Make sure to follow Mark on Twitter!
As the old saying goes, “All good things must come to an end....…
For almost seven years, I’ve been fortunate enough to share my thoughts and opinions on the happenings surrounding the storied Detroit Red Wings.
This will be my final blog here at Hockeybuzz and I'd like to thank all of you for reading. I know many Red Wing fans often times may have preferred reading a true fan of the team providing opinions on the Wings here, but I hope I was able to offset that by providing a knowledgeable, open-minded perspective on the hockey club that other Red Wing blogs written by die-hard Red Wing fans might lack when it comes to providing an impartial opinion.
Although the Red Wing community at Hockeybuzz may not be the largest, I have nothing but respect for the fans that regularly commented on my blogs and shared their own thoughts in the message board. They are a very knowledgeable group of fans and I will miss conversing with them about the Red Wings and hockey in general.
Most importantly, I would like to thank Eklund and Eric for giving me the chance to cover the sport I love. They have treated me well over the years and I truly do appreciate the opportunities I've been given to be here. I have nothing but good things to say about the website, along with Eklund and Eric. I cannot thank them enough for having me write here for such a lengthy duration of time.
This position afforded me so many fantastic opportunities to attend and cover various hockey events, as well as meeting a plethora of well-known figures in the world of hockey. In addition to being able to cover numerous NHL & OHL regular season and playoff games, my affiliation with Hockeybuzz enabled to attend the following hockey events:
2008 Stanley Cup Finals (Detroit over Pittsburgh) 2009 OHL All-Star Classic 2009 Stanley Cup Finals (Pittsburgh over Detroit) 2009 OHL Championship 2010 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game 2010 Frozen Four at Ford Field 2010 OHL Championship 2010 Big Chill at the Big House (Michigan State vs. Michigan – outdoor game) 2011 World Junior Hockey Championships in Buffalo, NY (Bronze & Gold Medal Games) 2012 World U-17 Hockey Challenge
People may wonder as to why I’m leaving. I will not get into much detail but I plan on being involved in a new project that I’m very excited about. I still plan on covering the Red Wings and doing correspondent work for Sirius/XM NHL Home Ice. I will not get into further details here but you can be sure to follow me on Twitter (@markspizzirri) for more information in the near future. I realize leaving in mid-season is not ideal and for that I do truly apologize to both the website and the fans. My decision was made easier knowing Erik Marsh will also be providing Red Wing content this season at Hockeybuzz.
Speaking of the Red Wings, there is so much to look forward to for Red Wing fans in the upcoming six weeks with the Hockeytown Winter Festival, HBO 24/7 “Wings vs. Leafs…, along with the actual Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium. Despite their recent transgressions, the future appears to be bright as long as Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg continue to play at a very high level. As long as that is the case, the Red Wings will remain formidable. The long line of prospects waiting in Grand Rapids, overseas and in junior leagues is impressive.
Despite the constant confusion over the forward group and the glut of veteran winger in the fold this year, I believe next summer will be the true turnover of this team up front that fans are looking for with an influx of forwards from within the system getting promoted to Detroit.
We are only at the quarter pole of the season and we have yet to see the Red Wings play their best hockey. Yet they still remain in a Wild Card position in the Eastern Conference. Yes, they have only won 9 out of their first 21 games. However, they have only lost 5 games in regulation. There is still plenty of time to work things out and improve their status in the Atlantic Division.
Enjoy the remainder of this special season and thank you once again for taking the time to read my blog and opinions over the years.
THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES HOCKEYBUZZ!!!
redwingsbuzz@hotmail.com
Follow me on twitter: @markspizzirri