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Abel to Yzerman

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Big Al Wakes Up The Diggers

by IwoCPO on 01/04/08 at 05:01 AM ET
Comments (5)

Michigan sports editors must be reading The Wayne Fontes Experience. 

All this begs a question. Are there 2 teams in all of sports, both elite, both title contenders, that have been so throughly ignored by their local media entities?

Thank God for the Detroit blogosphere…

Big Al takes the Detroit MSM to task for ignoring the Pistons and Wings.  Two days later?

A feast of Wings news.  All three diggers have the mandatory midseason report cards, plus a few other articles to help you avoid work altogether this morning.

Detroit Free Press:

Wings Biggest Surprises and Greatest Fears

... and greatest fears
Anaheim
When Scott Niedermayer gets back into game-shape, the Ducks will be the top threat in the West.
Ottawa
The Senators are tougher for having gone four rounds in last spring’s playoffs.
Vancouver
Roberto Luongo makes the Canucks a dangerous early-round opponent.
Calgary
Mike Keenan, hired last summer, makes the Flames a worthy playoff opponent.
... and lesser fear
Colorado
Hindered by injuries to Joe Sakic and Ryan Smyth.

Do I “fear” Anaheim, Vancouver and Calgary?  Not particularly, although the Poultry series--if it occurs--will decide the Stanley Cup.  Vancouver and Calgary?  Each would be tough, five and six-game tough respectively.  Ottawa?  No Eastern Conference team concerns me in the least.  Colorado?

Please.  Not a day goes by that I don’t look at the standings and hope to see them nestled in the 8 spot.  The only thing “scary” about that situation is that the Smyth and Sakic injuries will further deplete the Dive fan base to the extent that if, by some miracle, they make the playoffs the number of fans who suffer when we sweep them in the first round will be too small to count.

Fire On Ice (God...no): Great defense, soaring stars...

“Everyone in this locker room has one goal, and everyone knows what that is,” Draper said. “And you can’t do that within the first 41 games. We just want to keep playing, and we’d love to be able to do exactly what we did in the first half of the season in the second half of the season, but the bottom line is, we want to make sure we’re playing our best hockey come playoffs.”

Apathy is not a concern of mine. I just don’t see it as a problem with this team. I don’t view a “lack of adversity” as an issue and I believe Draper.  Two goals, and they’re obviously related: paste the Poultry and win the Cup.  I truly believe the Wings have been on a mission since Game 6.

Detroit News:
Midseason Grades
Wings Flying High
Record Proves Wings Are Pros

MLive:
Midseason Grades
Versatility Paying Off

Macomb Daily Tribune:
Wings Get Even Better in Second Quarter
Wings Burning Up League

Filed in: | Abel to Yzerman | Permalink
 

Comments

I am not concerned about the bird of socal. My only concern is health.  If the top couple, three or four players go down with injuries, the wings would need nothing short of a miracle.  Everybody stays healthy, the Wings will win the cup.  But keep an eye on Chris Simon tactics with any opponent the Wings face. From now til June.  Why? Because teams are pissed that they can’t beat Detroit - minus Our Little Sisters and those Natives across the lake, they still like us.

Posted by cementslinger from Midland MI on 01/04/08 at 06:46 AM ET

The numbers don’t lie, the Wings are the best team in the NHL:

.768 win% (1st), 3.44 G/G (2nd to OTT 3.54), 2.10 GA/G (1st) (note too that OTT GA/G is 15th), 1.81 5-5 F/A (1st), 23.3 PP%(2nd), 86.2 PK% (5th), 34.8 S/G (1st), 23.4 SA/G (1st).

Skill wise, no team plays as complete a game as these Wings.

What really worries me—as noted by Slinger as well, is “physical play”.  The few games I’ve seen when the opponent succeeds in “putting the body” on the Wings; it seemed also succeeded in getting the Wings “off their game.”

If the Wings, Ken “Boy Wonder” Holland is to make a deal, what with that 5 mill in cap space available, I say get the biggest, baddest, meanest, S.O.B. available.  Get the guy everyone dreads seeing on the ice.  (Slinger, you might be right about Lilja, and if you look at the potential UFA/RFA/rentals, there isn’t a whole lot out there—especailly with the pay raise due Hank in July).  Get the baddest cop on the beat!!! So the opponent thinks twice (or better yet three times) about taking liberties with the talent.

Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Hockey Netherworld on 01/04/08 at 08:44 AM ET

The physicality might be an issue between now and the playoffs, only as it increases the opportunities for one of our players to get hit with a long-term injury.  But past that, I think all teams remember what happened when Calgary and San Jose ramped up the physical play against the Wings in last year’s playoffs.  It just didn’t make a difference.  If we were to pick up another enforcer, we need him now, not in two months.

Posted by Gabriel from San Diego, CA on 01/04/08 at 09:10 AM ET

I’ve been informed, by those who really know (thanks to Lyle), that Downey is in fact that policeman.  League-wide reputation for being extremely tough (one-punch K-O). 

So, my bad.  Just goes to reinforce the fact that I am a “novice” fan.  I can accept that, I think.

So Kudo’s to Kenny, the policeman is on the beat. 

Maybe Babs will play him more—you know—remind the opponent to keep it within the rules, and stop running the talent.  Like he did against Dallas the other night!!!

Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Hockey Netherworld on 01/04/08 at 11:52 AM ET

Forgive me for being a bit cynical but I believe it’s the end of the Lions’ season and they’ve run out of more important things to talk about.

A “wake up call?” More like, “So NOW you show up?”

Posted by SYF from Las Vegas, NV on 01/04/08 at 03:23 PM ET

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