Homer Gets Sled from Teammates for 1000th NHL Game

Great gesture by the classiest group of athletes in all of sports. One question though, why a Ski-Doo? Always saw Homer as more of a Polaris man. A Ski-Doo is more of something you'd get this flamer.

Wings Beat Edmonton 4-2 on Way to 18th Straight Home Win

Last night the Wings took down the Oilers and an absolutely red hot Sammy Gagner by a final of 4-2. The win extended the Wings' home win streak to a franchise record 18 games, only 2 short of the NHL record. The bad news is I don't really see this domination at The Joe translating into a huge advantage come playoff time. Here's the main reasons why...

1 - During the Home Winning Streak We've Beat Several Non Playoff Teams

Over the course of the regular season some real shit shows have rolled into The Joe. I mean, I understand that you can't expect every team to make 20 straight playoff appearances but beating the likes of Edmonton doesn't equate to much of anything in my book. When push comes to shove, the fact of the matter is that every playoff team will have at least one decent aspect to their game. Whether it be a powerplay that can put up points, a physical game focused on derailing the talented attack of the Wings, or a tender on straight fucking fire, each team will have something that it brings to the table and there aren't gonna be any off nights at home or on the road during the playoffs.


2 - A Shit Ton of Our Home Wins Came in a Shootout or during the 5 minute, 4 on 4 Overtime



With the overtime rules being different in the playoffs the Wings lose what is a major advantage for them during the regular season. Come April, long gone are the days of the 4 on 4 overtime period and the shootout, which the skilled, puck control game of Detroit has used to their benefit while building this win streak. Don't get me wrong, I still like the Wings' experience to come out in big moments but during the playoffs I think their biggest advantage is a steady attack over the course of 3 regulation periods, not during an infinite overtime where one mistake can end things in a matter of seconds.

Two of the best from this season.





I wish I could fuckin bathe in that Bertuzzi spin-o-rama.


3 - Last Year the Wings Were Way Better on the Road Than at Home (64% vs 50%)

Despite this amazing win streak I still can't say I'm any more confident in their ability to win at home than I was in their ability to on the road last year. And as great as this run has been there hasn't been a tangible change in the environment at The Joe from a year ago when we were merely mediocre. It's hockey, and in the grand scheme of things rinks aren't all that much different from one another. Yeah, the crowd might get a little rowdier during a run like this and there is always something to be said about the springy boards in Joe Louis but it's not like the Packers playing at Lambeau where the weather is a constant factor or the Twins playing in the Metrodome where their speed and small ball mentality gives them a distinct advantage over 90% of teams. And despite Detroit's grand tradition of kicking nonstop ass and all the success they've had at home this year, you have to understand that it's still the same barn that they went .500 in last year.

Watch Out For Flying Pigs cause Darren McCarty and Claude Lemiuex are Signing Autographs Together

What the frick? I know a while back I posted a pretty in-depth interview of these two recognizing each others position in the rivalry and basically putting everything behind them but that doesn't mean you go and spark up a fuckin bromance and start carpooling to work. This was the most nasty, blood-fueled rivalry in the last 20 years of sports and I don't like it one bit that the two guys at the heart of it are on each others Christmas card list. I wonder how Draper's face feels about it?

Lil' Wing Hams It Up

Wings v Hawks on Versus

Franzen is back after missing the last four games and Joey MacDonald is looking to prove himself reliable against a Hawks team that is fighting for the 8th playoff spot in the West. Should make for a good one. Go Wings!

Brad Stuart Gets His Face Rearranged By Tom Kostopoulos

Calgary’s Tom Kostopoulos has been suspended six games for his blindside hit to Red Wings defenseman Brad Stuart, the NHL announced today. Stuart is out six-to-eight weeks with a broken jaw. Kostopoulos hit Stuart with a shoulder to the head midway through the third period of Friday’s game at Calgary. Kostopoulos was assessed a roughing penalty on the play. General manager Ken Holland spoke to NHL disciplinarian Colin Campbell about the incident Sunday morning. The Wings sent the medical report on Stuart to the league on Saturday. “Kostopoulos delivered a blow to the head of an unsuspecting and vulnerable player,” Campbell said in a statement. “As well, he targeted the head of his opponent and, while the hit was not from the blindside, the head was the principle point of contact.” Campbell also said the fact that Stuart was not in possession of the puck at the time was a factor in his decision.

Stuart won’t need surgery and doesn’t have to have his jaw wired shut because the two fractures were non-displaced, but he won’t be able eat solid food for a while and will needs weeks before he can even start to practice again. Coach Mike Babcock called the hit “disgraceful,” saying, “It was a bad hit, a blindside hit to the head. Uncalled for, unneeded. Disappointing.” Kostopoulos must forfeit $29,569 of his salary, according to a league release.

A six game suspension for this hit is understandable if the guy is a first time offender, cause hockey is incredibly fast paced and everyone makes mistakes. But for a guy with a reputation of cheap hits like Kostopoulos, giving him six games is ridiculous. He made an equally dirty hit on Mike Van Ryan two years ago and got 3 games. Once you know a guy is a cheap bastard I think you gotta amp up the intensity of the punishment. Just like a high stick which draws blood being worth 4 minutes instead of 2, I think a second or third infraction should be worth six games but Kostopoulus' suspension doesn't start until Brad Stuart is cleared to play. That way he sits out the length of the injury he caused and then still has to sit the six games. Might make him think twice about going Claude Lemiuex all over the league.

Lidstrom Nets First Career Hat Trick As Wings Dominate Blues. This One Was Fun

A few quick notes from Wednesday when the Wings used the Blues as a stepping stone to get back on track.

-Wings were controlling play but looked like shit after St Louis scored their second goal halfway through the third.

-Helm blocking a shot on an empty net when Howard found himself completely outta position was huge.

-Late in the 2nd David Backes took a dumb penalty against Holmstrom. Cleary scored on an incredible hustle play after he fell down on the resulting powerplay. It was a thing of beauty and was the only way I ever scored when I played. The goal made it 3-1 and was the eventual game winner.

-Zetterberg took an open ice hit that was brutal. He got up and kept plugging. The guy is a gamer.

-Datsyuk put on another stickhandling clinic with a dangle in corner that had about 15 different moves and later took a shot through his legs after a lengthy stretch pass from Zetterberg.

-Lidstrom is among the top 5 in offense among defensemen. Bringing him back is proving essential. Without him we'd be in trouble on multiple fronts.

Ultimatley Zetterberg had 4 pts, Cleary had 3, and Lidstrom got his first career hat trick in 1442 games. A stat line like that will mean victory 99 times outta 100.

Original 6 Matchup Tonight - Wings vs Habs

The Wings have lost 3 in a row and are looking to change their luck tonight against Montreal. Don't miss it cause this is the only time this season that these two original six teams will faceoff against one another which is still one of the dumbest things about the NHL. Instead of making us play Nashville and Columbus 16 times a year the NHL needs to pit some of it's big market studs against one another. Think of the rivalry that could ignite if the Wings played neighboring Toronto 4 times a year. Either way I'm headed to the OCI after my staff Christmas party to rip back B-lights and watch them bust outta the tired funk they're in. Stop by if you're in the slope. Prediction, the Mule gets two and Jimmy plays lights out. Wings win 4-1.

Modano Out Indefinitely After Getting Freddy Krueger Hand Implant

Modano spoke Monday for the first time since undergoing surgery Saturday to repair a severed tendon and nerve damage in his right wrist. He was hurt last Friday night when he was cut accidentally by the skate of Columbus forward R.J. Umberger. "Once the skate hit me, the pain was really sharp, and I knew something was wrong," Modano said in a telephone interview with the Free Press. "When I looked in the glove and saw the type of bleeding there was, I knew something was really wrong. I knew it wasn't going to be good news." Modano came out of surgery on Saturday to find rubber bands looped through stitches sewn into his fingernails. For starters, Modano is looking at eight weeks in a cast that immobilizes his arm. Modano said specialist who performed the operation, Dr. Richard Singer, is "very hands-on and is concerned not just about me playing hockey again but about my quality of life."


Over the long holiday weekend I forgot to mention that Modano suffered what seems to be a season ending injury to his right wrist. With any luck we might have our hired gun back for the playoffs but who knows how effective he'll be after eating $5 Hot & Readys all winter long.

Bottom line this definitely sucks but I just don't foresee this injury slowing the Wings down much during the regular season because of their depth at forward. Plus I'm thinking Mike is gonna have a wicked wrister once he returns with those rubber bands sewn into his finger nails.

Ilya Kovalchuk Sucks & Is A Baby

Rotoworld.com - Ilya Kovalchuk admitted that his blunder during Wednesday's shootout loss to Buffalo and the subsequent booing affected him.

Yo Ilya, it's called a shoot out, I'm pretty sure you're supposed to shoot. And don't go whining about getting booed here either. I'd be worried if that crowd didn't boo you. I just feel bad for the rest of the league that has to watch crap like this while I get to sit at home and pleasure myself to Datsyuk getting straight medieval on people.

Shit Like This Is Why The NHL Should've Never Expanded To 30 Teams

Detroit defenseman overwhelms Preds”, followed by “Datsyuk shows his rare offense”. This, despite the fact that Datsyuk (one of the NHL’s elite centers) has scored between 27 and 32 goals for each of the last six seasons. And by comparison, for the last seven seasons, he’s had more total points than that year’s leading Nashville Predator.

It's time the NHL stops pussy footing around in shitty hockey markets like Nashville where they think Datsyuk is a defenseman. Cut this thing back to the way it used to be. In my opinion you gotta get rid of Nashville, Atlanta, Phoenix, L.A., Florida, & Columbus. Then spread out the talent over the remaining teams and watch the level of hockey skyrocket.

Maltby Decides To Retire Rather Than Go To Grand Rapids. Accepts Scouting Job With Wings

Detroit — Red Wings veteran forward Kirk Maltby retired from hockey Tuesday, making the announcement during an emotional press conference at Joe Louis Arena. Maltby, 37, played 16 NHL seasons and appeared in 1,072 games, winning four Stanley Cups. "It exceeded any personal or team goals I could have set," said Maltby of his career, which began with two seasons with the Edmonton Oilers before being traded to the Wings. "It's gone much better than planned. I don’t think there's anything I would have taken back."Maltby will take a pro scouting position with the Wings. Maltby signed a two-way contract in the summer and knew the chances of making Wings roster were slim. He said he was comfortable with his decision to retire; he wants to spend more time with his family. "It's nothing against Grand Rapids or the American League," said Maltby, who played in the AHL and won a title there with Edmonton's farm club. “But back then I was 20 years old and I had no kids and I hadn't won Stanley Cups. I'm comfortable with my decision.”

I already gave Malt his love the other night when I wanted Bertuzzi to sit so he could get one last skate in as a Wing, but it's great to see him get a scouting job as well. The Wings are one of those last franchises that runs as a family and is still successful. Malt is a big part of that family and I look forward to seeing his smiling bearded face around the Joe come playoff time.