The Captain speaks
Steve Yzerman, amazingly, wants to keep playing, though he believes there will be a lockout next year which could interfere with his plans. If there is no season, his age will likely keep him from playing, not the eye injury he suffered a week ago.

“I expect my eye to heal. I have some problems with vision but I expect that to (improve). We’ll get a good idea in the next couple of weeks if or how much permanent damage there was to my eye. But it’s not the type of injury that really affects your career, as opposed to damaging your knee.”

His scratched cornea is apparently fine and the fractures to his orbital bone will heal too but he also has a small tear in his iris and some bleeding in the back of his eye. The tear affects how his pupil dilates and is making the eye sensitive to light. Even will all those problems, The Captain had planned on returning in the later rounds of the playoffs, had the Wings continued on.

Needless to say, Yzerman has new thoughts about visors since his injury.

“I have three daughters that don’t play hockey, but if I had a son and he was turning pro I’d want him to wear a visor. You don’t need an eye injury. This is the first one I’ve had. The first thing that went through my mind was I don’t want to lose my eyesight. I really believe guys should be wearing them. I wouldn’t have said that a week ago.”

He said he will wear a visor for the as long as he continues playing.

He isn’t too optimistic about the chances for a season next year.

“From my understanding, the ownership throughout the entire league is preparing for that as well. The time there was a contracted season and a full playoff (1995) it worked reasonably well. It’s a no-brainer to think, at the very least, they’re going to start the season in January.”

He, like the rest of his fellow players, will not accept a salary cap and hopes for something like baseball’s luxury tax. And, unlike Gary Bettman and the NHL owners, he is realistic about the success of the NHL in the US.

“In a lot of parts of the (United States) hockey isn’t a popular sport and I don’t know that it ever will be. Throwing a salary cap in there isn’t going to all the sudden make the NHL more popular in San Antonio (Texas) or other parts of the country. I believe we’re in some markets that aren’t hockey markets.”

However, while he may believe that now, he said he’ll “probably be arguing the other way,” when he has a desk job with the Wings in a couple years or so.

I cannot believe that man. He still wants to play. Wow. Steve, you’ve got nothing to prove! It might just be time to let it go, as much as I don’t want that to happen….

Click here to see a picture of The Captain and his eye from Friday’s talk with the media. It isn’t pretty. (from David Guralnick of the The Detroit News)

Holland on some changes
The Wings GM will meet with team owners Mike and Marion Illitch within the next two weeks about where to go with the coaching staff and the players. About the latter, Holland said “The group we had here didn’t get it done. We have to make some changes.” In the process of making those changes, the Wings will eliminate a considerable amount of their nearly-$80 million payroll. He will start negotiations with Kris Draper and Mathieu Schneider son in hopes of preventing them from going on the open market.

Holland, while appreciative of the coaches’ job in the regular season, acknowledged that they fell short of the ultimate goal.

“The coaching staff did a great job. I have to meet with the owners to decide what direction we’re going. I thought they did a great job considering all the injuries, winning the President’s Trophy. But at the same time, did we get the desired result? No, we did not.”

He also said “If they are back, there are some things they need to do better, but certainly there is a chance they won’t be back.”

Dave Lewis defended himself and rightfully said he improved but admitted that he his job is likely in jeopardy.

“I know I’m a better coach than I was two years ago, or at the beginning of the season. I’ve been proactive. If things didn’t work, I made changes.

“My job was to win the Stanley Cup, our job as a team was to win, and we didn’t get it done. It’s a result oriented business.”

I’m mixed in my feelings about Lewis. He did a great job in the regular season, for sure, but something was missing in the playoffs. I really felt he didn’t learn his lessons and stick with what was working then but kept reverting back to what had worked during the season. I’m not sure if the players are taking him seriously any more and it may be better for all parties concerned if there is a parting of ways. The coaches that are available, though, aren’t much more successful in the playoffs than Lewis.

… Because the Wings will not pick up his $6.5 million option, Brendan Shanahan will not be back unless they offer him a lesser, one-year deal and he takes it. Shanny said

“It doesn’t make any sense to comment on that until I talk to (management). If they choose to bring me back, great, but if not, I have no regrets about coming here and will take away a lot of great memories.”

I’m reluctant to let Shanny go, even though he was a big disappointment in the playoffs. He has been a Red Wing for roughly the time I’ve been a Wings fan (eight years) and I’d really hate to see him go.

… Chris Chelios wants to be back next season but the Wings may not be interested.

(Above from mlive (here and here) and DetNews)

… I will be a call-in guest on SportsTalkCleveland.com’s “Hockey Insider” at around 1:00 ET, if you want to listen in. It’s hosted by Rick Morris and Joe Lindway and I’ve been on it twice already this year. If it weren’t the last show of the season, I’d recommend that you listen to it every Saturday at 12:00 ET. Be sure to listen to it next year, though, if you don’t already. UPDATE: The time has just been changed from 1:00 ET to about 1:40 ET.

Mr. Holland’s Summer

GM Ken Holland has a long summer ahead of him, courtesy of the Wings’ early exit from the playoffs. What’s troubling is that the Wings lacked energy when faced with elimination, and couldn’t buy a goal from guys paid millions to do so. For the second-highest scoring team during the regular season, how is it possible to be shutout for close to seven periods of hockey?

A possible answer is that the Wings might’ve been hungry, but their average team age of 31.4 years just caught up with them. Guys were tired and couldn’t keep up with the speedy Flames. The Wings ended up dumping the puck in the Calgary zone because they didn’t have the jump that allowed the Flames to gain our zone on the go.

I find the philosophy calling for veterans and experience over young talent rather overrated. We all saw the inexperienced Calgary Flames defense play solid defense. Look over at Tampa Bay, and you’ll see that five of their six 20+ goal scorers are rather young: Vincent Lecavalier (24), Brad Richards (24), Martin St. Louis (28), Fredrik Modin (29), Cory Stillman (30), and Dave Andreychuk (40). And San Jose has snuck into the Western Conference Finals with a young and stifling defensive squad.

It is also possible that the Wings are built as a regular season team. You can definitely say that’s how they performed this season. They dominated the 82-games of regular season play and won the President’s Trophy with ease. They scored tic-tac-toe goals and Pavel Datsyuk left a few jockstraps hanging from arena clocks. Unfortunately, none of this mattered in the playoffs. You just don’t score as many tic-tac-toe goals in the playoffs, and the Wings couldn’t find “garbage goals” from their forwards. I think it’s a valid argument that the Wings had a hard time transitioning from their regular season style to becoming an effective playoff team.

With that said, if I were Mr. Holland, these are the moves I’d make:

Bon Voyage:
Dominik Hasek
Boyd Devereaux
Brett Hull
Steve Thomas
Chris Chelios

Keepers:
Jamie Rivers
Kris Draper
Jason Williams
Steve Yzerman
Mathieu Dandenault
Jiri Fischer
Mathieu Schneider

Questionable:
Dave Lewis and coaching staff
Brendan Shanahan

As for those in the “questionable” group, it comes down to negotiations. The Wings will not exercise the $6.5 million option on Shanahan, so it comes down to whether he’s willing to play for a lower salary and retain his leadership role. Shanahan has always been one of my favorite Red Wings, since he was traded here on October 9, 1996. I’d definitely feel sad if Game 6 was his last go in the Winged-Wheel, much moreso than when Sergei Fedorov mysteriously left. As for Lewis, his contract is up and he’ll be looking for a multi-year deal. I just don’t think that the Wings can/will give him that much considering his lack of playoff success. If Lewis is re-signed, it’ll be a one-year deal. Part of me would like to see him back, considering that the big names available in Quenneville and Martin are also playoff losers. But part of me also says that Dave Lewis has been around the organization long enough, maybe not Wally Crossman long, but 18 years is quite a stay. I think that a new voice behind the bench might do the team well.

WHA News

The team set to play in Detroit will be called the Daredevils. They will move into the Lion’s old den, and play their 38-game home schedule in the Pontiac Silverdome. Senticore, Inc. recently purchased the Detroit franchise. The WHA will begin a 76-game schedule on November 1, with at least seven teams. The WHA draft is set for July 15, with a minimum age of 17. This makes Sidney Crosby eligible. Crosby will otherwise be the first pick of the 2005 NHL draft, as minimum draft age is 18 in the NHL.

Other NHL News

After deciding not to re-sign Brian Burke as President and GM of the Vancouver Canucks, Orca Bay Sports & Entertainment has decided to hire Dave Nonis as GM. In addition, chief operating officer Dave Cobb will take on the role of president. Nonis will remain the team’s senior vice-president of hockey operations.

After disappointing second round exits, the Maple Leafs and Avalanche have decided to keep Pat Quinn and Tony Granato as their respective head coaches. Boy, is Dave Lewis jealous that things aren’t that easy around here…

… Apparently, Dmitri Bykov wants to return to the Wings after taking a two-year contract with Ak Bars Kazan of the Russian Elite League (reported to be worth $1 million) last summer. Bykov just turned 27 and was a solid young defensemen in his time here in Detroit. I was sorry to see him go and I wouldn’t mind seeing him back, if the Wings can work out a reasonable deal. If they do bring him back, that will probably effect their decisions regarding Chris Chelios and Jamie Rivers. Rivers will become an unrestricted free agent this summer because the Wings aren’t likely to give him the $750,000 qualifying offer his age (29) has earned. He only made $450,000 this past season and I think he needs another year to prove whether he can earn more or not. The Wings have until July 15th to sign Bykov.

… Pavel Datsyuk is committed to returning the team next year as well. His 51 point season triggered a clause in his contract which made him an restricted free agent and canceled the $1.5 million option left on his contract for next season. The Wings will offer him $1.7 million by July 1 and try to get him a long term deal this summer.

… Nick Lidstrom and Peter Forsberg will join their fellow Swedes in the Czech Republic for the World Hockey Championships. They will make it there in time to play Saturday against the US in a semifinals game.

(above from mlive)

… Drew Sharp talks a little about the future of the Red Wings and calls them Kris Draper’s team in his column today.

… The Free Press has their final grades for the Wings in today’s edition.

I got this through an e-mail list I belong to and I thought it was really good. It’s by Carole Lee Sussman of AllSports.com’s hockey media section.

I’m a little amused at all of the End of an Era-themed articles in the papers this week — just what Era is Ending? Are the Wings suddenly going to go back to the way things were in 1994 when nobody wanted to play the sort of defense that wins playoff rounds? Are they going to go back to 1985 when they were Stevie Wonder and the Oy Veys, one brilliant kid and a bunch of guys no other team wanted, all combined for a toxic combination — the Dead Wings?

The Wings have been preparing for the post Big Name Player period all along. Go look at the roster. Zetterberg. Fischer. Datsyuk. Kronwall. Hudler. Williams. Even Dandenault. No, there are no Yzermans on that list, but you *know* those players don’t come around a franchise every day — not even every generation. Go look at that list and remember what a roster of with names like Lapointe, McCarty, Draper, and Lidstrom looked like ten years ago. What the Wings have is a core. A solid core. There will be players added to it, players subtracted, but in the end, that’s a
half-dozen guys who earned their stripes playing with some of the best players ever, who shared a locker room — and for some, a Stanley Cup — with Hall of Famers.

The Wings are not about to turn into the Columbus Blue Jackets. Or the New York Rangers. Or the Calgary Flames, for that matter. They are not about to turn into a faceless group where even the home fans need a scorecard to figure out who’s who. They are not about to miss the playoffs for five, six years in a row.

This team, win or lose, was not built to last. With an average age of 32, it wasn’t going to go on forever like this. Is it the end of an era? No. It’s the natural way of things and the changes that come will be similarly organic.

I’m still numb to the whole thing. I guess it will hit me in a few days when I wonder “When’s the next game?” or “What time’s the game on?” I see myself in the mirror with no goatee and I feel like I’m looking at a stranger because I had it on there for so long, having started growing it about a week before the regular season ended. When it hits me, I’m going to realize that there will be no Red Wings hockey at the very least until September and more likely not until much later than that due to the much anticipated CBA talks. I’ll also realize that Monday night’s game was the last time I’ll see some of my favorite players play after taking their presence on the ice for granted for as much as eight years.

I’ve known this day would come for years but I never really thought it would. The core of the team is going to be changed and the reletive floodgates of exodus are going to start. We’ve seen players leave in the past, some of them fan favorites, but this off-season promises to be one where the team loses some of its biggest fan favorites of all. Guys like Brendan Shanahan, Steve Yzerman, Kris Draper and Chris Chelios could all be gone next time the Wings suit up, if for different reasons. Shanahan put on a disappointing offensive performance in the playoffs and might just be let go by the Wings who most likely will not be willing to pick up his $6.5 million option next year. The Captain, who says he is not done and is willing to wait a year, probably shouldn’t play again. Draper’s contract is up this year and the Wings may not be able to give him the money he earned with a career season, even though he says he does not want to leave the team. Chelios is 42 and an unrestricted free agent but he wants to keep playing, though the Wings may not want him again and a lockout would end his career. Brett Hull is an unrestricted free agent but, as the Freep says, “The Wings won’t want him back … He won’t want to come back.” Mathieu Schneider is an unrestricted free agent year and with a Norris quality year like he had last year (despite what the award nominations say), his price has gone up considerably and the Wings may not be able to commit that much money to him with a new salary structure coming. Steve Thomas is 40 and after a disappointing finish to what was a great start to his time with the Wings, he is done.

We may see a new coach next year as well. Joel Quenneville and Jacque Martin are available. I’d take Quenneville over Martin, personally, but the Wings may stick with Dave Lewis anyway because, while he was a major factor in the loss, he wasn’t fully to blame and he knows the team better than anyone.

This team will look very different next time we see them on the ice. They will still be competitive but I’m not as sure that they will be competitors. Since they will be losing a few players this offseason, gaining some speed and size would not be a bad idea.

Check out the Free Press and Detroit News’ takes on some possible changes.

The Detroit News has a “Build a Better Wings Team Contest” going. You get to pick from a list of free agents and coaches as well as deciding who stays and who goes on the current roster as long as you have 23 skaters and stay within $83 million. Whoever comes closest gets three tickets to a regular season game.

Quote of the day

“There’s a lot of guys . . . who wondered, this whole season . . . if there’d be a night when we took this uniform off for the last time . . .” — a teary-eyed Brendan Shanahan after Game 6, quoted by Mitch Albom.

Shanny probably was thinking about himself when he said that. It’s sad….

Some Consolation
The Avs lost their series last night 4-2 when they lost 3-1 to the Sharks at home. The Sharks will obviously face the Flames in the Western Conference Finals.

The Leafs lost at home as well last night, 3-2 to the Flyers, who won the series 4-2. The Lightning will face their first tough opponent of the playoffs when they play the Flyers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

I’m going to support Detroit money here and go for the Lightning to win the Cup, though I personally think the Sharks will win it all.

Facing elimination in the Pengrowth Saddledome, the Wings played as hard as they could, but ran out of gas, Martin Gelinas scoring with 47 seconds left in the first overtime. Cujo had 43 saves and kept the Wings in the game. Despite allowing only 2 goals in 2 games, Cujo took his second straight playoff loss. The Wings are now eliminated from playoff action, the Flames winning the best-of-seven series 4-2. They will face either the San Jose Sharks or Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Finals.

First Period

The Wings opened the game with a different look to the Grind Line, the front three consisting of Kirk Maltby, Kris Draper, and Steve Thomas. The Flames got the first shot of the game 28 seconds in, on a shot from Shean Donovan between the circles. Steve Montador gave Cujo a bump as he gained control of the puck.

The Wings got their first shot of the game a minute in. On the play, the Wings won the faceoff and McCarty followed up his initial shot from outside and carried the puck in deep on Miikka Kiprusoff, who made the save.

At 4:56, Tomas Holmstrom got off a wrist shot from the right circle, giving the Wings an early 7-3 shot advantage. The Wings won the ensuing faceoff and took possession, Hull centering the puck into the crease, where Kiprusoff was steady with his skate against the post.

At 7:25, Jordan Leopold took a long shoot-in on Cujo from center. The puck skipped between the circles and rebounded off Cujo, Craig Conroy cleaning up with a good chance, notably beating Derian Hatcher to the loose puck.

At 9:50, Mathieu Dandenault took a Brendan Shanahan skate to the face when he went down to make a shot-block and was stepped on by Shanny. Despite some early Detroit pressure, Calgary owned the pace of the remainder of the period. The Flames were able to carry the puck in at will, whereas the Wings had trouble gaining the Calgary zone. The Wings continued to dump the puck in, not able to use their puck possession style to enter the offensive zone.

At 11:42, Kirk Maltby was called for delay of game when he intentionally knocked the net off its moorings. It turned out to be a smart move. Gelinas made a wrap-around pass to Iginla in front, who scored on the displaced net. Cujo bit on the wrap-around, and was way out of position on the Iginla shot. The Wings made a good penalty kill, and Cujo was solid on the Flames’ one shot from the point during the power play.

At 13:59, the Wings were called for another penalty, Jamie Rivers getting caught slashing Marcus Nilson. With back-to-back power plays, the Flames had more sustained pressure in the first minute of the man advantage. Cujo made a huge save on Iginla on the doorstep, laying his pads out with traffic in front. The Wings were able to clear the zone and keep things calm for the second minute of penalty killing action.

At 15:58, Derian Hatcher laid out a viscous elbow on Matthew Lombardi at the Wings’ line. Lombardi left the ice dazed, and the crowd booed Hatcher for the rest of the game. If there was a Game 7, Hatcher might’ve been suspended from it for the dirty elbow to Lombardi’s head.

With 3 minutes left in the period, the “Two Kids and a Goat” line cycled the puck, but Hull fired a shot over the net with a glorious chance from the point. At 18:40, Jason Woolley passed to Shanahan at the right circle, catching Kiprusoff out of position. But Kiprusoff was able to make the save standing straight up, not able to see the puck.

At 18:55, the Wings finally got a chance on the power play when Rhett Warrener was called for holding the stick of Robert Lang. The Wings had a bad power play try, and anemic doesn’t do justice to describe the Wings on the man advantage this playoff season.

The Flames have gone 11 straight games without a first period goal, and we have another scoreless first period.

Second Period

The Wings opened the period with 55 seconds left on the power play. Nilson and Lombardi returned from injuries, courtesy of the Rivers slash and Hatcher elbow, respectively.

At 3:22, the Flames got the first serious chance of the period when Gelinas took a partial breakaway with Lidstrom on him, shooting point blank on Cujo. On the play, the Wings were caught on a bad line chance, with Brett Hull coasting to the bench in laziness.

The ice seemed slanted, with Calgary owning all the offensive pressure. The Wings couldn’t carry the puck in the Calgary zone to save their lives, while the Flames did it every single rush.

With Dandenault getting repairs from his skate cut, the Wings were going with only five defenseman in Woolley, Rivers, Schneider, Lidstrom, and Hatcher.

At 6:34, Shanahan got a bad angle shot on Kiprusoff, which seemed like it took all of the Wings’ efforts to set up. Pretty sad. At 7:23, Cujo cleared the puck across the rink, and a racing Ray Whitney was almost able to corral the puck and get a shot off. At 7:40, CBC noticed that Dandenault had returned to the Wings’ bench, a bandage on his left cheek.

At 9:27, the boards needed repair, and the Wings were without a goal for 99:25. The highest scoring team in the regular season can’t buy a goal. At 9:52, Jarome Iginla hauled down Mathieu Schneider and was called for holding. The Wings had a good power play, and made some good passes. The best of which came when Shanahan, on the left side, passed across to Holmstrom, hugging the backdoor right post. Homer fanned on the puck and missed a wide open net, the puck going off the heel of his stick and behind the net. Utter frustration.

At 14:09, Kirk Maltby and Robyn Regehr were called for slashing and crosschecking, respectively. The offsetting minors made for 4-on-4 action, opening the ice up for some chances. Unfortunately, the Wings were unable to capitalize.

Third Period

Early on, the Wings continued to chase the Flames around the rink. At 1:33, Ray Whitney was caught riding Martin Gelinas through center ice. It was a lazy penalty to take, Ray holding onto Gelinas and taking a ride rather than moving his feet himself.

At 2:19, Oleg Saprykin passed across to Andrew Ference from the right point to the left back door, and Cujo made a huge save. The Flames’ power play ended when Chris Clark was caught tripping Lidstrom as he attempted to clear the Calgary zone.

At 5:06, Whitney passed it to Draper on the right wing, but the play was called offside. It was the difference of Ray controlling the puck on the Calgary blue line to advancing it across. Such a play is a microcosm of the game and series. A game and series of inches.

The bulk of the action was in Detroit’s end, and the Wings started to ice the puck in desperation. At 7:38, Hatcher crushed Conroy in front of the Wings’ bench.

At 11:51, the Flames had a good chance when Conroy passed across to Iginla on the right side, but Cujo made a nice blocker save on the wrist shot. On the play, Schneider was caught tired.

At 10:51, Nicklas Lidstrom was called for hooking Martin Gelinas. The Flames had a 2-on-1 opportunity, Clark passing across to Saprykin, but Schneider made a game-saving block on the shot.

At 13:37, the Wings got their first shot of the period on a bad angle wrister from Brett Hull. At 15:46, the Wings got their best chance of the period when Kiprusoff flubbed a routine Draper shot and the puck slid just inches from the right post. At 17:42, Hull got another bad angle shot from the right side. Shots were 11-3 Flames with 1:55 left in regulation. Cujo was steady in the final two minutes, and single-handedly sent the game to overtime.

First Overtime

The sudden-death, extra period opened with the Flames continuing their offensive pressure. At 4:05, Hatcher threw the puck at the net, and Homer almost got a garbage goal “Johnny on the spot” as Kiprusoff had trouble with a bouncing puck.

At 7:05, a Hatcher turnover led to a Lombardi chance, which beaned off the bottom of Cujo’s mask. At 9:32, the Wings got their best chance of overtime when McCarty passed across to Shanahan on the right backdoor, but Kiprusoff was big and made the save. After that missed opportunity, which I thought might be the Wings’ last of the game, things just went downhill.

At 9:44, the Flames rushed down the ice and Cujo took another shot off his mask courtesy of a Clark shot. The Wings began to ice the puck and looked very tired. And, on a Leopold dump-in, the Flames won the series. Iginla took a shot from the left circle, Conroy picked up the rebound off Cujo and sent it across to Gelinas, who shot it into a wide open net. Hatcher was covering Conroy, and unable to take the pass away. Cujo had no chance on the play, and, just like that, the series was over. 1-0 Flames.

Quote of the Game

“We gotta pull a game out, like we did in Game 5.”

–Darren McCarty, talking to CBC during the second intermission. I know he meant Game 4, but it seems kind of ironic now. Game 5 was a 1-0 Calgary win.

Series Analysis

It turned out that the “Turn on the Red Light” playoff slogan for the Wings was their kiss of death. As happened last playoffs in the loss to the Mighty Ducks, the Wings were unable to convert offensive chances into goals.

It was a good game for Lidstrom, Schneider, and Hatcher, but it came down to big names not showing up in the goal column of the series’ boxscores. Pavel Datsyuk still is without a playoff goal in his 22nd game.

In Game 6, Datsyuk and Zetterberg tried their best, but ended up on their backs when they tried to make something happen. I’m sure Pavel got a good look at the rafters of the Saddledome one of the hundred times he ended up on his back.

Coach Dave Lewis made some good changes pregame to try to get the Wings going. He put Jamie Rivers in (who also played in Game 3), and benched Jiri Fischer, who was sloppy all series and lacked confidence. In addition, Steve Thomas and Jason Williams got the go, and Boyd Devereaux took a seat.

It will be a big summer for GM Ken Holland and the rest of the Wings management. They should not follow what Ottawa did and make decisions quickly with emotions running high. They fired Jacques Martin knee-jerk after losing to the Maple Leafs. That said, the Wings will have to look at all areas of their roster and coaching staff, and make all necessary changes.

Gone? Done? Possible Departures:

Jiri Fischer (restricted free agent)
Brendan Shanahan (club option)
Dave Lewis (contract up, with Quenneville and Martin available)
Steve Yzerman (unrestricted free agent, may retire)
Chris Chelios (unrestricted free agent, may retire)
Brett Hull (club option)
Steve Thomas (unrestricted free agent, may retire)
Ray Whitney (possible offseason trade)
Kris Draper (unrestricted free agent)
Boyd Devereaux (restricted free agent)
Jamie Rivers (unrestricted free agent)
Mathieu Dandenault (restricted free agent)

Injuries Fully Revealed

Robert Lang, broken left hand
Brett Hull, broken toe
Chris Chelios, partially torn rotator cuff

Next Major Event

NHL Awards
June 10 in Toronto
Kris Draper up for Selke

Notables: The Wings were 1-4 in 1 goal games this playoff season….Just in case you didn’t hear it 1000 times this series, the Flames haven’t won a Cup since 1989 with Vernon….Wings were 0-2 in playoff overtimes….Vancouver’s Brian Burke was not resigned as organization President and GM….Calgary is 6-2 in Game 6′s when leading the series 3-2….Datsyuk is part of a not-so-elite group that has 30+ regular season goals, but none in the playoffs….maybe Kiprussov is looking for a modeling contract the way he takes off his mask and models for the camera each stoppage….The Saddledome had a figure skating event between Games 4 and 6, so the ice was good for last night’s game….Kris Draper wore the third ‘A’ in the absence of Captain Steve Yzerman….The Wings went 0-for-3 on the power play, finishing 3-for-23 on the series.

Although this marks the end of the Wings’ season, Matt and I will still cover the playoffs, Wings player transactions, as well as any news on the CBA and NHL in general.

(Editor: Here are the lines, courtesy GWB)
Maltby-Draper-Thomas
Maltby-Lang-McCarty
Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Hull
Shanahan-Williams-Holmstrom
Whitney-Lang-McCarty
Shanahan-Draper-Thomas
Maltby-Draper-Whitney
Shanahan-Williams-Hull
Thomas-Datsyuk-Hull
Whitney-Datsyuk-Hull

Lidstrom-Schneider
Hatcher-Dandenault
Rivers-Woolley
Lidstrom-Rivers
Hatcher-Woolley
Rivers-Schneider

4 on 4-
Zetterberg-Datsyuk
Shanahan-Lang

Lidstrom-Schneider
Hatcher-Woolley
Schneider-Woolley

PP-
Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Hull
Shanahan-Lang-Holmstrom

Lidstrom-Schneider
Lidstrom-Woolley

PK-
Shanahan-Draper
Lang-Zetterberg
Maltby-Draper
Shanahan-Zetterberg

Lidstrom-Hatcher
Lidstrom-Schneider
Hatcher-Schneider
Woolley-Dandenault
Schneider-Dandenault

O.T.-
Maltby-Draper-Whitney
Shanahan-Lang-Holmstrom
Zetterberg-Datsyuk-McCarty
Thomas-Williams-Hull
Maltby-Draper-McCarty
Thomas-Draper-Williams
Zetterberg-Lang-Holmstrom

Lidstrom-Schneider
Hatcher-Woolley
Hatcher-Dandenault
Rivers-Dandenault
Hatcher-Schneider

Net-
Curtis Joseph

Tonight is the sixth game in this Western Conference Semifinals series between the Wings and the Flames. The teams have traded wins. Calgary won Game 1, 2-1 in overtime, the Wings won Game 2, 5-2 , Calgary won Game 3, 3-2, the Wings won Game 4, 4-2, and Calgary won Game 5, 1-0. Calgary leads the best-of-seven series 3-2.

This is the first time the Wings will be facing elimination in this playoff run. After going up 2-0 in the Nashville series, the Wings lost two straight in the Gaylord Entertainment Center, but won the last two games for a 4-2 series win.

The Wings will be deep in enemy territory tonight, 1572 miles from the Joe in Pengrowth Saddledome. The Flames are looking to advance to the Conference Finals for the first time since their Cup win in 1989, just in case you want to hear that for the 1001th time.

The Wings need to rally around Yzerman’s situation and start to read how the pundits are saying “Wings staring at end of era”.

Big Names in Big Games

Pavel Datsyuk needs to prove that he belongs in playoff hockey and score his first playoff goal in his 21st game. Or else he is just a circus-act out there, teasing us with his skills, but failing to capitalize.

Although likely injured, Brett Hull is an important part of the Wings power play. He has been getting off 5-6 shots per game, but few have been vintage Hull slot chances.

Jiri Fischer needs to concentrate on defense, rather than throwing his body around and watching guys skate in for game-winning goals. That’s what happened in Games 1 and 5.

Brendan Shanahan also needs to take up the reigns of this team and show more leadership tonight. The 35-year-old has only 1 goal and 5 assists in 11 playoff games. Back in the day, on October 9, 1996, Shanny was obtained from the Hartford Whalers for Keith Primeau and Paul Coffey. While Coffey is since retired, Primeau is now captain of the Flyers and had 3 goals and 2 assists yesterday afternoon. That’s the type of big game effort the Wings need from Shanny. Go out there and one-up the guy who was traded for you…

Derian Hatcher also needs to step it up a notch after an awful Game 5. He looked flat-footed all afternoon, and passed the puck more to Calgary Flames than men in the Winged-Wheel. If he wants to be a cornerstone of the Wings’ defense, he should concentrate more on defense than solely throwing his body around. On that note, he has done an excellent job of antagonizing Jarome Iginla. But he still remains a potential defensive liability each night…

Injury Update

Brett Hull has been playing with a “lower-body” injury, and is reportedly taking pain-killing injections. He has skipped a few recent optional practices, and was seen walking with a limp after a game earlier this series.

Robert Lang has been unable to take faceoffs with his hand injury, which will likely turn out to be a broken bone in the offseason. The absence of Steve Yzerman will also hurt on faceoffs. Guys like Pavel Datsyuk and Kris Draper will have to take the bulk of the faceoff load tonight.

Chris Chelios, who missed Games 3, 4 and 5, is again a game-time decision for tonight’s game. Oleg Saprykin hit Cheli hard into the boards near the end of the second period of Game 2. He left the ice holding his right arm.

Jason Williams had problems with a groin injury during the regular season, and has aggravated it during the playoffs.

Steve Yzerman is out for the remainder of the playoffs after suffering serious facial injuries in Game 5. After a point shot deflected into his face, Yzerman was left with a scratched cornea and multiple fractures to his left orbital bone. He underwent a four and a half hour surgery at Henry Ford Hospital to repair the left eye area. While his vision was blurry after the incident, it has cleared up after the surgery.

Steve Thomas is out for the series with a torn groin. The Second Steve has had bad luck with injuries all season long. He is the Wings’ candidate for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded to the “player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.”

Rhett Warrener returned in Game 5 for the Flames from an eye injury, after taking a high stick from Yzerman in Game 2. Ironically, the doomed Mathieu Schneider shot deflected off one of his skates and into Yzerman’s left eye socket.

The Evil Grin Returns

Ville Nieminen, who was suspended from Game 5 after running Cujo with 4 seconds left in Game 4, will return to the ice tonight. I don’t think the Wings will go after the Cheshire Cat too much tonight, since it is an elimination game and revenge can wait.

Remember 2002

In the Wings’ last Cup-winning playoff run in 2002, they trailed Colorado 3-2 in the Western Conference Finals, but won Game 6 in Denver and Game 7 in Detroit. Some pearls of wisdom from Coach Dave Lewis:

“We were in the same position a couple of years ago heading into Colorado for Game 6. So we have to have the mentality that you have to win that game. Anything can happen in Game 7, but you have to get to Game 7.”

The main cause of the Game 6 win was a meltdown in the Colorado net, courtesy of Patrick Roy, who made the Statue of Liberty save that led to a Brendan Shanahan poke-in goal. The Wings won Game 6 of that series, 2-0.

Quotable:

“The Red Wings are Steve Yzerman.”

–Darren McCarty, longtime teammate of Captain Steve Yzerman.

Notables: The Wings have not allowed more than three goals in their last 25 playoff games, an NHL record….The Flames have not scored a first-period goal in their last 10 contests….The Wings have won 2 of their last 3 road playoff games….Robert Lang leads the Wings with 9 points (4 goals, 5 assists)….Pavel Datsyuk has six assists but no goals….Of the 180 teams that have lost Game 5 with the series previously tied 2-2, only 36 have won the series….The Avs are in the same situation as the Wings, trailing the Sharks in their series 3-2. But the Avs have won their last two games, as they, at one point, were trailing 3-0.

Series totals: Wings lead goals 12-10, Wings lead shots 150-109, Flames lead checks 176-154, Wings lead power play time with 30:41 to 25:25, Wings lead faceoff wins 205-154. The Wings have the most goals in the second period a at 7, followed by the third (4), and first (1). The Flames also have the most goals in second period at 8, followed by the third (1), overtime (1), and first (0).