Oh, the power of wishful thinking. I suppose this is exactly what one should expect from a hometown St. Looie columnist, and I don’t argue that the Blues are on the rise (couldn’t have sunk much lower)… but Bernie is, shall we say, highly selective in his argument that the Wings are declining.

The most egregious entry is that list of “key Red Wings players in the mid-30s or older.” Sure, Lidstrom, Rafalski and Osgood are core players. But Samuelsson? Draper? I love Drapes, but he’s not a “key player.” He’s a role player. At least Bernie didn’t try to put Chelios on his list. As a matter of fact, Bernie, most of the team’s core is in its prime: Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Filppula, Franzen, Cleary, Kronwall, Lebda, Stuart.

And Bernie ignores the fact that the Wings have a wave of young players on the rise. Helm, Leino, Ericsson, and Abdelkader have shown that they are ready for prime time. 

As for the cap squeeze, sure, it’s a challenge. But most of the good teams in the NHL face similar issues. One of the Wings’ organizational strengths, ignored by Bernie, is its ability to handle the cap. Bernie’s column would have been more accurate five or six years ago, when the core of the team included Yzerman, Shanahan, Hull, Schneider, Chelios, and a succession of aging rent-a-goalies.

Posted by jvwalt on 06/21/09 at 07:53 AM ET

Keith Tchachuck (sp) isn’t a puppy anymore, either.  And they need to keep their defensemen away from golf carts.

It’s good to see the Blues doing better, but I think the biggest problem in the division isn’t Detroit - it’s the entire division.  Detroit isn’t really going anywhere the next little while, Chicago is rising fast, Nashville is always more than they appear, and Columbus has a raft of new expectations for the playoffs with which they will have to cope.

The question isn’t can the Blues gain on the Red Wings - it’s can they gain on the Red Wings more rapidly than the Blackhawks, Predators, and Blue Jackets.

Quite a turnaround from the “cupcake division” of a few years ago.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 06/21/09 at 08:06 AM ET

Mmmmmm cupcakes.

Baroque nailed it, again. 
The question isn’t can the Blues gain on the Red Wings - it’s can they gain on the Red Wings more rapidly

Posted by MarkK from Maryland on 06/21/09 at 08:28 AM ET

Keep reachin’, Bernie.

Posted by Incognetis from Exile in Alabama on 06/21/09 at 10:08 AM ET

To quote from the article:

“Detroit is the standard-bearer for everybody,” Blues coach Andy Murray said. “People talk about the Red Wings getting older, but I still see a lot of gifted young players on their roster. They still set the standard for the Western Conference.”

Of course, the Blues aren’t just tracking the Red Wings. They have to catch the Chicago Blackhawks, who reached the Western Conference finals. And the Blackhawks’ kids are a year ahead of the Blues’ kids. The Blues are also jostling with Columbus and Nashville.

People should the entire article before responding.

Posted by Moq from Denmark on 06/21/09 at 11:04 AM ET

People should the entire article before responding.

Posted by Moq from Denmark on 06/21/09 at 12:04 PM ET

I did.  I was emphasizing the most relevant point.

Some people should turn down the self-assured snark.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 06/21/09 at 06:39 PM ET

I did.  I was emphasizing the most relevant point.

Posted by Baroque

No, you added “I think” to something already written in the article.

Posted by Moq from Denmark on 06/21/09 at 07:23 PM ET

The blues are impressive, but they lack grit.  Otherwise they’re in a good position, even if they lose both Mason and Legace they have excellent AHL goalie depth.

Posted by stoneman from vegas on 06/21/09 at 11:12 PM ET