This hurts.

Posted by moore00 from the Ohio State University on 07/08/09 at 02:03 PM ET

What’re your takes on a Lupul-Koivu-Selanne 2nd line?

That looks like a pretty decent line to skate in front of that stellar defensive corp you’ve got behind them… oh wait.

Posted by shanetx on 07/08/09 at 02:03 PM ET

Selanne and Koivu have been skating together for awhile for Finland, so I’d give them a little more credit.

The wings-ducks swedes-finns asthetic should be a fun one at least. (we’re just out of the Burke era, having 2 euros from the same country is considered a lot)

Posted by Bleys on 07/08/09 at 02:08 PM ET

Selanne and Koivu have been skating together for awhile for Finland, so I’d give them a little more credit.

I fear no Ginger...i just can’t.

Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 07/08/09 at 02:14 PM ET

<---

Now GingerBREAD is a different story.

Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 07/08/09 at 02:14 PM ET

CAP space does not win hockey games.
It sort of helped the Pens pick up Guerin, and now he is re-signed.
And, oh ... in case you hadn’t noticed......
THEY WON THE F*&KIN;’ CUP

Posted by HockeyTownTodd from upset when blogs don�t live up to my expectations on 07/08/09 at 02:14 PM ET

Now GingerBREAD is a different story.

I usually bite their heads off and then they don’t really pose much a threat

Posted by Bleys on 07/08/09 at 02:28 PM ET

Selanne and Koivu have always worked together in the past.  I’d go so far as to say they were scarily good together.  Look up the Pavel Bure 5 goal game in the olympics against Finland on Youtube and you can see Koivu-Selanne connecting for a few (and you can get annoyed with Bure’s showboating- it’s easy to see where Ovie gets it, IMO).

Still, Anaheim just isn’t all that scary without two of it’s three best defensemen.  They were what made that team.  Neidermayer, Whitney and Wisniewski aren’t nearly so alarming.

Posted by shanetx on 07/08/09 at 02:31 PM ET

I usually bite their heads off and then they don’t really pose much a threat
Posted by Bleys on 07/08/09 at 03:28 PM ET

So long as you don’t touch the gumdrop buttons…

Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 07/08/09 at 02:32 PM ET

Posted by Big Rich on 07/08/09 at 03:35 PM ET

This dude is obsessed with us.

Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 07/08/09 at 02:37 PM ET

From Dmitry Chesnokov:

Dynamo president Mikhail Golovkov to Sovetsky Sport: “The day before we signed Hudler, Jiri received calls from Detroit management and players asking him to stay.”

And now he’s confirmed by Sovetsky Sport and Golokov to be going to Russia for two years.

That quote from Golokov is going to stick out quite a bit when Hudler wants to come back to the NHL. 

So long douchebag, enjoy the borscht.

Posted by HockeyJoe from Upstate New York on 07/08/09 at 02:38 PM ET

Do you think your team is so great that it should be an honor to put on the winged wheel jersey?

Yes...ask....ANYONE and they’ll say that it is.

[quoteGuess what, your “dynasty” is falling apart. By no means am I claiming the Red Wings are a bad team, they might even win the President’s trophy next year. And unlike San Jose, I believe they could go far in the playoffs.]

“Yeah man, your dynasty is over, man. It might still go on into next season, but the dynasty is over, man.”

Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 07/08/09 at 02:39 PM ET

Do you think your team is so great that it should be an honor to put on the winged wheel jersey?

Short answer: Yes

Long answer; It’s an honor to wear the jersey of any NHL club.

At any rate, how should we act?  Should we wish those players who didn’t re-sign well with their new clubs?  Well, if you’ve been reading, we’ve generally done that.  Should we all start moaning about how the sky is falling and jump off the bandwagon before our “doomed” team hits rock bottom?  What exactly would you have us do here?

Yeah, there are those among us who are upset over Hudler’s apparent bolt to the KHL, if a player on your team did that, wouldnt’ you be upset?

Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 07/08/09 at 02:45 PM ET

This dude is obsessed with us. Posted by Animal Drew from The Mitten on 07/08/09 at 03:37 PM ET

And he’s totally calling us on our bullshit. I mean, I wish I had a dollar for every time this summer one of the 19 has written, “Remember the game when Sammy destroyed Cleary’s jaw? Remember the time when Kopecky had that monster hit against Montreal ... in preseason? Remember when Hudler took a penalty late in the third period of Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals?”

Posted by Bella on 07/08/09 at 02:45 PM ET

It’s OK. Call me obsessed, whatever. Just don’t wish you could re-sign a player, then call him shit when he leaves. It makes you look like bigger bitches than you already are.

Posted by Big Rich on 07/08/09 at 03:50 PM ET

And this has nothing to do with Hossa from last year, right?

Posted by Zoogz on 07/08/09 at 02:57 PM ET

It’s OK. Call me obsessed, whatever. Just don’t wish you could re-sign a player, then call him shit when he leaves. It makes you look like bigger bitches than you already are.

Actually, I think it makes us look like sports fans. 

Being a little blind toward the strengths, weaknesses and character flaws of your team’s players…
Always taking an optomistic road and thinking, “Well, even though we gave up X, Y, and Z, we’ve still got A, B, and C, and X was weak, Y slow, and Z all squiggly” how you rationalize the situation to avoid the reality that the chances of winning the championship are so very small for any team…
Wishing the best for any player wearing your jersey and vehemently rooting against those in other colors…
Talking to other like-minded folks and expressing differing opinions on a subject (ie, our team) that we all enjoy discussing…
Dealing with idiot trolls who act as though they don’t do the exact same things when their team is losing/signing/trading/executing players…

... Isn’t this what being a sports fan is about during the off-season?

Posted by shanetx on 07/08/09 at 02:57 PM ET

So, uh...Doug Janek, anyone?

Posted by Zoogz on 07/08/09 at 03:01 PM ET

So, uh...Doug Janek, anyone?

Posted by Zoogz on 07/08/09 at 04:01 PM ET

Kenny Holland trying to wean us slowly off of Chelios, in case we start suffering withdrawals?

Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 07/08/09 at 03:06 PM ET

I think this is a pretty solid 9th d-man signing.  Holland has said he’s likely going to trade someone.  Unless Kindle is ready, that’d leave us with 7 (Lidstrom, Ericsson, Kronwall, Stuart, Rafalski, Meech, Lebda, Lilja) and only 6 if Lilja continues to remain out of commission.

Meech is number 8, currently, soon to be #7 if a trade happens, but he’s not exactly a guy you want in your last pairing to be handling penalty kill minutes and the like.  Janek is more of a large, slow, defense-minded guy where Kindl would bring up the same weaknesses as Meech. 

This is where we miss Quincey and Lilja.  Their type is the kind you really want in the third pairing.  Meech, sadly, is not.

Posted by shanetx on 07/08/09 at 03:17 PM ET

39 year old Lidstrom has only 2 more years on his contract, and factoring in his age, doesn’t leave many more years left for his time as a player.  But wait, this is a team which put 47 year old Chris Chelios on the ice as an NHL defenseman this past season.  Maybe they want two 40 year old blueliners out there.  Your #2 defenseman (Rafalski) will be 36 when the season begins, and your goalie (Osgood) will be 36.  Throw in Holmstrom (36), Maltby (36) and Draper (38) and you’ve got 6 players on your roster who are closer to 40 than 30.  Also figure the intense, compacted season because of the Olympics, as well as the intense playoff style hockey played at the Olympics for two plus weeks, that your very old lineup isn’t going to be fatigued by the 2nd round of the playoffs?  And you don’t seriously think there isn’t a need for a retooling, if not a rebuilding?  I love rationalization, it can justify anything!  Let’s Go Pens!

Posted by Pens Fan in DC on 07/08/09 at 03:57 PM ET

And you don’t seriously think there isn’t a need for a retooling, if not a rebuilding?

So we should waive Lidstrom and Holmstrom, trade Rafalski, buy out Osgood, and force Maltby and Draper to retire, should we?

I know, we could tank for nearly a decade straight so that we get a bunch of high first-round picks and rebuild our franchise around them.  I mean, none of us will be around during that time, but as soon as we get those core pieces back, we fans will be sure to claim we’ve been here all along so none of you can claim that Red Wings fans are bandwagoners…

Tell me.  What would you do if you were Ken Holland?  Which of our old guys do you get rid of so that we can start this retooling?  Draper and Matlby are the easy choices, but how do you force them out when they’ve been two of the most important pieces to your club over the last ten-plus years?  You seem to have all the answers, so I’m listening.  What do you do, genius?

Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 07/08/09 at 04:08 PM ET

Holmstrom (36), Maltby (36) and Draper (38)

Because every one of the 19 believe in their hearts that the Wings’ Cup aspirations rest solely on the shoulders of these three men, right?

I love these “your team is OLD” arguments that conveniently ignore Helm, Ericsson, Abdelkader, Leino, Kronwall, Filppula, Franzen, the fact that Zetterberg isn’t even 30 yet and Datsyuk isn’t much older, hell, Brad Stuart isn’t old as defensemen go… Sure, there will be some roster turnover in the next few years and Lidstrom won’t be around for too much longer. A bumpy year or two may not be out of the question.

But note that a “bumpy year” by the Wings’ standards still puts them in contention for the President’s Trophy and leaves them a top seed in the conference. As an organ-i-zation, they’re just that far ahead of their rivals. History has shown that it would be a mistake to think the Wings will fall off a cliff when significant personnel changes happen.

Posted by Bio on 07/08/09 at 04:17 PM ET

I love rationalization, it can justify anything!

Right, like your insistence that because Lidstrom (who has 1 year left on his contract btw) is somehow not dominant because he’s knocking on 40’s door. He’s still the best Dman in the league, age notwithstanding.

Raffi at 36 - still among the top offensive puck moving Dmen

Ozzie - Basically at his prime, we’ve got young goalies in the fold who should be ready when he’s on his way out

Just as much as the Wings may be fatigued, so will plenty of other teams. The Wings roster has as much or more playoff experience than any other team in the NHL. They’ll adjust to the fatigue. Staying healthy is always a toss up. That’s what slowed them down this year, not a lack of endurance.

Posted by CaptNorris5 from Chicago via Detroit on 07/08/09 at 04:22 PM ET

“In Detroit there is wasn’t place for me and I didn’t want to go to another club.”

Well, a couple of years ago several of us, Gramps among them (and yeah, me too...sigh) said that Hudler needs top-six ice time to thrive, and he was never really going to get that under Uncle Mike.  So, in a twisted way, he’s right.

The Emperor says the following: “On a side note, Dynamo contacted him two years ago about joining them and he said he could not leave Detroit without winning the Stanley Cup.” I’m not sure you can really say he won the Cup, given that he has his name on it but was a healthy scratch throughout the ‘08 Finals.  And he still wants his agent to keep negotiating.  That makes me want to puke.

Oh well.  Enjoy the KHL, Happy.  Try not to have a heart attack during a game.

Paging Mike Grier...Mike Grier, the Motor City needs you…

...And I guess having Gator on the top line for the Griffs is now a dream.  Welcome to the toil of the Big Show, kid.  At least we know you’ll be proud to be a Wing no matter the numbers on your paycheck.

Baroque, Hudler’s one of your favorites and it’s not as if we let him go, traded him, etc.  What say you?

The wings-ducks swedes-finns asthetic should be a fun one at least.

We’ve tried that already Bleys, with the Wings-Stars Swedes-Finns.  Didn’t work too well for them either.  Just please tell Hiller to stop frequenting my freaking nightmares.

Keep predicting that catastrophic roster turnover will cause the Wings’ demise, trolls.  It makes you look like professional journalists from ten years ago.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 07/08/09 at 04:26 PM ET

You move on because it’s a business.  You do what is best for the franchise. Draper and Maltby gone today, Rafalski you keep for one, maybe two years, Osgood needs to be treated the same.  Do you really think it was wise to take a player out of the lineup, Abdelkader, who scored in SCF Game #1 & #2 for a 38 year old, coming off an injury Draper?  Draper was nonexistant during the SCF.
Other than Lidstrom, as the exception, all of them should be gone in 2 years.  You held on to the pipe dream that Hasek was still a great player at almost 40, and I won’t even address Chelios.  All of those players have rings and millions of dollars, no need for some kind of legacy/sympathy roster spot.  Old is old, regardless of how great they used to be.  Again, Lidstrom is the rare exception.  This also doesn’t factor in the individual player wanting to hang up the skates.

Posted by Pens Fan in DC on 07/08/09 at 04:29 PM ET

Baroque, Hudler’s one of your favorites and it’s not as if we let him go, traded him, etc.  What say you?

Never mind, just read your comments on the press conference thread.  Reasonable, but I guess I should have known you’d be a lot more charitable than others seeing as how you’re really high on the kid.  Here’s hoping you’re onto something and he comes back in 2011 a more complete and rounded player for the experience, and he gets the ice time then that we can’t give him now.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 07/08/09 at 04:34 PM ET

Right, like your insistence that because Lidstrom (who has 1 year left on his contract btw) is somehow not dominant because he’s knocking on 40’s door. He’s still the best Dman in the league, age notwithstanding.

Just as much as the Wings may be fatigued, so will plenty of other teams. The Wings roster has as much or more playoff experience than any other team in the NHL. They’ll adjust to the fatigue. Staying healthy is always a toss up. That’s what slowed them down this year, not a lack of endurance.

Lidstrom is one of the greatest blueliners ever, but he is not as good as he was 3 years ago.
Rafalski has never been the player for Detroit he was in NJ.  He us NOT the top puck moving defenseman in the NHL.
Osgood is above average, but if he is so great why was he replaced by Detroit, and ended up in St. Louis?  He is not the player of 2-3 years ago.  The aging blueline will expose his age.
The older you are the more time it takes to recover from injuries, the more injuries you sustain, and the more time it takes to recover from games in general.  Lidstrom especially will not be able to play 30+ minutes every night anymore.
Experience cannot overcome a body that can’t do what it used to.
You all are just rationalizing to avoid addressing the inevitable, these players are going to be gone sooner than later.
Let’s Go Pens!

Posted by Pens Fan in DC on 07/08/09 at 04:36 PM ET

Do you really think it was wise to take a player out of the lineup, Abdelkader, who scored in SCF Game #1 & #2 for a 38 year old, coming off an injury Draper?

No, but I think it was wise to take a player who was suffering from influenza (Abdelkader) out of the lineup and slot in the best available replacement, which is what actually happened.  Abdelkader was not a ‘healthy’ scratch.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 07/08/09 at 04:37 PM ET

Rafalski you keep for one, maybe two years

Do you watch hockey? I’m guessing no. Now, I don’t want to be too hard on you because you’re a pens fan. Clearly you’ve only been following for a couple of years. Raffi had 59 points last year. He’s been dominant and hasn’t shown much signs of slowing down. You are clearly basing your analysis PURELY on age. I hope we have the opportunity to sit down and share a drink together (I’ll have a beer to your zima) and I can explain to you the flaws in that logic, right after I teach you what “icing” is. I know its tough for a newbie.

Posted by CaptNorris5 from Chicago via Detroit on 07/08/09 at 04:37 PM ET

He us NOT the top puck moving defenseman in the NHL.

Good thing CaptNorris5 didn’t say that, then:

still among the top offensive puck moving Dmen

Not much ambiguity there.  Not THE best, but among the best.  Surely even you wouldn’t argue with that.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 07/08/09 at 04:39 PM ET

Rafalski has never been the player for Detroit he was in NJ.  He us NOT the top puck moving defenseman in the NHL.

AMONG the top, not THE top. The stats concur, your bandwagoning views aside.

Shoo troll.

Posted by CaptNorris5 from Chicago via Detroit on 07/08/09 at 04:39 PM ET

You move on because it’s a business.  You do what is best for the franchise. Draper and Maltby gone today, Rafalski you keep for one, maybe two years, Osgood needs to be treated the same.  Do you really think it was wise to take a player out of the lineup, Abdelkader, who scored in SCF Game #1 & #2 for a 38 year old, coming off an injury Draper?  Draper was nonexistant during the SCF.
Other than Lidstrom, as the exception, all of them should be gone in 2 years.  You held on to the pipe dream that Hasek was still a great player at almost 40, and I won’t even address Chelios.  All of those players have rings and millions of dollars, no need for some kind of legacy/sympathy roster spot.  Old is old, regardless of how great they used to be.  Again, Lidstrom is the rare exception.  This also doesn’t factor in the individual player wanting to hang up the skates.

Posted by Pens Fan in DC on 07/08/09 at 05:29 PM ET

So why bring up Lidstrom as part of the problem if he’s the exception?

I’m pretty sure you’ve been reminded of this before, but Abdelkader got replaced by Draper in the finals because he was too busy being on an IV from a bad flu bug he caught, not because that was the preferred choice.

There are quite a few of us who wish that Draper and Maltby would hang up the skates.  I’m among them.  But, as long as they want a roster spot and can earn it, I say give it to them.  If the Wings can’t win a championship next year, it won’t be due to having Draper and Maltby in the lineup. 

As for Rafalski and Osgood, our farm system looks a lot like they’ve already got pieces in place that they believe will be NHL-ready by the time those two are out of our system. 

What exactly are we rationalizing here?  Even you’re saying you hold onto Rafalski and Osgood for another year.  So we’re holding off on talking about those players leaving while we currently have an incomplete roster and that seems to be a big problem for you?  We know their leaving is inevitable, but right now we’re short at least one and more likely two forwards.  These are the pressing matters that we’re concerned about going into this season, not whether Ozzie can play in 2010-11.  We’re confident the Wings will ice another contender this year and the year after that . Our farm system is deep and our GM is smart.

So once again, what’s your point?  You said that next season should kill us because of the schedule and the olympics, but your only recommendation is to pick off the two easiest to replace players?  Perhaps I’m going to hold off on recommending you as the Red Wings next GM for a short while....

Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 07/08/09 at 04:51 PM ET

how about.........we sign dandenault to play F/D and we sign Shanny to a one-year deal. they would obviously fit in really well. and we lose lebda.

Posted by Itrusteddrrahmani from Ann Arbor on 07/08/09 at 06:08 PM ET

how about.........we sign dandenault to play F/D and we sign Shanny to a one-year deal. they would obviously fit in really well. and we lose lebda.

That would be sick. The nostalgic bone in me really likes that idea. Something tells me Shanny is not going to take the little that we can pay him. I’m sold on Dandy though, at least in theory.

...Is it October yet?

Posted by CaptNorris5 from Chicago via Detroit on 07/08/09 at 06:20 PM ET

Lidstrom is one of the greatest blueliners ever, but he is not as good as he was 3 years ago.

And yet he was one of the three D-men nominated for the Norris Trophy again this year. The right guy probably won, but Nick was definitely #2 in that threesome.

Lidstrom especially will not be able to play 30+ minutes every night anymore.

Actually, I think Nick averaged somewhere around 24-25 minutes per game this year. The only time he played more than that was in overtime games. Kudos to Babcock for doing a great job of managing his TOI. And, until he was speared in the nutsack, he played exceptionally well in the playoffs.

Experience cannot overcome a body that can’t do what it used to.

On the contrary, that’s exactly what experience allows you to do. And the Wings are not only very experienced but, to a man, they’re among the most fit players in the League. It’s all part of their work ethic, and that allows them to play harder and for longer than most players.

Osgood is above average, but ... He is not the player of 2-3 years ago.

You’re right. Ozzie is not the player he was 2-3 years ago. He’s better. He made the commitment to change his style of play, and his effort in the playoffs shows that it was a successful make-over.

Your arguements are simplistic at best. And generally weak in thoughtful analysis. But we wouldn’t expect anything different from a Pens fan.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 07/08/09 at 06:23 PM ET

Something tells me Shanny is not going to take the little that we can pay him.

I dunno, he only made 800k last season, though Dandenault made 1.725. Right now we have about 1.8 of free space, before dealing anyone.  And if we lose Lilja thatll give us 1.25 more. better yet, If we deal lebda and lilja for picks we’d have 1.9mill from their salaries. Add that to the 1.8 of space we already have and that’s 3.7 million to sign Shanny and Dandenault (maybe 1.8 for Dands and then 900k for shanny for a year)

sorry to get number-ey.

Posted by Itrusteddrrahmani from Ann Arbor on 07/08/09 at 06:35 PM ET

I dunno, he only made 800k last season

Holy god, I didn’t realize that. Wow, I thought he got paid at least a couple mil. Went right over my head. I’d definitely take him for a similar salary to that.

In Kenny we trust.

Posted by CaptNorris5 from Chicago via Detroit on 07/08/09 at 06:39 PM ET

haha yeah it was a prorated deal and he only played the second half of the season (34 games)...so he actually only received 400k....sounds like he’s looking for a cup more than money..which is exactly the type of person we need.

Posted by Itrusteddrrahmani from Ann Arbor on 07/08/09 at 06:50 PM ET

Funny all you Dead Wings fans will say “we don’t miss _____ because he gave us some great years but it was time to move on.” You held on to Hasek until he was in a wheelchair, you’ve held on to Chelios until he was eligible for Medicare, you’ll hold on to Draper, Maltby and Holmstrom until they are collecting social security, this is so funny.  Old is old, no matter how you rationalize it.  Rafalski was exposed time and time again in SCF for coughin up the puck when pressured.  Osgood is not better, the blueline was better, but #1 & #2 on that blueline is OLD.  News flash to Red Wings fans, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” was a movie, a piece of fiction.  In the real world, people might get wiser as they age, except of course Dead Wings fans, but their bodies start to break down.  This is reality: 6 of the players on your roster, of at least 3 are the core (top 6) of your team, are closer to 40 than 30. That does not bode well for the future.  Rationalization is a great thing until reality hits you square in the nuts, sorry Nik.  Let’s Go Pens!

Posted by Pens Fan in DC on 07/08/09 at 07:08 PM ET

You’ve said nothing new that we haven’t completely torn apart. Go back to your bandwagon, enjoy your cup, you have a very limited time with it left.

I’m done feeding this troll.

Posted by CaptNorris5 from Chicago via Detroit on 07/08/09 at 07:24 PM ET

You keep saying the same bit of nothing.  Don’t worry about us, we’ll just tank for draft picks and wait for the league to pick us up as their pet project.  The Wings have learned the recipe for success in the new NHL.  Thanks for showing us the way, Penguins fans.

Posted by J.J. from Kansas on 07/08/09 at 07:25 PM ET

This Hudler thing, we’ve seen this before.  Datsyuk pulled this exact stunt a few years ago. 

If he does leave, it makes the cap situation easier to deal with.  I’m not concerned.

Oh, and, uh, stop feeding the trolls.

Posted by monkey from Waiting for the lambs to stop screaming on 07/08/09 at 07:29 PM ET

ha actually i think we just hold on to players as long as they help us win.  Homer, Drapes, Maltby, they’ve helped us win 4 cups in 12 years. a couple goals away from winning our 5th in that span....and in that time you guys managed to endure losing season after losing season, stockpile high drafts picks, and narrowly avoid losing your team to another city.

see there’s two routes to go in this league. You can toil at the bottom of the standings collecting top picks and hoping they pan out so you can have a shot at a cup someday. Or you can win every year, and use even the latest of draft picks to pick gems and coach them to greatness (which is precisely why the future bodes very well for US).

on core players: tell me what’s more impressive:  being so terrible that you get to draft your core guyslike crosby and malkin and fleury or having incredible scouts and drafting late, taking guys like Zetterberg and Datsyuk (not to mention mr. irrelevant BigE) then coaching them to be two of the greatest players in the world.  Well personally, i’ll take the skilled coaching, amazing scouting, and 4 cups to your lose first draft high win one cup strategy .

See the thing about this league and why losing teams get high draft picks is so that shitty teams can someday be a powerhouse.  and that’s what you guys effectively did. but guess what, now that you’ll be winning, say goodbye to number one draft picks.  Now you’re future team is going to have to rely on scouting and coaching, just like other good teams. Scary thought eh? Someone once said “Rationalization is a great thing until reality hits you square in the nuts”; ha yeah that’s so true.  You guys are entering a whole new ballgame.  Believe it or not some teams are built through coaching and scouting, which i know if nothing you’ve had to deal with so far (so your ignorance of such a strategy is understood). But that’s something you guys get to do now.  Good Luck!

Posted by Itrusteddrrahmani from Ann Arbor on 07/08/09 at 07:43 PM ET

k, sorry no more feeding. done now.

Posted by Itrusteddrrahmani from Ann Arbor on 07/08/09 at 07:43 PM ET

It doesn’t bother me especially that Leino lost a little focus - Ericsson went through the same thing somewhere in the middle of the season.  It’s hard to maintain focus when you have done what you needed to do to get called up, but know it won’t happen because of cap reasons. It’s only human.

I think he’ll be fine.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 07/08/09 at 08:54 PM ET

The only two things I need to know about Leino is this: what he played like when he was with the Wings and how willing he was to sign a very reasonable contract in order to stay with the Wings. On both counts, he passes with flying colors.

I have a feeling we’ll all enjoy watching him play his style of hockey...which just happens to be the Wings style of hockey. He hangs onto the puck. He isn’t afraid to go into the corners or to the front of the net. And he seems to know when to pass and when to shoot. If he stays healthy, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him end up with 25 goals and 25 assists playing mostly on the third line.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 07/08/09 at 10:15 PM ET

Gee, I’m so glad guys like Pens Fan in DC come on here and explain to us why our team is about to tank.  If they didn’t, then we’d have no idea and it would come as a huge surprise.  But his arguments have swayed me, as incessant repitition of the same thing on the internet always does, and now I’m going to jump ship and become a Pens Fan!  When they inevitably decline, I can just hop on the next bandwagon as soon as another troll comes around on “Lemieux To Crosby” and tells me why my beloved Pens are doomed!  What fun!

Exactly what are you trying to accomplish here, Pens Fan in DC?  You’re not going to change our minds, we’re not going to change yours, so unless you’re getting paid by the word, I’d suggest you stop wasting your breath.

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 07/09/09 at 12:24 AM ET

Do Not Decide.
?
Need help here, 19, settle an argument.....Please
Complete sentence...?
Noun ..?
Verb...?
Qualifier...?
Assumed noun...(You)...?

It is just a bitch arguing with someone you have known for 52 yrs.
Help me out....here.

Posted by HockeyTownTodd from upset when blogs don�t live up to my expectations on 07/09/09 at 01:17 AM ET

Every season since the lockout, there hasn’t been a repeat champ. What makes you think you are next in line? 47 Tuesdays my ass… Get over it

Um...you know that for us to be next in line to repeat, you would have had to say that before the playoffs ended when the results were still in question?  Now that the results have been decided and we didn’t repeat, we...um...didn’t repeat.  47 more Tuesdays until we win the cup again...and I know logic is lost on you Pens fans, but I think...and I just may be right...that if we do win the cup next year - we won’t be repeat champs.  But, take comfort in the fact that the Penguins will definitely prove your point about non-repeats this coming season.

Posted by stayouttamalibu from Temporarily in Tempe, AZ on 07/09/09 at 04:42 AM ET

Gramps, as ‘Do Not Decide’ lacks a subject, it qualifies only as a sentence fragment, not as a complete sentence.  You cannot assume an unused noun as the subject, since the assumed noun could just as easily be ‘they’ as ‘you,’ or ‘we’ for that matter.  Implied subjects function only in colloquial speech, and not in proper speech.  As a directed order, ‘Do Not Decide’ scans okay, but is still improper speech.

Hope this means you win the argument!

Posted by AndrewFromAnnArbor from Fortress Europe on 07/09/09 at 05:03 AM ET