The season is here and Wings open tonight against Anaheim, the team which knocked them out of the playoffs. We all have high hopes for the year, and I look at the team as one of the cup contenders. The last season proved that they can win it all. Go Wings!

For all interested, tonight's game is on Versus. It is available online for free - download and install a player here and look under sports:
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Internet/Internet-Radio-TV-Player/TVUPlayer.shtml

Red Wings beat Anaheim in the shootout in the first game of the season. Old story as Wings outshot Ducks 42-15 but settled for 2-2 regulation tie. Hudler scored the only shootout goal. Zetterberg with a goal and an assist in the game. Holmstrom also scored. Rafalski with an assist in a first game as a Wing. Bertuzzi with a goal and an assist for Ducks.

The sellout streak is over at 396 regular season games. Some notes from Drew Sharp:
RED WINGS 3, DUCKS 2 (SO): DREW SHARP: Hockeytown a misnomer after fans stay home for season opener (http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071003/SPORTS05/71003083)

Sellouts streaks that long are a hoax anyways. The team usually buys up the additional tickets to make them sellouts if they come close. The streak is the most important thing, even if it costs money to maintain.

Not Good...Black Hawks get rare win against Wings.
Hawks have Robert Lang with Nik Kabibulon* in net.
*spelling

Not Good...Black Hawks get rare win against Wings.
Hawks have Robert Lang with Nik Kabibulon* in net.
*spelling

Wings got a point, but I still hate them letting the Hawks back in the game when they were leading by 2 goals after 2 periods. Rafalski with goal and an assist and Zetts with 3 assists in the game.

Wings hang on to win a close game against the Oilers to go 2-0-1. A couple of mental lapses by Red Wings defense kept Edmonton in the game until Draper scored an empty-netter with 32 seconds left to seal the victory 4-2. Zetterberg had a couple of points and now has 7 points after 3 games (1+6).

Chelios played in his 1550 game and now is #8 on the NHL's all-time games played list. Lidstrom with an assist passed Forsberg and now is #2 on NHL's all-time points by a Swedish player.

Who is #1?

Who is #1?

That would be Mats Sundin with 1,249 pts, then Nick with 873.

Figures it was Sundin. He's a god in Toronto.

Red Wings beat Calgary 4-2 behind stellar play by the Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Holmstrom line which is reunited by Babcock due to Franzen being out 3-4 weeks with knee injury. Datsyuk with 2 assists, Zetterberg with an assist and Holmstrom with a goal in the 4th straight game. Samuelsson (2nd) and Draper also scored for the Wings. Ozzie earns his first win of the year subbing for Dominator who is out with bruised knee (he was hit by the puck during the previous game).

Igor Grigorenko hasn't showed the Detroit Red Wings enough to earn a roster spot. But, he was promoted anyway, due to his unique situation. Now it's up to Grigorenko to work his way into the lineup. And he's got a long way to go. The Red Wings recalled Grigorenko Sunday night, after he played his fifth game for AHL affiliate Grand Rapids. Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said the 24-year-old forward will join the NHL club for practice Tuesday.
"Based on what we've seen so far, he probably needs a lot more time in Grand Rapids, but he's not prepared for that commitment, for, among other things, major financial reasons,'' Holland said. "We'll bring him here and take it a day at a time. I can't tell you where we're going to be with Igor one month from now. ... There's no guarantees. I'm not promising anybody a roster spot or minutes. It's all to be earned.''

MLive.com: Everything Michigan (http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2007/10/grigorenko_called_up_from_gran.html)

ESPN - Red Wings' Draper agrees to three-year extension - NHL (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=3080620)


Detroit forward Kris Draper (http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?playerId=228), a winner of three Stanley Cups with the Red Wings, signed a three-year contract extension on Friday.

http://assets.espn.go.com/i/nhl/profiles/players/65x90/0197.jpg The 36-year-old Draper has five goals through the first 10 games of his 14th season with Detroit.

Draper won the 2004 Selke Trophy as the league's best defensive forward and represented Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics.
He began his career with Winnipeg, playing two seasons for the Jets before being dealt to Detroit on June 30, 1993.
"Kris has been such an important part of this organization's success," general manager Ken Holland said in a statement. "We are fortunate to have secured a player with his leadership qualities and work ethic for the next three seasons."

Wings call up goalie Jimmy Howard; Hasek suffering from 'hip irritation' (http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071026/SPORTS05/310260010/1053)


The Red Wings announced today they've recalled goaltender Jimmy Howard from its American Hockey League affiliate in Grand Rapids.
Howard's recall comes because starting goalie Dominik Hasek told general manager Ken Holland after today's practice that he was suffering from a hip irritation.
Howard will back up Chris Osgood in Friday's home game against the Sharks.

Wings call up goalie Jimmy Howard; Hasek suffering from 'hip irritation' (http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071026/SPORTS05/310260010/1053)


Where's Terry Sawchuck when you need him.......

Yeah, or Tim Chevaldae!

Yeah, or Tim Chevaldae!

I would take the guy he was traded for - Bob Essensa.

Looks like Grigorenko experiment is over, at least for now:
WINGS CORNER: Grigorenko to go home (http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071026/SPORTS05/71026072/1001/NEWS06)
The Red Wings sent Igor Grigorenko to the Grand Rapids Griffins on Friday night, but that was just paperwork. Grigorenko will not report to the American Hockey League affiliate. He is heading back to Russia, where he can make more than $1 million playing in the Russian Super League.
Dallas Drake has been cleared to play in Sunday's game, and the Wings had to make a decision on who to send to Grand Rapids. Matt Ellis' work ethic and Aaron Downey's toughness proved too valuable, and the Wings need a seventh defenseman so they weren't going to send down Derek Meech. "He's got the right by Nov. 1 to go to Russia," general manager Ken Holland said. "He wants to be in the NHL."
Grigorenko came into training camp out of shape and never impressed in three weeks in Grand Rapids, with no points in five games. The Wings haven't given up on him, though. Holland said he plans to retain Grigorenko's rights next season by giving him a qualifying offer.
He hopes Grigorenko comes back to training camp next season in better shape and said he needs to work on his quickness.
"He would like to be a Red Wing," Holland said. "We've told him we're going to watch him all winter. He now knows what the NHL is all about.

Wings still scoring with the best but the defense...
Since when does Drapes know how to score?

Wings sure got their defensive play fixed after that fiasco at Anaheim. The team only allowed 10 goals in the past 6 games while winning them all. Zetterberg is leading NHL in scoring and youngsters (Hudler, Filppula) and vets (Draper, Maltby) are all contributing on offense. Now there is a talk of possible Forsberg return to NHL and Wings definitely have some interest there.
Wings are also on the top in the NHL standings with 21 points after 13 games.

Wings RULE!

Zetterberg 12 goals after tonight, and 14 straight games (all season) with points (24 total).

Zetts is on pace for a 70 goal season and 140 points. AMAZING.

For the Hockey neophytes, a 50 goal season is a career achievement, and in today's NHL 120 points would be an amazing total.

Zetterberg 12 goals after tonight, and 14 straight games (all season) with points (24 total).

Zetts is on pace for a 70 goal season and 140 points. AMAZING.

For the Hockey neophytes, a 50 goal season is a career achievement, and in today's NHL 120 points would be an amazing total.

It would be amazing if he could keep it up and stay healthy. He's struggled with the second part.

Helene St. James' blog: Franzen: 'It was like an explosion' (http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artikkel?Dato=20071101&Kategori=BLOG09&Lopenr=71101100&Ref=AR&imw=Y)

Just a quick update here from the Saddledome, where Thursday night the Red Wings just beat the Flames, 4-1. The Wings have now won seven in a row, Chris Osgood is off to a 7-0-0 start, and Henrik Zetterberg reached 12 goals after scoring twice against Calgary.
Johan Franzen left the game early in the second period after getting whacked in the head by Brett Lebda’s shot, but Franzen is OK. He looked nasty – he needed 15 stitches to close a gash between the eyes that was so deep it left a pool of blood on the ice, but he sounded good.


The guy's not getting any luck at all this year.

MLive.com: Everything Michigan (http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2007/11/zetterberg_is_nhls_player_of_m.html)


Henrik Zetterberg was named the NHL's first star for October. Zetterberg leads the NHL with 22 points and have a 20-game points streak that dates back to last season. With a point tonight at Calgary, Zetterberg would tie the Red Wings' longest season-opening point streak (14), set by Norm Ullman in 1960-61.

Here's the longest season-opening point streaks since 1993-94:

Games Player Club Season
22 Dany Heatley Ottawa 2005-06
15 Jaromir Jagr Pittsburgh 1999-00
13 Henrik Zetterberg Detroit 2007-08 (active)
13 Ron Francis Pittsburgh 1994-95

Henrik did tie the Red Wings record with 2 goals against Calgary.
Congrats! And keep it going.

MLive.com: Everything Michigan (http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2007/11/red_wings_4_flames_1.html)


Whether the competition is good, bad or in between, road trips to western Canada can be a rough ride for teams. Even many outstanding Detroit Red Wings clubs have struggled here in the past.
That's what makes this current group's accomplishment all the more impressive. With their 4-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Thursday at the Saddledome, the Red Wings completed their first-ever three-game western Canada sweep. It was the 21st time they have played Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary during a single trip.

The Wings are hot. East has Ottawa who is 10-1 to start the year.

Osgood is 8-0 so far this year. Maybe he is a better option than Hasek for the rest of the season?

Osgood is 8-0 so far this year. Maybe he is a better option than Hasek for the rest of the season?

Um, I dunno. We've won the cup with both. Hasek seems to be more solid in the playoffs.

To all you Red Wings watchers. I haven't watched many games, but it looks like Hasek has been playing better and Osgood is still on fire. They are both getting equal starts it looks like.

Is the plan going to be to keep splitting up the games for these 2? Will Ozzy get the majority of the playoff starts? It's a pretty cool situation.

Technically, Hasek is still the #1 goalie. If he is rolling, he could get the majority of the starts in the playoffs.

It's nice when your #2 goalie is 20-3-2 and leads the NHL with a 1.87 GAA.

What a luxury. I'm sure Babcock will just ride whomever is hotter when the postseason rolls around.

If the Wings switch goalies in the playoffs, that will mean they are in real trouble. Traditionally, you ride your #1 (whoever that may be) until you are on the brink of elimination.

I just looked at the standings and i couldnt believe it!!!! The Wings are 38-10 with 80 pts..24 pts MORE THAN THE 2ND best record in the division!! And 19 pts better than anyone in the EAST....BUT NOT ONE COVER STORY or SI-article about their season!
Like I said....wake me when the Conferrence Finals begin!

I just looked at the standings and i couldnt believe it!!!! The Wings are 38-10 with 80 pts..24 pts MORE THAN THE 2ND best record in the division!! And 19 pts better than anyone in the EAST....BUT NOT ONE COVER STORY or SI-article about their season!
Like I said....wake me when the Conferrence Finals begin!

They (LIKE ME) are waiting for the Wings to get out of the 2nd round....:gun1:

Well,

Their last issue had a long story about Lidstrom and the Wings.

So they haven't completely forgotten about the Wings.

Who needs attention from SI anyways. The game is won on the ice, not on paper. :cold:

Who needs attention from SI anyways. The game is won on the ice, not on paper. :cold:



Sounds like what the Packers would say...........:)

What happen to the best team in Hockey? 4 losses in a row? Lets hope this slump is over before the post season starts. I heard that before the losing streak that they had a chance to break the league mark for points in a season @ 132??

The year they set the record, they ran out of gas against Colorado in the conference finals. We don't need no stinking records, just get everyone healthy and ready for the playoffs. The 1st seed has almost been pocketed at this point.

The year they set the record, they ran out of gas against Colorado in the conference finals. We don't need no stinking records, just get everyone healthy and ready for the playoffs. The 1st seed has almost been pocketed at this point.

Winless in their last six and Dallas, who Detroit lost to on Sunday, is only eight points back.

What has happened to this team? And why can't Bab-choke turn it around?

Winless in their last six and Dallas, who Detroit lost to on Sunday, is only eight points back.

What has happened to this team? And why can't Bab-choke turn it around?

Come on, they'll be alright. Did you expect they'd go through the season without any slumps? Especially with the injury bug that they've had lately. Doesn't work that way. And they go to Colorado and beat Avs 4-0.

Come on, they'll be alright. Did you expect they'd go through the season without any slumps? Especially with the injury bug that they've had lately. Doesn't work that way. And they go to Colorado and beat Avs 4-0.

A good team shouldn't go six games without a win. But I'm glad they won tonight. I'll try to keep the faith. :)

A good team shouldn't go six games without a win. But I'm glad they won tonight. I'll try to keep the faith. :)
It is kind of like Pistons - just get through the regular season without any personnel losses. Playoffs is what it is all about.
Nick Lidstrom got banged up in the Colorado game, probably out for a couple of weeks. That makes it 3 out of top 4 defensemen out. It is tough to win that way, especially counting Cleary, who is a top 6 forward and a 20 goal scorer being out as well.

Give the bench er 4th and 5th lines some play. Can't depend on Zetts and Dats completely.

Give the bench er 4th and 5th lines some play. Can't depend on Zetts and Dats completely.
LOL. They do get to play. The team is missing its #4 and #6 scorers in Cleary and Rafalski. That's a lot. But they'll get better. Some of the youngsters are hitting the wall, and that's to be expected. It is only their 2nd full season.

This team needs to refocus like any good team just going through the regular season. I see we're using a 3rd goaly now.
Beating the Avs 4-0 means they're not completely yawning.

This team needs to refocus like any good team just going through the regular season. I see we're using a 3rd goaly now.
Beating the Avs 4-0 means they're not completely yawning.

They are now missing their top 4 defensemen. Makes it harder even on a good team like Red Wings.

Hard times hit. At least nobody got his throat cut.

At least nobody got his throat cut.
Yet. :sssh:

If they would've just sewn him up on the ice, he would've been ready to go. But no they had to be careful.

One win in the last nine games?? And still leading the league in points...when will this slump end? When they drop to the 5th spot and open the playoffs on the road?? I know there is plenty of time left, but I have to assume that they are just coasting and nursing the injuries??

One win in the last nine games?? And still leading the league in points...when will this slump end? When they drop to the 5th spot and open the playoffs on the road?? I know there is plenty of time left, but I have to assume that they are just coasting and nursing the injuries??

Dre, they are missing their top 4 defenseman and one of their top 4 forwards. What team is going to win with the minor league defense?

This team needs some serious adversity. President Cup does us no good.

This team needs some serious adversity. President Cup does us no good.

I think they're getting all the adversity they needed right now. They have pretty much been on cruise control until the recent slide. But what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger.

I heard Chelios is out for a while.

I heard Chelios is out for a while.

As long as he's back in shape for the playoffs, let him rest.

I saw the Stars game. They put a stat up : Stars have been outscored 11 to 2 in the last 4 3rd quarters. So we put 2 more on.
HaHa
They got 3rd quarter issues. Sharks took second seed from them.

Time to honor Mr. Hockey's 80th birthday. Gordie Howe truly was the "Franchise" back in the day. Thanks for the memories.

Detroit Red Wings sign F Jamie Tardif - NewsFlash - mlive.com (http://www.mlive.com/sportsflash/index.ssf?/base/sports-28/1208292278224040.xml&storylist=michigannhl)

The Detroit Red Wings say they've signed 23-year-old forward Jamie Tardif to a two-year entry level contract.
Tardif played in 2007-08 for the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins. In 80 games, he scored 17 goals and made 17 assists and was third on the team with 90 penalty minutes.
The Calgary Flames drafted the 6-foot, 203-pounder in the fourth round (112th overall) of the 2003 draft.

Red Wings get new chance at signing prospect - Detroit Red Wings Hockey: News, Blogs, Photos, Audio, Schedule & Stats - MLive.com (http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2008/04/red_wings_get_new_chance_at_si.html)

The Vancouver Canucks' surprising decision to fire general manager Dave Nonis on Monday has opened the door for several teams, including the Detroit Red Wings, to get another crack at signing highly-touted Swedish prospect Fabian Brunnstrom.I have a feeling the Swedes on this team may just be able to convince the guy to come here. If he performs, he has nothing to worry about.

Red Wings get new chance at signing prospect - Detroit Red Wings Hockey: News, Blogs, Photos, Audio, Schedule & Stats - MLive.com (http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2008/04/red_wings_get_new_chance_at_si.html)

I have a feeling the Swedes on this team may just be able to convince the guy to come here. If he performs, he has nothing to worry about.

he demanded guaranteed minutes but holland can't give promises like this.

he demanded guaranteed minutes but holland can't give promises like this.

But who can? What if he plays like crap?

But who can? What if he plays like crap?

actually, a former canucks GM agreed to give him certain minutes, but now he is gone...

actually, a former canucks GM agreed to give him certain minutes, but now he is gone...

I know he did, but if the kid plays garbage would he still be in lineup? I am speaking figuratively, you can't really promise the world to someone who is not proven yet.