Entries with the tag: filppula

Sun-don’t?

by IwoCPO on 12/02/07 at 10:36 AM
Comments (28)

Published reports (definitely a phrase that doesn’t carry the weight it used to) out of--where else?--Toronto and Edmonton mention Detroit as a strong landing spot for Mats Sundin, when the Leafs move him out of a sense of loyalty to their captain.  The speculation goes like this:  Leafs are out of it already.  Sundin’s been a loyal soldier.  Moving him to a contender is good for him, good for them, good for the world. Sally Strothers would be proud.

And, of course, the Wings have the Swedes.  The “published reports” have been posted by The Emperor and George Malik. 

Continue Reading »

Re-Thinking The Official A2Y Stance on Hudler

by IwoCPO on 11/30/07 at 08:33 AM
Comments (10)

I’m a big guy.  In stature?  Perhaps not.  But, emotionally?  Huge.  It takes a strong man to do something like this.

December 15th, 2006/Me

What is the infatuation with this kid?  Who in the organization is so tied to him that we can’t jettison him? Is Hudler better than Rem Murray or Boyd Devereaux...two players the Wings passed on the last two training camps?  Can anyone tell me Hudler fits into the Babcock system...at all?

At what point does wasting a roster spot on his potential become too cumbersome?

Through 25 games last year?  4 points, all goals.  I had lit the torches.  Lit them, ran with them through the village.  “Hudler must go,” I said. 

Continue Reading »

Proof Positive

by IwoCPO on 10/27/07 at 07:00 AM
Comments (17)

Stu Nahan, in the second round of the second Balboa/Creed fight, said, “...and I thought Balboa took a beating the first time these two fought but this is a butchering.  That’s what it is, plain old butchering.” Rocky, of course, eventually wore the Master of Disaster down, waited until the 13th to break a few more of his ribs, then miraculously rose to his feet as the Spectrum crowd sobbed in joy.  It was, as Rocky would tell you, the greatest moment of his life--with the exception of his kid being born.

Last night was, as Stu would tell you, a butchering from start to finish.  Every facet. Every shift. San Jose can go 65 and 5 the rest of the way, but they’re not beating Detroit in a playoff series.  Not after last May and not after last night.

Continue Reading »

Deep Diggers Unite In Attempt To Actually Lower Standards

by IwoCPO on 09/18/07 at 06:32 AM
Comments (4)

Exhibition season opens tonite in The State of Hockey and with it Mike Babcock heads into his third year of playing “Mess with the Diggers’ Heads.” If there’s a bigger lying liar than Babcock, prove it.  He’s spent his first two years shaking his head in amazement as the Wing beat writers take everything he says as actual fact. 

April 2006, according to my notes.
Babcock: “It may look like Hank’s back is hurting but it’s really a migraine thing that makes him walk funny, which isn’t funny, but it still isn’t a back, which would be bad because backs are a bitch.”
Khan(!): “Word for word Mike?”
Babcock: “Word for word. Every last b-word Ansar. Every one of them, all in a row just like the pretty maids on Hotel California.”
Khan(!): “Done.”

Continue Reading »