… Ted Kulfan reports today that Dominik Hasek could start tomorrow against LA, not that he will. Ansar Khan, on the other hand, says that Mike Babcock expects Dom and Mikael Samuelsson to play.
So, it’s possible that Hasek will be backing up Chris Osgood, but probably not likely. I’m sure the team would like Dom to get a game in before the home-and-home series with Nashville next week.
… Ted Kulfan also reports that playoff ticket prices will remain just as out of reach for Joe Fan as they were last year:
Regular-season prices from $22-$85 will rise to $63-$144 in the first round, $72-$153 in the second, $99-$270 in the Western Conference finals and $135-$450 in the Stanley Cup Finals.
Oh well. What would watching the playoffs be like without Ken Daniels and Mickey Redmond’s commentary, anyway?
He says that the team has not announced a sale date to the public yet.
… In Helene St. James’ Wings Corner daily, Mathieu Schneider and Chris Chelios address the final standings question. Chris Chelios believes that finishing first is important because it secures home-ice advantage,
“I think the biggest thing is if you ever get to a seventh game you’d much rather play at home. I’ve seen that before with Colorado when we blew them out.”
Chris Osgood told Ansar Khan much the same thing, but went on to say that playing well down the stretch is more important than where the team finishes,
“We’re trying to get our guys healthy and be playing well the last month of the season. To worry about what where we finish and who we play, we’ll figure that out when we get there.”
Mathieu Schneider agrees, as he told St. James,
“We’ve said all along, and I’ve come to believe this: We just want to get better as a team …
…. “Where we end up in the standings, we may not have control over that, but we just want to become a better and better playoff team. I think we’ve done that. We’re competing every night. In hard-fought games, we seem to rise to the occasion.”
After the Wings were eliminated in the first round by #8 Edmonton last year, I felt that it might be better for the team to finish in the middle of the pack. I thought that fighting for a playoff spot rather than coasting to the finish would be beneficial, because they’ve run into so many teams that were playing their best hockey down the stretch that their complacency couldn’t overcome it. As this season has gone on, however, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by this team’s tenacity and think that finishing 1st wouldn’t be such a bad thing.
However, that’s only because of the tight race with Nashville. The Predators are making things difficult for the Wings and that’s something new. In previous years, they had the division and the conference virtually in the bag by this point in the season. This year, they’re fourth with four weeks left.
I agree with Chelios that home ice is desirable, but I’m more with Osgood and Schneider on this one. The team needs to focus on playing well, getting healthy, and not becoming complacent or comfortable. If they do that, home ice will be an added benefit, not an excuse.
Home ice will help the team if they had to fight for it and they are already playing well, and even then it’s not the guarantee it used to be. Any team the Wings face is going to be tough, whether they’re playing at home or on the road. That’s why maintaining a top level of play to the end of the regular season is so important.
… Lastly, Ted Kulfan points out that Brett Lebda will not be suspended for his slash on Scott Nichol, which broke a bone in the latter’s hand. Nichol basically said he wanted Lebda suspended after the game, but the League obviously decided it was not a bad enough incident, Nichol’s testimony to the contrary.
I didn’t see the play, so I can only offer my uninformed opinion on it: a malicious slash does seem to be against Lebda’s character so I’m inclined to believe it was accidental.
I would have to agree with your outlook on first place. Earlier in the year, I was almost kind of hoping we’d be a lower seed, just cause first hadn’t been working out the last few playoffs. Now that we’re getting toward the end of this season though, I’m realizing that it’s not the seed that makes the difference, it’s how the team is playing and how hard they’re working to achieve their spot in the standings. There’s a big difference between having first place locked up (thus coasting into the playoffs) and having to fight for first place. I think (and I hope) that fighting for first place will generate the same results that we all thought fighting for a playoff spot would.
I think that everyone’s right - Chelios, Ozzie and Schneider - we do need to be playing as well as possible going into the playoffs, and we do need home ice (cause we dominate at home!) and I think that focusing on securing the latter will ensure the former.
Yeah, a fight to the finish is just what the Wings need, I think.
I forgot to mention, though, that it’s too bad the last week of the seasn is such a powder puff schedule, with two games each against Columbus and Chicago. Maybe that’s when the Predators finally should have been, instead of March. Oh well.
I’d rather the Wings be completely healthy and rested going into the playoffs, than being the #1 seed. They’ve gotta be able to go all the way, and health is the most important factor in that IMHO. Don’t be blocking unnecessary shots!
Also, if they are #1, they’re going to have a big target on them, and everyone will play up against them. If they’re a lower seed, people won’t be building them up as much and making such a big deal about them… that way they can fly under the radar, and stay focused and will have an easier time sticking to their game… which we all know, is the best!!
While I still think the Wings’ tickets are expensive (as are the Lions, Pistons, etc.), it could be worse.
The Devils are moving to a new arena next year and 2000 of their premium seats are increasing 114% in price!!
http://www.behindthejersey.com/2007/03/08/taking-a-look-at-nhl-ticket-prices/
The Wings prices didn’t seem so bad in comparison.
firebettman, I’d agree with you about the target thing except for the fact that teams will always be gunning for the Wings, whether or not they’re a top seed. The Wings generally bring out the best in opponents, so they’re going to have a target on their back no matter what.
Christy, that’s a great post on ticket prices. I know Wings fans have it easy compared to some teams, but as a poor college student, that’s little consolation!
Matt- Yeah, it’s hard being a Wings fan and a broke college student (especially for you since you don’t live 1/2 hour away from the Joe). I wanted those season tickets so bad when I got to the top of the list this summer, but my parents weren’t willing to chip in for high upper bowl seats at $2100/seat plus playoffs (although if it was just playoffs, they certainly would).
Hopefully someday we’ll get our shot at season tickets…
Yeah, from school I’d have about the same drive to the Joe as the players who get called up from the Griffins have. If I were home, it’d only be about a half-hour if the Lodge were pretty clear.
If I weren’t going to school in GR and was going to a cheaper school, I maybe would have worked harder on finding a way to make it work. Even if I had had the necessary money on top of going to school, it wouldn’t have been worth it because I wouldn’t be able to make many of the games from Grand Rapids.
When I signed up for the waiting list, I never imagined my name would come up so quickly! I was definitely bummed.
Yeah, I didn’t think I’d get it that quickly either. We’d have to work so many hours on top of school just to pay for the tickets and we’d be probably working during game times so it just doesn’t work out for us unfortunately…
I’m a Detroit fan in Canada. Even if Wings tickets were dirt cheap, I wouldn’t be able to attend a Detroit home game.
Ouch, Justin. Those new border restrictions sure would make things difficult…