Saturday, July 28, 2012

Free Agency Frenzy -- Or Lack Thereof














July is almost over and the biggest name the Red Wings have signed this free agency is Mikael Samuelsson.

Ken Holland said that Detroit would be "aggressive" in free agency and as of yet, there have been four players signed. I would love to say that the Wings went out and signed big name free agents (ie. Ryan Suter and Zach Parise) but, sadly they have not.

This lack of huge free agent signings are:

  1. Not for lack of trying -- Ken Holland supposedly made a 13yr -- $90 Million offer to Ryan Suter and a similar one to Zach Parise. The Wings were also one, of two, teams who made the trip to Wisconsin to visit with Ryan Suter. If Suter's wife and Parise's fiance are strong enough to make their men move back to Minnesota, well then so be it. At least we tried. Mind you, I am not at all happy that we have struck out at least four times already. We need help on the blue line and the only prospect who is NHL ready is Brendan Smith. He is followed by Lashoff, who is still a year -- maybe two -- away from being a full time NHL defenseman. 
  2. Never going to make me doubt my Wings fan status -- I know I haven't lived through the "Dead Wings" era and therefore, some will refuse to classify me as a true fan. Just because I am too young does not make me a "faux" fan, I have been cheering whole heartedly for my Winged Wheelers for my entire life and one tough season will not make me change that.  I have a whole lot of faith in the fact that Ken Holland has a plan that we, as fans, are not privy to, nor should we be. I will be the first to admit I am not even close to being "expert" enough to make the decisions that Kenny is making, and has been for the last 15 years. I sometimes wonder what is going through his head and why he makes the decisions he does but, in the end, I come to the same realization... that Kenny knows what he is doing and that Kenny has a plan. 
My thoughts going into next season are that, if the Wings stay exactly as they are, they will be a playoff team. I am not saying that they will be the number one, hands down, favorite to win the Cup but, I am saying that they have a chance... No one thought that the Kings could win it this year. We may not be the favorite now but, I am having a hard time believing that going into next year there are eight teams better than the Detroit Red Wings, even without Nick Lidstrom.

Through thick and thin, hard times and great times, I will be a Winged Wheel fan. The 2012-2013 season may not be the easiest but, I can assure you... I will be there celebrating every goal and cursing ever loss. I will be there until the end.

I choose to end with this... In Kenny We Trust. Go Wings.

"I'm not saying it's going to be easy, I'm telling you it's going to be worth it." - Unknown

Friday, July 13, 2012

Because Someone Challenged Me to Think Of The Best Hockey Moment...

The greatest hockey moment is very hard to pin point and subjective, each person will have their own view of it. 
Here’s mine…
The 1980 US Men’s Olympic Hockey Miracle On Ice
The Soviet hockey team at the time was unstoppable, winning the Gold Medal in the 1964-1976 Olympic Games. It was pretty much a foregone conclusion that they would win again as they had the greatest goalie in the world, Vladislav Tretiak. 
In the 1980 Olympics, the Soviets entered as heavy favorites having won the last 4 gold medals. They were considered to be the natural rivals of the United States with the Cold War raging on. 
In the first period the Soviets scored twice, the United States scored once, the Soviets thought that they would end the period up by one goal then, with one second left the US scored. They took a 2-2 tie into the locker room after the first. The Soviets took the lead again. Next came the miracle. The United States scored twice over the next two periods and came away with a win, their captain scoring the game winner. Jim Craig played amazingly well in goal and the miracle was completed when a few days later the United States won the Gold Medal coming from behind in the score, just like always.
It was exactly what the country needed at the time. If I wrote for 10 years I could not express how great this story is. 
The movie Miracle is based on the story of 20 amateur players who become a team, a team who stuns the world and wins the gold at the 1980 Olympic Games on home ice, in the process beating a seemingly unbeatable Soviet team. 
Here are some interviews about the movie.
Here are the Highlights

Monday, July 2, 2012

Welcome to Detroit: Jordin Tootoo

God I hate that I have to write this one... I am giving Ken Holland the benefit of the doubt with this one. Mostly because of this:


and this: Video I mean seriously? Who pushes Datsyuk??

Moving on...

Ken Holland went out and signed Tootoo for 3 years, $1.9Mil per.

Cautiously optimistic about this one... Mike Babcock called Wings management out at the end of the playoffs, after the Nashville series, for not having enough "grit." Babcock said we had no one to keep the flies off. That is what Tootoo brings. Tootoo is an agitator and he's darn good at it. Tootoo, if he plays the way he can, would be a return to Kirk Maltby-ish play. If it happens, I like it! I loved Maltby and if Tootoo can be that... I'm all for it.

Here's what the Red Wings Blogosphere says:

JJ from Winging It In Motown:
"Jordin Tootoo is a Red Wing for three years. He will get paid an average of $1.9M for each of those three years.
I will spend every single one of those games listening for a person blowing one of those stupid whistles in the crowd and praying that they get tuberculosis of the colon.
Ok, here goes on the trying to be nice: Jordin Tootoo's 30 points last year was actually pretty damn good. You know what? It's more than Justin Abdelkader put up. He's also apparently really bought into the whole playing hockey for your team and not trying to be a selfish idiot. Of course, this is coming not too long after he played all of three games in the playoffs, and only one against Detroit because it took him no time at all to take a stupid penalty.
I guess if you want a guy who really likes to fight, Tootoo's your man. I might eventually get used to this signing."
The Chief from Abel To Yzerman
"Absolutely despise the Tootoo signing. I honestly dislike this player and I’m not sure I’ll be able to set that aside."
and
"And just to repeat: the Tootoo signing disgusts me."
 Okay, I'm done. I've calmed down from yesterday's unhappiness... I am slowly coming to terms with this.

Welcome to Detroit: Jonas Gustavsson

Source
Detroit landed a "Monster."

Jonas Gustavsson, formerly of Toronto, signed with the Red Wings yesterday (July 1, 2012). 

Last year: 
"Gustavsson went 17-17-4, with a 2.92 goals-against average and .902 save percentage this past season. For his career, he is 39-45-15, with a 2.93 GAA and .900 save percentage, along with five shutouts." (Source)
 Nicknamed "Monster," Gustavsson is 6'3" and is heralded for his athleticism.

I hope that Gustavsson can push Howard to be better and Howard can push Gustavsson.