Wings ride hot hand with Osgood

By Ansar KhanTuesday November 27, 2007, 12:34 AM



DETROIT -- The years have been kind to Detroit Red Wings goaltender Chris Osgood. He has the same youthful look in his 14th NHL season as he did during his rookie year. He turned 35 on Monday, but it's hard to tell from his appearance, or from his performance.
Osgood's strong play this season, coupled with Dominik Hasek's struggles, have blurred the line between starter and backup. Perhaps the labels no longer apply on this team. Coach Mike Babcock will start Osgood for the fourth time in the last five games tonight when the Red Wings host Calgary.
"You got to get wins," Babcock said. "When you got one guy playing well you got to play him."
Osgood is 10-1-1, with a league-leading 1.66 goals-against average and the fourth-best save percentage in the NHL (.930).
"He's been saving us in some games, winning games for us. He looks real confident in net," captain Nicklas Lidstrom said. "It's not easy being a backup goalie and coming in and playing like a starter, but I think it helps having been a starter in the past. You can see the whole team is confident when he's in net."
Osgood, whose 346 wins places him 16th on the NHL's career list, is somewhat amused that many seem surprised by his performance.
"I'm not bad. I've played a little while, I know what I'm doing a little bit," Osgood said. "It never gets old. Even now, I love playing, love playing in big games and winning, It's been fun so far this year."
Osgood is 17-1-6 in his last 24 starts, dating back to January of last season. He battled through several injuries the last two seasons and is now displaying the consistency he showed through much of his first stint in Detroit from 1993-2001.
"I just play the same way. I think that's good for a team to know," Osgood said. "Anybody can jump in and play one, two or three games, it's a matter of being consistent. On this team you have to give them a chance to win. A majority of the time they're going to score some goals. That's what I give them."
"He's been perfect pretty much in every game," defenseman Chris Chelios said. "It doesn't matter who's in net, Ozzie or Dom, we're very comfortable with either one. It's great to see Ozzie getting the opportunity and playing the way he is. Everyone seems to forget that Ozzie has won the (Stanley) Cup. They're in a situation where they complement each other well. To have two goalies and be deep in goaltending is a great luxury."
It'll be a tremendous luxury if Hasek returns to his usual form. He's lost three straight to drop to 5-5, with a 2.90 GAA and .864 save percentage.
"I'm not pleased at all with my record and numbers, but whatever happens yesterday, there's nothing you can change about it," Hasek said. "You go for the practice, you work hard, you think what you can do better and get ready for the next game. I know I haven't played well, but I feel very good in the practice and I feel healthy."
Hasek said Babcock hasn't given him any indication of how he plans to divide the workload.
"I have no problem with it," Hasek said. "I'm just waiting when I get a chance, and of course I'll be glad to play more games in a row because it helps me. But right now, it's the way it is. I was injured in the beginning of the year and then I got few chances and didn't really play well. Ozzie played great.
"Right now, I play 50 percent or maybe even less of the games, but I believe when I get back and get the chance I can play on the highest level again. Then I can play in more games in a row and I will feel even better."
Babcock said Hasek will get a lot of opportunities to play the rest of the season.
"It's always been about the team, and that's the approach we take with everybody," Babcock said. "Dom's been around a hundred years, he knows this. He also knows how good he is, and when he gets his next opportunity he'll be good."
RED WINGS NOTES
Toronto rumors quashed: Red Wings senior vice president Jimmy Devellano ridiculed reports out of Toronto suggesting that if the Maple Leafs fire general manager John Ferguson Jr. they will pursue Detroit GM Ken Holland, assistant GM Jim Nill or vice president Steve Yzerman.
"The media in Toronto are dreaming in Technicolor," Devellano said. "Really, no story, it's a dream. What you're getting in Toronto is there is so much competition in the media they have to come up with something."
Holland and Nill signed five-year extensions in September 2006 and Yzerman is in the second year of a three-year contract.
"(Holland) is the best general manager in the world. He's happy and he's not going anywhere," Devellano said. "Jim made a commitment to the Red Wings that he wouldn't take a general managers job during the course of his contract, so really, he can't be approached."
And, as far as Yzerman is concerned, Devellano said, "It's always been very important to Steve and to us that he be a lifelong Red Wing. I suspect no one has approached the Ilitches (team owners) about him."
Injury update: Tomas Kopecky skated Monday but didn't participate in any drills as he tested his bruised shoulder by handling and shooting pucks. Matt Ellis didn't practice due to headaches stemming from a hit by Nashville's Jordin Tootoo last week (Babcock said he hasn't been told it's a concussion). Neither has been cleared to play. "Shooting-wise, it doesn't bother me," Kopecky said. "It's a pain I can go through. Couple of pain-killers and I'll be good."
Hospital visit: The Red Wings on Monday made their annual visit to Children's Hospital of Michigan. "You think about some of the sick kids that are in the hospital, maybe can't even celebrate Christmas with their families, so that's why you feel good about going there, trying to bring some joy to their holiday, too," Lidstrom said.
Home safe: Chelios said his house in Malibu, Calif., was spared from the brush fires that have destroyed dozens of homes. "This one was pretty close, about a mile away," Chelios said. "This time, I guess (the cause) was a bunch of campers or kids partying. You can't light a fire when the Santa Ana winds are coming, you're stupid."
New hire: The Red Wings have hired Detroit native and Central Michigan grad Steve Violetta to head their business operations. He'll be responsible for overseeing revenue streams, including ticket sales, corporate sponsorships, broadcasting and merchandizing. He previously worked for the Nashville Predators.

Draper is out for 2 weeks with sprained knee.

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2007/11/draper_sprained_knee_out_two_w.html

shitty.

Maltby is out tonight as well.

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2007/11/maltby_out_hartigan_recalled.html

You got to get wins. When you got one guy playing well you got to play him.

omg, Babcock for Pistons coach!

good article on Datsyuk, and some other interesting notes besides his scoring:


7-year deal for Datsyuk paying off

by Ansar Khan Wednesday December 12, 2007, 1:57 AM


DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings put their faith in Pavel Datsyuk by signing him to the longest, most lucrative contract in club history last spring.
They allocated a large chunk of salary-cap space and made a huge financial commitment to a player who hadn't produced in the playoffs. But, to general manager Ken Holland, it was a no-brainer.
It has proven to be money well-spent. With the NHL's salary cap rising faster than expected and the going rate for superstar forwards increasing, Datsyuk's seven-year, $46.9 million deal might end up being a steal.
"It's the CBA; the top players are all getting five, six, seven years, so we're very happy he's locked in long-term," Holland said. "He's one of the most gifted players in the game and he plays hard every shift, offense and defense."
After being overshadowed by his star linemate, Henrik Zetterberg, the first two months of the season, Datsyuk has been dominant of late. He's riding a nine-game points streak (eight goals, eight assists), helping the Red Wings win seven games in a row to separate themselves from the rest of the league.
"When he's hot, it's so much fun to play with him because he can do so much on the ice," Tomas Holmstrom, his other linemate, said. "You just keep your stick down, you know you're going to get (the puck). You don't really know how he does it, he's one of those guys who's really a good friend with the puck."
Datsyuk continues to dazzle with his puck skills, whether he's setting up a teammate with an amazing pass, picking an opponent's pocket or unleashing a tricky wrist shot that often catches goaltenders by surprise.
"You know he will pull the unexpected, that's the fun part playing with him," Zetterberg said. "He's always so calm and makes the right play. He's easy to play with."
Said Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom: "He's so good at making those moves that most players don't have the skill to do. I think teams are just giving him a little more room when they know he can make moves like that. It helps your speed when teams are backing off a little bit, gives you more time with the puck."
Datsyuk made a concerted effort to shoot more last season, averaging 2.62 shots per game, up from 1.95 the season before. He's firing the puck even more now, averaging 3.6 shots per game.
"Every time I go to the net, try to shoot it more, try to play more in the offensive zone," Datsyuk said. "I think this year I shoot it lots more than usual. I don't want to stop. We know with Homer, every time he's in front of the net he makes good screen for us, so (whenever) possible we want to shoot it."
He's also stealing the puck a lot more, with a league-high 51 takeaways, well on pace to best his NHL-leading total of 107 last season.
"It amazes me, he does it many times in the game," Red Wings goaltender Dominik Hasek said. "He's very quick with his stick, with or without the puck. Even when the player knows him, he can still (strip the puck)."
Holland said the one area Datsyuk has really improved on is faceoffs. He's winning 55.1 percent of his draws for a team that ranks No. 1 in the league in faceoff success. He's been playing more center lately because coach Mike Babcock is using Datsyuk and Zetterberg on separate lines on the road to prevent opponents from matching their top checking line against both.
"He's so much more confident," Babcock said. "I'm so impressed with him how competitive he is, how he trains, how he prepares, how he responds. He's an elite, elite athlete. We're very fortunate to have him, and we're very fortunate to have him as part of our leadership group. He helps guys be better. I can't say enough about him."

I love that when we signed it we thought it was a huge contract and we might be overpaying a little bit, but in the end its going to be a steal for us. Ken Holland is a god.

Every GM we have is amazing, except the lions. Go figure.

Wings lose a tough one to St. Louis...

Manny Legace has our number

Lidstrom, highest scoring defenseman in Wings' history, gets extension

Associated Press
Updated: December 26, 2007, 1:54 PM

DETROIT -- Nicklas Lidstrom (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=539) and the Red Wings have agreed to terms on a new two-year contract that will keep the defenseman in Detroit through the 2009-10 season.
"Nick has been the best defenseman in the world for several years," Detroit general manager Ken Holland said in a statement Wednesday. "He's a great captain and role model who does everything right, both on and off the ice."
Winner of five Norris Trophies, the 37-year-old Swede is the highest scoring defenseman in Red Wings history with 900 points in 15 seasons in Detroit.
He was picked by Detroit with the 53rd overall pick in the third round of the 1989 draft.
In 1,212 NHL regular-season games, Lidstrom has 205 goals and 695 assists. He has 39 goals, 97 assists and 136 points in 192 playoff games.
The eight-time NHL All Star has three goals, 29 assists and 32 points in 36 games this season. He has points in 21 of the last 28 games.

Wings thumped Legace last night. Got him pulled in the second, I believe, went on to win 5-0

I watched the Wings and Avs last night and I've been listening to the Denver sports radio this morning. The hosts/fans are all happy that they "hung" with the Wings and kept it close. They fail to consider that they did so without the #2 scorer in the NHL, our best power play man (Homer), a hall of famer defenseman (Chelios) and one of our best PK man (Maltby). I think we had at least 5 guys in there last night that starter the year in the minors. If it wasn't for a stupid give away in our own zone by Rafalski, this might have been a blowout.

Learn something every day, I always thought his nickname was "Holmer"

Is it? I guess I can't tell because they only say it and not write it.

Its Homer.

Wings ink Osgood to 3-year extension

Red Wings goalie Chris Osgood, off to a fast start this season, has signed a three-year extension with the team.

The 35-year-old Osgood leads the NHL in both goals-against average (1.68) and save percentage (.932), and has a 19-2-1 record in 22 appearances. Both losses were 3-2 decisions. No other NHL goaltender with at least 10 appearances has only two regulation losses.

"Chris has a tremendous career record as an NHL goaltender and his performance this season places him as one of the top goalies in the game today," Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said in a release Wednesday.

The deal runs through the 2010-2011 season.

Osgood has 355 victories, third among active goaltenders and tied with Rogie Vachon for 15th on the career list. He has shared netminding duties this season with Dominik Hasek, who has a 14-6-2 record for the NHL-leading Red Wings.

Detroit originally drafted Osgood in the third round (54th overall) of the 1991 NHL draft. The New York Islanders claimed him in the waiver draft in September 2001 and traded him to St. Louis in 2003.

Osgood returned to Detroit in August 2005 when the Wings signed him as a free agent.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/7655116

not sure what the money is, but good deal. He'll be a solid backup when we start the Howard era.

3 years at $1.5 MM average.

A steal if you ask me.

He'll be a great starter and mentor leading into the Howard era. He'll probably start next year, share duties the year after, and be the backup in the final year.

If the Red Wings win a Stanley Cup, and nobody watches them do it, does it really happen?

I'll watch them. (I hope.)

I'll watch them. (I hope.)


Unfortunately, you can't dictate that, your cable package can though. Do YOU have Versus??

http://www.gnccracing.com/Images/VersusLogo.jpg

No..............


/fail

http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/25985/5m/olnads.dayport.com/VS_HD_LOGO185x183_rev_38.jpg + http://www.productwiki.com/upload/images/panasonic_th_42pz77u-200-200.jpg = [smilie=groove.gif]

'Lanche are hitting hard so far, Lidstrom's out already. If nothing else, there should be a good fight or two in this one. Game's on VS if you're bored.

And right on cue, Downey comes in and takes care of LaPerrier (the guy who took out Lidstrom earlier). Nice to have somebody who can at least intimidate a little out there this year.

I'm about 10 minutes behind on my DVR but goal number 4 was just sick!

Wings shut them out again, 4-0 final. Great game, fuck the Avalanche. Hope Lidstrom's ok.

Yeah, he got fucked up.

I HATE VERSUS!!!

Lidstrom has minor MCL sprain, will have MRI on Wednesday

by Ansar Khan Tuesday February 19, 2008, 3:07 PM


I just spoke to Wings general manager Ken Holland, who said captain Nicklas Lidstrom will have an MRI on his right knee Wednesday. Holland said it appears to be a minor MCL sprain.
"I'd say he'll be out a week and then we'll reassess,'' Holland said."It's one of the first times Nick has been hurt, so when you see it, it's a concern.''
Lidstrom was injured six minutes into Monday's 4-0 victory in Colorado on a hit from Ian Laperriere, who checked Lidstrom into the glass and drove a forearm/elbow into the defenseman's chin.
"Our first concern was his head, which appears to be OK,'' Holland said.

Holland said the club will decide on Wednesday whether to recall a defenseman from Grand Rapids. It depends on whether Brian Rafalski (strained groin) will be ready to play Friday in Calgary. Niklas Kronwall (sprained clavicle) is not expected to be available for that game. Holland wouldn't speculate on which defenseman would be called it, but Jonathan Ericsson would be next in line.

"The knee feels sore and a little bit swollen,'' Lidstrom told the club's Web site, DetroitRedWings.com. "I have a pretty good mark on my chin where he hit me. Whether he tried to or not, I don't know, but he followed through and finished with his elbow up on my chin and that's when my head went back into the glass. I don't have a headache or anything.''

Kronwall is starting to look like a constant injury concern. At first it was freak injuries but now its just getting old. Stop getting injured dammit!

He works out with Boss Bailey.

Ericsson is starting now:


Wings like Ericsson's size, skills

by Ansar Khan Friday February 22, 2008, 1:37 AM


DETROIT -- Ask Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock what he likes about top defensive prospect Jonathan Ericsson and the first thing he mentions is the soon-to-be 24-year-old's 6-foot-5, 225-pound frame.
"I like that he's big," Babcock said. "I think we had to get a new uniform made because we couldn't get a Red Wings (jersey) that big. So it's very exciting."
This club is not accustomed to having players that big, but there's more to Ericsson's game than his size. He has good mobility for a big man, a knack for making a good first pass, and his shot was clocked at 100 mph at the AHL skills competition last month.
The last player selected in the 2002 NHL entry draft (291st overall) -- in the NFL, he would be known as Mr. Irrelevant -- Ericsson will make his NHL debut tonight in Calgary, after being recalled Wednesday from Grand Rapids due to Nicklas Lidstrom's sprained knee.
"I think he has the potential to be an outstanding player," Babcock said. "He skates good, shoots good, passes good. He's intelligent, he's just got to become consistent, and he's definitely an NHL player."
Ericsson followed his solid rookie season with the Griffins by making the AHL All-Star team this year. He's had two strong training camps for the Red Wings, who are anxious to see him in an NHL game. He was paired with Brett Lebda in Thursday's practice, but Babcock indicated he might mix up his pairings on a unit that's missing its top three players because of injuries.
"Of course, I will be a little bit nervous, but I think that will be a positive for me," Ericsson said. "I think you need to be a little nervous to get on your toes."
A natural center while growing up in Sweden, Ericsson was moved to defense for one game in 2001-02 and made a great first impression. Hakan Andersson, Detroit's director of European scouting, was at that game and convinced Ericsson to switch permanently.
"It's impressive, it really is," Lidstrom said. "It's not easy going from forward to D, where if you make a mistake it shows a lot quicker than if you're playing forward. It's a big transition."
Ericsson said he's surprised by his rapid development.
"I've had a lot of help, you got to have some luck, too," Ericsson said. "I'm trying to be consistent defensively. I still need to work a lot on it. I need to be more physical, a little bit mean out there. That's what I'm going to try to bring here. Try to use my size and body out there."
He gets involved physically and stands up for his teammates by getting into an occasional fight.
"He's got a great head on his shoulders and he's learning fast," said Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard, Ericsson's teammate with the Griffins. "You can see him getting better and more relaxed and confident and making the first pass and taking a hit as he goes back to get the puck in the corner."

on the Red Wings pregame, Kenny Holland somewhat hinted they're looking at Marian Hossa, that would be a MONSTER addition to our 2nd line...

The last 11 Red Wings regular season games this year are as follows...

Nashville
@ Columbus
Columbus
@ Nashville
@ Columbus
@ St. Louis
St. Louis
Nashville
@ Chicago
Columbus
Chicago


talk about a joke...

on the Red Wings pregame, Kenny Holland somewhat hinted they're looking at Marian Hossa, that would be a MONSTER addition to our 2nd line...

The Wings have been in the "running" to acquire Hossa, Sundin, Fedorov, Blake and every other big name all season long. However, given the current slump, I think Holland might be forced to make a trade and Hossa looks like the most likely target, for multiple reasons.

I just hope Holland doesn't trade any of Howard, Kindl, Ericsson and Axelsson.

More important than any acquisition the Wings can make is getting everyone healthy. If they can be healthy for the playoffs, I like them more than any team in the league.

To get Hossa, your going to have to give up a top prospect, I wouldnt mind giving up Ericsson or Axelsson, I want to keep Howard and Brendan Smith though for sure...

Also, I heard that the upcoming draft is supposed to be one of the deepest in years, Anahemi has 2 1st round picks since they got Edmontons for Dustin Penner (what a steal that was), so Anaheim has an edge to go out and get a bigger impact player right now...

I think it's imperative to get either Hossa or Sundin. Fedorov isn't going to cut it...IMO

Why Smith over Ericsson? Just curious.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=230511&hubname=nhl

With Sundin out of the picture, Hossa's price just went through the roof.

Wings won't persue him anyway. They'll get a forward with a little less headlines IMO.

Nothing shocking, just official:


DETROIT -- Darren McCarty (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=594) has returned to the Red Wings, signing a one-year contract with the team four years after he left Detroit for Calgary.

McCarty earned the opportunity to return to Detroit during productive stints with the American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins and the International Hockey League's Flint Generals, Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said on Monday.
McCarty played for Detroit from 1993 to 2004, helping the team win Stanley Cups in 1997, 1998 and 2002. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The 35-year-old right wing has been assigned to Grand Rapids on a 14-day conditioning loan.
McCarty was scoreless in 32 games last season, his second with the Calgary Flames (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/clubhouse?team=cgy).

They've been packing the house here in GR to see McCarty.

10,000+ on some nights.

Wings sent Howard back down to GR today.

I don't think I have seen this posted here yet but the Wings got Brad Stuart from the Kings for a 2nd and a 4th round pick.

not a perfect comparison, but there are similarities between the season recently completed by football's New England Patriots and the one being experienced by the NHL's Detroit Red Wings.


The Wings were almost Patriot-perfect in the way in which they waltzed through the opening four months of the season, but recently they stumbled into six straight defeats, the team's worst losing streak in 17 years. It seemed the Wings were hitting a speed bump in the final portion of their season in the same way the Pats were seriously challenged, and very nearly beaten, by ordinary teams like Philadelphia and Baltimore in the final weeks of their regular season.


We all know, of course, how that fantasy football story ended, with the 18-0 New Englanders stunned on Super Bowl Sunday by the New York Giants.


It could be that the Red Wings are headed for a similar conclusion, particularly since the Western Conference is packed with tough opponents, from defending champion Anaheim to hard-nosed Calgary to talented San Jose. Vancouver, led by superb goalie Roberto Luongo, could trip up anybody.


And if the Wings get past those obstacles, any number of upset-minded Eastern Conference clubs would await.


There's even a Patriots-Red Wings comparison in the fact that while quarterback Tom Brady was hindered to some degree by an ankle injury in the playoffs, the Wings have lost brilliant defenseman and captain Nicklas Lidstrom for at least three weeks after he suffered a right knee injury on Monday night against Colorado. In his previous 15 seasons, Lidstrom had missed only 22 games to injury.


Throw in the fact that Detroit coach Mike Babcock is a keen admirer of Bill Belichick and the Patriots' style of organization, and there are clearly parallels. Babcock, you should know, is a frequent visitor to Belichick's Web site and reads the New England coach's press conference remarks. He felt the impact of the Patriots' defeat to the Giants in a very personal way.


"I was hoping the Patriots would win," Babcock said in a recent interview. "I'm a big fan of their approach. But yeah, somebody can always beat you in the end."


The differences, however, between Detroit's hockey heroes and New England's football juggernaut may be these.


First, Detroit's problems of late may be just the adversity the club needs.


Second, the Wings have another six days to try to improve their team in a very significant way.


Let's deal with the adversity issue. The two-month Stanley Cup odyssey is unique from other sports in a number of ways, but it has been suggested the most significant challenge in trying to win four consecutive best-of-seven series is the ability to absorb defeat and seeming disaster one night, and bounce back two nights later or even the next day.


The theory, then, is that teams which move too easily through the regular season don't build up the mental scar tissue that allows them to have the necessary resilience in the grinding postseason, when the most important quality of any team may be to quickly forget painful defeats.


Last spring, the Wings romped through the then-weak Central Division in the regular season, and it's arguable that one element in their conference-finals loss to Anaheim was the Ducks' greater appetite for the more bitter elements of postseason hockey.


Right now, it's fair to say the Wings are absorbing a few scars. Of late, they've lost to Los Angeles and Toronto, two of the NHL's worst teams, and were hammered 5-1 last week by Columbus, a hard-checking but offensively limited club.


Along with Lidstrom's injury, Henrik Zetterberg has had to deal with a back problem this season, while winger Dan Cleary is out with a fractured jaw after being hit by a teammate's shot in Toronto. On Wednesday, meanwhile, both defenseman Brian Rafalski (groin) and goaltender Dominik Hasek (hip flexor) were placed on injured reserve. Hasek has missed the past five games, and Rafalski the past three.


Throw in blueliner Nicklas Kronwall's long absence with a broken clavicle, and three of the club's top defenseman are now out.


Lidstrom was injured when he was body checked by Colorado's Ian Laperriere, a hit that may have been an elbow and that left the elegant Swede dazed. He injured his knee falling to the ice. The Wings were enraged by the hit, and soon afterward Detroit enforcer Aaron Downey confronted Laperriere and the two dropped their gloves; the Wings might have been looking for such a response in the playoffs last spring when Anaheim's Chris Pronger left Tomas Holmstrom bloodied and semiconscious with an illegal hit into the side boards.


"When the elbows are up and you hit a five-time Norris [Trophy] winner, arguably one of the best defensemen ever to play the game, it's a joke, in my mind," Downey said. "So the message is simple. The next time anyone runs one of our guys in a way that shouldn't be done, then a message will be sent."


Later in the game, Babcock and Colorado assistant coach Tony Granato became embroiled in a shouting match, sparking memories of earlier confrontations between Scotty Bowman and Avs coach Marc Crawford during the heyday of the once fiery Detroit-Colorado rivalry.


A string of losses, some injuries and a little ugliness on ice, then, have forced the Wings to battle more than they've had to in most recent seasons. Since last winning the Stanley Cup in 2002, the Wings have earned at least 109 points in every regular season but have made it as far as the conference finals only once. Having some problems in this regular season, then, may prove to be a blessing in disguise.


The second difference between the Pats and Wings, meanwhile, may be that Detroit still has the opportunity to enhance its roster in a way that either isn't available to NFL clubs in the final stages of the regular season or simply isn't done.


The NHL trade deadline arrives Tuesday, and the Wings are expected to be a prominent player in the process. While a sluggish trade market has some wondering how much action there will be before the 3 p.m. ET deadline, there were 25 deals on the final day of last season alone, and right now there are significant numbers of would-be sellers and buyers urgently looking for pre-deadline bargains.


Detroit, under GM Ken Holland, has never been afraid to make big moves at the deadline, moves that included sacrificing major chunks of the team's future. Last January, the Wings moved junior prospect Shawn Matthias to Florida in exchange for veteran winger Todd Bertuzzi, a shadow of the power forward who once scored 46 goals in a single season but had his career altered by a long suspension received for his March 2003 on-ice attack on Colorado's Steve Moore.


Bertuzzi was average at best for the Wings in the 2007 postseason, scoring three goals, while Matthias starred for Team Canada at this year's World Junior Championship and appears to have a bright future.


Right now, the Wings have been linked to marquee players like the Blue Jackets' Sergei Fedorov, a former Detroit star, Atlanta sniper Marian Hossa and Toronto Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin. Any of those players could enhance the Detroit roster, as would a rock-ribbed defender like Columbus back-liner Adam Foote or a blue-line speedster like Brian Campbell of the Buffalo Sabres, particularly with all the injuries on the Wings' blue line these days.


To help Downey in the toughness department, meanwhile, Holland appears set to sign former Wings winger Darren McCarty, who last played for Detroit in 2004 and has since seen his career derailed by injuries and personal problems. McCarty has been playing for the team's AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids, Mich., and is expected to be signed before Tuesday's deadline.


So if you were doing a half-full analysis of Detroit's season, you'd say trouble will toughen this team and deadline additions will make it even better than it was when it tore up the league in December and January.


The half-empty perspective, meanwhile, might wonder if this story is starting to sound awfully familiar, something like a recent football soap opera.

I'm not excited about Stuart. The guy is a -16 on the season! Maybe being in Detroit and on a 2nd or 3rd defensive pairing will change that, who knows, but it doesn't grab my attention at all.

Stuart is an OK dman. He played pretty damn well against us last year in the Calgary series. He can throw some pretty big hits and is fairly physical but he makes some bonehead plays every once and a while. He should be a pretty good fit with Kronwall.

So he's a big hitter? That I am ok with. I was just looking at his numbers, couldn't remember his play. Just knew him as a familiar name.

He is a big hitter but not necessarily in terms of open-ice hitting but he will lay his body whenever he can. I guess you could say he is like Lilja except he is more mobile and has more offensive ability.

Man, Lidstrom and Rafalski just had such a knack for keeping the puck in the zone. We're really struggling without them. It doesn't look like the same team.

Luckily we should be mostly healthy within a week or two. I think Kronwell and Rafalski should be back this weekend. We still miss Cleary's grit too. He was having a career year and Hudler/Filpulla have not picked up their games in his absence.

Any idea if/when Cleary will be back? Busted up jaws are hardcore, it hurts to do anything when your mouth is all wired up and healing. I never want to go through that again.

I heard it will be a while, but no definate time.

In case anyone is interested, Brad Stuart will be making his debut tonight against the Sharks. Kronwall is also back in the lineup.

Any word on Rafalski?

Rafalski is traveling with the team to Buffalo but won't be playing. He should be back in the lineup Wednesday unless he has a setback.

When we're completely healthy, I don't think their is any team in the league that is as deep as we are on the blueline...

your looking at pairs of

Lidstrom/Rafalski
Chelios/Kronwall
Stuart/Lilja

that's deep man, throw in Ericsson & Meech, both of whom have played very well this year, and we're pretty stacked...

I think deeper than Anaheim...


Now our forwards...that's another issue...

you forgot Lebda as the 7th defenseman too.

Nik Lidstrom was back today already, I thought he had a few more weeks to go. He picked up 2 assists. Dom did his best to blow this one but we held on 4-3.

Huge comeback win over the 2nd place Stars. Scored 4 straight after being down 3-1.

Huge comeback win over the 2nd place Stars. Scored 4 straight after being down 3-1.

Nice. Wish I could have seen it. I heard they called up their 5th rounder that is supposed to be the next Draper and he really played well. I like that they drafted a guy like that (fast skater, hard forechecker) because we're filled with skill guys right now. Babcock said he's definately an NHLer, but probably not for another year or two.

Nice. Wish I could have seen it. I heard they called up their 5th rounder that is supposed to be the next Draper and he really played well. I like that they drafted a guy like that (fast skater, hard forechecker) because we're filled with skill guys right now. Babcock said he's definately an NHLer, but probably not for another year or two.

That's Darren Helm.

The comparison to Draper is pretty accurate. Helm is probably faster and has better hands but he is weak as a noodle. If he can get stronger without losing his speed, he should turn into a solid two-way center.

Wings down 4-2 in the third to the Blue Jackets right now. They were playing like crap on D throughout the game. They outshot the Jackets but they gave up way too many solid scoring chances. They earned the loss (unless something drastic happens and they score 3 in the next 4 minutes)

Argument in terms of Coach-of-the-Year Award


http://assets.espn.go.com/photo/2008/0325/nhl_g_babcock_65.jpgMike Babcock, Detroit Red Wings

He might seem to be the "hasn't-fouled-it-up" candidate, but that doesn't do justice to the challenges Babcock has faced, including Dominik Hasek's unreliability (at least on the health front) and Chris Osgood coming back to earth, and the period without Chris Chelios, Brian Rafalski and Nicklas Lidstrom. Other coaches wish they had Babcock's "challenges" and the Wings' talent -- no question, this is the most resilient organization in the wake of the cap's implementation -- but Babcock has been adaptive and deft in guiding this roster to the brink of another Presidents' Trophy win.

Buccigross's opinions on who should win what awards

Jack Adams Award (coach of the year)
• Who votes: NHL Broadcasters' Association; Last season's winner: Alain Vigneault (Vancouver)


Bucci's winner: Mike Babcock, Detroit Red Wings. Just about every coach whose team has made the playoffs would be a good pick. If the Capitals make it, Bruce Boudreau would be an inspirational and fine pick. But Babcock is a top-tier coach who is an excellent model for others to follow. If I had a vote, I would go in that direction.


Norris Memorial Trophy (best defenseman)
• Who votes: Professional Hockey Writers Association; Last season's winner: Nicklas Lidstrom (Detroit)


Bucci's winner: Nicklas Lidstrom. That makes six Norris trophies in seven seasons for Lidstrom. He is the game's biggest presence on defense. To appreciate him most is to watch him in person. His brain is always 100 percent turned on. He must be exhausted after each game from all the mental fuel he uses during the course of a game.

Hi John,

How do you feel about this theory?

The Detroit Red Wings are the only team in their division that will make the playoffs. With the unbalanced schedule, does that make their point total a little inflated as opposed to teams from the Pacific and Northwest, which are battling a group of playoff teams within their own divisions?

I mean, let's face it, the Central is a terrible division.

Jim Handzel
Sunnyvale


The Red Wings actually have been average against Central Division teams this season (13-11-2). The Wings DOMINATED the Northwest this season (15-2-3) and went 15-5-0 against the Pacific.

In case anyone is interested, the Wings signed Abdelkader to a ATO and he will be playing tonight against Columbus.

Who is Abdelkader? Why does that name sound so familiar? I wish I would be home to watch the game.

Who is Abdelkader? Why does that name sound so familiar? I wish I would be home to watch the game.

Justin Abdelkader played for the Spartans for the last 3 years. He was the most outstanding player at the NCAA Frozen Four last year when the Spartans won the national championship.

Well, that explains how I knew the name.

Kronwall, Stuart form tough pair for Red Wings

by Ansar Khan Thursday May 01, 2008, 12:05 AM


DENVER -- For Niklas Kronwall, delivering a big, open-ice hit can be as exhilarating as scoring a goal. His defense partner, Brad Stuart, is relishing a new role where he is counted on to wear opposing forwards down physically more so than contribute offensively.
Kronwall and Stuart form a formidable No. 2 defense pairing for the Detroit Red Wings, forcing opponents to keep their heads up and giving the team a change of pace from the highly skilled top pairing of Nicklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski.
Kronwall quickly established his physical presence in the first round of the playoffs against Nashville, delivering a few bone-crushing hits.

After missing the last three weeks of the regular season with a broken finger, Stuart needed some time before he could start throwing his weight around. He was much more abrasive the final two games vs. the Predators and got off his best hit of the postseason Tuesday in Game 3 against Colorado, when he caught Peter Forsberg with his head down in the neutral zone.
"Teams are going to come after our skill players physically and we want to do the same," Stuart said. "As a defensive corps, we have to play hard on their skill players. That's something that guys like me and Nik can do."
Said Detroit coach Mike Babcock: "It just makes you a little more nervous when you're coming across the blue line or out of your zone. When you have to take an extra look, it slows you down just a bit more -- advantage defense."
The Red Wings have a 3-0 series advantage on the Avalanche and can wrap it up tonight in Game 4 at the Pepsi Center.
This team shed its reputation for playing soft in the playoffs last season, when it responded to physical challenges from each team it faced. The Red Wings are more abrasive, harder to play against this year because of Kronwall and Stuart.
"That's two physical defensemen, something maybe we've been lacking," Chris Chelios said.
Red Wings forward Darren McCarty, who can appreciate a good hit, noted how stealth Kronwall is.
"You don't hear him coming and then, boom! The next thing you know he's laying somebody out," McCarty said. "It's a great momentum changer and lift for your team, especially in your home building. In the other team's building it can quiet people down. ... When you play different teams you always know who's going to deliver the big open-ice hit, and other teams have to be talking about him."
CBC analyst and Canadian icon Don Cherry sure isn't. He summed up the Detroit-Nashville series by saying he saw 10 guys on the ice trying to avoid each other. He obviously wasn't watching Kronwall.
"He can hurt people," teammate Dan Cleary said. "They're not dirty, they're clean hits, he doesn't put his elbows up, doesn't hit late. These are hits that are usually just after the guy gets the puck. He's got unbelievable balance in the way he shifts his weight to get the force to knock anybody down."
Kronwall manages to inflict punishment despite his average size (6-foot, 189). And a litany of injuries throughout his career has not been a deterrent.
"It doesn't matter if the guy is bigger than you or stronger than you, it's all about timing," Kronwall said. "If you catch him at the right moment, he's going to go down. If you can get a good hit, that's always a great feeling."
Stuart was projected to be a high-scoring, puck-moving defenseman when San Jose drafted him with the third overall pick in 1998. Ten years and five teams later, he is settling in nicely as more of a stay-at-home defender on a team that has plenty of offensive defensemen.
"We want the physical part, we got three other guys that can do that (carry the puck)," Babcock said. "That's why we're a good fit for Stewie, he can make simple plays and be physical and be good defensively, and that's what we're looking for."
Kronwall and Stuart know they can't be reckless and take bad penalties.
"If you can have some timely hits and finish your checks, especially in a series, it can wear a team down," Stuart said. "You might not see the effects in Game 1 or 2 but in (Games) 3, 4, 5, you start to see some positive effects. It's one of those things you got to stick with."

Grigs no longer a Wings prospect.


Grigorenko not in future plans

Detroit general manager Ken Holland said today about Igor Grigorenko that "I think it's time to move on."
Grigorenko, a long-time Red Wing prospect, came to North America this fall and was a bust. He was snet down to Grand Rapids, didn't like playing in the minors and headed back to Russia where he had a poor season.
Grigorenko came to Traverse City not in the physical condition necessary to play in the NHL. Holland said unless somebody tells him that Grigorenko got himself into top shape, that the Red Wings likely won't make a move to keep the Russian as their property next season.
Holland also said that the Wings intend to sign prospects Dick Axelsson, Daniel Larsson and Logan Pyett, whose rights the team will lose if they're unsigned June 1.
http://redwingscorner.blogspot.com/2008/05/grigorenko-not-in-future-plans.html

Wonder how things would've turned out if he wasn't in that accident.

Just wanted to let you know, if we sign a guy named Dick Axelsson, he will be my new favorite Red Wing.

He should definately have Dick Axel on his uniform

Larsson to sign with Wings, play for Griffins next season

According to a story published in Aftonbladet this morning, the Detroit Red Wings are about to sign prospect goaltender Daniel Larsson to an entry-level contract.

Larsson says that he's committed to playing in North America next season, and he will head to Detroit this summer to prepare to either battle it out with Jimmy Howard for the back-up position behind Chris Osgood (assuming that Dominik Hasek retires), or he'll play for the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins.

Djurgardens IF was assuming that Larsson would remain in Sweden, so they'll be extremely unhappy with Larsson's decision, and I would suggest that Larsson's departure after the beginning of the Eliteserien's off-season signing period will add fuel to Sweden's desire to withdraw from its IIHF transfer agreement with the NHL.
http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/2008/05/larsson_to_sign_with_wings_pla.html

I'm surprised Larsson decided to play in the AHL. I expected him to sign and then stay in Europe for one more year. But it's a good sign that he is willing to play in the AHL if he doesn't make the team.

Wings sign high-scoring Finnish forward

The Red Wings signed high-scoring Finnish forward Ville Leino to a one-year entry-level contract on Saturday. Leino, 24, had 28 goals and 49 assists in 55 games for Jokerit of the Finnish Elite League this past season, as the team's leading scorer. He was second in the league in scoring, second in plus-minus (plus-34) and third in goals.

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2008/05/wings_sign_highscoring_finnish.html

Don't know much about him other than the fact that he is supposedly a wizard with the puck.

Always worth a shot.

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2008/05/wings_sign_highscoring_finnish.html

Don't know much about him other than the fact that he is supposedly a wizard with the puck.

He's probably better than Filpulla was in Finland. At least he has good results, unlike the Swedish player who has never lead his team in scoring.

Filppula impressed with Leino
Valtteri Filppula is looking forward to having a fellow Finnish-born player on the team next season, if Ville Leino earns a spot on the roster. Filppula played against the high-scoring winger in juniors and in the Finnish Elite League and helped recruit the free agent, who signed a one-year deal with the club last weekend.
"He's got really good skill, he protects the puck well, real nifty with his hands," Filppula said. "The first years in the Elite League he didn't really get a chance, played more third- or fourth-line type of game, and he's not really that type of player. The last few years he's been on the top line and has been able to do a lot of good things."
Leino (6-foot, 182 pounds), 24, had 28 goals and 49 assists in 55 games for Jokerit of the Finnish Elite League this past season.

Red Wings' Osgood ties Sawchuk for playoff wins

by Ansar Khan Monday May 12, 2008, 10:41 PM


DALLAS -- Chris Osgood has his sights set on Terry Sawchuk's career record for regular-season victories by a Detroit Red Wings goaltender but knows it will take a while to reach that milestone.
In the meantime, another record snuck up on Osgood.
Monday's 5-2 victory against the Dallas Stars in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals enabled Osgood to tie Sawchuk for the most playoff wins in franchise history (47).
"It's a nice accomplishment. I didn't have any idea," Osgood said. "That's one (record) I would have liked to get. There's other things I want, I've always said, win the Stanley Cup (again), get 400 wins, and pass Sawchuk, those are my three individual goals I strive for. That (playoff record) is a nice thing, it's something I'll look back on and be proud of."
Osgood's nine-game playoff winning streak is the longest since Patrick Roy won 11 in a row for Montreal during its 1993 Stanley Cup run.

SCOUT TO RE-UP: Swedish super scout Hakan Andersson, responsible for uncovering gems such as Zetterberg, Niklas Kronwall and Tomas Holmstrom, is in Detroit for the finals. He is in the last year of his contract, but has two-year extension waiting for him and said he'll sign it before the NHL draft, which falls June 20-21.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080527/SPORTS05/80527017/1053