Winging It In Motown: FanPosts

Bruins Visit Red Wings November 3

2009-11-03T18:27:32Z

The Detroit Red Wings will play the Boston Bruins tonight in an original six match-up. It is the only time the two teams meet this season.

The Red Wings returned home Sunday from a five game road trip having improved their record to 5-4-3. Unfortunately the Wings did not return with Valtteri Filppula and Brad May. Despite the best efforts of the team, Jonathan Ericsson also caught the flu, but will likely play tonight.

Bruin’s goalie Tim Thomas, who is a Davison, Mich. native, will look to make a strong hometown appearance. Thomas, winner of last season’s Vezina and Jennings Trophies, won 6-3 last time he played in Detroit.

The Bruins have failed to win two games in a row this season; they also haven’t lost two games in a row either. They lost their last game. The Wings are looking to win a second straight game to start a two game home stretch before going to Toronto on Saturday for the Hall of Fame Weekend. Detroit’s trick to success will be to pommel Thomas with pucks all night.

One team's loss is another players chance

2009-11-03T15:51:12Z

I'd rather have Valteri on our center ice but this gives way to another player gaing some ice time!

Breaking a wrist is never fun. It is not fun when you watch your team struggle in the standing while you sit at home for 6-8 weeks healing slowly.

Some take this as a defeat already. I look at it like a good sign to come. Ville Leino (who was a scratch in Edmonton the game versus Edmonton) might get a bump up to produce more offense. He has only three points so far and Mike Babcock is not happy with him. Maybe a bump up a line may help him.

Darren Helm will most likely get the jump up a line or Justin Abdelkader. Both have been doing very good so far providing good work ethic on every shift. One guy I am happy to see on the ice is Patrick Eaves. This guy is such a good worker. He really isn't talked about around the team but I don't think it bothers him. Also I read in a post that he has no PIMs or so I think. Great work by Eaves.

A mention to Brad May for staying tough and giving us some grit and fights. He also gives us another spark in the later lines when he plays. Good work. GO WINGS GO!

Poll

Who has proved themselfs on the lower lines this year so far?

Red Wings Win to End Road Trip - More Injuries

2009-11-01T06:07:33Z

Calgary held the Detroit Red Wings to only 30 shots, but the Wings were able to walk away with a 3-1 win to finish their longest road trip of the year 2-1-2.

Daymond Langkow opened the scoring in the second period for the Flames, but the Wings quickly answered with goals from Brad Stuart and Tomas Holmstrom within a minute and a half. Other than an empty net goal by Kirk Maltby, all the game’s offensive action came in that minute and a half of play.

Halloween was a scary day in the NHL with several players going headfirst into the boards in multiple games. At the Saddledome in Calgary, Todd Bertuzzi was kicked in the face early in the third period and Brad May was hit by Jason Williams’ stick in the eye while on the bench. While Bertuzzi returned to the ice, Brad May was taken to the hospital, where he will stay overnight for observation and will not fly back to Detroit with the Wings tonight.

There were not a lot of things Calgary could have done to change tonight’s outcome. After two periods, they had blocked 15 shots and had not spent a lot of time in their own zone. In fact, for much of the game the puck was stuck in the neutral zone. The Wings played a good game but could not get anything done on the powerplay.

In Play! Man of the Game: Chris Osgood. While not a highlight outing, Osgood finished with 20 saves and many of them came off multiple shot chances. The only goal he let in was batted out of the air and just missed Osgood’s shoulder.

WOOT! I LOVED THAT GAME

2009-10-28T23:28:22Z

Howard, Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Holmstrom, Filpula and Williams are winners!

First and foremost if any Canuck fans read this, Great work by your broadcasters. If you remember the break-away by Zetterberg this broadcaster said on the replay "Luongo stopped one of the best!" That's just great work. Non-biased broadcasting. I respect that unlike some (Avalanche).

Now to my main point. Jimmy Howard let in 3 goals. That seems like a poor job but he played amazing. I forget who made the almost highlight-reel goal with the wrap-around, but Jimmy made a great save on it. Don't leave out other saves by him.

Filpula was our playmaker last night with some nice plays. The last goal was a pure pass which only Jesus could do better. Great game by Fil!

Now Mr. Babcock, Can you see that the line of Zetterberg, Datsyuk and Holmstrom works. Keep it that way forever please. I think its working and everyone on that line likes it. Problem is when Franzen returns he screws it up. So much talent on a roster sucks!

Osgood will hopefully shake this off and will watch the next game from the bench. That will get him thinking a little.

Someone take that knife outta me

2009-10-26T20:43:27Z

Im not a bandwagoner, I just feel like everything around the Wings makes me sad.

I am sad, angry and hurt by our poor start. Most games we seem to look like an AHL team. Running around, chasing the other team and can't even hold on to the puck for a minute. Sounds like the Wings of 07-08 right. That year we were awesome.

This year we have a record that could get us into the top five draft lottery. If the playoffs were on Sunday- kiss our streak goodbye. I've been wondering what is going on here.

Don't even dare to complain about those new guys. Williams and Bertuzzi are former Wings- even if Bertuzzi played eight games with us. What about Eaves? I like that guy way to much to complain about him.

Somethings gotta give. It's playoff time in my mind. We better shape up or we can see about getting Taylor Hall next year.....

Wings Buffed by Avs Commentators

2009-10-25T18:27:55Z

Because I'm a Red Wings fan living in Avs country, I noticed the Avalanche commentators were dissing the Red Wings and Detroit. Did anyone hear what I heard? The crew suggested that the Red Wings era was over and it's all the buzz in Detroit too. I'm not worried, but honestly, the homers in Denver are so high on their wins that they actually have the nerve to suggest this. I always have some Avs fan in my face screaming "red wings suck."

Great rivalry in the past, but now it's just not the same fans here in Denver. They really don't get it. They only care about winning- last season the Avs fan fled. No loyalty, just bandwagon.

Television question

2009-10-25T11:56:42Z

I recently purchased AT&T U-verse and got the additional sports package because it included FSD. I was looking forward to being able to watch Wings games again but the first 2 I tried to watch were blacked out. Since I don't live in the standard viewing area for FSD should I expect this all year or is this just a cruel coincidence? Does anyone know why these games were blacked out for me?

Red Wings Still Winless on the Road

2009-10-25T04:46:35Z

By AJ Petronzi

The Detroit Red Wings lost another game to move to 0-4-1 on the road.

Detroit opened scoring in the 2nd period when Kris Draper stuffed the puck through Anderson on a backhand; it was Draper’s 150 career goal. Colorado’s Galiardi tied the game with 5 minutes left in the 2nd.

Todd Bertuzzi scored a goal, but the goal was called back by virtue of referee Brad Watson claming he intended to blow the whistle before the puck was in the net. This would have been impossible since Bertuzzi stuffed the puck straight into Anderson who was sitting inside the goal by his own free will. Watson was also involved in the bad goal called against Detroit that cost them the game in Phoenix on Thursday.

Colorado forward Chris Stewart scored a goal on Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard to give Colorado the lead. The goal would prove to be the game winner.

Detroit took the game to Colorado recording 49 shots on goal and only getting two by Anderson; one again was called back. Any other goalie in the NHL, other than Ryan Miller and Roberto Luongo, would have let far more goals in on 48 shots. Detroit failed to score a goal on eight powerplay attempts, the first time the Wings have failed to score a powerplay goal this season.

In Play! Man of the Game: Todd Bertuzzi. Bertuzzi rightfully scored a goal, but had it taken away. He also played a strong offensive and defensive game, recording 3 shots on goal, two of which were quality scoring chances resulting in a goal called back and a post hit, which actually doesn’t count as a shot on goal.

I feel obliged to acknowledge the play of Craig Anderson, who will walk away with 48 saves and a .979 save percentage.

Red Wings Dead In The Desert

2009-10-23T18:11:40Z

Detroit Red Wings forward Pavel Datsyuk stormed into Phoenix and played like he hadn’t missed the last couple games. Datsyuk dazzled the crowd with several Datsyukian moves including one on Ed Jovanovski that (to borrow a great line from Mickey Redmond) still has Jovanovski fishing his jock-strap out of the rafters.

The Red Wings continued to produce on the power play, giving them at least one in every game played this season. The Datsyuk goal was an answer to a powerplay goal scored by the Phoenix Coyotes, the first that Detroit had allowed in nine chances. A highlight real pass by Datsyuk to the tape of Brett Lebda gave him a wide open cage to hit and the Wings a 2-1 lead.

Phoenix tied the game with two and a half minutes left on a questionable goal that was reviewed. In fact both of Phoenix’s goals were reviewed, but there was no question that the first goal counted. On the second goal, Chris Osgood was pushed into the net along with the puck, but the goal stood anyway.

In overtime, Wings forward Valtteri Filppula was robbed of a breakaway when the linesman failed to get out of the way and interrupted a pass. Almost immediately afterwards, Adrian Aucoin sent a weak wrist shot at Osgood that bounced off Osgood’s right pad and stick and wound up in the net.

In Play! Man of the Game: Pavel Datsyuk! Datsyuk came back from a two missed games from injury to net two assists and a couple takeaways; though in an effort of sportsmanship, Datsyuk should help someone find Jovanovski’s jock.

Getting a little ahead of ourselves?

2009-10-23T15:54:28Z

I've got a bone to pick with John Buccigross' latest ESPN "mailbag" in which he addresses a few things Red Wings. Bucci is normally the only person I'll really read from ESPN but this comment stuck out like a sore thumb:

1. Why do Datsyuk and Zetterberg get no love? I know they are not as flashy as Ovechkin or Crosby, but come on, they are in their prime.

JB: First of all, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg are no longer in their NHL prime. Datsyuk is 31 and Zetterberg is 29. Those are not "prime" ages to play a nine-month NHL season.

If Datsyuk and Zetterberg are truly no longer in their prime, how do you explain Pavel's back-to-back 97 point seasons (career highs) or Zetterberg's Conn Smythe in the '08 Cup? While Hank didn't have a career year last season, he did the year before and still post very respectable numbers (31 G, 42 A, 53.3% faceoff success). Pavel scored the most goals of his career last year with 32 and added 65 assists while winning 56% of the 1135 faceoff draws he took. Clearly, past his prime.

I think what people forget is how good these two guys are defensively and forcing turnovers that create offense for the rest of the team. Example, Datsyuk had 89 takeaways last year (2nd to Malkin) while having 31 less turnovers than Malkin did. The reason Hank and Pavel don't get the same amount of "love" from the commentators is because of their defensive play. And as the saying goes, "defense is boring." But I'll take "boring" any day if it creates scoring opportunities for the rest of the team, especially when it's created by players "past their prime." To me, it's always going to be impossible for these guys to stand out when the rest of the league idolizes the offense of the Crosby-Ovechkin-Malkin trio. Personally, I'd rather our players go under the radar but to be considered past their prime is bordering on the edge of ludicrous.

What do you have to say on it?

Poll

Are Hank and Pavel "past their prime"?

No way, Bucci is just talking crazy.

131 votes

Yeah, but I hate to admit it.

13 votes

144 votes | Poll has closed

A hole that must be filled

2009-10-18T22:07:18Z

I dont want to sound like a cry-baby whiner but I have some concern over our first 7 games. What is going on?!?!

Something isn't right. You can say that no-name guy who left us for Chicago is leaving a big hole but.... It's not that. Something is missing in our game. The blue line which was like a steel wall for many years seems to be rusting. Our offense seems to be a little off.

What in the world is going on? Why are we off to such a slow start? I think we all clicked as team mates. Big Bert and Willams are former Wings so they know the system. But our system is falling apart. Can someone tell me who is slowing us down?

Coaching? Not a fat chance. Babcock has been our leader into every game. Smart and not some angry old man, he has took us to the finals twice. The last one being quite a fail....
I don't want to put the blame on someone but there is a someone on this roster who is not performing well. Maybe it's a cold streak but that guy better turn it around. FAST!

I am keeping in mind that Franzen is out.

Poll

Who is our cold streaker?

Local Kid To Suit Up for Av's Tonight.

2009-10-17T18:04:20Z

Detroit, who are 3-3-0 going into tonight, have struggled on the road. With 5 away games in the next two weeks, Detroit will be looking to go into the trip above .500.

Look for Henrik Zetterberg to continue to produce offensively; he currently leads Wings with 6 points but only one goal. Also look for Kirk Maltby to be banging away for another goal; he’s off to a hot start and Kris Draper has been calling Malts “hot hands” since his goal Thursday night.

On local note...
Look for Windsor Minor Hockey Association (WMHA) graduate Ryan Wilson (#44) to suit up for the Colorado Avalanche. Wilson made his NHL debut Tuesday against the Boston Bruins.

Red Wings See Red In Buffalo

2009-10-14T02:52:36Z

The Detroit Red Wings decided to take a couple days off and dress a little league team to take their place for tonight’s game. Unfortunately, that’s only what it looked like.

Buffalo, who had a season total of 4 goals going into the game tonight, scored 6 against Chris Osgood and Jimmy Howard to more than double their season totals.

Osgood, who was chased from net after giving up 5 goals, was not responsible for Detroit’s troubles. The only consistency that the Wings displayed during the game was a total breakdown defensively.

The Wings need to prove themselves on the road; if they can’t, the extended road trip that begins next week is going to be a difficult one.

Detroit’s road game has been three horrifying showings; that is going to have to change if the Wings want to be around come post-season.

Another 13 game night, not a single one on Versus?

2009-10-10T16:57:48Z

I was going to do a post about this subject the other night, but now that it's happened again... it feels absolutely necessary. What could possibly be Bettman's play on this one? Having so many games in one night (again) unlike in past seasons and not airing a single one on the almighty Versus (the NHL's main broadcast channel).

Is this the new way of promotion in today's(Bettman's) NHL? Even giving it a name "Saturday Spectacular" ...If it's so darn spectacular, then shouldn't at least ONE game or maybe even a double header be aired on the NHL's only mainstream cable network? Is this some way to make Direct Tv customers not feel so bad?

C'mon now Bettman, I'm no PR genius but tonight seems like a good of a night as any to do a big time hockey night of some sorts. I believe the other night, when I was originally going to post this conflict. Their was 12 games being played and not a single one was on Versus. Long gone are the days of Saturday/Friday Hockey Night with good ol' Bill Clement & Gary Thorne on ESPN. Several of tonight's match-ups would have made for a great build up. Especially our Red Wings taking on Ovechkin and the Caps.

I'm surprised I haven't really seen this mentioned anywhere else. Maybe most people have given up and moved on to alternate methods of viewing the game. NHL gamecenter seems like an over-priced joke. Options like sopcast,ustream, etc. are okay as last resorts but not great quality compared to TV. Not to mention they don't really do much as far as promoting the sport goes. What are some of your thoughts on this???

13 games in 1 night = Spectacular.

Not being able to watch them = Not so spectacular.

Detroit Red Wings schedule

Capitals vs Red Wings preview

Capitals vs Red Wings coverage

Welcome to Motown Mr.May

2009-10-09T21:52:43Z

Brad May the beast, gives me a show

Brad May gave us all something to look at this year. No not goals or amazing criss-cross passing. Just pure, exciting old time hockey fighting.

Did anyone else get the urge to smile and cheer out loud; " Yeah! Go May go!" I did. I did not see the whole game but watching the highlights gave me a reason to smile when Brad May go into a fight. Being the old-time-hockey fan I am I just love fights and good hard body checks (Brad Stuart gave a few great hits last night) and that always gets me going.

One problem. Justin Abdelkader and Darren Helm. Justin is vying for his spot on the roster and Darren Helm is out for a few games from that injury he got in the pre-season. Somethings gotta give. I see it like this way.

Next season May retires and someone leaves the roster, giving Helm and Abby their full time spots. No problem. For now I want May on that roster because he can protect our star players (

Red Wings sign Brad May to 1-yr deal

2009-10-08T12:39:22Z

As a follow up from Drew's last quickhits entry, it's looking more and more likely May will make an appearance in Motown at some point this season. From TSN:

The Detroit Red Wings have added some more veteran experience to their team as they have signed forward Brad May to a one-year deal worth $500,000.

The 37-year old May split time between the Anaheim Ducks and Toronto Maple Leafs last season had one goal, six assists and 89 penalty minutes in 58 games.

In 1,001 career NHL games split between the Sabres, Canucks, Coyotes, Avalanche, Ducks and Maple Leafs, the Toronto native has 127 goals, 160 assists and 2,182 penalty minutes. He helped the Ducks capture the Stanley Cup in 2007.

Pat LaFontaine's Idea For Powerplays

2009-10-07T02:28:45Z

Yahoo! Sports has an interesting article up regarding an interview they had with Pat LaFontaine (for those of you who don't know him, which is hard to believe, he'd be the unsung hero of the 80's and 90's hidden behind the likes of Gretzky, Sakic, Yzerman, Hull, Lemiuex, Borque, etc. He was inducted into the hall of fame nearly a decade ago). This is what he said:

"Maybe if there's five minutes to go in the third period, if there's a penalty taken, maybe there's an optional penalty shot?

"Here are your options: You either get one penalty shot or a two minute penalty where the player doesn't come out of the box. You have a chance to go for two goals instead of maybe one goal. But what if the penalty occurs with, say, 30 seconds left in the game? What it does is allow some excitement into the game. You need to put the breakaway back in the game."

So, basically, if time will run out before a penalty would expire, the team would get to decide between sending out their best player to go one-on-one with the goalie or a two minute major where you have the possibility of scoring multiple goals. This would make for a tough strategic decision for teams and could make for an interesting last two minutes of a game.

Personally, I like the idea. It's radical, sure, but I think it would change the dynamic of the game in a good way. Maybe have one of the minor leagues test the idea as is common for sports nowadays?

Another idea in the article is to bring back two minute majors all game long, perhaps for more severe penalties such as slashing and cross checking.

What are your thoughts?

Link To Original Article

Red Wings 2010 Schedule ICS File

2009-09-29T03:51:22Z

So I realized this morning that I missed a lot of games last year because I just forgot that they were on. To solve this, I wanted to subscribe to an iCal calendar to remind me about them. Problem was that none of the calendars I found had reminders built in. So I decided to create one myself. The below file includes all 82 games this season with a reminder popping up 15 minutes before gametime. It also includes what channel it is on and who we are playing. I figured I would share it with all of you.

Works in iCal for sure, likely any other app that supports the ICS filetype

Download ICS File

Red Wings lineup for preaseason opener

2009-09-16T11:52:01Z

Here's the Red Wings' lineup for the preseason opener Wednesday against the Philadelphia Flyers at Joe Louis Arena:

Forwards:
Johan Franzen-Pavel Datsyuk-Tomas Holmstrom
Kris Draper-Justin Abdelkader-Patrick Eaves
Mattias Ritola-Kris Newbury-Jan Mursak
Johan Ryno-Cory Emmerton-Jeremy Williams

Defense
Nicklas Lidstrom-Jakub Kindl
Derek Meech-Brian Rafalski
Jonathan Ericsson-Andy Delmore

Goalies
Jimmy Howard
Daniel Larsson

from MLive.com's Ansar Khan

Red Wings' Lineup

Photos from Training Camp

2009-09-13T22:19:32Z

Here are just a few photos from the opening practice at training camp early Sunday morning:

The Ville Leino-Valtteri Filppula-Jason Williams line led the way in the scrimmage between Team Delvecchio and Team Howe, tallying a combined nine points in the hour contest. Leino recorded two goals and two helpers in the scrimmage.