Not Quite A Miracle, But A Definite Message

By Adam W Parks

The United States Olympic hockey team did not just run Canada on its home ice last night, they made a statement to the rest of the world: watch the @#$% out for the Americans!

Anyone who watched that game last night, hockey fan or not, had to be impressed with how the superior skill from Canada was bested by the toughness and determination from the US. There were moments of doubt last night, but in the end they made a believer out of me and the whole world.

The American team got off to a great start (courtesy in large part of Brian Rafalski!), and did not let up for 60 minutes. After Dany Heatley tied it at 2-2 early in the second period I figured that would ignite the Canadian team, and Sidney Crosby and company would begin to roll.

But they withstood the waves of the storm. Each time Canada's momentum built to a tall crest it was diverted by Ryan Miller, and shifted back in favor of the US with goals by Chris Drury and Jamie Langenbrunner. When Miss Crosby scored late in the third on the power play, I thought that was it--this is when Canada wakes from its preliminary slumber and realizes its roster's fire power.

Miller was unbelievable after that goal, and the effort by Ryan Kesler on that empty net goal was inspiring...Olympics style. I have never seen an American ice hockey win that momentous in the Olympics--I was negative one in 1980, 30 years ago today, for that miraculous win in Lake Placid. I can only compare that game to Stanley Cup-clinching goals in 1997, 98, 02, and 08, and also the blood bath of March 26, 1997.

Maple leaf worshippers can talk all they want about how that was just a preliminary game, which it was indeed. Canada is still alive, wounded, but well enough to push for gold down a rough road.

Standing in the way will be Germany, a pushover, but then there is Russia, a team that I thought had been playing the best Olympic hockey before the USA/Canada matchup last night. If Canada makes it past Alex Ovechkin, Pavel Datsyuk, Evgeni Malkin, Ilya Kovalchuk, and Evgeni Nabokov, they will have to face Nicklas Lidstrom, Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen, Niklas Kronwall, and a bunch of other really good Swedes who do not play for the Red Wings. Sweden has not looked dominant, but did get two shutouts in the preliminaries (including a 3-0 matchup against Finland late last night).

The Stars and Stripes earned themselves a first round bye and the top overall seed in the Olympic playoffs. If the US has any sort of hangover from the win over Canada, they are fortunate to face either Switzerland or Belarus in the Quarterfinals. The Semifinals will be tougher (either Finland or the Czech Republic, barring an upset by Latvia over the Czechs), but nothing like what the syrup-suckers will face.

Perhaps this game was not a miracle, the circumstances much different, the players more talented, but that victory just set the table for American gold.

Peace. Respect.

The Absence of the Mule Made the Heart Grow Stronger

By Adam W Parks

Thursday, February 11, Sharks 3 @ Red Wings SO

It is impossible to accurately measure just how much the Red Wings missed Johan Franzen during his four month absence. The closest that I can calculate is a whole bunch.



Where have these types of goals been all season long? Bestill my aching Hockeytown heart. Open ice and passing lanes on the power play have been as scarce on the ice as Chris Osgood has been in net. That shot looked so effortless and was so fast off his stick that I did not believe that it went into the net. Pavel Datsyuk thought it looked easy.

As much as I missed him, I am not prepared to say that The Mule is ready to bear the weight and lead his team down the long and dusty trail and into the playoffs. But judging by his numbers in his first two games back he is certainly trying to do so.

On Tuesday in St. Louis, his first game back, Franzen picked up an assist on Datsyuk's third period goal that sparked the Wings comeback to tie and force overtime. On 25 shifts and 17:28 of ice time he threw four shots on net and threw three hits on Blues players; both tied for second best for Detroit on the night.

Thursday night The Mule looked possessed. Expert talking heads all say and said that the first game back from injury is an adrenaline-fueled romp that leaves the returning player fatigued and slow for the following few games after. Not Franzen, he only got stronger, faster, and more aggressive. He was third amongst forwards in ice time (20:44 on 28 shifts) and tied Darren Helm for the team lead with seven hits. He scored the one goal off of his team-high six shots (tied with Henrik Zetterberg) and was aggressive going to the net. Evgeni Nabokov stopped a career high 50 shots and a few of his most spectacular came against a crashing Franzen, like this one:



Franzen is a difference maker on this team. He can score from anywhere on the ice. He throws his weight and agitates the opponents. In just two games he has shown how much lift and energy he brings to the lineup, but this difference maker has yet to make a difference in the win column.

The Wings are winless in their last four and host a deadly Ottawa Senators team on Saturday that has recently been tearing the Eastern Conference apart). The Sens rode an eleven game win streak from mid-January into February and have gone 13-1-0 in their last 14 games. Not exactly a team that the Wings (3-5-6 in their last 14) need to or want to meet in the final game before the Olympics break.

"I think we played good, we played with a lot of speed," Franzen said about Thursday's game. "It looked like last year, not like the past two months here."

It may have looked last year but it still resulted like the past two months. I do not want to get started on shootouts, but during this current 14-game stretch the Wings have won just one in six shootouts and are 0-1 in overtime periods.

Franzen might be The Mule, but he is not The Savior. The Wings need to take a page out of the book of Franzen and play stronger, faster, better as a team game after game if they want to make the playoffs, because picking up single points in losses will not get them ahead of Calgary or Nashville, nor keep them ahead of Dallas and Anaheim.

The Clock Is Ticking, And As Of Now...

I must return to work shortly, so I will not be able to give an update on what the Wings do if they make another move before the 3:00 PM roster freeze today. Here is what they have already done.

Bad boy Brad May, signed shortly after the season started, has been placed on waivers. He is not expected to be claimed by any other team by Saturday noon deadline. If he clears and does not retire, May will likely skate with the Griffins and be available to the Wings down the stretch if needed, though Justin Abdelkader is certainly a better option for the playoffs.

This and any other moves the Wings make today are necessary to clear room on the roster and under the salary cap for the return of Andreas Lilja. In order for the defenseman to return to the roster, the Wings must wipe away $1.2 million from the payroll. May's contract is for only $500,000.

This means if the Wings want Lilja back now, then Ken Holland must move another player. It was whispered that Jason Williams and his $1.5M would be traded, and that could still happen, but it is more likely now that Brett Lebda ($650K) will be moved. Mike Babcock will not need eight defensemen and moving Derek Meech, who makes less than $500K, would not clear enough salary.

If the Wings do not make anymore moves then that means Holland is not convinced that Lilja is set to return and will not play on Saturday. The freeze ends at 11:59 PM on February 28th, and the NHL trade deadline is on March 3.

A Controversial Proposition

By Adam W Parks

Andreas Lilja is playing hockey again. It has been nearly a year since the big-bodied defenseman has seen game action due to concussion-related headaches delivered from a Shea Weber punch to the head. If he experiences no set backs with his stint in Grand Rapids he could be back in a Red Wings uniform after the Winter Olympics.

Unlike the return of Johan Franzen, Lilja's possible impending comeback could really throw some screws into the decision process for Ken Holland as the Ville Leino trade does not allow enough cap space for a return from Lilja. More bodies will have to move out. More money will have to be cleared out.

The most probable outcome of Lilja's return would be that Derek Meech or Brett Lebda will be traded for a draft pick and another player to be placed on waivers (similar to the Leino deal). Mike Babcock is expected to keep seven defensemen on the roster for the playoffs (assuming the Wings get there), and with Lilja included, that makes one of these guys on the outside looking out of Detroit.

But maybe it doesn't have to shake down like that. Here is a different, more contentious solution to the situation.

Trade Rafalski

Seriously, what if Holland decided to trade Brian Rafalski? In this hypothetical scenario the Wings would have to carefully assess their situation this situation and make a decision that will be better in the long run. I worked out a little debate with four reasons to trade Raf. Here it goes...

Argument #1: Rafalski is having a down year for the Wings and for his career. In his past three seasons (two with the Wings, one with the Devils), Raf posted at least 55 points and has reached double digits in goals in the last two (both with the Wings). He has just four goals and 25 points this season.

Rebuttal #1: Who isn't having a down year offensively for the Wings? Pavel Datsyuk amassed 97 points in each of the two previous seasons and 87 in two more before that. He has just 45 in 55 games this season. Henrik Zetterberg put up 73 points in 2008-09 and 92 with 43 goals in 07-08. He has 43 points to date this season.

Result #1: Rafalski has just one point less than Lidstrom. Compared to everyone else, he is on par offensively for the season.

Argument #2: With 53 giveaways, Rafalski leads all Wings and is averaging exactly one per game this season. He topped Detroit skaters last season too, but only served up 51 pucks to the opposition.

Rebuttal #2: Datsyuk is right behind Raf with 50 turnovers, but the 'King of Takeaways' has 89 swipes and is second in the league in that category (Evgeni Malsuck has 94). Mr. 'Do Nothing Wrong' Lidstrom is third for the Wings with 46 giveaways.

Result #2: Rafalski is not Datsyuk or Lidstrom.

Argument #3: At 36 years of age, Rafalski is no spring Wing anymore; his age might finally be showing. After all, Lidstrom, at 36, racked up 62 points, a disgusting plus-40 rating, and won his fifth Norris Trophy.

Rebuttal #3: Again, Rafalski is not Lidstrom and never could claim to be. No. 5 is a freak of nature, a gift from the hockey gods, it is unfair to compare anyone to him. Like Larry Murphy and Mathieu Schneider before, Raf is a very capable second defenseman and would be so on any NHL team. Niklas Kronwall and Brad Stuart are sure-fire third and fourth blue-liners, if not better, but Jonathan Ericsson has proved that he is still a rookie and not quite ready to step into a No. two, three, or even four role just yet.

Result #3: Raf's veteran experience is invaluable, especially in the playoffs. That said, he is an aging star that is certainly on the decline; his stock will not get any higher than now. Kronwall and Stuart have outplayed him and either could slide into the No. 2 role. Raf may only be in his tenth season in the NHL, but he played four seasons with the University of Wisconson and four seasons in the Euro League prior to his rookie season with the Devils in 1999-00. At 36 he is logging a ton of minutes and not playing particularly well.

Argument #4: Here is the kicker, the main reason why I even bring any of this up: Raf's contract is a hefty one. Five years, $30 million, until 2012. He will be 38 when it expires. As it stands for next season, he will be the third highest paid player on the Wings roster behind Datsyuk ($6.7M) and Zetterberg ($6.083M). Lidstrom will be an unrestricted free agent and, if he does not retire, will likely sign for significantly less than the $7.45M he's banking this season. Stuart is set to make $3.37M next year, Kronwall $3M, Lilja $1.25M, and Ericsson $900K. Hell, our goaltender of the future, Jimmy Howard, is looking at just $717K.

Rebuttal #4: ...

Result #4: Rafalski, as much as I and you like him, is not worth that much money. No way.

Conclusion: Think about the flexibility that Ken Holland would have with an extra $6M to spend in free agency. Rafalski's trade stock is at its highest right now, this season, for a team (preferably in the Eastern Conference) that is seeking a reliable and proven veteran defenseman to help push for the playoffs.

Say Rafalski could be moved this season for an unrestricted free agent like Olli Jokinen (forward, Rangers, $5.25M) to be either re-signed or let go in the offseason. Would that be a step back in regards to the roster this season? I don't think so. Would it be a huge leap forward for next season. Absolutely.

Either Lebda or Meech would be capable of carrying the weight the rest of the season if Rafalski were to be traded, and f Lilja can return to the active roster it would be an instant upgrade on the blue line. The defensive pairings would look something like this:

Lidstrom-Kronwall
Stuart-Ericsson
Lilja-Meech/Lebda/$6,000,000

Peace.

Mule On the Horizon, Problems With the Roster

By Adam W Parks

One game. Just one more game before Johan Franzen is set to return.

The Wings finish off another West Coast/California swing on Saturday in Los Angeles, and when they take the ice in St. Louis the following Tuesday they will have the Mule back in skates. And the fans rejoiced.

We all know how much Franzen means to this team, but his return will have a major impact on the roster as Ken Holland will have to make a move or two by Monday to create space on the bench and under the salary cap.

From my understanding, Detroit will have to clear approximately $700K in order to activate Franzen to the roster. Justin Abdelkader has already been sent to Grand Rapids to pave way for the return of Tomas Holmstrom, so who is next on the block?

May

The obvious, simplest solution is Brad May. The 38-year-old tough guy, with one assist and a minus-five rating, has little trade value and is predicted to clear if put on waivers. In this scenario, assuming that no other team grabs him, he would be able to join Abdelkader with the Griffins and be available in the playoffs if needed.

The problem with May? He is the second lowest paid Wing at less than $500K. He won't be enough.

Leino

Ville Leino gets my resounding vote. This guy had such high expectations before the season, now the Wings will be lucky to get a sixth round pick for him. He has been a healthy scratch for the last six games going back to the last time Detroit faced Los Angeles (January 23). Four goals. Seven points. Minus-10 rating. See you later, Ville, it's only imminent now.

"You can't really think about it," Leino said. "Obviously, it's crossed everybody's mind who's on the (bubble). It's going to happen if it's going to happen. Nothing you can do about it right now."

Like a chicken with its neck stretched across a tree stump, Leino is already mentally prepared for the axe. His days are numbered in Detroit. If Holland can get any kind of trade for a draft pick or future consideration to move his $800K contract he will probably leap at it. If not, he will be placed on waivers.

Meech and Lebda

Derek Meech and Brett Lebda are probably safe for now, especially with Niklas Kronwall slightly re-injuring his knee. Both make less than Leino, but both have higher trade values, so they might be easier to move if Holland is stuck. Expect to keep seeing them, either on the ice or as healthy scratches, until the possible return of Andreas Lilja, who is playing with the Griffins in Grand Rapids tonight.

Peace.

Trampled By Replays and Pecked By the Ducks

By Adam W Parks

Wednesday, February 3, 2009 Red Wings 1 @ Ducks 3

I'd like to drive to Toronto and rip the video replay judges apart, limby by limb. I don't want to blame this loss on (another) failure of the replay system, so I won't, but here is the video of Anaheim's game-winning goal that was questioned:



Here is what the official NHL rulebook has to say:

78.5 Disallowed Goals –
Apparent goals shall be disallowed by the Referee and the appropriate announcement made by the Public Address Announcer for the following reasons:
(i) When the puck has been directed, batted or thrown into the net by an attacking player other than with a stick.

The rule is as clear as Kyle Chipcheater's free hand moving in a downward motion, in the same type of motion that he would make if he were directing a tip-in with his stick.

Jimmy Howard, who was standing with a perfect view, directly behind Chipcheater, figured the rule reaction:

"I asked the ref why it was a goal, and he said because he didn't intentionally (direct it in)," Howard said. "I figured when it went in off the glove, whether it was intended or not intended, it was no goal."

You would figure that, you know, since it is the rule.

Boy, Did The Ducks Trade The Right Goalie?

On Sunday, January 31, Anaheim traded the superbly talented and overtly disgruntled Jean-Sebastien Giguere (pictured left) to Toronto. Giguere earned the Conn Smythe Trophy in a losing effort in 2003, but raised the Stanley Cup in 2007. After the championship he signed a four-year, $24 million contract and went on to post his career highs in goals-against average (2.12), save percentage (.922), and shutouts (4) in the following season.

But now his days of being a dumb duck are over, and, needless to say, he got his wish. "I would rather retire than be a backup goalie," said Giguere to the L.A. Daily News in November of this season.

In that '03 playoff run Anaheim upset the Wings in the first round on an unbelievable and unpredictable path to the Finals. Mike Babcock was the coach for those Mighty Ducks. He acknowledged the great achievements of Giguere, but understands Anaheim's decision to trade.

"Obviously, Giggy did a great job here," Babcock said. "There's a banner hanging up in the air here and everyone has a Stanley Cup ring because of him. When I was here, he got us to the finals, as well. That's the measure of a goalie. And yet, the sport is all about the next guy coming in and taking your job."

Who thought that the next guy would be a 92-year-old actress/comedian and a one-time disciple of Bob Hope? Yes, the brick wall in Anaheim that was J-S Giguere has crumbled, and now stands the impregnable Phyllis Diller in net, and boy is she flexible and quick for her age.

Before lacing up the skates and putting on the pads, Diller cut her teeth in the entertainment business during the 1960s with television appearances, shows on Broadway (Hello, Dolly!) and films like Boy, Did I Get The Wrong Number!. More recently she has played memorable cameos like Mimi's grandmother on The Drew Carey Show and Peter Griffin's mother Thelma on Family Guy.

Who ever said you can't teach a crazy old lady new tricks? Diller not only earned a job goaltending with the Ducks last season, but she supplanted Giguere during the playoffs, and now she is the future between the pipes in Anaheim.

The bitch was spectacular against the Wings on Wednesday night, stopping 46 of Detroit's shots and 36 in the final two periods. Congratulations on reinventing yourself, you old battle axe.

It's Only One Game, But...

Jonathan Ericsson looked like a different player on Wednesday, like the guy we saw last season in the playoffs. It was a humbling couple of days for the big guy after Mike Babcock made him a healthy scratch in San Jose. He might have sat even longer (what with his replacement Derek Meech notching the game-winning goal) if it were not for Niklas Kronwall tweaking his knee.

His plus/minus rating has been atrocious and he seems to lack confidence with the puck, evident by a plethora of turnovers. But what has bothered me the most about E this season is his lack of physical play.

Perhaps watching other guys throw their bodies around against the Sharks had an effect:



That was such a good check, Ericsson should have at least one crunch like that per game. Here is another solid hit:



Ericsson finished the game in Anaheim with three hits, tied with Darren Helm for most amongst Wings. Although he was a minus-1 for the game, he made his presence known early and often without hurting his team. His stat sheet looked appropriate for what we should expect from him: 1 blocked shot, 3 hits, and 0 giveaways on 26 shifts and 17:02 of ice time. He stood tall and accepted the challenge from his coach, and Troy Bodie. Ericsson could be, should be, an imposing and intimidating figure in red and white, and the Wings will be better when he fully realizes that.

Hopefully he has found a corner in order to turn this season around for himself.

Peace.