Entries with the tag: holland

You Can’t Always Get What You Want

by IwoCPO on 06/14/08 at 05:47 AM
Comments (31)

But, allegedly and according to Mick, providence somehow assists in providing what your spiritual advisors determine to be your greatest need.

Interesting.

Because I’d say we have the whole “wants” thing covered.  Now? Well, now it’s up to Tick Tock to determine the “needs”. 

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Chemistry

by IwoCPO on 03/08/08 at 10:26 AM
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Here’s what I know about chemistry.  In tenth grade I failed it, and I mean miserably.  The innocent young maiden sitting next to me tried to help by drawing the entire periodic table on her thigh then letting me look at it during tests (and only during tests you sick bastards), but even that didn’t work.  I applaud her efforts though.  Sweet girl. Grew up on a farm, then moved to the big city to try to get into acting, only to find talent alone...nevermind.

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McCarty In Detroit With Hurt Ribs

by IwoCPO on 03/07/08 at 07:56 AM
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0848: Updated below with a welcome note to Mac from an unlikely source.

Paul pointed you to the Chelios interview yesterday, during which Jimmy D Jr. said he believed Darren McCarty was already back in Detroit.  Of course, that led to speculation that he could play as early as Sunday against Bubba.  Ted Kulfan, former Deep Digger captain, says...not so fast.

Darren McCarty is coming to Detroit quicker than expected but not to play. McCarty is bothered by a rib cartilage injury suffered last weekend while playing with Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League. He will be examined by Wings trainers Friday and will not be on the ice.

General manager Ken Holland said trainers will determine whether McCarty is able to play with the Griffins Saturday in Cleveland. McCarty was held out of Thursday’s Griffins game in Milwaukee.

“We’re going to see if he’s able to play,” Holland said. “Right now, he’s not able to play. It’s nothing more than day to day.”

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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. 

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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. 

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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.

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Grigorenko:  Back to Russia

by IwoCPO on 10/27/07 at 06:29 AM
Comments (4)

Not sure if his dirtbag agent Mark Lapush is headed with him, but Igor Grigorenko’s days in the United States--and as a member of the Organ-I-zation--have drawn to a disappointing close.  According to the anti-digger, Bruce MacLeod, it was eventually the Hasek hip “irritation” that forced the decision.  When the Wings brought up Howard, someone had to go and Uncle Mike’s too pleased with Ellis or Downey to send them down. 

What an ironic lesson for Grigorenko, if you think about it.  Two gritty scrappers work their tails off to stay on the team and you’re headed home because you don’t have the ethic to compete on a consistent basis.

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One Liners: Minor, Major, Does It Matter?

by IwoCPO on 10/15/07 at 06:30 AM
Comments (24)

Kris Draper’s a frigging rebel.  On a night when the boxscore could have made an emphatic statement, he had to go and throw a shorty in there. If not for his unassisted goal in the second the entire scoresheet would have been dominated by the to this point unnamed Zetterberg, Homer and Datsyuk line.

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Franzen Shelved 3-4 Weeks

by IwoCPO on 10/07/07 at 04:15 PM
Comments (10)

1635 EST: Updated below with quotes from Holland.

Two games in and Uncle Mike has his first tough decision.  As Dave pointed out in a comment below, Bruce MacLeod reports the Mule is out for a month.

Johan Franzen has a Grade 2 sprain of the MCL (medial collateral ligament) in his right knee. Franzen’s leg was injured during the second period of Saturday night’s shootout loss in Chicago. Tuomo Ruutu was tripped by Pavel Datsyuk and fell on Franzen’s leg.

The injury will keep Franzen out of the lineup for 3-4 weeks.

Detroit is carrying two spare forwards on its roster ... Aaron Downey and Matt Ellis. One will be inserted in the lineup for Monday’s home game, but isn’t likely to assume Franzen’s role on the top line. A third-line player—Dan Cleary, Valtteri Filppula or Kris Draper—could be bumped up to Datsyuk’s top line with Ellis or Downey skating on the third or fourth line.

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Causing The Least Amount of Damage

by IwoCPO on 09/17/07 at 11:54 AM
Comments (9)

Aaron Downey will beat the hell out of you, but apparently can’t hit Keith Tkachuk in the ass with a puck from four feet away.  Brent Sopel can blast a puck by the best goalies in the league, but his efforts in TC showed us he’ll just as likely give it away quicker than Bubba’s sister at a family reunion.  Igor Grigorenko has all sorts of talent and “hockey sense” but can’t skate for twenty seconds without pulling out the puffer. 

And so it looks like Uncles Kenny and Mikey have to make a few decisions based on potential and who’s going to hurt the team the least.

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The Roster Conundrum

by IwoCPO on 09/10/07 at 02:46 PM
Comments (21)

Updated 1807 EST:  Pete over at Yzerman is God has just posted a very nice take on the Sopel scenario.  Check it out here.

He has offensive potential? At least Kronwall and Lebda are young for all we hear that phrase. And he doesn’t look like a defensive stud either. You replace him with Lilja and what do you get? No better on defense, less physicality, oh yeah, and the almighty slapper. Let’s talk about that.

Some real sound analysis of the Wing PP strategy follows that quote.  Good stuff Pete.

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Two days until the Wings descend on sleepy TC and the intrigue is starting to build.  Two names have great potential to throw the whole damn thing into a tailspin the likes we haven’t seen since the Edmund Fitzgerald braved the Superior one fateful night in, umm, some year in the 60’s I think. 

Sopel and Grigorenko.  Add them to the mix and the main hatchway’s giving in brother because we’re going to have a full load of forwards and a bursting blue line.

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Holland Discusses Kick To The Groin (Anaheim) And Outlook for ‘08

by IwoCPO on 09/06/07 at 03:56 PM
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Ken Holland just wrapped up an NHL media conference call, during which he answered the standard “how long can Lidstrom play?” question, a few on Kronwall, one on Grigorenko, another regarding Bubba and a gut wrencher on the shaft job in May.

You know, for us obviously we look back. We lost two key guys on defense: Nick Kronvall late in the regular season. In the middle of the San Jose series we lost Mathieu Schneider. We felt had either one of those two guys been healthy maybe we could have had a different outcome.

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