Catching Up

It's been several days of feeling depressed, so I didn't really have any desire to write. The injury to Kronwall seems to have been the straw that broke the camel's back for the Wings. At least, for now. Bettman has finally broken the Wings to the point where they may not be able to recover this season. The exodus of players wasn't enough to kill the Wings, but the injuries very well may be their undoing. Just how far down the standings can the Wings go and still expect to play well enough in the late part of the season to make it into the playoffs? It won't be fun, but it will be interesting to see just HOW good this team is. And with everyone healthy, I don't think they could have been stopped--at the very least, it would have been hard.

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And so Laraque got suspended for five games. Big. Fricking. Deal. This suspension isn't going to hurt the Canadiens--he isn't one of their stars--and it isn't going to hurt Laraque, either, as he only plays about seven to ten minutes a game. That is, when he actually DOES play in a game. So far this year, I think it is in the neighborhood of ten games? Yeah, a BIG loss for the Canadiens AND for Laraque. But the Wings are without one of their best players for up to two months. Yeah, that suspension sure made up for what Laraque did.

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Now, I wasn't quite as upset over the Bertuzzi signing as some people were. I even thought I would give him the benefit of the doubt. Now I just want to see Babcock get him the fricking hell off of Datsyuk's line! I'm not seeing much--if any--improvement in him, and he is more of a liability than an asset out there. His passes don't get to whoever he is aiming for--and they usually end up on an 'enemy's' stick--and he certainly doesn't get passes that are made to him, so why is he still on the top line? Babcock is certainly a complete and total puzzle in his thinking. Or he is an absolute genius and that is why we fans can't see what HE does?

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And in the 'Wings aren't the only team to get screwed by the officials' category. The Penguins won their game last night in overtime. Actually, they were HANDED the win last night. Robert Young, at Bleacher Report, had this to say:

A minute in to the overtime, the Pittsburgh defender Brooks Orpik checked Nathan Horton in the back well after Horty had released the puck. That would qualify as an interference one would think, right?

But no: The linesman, in all his wisdom, decided to but in and call the penalty—on Nathan Horton.

The Florida Panthers’ forward, the by far dominating offensive player of the game to that point, was sent to the box for four minutes.

Apparently it is now illegal in the NHL to be checked in the back by an opposing player and subsequently fall to the ice.

Let’s call it a high sticking and pretend that the fouled player, checked in the back and falling to the ice, actually has the semblance of means to control his stick in this instance.

In these new directives, apparently sent to the linesmen just prior to this game, they are to be vigilant of any players falling to the ice as the result of a blindsided check.

Obviously that kind of behavior cannot be tolerated by the NHL and shall henceforth warrant four minutes in the penalty box—to the player fouled that is—not the one delivering the foul naturally.

So well done linesman! I’m sure Gary Bettman will reward you handsomely for that brilliant call, and of course; for giving Sidney Crosby the chance to star in another game.

After all, if we are to sell this game to those who have no interest in the sport—we must have our fix stars in hockey. And we all feel Sidney, poor fellow, deserves a few extra breaks in life don’t we…

Now, it isn't surprising that this assinine call was made--we have seen many, many stupid calls--and it definitely isn't surprising that the team benefitting from this is Bettman's little wet dream. Unfortunately, these problems won't be fixed until Bettman is gone. And if he isn't gone, soon, there will be irreparable damage done to the NHL. If the damage hasn't already been done.