Just FYI to Philly fans:

Franzen is out tonight against Philly. He had a reoccurrence of concussion-like symptoms after the last game. So now he's on short-term IR. Joakim Andersson is back in the lineup (which is a good thing).

Take a look at this lineup tonight for the Grand Rapids Red Wings... talk about young upfront. I'd rather see Miller up on the third line and Cleary down on the 4th where he belongs. This should be an interesting experiment:

Nyquist - Andersson - Abdelkader

Tatar- Sheahan - Jurco

Cleary- Helm - Alfredsson

Drew Miller - Luke Glendening - Patrick Eaves

DEFENSE:
Kronwall - Ericsson
Quincey - DeKeyser
Lashoff - Smith

GOALIES:
Jonas Gustavsson (starting)
Jimmy Howard

Healthy scratches: Todd Bertuzzi, Jakub Kindl

Meow
- JoeRussomanno

Joe, I imagined Jack Nicholson saying meow

The core was swapped out for younger, talented, but still developing players, which is a short term step back...the big man, Pronger went down, leaving an aging Timonen to lead things, obvious dropoff there...struck out on Suter/Weber...

I feel there are a good measure of of young, talented players here and they need to exercise some patience, allow time for them to develop and make an impact...and the D needs a top pairing refresh, which I'm sure they (Homer et. al,) know given they tried hard to get it...oh, we got a goalie (I think) and a couple good (goalie) prospects... personally, I'd like to see Homer's rebuild continue...it will be ugly at times as the young players take lumps and learn on the job, and the older players decline and move on, but I do see the window of contention opening back up in a year or two as the young players like G, Schenn, Couturier, Read, Jake etc. are in their prime and the best prospects amongst guys like Morin, Alt, Ghost, Laughton, Cousins, etc. graduate to the big club.

Refresh the top D pairing over the next season or two and I think we're where we need to be. Holmgren brought in a lot of young talent and has thus far been patient in not trading away young players prospects and picks...it takes time to let such a plan develop. In this bigger picture context, I don't see why Homer's job should hang on this season's results...but I understand it is the mentality you often see in an impatient, "win now" town that seems to care more about the current season product than they do the longer term prospects for winning a Cup that may involve taking a more patient approach. I find it ironic that many admonish Ed Snider for being too impatient and trying to win it all each year and now, at a time that seems like the team is being a bit more patient in building something for the future, that people are ready to fire the GM for doing so.
- exlund

Solid post. I don't think Holmgren is a complete fool or something, I just have big issues with overpaying for over the hill players, and contracts that no other team will touch.

Amongst other things, I don't like that.

Just FYI to Philly fans:

Franzen is out tonight against Philly. He had a reoccurrence of concussion-like symptoms after the last game. So now he's on short-term IR. Joakim Andersson is back in the lineup (which is a good thing).

Take a look at this lineup tonight for the Grand Rapids Red Wings... talk about young upfront. I'd rather see Miller up on the third line and Cleary down on the 4th where he belongs. This should be an interesting experiment:

Nyquist - Andersson - Abdelkader

Tatar- Sheahan - Jurco
sure flyer loss
Cleary- Helm - Alfredsson

Drew Miller - Luke Glendening - Patrick Eaves

DEFENSE:
Kronwall - Ericsson
Quincey - DeKeyser
Lashoff - Smith

GOALIES:
Jonas Gustavsson (starting)
Jimmy Howard

Healthy scratches: Todd Bertuzzi, Jakub Kindl
- Vladdie_Kon1

There is so much allure to Russian 'superstars' to return to Russia. They are treated like royalty. It's the secondary Russian players who have to deal with the bad parts.
- PhillySportsGuy

In addition to the perks, being forced to fundamentally alter your hockey DNA can be tough on a lot of guys... sometimes it's less painful to just go home and return to what's natural.

Paul Maurice mentioned it in an interview about his experiences coaching in Russia recently:

Q: What experience did you gain from your coaching gig there?

A: ...but probably the biggest thing I walked away with is a blanket apology to every Russian player I ever coached. When they come to Canada and play the way they do, there’s a reason for it. Things sometimes get said about them, like they’re not tough, but I can tell you there are tough players over there. They just play the game so differently. We expect them to make adjustments in a couple of weeks when they get here, you want them to tip the puck in and chase it, adn you want them to do this and go there, and then you think they don’t want to play your game. It’s not like that at all, and you’d have to be there to see where they come from and the culture and the hockey. So a blanket apology … I have a better understanding of their world, how they train, how they play, and why they play the way they do.

Basically, the background is that he saw how the club teams overseas were structured, how they focused on puck handling and puck possession from the very beginning stages and how hard those kids worked at those aspects of the game.

Until one day, they jump across the pond, show up at the rink for the first time, and a Canadian/American coach gets on them right away about needing to chip and chase... they'd been bred all their lives to hang on to the darn thing, were promoted at each level because they were good at it, and now some maniac is telling them to just give the darned thing away?

It really tells you how special and adaptable the Russian players that stick around really are.

If you dont like your life change it. No-one is stopping you. If the news media is only covering Beiber, and your drawn in by that, its your own dumb fault you dont try and learn what is really going on. Its not a class issue thats keeping people in peverty... its a motivation issue. If the government is going to pay for you to live and do nothing, what is your motivation for improving your life...?
- youarewrong

With my own personal experience in working with inner city individuals, and having more media exposure, as I am not purely from NA. I would agree to disagree with you.

No worries.

Kindl is a healthy scratch? I liked what I saw from in in the games I've seen.

Just FYI to Philly fans:

Franzen is out tonight against Philly. He had a reoccurrence of concussion-like symptoms after the last game. So now he's on short-term IR. Joakim Andersson is back in the lineup (which is a good thing).

Take a look at this lineup tonight for the Grand Rapids Red Wings... talk about young upfront. I'd rather see Miller up on the third line and Cleary down on the 4th where he belongs. This should be an interesting experiment:

Nyquist - Andersson - Abdelkader

Tatar- Sheahan - Jurco

Cleary- Helm - Alfredsson

Drew Miller - Luke Glendening - Patrick Eaves

DEFENSE:
Kronwall - Ericsson
Quincey - DeKeyser
Lashoff - Smith

GOALIES:
Jonas Gustavsson (starting)
Jimmy Howard

Healthy scratches: Todd Bertuzzi, Jakub Kindl
- Vladdie_Kon1

just a FYI to Wings fans: we suck

The core was swapped out for younger, talented, but still developing players, which is a short term step back...the big man, Pronger went down, leaving an aging Timonen to lead things, obvious dropoff there...struck out on Suter/Weber...

I feel there are a good measure of of young, talented players here and they need to exercise some patience, allow time for them to develop and make an impact...and the D needs a top pairing refresh, which I'm sure they (Homer et. al,) know given they tried hard to get it...oh, we got a goalie (I think) and a couple good (goalie) prospects... personally, I'd like to see Homer's rebuild continue...it will be ugly at times as the young players take lumps and learn on the job, and the older players decline and move on, but I do see the window of contention opening back up in a year or two as the young players like G, Schenn, Couturier, Read, Jake etc. are in their prime and the best prospects amongst guys like Morin, Alt, Ghost, Laughton, Cousins, etc. graduate to the big club.

Refresh the top D pairing over the next season or two and I think we're where we need to be. Holmgren brought in a lot of young talent and has thus far been patient in not trading away young players prospects and picks...it takes time to let such a plan develop. In this bigger picture context, I don't see why Homer's job should hang on this season's results...but I understand it is the mentality you often see in an impatient, "win now" town that seems to care more about the current season product than they do the longer term prospects for winning a Cup that may involve taking a more patient approach. I find it ironic that many admonish Ed Snider for being too impatient and trying to win it all each year and now, at a time that seems like the team is being a bit more patient in building something for the future, that people are ready to fire the GM for doing so.
- exlund

Well, they haven't really shown that much patience. We'll see at this years deadline. Last year they were so far out of it it was easy to be "patient". It's fair to question Holmer's job status. It's hard to understand the direction he wants to take this team. Try and get younger, Vinny for 5 years? When you traded your ex-Captain for a young piece your grooming to be the 2nd line center?

I'm not convinced they won't get rid of young talent for a patchwork piece this deadline

The core was swapped out for younger, talented, but still developing players, which is a short term step back...the big man, Pronger went down, leaving an aging Timonen to lead things, obvious dropoff there...struck out on Suter/Weber...

I feel there are a good measure of of young, talented players here and they need to exercise some patience, allow time for them to develop and make an impact...and the D needs a top pairing refresh, which I'm sure they (Homer et. al,) know given they tried hard to get it...oh, we got a goalie (I think) and a couple good (goalie) prospects... personally, I'd like to see Homer's rebuild continue...it will be ugly at times as the young players take lumps and learn on the job, and the older players decline and move on, but I do see the window of contention opening back up in a year or two as the young players like G, Schenn, Couturier, Read, Jake etc. are in their prime and the best prospects amongst guys like Morin, Alt, Ghost, Laughton, Cousins, etc. graduate to the big club.

Refresh the top D pairing over the next season or two and I think we're where we need to be. Holmgren brought in a lot of young talent and has thus far been patient in not trading away young players prospects and picks...it takes time to let such a plan develop. In this bigger picture context, I don't see why Homer's job should hang on this season's results...but I understand it is the mentality you often see in an impatient, "win now" town that seems to care more about the current season product than they do the longer term prospects for winning a Cup that may involve taking a more patient approach. I find it ironic that many admonish Ed Snider for being too impatient and trying to win it all each year and now, at a time that seems like the team is being a bit more patient in building something for the future, that people are ready to fire the GM for doing so.
- exlund

I was fine with going young and being patient, but I don't have as much confidence in homer to see it through properly as I did when they first traded frick and frack

Easiest way for this crew to gain some confidence and get back on track is for a return of "above average" Mason.

Not a shot at him, but damn was he fun to watch when he played at that high level.
- flyer_nutter

Yeah, but it's too easy to use the goaltending as a scapegoat.

Above average goaltending this year and the record still sucks. Hmmm...

In addition to the perks, being forced to fundamentally alter your hockey DNA can be tough on a lot of guys... sometimes it's less painful to just go home and return to what's natural.

Paul Maurice mentioned it in an interview about his experiences coaching in Russia recently:



Basically, the background is that he saw how the club teams overseas were structured, how they focused on puck handling and puck possession from the very beginning stages and how hard those kids worked at those aspects of the game.

Until one day, they jump across the pond, show up at the rink for the first time, and a Canadian/American coach gets on them right away about needing to chip and chase... they'd been bred all their lives to hang on to the darn thing, were promoted at each level because they were good at it, and now some maniac is telling them to just give the darned thing away?

It really tells you how special and adaptable the Russian players that stick around really are.
- Tomahawk

love me some shrek

This picture will be extremely relevant in the near future. Absolutely keep it in your files!
- PLindbergh31

The orange sweater makes it.

With my own personal experience in working with inner city individuals, and having more media exposure, as I am not purely from NA. I would agree to disagree with you.

No worries.
- flyer_nutter

As someone that worked in the public school system I can tell you the same core knowledge is being taught whether the class is in the burbs or inner city. Not everyone is desitned to be a doctor or lawyer. I dont care what circumstances your born into, if you are smart enough and have the desire and work ethic then you can overcome it.

Example, my grandfather was in retail sales, and my grandmother is psycofrantic(sp) manic-depressive. They didnt have a lot of money. My mother also become pregnant at 15. Yet somehow she was able to raise my brother, finish highschool, go to college, get her masters, and open her own CPA firm.

If the tools and will are there, people can and will break barriers. If people are sedated with wellfare and Obama phones, they have no incentive to make thier lives better.

I got a man.

What's your man got ta do wit me?

I got a man.

I'm not tryna hear dat, see.
- jmatchett383

Positive K

Just FYI to Philly fans:

Franzen is out tonight against Philly. He had a reoccurrence of concussion-like symptoms after the last game. So now he's on short-term IR. Joakim Andersson is back in the lineup (which is a good thing).

Take a look at this lineup tonight for the Grand Rapids Red Wings... talk about young upfront. I'd rather see Miller up on the third line and Cleary down on the 4th where he belongs. This should be an interesting experiment:

Nyquist - Andersson - Abdelkader

Tatar- Sheahan - Jurco

Cleary- Helm - Alfredsson

Drew Miller - Luke Glendening - Patrick Eaves

DEFENSE:
Kronwall - Ericsson
Quincey - DeKeyser
Lashoff - Smith

GOALIES:
Jonas Gustavsson (starting)
Jimmy Howard

Healthy scratches: Todd Bertuzzi, Jakub Kindl
- Vladdie_Kon1

Wings got this in the bag

Joe, I imagined Jack Nicholson saying meow
- vejim

Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?

just a FYI to Wings fans: we suck
- 2Real

Im relieved to not be watching this game tonight as i have class 630-930... Wining?

Wings got this in the bag
- ob18

Flyers are weird tho they could come out and destroy the wings.

Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?
- JoeRussomanno

I hate to say this, bur Heath is now the best Joker.

Im relieved to not be watching this game tonight as i have class 630-930... Wining?
- JoeRussomanno

i'll leave work early to catch the game tonight regardless

i'll leave work early to catch the game tonight regardless
- 2Real

I cant remember the last time I have been able to stomach watching a full game that I havent been at....

i'll leave work early to catch the game tonight regardless
- 2Real

I feel sorry for you.

I cant remember the last time I have been able to stomach watching a full game that I havent been at....
- youarewrong

the things i do for this team

I feel sorry for you.
- JoeRussomanno

i'm a true fan