imagined it would a couple of months ago. Can he keep up his strong play?
3. I asked the same thing last game; it still hasn’t been answered, so I’ll go with it again: Where have all the goals gone? After going on a tear of 19 goals in 3 games, the offense has absolutely dried up. I know the offense has been depleted, but except for the loss of Kronwall, the lineup that’s been on the ice for the last few games is not markedly different from the one that was lighting it up.
4. Part of the offensive stall has been due to the issues with the powerplay. The first unit has been generating some buzz, but if they can’t score, that leaves a second unit of Cleary, Bertuzzi, and Leino. Now, I like Cleary a lot, but there’s a reason we call him Charlie Buckets. He’s the kind of guy who has an uncanny ability to take advantage of the strengths of his linemates. On this unit, there just isn’t a whole lot for him to work with. At this point, I would rather see the third line get powerplay time over this bunch. Are we really going to have to suffer through a one-unit powerplay interminably? And I'm not even willing to discuss the PK...
5. Over the summer I made it very clear that I was unhappy with Bertuzzi’s signing. However, I resolved to give him a chance. I would say that a quarter of the season counts as a fair chance. So far he has done absolutely nothing to impress me. So what fine work does he have in store for us tonight?

Farewell Shanny...

I kind of missed the boat in terms of career eulogies for Brendan Shanahan on account of him choosing to retire during the busiest week of my life (See how I manage to deflect blame for it away from myself? That’s talent.) But I wouldn’t feel right if I didn’t at least make a couple of comments on the career of the guy who was my second favorite hockey player for the better part of my formative years.

I vaguely remember being upset when the Wings traded away Paul Coffey. I have no idea why, but I’m assuming it had a lot to do with the fact that I was barely 10-years old and not particularly bright. I do, however, know that I took an immediate liking to the Wings’ new arrival. He could score and he could fight and a few of you might remember the little-known incident in which he clotheslined Patrick Roy. At some point after the ’02 Cup, he became know as my alter-ego. It was mostly because I wore a Shanahan walking-jersey-foul to school the next day when we went around bestowing Wings players’ names on all of our friends. It was okay though, because I was Irish (I say “was” because we recently discovered that we actually have Scottish blood, not Irish…) and I embraced it. I still miss hearing the Irish Jig blasting from the speakers at the Joe.

How many guys left in the league could put it all together like Shanny did? Not many. And I think we’re all a little worse off for that. He deserved a better ending than his break with the Devils prior to the start of the season.

As far as the jersey retirement debate goes…I don’t see it happening. If the organization had any intention of doing so, they wouldn’t have let the likes of Derek Meech take it. I would have no problem with the team choosing to retire it, but I’m not sure he spent enough time in Detroit to have earned a place in the rafters. He played too many games for too many other teams, and even though his strongest legacy will be as a Red Wing, I think that’s going to keep #14 in circulation. That being said, I would much, much rather see his number on a banner than Fedorov’s. This post from Malik has two articles from the Edmonton Journal that sum up why.

Wings vs. Predators GP...

Wings vs. Predators @7 PM

1. The big question is the defense. While this one game obviously won’t be indicative of the next 4-8 weeks, it’ll be a preview into life with a defensive pairing that consists of Brett Lebda and Derek Meech. How many near heart attacks will those two tag team to give fans?
2. Ericsson finally got some powerplay time on Saturday. I think it’s safe to say that I liked him a lot better there than on the penalty kill. Reason dictates, however, that he’ll be seeing a lot of time on both special teams units in the coming weeks. How will he step up into his expanded role after a fairly shaky start?
3. Also regarding Ericsson, he’s slated to be paired with Stuart. How much will having a better partner improve his performance?
UPDATE (11/23/09 1:35 PM): It turns out Ericsson will actually be paired with Lidstrom. This is even better. It's no accident that his best games came when he was forced to fill in for Rafalski during the playoffs last season.
4. Where have all the goals gone? After netting 19 in 3 games, the Wings have only managed 4 (even if we count Brad May’s, 5 isn’t much better) over the last 3 games.

The Preds have come a long way from the days of their obnoxiously annoying tradition of squeaky air quotes fangs (They don’t do that anymore, right? I haven’t heard it in a while.) that inspired my siblings and me to take a picture in front of their building mocking them. They currently sit one point behind the Wings, so this would be kind a nice win to pick up.

Kronwall Update...

Well, the news on Nik Kronwall’s injury is both good and bad. It’s good in the sense that looking at the hit and knowing Kronner’s past knee issues, I immediately assumed that he’d be setting a date with a knee surgeon in the near future. From that perspective, the current estimate of 4-8 weeks seems like an early Christmas present.

However, if he were to come back in exactly four weeks, the absolute best-case scenario for his return, he would still miss 14 games. That’s right: 14 games minimum of a third pairing that consists of Derek Meech and Brett Lebda, but it’ll probably be closer to 20 because, let’s face it, that’s how this season’s gone. This next stretch of the schedule is as densely packed as I’ve ever seen, with numerous back-to-back games and only a couple of two-day breaks between games.

Losing Kronwall hurts even more because he’s been having the best year of his career so far. He’s currently ranked third in team scoring behind only the Eurotwins, and had absolutely been on a tear for the last couple of weeks. (And the fact that it came against the Habs, for whom I have always harbored a semi-irrational hatred only makes it that much worse.)

The NHL has apparently decided to review the hit to potentially punish Laraque further. Which is nice, but not particularly likely to help fill the hole on the blue line he caused. Predictably, the league asked for a medical report on Kronner to factor into their decision. This is a perfect example of why the disciplinary process is such a joke. It shouldn’t matter if he’ll be out for four weeks or four days, if the hit itself was dirty, it should be punished. (The same goes for headshots.) A dirty hit is a dirty hit whether the player on the receiving end has his career ended or shakes it off and doesn’t miss a shift. But we all know that’s not how the league rolls.