tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21099172837089405272024-02-20T09:51:01.429-08:00The Datsyukian GeekBrad Butlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338497197626834573noreply@blogger.comBlogger313125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2109917283708940527.post-70501511882313339502017-01-22T09:25:00.000-08:002017-01-22T09:25:55.083-08:00The "We *don't* like our team" Era: Has it begun?<br />
Strap yourself in, gentle reader, because the Detroit Red Wings just did something profound enough to drag my exhausted ass back here, and boy is it a DOOZY! Alright, are we all ready for this? Alright listen up: Ken Holland...yes, THAT Ken Holland...just placed Drew Miller...ON WAIVERS!!<br />
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WHAAAAT!???<br />
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<a href="https://i.cbc.ca/1.3017791.1427900010!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/miller-drew-140101-620.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for drew miller" border="0" height="112" src="https://i.cbc.ca/1.3017791.1427900010!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/miller-drew-140101-620.jpg" width="200" /></a>Yes, you are reading this right, Kenny Heartbreak has put a veteran forward on waivers INSTEAD of losing a young and talented player to another team for nothing! I understand if you need a moment to collect your thoughts or clean up, but just bear with me here. Perhaps we should consider alerting the authorities or seeing if we can get a spot in the next X-Files season because I am CONVINCED that Ken Holland has either been abducted and replaced by aliens or is now host to a sentient mind-controlling parasite that thought it's victim's job was to actually make sound hockey operations decisions.<br />
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Good lord, maybe next we'll see Riley Sheahan get.........BENCHED!!!<br />
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In all seriousness, this is still news that is far more significant than it should be. As someone on Twitter suggested to me, maybe Holland is finally starting to feel the seat under him getting warmer. That could be the case, but I want to believe that the Wings management is simply--finally!--turning a corner with their views on how a club needs to be built in the current NHL. Maybe they're starting to understand that being loyal to your players can only extend so far before you've stretched yourself too thin.<br />
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Maybe the Red Wings finally have the spine to say, "We don't like our team, and some things need to change.".<br />
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Now I admit that is heavily reading into something that just happened with a lot left on the table to decide on, but damned if I don't take this as a step in the right direction.<br />
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I just hope more steps are to follow Brad Butlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338497197626834573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2109917283708940527.post-83213124010931217002016-06-10T15:33:00.000-07:002016-06-10T15:33:48.064-07:00Gordie Howe has Passed Away<br />
The hockey world is saying goodbye to its greatest hero. Gordie Howe, the man known as Mr. Hockey and truly the greatest player--let alone Red Wing--to play the game has died at the age of 88.<br />
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I was too young to ever get to watch Gordie play, but you didn't have to witness his greatness first-hand, his accomplishments and his legacy are so enormous that anyone who loves the game of hockey will agree he was simply the best. There's really not much I can say that hasn't already been said, and likely in better words from people far more familiar with Gordie Howe than myself, but I felt the need deep within my hockey-loving soul to at least address the news publicly. Howe's presence in modern day Red Wings hockey was subtle but invaluable to generations of new players coming into the league. For kids like Dylan Larkin or Andreas Athanasiou to meet a man like Gordie and understand the greatness they are privileged to succeed by carrying on the Red Wing way is something many other teams simply cannot offer. Howe was quite literally a link to the Red Wings' past, and helped personify the essence of the Red Wings and what it meant to wear the Winged Wheel.<br />
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A marvelous hockey player and an outstanding human being, Mr. Hockey has earned his final sleep.<br />
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Rest in Peace, Gordie Howe.</div>
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Brad Butlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338497197626834573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2109917283708940527.post-48250660407560018332016-04-09T09:16:00.002-07:002016-04-09T09:16:31.113-07:00We're Not Dead Yet, and Neither am I<br />
I feel like an apology is in order.<br />
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Life can so quickly get in the way of the things you love that, before you know it, the season is almost over and you realize that you haven't published any material since the start of the season. I didn't want it to be this way; however, at the same time as this feeling of an apology being necessary, I realize it is not. I have a beautiful baby girl who amazes me daily and makes my life more complete than it's ever been, a loving wife who is there for me no matter what, and friends that would bend over backwards for my family in a time of need, whenever that might be. I'm doing pretty well for myself.<br />
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But enough about me. <br />
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I'm here, we're here, and the Red Wings are here, on this final day of our regular season. We are as close to the brink as we are to the promised land, and which way we go will be determined over the course of the next three hours or so. It's all so simple:<br />
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Win. One. Game.<br />
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Nothing fancy, just a W in the column, by hook or by crook. Win and you're in. Yes, there are other scenarios, but I don't care. Detroit had a shot in Boston and blew it, that should be the wake-up call. Let it be. Let that humiliating defeat rally you to grater heights and a postseason berth. Get revenge on the Bruins in the best way possible: by closing the door on their playoff hopes in their faces.<br />
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I believe. Deep down, we all believe under however much cynicism or objective reasoning we put out there into the aether. We believe in our Red Wings, so please, Red Wings: Reward our faith and get it done today.Brad Butlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338497197626834573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2109917283708940527.post-30563523557871313602015-10-09T20:03:00.000-07:002015-10-09T20:03:37.842-07:00Red Wings Explode into Regular Season, Blowout Leafs<br />
Welcome back to Detroit, Mike Babcock.<br />
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The Red Wings may have taken a moment during the game to honor their former head coach, but Mike Babcock was given no further warmth by his old team as Detroit opened their season at home against the Toronto Maple Leafs.<br />
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Justin Abdelkader posted a hat trick and 19 year old Dylan Larkin got his first goal and assist of his NHL career as the Wings pummeled Toronto by a score of 4-0. Jimmy Howard, looking to return to form after a poor second half of last season, earned a 19-save shutout in the victory.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ37NMo44dh0TuLbheUGWtH1GajkHnb6GssBcCHFMxRmkDaZ0lQ9iTDhWev8XqvYQVi1Udpt5G2V-CCibXPGlY3S6ymcBl-kl1Hlo2PQeT4D279b3wme0WcQIeGOnbCVMqvUBNadukTNM/s1600/LarkinCelly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ37NMo44dh0TuLbheUGWtH1GajkHnb6GssBcCHFMxRmkDaZ0lQ9iTDhWev8XqvYQVi1Udpt5G2V-CCibXPGlY3S6ymcBl-kl1Hlo2PQeT4D279b3wme0WcQIeGOnbCVMqvUBNadukTNM/s200/LarkinCelly.jpg" width="200" /></a>If you weren't able to watch this game, I hate to tell you this but you missed one of the most entertaining Red Wings games I've seen in a long, long time. Detroit showed a passion and a hunger that I feel has been lacking for some time. Now I do realize this is only the first game of a long season, but tonight showed us all what kind of potential this team has and what it is capable of. Good play on the 5 on 5, the powerplay clicked, the penalty killers were perfect, very few miscues and turnovers all contributed to a dominant performance by the Wings.<br />
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I will admit that it was hard to appreciate the play of the entire team with how well the top line played, but no one really played badly for Detroit from top to bottom, and that might be the most exciting prospect of all that I gleaned from this evening's tilt. Oh, and keep in mind, we're not even running Datsyuk or DeKeyser yet. Yeah, this is gonna be a fun team to watch.<br />
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The Red Wings are back in action tomorrow against Carolina. Petr Mrazek will get his first start of the season, and hopefully the team will carry this burst of momentum forward and keep the W's flowing.<br />
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Don't forget to like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter and leave your comments below!Brad Butlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338497197626834573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2109917283708940527.post-71416163736962654792015-10-07T16:34:00.000-07:002015-10-07T16:34:02.659-07:00The 2015-16 Season is Here! A Geek's Thoughts and Expectations<br />
Is it October yet?<br />
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Oh, wait. Yes, yes it is!<br />
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That's right, folks! The NHL regular season is getting underway tonight, and despite the Wings not playing until Friday, I must admit I'm excited just to know that hockey is back for another year. The slate had once again been wiped clean and Detroit begins its next new journey toward attaining the Stanley Cup.<br />
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And wouldn't you know it? We got a nice surprise earlier on in the day: Dan Cleary HAS BEEN WAIVED! You read it right, friends: Dan Cleary will NOT be on the opening night roster. Hell, he might even get picked up before noon and that'll be the end of it (I'm looking at you, Philly).<br />
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Jimmy Howard will be starting the Red Wings' opening game against the Toronto Bable Cocks, while Petr Mrazek is starting the next game against Carolina. This means that, at least for the start of the season, new coach Jeff Blashill is doing what I hoped he would do: Tandem the goalies. We know Howard can be elite per his experience but we also know Mrazek can be elite per his raw potential and ability, so why not play them both? Besides, a lighter workload on Jimmy could help prevent another injury and I know you remember what happened last year with regards to those and the subsequent return...<br />
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Blashill is also making somewhat of a statement by penning rookie Dylan Larkin into the opening night roster. No matter how much he might have promised he would consider it, I cannot for a moment believe that Mike Babcock ever would have made that call; in fact, I'm pretty sure it would be Larkin getting the boot and Cleary staying up if it were Babs' decision. It is not his decision now though, of course, and it is nice to see Blash willing to accept the Youth Movement and see just what the kids can really do at the NHL level.<br />
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All in all, it's an exciting time to be a Red Wings fan. Now that you've heard from the Geek, what are YOU most interested in/excited to see as this season begins from our boys in red? Leave a comment below or let me know via Twitter @DatsyukianGeek where I can be found ranting and/or live-tweeting during the game!Brad Butlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338497197626834573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2109917283708940527.post-69720881232272954162015-03-02T13:21:00.001-08:002015-03-02T13:21:21.344-08:00Detroit Deadline Insanity: Wings Make a Second Trade<br />
Hold onto your long-johns, Hockeytown, or else I'm about to blow them clean off.<br />
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The Detroit Red Wings have made another trade before the deadline this afternoon. Yes, I said another, as in they have now made two.<br />
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What reality is this!?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVwLLdyXeGs6JNz6wzWGAJECqoam6QopUN803bsgLDNZrEJzWZu6Vv43_7GHpvU3L2lG_GRksLcJjE5HxA7yMMUL-aMOwbyUTMSkofiBPYubS-BF03cCn-SaAzevPyPNGeYV5A6E-kZKQ/s1600/Zidlicky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVwLLdyXeGs6JNz6wzWGAJECqoam6QopUN803bsgLDNZrEJzWZu6Vv43_7GHpvU3L2lG_GRksLcJjE5HxA7yMMUL-aMOwbyUTMSkofiBPYubS-BF03cCn-SaAzevPyPNGeYV5A6E-kZKQ/s1600/Zidlicky.jpg" height="112" width="200" /></a>What we have today is a trade between Detroit and New Jersey that sends right-handed D-man Marek Zidlicky to the Wings in exchange for a conditional third-round pick. The condition on the pick upgrades it to a third and fifth-round pick if the Wings make the Eastern Conference Finals, and the fifth further upgrades to a second-round pick if the Wings go to the Cup Finals.<br />
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Zidlicky is described as a mobile, puck-moving defenseman. His hard, right-handed shot will be a big asset on an already potent powerplay and his experience will allow him to slot in nicely as a 3rd or 4th defender.<br />
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So...just to review: Yesterday evening we got a big, gritty winger who can play either side of the ice, and now today, we pick up a right-handed D-man to eat PP minutes. In return, we gave up two prospects who were longshots to even crack our lineup and a small handful of draft picks.<br />
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Not too shabby.<br />
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We'll get our first chance to see our new Wings on Wednesday when they face off against the New York Rangers.<br />
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As far as this year's trade deadline for the Red Wings, though, I have four words, ladies and gents: Winner winner, chicken dinner.<br />
<br />Brad Butlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338497197626834573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2109917283708940527.post-68730014796704386602015-03-01T19:14:00.001-08:002015-03-01T19:14:14.078-08:00Wings Make Their Move, Acquire Cole from Stars<br />
One had to wonder if this year would be like many others for the Detroit Red Wings. Would the trade deadline come and go with no action from the brain trust in Hockeytown? We could almost hear the canned speeches of 'We like our team' or 'Our players coming back from injury, THOSE are our deadline acquisitions'. We'd heard them all before, and no doubt expected we would hear them again.<br />
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But not this time.<br />
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In a deal that would only be considered a blockbuster move here in Red Wings Nation, the Wings have picked up big forward Erik Cole from the Dallas Stars.<br />
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Let's face it: anything more than a swap of draft picks in Detroit is blockbuster nowadays, just let me have this!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3wxG9_eBMep5CVHgf5mjE3r8jDOaYsgO4rjJZh8e-vGY2Utn7VDVf8rCf_J0xCwXhyphenhyphenjaSDZuBBkI7iurtNMRrtJgeBqQ4KgnlTZVZZd6zHmK8lwGtNyyn-VzQO-IHxySZ0PAgUPvnWcY/s1600/Cole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3wxG9_eBMep5CVHgf5mjE3r8jDOaYsgO4rjJZh8e-vGY2Utn7VDVf8rCf_J0xCwXhyphenhyphenjaSDZuBBkI7iurtNMRrtJgeBqQ4KgnlTZVZZd6zHmK8lwGtNyyn-VzQO-IHxySZ0PAgUPvnWcY/s1600/Cole.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a>As Dallas sends Cole and a third-round pick to the Wings, Detroit sends back a pair of prospects (Mattias Jannmark and Backman respectively) and a second-round pick.<br />
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Personally? I love this deal. Yes, we're getting a rental player--Cole's contract is up this summer--but he adds size and grit up front that we've been lacking for some time. Yes, we have gritty guys, but Abby, Helmer et al are not big bodies, and Helm is now out for an undetermined amount of time. Also yes, we do have some big bodies on the team, but besides Ericsson who has only recently gotten into some fisticuffs, none of those bigger bodies really throw their weight around...I mean, do I even need to bring up Franzen...? Also? It's not like Cole doesn't produce, with 33 points in 57 games this season on a bottom-dwelling Dallas team playing most regularly with Jason Spezza and Jamie Benn. Give him Zetterberg and Nyquist to play with and let's see what happens, hmm?<br />
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No, I think this deal will work out nicely. We didn't lose any impact players, and we got one in return to toughen up our lineup a little, just before the playoffs. All in all, no complaints from me.<br />
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That said: Welcome to Hockeytown, Erik Cole!Brad Butlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338497197626834573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2109917283708940527.post-57952361623753425722014-12-06T19:13:00.002-08:002014-12-06T19:13:53.929-08:00Red Wings Show True Character, Rally Past Rangers<br />
It's got to be said, if not before then certainly now after this game: The Detroit Red Wings are a scary, dangerous team.<br />
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For anyone who turned the television off after the first 20 minutes of this contest against the New York Rangers, few could fault you. This game had as ugly a start as we've seen this season. The difference tonight is that the Wings found a way to shift gears and start getting it done. Going into the 2nd period down 2-0 and looking disconnected, Detroit hit the ice a completely new team.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjX4vuOwJiNDrnF2lrN693iVW9jZbzN3gUv48wxNh_5PFHcvnM3zxFwuLOVxRnkjxWj7z7zT8BJFWLLCEEdpy_kvCubkRki6BWNDP6gS6HRzHETWBuurtKiEyvKSXFMSsaGtniIAsB99k/s1600/LGDCelly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjX4vuOwJiNDrnF2lrN693iVW9jZbzN3gUv48wxNh_5PFHcvnM3zxFwuLOVxRnkjxWj7z7zT8BJFWLLCEEdpy_kvCubkRki6BWNDP6gS6HRzHETWBuurtKiEyvKSXFMSsaGtniIAsB99k/s1600/LGDCelly.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a>What began as dominance by New York quickly turned the other way as the Wings roared back with 3 unanswered goals to take, and hold, a 3-2 lead to beat the Rangers for the first time in their last 6 meetings. It didn't even take the big guns to get it done, with the Detroit goals coming from Riley Sheahan, Luke Glendening and Darren Helm. The Red Wings' energy corps are becoming a true force to be reckoned with.<br />
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And what about the penalty kill? Detroit spent most of the 3rd period on the PK thanks to consecutive, overlapping 5 on 3's. The Red Wings were tall to the task, however, with Jimmy Howard making some spectacular saves to preserve the Wings' one-goal lead.<br />
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The win was also very special for Head Coach Mike Babcock, who tallied his 500th career win this evening. The way things are going in Hockeytown, he's got many more to look forward to, and I believe he'll remain behind the Red Wings bench for the forseeable future.<br />
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So with the win, Detroit has now racked up 37 points. With Montreal and Tampa both losing tonight, the Wings move past Montreal into 2nd in the Atlantic Division, only 2 points back of the Lightning for tops in the Division AND the Conference!<br />
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The next match-up is scheduled for tomorrow at 5:00 ET, when the Wings travel to meet the Carolina Hurricanes. For now, though, we can savor the feeling of a well-earned Red Wings win.Brad Butlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338497197626834573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2109917283708940527.post-21849039327167349322014-10-03T08:19:00.001-07:002014-10-03T08:19:13.655-07:00Leafs vs Red Wings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /><br />As the regular season comes to a close, we are reminded that Detroit has some new rivals after switching to the Atlantic division. One of these teams is the Toronto Maple Leafs, who the Red Wings play tonight (7:30 PM ET on Sportsnet One, Fox-Sports Detroit)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">For Detroit : </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Nyquist - Zetterberg - Franzen</span><br style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Pulkkinen-Andersson-Abdelkader</span><br style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Weiss-Nosek-Cleary</span><br style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Miller-Glendening-Ferraro</span><br style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Kronwall-DeKeyser</span><br style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Smith-Marchenko</span><br style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Ouellet-Jensen</span><br style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Gustavsson</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Mrazek</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">For Toronto :</span><br style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Leivo-Kadri-Lupul</span><br style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">JVR-Santorelli-Nylander</span><br style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Winnik-Komarov-Kozun</span><br style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Ashton-Holland-Frattin</span><br style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Phaneuf-Robidas</span><br style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Gardiner-Polak</span><br style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Rielly-Percy</span><br style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Bernier </span><br style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Reimer</span><br style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Notable notes :</span><br style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Weiss on the wing with Nosek, good for him! But then, there's Cleary (womp, womp)</span><br style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">First game back - as far as i know - for Robidas. Look for him and Phaneuf to be physical.</span><br style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The Nyquist - Zetterberg - Franzen still intact, which makes me think they'll be the 1st line as the regular season starts.</span><br style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">No Quincey, Kindl or Lashoff! We'll see what the kids can do; excited to see the Ouellet-Jensen pairing.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The Red Wings play in Toronto tonight and in Boston tomorrow to finish up the preseason.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #f8f4f8; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Go Wings Go!</span>François LeBlanchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734057780804951877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2109917283708940527.post-3928997825163333662014-09-16T15:18:00.001-07:002014-09-16T15:18:40.652-07:00Der Kaiser: Wings Re-sign Young Defenseman to 2-Year Deal<br />
About damn time we get some news worth me writing about!!<br />
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Well, how was everyone's summer? I must apologize to my readers, as I seemed to have dropped off the face of the planet for a few months, but I assure you it was all in the interest of me further pursuing my dreams.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzYxGZQUmyUGUDvGU6FPFk7kV44dyqrOtv2DDn6Hf6EEO9-7uVzT06x2YELtgDxQX6DndbeU601Rysw2w3k05sm193h0ULRAD1Oa9ZWzrslNvJDxBL2cYrWpYxzXw6VrR_PsXC2vavfY/s1600/SpiffyKaiser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzYxGZQUmyUGUDvGU6FPFk7kV44dyqrOtv2DDn6Hf6EEO9-7uVzT06x2YELtgDxQX6DndbeU601Rysw2w3k05sm193h0ULRAD1Oa9ZWzrslNvJDxBL2cYrWpYxzXw6VrR_PsXC2vavfY/s1600/SpiffyKaiser.jpg" height="200" width="139" /></a>...But let's be real, you don't wanna hear about that shit, DANNY DEKEYSER JUST GOT RE-SIGNED!! (If you actually wanna hear about that shit, just hit me up on Twitter)<br />
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The news is still pretty fresh, but it appears as though the young and talented Western Michigan graduate has agreed to a 2-year contract extension worth $4.375M. My initial thought was, "Hey look! They paid him more than Kyle Quincey!" But that thought was quickly dashed when I realized we're throwing almost that whole amount at The Saboteur in EACH of his two years. Perhaps I'll rant about that bullshit later, but let's focus on the positive side, shall we? Ah 'kay.<br />
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Let's face it, unless we have some kind of TERRIBLE case of misfortune with our up-and-coming young blueliner (Like THAT ever happens...right........??), Dekeyser is going to be our next top D-Man in the very near future. He's already an excellent player in all 3 areas of the ice, and has a SLEW of amazing mentors in the organization to learn from. While I'm happy as heck that Danny got signed, I--like many I noticed on Twitter--can't help but ask: Why the shit did it take THIS LONG to get a deal in place?? DK is going to be a defensive stud for many, MANY years to come, and considering that the Red Wings have never...let me repeat: NEVER...so much as attempted to fill the void left by Nicklas Lidstrom upon his retirement, a defender with this kind of potential is what we've sorely needed. Now that we have him, we need to lock that shit up like he lives in Fort Knox.<br />
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The only real roster question left now is whether Daniel Alfredsson will be healthy enough to opt in for another kick at the Cup. Then once that's settled, we can all pick sides and go to war about whether we think we've got a legit playoff team or if we're going to be a shit-show and miss the playoffs altogether!<br />
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Damn, I love this time of year...it's good to be back, baby.Brad Butlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338497197626834573noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2109917283708940527.post-84500166790081281172014-04-24T15:38:00.000-07:002014-04-24T15:38:39.965-07:00Wings Must be Better in Critical Game 4<br />
There is a wide gap of difference between a 2-2 series and a 3-1 series. Detroit needs to keep that mind as they head into tonight's Game 4 match-up against the Bruins, who currently hold the 2-1 advantage in this first round clash.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXJOKx2ydKg3gZ2C4J6Jja8BnAzr7qmXYqZVUlyt3fCme3zOIAYW5945r0zmcjGw1heUKa2FEUPOdeXxAs-mBytI8z0nlSvLqmI6K6t1Ay5Cd5LmMhiE7VpPaezps46uvEBFaqy2MCLgc/s1600/HankBeard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXJOKx2ydKg3gZ2C4J6Jja8BnAzr7qmXYqZVUlyt3fCme3zOIAYW5945r0zmcjGw1heUKa2FEUPOdeXxAs-mBytI8z0nlSvLqmI6K6t1Ay5Cd5LmMhiE7VpPaezps46uvEBFaqy2MCLgc/s1600/HankBeard.jpg" height="111" width="200" /></a></div>
All reports indicate that the Wings are getting back Captain Henrik Zetterberg tonight, so long as he cleared at game-time by doctors. You can't even put into words the boost this could give the team. Regardless of the minutes he actually logs if he plays, Hank's sheer presence on the bench and in the dressing room will be massively uplifting and inspirational.<br />
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The only other line change expected is the slotting in of Todd Bertuzzi for his debut in this series, with the hope that his bigger frame will help drive the play to the front of the Boston net. With these line changes, the Red Wings hope to generate more offense, but it wouldn't take much as Detroit has somehow managed to at least take one game after going three with only 2 goals. A huge factor for this has been the decrepit state of the powerplay. I won't be sad if Tom Renney is axed after this season, because whatever he's been trying to sell, the Wings haven't been buying all year.<br />
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We're only about 90 minutes from game time and hopefully when that time comes we see the Red Wings of Game 1 rather than the last two games.<br />
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This series is not out of reach by any means, but giving this one away tonight would almost surely make it so. If the Wings are going to turn it up, tonight is the night to do it.Brad Butlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338497197626834573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2109917283708940527.post-88555189578126746932014-04-19T08:54:00.001-07:002014-04-19T08:54:51.320-07:00Datsyuk Delights with Game One Winner<br />
The magic just doesn't stop, does it?<br />
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I gotta tell you, last night's first round opener against Boston was exciting and entertaining, albeit a bit thuggish on Boston's end, but no one expected much else coming into this series. <br />
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What most people in the media didn't expect, however, was for the severely underestimated Detroit Red Wings to skate into TD Garden and shut down the entire Bruins squad for 60 minutes and skate out with a 1-0 win and a one game lead in this best-of-7 match-up.<br />
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It's early, and it's only one win, but it's still one win. Three to go.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXPM_qxwdC-8j0FmyI4SBRiamRf6RrIEWNg0rx7ea06rxTbwLHkMk_2imtVooR95hevyO6SEORcgy7RWUCHIVL3D60w_2JtYRhp6RkrZ9RePJ4edkHAoS-kLe9Sp7brf0NbUaJBCrjDDs/s1600/PraiseDats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXPM_qxwdC-8j0FmyI4SBRiamRf6RrIEWNg0rx7ea06rxTbwLHkMk_2imtVooR95hevyO6SEORcgy7RWUCHIVL3D60w_2JtYRhp6RkrZ9RePJ4edkHAoS-kLe9Sp7brf0NbUaJBCrjDDs/s1600/PraiseDats.jpg" height="200" width="162" /></a>And can we all take a moment to prostrate ourselves before the glory that is Pavel Datsyuk? Did anyone wonder if he'd find a way to turn it up in the playoffs after coming back so recently? Well, he just answered all those questions with an exclamation point, as well as what could end up being the goal of the playoffs.<br />
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We're back at it on Sunday afternoon, and my only wish is that Babs does his job of keeping the boys humble. We've gone out and beaten the Bruins in a playoff game, so that's been proven doable. That doesn't mean we can be lazy from here on. Every game of this series, no matter how long it goes, will be just like Game 1. This series will be a war of attrition, and Detroit can not afford to slack off at ANY point, or it could be costly.<br />
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If Jimmy Howard stays as dialed in as he was last game, and the skaters continue to play disciplined and structured, it's totally possible. Franzen going Beast mode would be nice, but at least he set up the Dats goal. Maybe Game Two will be his turn.<br />
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We'll find out tomorrow.Brad Butlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338497197626834573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2109917283708940527.post-60403137699991067162014-04-10T10:17:00.000-07:002014-04-10T10:17:12.465-07:00Wings Earn Playoff-Clinching Point in Pittsburgh<br />
Finally, a shootout loss we can feel good about!<br />
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The Wings managed to pull even with the Pittsburgh Penguins late in the 3rd after giving up two leads, but weren't able to put down the Pens for good as Detroit lost their match yesterday 4-3 after a shootout. The point from that loss was the last point the Red Wings needed to secure their berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a 23rd consecutive year, and this has arguably been one of the toughest of all 23 years.<br />
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There have been an inordinate amount of hurdles for Detroit to jump over just to get to this point--primary among them being the ungodly number of injuries the team has suffered. Depleting what was already a roster with some big holes didn't bode well for the Wings, but then a miracle happened:<br />
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The kids in Grand Rapids turned out to be riper than we thought.<br />
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Tomas Jurco, Riley Sheahan, Luke Glendening, and Danny DeKeyser among others accepted the challenge of filling roles far beyond their years and have been nothing short of stellar. Add to that the young fixtures Tomas Tatar and Gus Nyquist--of whom we knew would be regulars on the team despite the weirdness with Nyquist--and you get a youth movement for the ages.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZsJWskQvjJxHrfmkSSZ7TmR-GWTaONMNQrV-L-b7eUccKDTejtwmRlS9y77aBX_QhrKKJkHVQEzoHtcGXGac3FwYnzuh9aDL7crLnrScWATWxL_S_HinXZF7oqtewsZcW-a6HswcZWs/s1600/23straight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZsJWskQvjJxHrfmkSSZ7TmR-GWTaONMNQrV-L-b7eUccKDTejtwmRlS9y77aBX_QhrKKJkHVQEzoHtcGXGac3FwYnzuh9aDL7crLnrScWATWxL_S_HinXZF7oqtewsZcW-a6HswcZWs/s1600/23straight.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Nyquist in particular has been superb, playing the best hockey of his life ever since taking the coaching staff's advice to maintain a more shoot-first attitude. Since then, he's taken himself all the way up to the top of Detroit's goal leaders, and the gap between him and everyone else is wide to say the least.<br />
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Dekeyser has been integral to the Detroit blueline. The young defensive genius is easily in the Red Wings' top 3 D-men, and after the most recent injury to Jonathan Ericsson which has him still sidelined, the Kaiser has played with poise and a measure of calm that few players his age exhibit.<br />
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There are so many great stories to talk about when you look back at this year's team, and we still have the playoffs to look forward to. Be it Pittsburgh or Boston that Detroit faces in the first round, the contest is sure to be an entertaining one! We'll be there soon as the Wings only have 2 games left in the regular season, but the biggest challenge has been cleared: We're in.<br />
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Now, anything can happen.<br />
<br />Brad Butlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338497197626834573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2109917283708940527.post-47328971553032884862014-04-05T09:04:00.000-07:002014-04-15T08:17:19.617-07:00Wings Learn Valuable Lesson Against Buffalo<br />
Last night's game was way more nerve-wracking than it needed to be.<br />
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Detroit roared out to a 3-0 lead in the 1st period in their match against the Buffalo Sabres, but obviously got complacent and relaxed by the time the 2nd rolled around, because from then on the Wings let the Sabres back into the play, and only managed to scrape by with a narrow 3-2 win. Darren Helm, Tomas Jurco and Daniel Alfredsson tallied for the Wings and Jimmy Howard improved to 20-18-11 with the victory.<br />
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I'm personally glad the Wings learned this lesson last night against the worst team in the league, because it proves exactly what the kids in Detroit need to know: Parity is the reality, ANY team can beat you any night if you don't work hard for the full game. They almost saw it happen and almost gave away what many (myself included) would normally consider mail-in points. The only thing is, we're way too close to the end of the season and we're still not technically a lock for the playoffs. We do not get the luxury of backing into any wins from here on out, instead the Wings must put skate blade to throat and make sure they're playing strong hockey from start to finish.<br />
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With the standings the way they are, the most points any team below Detroit and Columbus can end with is 92. If you factor in ROW, the Wings need to win 3 of their last 5 to be a lock for the playoffs no matter what everyone else does. One of those 5 is against Buffalo again, so as long as the Wings turn in a slightly better effort than they did last night, that's one win, leaving 2 wins out of 4 to clinch.<br />
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That, my friends, is doable.<br />
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We're in the homestretch now, guys. Pedal down all week means we're in. Get it done.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitW-GPOaPSriiMkoMaJo49dNx3sVJQHa2ov6Tb2r_uIPnhNXgGf_m2klGXN8e0xEp3sxDQkg4sS227p0ByMnaRcnpA7BisueYuNqCF8YfmOnyNsjJDGAueNY0cOtNdM6WYyY5eFr5MWys/s1600/DonVanMass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitW-GPOaPSriiMkoMaJo49dNx3sVJQHa2ov6Tb2r_uIPnhNXgGf_m2klGXN8e0xEp3sxDQkg4sS227p0ByMnaRcnpA7BisueYuNqCF8YfmOnyNsjJDGAueNY0cOtNdM6WYyY5eFr5MWys/s1600/DonVanMass.jpg" height="160" width="200" /></a>P.S.: I'd like to congratulate referee Don Van Massenhoven on his great career as an on-ice official. He reffed his final game last night at the Joe, and we were his choice for his last match. Enjoy your retirement, Don! The Ref has one of the most thankless jobs in hockey, but one of the most integral and important.Brad Butlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338497197626834573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2109917283708940527.post-89274814585572606642014-04-04T10:24:00.001-07:002014-04-04T10:29:29.772-07:00Wings versus Sabres and the Magician ReturnsThe Detroit Red Wings will take on the Buffalo Sabres tonight at the Joe Louis Arena at 7:30pm. The Wings, who are 6-3-1 their last ten games, defeated the Sabres in the last two match ups this season. Detroit will be looking for another two points to help secure their playoff spot.<br />
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The Wings have been on fire lately, winning their last three games in a row. The big news of tonight's game will be the return of one of the best players in the league, Pavel Datsyuk. We likely see the star center play left wing in tonight's game where he won't be pushed to play as much. The line he will skate with is still to be determined.<br />
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Datsyuk has 15 goals and 18 assists this season. The magician is always a star, but has had less time <br />
to shine this season. Tonight's game will be his first home game since December 23rd. Datsyuk has sat out 16 straight games due to a knee injury and missed 30 of the last 34 games Detroit has played. This brings the question of how much do the Wings really need to rely on Datsyuk?<br />
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Detroit has been holding their own since losing Datsyuk's key role. Players like Nyquist, Tatar and Jurco have helped keep pushed the Wings in their first Eastern Conference wild card spot. Rookie Tomas Tatar has four two-point games in the past six. There is no doubt that the return of Datsyuk will help push Detroit to their 23rd playoff appearance. However, it appears that Datsyuk does not need to play the role of saving the Wings any longer. Daniel Alfredsson is also rumored to be back in the line up tonight. <br />
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Sabres, who are 2-7-1 their last ten games, also have a couple wild cards on their own. Forward Tyler Ennis has earned three points in his last two games and Cody Hodgson has a point each of his last three games. Buffalo will be pushing to win as they face having the fewest wins in a full
season since 1971-72.<br />
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Root on the Detroit Red Wings with us tonight at 7:30pm by following our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DatsyukianGeek">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/DatsyukianGeek">Twitter</a>!Rachel Bellonohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00382508159208395758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2109917283708940527.post-24684555726640061332014-04-03T17:28:00.002-07:002014-04-03T17:28:28.068-07:00Jimmy Howard Wins His 150th Game as Detroit Squeaks by the Bruins 3-2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5l8JhqGvctQrjHd_4xpd9KSnIwdKzbraX1kNDkhkEaCV22wnrCYGtbIgglSrAtGd3kUHhZlE3l5EetZgt78uhJOUmPsH8XEg7dbfGGgagYMtihYiU_HKHJoAacBcq5Cd8c3PTrTZLldY/s1600/We+have+a+nyquist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5l8JhqGvctQrjHd_4xpd9KSnIwdKzbraX1kNDkhkEaCV22wnrCYGtbIgglSrAtGd3kUHhZlE3l5EetZgt78uhJOUmPsH8XEg7dbfGGgagYMtihYiU_HKHJoAacBcq5Cd8c3PTrTZLldY/s1600/We+have+a+nyquist.jpg" height="200" width="182" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit goes to Jorge Nemsis on the Red Wings' Facebook Group.</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">The Red Wings won a game they had no business winning against the top team in the league with a score of 3-2.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Jimmy Howard also collected his 150th win in the NHL, all with the Detroit Red Wings. He's still 201 wins away from the first place Terry Sawchuk on the Red Wings' all-time wins leader.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">The first goal was awarded to the Bruins with a blast
from the point by Johnny Boychuk. The right-handed bruiser from Edmonton blew
one past Howard at the very end of the first period after his teammate Krug had
one disallowed on a sketchy call at best a couple of moments earlier.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">When the second period started, the Red Wings had some
get up in their skating and it finally paid off as Tatar blew one top shelf by
Rask. The Finnish goaltender didn’t have a chance on the goal, as the big frame
of Riley Sheahan had blocked his view. It was all tied up 1-1 after two periods
and the fans, like myself, had no more nails left as the Bruins outshot the Red
Wings 25-11.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Quickly in the third period, Carl Soderberg put the
Bruins back up 2-1 after a PP goal, assisted by Patrice Bergeron and Brendan
Smith’s brother, Reilly. That goal kind of left the Wings short of breath. Then,
the Kid Line of Sheahan, Jurco and Tatar took my breath away (Top Gun reference
here!) with a play that showed how much effort they give game in and game out.
Tatar kicked the puck in front of the net to Jurco and the beneficiary of the
Slovakian connection potted his 6<sup>th</sup> goal to tie it up at two apiece.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Then, <a href="http://t.co/sfxGf4vRaM" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Nyquist exploded</span></a> and did what he’s been doing
for the last 12 games, scoring on a near breakaway, whilst being chased by none
other than Zdeno "I have a 7 foot stick and a Norris Trophy" Chara.
Gustav had the eventual game-winner, as the Red Wings would hold on and win
3-2.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">After the game, Claude Julien said that the team only
played 50 of the 60 minutes of the game and that is what cost the Bruins the
game. For his part, Soderberg said in the post-game interview that the Bruins "never
want to lose two in a row" and was quick to comment that the Leafs’ game was
now the only thing on his mind, putting the lost behind him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">As for the winning coach, Babcock stated in his
post-game interview that a lot of the forwards didn’t have a great game but redeemed
themselves in the third period with big goals. "We can play with anyone,
we don’t have to watch them play. We just need to get out there and play"
Babcock remains confident that his team can overcome adversity and stated that
although "this wasn’t one of our best games, we found a way to win".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Now let’s just hope they can find a way to get into
the playoffs with only 6 games left. One thing is sure, if the Red Wings play
like they did against the Bruins, this team can surprise in the playoffs and
keep the streak of playoff appearances alive.<br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
François LeBlanchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734057780804951877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2109917283708940527.post-80956545916634566802014-04-03T14:23:00.003-07:002014-04-03T14:29:40.782-07:00Red Wings Rookies on FireAs we approach the playoffs, many were worried and doubting the Wings success. It seemed that the longest playoff streak would soon be put to a halt. However, the rookies of the team seem to have a different plan in mind.<br />
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The game last night versus the Boston Bruins was electric. The team that has been floundering to find their rhythm beat the Bruins, the best team in the NHL. Why? Nyquist, Jurco, Tatar. It has been these lethal three that have been making a difference in the Wings playoff stance and making a name for themselves too.<br />
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Boston started the night with a goal late in the first period from Boychuk. Tatar scored the lone goal in the second period to tie Detroit and Boston at 1 to 1. A feed from DeKeyser helped Tatar to get one past Boston goalie Tuuka Risk at the top of the right circle. Boston quickly took the lead back in the beginning of the third period when Soderberg scored the second goal for Boston. During a scramble in front of Rask,Tatar sent a kick pass to Jurco. The Detroit rookie tied it up 2-2. Nyquist followed up <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEyULrGIAVniSRdu3EX8ac3Q8hV-DbNDmplne5E4m-2bvMKoUydSVBKj_lc28l8PD5CRTmCbgQuTQJxUclYMIngfzlxpg2RiuViPA3ObdrDPJpqC3UOa4woFTyOhTT8gFx9k3ud1m_7wna/s1600/Tatar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEyULrGIAVniSRdu3EX8ac3Q8hV-DbNDmplne5E4m-2bvMKoUydSVBKj_lc28l8PD5CRTmCbgQuTQJxUclYMIngfzlxpg2RiuViPA3ObdrDPJpqC3UOa4woFTyOhTT8gFx9k3ud1m_7wna/s1600/Tatar.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a>with a beautiful breakaway with 7:12 left in the third period, leading the Wings to a 3-2 victory against the Bruins Wednesday night.<br />
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The energy from these rookies is really what is astounding. Nyquist, with 28 goals this season (20th in the league), still has a smile from ear to ear when scoring. The star has had 22 goals in the last 27 games. Tatar, 19 goals, pumps his fists into the air when he assists a goal. These rookies are hungry for goals and even hungrier for wins. If you ask me, they are what will make the difference going forward. For anyone who has doubted the Wings in these last two seasons, look at these guys. They are our future. Producing and learning each and every game.<br />
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Another honorable mention: Jimmy Howard. He was on his game last night. Howard, who has had a rocky season himself, seems to be kicking it up. Hopefully we are seeing him preparing to be the awesome playoff goalie we always see out of him. Howard had one of his best games this season, keeping his team in the game and in the playoffs. An impressive 33 saves <br />
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on 35 shots landed Howard the "Star of the Game" spot. <br />
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Some things to look at going forward: will Gustav Nyquist stay in the spotlight? Datsyuk is said to return soon, which we all are surely celebrating. The magician has been out due to a knee injury, but has been skating during practice for the last week. It would seem obvious to have Datsyuk on the first line with Nyquist. However, will that hurt Nyquist's recent successes? <br />
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Detroit will face the Buffalo Sabres tomorrow, April 4th at 7:30pm for their second to last regular season home game. The Sabres are last in the league, with 51 points. Despite their win on Tuesday, the Sabres have lost heir last four games. Hopefully tonight's game against the Blues will tire the Sabres out and allow the Detroit Red Wings for their third win against the Buffalo Sabres this season.<br />
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What do you think of these star rookies? Do you think they will allow Detroit for another playoff appearance? Share your opinion and follow our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DatsyukianGeek">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/DatsyukianGeek">Twitter</a> for more Wings coverage!Rachel Bellonohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00382508159208395758noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2109917283708940527.post-60634627590300607322014-03-25T07:44:00.001-07:002014-03-25T07:44:40.724-07:00Is This the Season-Defining Week for Wings?<br />
Detroit comes into their game tonight against Columbus as the co-owner of the 7th seed. They are tied with Toronto in points but hold two games in hand on the Maple Leafs. The Red Wings then play Montreal, followed by the aforementioned Leafs, and enter the new week with a game against<br />
Tampa Bay. The Wings are as healthy as they're going to be for a while yet, and they are hotter than they've been in some time, which leaves one big question:<br />
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Is this the week that determines whether the door to the playoffs stays open for passage, or gets slammed in our face?<br />
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Now to be fair, we've seen Detroit get a decent amount of help from the Leafs by way of them going into some sort of hockey coma, having lost their last 5 games. That part is HUGE for us. Columbus is faltering as well, having dropped back below us already. But none of this matters if not for the hard work and determination of the Red Wings. Take for example Jimmy Howard's resurgence over the last week, as well as Gustav Nyquist's possessed play since returning from the Olympics! There hasn't BEEN anyone hotter than our boy Goose. These two have taken to driving the bus and are currently steering it in a pretty damned good direction! We're back on the inside, it's now in Detroit's hands to keep it that way.<br />
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Author your own fate, Wings. Don't let other teams dictate where you stand. Keep working hard and clawing for those points like you have been and things will continue to improve.<br />
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Play like the season is on the line, because it is.Brad Butlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338497197626834573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2109917283708940527.post-22291433606337369592014-03-18T09:27:00.001-07:002014-03-18T09:27:46.419-07:00Wings Get Crazy for Crucial Game against Leafs<br />
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The Detroit Red Wings are trying desperately to stay in the hunt for the playoffs while enduring ridiculous amounts of injuries, and may see that task further hindered as they get ready to face the Toronto Maple Leafs, a division rival sitting above them in the standings. Forward Landon Ferraro has been recalled by Detroit in case Justin Abdelkader can't go after leaving the previous game early. As if more call-ups didn't sound the alarm loud enough, it seems struggling Defenseman Brendan Smith has been re-positioned to Left Wing. Wings fans haven't seen a move like this since we saw a blueline-patrolling Sergei Federov...it's just a shame that this time around it's not that caliber of a player.<br />
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Todd Bertuzzi is also a game-time decision, so we could very possibly see both the debut of Ferraro along with Brendan Smith 2.0 against Toronto. At this juncture, Mike Babcock and the coaching staff need to try something different, so why not this? Smith's most consistent error on D is that he isn't able to gauge properly WHEN to pinch in and push the play in the offensive zone, very often getting caught deep as the puck goes back the other way leading to an odd-man rush or a forward trying to cover for him. Maybe now on the wing he'll work out better, since he likes going to the opposition corners so much in the first place.<br />
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All I know is, no matter the changes Detroit makes, we need to start scoring and winning some games. Too many more losses from here on out and that door to the post-season is going to shut for good.<br />
Brad Butlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338497197626834573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2109917283708940527.post-12408484836467878762014-03-07T06:06:00.000-08:002014-03-07T06:06:20.043-08:00Wings Far from Perfect on Lidstrom's Jersey Retirement Night<br />
Talk about a buzzkill.<br />
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It seems as though the Red Wings are out to make sure they make a terrible mess of every significant event taking place this season with them involved. Winter Classic? Awesome, let's lose that one in front of a record-setting crowd--oh wait, we didn't even manage that part. Oh hey, Lidstrom's jersey is going up to the rafters tonight and we could spank the Avs in the same evening! Well, on second thought, let's not bother. To do that, we'd have to play a full 60-minute hockey game. Instead, let's make a big spectacle of the banner-raising (which was seriously beautiful, by the way), then blow two leads after playing about 50 minutes of solid, heart-and-soul hockey...and then nap through the rest of the game.<br />
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Yeah, that was a great plan, boys.<br />
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I said it on Twitter last night and I will say it here: Yes, there are injuries and yes, that means we aren't playing our best players. That does not equate to this team being poor skill-wise. Our defense is lacking, I'll be first to admit, but how do you play relatively sound, smart hockey for 50 minutes and then just turn it around like you have 5 guys on the ice consistently unaware of what the game of hockey even is?? When they talk about players running out of gas, I wouldn't think to take it so literal that they ACTUALLY SHUT DOWN once that gauge dips!!<br />
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Oh, there's minute 50, time for us to go comatose! Really, guys...? You're better than this, you know it and everyone on this side of it knows it. Get your damn act together before you finally cost yourselves a playoff berth because you couldn't be bothered to stick it out for another half a period.Brad Butlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338497197626834573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2109917283708940527.post-91254489715007022332014-02-28T10:54:00.001-08:002014-02-28T10:54:34.307-08:00Wings Get Ball Rolling in Back-To-Back Wins<br />
Well there's a good way to come back from the Olympics.<br />
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Detroit was blessed with two straight games to resume the NHL regular season, and obviously they wanted to get off on the right foot to start their dash to the postseason. They did exactly that as they decimated the Ottawa Senators 6-1 last night, on the heels of squeaking out a 2-1 OT win over the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhj9ONMa0-RZhmmHIF4xBdCNOJB4rAeJWE3KUiKxoQX0BPAo2OY_mtu5dsTXQY-32n9Yz1Piu3V1s-MX4b1nOgTGFaX0Kcj56NWHdRu__TD6ML4ogAHBPPboJBEd3bwRqK481KOpBe4nU/s1600/MuleRockin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhj9ONMa0-RZhmmHIF4xBdCNOJB4rAeJWE3KUiKxoQX0BPAo2OY_mtu5dsTXQY-32n9Yz1Piu3V1s-MX4b1nOgTGFaX0Kcj56NWHdRu__TD6ML4ogAHBPPboJBEd3bwRqK481KOpBe4nU/s1600/MuleRockin.jpg" height="144" width="200" /></a>With the loss of Henrik Zetterberg for most--if not all of--this season, the Red Wings need someone to step up and deliver, and so far it seems like they've got just the man, or mule, for the job. Johan Franzen is playing some of the best hockey of his career after returning yet again from concussion symptoms that had been plaguing him over the last couple months. He really made a statement of intent with a hat trick in Ottawa, almost netting four after ringing the post. This is the Mule we know and love, and something has obviously clicked Franzen back into Beast mode. Whatever it is, he needs to bottle it and keep drinking it the rest of the year.<br />
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Currently the Wings are standing pat at 8th in the East with 68 points. They hold a game-in-hand over 7th place Toronto with 71 points, and are even in GP with 9th place Washington with 65 points. If the Red Wings can keep up this pace, they will slowly inch their way up the standings and into a more comfortable position for the playoffs.<br />
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Just please don't let it be a repeat of last year's nail-biting last gasp into the playoffs. I don't know of my heart can take another one of those.<br />
<br />Brad Butlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338497197626834573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2109917283708940527.post-17429678471111066912014-02-24T08:36:00.000-08:002014-02-24T08:36:29.694-08:00Let's Review, Shall We?<br />
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With the Winter Olympics finished up for all the NHL'ers who were participating, the Red Wings will soon be back to continue the remainder of the 2013-2014 season. Before that, however, let's take a moment to get re-acquainted with our team and remind ourselves of the position we're in as the regular season prepares to start up again.<br />
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Detroit comes back into the season holding onto the 8th and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, currently ranked 5th in the Atlantic Division. They are 6 points back of 7th ranked Toronto and hold only a single point's edge over trailing Columbus. The silver lining here is that Detroit actually holds two games in hand on the Maple Leafs, so with a good showing out of the gate from the Red Wings, we could see that margin close to only 2 points by the time the two clubs come even in games played. Also in our favor is the fact that Columbus HAS the same number of GP, so no games in hand for them.<br />
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On the injury front, Pavel Datsyuk is getting back into form. He played very well in the Olympics, carrying the Russian national team on his shoulders as much as he could, but thanks to some terrible coaching, the Russians were ousted before even getting to medal contention. I understand Dats is probably very upset and disappointed over this, but to me it is a blessing in disguise. Pavel got in some good playing time and was still able to get time to further rest himself before coming back to the Wings this Wednesday. All of the other Olympian Red Wings had great showings too, including our two Slovakians, Tomas Jurco and Tatar. Even though their team went winless, those two really showed grit and determination, easily becoming two of the best players on the team even though they are still very young.<br />
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On the flipside, however, was the biggest news out of Sochi for Detroit: Henrik Zetterberg went down early in the tournament with more back issues, this time so severe that he had to withdraw completely and opt for back surgery. Hank was quoted as saying the injury was 20 times worse than when it flared up during the regular season. Initial reports indicate that our captain could be out at least 8 weeks, which does mean that he COULD be cleared to play in time for the playoffs or even the late stages of the season if we're lucky; however, that is a long, long time to wait to get back the guy who has undeniably driven the bus for the Red Wings ever since late last season. Zetterberg is irreplaceable, but the question looms whether or not the organization will attempt to do so anyway.<br />
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Back at home, Johan Franzen is feeling much improved by all accounts. Originally chosen to play in Sochi, a relapse of Franzen's concussion symptoms forced him to concede his spot, which was taken by fellow Wing Gustav Nyquist. Franzen could be ready to go on Wednesday when the team resumes play. The bigger question looming over management's head is regarding a guy we've barely seen this year: How will the return of Stephen Weiss to the lineup impact the Red Wings' play? Weiss was...ineffective, shall we say, thus far this season but it became glaringly obvious after a while that something was definitely wrong with him. Sure enough, turns out he was battling a sports hernia and needed surgery. Now that that's been taken care of though, will we start to see more of the Stephen Weiss who dazzled Florida Panthers fans for so many years? With the absence of Zetterberg, one prays the answer is a decided yes.<br />
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...Oh, and Jakub Kindl had a sprained MCL that apparently is better now...in case anyone cares.<br />
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So in short, the Red Wings come back to the season in okay shape. The loss of Z hurts terribly, but with all the bodies coming back playing well, squeaking into the playoffs is not a far off dream.<br />
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Once you're in, anything can happen.<br />
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Here's to an exciting last dash to the end, Wingnuts.<br />
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Brad Butlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338497197626834573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2109917283708940527.post-9617541517367999822014-02-03T07:30:00.000-08:002014-02-03T07:30:49.245-08:00The Defense Rests<br />
If it wasn't clear before yesterday's game, it certainly became glaringly obvious after: this team needs an upgrade on the blueline.<br />
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I've been chirping this for months, through all the other struggles with injury and offensive droughts and whatnot. Most of the other problems (besides injury) have cleared up, but the one thing that has been consistent is the fact that our D-corps is nigh-translucent. If you score 5 goals in one hockey game, there are very few excuses as to why you don't win that game. And by the ways, injuries? The only big recent injury we had on defense was losing Rig to broken ribs, and he's back. Honestly, he's been one of, if not THE best defenseman we've had over the last week of games. We've run almost the exact same 6 D all year, and it hasn't gotten any better.<br />
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Smith still stinks, Quincey is a sabotaging double-agent, and Kindl looks ready to go back to the AHL. Lashoff is spotty at best, but at least he doesn't get caught pinching like Smith always does. The biggest offender, and I'll take flak for this and I really don't care, is Kronwall. Let's level, okay guys? Nik Kronwall is not a #1 defenseman, he is plugging the hole with his finger, not filling it. The style Kronwall has played since the departure of Lidstrom is not his style of play, and it's obvious. The dude is here to bang bodies and keep enemy offenses honest, and he does not do that on a regular basis. It's part of why opposing skaters attack out defensive zone so aggressively and get the big chances that they do. Kronner is not a shut-down guy, he's a knock-down guy! And before you say it, I don't care about the risk of suspension if Kronner starts Kronwalling guys frequently again. You know why? Because a hell of a lot of good it's done us for him to NOT do it! We're still struggling for a playoff spot and we're giving up 5 goals every other game, do you need reminded of the game against Philly?? This is not a singularity! Our. Defense. SUCKS.<br />
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I'm not saying there's definitely an answer out there to be had at the trade deadline, but DO NOT feed me the same Ken Holland bullshit that "We like our team as it is" and "There's really no one out there that interests us." because damn-near ANYTHING is better than what we've got right now. Management needs to stop deluding itself and WORK on fixing this very real PROBLEM. Even if they go after someone and don't get them, at least if I can see they TRIED, that's enough for me...Brad Butlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338497197626834573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2109917283708940527.post-46670607355361099832014-01-30T11:27:00.002-08:002014-01-30T11:27:39.266-08:00Stop Russian: Thoughts on the Datsyuk LBI<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMEC5V-EPSYxGEtCeT_sGsl_mZvuabvsiI64g1gRVUe5qBw37dsxjJoT-mvBsFGDABEepi-nBE2tPKVdX_pY1P5xuJs8Y2j8OZG7GlD2WGTxK-_hmL5nJCp0va4NeK-FmX09DyhOb-NuU/s1600/DatsRussia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMEC5V-EPSYxGEtCeT_sGsl_mZvuabvsiI64g1gRVUe5qBw37dsxjJoT-mvBsFGDABEepi-nBE2tPKVdX_pY1P5xuJs8Y2j8OZG7GlD2WGTxK-_hmL5nJCp0va4NeK-FmX09DyhOb-NuU/s1600/DatsRussia.jpg" height="200" width="156" /></a>It's now been reported that Pavel Datsyuk will miss his 12th consecutive game with a lower-body injury when Detroit faces Washington on Friday. Of course a small part of me wants to go panic mode considering the Wings' place in the standings currently, but at the same time I can't help but think it's best in the long run that he take as much time as needed to heal. If that means he misses the Olympics I'm fine with it, even though he was honored with his country's Captaincy.<br />
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I am getting tired of the trolls who are giving Dats grief about him missing games now but expect he'll play in Sochi. If he's healthy by then, then that's fine, but do you honestly think that he's going to risk further injury by coming back too soon, even to play for his homeland? Before Pavel re-signed, people were going off their heads over a stupid rumor that was getting thrown around that he wanted to play in Russia instead, which he quickly and wholly dismissed. He is a professional athlete and he will not risk losing out on the rest of his NHL contract by playing hurt here OR in Sochi by machine-gunning cortisone shots into his leg.<br />
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People need to calm down. The season is not over, and we're only just BARELY outside of a playoff spot right now. By the time the Olympics are over, we should be pretty much 100% healthy, or as close as a team 2/3 through the season should be. It's fine to keep your expectations low as far as a Cup run is concerned, but when the injured are well again, 23 straight years will be well in sight.Brad Butlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02338497197626834573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2109917283708940527.post-260347893481691382014-01-26T17:16:00.001-08:002014-01-26T17:16:45.476-08:00Panthers Pounce Shorthanded, Win in the Shootout<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">The
Panthers just kept coming as the clip the Red Wings 5-4 in a shootout.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NHL.com</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">In
the first period, Sean Bergenheim got behind the defence and scored his 12<sup>th</sup>
of the season, setting the pace of the game early on. The Panthers continued to
play solid, forchecking hockey and kept the Red Wings at bay. The Red Wings
couldn’t get any sustained pressure as Thomas wasn’t really tested. All things
said, the Red Wings came on stronger in the latter half of the period and we
had the making of another one-goal game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">In
the second period, Nyquist put his team on the board, as he picked up a Franzen
pass and beat Thomas five-hole for his 9<sup>th</sup> of the season. And then,
the unthinkable happened; the ever elusive Dan Cleary, who got the call he was
playing 15 minutes before the game, won a face-off that led to the Alfredsson goal
that made it 2-1 Red Wings. And Cleary wasn’t the only one who had a good game,
as the kids – Jurco, Sheahan and Tatar – were getting it done. The
aforementioned Sheahan finished off a play by Tatar who scored on a
spin-o-rama, on the powerplay and made it 3-1 for the Red Wings. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">The
third period had some more jump to it. Boyes and Gilbert had some chances early
on Gustavsson, who stood tall, but he couldn’t help letting a Winchester shot get
through him, making it 3-2 at 9:12. Cleary, never one to be upstaged, did his
best Tomas Holmstrom impression and had a goal waived off for after a
questionable goaltender interference call. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">As
the period progressed, the Panthers came on stronger, heavily outshooting the
Red Wings early on but as in all good things in life, it had to come to an end.
Tatar finished up a nice Sheahan play at the top of the circle and it was 4-2
for the Red Wings. Drew made "Shore" that he kept his team in the
game, as he snapped a shot into a wide open net at 14:19 to make it 4-3. The
Red Wings then got caught up on an odd-man rush on the power-play and shootout
player extraordinaire Brad Boyes scored a short-handed marker, making it even
at 4-4 at 16:14 in the 3rd.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Overtime
solved nothing and Florida eventually won it thanks to a Bjugstad goal in the
shootout.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">All
in all, there were two things I noticed in tonight’s game. One, Mike Babcock
seemed to be relying on his 2<sup>nd</sup> line of Jurco – Sheahan – Tatar all
throughout the game, 5 on 5 and on the powerplay and the kids responded. They
finished with a very solid 5 points and +3 overall. The other positive thing is
that Kyle Quincey went unnoticed throughout the game, which is a very good
thing. He played a defensively sound game, even though he finished with an even
rating.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
François LeBlanchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04734057780804951877noreply@blogger.com0