And For The Gold...

I'm really making myself depressed, but I believe that Canada will win the gold medal in men's hockey. There. I said it. And the only thing that will make me even more depressed is for when it actually happens. {{sigh}}

I watched all of the games yesterday from beginning to end--well, had the TV on during the Canada/Russian game--and I think only the US has an outside chance of beating Canada. And I don't see it as being anywhere as easy as the first win. The two teams--Russia and Sweden--that I thought could beat Canada in a heartbeat, are out. That leaves the US, Slovakia, and Finland. Slovakia was a little like a dog with a bone--just wouldn't give up and managed to beat Sweden. However, it was NOT a decisive victory, for sure. After all, the winning goal was scored by Kopecky for crying out loud! The Finns just played with no oomph last night. And the first goal came late in the third period. Come on now, they can't play like that against the Canadians. But, I don't see Finland topping the US, so it is a moot point.

So, Canada will win the gold medal. And how do I know this? Because 'Sidney is carrying the Team on his back'--and this is according to some talking head that I heard. Canada--the entire country--thinks they are entitled to the gold and The Anointed One will be the one to win it for them. I'm sure Sidney will--if he hasn't already--given a grand and rousing 'rah, rah' speech in the dressing room, just to inspire his teammates. And they will win it for him, for their mothers, for Gary, and for Canada. After all, what more can you want or expect from a great leader?

Just For a Minute

I'm still trying to work out all of the kinks in my new computer systems, so I will just leave this as my post:




In Bettman's NHL, therapists in the penalty box may NOT be too far off.

Monday

Holy hell! I'm still not believing the game last night. There were times when I thought "They have to actually try and LOSE this game tonight!" It has been a long, long time since I felt that way about a game. Of course, the entire game didn't make me feel like that. The end of the second wasn't their best effort, but overall things looked not bad.

So, two more players are down for the count. If things don't change soon, there will be no one left to play. This just defies any explanation. I can't even blame Bettman for what is going on--or can I? I'll be happy to use whatever explanation to blame that little weasel if someone can come up with one for me. Things have to change sooner or later, right?

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.

Little Gary HAS To Be Thrilled

I can imagine Little Gary sitting behind a very large desk--well, considering what a very small man he is, it wouldn't have to be THAT big--rubbing his hands together and cackling like the Wicked Witch of the West. Since 1 July, he has seen five of the Wings leave and the Hudler situation just made everything a bit more uncomfortable. Losing five players should have been the prize for Red Wing haters, but the league decided it wasn't enough. Despite the Wings NOT arguing Hudler's decision to go to Russia to play, the NHL has stepped in and said he's not allowed to do so--that he is still under contract to the Wings and he can't leave. And so the situation just gets worse for the Wings.

First, if Hudler is forced to come back to Detroit, just how effective of a player will he be? He WANTED to leave and the team he was going to was giving him BIG bucks to play for them. Now, we're talking about $2 mil more per year TAX FREE to play in Russia. THAT is quite an incentive, for sure. And something NO ONE wants to have taken away from them. Would he be able to put aside his disappointment and play as well as he is able if he is forced to stay in Detroit? And would he be satisfied with his role on the team? He said that playing in Russia would increase his on-ice minutes--something ALL players crave--and that he would have a leadership role on the team--something that wouldn't happen on the Wings. NOT a good situation for the team, at all.

And now, with this whole league-contesting-Hudler's-Russian-contract deal going on, Holand's hands are tied when it comes to adding anyone to the team. Without knowing if he has to work in Hudler's salary, Holland can't sign anyone because he has no idea how much money he has to work with. The Wings were willing to let Hudler go, so why should the league make a big deal out of it? (Yeah, yeah, there is the whole bit about future players, etc, etc, etc. Whatever.) It seems as if this is just one more thing that the conspiracy theorists can point to when they talk about the hate Bettman and the league have for the Wings.

For the amount that the Wings would probably have to pay Hudler--in the $3 mil per year area, I would imagine--I say "Let him go!" Filppula is getting $3 mil a year and Cleary is getting $2.8 mil--and Hudler is NOT worth as much as either one of them. Too much money for too little talent. And despite VF's and Cleary's not-as-good-as-hoped season last year, I think both will step it up a lot with Hossa being gone. They both will add minutes and be expected to do better. Hudler is not needed--especially a Hudler that doesn't want to be on the team.

On Further Thought

Quite the day and so much to think about. Next season will be interesting, to say the least.

I didn't think that Hossa would re-sign with the Wings--and I was perfectly okay with that. My one regret is that I would have liked to have seen Hossa and Filppula on the same line for all of last season. I think those two could have developed a chemistry that would have been unbelievable. But, Babcock is so insistent on separating Datsyuk and Zetterberg--it is a blind spot with the man. Oh, well, that is something that didn't and won't happen, so I must move on. And I was okay with all of this--until Hossa signed with Chicago. I still find it hard to absorb that news. This really takes away most of the 'good luck, been nice knowing you' feelings that I had for him.

Even though the Wings have lost three players--so far--they aren't that much different from the team that won the Cup on '08. I know that in an intellectual way. But, in my heart I am not too confident about next season. I'm sure I will feel differently about a month in, but until then I will do a lot of worrying. The depth is there and it was apparent during the playoffs that the guys from Grand Rapids ARE ready to make the jump, but still I worry. With Conklin gone, I worry about the goal tending. He really helped save the team while Ozzie was having his problems--I wish he would have stayed. Kopecky leaving doesn't bother me at all--if nothing else, I think Abdelkator could replace him. But it won't matter that much if he stays in GR for another year.

Now we just sit and wait to see how many more will leave--and IF Holland signs anyone new. At least, there should be some salary relief with Hossa leaving. I'm hoping that the wheeling and dealing that Bettman has done over the years to cause the Wings to fall, isn't finally going to become a reality.

I wonder if I actually could live with myself if I ever became an optimist?

Bettman Is An Assclown

mlive.com had this to say, followed by a quote from the Globe and Mail:

Speaking of Bettman, those who claim that the Red Wings simply booed the Penguins didn't catch the drift of Gary Bettman's comments--as in nothing about the Red Wings, save, "It takes a champion to beat a champion." It's traditional for the commissioner to congratulate both teams and both teams' owners, and he completely ignored both the Wings and Mike and Marian Ilitch:

We did get to hear a warm greeting for the Commish from the faithful at the Joe Louis Arena, however, as he presented the Stanley Cup to Crosby. They weren't booing, they were ... well, they were booing, as a matter-of-fact.

Never one to miss a chance to Balsillie-ize these days, Bettman oozed thanks to the owners of the new Cup winners, "for saving the Pittsburgh Penguins." Apparently Detroit owner Mike Ilitch was unmoved; after Bettman failed to acknowledge the Wings in his Cup presentation speech, Ilitch kept walking past the commissioner as Bettman stuck out his hand under the stands.

And people STILL wonder why some Wing fans think there is a conspiracy!