Another Loss

I really hate to feel so pessimistic after a 'pretend' game, but they have now lost two of the three pre-season games that have been played.  And it was the 'B' team losing both times.  However, the guys played a LOT better tonight than they did on Wednesday--I really thought there was a good chance for them to win.  And that was against Chicago's 'stars.'  So, I guess things aren't looking too bad.  But, every time the Wings lose--I don't care if it is a 'real' game or not--I just want to go and raid my wine rack or liquor supply.  It just makes it so much easier to forget the loss. 

It will be alright.  I know that.  But, it wouldn't be Red Wing hockey if I wasn't the voice of doom-and-gloom.  ;)

Can't It PLEASE Be October Already?

It really hit me as to how much I miss hockey--and how boring life is without it.  When I was grocery shopping tonight, I had to stop myself from squealing like a little girl when I saw Golden Grahams on the shelf.  When finding a box of Golden Grahams is the most excitement you have had in your life for some time, then it is more than time for hockey to begin again.

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I want to be absolutely giddy over all of the dire news that has been coming out of Chicago this summer.  I want to laugh, cheer, and celebrate their loss of players and salary problems.  I want to shout from the rooftops that they will not be contenders this season--that this past year was a small bump in the road and they won't be successful for another long, long time.  I want to, but I can't.  My pessimism won't let me.  I'm just too worried that the players they WILL have will rally and prove every one of the doom-and-gloomers wrong--that they will actually be a team to be reckoned with.  Of course, time will tell, but until then, I will worry.

Bits and Pieces

I'm still not completely sure I'm going to continue with this blog.  I don't feel as if I have any new or insightful things to say--at least not anything that can't be found elsewhere.  But, until I decide, I should keep this up to date.

So, the Blackhawks won the Cup.  Whoop-de-fricking-do.  Although I knew it would happen some day--as it did with The Boy--Kane is getting his name on the Cup.  Three of the past four years an absolute travesty has been done with Pronger, The Boy, and now Kane having their names inscribed on the Stanley Cup.  I could just cry.  But I am most upset about Kane because he is such an embarrassment--the epitome of a spoiled brat athlete.  I'm STILL not over the fact that he got less than a slap on the wrist for his 'antics' last summer.  I just cannot stand how the privileged get away with shit like that.  But I guess that's the way it is...

I didn't watch much hockey after the Wings were eliminated.  Don't get me wrong, if there was a game on, I usually had the TV tuned in, I just didn't pay much attention or listen.  That doesn't mean I was totally ignorant of what went on, however.  And I have opinions...

I'm so happy we will/should be done with hearing about Hossa and his not being able to win the Cup.  Several people have opined that he will be looking for a new team now that he finally has what he's wanted.  Interesting.  And it wouldn't surprise me in the least if he DOESN'T play out his contract with Chicago.  So far, he hasn't shown any desire to be loyal to a team, so time will tell.

I couldn't decide if I was more annoyed or amused by Kopecky.  He kept coming off like he thought he was some big shot.  Does he really think so much of himself?  I actually didn't think he was THAT good during the playoffs, was he?  It will be interesting to see whether he will follow Hossa when he leaves Chicago--if he's still around the entire time Hossa is.  I think Kopecky will just fade away in the next few years, never to be heard from again.

The player that I was most confused by was Leino.  While he was with the Wings, I was one of his biggest supporters--especially when he would give interviews and come off as a bit of an asshole.  Now I'm wondering if I was wrong about him.  His interviews as the playoffs went on didn't do him any favors, that's for sure.  He really came off as whiny and carrying a grudge against the Red Wing organization.  I hope I'm wrong and he still is being misunderstood--because of English being his second language and Finns aren't always easy to understand, etc--but I'm beginning to wonder if it really is so.  (I have relatives in Finland who I communicate with and THEIR English isn't as good as Leino's, but we still understand each other.)  I'm afraid I gave Leino the benefit of the doubt when maybe I shouldn't have.  It will be interesting to see how he plays next year, but I have a feeling he won't be universally loved in Philly by the end of the season.

I really wonder if there is going to be that big of an OMG thing happening with the Hawks in terms of players they will/won't be signing.  About this time last year, everyone was so sure the Penguins would be decimated because of the salary cap, but that doesn't seem to have been the case.  Sure, they didn't get as far into the playoffs as they had the two years previous, but they weren't at the bottom of the heap, either.  Any Penguin hater was so sure--and I was among them--that they would crash and burn this year, but it didn't happen.  So, I won't be surprised--despite the fact that quite a few players will have to go--if the Hawks make things extremely uncomfortable for the Wings this next season.  I think they will be able to work something out and the Wings and Hawks will spend the entire season fighting over the number one spot in the division, if not the conference.

Next year's Wings won't be much different than last year's.  Lebda and Williams will be gone--thank goodness--but there doesn't seem to be any new faces coming in.  With all the players healthy--from my lips to God's ears--the team should be good.  And I can't wait for the season to start.  Is this summer ever going to end?

Next...

I am already done with this hockey season--actually, I have been done for quite a while.  I accept that the Hawks will probably win the Cup and that Kane's name will be on it.  And I know that I will live.  After all, I lived through Pronger and the Piece of Shit getting their names on it, so I will get through this, too.  I managed to avoid seeing pictures or video of the Piece of Shit raising the Cup last year--well, for the most part--and I will avoid seeing Kane do the same.  All of my efforts and thoughts these days are going towards next season.  And I'm very okay with that.

I Got A Happy Today

It was great to see the Wings beat Chicago once again.  I DID chuckle to think that the 'Hawks chances for 1st-in-the-conference glory was thwarted by the Wings--as it should be.  Hopefully, this won't give Chicago too much desire and ammunition when the two teams meet somewhere down the road during this playoff run.  I mean, I AM correct in thinking it will be Chicago and Detroit playing in the conference finals, right?  An interesting end to an interesting season, for sure.  And things are just getting started...

Oh, Well...

I only watched about half of that suckfest yesterday--just couldn't make myself watch anymore. Wow. It really hurts to be a Red Wings fan at some times--and that was about the most painful game for me. While I will despise the Penguins eternally, the Blackhawks are coming very close to them in terms of how much I hate them. I want EVERY GAME to be a 20-0 blowout with Kane losing at least three teeth each and every time he faces the Wings. He is as much of a shitass as The Boy is--just isn't promoted as much. Oh, well...

This morning I went to find out how the Rangers did last night and I certainly wish I could have seen THAT game! Anyway, they played the third game in as many days against Alpena. On Friday and Saturday, they won--Saturday's score was 8-1!--but lost yesterday. The loss doesn't matter--I STILL wish I had been at that game. After looking at the box score, it seems as if the goalies got into a bit of fisticuffs in the second period--they both got 5 minute fighting majors and 10 game misconducts and were thrown out of the game. In all, 8 different players got fighting majors/game misconduct penalties in the melee. It must have been fun cleaning up that mess. And I miss all of the fun stuff!

The Smile Is Getting Bigger

When I read yesterday that Hossa had a small tear of the rotator cuff, I smiled. Not that I want him to be hurt, mind you, just that this seemed to be a small bit of payback for the way Chicago screwed the Wings. Today the smile definitely got bigger when it was announced that he would, after all, have surgery to repair the damage and would miss the first two months of the season. Whoa! Let the imploding begin?

Hmmm...

So, what exactly does it mean to the Wings that Stan Bowman is the new GM for Chicago? Hard to say, but I certainly see Scotty's hand in all of the changes going on there. Despite the fact that Scotty lead the Wings to the Cup, he rubs me the wrong way. I really don't think I would like the guy in real life. Just saying. This season is going to be interesting, to say the least.

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?