Posts by Christy Hammond

Can the Wings go all the way?

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Can the Wings go all the way? Here’s a list of why the Wings could take it all and followed by a list of reasons why they won’t be able to win it.

Why the Wings could go all the way…
Personally, I believe this is the Wings’ year. I think that we’ve made enough changes since the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 playoff disasters to prevent an early round exit from happening. I’m really excited for playoffs to start because unlike last season, I really can see Detroit taking it. And that makes me very happy, but also very nervous. So why do I, Christy Hammond, have this much faith in my team?

In no particular order…
1. The Captain. Need I say more? It’s potentially his last year and I could think of nothing better than for Steve Yzerman to retire after a Cup win. Plus, Yzerman has been stepping up his game of late with 13 points in his last 10 games. According to IwoCPO @ Abel to Yzerman, it’s his longest ten game point streak since 2000. The Captain has a way to inspire his troops so if they see him blocking shots, scoring, and working hard, the rest seem to follow.

2. As James Mirtle pointed out, the team who is the hottest at the end of the regular season tends to perform pretty well in the playoffs (ex. Tampa Bay). And which team has the hottest record since the Olympic break? That’s right, Detroit.

3. Health. Now I realize that the Wings went from healthy for the most part to Datsyuk, Zetterberg, and Schneider injuries. Datsyuk is supposed to return right before the playoffs. Zetterberg missed the second half of the Columbus game last night with an upper body injury (rumors: injury from a puck or the flu). Assuming that those three return in good health before the start of the playoffs, we have our core intact. Now if any of those three especially Zetterberg and Datsyuk remain injured, the rest of my points may just go out the window.

On the bright side, Niklas Kronwall is finally regaining normal form after a preseason injury resulted in knee surgery to repair his ACL and MCL.

4. Goaltending. Now don’t get me wrong, I am terrified of the goaltending we will face in the playoffs. It’s usually the opponent’s goalie that seems to screw the Wings over. However, I think that in Manny Legace and Chris Osgood we have good enough goaltenders to take us to the Finals. They certainly aren’t the best goalies in the league, but I’d rather have them than an unhealthy Dominik Hasek. Plus Manny is 5th in the league with a 2.22 GAA and 9th overall with a .912 save percentage.

5. Mike Babcock. I really believe that this guy deserves some recognition. Everyone gives credit to Carolina’s coach and Buffalo’s coach, but what about Babcock? Sure it doesn’t seem much has changed since the Wings are still at the top of the standings, but Babcock knows how to push all the right buttons.

Let’s take a look at Brendan Shanahan, for example. Under former head coach, Dave Lewis, Shanny notched 68 points in ’02-03 and 53 points in ’03-04. This season with 76 games under his belt, Shanny has 73 points with 10 more goals AND 10 more assists than last season. Personally, I believe Babcock is the one to thank for giving Shanny a chance and opportunity to improve.

6. Winter Olympics. After the ’98 and ’02 Winter Olympics, the Wings took it all. What’s to say it won’t happen again this year? The Swedish Five would have one pretty sweet year, that’s for sure.

Random Piece of Trivia: Did you know that “The last 18-year-old to score as many points as [Sidney] Crosby has this season was Steve Yzerman, who had 87 in 1983-84.” I read that out of the Sports Illustrated Players NHL Poll (on page 30 for those of you who subscribe). SI asked 346 NHL players, “Will Penguins rookie center Sidney Crosby end up being one of the 10 best players of all time?” 49.5% said no, 40.5% said yes, and 10% said they weren’t sure.

Swedish Wings Autograph Signing

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So I went to the autograph signing last night at the Fan Zone in Westland Mall featuring the five gold medalists (Lidstrom, Zetterberg, Holmstrom, Kronwall, and Samuelsson). I had pre-bought a signed 16×20 photograph of the five. I must say that I am very pleased with my purchase. Not so pleased with Fan Zone. But the photgraph will look great in my shrine (aka my room).

Here are some photos from the event. Sorry that they are blurry and not the best, but we weren’t allowed to take photos in the “room” so I shot all but one (which I quickly took inside) outside and people kept walking in front ruining my shots. The first two photos are of my 16×20 photograph & certificate of authenticity. I hope to scan both of them in whenever I can over the next couple weeks, but for now these quick photos will have to work! The guys were lined up with Samuelsson closest to the room’s entrance with Lidstrom farthest away (thus, he’s in maybe one photo).

(click on thumbnail to enlarge and I mean enlarge)


My beautiful 16×20 photograph signed by the Swedish Five


Certificate of Authenticity


All five of them (ok, four of them since you can only see Lidstrom’s hat)


Samuelsson and a kid posing for a photograph


You can see Lidstrom in this photo all the way to the right


Kronwall


Holmstrom


The room


Zetterberg

Update: A girl on the Lets Go Wings forum took some sweet pictures of the signing, which you can view here. My personal favorite includes this photo below:

Image hosting by Photobucket

Igor Larionov Signing

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I attended the Igor Larionov DVD signing at the Best Buy in Novi (the one I actually always go to) on Sunday. Anyways, I got there about 50 minutes early and was between the 5th and 10th person there. I enjoyed the wait very much as I got to talk to 4 wonderful Wings fans about all of their previous Wings encounters the entire time. When 2pm came around, the line started moving.

To get an autograph, you had to purchase a copy of his DVD for $25. With that $25, you got the DVD, autograph on DVD, autograph(s) on any other Wings items you brought (stupid me brought nothing else), and a photo taken of you and Larionov. A Best Buy employee took the photo with his own digital camera and they printed it out for you right there. For once, I actually like how I look in the photo – amazing!

Anyways, I don’t have a scanner at home so once I get one from my parents’ office, I will scan in the autographed DVD cover and photo. I’m also going to Westland Mall on Tuesday to pick up my 5 Swedish Olympian Wings photo and autograph. All of those items will be scanned in for your viewing pleasure, but probably not until this weekend since I have 3 exams and a paper starting today through Thursday.

Until then, these photos below will have to do. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize they were this fuzzy (they looked perfectly fine on that little digital screen – otherwise I would’ve taken more).


The Best Buy in Novi


Larionov signing a guy’s coat


Larionov posing for a photo with the same guy

Detroit Autograph Signings

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I have two autograph signings that I would like to notify my fellow Detroit area readers: Igor Larionov and the five Swedish Wings who played in the Olympics and won gold.

Igor Larionov Signing
This weekend, Igor Larionov (aka The Professor) will be signing copies of his DVD entitled “Farewell from Moscow: The Igor Larionov Farewell Game.” This Saturday, March 25th, he will be at the Best Buy in Auburn Hills from 2-4pm. The following day, March 26th, Larionov will be at the Best Buy in Novi from 2-4pm. A portion of all his DVD sales will benefit The Igor Larionov Youth Hockey Charitable Foundation. The excerpt below has been sent to me by IMJ Communications, LLC.

After an unparalleled 27-year career, one of the greatest hockey players of all time, Larionov bid farewell to the game on December 13, 2004. An inspiration on-and-off the ice, Larionov continues to give back to the community and to the hockey world through The Igor Larionov Youth Hockey Charitable Foundation. Founded by Igor Larionov in 2004, The Igor Larionov Youth Hockey Charitable Foundation is concerned with improving the condition of youth hockey leagues throughout Russia. During his visits to facilities where young, aspiring hockey players in Russia skate, practice and play the game, Igor was strongly affected by the lack of equipment, use of shoddy and broken gear by the young players, and disrepair of the ice rinks. He also saw first-hand, the poverty that plagues towns in the periphery of Russia’s major cities. The parents of children growing up there can hardly afford used skates and equipment and new gear is wholly unattainable. Larionov was so moved by the dedication of the Russian kids to the game that he decided to create a foundation to provide new equipment, repair locker rooms and rinks and motivate the youth to continue to pursue their passion for the game of hockey.In a short span of a year since his retirement from hockey, Igor has made several trips back to Russia, both to the major cities and to the periphery with new equipment, lots of new skates and funding to commence the process of repairing hockey facilities. Through his foundation, Larionov plans to devote substantial time, efforts and funding to building the future of hockey for many years to come.

Since the January 13, 2006 premiere of the documentary at Michigan’s Royal Oak Music Theatre sales of “Farewell From Moscow: The Igor Larionov Farewell Game” have continued to raise funds for the foundation.

Touted as one of the best moments in sport’s history, Larionov’s farewell game, was masterfully captured by Chrome Bumper Films in its entirety and has been incorporated as part of the recently released, cutting-edge documentary/DVD. The fast-paced signature style of A-list director, John “QUIG” Quigley, known for his creation of music videos and other work for leading music artists, including Eminem, brings a vibrant, youthful energy never before seen in a documentary. Under Quigley’s direction, Chrome Bumper Films has remarkably weaved countless hours of footage, both on and off the ice, into a captivating masterpiece befitting a legend. Working closely with Larionov, Quigley threaded a refined, articulate and intelligent portrait of the man who captivated fans worldwide with his talent for nearly a third of a century.

“A Farewell From Moscow-The Igor Larionov Farewell Game” is a must-have for the sports-lover’s collection. The DVD chronicles all the excitement, energy and passion of Larionov’s powerful and emotionally-charged final game while also giving fans a rare behind-the-scenes look at Larionov with candid interviews from him and former teammates and coaches. The DVD is also loaded with many extras, including game highlights spanning Larionov’s career, more than 150 photos and footage tracing the players’ entire weekend in Moscow.

The “Farewell From Moscow: The Igor Larionov Farewell Game” DVD can be purchased at Best Buy. The Auburn Hills Best Buy is located at 300 Brown Rd. The Novi Best Buy is located at 21051 Haggerty Rd. in the High Point Shopping Center.

Five Swedes Signing
This upcoming Tuesday, March 28th, Fan Zone in the Westland Mall will be hosting an autograph signing with the following Red Wings players: Nick Lidstrom, Henrik Zetterberg, Tomas Holmstrom, Mikael Samuelsson, and Nik Kronwall.

The signing will start at 7pm. You can pre-order your tickets today by calling 734-762-9618. Here are the prices:

- 16×20 picture of 5 Swedes & signed by the entire group = $150
- Lidstrom is $40 flat / $50 everything else
- Zetterberg $25 flat / $35 everything else
- Holmstrom $25 flat / $35 everything else
- Sameulsson $15 flat / $20 everything else
- Kronwall $15 flat / $20 everything else

The above information was found at Lets Go Wings forums. I called that number inquiring about the group photo and autographs. When I called right before 7pm, there was less than half of the 300 photos remaining. You can order it over the phone with a credit card (like I did), but do it ASAP!

Wings lose in shootout

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Last night the Wings played the Nashville Predators for the sixth of eight meetings this season. Due to a meeting, I was unable to watch the entire game and just got the beginning and the end. Since that is the case, I will recommend that you check out the always interesting game recaps from IwoCPO at Abel to Yzerman. Here is one example of his always entertaining game thoughts.

When I see Chelios going after Kariya, my first instinct is to put some John Denver on, call the kids into the living room, drink some warm cocoa and revel in the family moment. You just can’t beat that kind of fun.

Anyways, the game ended in exciting fashion with a shootout. Now the shootout, for me at least, is always exciting to watch because you get to see the likes of Pavel Datsyuk and even my favorite The Captain deke out the opposition. However, I just hate that it decides the game (and I’ve been saying that the entire year, not just because we lost last night). Sure it’s better than having ties, but I guess I’m just an OT girl. I can’t wait for the playoffs and those good ole nights staying up real late because the game goes into double or triple OT.

And why did Babcock choose Holmstrom in the shootout BEFORE the likes of Yzerman, Shanny, and the other sharp shooters we have on the team. Don’t get me wrong, Homer is a great guy. But for the shootout? Bad idea. But then Yzerman went up to center ice to get his shot at Vokoun. My heart was pounding like crazy. My mouth went dry. I started going crazy in my single dorm room. I mean I was clapping and chanting “Yzie, Yzie, Yzie” (what my family and I call him). The Captain just had to make the shot. Missing wasn’t even an option. I mean this is the Steve Yzerman. He’s been captain of this team longer than I’ve been alive. From the looks of it, everyone at the Joe was standing and acting crazy. And then Yzerman, like the pro he is, smoothly deked Vokoun and tied the shootout up. IwoCPO had similar thoughts:

Steve Yzerman skated to center and winning meant nothing. An extra point wasn’t even a consideration.The only thing going through the mind of every Wing fan anywhere was this, “I do NOT want to see Steve Yzerman fail.”

Deals with the devil were made on the spot, “just let Yzerman score…if we lose, I can handle it. K? I’ll take the loss, but not this way. Deal? Great, thanks.”

He did. The Captain scored low on Vokoun’s right side…and the deal was done. The devil was due.

But the Preds scored on their next opportunity and Shanny failed to get the puck in the net so the Wings lost in a closely contested game and shootout.

Chelios’ son, Dean, comes on road trip

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Remember the father/son trip to the southeast last December? Well Chris Chelios is giving it another try, but this time with his older son, 16 year old Dean, on this 4 day road trip to western Canada

In the southeast father/son road trip, Dean couldn’t tag along with his dad and younger brother, Jake, because of his own hockey schedule (he plays for Cranbrook who recently won a DIII state championship). Since his high school hockey season just ended and this is his spring break, Chris Chelios asked head coach Mike Babcock and GM Ken Holland if he could bring Dean along on this trip (answer: yes).

Since Dean was born the summer after his dad played in the 1989 Stanley Cup Finals in Montreal, he’s been growing up with his dad playing in the NHL. However, this trip is giving him a new perspective on the NHL & Wings (much to the jealousy of his Cranbrook teammates). On Friday night, he went to dinner and then a movie with the team. He even got to pick the movie, The Hills Have Eyes. Following the movie, the team returns to the hotel where Dean got to sleep in his own room, “a luxury usually reserved for 10-year NHL veterans who have played 600 or more games.”

“There’s not too many players that can say their kids are old enough to be able to do this,” said Chelios, 44, the NHL’s oldest active player. “And just in case, if I don’t play next year, at least he’ll have been able to do this once.”He’s a laid-back kid, almost to the point where it drives me crazy. But I can tell (he’s excited). He never gets up in the morning at home, but he’s gotten up two mornings in a row now on this trip.”

“My other son plays like I play — he’s a knucklehead,” Chelios laughed. “I don’t know how the new NHL rules are going to help him, but Dean is perfectly suited for it. He’s a goal-scoring demon.”

Again on Friday, he played a 20 minute game of “keep-away” with Pavel Datsyuk, his favorite NHL player. The next day he “spent an extra half-hour on the ice working on shooting and skating drills with assistant coach Paul McLean and Chris Osgood, among others.” While Dean certainly isn’t at the level of an NHL player, he is already three inches taller than his dad at 6’2″. Unlike his dad, he plays forward (left wing or center).

“I haven’t been on one of these (road trips) in a long time, since I was maybe five years old, so I didn’t know what to expect,” he said. “But it’s just awesome – better than I expected. It’s amazing. This has just been really fun.”

Wings 2, Mighty Ducks 0

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The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Anaheim Mighty Ducks early after scoring both goals in the first period. The Wings have the next two days off before their game Saturday at 9:00pm against the Phoenix Coyotes.

First Period
The Wings scored two goals in the first (and the only two goals of the game). 7:28 into the period, Tomas Holmstrom scored on quick pass from Henrik Zetterberg who got it from Pavel Datsyuk. For once it wasn’t the typical Holmstrom deflection, rather a slick backhand shot. The first goal came while on even strength.

Less than a minute later, at 8:14 into the period to be exact, Nicklas Lidstrom took a shot inside the blue line which was stopped by Holmstrom upon which it fell to the ice when Zetterberg put it in the back of the net. The second goal happened while on the power play. Notice a pattern yet? All offensive points belong to the Wings who stayed in Torino until at least the semifinals. Datsyuk may not have earned a medal in Italy, but he’s helping the team offensively even with a fractured finger. He also extended his point streak to six games following tonight’s win.

Chris Osgood, the Wings goaltender for the evening, made 12 saves in the first period while the Ducks goalie, Jean-Sebastien Giguere, allowed two goals on 15 shots.

Second Period
Not much happened in the second period, but I must say that Osgood looked pretty sharp to me. Within the last two minutes of the period, Osgood made an excellent save even though the whistle was blown to call the play offsides.

With 1:23 left in the second, Mikael Samuelsson got called for roughing and sent to the penalty box. During the penalty kill, both Chris Chelios and Nicklas Lidstrom blocked a couple shots. It sure is nice to see No. 5 back in the lineup; even exhausted and jet-lagged, he’s one of the better defenders in the league.

Both teams had six shots apiece during the second, but no goals made it past the goaltenders.

Lidstrom had 20 shifts in the first two periods lasting a total of 18:04 minutes, he’s leading the Wings in ice time tonight even though there are certainly more rested Wings than Lidstrom. Zetterberg only played slightly over four minutes in the second period after playing about eight minutes in the first.

Third Period
Once more, nothing much happened. No goals scored. Only 4 penalties in the final period and the Wings were unable to convert on all four instances. Osgood made six saves in the third. With less than five seconds left, Brendan Shanahan rocketed a shot towards the empty net and hit the goalpost.

Osgood stopped 24 shots tonight to earn his second shutout this season and his 43rd of his career. It was his first game in a month so that’s a pretty impressive performance to me at least. It was the Wings third shutout in the last six games.

Other Notes…
An NHL.com article by Doug Ward briefly mentioned that both head coach Mike Babcock and GM Ken Holland supported the 5 Swedes to go celebrate in Stockholm and miss Tuesday night’s game in San Jose. It also went on to say that the Wings can learn from the losses of Team Cananda and USA in the Olympics.

Not everyone in the Detroit locker room will be walking on air. In contrast to his gold-medalist Detroit teammates, the Wings’ Kris Draper came home empty-handed and disappointed after playing for tournament favorite Team Canada. Chris Chelios played for the United States team that won only one game in Italy.Babcock said his Wings could learn a lesson from the disappointment Team Canada and Team USA endured in Torino.

“We can have all the skill,” Babcock told the Detroit News, “but if we don’t play well as a team, we’re not going to win. These teams were good teams (in the Olympics) and showed you can’t win individually.”

The Wings were the only team, to my knowledge, that played back to back games to return from the Olympic break and the Wings had the most players participating in the gold medal game. “I don’t think any team could have had a worse scenario than us, missing five guys and the week road trip on the West Coast,” Chelios said. “It’s not an advantage, but that’s the way it is.”

Pretty good “excuse” for the San Jose loss (even though that was an awful game to watch as a Wings fan). Speaking of which, a Detroit News poll asked readers “Are you upset the gold medal-winning Swedes missed the game against San Jose and the Red Wings were blown out?”

75.72% said, “No; they deserved to go to Sweden for the celebration.”
21.14% said, “Yes; they are paid by the Wings and should have been there.”
3.14% said, “It didn’t matter as the Wings would have lost anyway.”

Datsyuk, like his fellow Olympians, had to adjust after playing in the larger Olympic size ice rinks.

“Just a little bit scared,” Datsyuk said before the game against the Sharks. “Every board is too close.”Datsyuk was referring to the ice surface at HP Pavilion. The Olympic ice sheets Datsyuk played on for the Russian team in Torino were 15 feet wider than those in NHL rinks.

Lidstrom needs four more assists (after getting an assist in tonight’s game) to reach the 600 assist milestone. Captain Steve Yzerman currently has 684 career goals, six goals shy of Mario Lemieux’s. He also needs to play in 6 more games to become the 10th player in NHL history to play 1,500 games (should happen on March 15th against Anaheim in Detroit).