So Long President's Trophy, Hello Stanley Cup?

Damnit.

With millions of dollars under the salary cap, Ken Holland had enough treading space to make a huge splash at the trade deadline.  What did the Wings get?  A 7th round draft pick.

Yaaaaay.

Was there a blockbuster deal out there?  No--Nash stayed in Columbus.  Did any players move that I really wished Detroit would have snagged?  Maybe--Nashville nabbed Paul Gaustad AND Andrei Kostitsyn.  Were there teams around us that made immediate improvements?  Yes--Vancouver and Nashville bought and sold farms.

I still like the Quincey trade, especially after his partner went limp in the wrist, but why move a veteran defenseman like Commodore after losing a veteran defenseman like Ericsson?

By trading Commodore to Tampa, Holland opened up a roster spot.  By making that move so early on Monday, it was reasonable to assume that a trade would be made to fill that spot.  But as the Canucks and Predators kept pilfering the Sabres, the Red Wings remained all quiet on the Western Conference front.

It's a good thing that Brendan Smith will get his chance, but this couldn't be worse timing.  That home-winning streak was fun--but back to reality--the Wings are watching teams pass them on all sides.  Vancouver is now poised to run for the Presidents Trophy, and the Blues and the Predators are riding momentum towards the top of the Central Division.

Detroit is now forced to fend off these teams with Smith and Kindl, Mursak and Emmerton.  I like these players (except Kindl), but I'm not excited about relying on them to secure home ice in the postseason.  I still think the Wings are better built for the playoffs this season than they were in the last two, but the road back to the Finals just got rockier now likely leads away from Joe Louis Arena.

With Pavel Datsyuk in the lineup, Detroit was the best in the West.  It has been frightening to watch the Wings sputter without him.  That has been sufficient evidence that Detroit needs another forward, either a scorer or a bruiser.  I wanted a scorer.  Babcock wanted a bruiser.  I wonder if he's as disappointed as I am.

Peace. AWP

Sneaky Stevie

If you missed my latest post, scroll down and read it. 

Basically, I like Kyle Quincey and I'm glad he's back with Detroit, the team that drafted and cradled and nurtured him before serving him up on a waiver platter.

I also loved that it was Tampa Bay Lightning general manager and Red Wings GOD Steve Yzerman that orchestrated the three-team deal, bringing Quincey in from Colorado, then trading him to Detroit.

Then I read this little nug.  Now I love the trade and Yzerman even more.  I wonder if Lightning fans look at this as Yzerman using their team as a puppet for the Wings.  I don't care...just wonder.

Man it still feels good to stick it to the Avs!  Thanks for another one, Stevie!

Peace. AWP

Welcome Back Kyle

I almost started crying at work when I read that Pavel Datsyuk is going to be out 2-3 weeks due to arthroscopic surgery on his knee.  Today's trade to bring defenseman Kyle Quincey back to Detroit helped me hold back the sniffles.



I really liked Quincey when he was bouncin' round the state between Grand Rapids and Detroit.  It was a difficult decision when in 2008 Ken Holland placed the young, promising defenseman on waivers, but Quincey now comes full circle back to the team that drafted him.  And who's to thank for that?  Steve Yzerman!  Thanks Stevie!

Quincey never really got his shot with the Wings, appearing in only 13 games over three seasons.  However after being claimed off waivers by the Kings, the now-veteran defenseman has carved out a nice career with some notable stats.  In Colorado this season he led all blue-liners with five goals and was tied for most points (23) amongst the defense. 

The Wings lead the league for goals by defensemen this season and Quincey adds another deadly stick to an already deadly blue line.  Check out these numbers with Quincey's season stats inserted:

Lidstrom--10 goals/31 points
White--6 goals/28 points
Kronwall--12 goals/24 points
Quincey--5 goals/23 points
Stuart--5 goals/14 points
Ericcson--1 goal/9 points
Kindl--1 goal/9 points

One area the Wings could use some help is on the power play.  Out of all the goals above, only three (Lidstrom 2, Stuart 1) have come on the power play, and three of Quincey's total this season have come with the man advantage.  That I like.

Here's what I love.  What I remember about Quincey is he has great skates for a big guy, 6'2"/207 lbs, and can help the power play and the penalty kill.  He led the Avs in total ice time (22:21) this season, which compares well with Kronner's (22:28).  He has 68 hits on the season; that would rank him third amongst Detroit's D.  He has 29 giveaways--on par with White's 28--and 22 takeaways--just behind Lidstrom's 23.

I've been sweating the impending trade deadline, watching pieces fall to different places.  I saw Hal Gill go to Nashville and Pavel Kubina go to Philly, and I thought, "Who could the Wings bring in for depth at defense?"  If I knew Quincey was available I would have put him near the top of my list.  He's resignable (restricted free agent), he's not a huge hit to the cap ($3.13M), he's young (26), and we raised him right here in Grand Rapids.

Welcome back Kyle!

Peace. AWP

The Best Thing About 21

I kinda remember when I turned 21 on a typical balls-cold night in Sault Ste. Marie, MI.  At 11:55 PM on the eve of the anniversary of my birth the bartender at the Satisfied Frog asked me to leave the bar and return after midnight.  When I came back the table was full of shots...and that's about all I can recall.

mmmm...beeeer...

I have a similar fuzzy memory from Tuesday when the Wings broke the NHL record with their 21st consecutive home victory.  Instead of shooting tequila with my college buddies, I enjoyed a Lagunitas double IPA at Hopcat with my girlfriend for Valentine's Day.  Alas, I did not watch the game.  Oh! the sports sacrifices we make!  I did notice on the television behind the bar that Detroit had defeated Dallas 3-1 to set the record.  My girl was not impressed by the victory, or enthused with my diverted attention.  After all, it's just another game.  Just another win.  At least that's what I remember telling myself Tuesday.

Best thing about a home-winning
record?  Setting it at home!

I've had an opportunity to think about the record and I've read a few online articles and their corresponding comments from readers.  I've enjoyed the praise and I must say I do not give other teams' fans enough credit.  Shockingly enough there has been a good amount of congratulating the Red Wings from fans around the league.  There's still the haters that mentioned all the shootout victories, and a few Beanheads brought up how the Bruins actually won 22 straight sprawled over two seasons (the NHL does not recognize such records), but for the most part credit is being paid to a much-deserved milestone.  There was even praise from the losers on Tuesday.



The Wings Need an Ott

 I got a kick out of Stars forward Steve Ott's comments after the game.  "It's incredible, it truly is.  Twenty-one games in a row at home, let alone five in a row at home, is amazing. It's a tremendous accomplishment for their organization." 

An unexpected classy statement from an expectantly crassy guy.  Ott is one of the most annoying guys in the league and is always amongst the rafters in penalty minutes.  He's the type of dude that will do anything to spoil someone else's party.  He's the guy that pulls you out of bed and onto the floor and takes pictures of you on your 21st birthday.  A real jerk.

But the jerk is right.  21 consecutive victories is truly an astonishing achievement, accomplished by an incredible team.  It is a testament to the dedication of coach Babcock and all the players to reach a team goal of improving on last season's home record which bolstered just 21 wins total at Joe Louis Arena.  It is a sign that Lidstrom and the gang are on a mission to reclaim the Stanley Cup for the third time in eleven seasons, and fifth in 16. 

Ah yes, the Stanley Cup.  That's all that really matters, isn't it?  Cup or bust!  We all remember the record-setting 62-win season in 1995-96, just to get bounced by the Avalanche in the Western Conference Finals.  Remember that?  I just got pissed thinking about it.


Saluting the Crowd

Anyway, the underlying sweetness of this record in regards to the postseason is it has been necessary.  Take a look at the conference standings.  The Wings are just a handful of points ahead of Vancouver and divisional rival St. Louis, and they have played more games than either team.  The Central Division is terrifyingly good this season too--three of the top four teams come from the division.  If the playoffs started today, half the teams in the West would come from the Central.

With a Clark Kent record on the road, Detroit has had to be Superman at the Joe.  At this point in the season the home-winning record is not just a regular season novelty, it's a postseason necessity.

Peace. AWP

Broken Finger...Last Chance?

Pictured: Not Jimmy Howard

I saw today on www.freep.com that Jimmy Howard broke his finger during last night's thrilling shootout victory in Vancouver.  Damnit.  Looks like he'll miss at least the final two games of this road trip: Edmonton and Phoenix. 

The Coyotes are a physical team; that game will be decided in the corners and between the blue lines.  Edmonton on the other hand is a scary/streaky team.  Did you see what they and Sam Gagne did to the Suck-Hawks last night?  Not that I want to see Howard miss time, but this is the perfect and perhaps final opportunity for Ty Conklin to show his worth before he could be shown the door.

2008-09: When Conklin was Good

The trade deadline is February 27 and the Wings are in an unfamiliar position of having a lot of wiggle room beneath the salary cap.  My mouth is watering at some of the prospects out there.  However what I would hate to see is the Wings trade talent and/or prospects for a backup goalie, especially one that played so well in Detroit just three seasons ago.

Conklin was a more-than-adequate backup to Chris Osgood when the Wings made a run to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions during the 2008-09 season.  In fact, he was better.  Check out their stats:

Ozzy:    44 Starts, 26-9-8, 2 Shutouts, 3.09GAA, .887 Save%

Conks:  37 Starts, 25-11-2, 6 Shutouts, 2.51GAA, .909 Save%

Conklin wasn't good, he was great, though I bet Ken Holland would be happy with just a good version today.  His numbers this season are atrocious, creating the swirling rumors that Detroit might be shopping for another netminder.  In the eight games he has started his record is 3-5-0 with one shutout, a 3.20 goals against average, and a .886 save percentage.

Last Chance?

Bottom line, Jimmy is the Wings' MVP this season, and Conklin might be looking for a new job before the season is over.

I would love to see the Wings trade for a top-line defenseman.  I've read that Babcock would like a big-body forward.  That'd be cool too.  But what they might need is a backup goalie.  Hopefully Conklin can make the most of these two consecutive starts out West, save his job, and save Detroit's trade bait for somebody else.

Peace. AWP

Calgary's Classy Tribute to Brad McCrimmon

Babcock and McCrimmon

Brad McCrimmon made an indelible though scarcely recognized impact on the hockey world both as a player and as a coach, and he did both in Detroit.  He spent three seasons playing with the Wings in the early 90s, sharing defensive duties with the likes of Steve Chiasson, Mark Howe, and Paul Coffey.  He also had a hand in shaping a couple of rookies: Vladimir Konstantinov and Nicklas Lidstrom.  He assisted Mike Babcock for three seasons including the run to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions in 2009, falling short to Pittsburgh in seven games.

October 7, 2011

In May of 2011 McCrimmon bid farewell to his assistant coaching duties with Detroit to become the head coach of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Kontinental Hockey League.  Nearly the entire team was tragically taken from this world after a plane crash in September.  The Wings paid an emotional tribute to their fallen friend at Joe Louis Arena in October with McCrimmon's wife Maureen, daughter Carlin, and son Liam.

Maureen and Carlin McCrimmon

Before Detroit's matchup in Calgary on Tuesday, the Flames organization put on its own tribute to its former captain and Stanley Cup champion.  As in Detroit, McCrimmon's wife and children walked out onto the ice, joined by his parents, siblings, and niece.  Current Calgary captain Jerome Iginla and a few other players skated to the family to deliver flowers, hugs, and heavy hearts.

Unaware of the planned events, I watched the full pregame coverage on Fox Sports Detroit on Tuesday night.  It was an extremely emotional scene that touched everyone in the Saddledome and anyone who watched at home.  I certainly choked up during the ceremony as I saw the family graciously stand before thousands and allow a  new wound to reopen on television.  The video bio that played on the Jumbo-Tron was also broadcasted on FSD.

One of the perks of my old career in radio was getting to know other, much-more known and respected members of the media.  One man with whom I had the great opportunity to speak with and am grateful to remain in contact with is FSD's John Keating.  I've been watching him on FSD and the old PASS Network for as long as I've been watching Detroit sports.  He is Detroit sports.  I sent John an email, thanking him and FSD for broadcasting the tribute in its entirety for us back in Michigan.  I also asked him if he would share a few thoughts about Brad McCrimmon:

JK: Great guy.  Very low key.  Quick sense of humor.  He was called "Beast" by everybody, and he and Mark Howe formed one of the most successful pairings ever.  It was very emotional last night in Calgary, I felt for the family to have it all brought back to them, but they seemed very touched, appreciative.

He also mentioned that he had sent a tip to Eric Francis of the Calgary Sun about an interesting pregame story.  McCrimmon's son, Liam, was invited to skate around with the Red Wings, many of whom played with, were coached by, and were friends with his father.  It's a fantastic article that gives insight into the changes Liam, a teenager, has been forced to deal with over the last several months.

Keating also mentioned there would be another similar tribute when the Wings travel to Philadelphia on March 6.  McCrimmon played five seasons with the Flyers in the mid-1980s before moving on to Calgary, then Detroit.  The man touched many lives and definitely left an impression everywhere he went.

Thank you John.

Rest in Peace Brad.

Peace. AWP