redwing77

At several points this season, Conklin outplayed Osgood. I don't know what the future holds for Harding. To be honest, I never even heard of him before he made his NHL debut. He'll probably be good. Who knows.

I never said Miller was. I was saying that Miller was one to make flashy saves. I think Harding is just a younger Conklin. Both are capable of having stellar games at times, but both will more than likely not develop into a #1

Wow! Shots at a guy who is now gone. Classy. Never too late to be a hater, eh? Whatever.

Cat's out of the bag. Sorry. Funny, though, a Jew who believes that the victim mentality is a pox on humanity. Heh, I even have all but 4 of my father's family members (only his aunt, mother, father, and uncle survived) having died at the hands of the Nazis but I'm not going around claiming that all blond haired, blue eyed people with german ancestry owe me anything. But I digress.

I think Blais would make a GREAT NTDP head coach.

Excuse me? I think the one thing that the Wild have good is goaltending! Backstrom is one of the top goaltenders in the NHL. Why? Oh, he's not as dynamic as Brodeur or flashy as, say, Ryan Miller, but he's one of the most consistent goaltenders that is constantly tops in positioning. He's heads and shoulders, knees and toes better than ANY other player on the Wild... Koivu is second, but there's a big gap. I have never been a fan of the Wild. I've never liked teams whose GMs consistently go around with their heads in the sand when it comes to fixing problems that could solve the problem and take the team to the next level. I have no problem with DR's desire to build a team from within, through the draft and a few undrafted free agents here and there. However, that's a perpetual long-term approach. It's like always looking to tomorrow rather than figuring out how to win today. Signing a guy like Modano back in 2004-5 might not have solved the problem in the long term, but it certainly would have taken the Wild to the next level while the long term solution develops in the minors or juniors or overseas. They aren't the only hockey team or sports team in general that does this. I tend to dislike all of the teams that do fit this mold. A team shouldn't perpetually look to the future and ignore the present. That tells me that the team really isn't interested in winning this year...or maybe not next year. They'll be interested in winning _eventually_. Tell me, if you are a salesperson, are you going to be in sales very long if you are always looking to eventually making sales? The best salespeople go out every day to make sales NOW and develop relationships to facilitate future sales. That's how it should work. You sign the free agents you need to compete this season and draft their replacements asap. Or, if you are missing an element, you go out and get it. Goalscorers in MJ may not show that tendency in the NHL (see Alexandre Daigle or even Stephane Veillieux scored 115 points one year in juniors). James Shepperd was a scorer in MJ and, though he's only played 160 games in the NHL, he's not scoring either. Looking over the list of players the Wild have had, though, overall, not many forwards were huge scorers. This tells me that DR's draft strategy wasn't as effective as his system would require it to be. His free agent signings were almost as disastrous. He's also not very aggressive when he needs to be on trades. Well, now the Wild start over. Hopefully things will be better for the Wild. They'll start drafting properly and go out and sign quality free agents. They'll get good players via trade.

The question is: Should we start the Fire Hakstol thread down as a preemptive measure to just get it over and done with or should we wait for the start of the season?

DAR, I think he'd be a great 3rd liner. 3rd line is the checking line, sure, but Lammy can score. A checking line that can score and still beat up the opposition physically would be an incredible thing to have. That's why I'd put Lammy on the line with Hextall and Zajac. Lammy can hit and score. Zajac can hit and occasionally score. Hextall can hit, intimidate, instigate, screen, and score. However, I'm not sure hak will put Hextall on the 3rd line.

First off, what a game for the Hawks. Finally they played a good game and capitolized on mistakes. Second, I hope they continue it. I just can't see a Game 7 victory for the hawks. Game 6 will be key. Third, I don't think Anaheim will sweep or blow away the Red Wings. However, if they play the Wings like they've played the Sharks, then we more than likely won't progress to the next round. Osgood is too much of a sieve this year. Some rather overrated teams in the playoffs this year. I don't think the Rangers are all that strong but they're beating a Capitols team that doesnt play D. I don't see either team in the finals. Pittsburgh progressed but I don't like Pittsburgh more for the media attention. ESPN and NHL Network analysts nearly have orgasms every time Crosby dekes and they nearly pass out every time he scores or makes the primary assist. Montreal was overrated and they're out. San Jose looks to be overrated too. They're barely hanging on. I expect Anaheim will take that series. Philadelphia, St. Lous, and Columbus were just outmatched.

Everything is an insult and a race-based one it seems like with 4winds. I guess every time a salesperson walked by me without asking me how I was faring should be taken as an attack on the fact that I'm Jewish and don't need help spending my ample armloads of money. Shoot, that's why those motorized carts are there at grocery stores and Target. They aren't for overweight people who have lost the ability to be mobile. There for us Jews so that we can shop in comfort because it is so hard on our lower backs and legs to carry all that cash around in our back pockets. If you want someone you don't know to slobber all over you 4winds, go to a strip joint. They're paid to do that. Otherwise, welcome to "Joe Consumer" land. Time to start waking up and looking at the world as an individual, not as the spokesperson or sole representation of your race. Last time I checked, your name hasn't popped into the headlines as "Head NA of the world." I would have put the word "Chief" like in CEO, or COO of business, but surely that would have been racist.

Of that Angels kid is named Mattson, I can't imagine what kind of commute time it iwll be from his dorm room to his junior team every day. I agree with brianvf. Forney would bring something to this team. I like Davidson, but I'd rather sit him and play Forney.

Probably. As for Walz... yeah, he can skate, but he did nothing else on the first line. VV isn't as good a skater as Walz, but he can do something more than Walz ever did: provide some sort of offensive presence. In any case, I don't think VV will tear any league up. However, I don't think he's a career minor leaguer either.

Selanne isn't as good as he used to. Niedermeyer and Pronger are good. Ryan is only a rookie but he looks to be ok. Getzlaf and Perry are good at their roles but hardly world beaters. They aren't "nothings" but I don't think the team is anything truly that special. If they were, why would they be an 8 seed and not higher?

True, but all 3 times Osgood did, he has never had seasons as poor as this.

I think Vancouver or Anaheim have legit shots at eliminating the Wings. Heck, at one point, I remember thinking I could beat Osgood and I don't know how to skate!

VV is a center. He has a better size than Porter and is stronger on the puck. He also is very good on the draw. I could see him as an NHL 3rd or 4th liner.... or heck, first liner. After all, if Wes Walz can be on the first line of the Wild a year or two, why can't VV?

Can't figure out how to embed. Anyways, how about this?

I'm hoping that the Wings draw an opponent that wants to skate and do a run and gun style like Detroit because that's the only way I see Detroit advancing. I hate the trap, but right now, if you eliminate Detroit's offensive game, they're done. I believe the trap/left wing lock is designed to combat that very thing.

Nothing's a slam dunk. I don't know what Forney is going to do. He can go anywhere now that he's taken a year outside of UND, but he'll come back a junior and I'm not sure which teams would take him... SCSU has done it in the past IIRC (I think they took former tUMD Coole when he only had 2 years eligibility left... or maybe one? I don't recall). Otherwise, he could go to Quinnipiac or Bentley as they take castoffs all the time... but that's tantamount to the admission that Forney is a bust.

Replies: 1. Uh... NYR doesn't play defense. That's why they call Lundquist "King." Avery going around cheap shotting people left and right doesn't make the team better. It only gives the other team more opportunities. 2. I don't want to bet against the Hawks, but right now the only two players I feel have been playing well for the Hawks the past two games have been Toews and maybe either Versteeg or Seabrook. But what the hell. You're on. I can't believe I'll be hoping to buy you a beer. 3. Maybe, but they were mediocre at best even before they got injured. They were this year's Minnesota Wild of the playoffs. 4. No doubt the Canes are making it interesting, but still.... NJ is far better than the Canes. 5. What's your point? PReaching to the choir? I love this Wings team offensively. Lidstrom is one of the best players in hockey. However, it's like having an Empty Net at times for goaltenders. I want the Wings to repeat, but I don't see it happening.

On Dilks' blog, 3 BGSU players left BGSU because the University couldn't guarantee the program would be around for much longer than a year. If this isn't troubling news, I don't know what is.

If VV is back, I doubt Rowney and Knight come. And I hope mattson doesn't come in. And, instead, I hope they try to get Forney back. I'm no coach, but I'd rather have some great players taking an extra year in juniors than have what UW is having right now. And, btw, now 1-2 of those players who left BGSU are trying to get into UW. (GOD I don't like where this BGSU thing is going).

Yeah, but it is risky. If VV has another great year, Edmonton might be forced into a corner or face a situation like Porter did with Chicago (though admittedly Chicago missing out on Porter is infinitely easier to swallow than it would be for Edmonton to lose out on VV).

San Jose is interesting. The NHL Network and Vs. are blaming Nabokov for the SJ troubles and he's not entirely blameless, but seriously.... they are so pathetic offensively right now.... Last night I watched Ryan Carter (of MSUM) play better than many of SJ's routine starters and I doubt Carter got much ice time.

Actually, Osgood led the division in a number of goaltending categories last year. This year, he's led the NHL in a number of goaltending categories...mainly in the area of futility. I wonder if Osgood isn't the Latroy Hawkins of the NHL. Remember when he was with the Twins? He was pretty darn good. Then the Twins let him go to the Cubs and what happened? He's sucked ever since. I think Osgood's time of effectiveness is at an end. And, folks, the NHL knows the Wings' achilles heel now. After Osgood, you have Conklin, who I think is one of the BEST backups in the NHL. I think Halak may be the best....Boucher (SJ) might also be close behind. However, Conklin isn't a #1. Jimmy Howard might someday be a #1, but right now.... not yet he isn't. The Wings are a wasteland in short term goaltending depth. McCollum is scary. Almost like a reverse-Frazee. He dominates in his own league (MJ) and sucks it hardcore in international competition (Frazee was basically the opposite....though I don't think Frazee was that bad in his own league in juniors either). What a waste of a draft pick. Maybe the Wings wizard scouts in Sweden can pull a Minnesota Wild and find a Backstrom somewhere in Scandanavia. I wouldn't be surprised to see Detroit select another goaltender in the first 3 rounds of this year's draft as well. Maybe Campbell if he's draft eligible or Mike Lee if he's still on the board. Or McCollum might scare them away from drafting an American goaltender.... who knows with them. And I agree with Goon. I don't know how they'll fare in the second round with Osgood's latest "performance."