Interesting.  Four months ago, if you’d told me our first round opponent could be any of the following six, I’d have been mass producing stress train tickets at a discount price:  San Jose, Vancouver, Minnesota, Dallas, Denver, Calgary. 

Now?  Only one team presents an opportunity for pain, in my opinion.  And if the Wings can somehow beat Luongo, they’ll fall too.  I’m thinking the first round brings with it a team that wouldn’t be there if the playoffs started today: Phoenix.

And they’d be easily dispatched just like Denver or Dallas would be.  Calgary? Not so easily.  Minnesota? Mildly more difficult than the Dive or Stars. 

San Jose?  You thought the Wings were dancing in Marty Turco’s head? Yeah, but he’s only one guy.  The Sharks entire organization is now officially...affected. 

San Francisco Chronicle

“We have to stay more disciplined against them,” Nabokov said. “We have to find a way to win and be more competitive against them.”

Yeah. You do Nabby.  Four straight penalties in the second (even the one resulting from Hasek’s embarrassing tumble to the ice) didn’t help.  Look. Hasek’s ours. We appreciate his insanity.  It’s grown on us.  But there are times you just turn away and pretend thing don’t happen.  When Hasek dove, I just kind of started rocking back and forth, thinking of other images that make me happy.  Blocks of cheddar, puppies, ships at sea.

And Joe Thornton’s -3.  You want a poster child for Shark paranoia where Detroit’s concerned? Try Thornton.  I mentioned this in the chat last night and it still boggles me.  I had the Shark feed on NHL.TV and Thornton’s name wasn’t mentioned once the entire first period.  He was a non-factor, just as he’s been in all three losses to the Wings this year.  Three games: pointless.  Give Lidstrom his sixth Norris based on that alone.

All Ronnie Wilson’s mind games and psycho-babble can’t seem to help this team get over what could have been a 3-1 series lead.  They’ve been shattered ever since and Wilson can’t help them.

Kulfan

“This type of game is only beneficial in that it gives me plenty of ammo when I’m talking to this group. A game like that shows your weaknesses.”

Here Ron, let your pal Dom sum it up for you.

“It seemed like the same story from last year.”

Ho hum. Another three-point night for Zetterberg last night.  His 19th multi-point game of the season.  Oh, he was also 18/24 in the faceoff circle (Thornton, not coincidentally, was 6/24).  He’s 5th in points, 6th in goals, 12th in assists, 9th in shifts/game, 7th in ice time, 7th in faceoff percentage, 2nd in shots and 6th in plus/minus (four Wing forwards in the top ten in that category)...just in case anyone’s forgotten about Zetterberg’s Hart candidacy.  We don’t talk much about “most valuable Wings” here, mainly--I believe--because it’s so obviously Lidstrom. 

But...most valuable player, other than the captain? 

Jim Matheson tackles that one.

Who’s better? Pavel Datsyuk or Henrik Zetterberg? That’s like comparing a Porsche to a Mercedes, but one NHL coach, who shall go nameless because his team has to play against the Detroit Red Wings players, says Zetterberg gets the edge. “He’s grittier, more competitive. Zetterberg is a lot like Forsberg was in his heyday,” said the coach. “Datsyuk has really taken on a leadership role there, too. That’s good to see.”

It’s an idiotic discussion, in my opinion. I really don’t care who’s better, unless there had to be a decision as to which one the Wings keep.  That’s a conversation we’ll never have to consider because Datsyuk’s locked up (brilliantly...thanks Kenny) and Zetterberg’s big-money contract is a certainty, hopefully before the playoffs begin.

But...the Free Press’ Shawn Windsor tells us today that despite his status as one of the league’s top five (top 3 IMO, if not the best), he’s not catching on in Hockeytown.

Then why isn’t he taking this town by storm?

That’s a question the Red Wings’ brass asks itself often. Earlier this fall, the topic came up over lunch, said Wings general manager Ken Holland.

“It was me, Scotty Bowman, Steve Yzerman and Mike Babcock. Someone mentioned that people feel because he is European, it is not the same,” Holland said.

In other words, there are those who suggest Detroit is so provincial it won’t take to a non-North American player. Holland said that’s rubbish. He points to Russian Sergei Fedorov. He said the reasons are more complicated and subtle.

Underappreciated Wings is just a stale news peg and I’m sick of it.  It’s “Chelios is old” stale.  But, it’s an easy deal to point out, just one that’s much more difficult to explain.

Windsor makes a good point. Fedorov was anything but invisible when he was in Detroit. But that was Sergei.  Brilliant on the ice...yes. But pouty, enigmatic (the original) and prone to complaining in the media when he felt Scotty wasn’t treating him well enough.  The reports of his desire to “be the man” on a team that could only have one.  His tabloid relationship with a teenage tennis sensation who never won a single tournament.  The Bure deal.  The holdout deal.  The Cups.  His father, his relationship with the Russian media.  Point in a hundred different directions and you found a reason to like or hate Fedorov.

Zetterberg? He just plays hard.  Every night.  Yeah, there’s Emma.  And that’s huge in Sweden.  But he’s claimed he wants to stay in Detroit and doesn’t really need to be paid Ovechkin money. He wants to win and he wants to win in Hockeytown.  Move him from center to win and back? He doesn’t care. Give him different linemates? Doesn’t care.  Someone else getting the print? Doesn’t care. 

Zetterberg’s going to win himself a Cup this June, and probably a Conn Smythe, maybe a Selke and maybe a Hart.  He’s going to be rich in Detroit for another decade and it really doesn’t seem to make much difference to him who notices, except for his coach and teammates.  There’s your comparison to Fedorov.