SOME Things Are Looking Up

The Wings lost both pre-season games to Toronto. I recorded both and watched the second one tonight after coming home from seeing the local Junior team play. I don't know why I bothered. I keep trying to tell myself that these games mean nothing, that the Wings are playing their Grand Rapids kids while the other teams have their top guns on the ice, but it doesn't make me feel any better. I like when the Wings win and my day is shot to hell when they lose. The start of the season can't come fast enough for me.

The only thing that saved this weekend was going to the Rangers (our Junior team) games. There are some decent players on the team and they are a lot of fun to watch. I don't know if the two teams have some 'history' between them, but they sure went after each other--there were enough scrums, battles, and fights to keep even Canadians happy. Tonight saw all of the guys on the ice--except for the goalies--beating on each other, with six guys being ejected from the game. (Actually, I think a couple of Icedogs--the 'other' team--were ejected earlier in the game.) The Rangers won both games and are on top of their division. Granted, it is just the start of the season, but they are looking good.

We will be going to watch the Rangers more often this year than last. It gets me out of the house and makes me feel as if I actually have a life. I can miss a couple of Wings games--won't kill me. :)

Buffalo 3, Wings 1

A low scoring--four goals, one an empty net goal--and only six penalty game, it was all Red Wings until ten minutes left in the game. (The first goal of the game didn't come till the second period.) After Buffalo got their first goal--on the power play--it seemed to give them life and carried them to the win. Most of the game was played in the Buffalo end with the Wings dominating--but they failed to score. Datsyuk and Franzen looked good and Lidstrom was solid, as usual. (The first Buffalo goal went in off of Lidstrom's stick, but shit happens.) Abdelkator is making it very difficult to make a case for sending him to Grand Rapids for the season.

Much Going On

No one will be able to watch hockey this season without a program, that's for sure. With all of the players being moved, it will be hard to know exactly WHAT team is playing.

The Grand Rapids guys will be a big part of the Wings this year--which we all were pretty sure was going to happen, anyway. It is time for Helm and Leino and Ericsson to move up. Last year they could have been in Detroit, but the salary cap prevented that. It will be a much younger team than we've seen in a while, but good nonetheless.

Now with the probable move to Russia by Hudler, it looks like there will be a need for even more new faces on the team. Holland is going to sign someone, cause it doesn't look like there will be enough guys in GR ready to move up. With the exception of Abdelkator, I'm not sure who is next in line. Especially with the way the Wings like to give prospects the time to grow in the AHL. Interesting.

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So, Sakic is retiring. The only player that I could actually like on the Avalanche. He was as classy as a player could be--a good guy. Too bad he played for Colorado.

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Pronger extended his time in Philly by another seven years. And the Flyers continue to get themselves back into the Broadstreet Bullies way of thinking--if they ever were out of it. Their season might be mighty interesting, considering they signed Emery, too. I'm still waiting to see what this team can do against Pitts--I'm hoping for some bloodshed, actually.

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Just some of the interesting things going on: Anaheim signed Saku Koivu. The Islanders are hoping that Tavares will lead them out of the cellar. The Blackhawks signed all of their RFA's, so they will stay out of trouble over the 'oops, the mail was slow' 'mistake' that was made over the qualifying offers not getting to the players as per the rules. Surprise! {dripping sarcasm in that} And life goes on in the NHL. Isn't it October yet?