Getting that spark doesn’t require getting rid of some of the best players in the league. Reportedly, the Wings have a lot of “salarycap space” (quoted from nhl.com)available to add players to the roster. It only takes a couple players to create turmoil. You don’t need a team of it.

And, yes, Kocur was a thug. In his career, he won the award for most penalty minutes in one game (42 minutes), most penalty minutes in one playoff tear, NHL penalty minutes leader… Must I go on? In 14 years of playoffs, he only had 22 points (he was a Right Wing…sad). In his career, only 162 points. His legacy is in only his penalties and his injuries, not his productivity in the playoffs (or regular season for that matter).

as for the hemsky goal, if you look at the angle from the right side, you can actually see the puck hit him in the stomach and go into the net…i believe in an interview legace even said he saw the puck go off hemsky’s chest and off his (manny’s) glove and into the net. so in my opinion (yes it may be biased, but no more than your own) the right decision was made by the referee. and the highstick on horcoff’s part was also below the crossbar when looked at from the proper, front angle…those behind the net cams can be so deceptive.

ANYWAYS, enough rambling from one ecstatic oiler fan, but thanks for the great series, i think that if detroit focuses on developing young talent in the minors and bringing them up, it will really revitalize the team without having too much trouble maintaining the salary cap. the thing about the oil is that they really invest in their young players….kids like schremp, cogliano, winchester, etc. will hopefully ensure that our team is always moving forward.

good luck in the future, wings fans!

-amy from E-town

And since those eastern teams seem to be winning most of the cups recently, and almost surely will again this year, yeah, I’ll take the Sens or Devils lineups over the Wings lineup anytime.

Ah, man. Thank God you don’t have Holland’s job. If you want a team of thugs (or as you elagently said, “character”), maybe you should be a fan of an Eastern conferance team and leave the finess teams alone.

Detroit does need a few more sparkplugs in the lineup, but let’s not get crazy by getting rid of some of the best players in the league.

1) My “bad feeling” was correct, as well as my prediction about shedding tears. I was fine until CBC focused on Stevie, congratulating the Oiler bench, getting hugs. I want him to come back…but I think he’s done. I think it’s time to let go and cherish a wonderful career and so many memories, for so long. We’ll always the three cups…especially ‘97, watching him raise it with that grin, in that moment we all thought would never happen. It did happen. Three times. Nobody can ever take that away from Stevie, or from us!

2) The correct call was made on the “kicked goal”. Fact remains…it must be conclusive and a “kickin motion”. He may have helped it, but he was nearly off his feet from the momentum of Lidstrom. That was not clear cut and without anything conclusive to overturn (which I did not see), the correct call was made.

3)Manny was not to blame, but he’s clearly not the answer. The only goal that he should have had was the replay goal. After the first save there’s no reason he shouldn’t have been ON THE POST. There was time. He was just tentative, swatting with his glove. That space should have never been there. That was the difference.

4)That said, the D FELL APART in the third…after such a great game. I’m sorry, but 1 ON 4 you should NEVER WIN. The Wings stood and watched the Oilers in the third, and that’s why they lost. They showed heart, and still played hard in the OFFENSIVE end (they NEVER have up and I’m proud of them for that - finally) but the defense collapsed, and that’s all we needed in the third. Defense.

5) Players…Trade Lidstom? Someone’s on crack. And criticize Lang all you want…he was one of the top producers in this series. Shanny will likely go on his own. Maltby and Draper (gosh i hate saying this - I LOVE these guys) may have overstayed their welcome. Andreas Lilia, USELESS. Datskuk, despite his lack of points, was one of the Wings best players in games 5 and 6. He’ll be back and he’ll be better. Henrik Zetterburg is the next Peter Forsberg…NO…He’s BETTER than freaking Forsberg ALREADY. Make him captain next year. Make this his team. He will carry it. Kronwall will be a great defenseman but someone needs to give him a refresher course in HITTING. I know he knows how but good god now was not the time to forget.

6) The Wings will be good next year, and can still go deep in the playoffs…with a little energy infused and that means the names I named going out replaced with YOUNG BLOOD. Quality young players…bring up Quincy…maybe Hudler and Maclean and for GOD SAKE HAVE A FIGHTER. He needs to be able to play the game but this function is not obsolete in the new NHL. Edmonton had no fear all series in MUGGING whomever they chose. All respect to Shanny but nobody is afraid of him or especially geriatric Chris Chelios anymore!

7) Unload Osgood. Trade Legace while he has value or return him to the backup role. I would prefer a trade for a solid hulking D-man, though….bring up Howard and find a way…any way to get a goalie. I’d take Cujo back, he was actually very good in the Calgary series a couple years ago. Like this series, the Wings beat themselves… (does anyone remember Derian Hatcher playing butt darts in the crease while Gelinas scored the series winning goal?).

OK…I’m done for now.

I’m still in shock…but hopefull for next year.

Go Pistons and Tigers!

I wanted to sarcastically point out that Hemsky’s goal was really good. It was nice to see someone on the ice has some soccer skills. It was a great shot really. He totally beat Legace too. His stick was even on the ice when the thing went in and he didn’t even think about kicking the puck. If the Oilers want to brag about that goal, so be it. It was the cheapest one-sided officiating in NHL’s history. If you are a fan of Edmonton, you know you wouldn’t be dissapointed if that goal didn’t stand. You aren’t a hockey fan if you disagree.

Overall, Edmonton (except for the fricken’ Brazil soccer goal by Hemsky) did outplay Detroit. We have to give credit to them, they did what they had to do to beat the best team in the league. Detroit was doing good in that last game. I’m just upset about the sad officiating about the games. The new NHL is supposed to limit calls. Just because it’s the “new” NHL doesn’t mean the refs need to be whistle happy about diving. Heck the one ref tonight was officiating the wrong sport. He could have sworn he was playing soccer in Europe.

I’m absolutely disgusted in that call. I watched it several times now, and it dissapoints me that Edmonton won like that. Oh well, you can’t take it back now.

Oh well, I guess we can look forward to next year. And by the way, I want to thank you all for this blog. It’s great to see everyone’s veiws on the Wings. I first came along this site when it was linked with Datsyuk’s goal on Turco back in 2001. I’ve been reading it ever since, and you never cease to impress me. Great year everyone, looking forward to the next.

-firebird995

I don’t have OLN and didn’t get to see the NBC games for varying reasons, so I only got to listen to audio of the games. I don’t feel like I really understand what happened — I’m not sure I’d understand any better if I was able to watch. This just seems inexplicable.

Babcock surely was outcoached and couldn’t make adjustments. Manny seemed mediocre, and while I wouldn’t blame these guys entirely (not when we failed to crash their net and failed to protect Manny), I hope some people who piled on CuJo, Ozzie and Dave Lewis for past playoff mishaps will reconsider having done so. None of them were responsible for this meltdown.

I really hope The Captain returns. I hope he understands what he still brings to this team, instead of focusing on what he used to be when he had good wheels.

The way so many of the guys played, it’s hard to say this still, but Go Wings!

I hate to see Yzerman go out this way… I thought the other players would be a little more inspired by him, but he and Zetterberg seemed to be the only two Wings putting forth the *extra* effort tonight. That’s not enough. I’d give some props to Draper too… he was getting all banged out and kept getting up and making plays all night long.

I also wonder if Babcock and his assistants did enough coaching and changing of strategy through this series to really make a difference… they seemed to have been outcoached, rather than the players being outplayed.

oh well, at least we have the Pistons, and can you believe it, the Tigers to go for a championship this year.

GO WINGS (next year)!!!!!!!!!

disappointed Wing Nut,
Matt

When your three best defensmen were 2 rookies and a 42 yr old…

Admittedly, Jiri Fischer would have made a huge difference, and kept the oilers from crashing the net, as Pronger did to the Wings.

However, the time to rebuild is NOW. We know that the curent goalies aren’t Stanley Cup caliber, so lets bring in Jimmy Howard and Stephan Liv, and see if one of them can develop into a world class netminder.

The Wings are sorely lacking guys willing and able to control the corners, and play tough in front of the net.

They miss character players like McCarty and LaPointe.

And they lack team speed, especially through the nuetral zone.

So let’s see Grigorenko and Hudler and McDonald. Let’s see if we can’t trade Lidstrom and Lang, and even Shanny, for some character players willing to do the dirty work.

Time to blow it up and start over. The sooner the better.