Central Division breakdown-Chicago Blackhawks...

last year,the defending Stanley Cup champions were the Chicago Blackhawks,and they went out in first round,in seven games,in a very spirited series,against the Western Conference Champions Vancouver Canucks,nearly coming back,from a 3-0 deficit,to lose in seven games... they lost a ton of players to trades,and free agency,and honestly struggled in regular season,with a third,and fourth line,and a defensive core that had little experience...
this year,they should be better,by signing Andrew Brunette,from the Minnesota Wild,Jamal Mayers,from the San Jose Sharks,and everyone's favorite player to hate,Daniel Carcillo,who came from the Philadelphia Flyers,and a group of well known,but virtually unknown players,with grit... their scoring touch will be dangerous,with Viktor Stalberg,Patrick Kane,Patrick Sharp,and Marian Hossa,with Duncan Keith(who won Norris Trophy,in 2010),Brent Seabrook,and Niclas Hjalmarsson,on defense... they have a young,but very talented goalminder,who will be better,as years go on,in Corey Crawford... they have a very talented team,who did win Central Division,in 2010...
the Central Division will be very tough to play through this season,because every team,from Columbus to Detroit,will beat up on each other,and the playoff teams coming out of this division will be battle tested,through the fire of,perhaps,the toughest division,top to bottom,in the NHL...

major NHL signing...

New Jersey Devils avoid arbitration,with Zach Parise,to an one year,for $6 million... Parise is a real stud,for the Devils,and may be best overall player,for the Devils...

note...

will continue breakdown of Central Division,tomorrow,because of time limits today...

Central Division breakdown-St. Louis Blues...

this is a breakdown of the teams in Central Division,going to worst to first:
St. Louis started off very well,being in playoff picture,well into their 20's(in games,i mean),when injuries struck the team like a plaque,just like the Red Wings the year before,but unlike the Red Wings,they did not have the depth in talent,and grit,to survive the plaque of injury... like every team in the division,they played the Red Wings tough,dismantling and embarrassing the Red Wings,10-3,on March 30th,probably the worst,and most lopsided,loss of the past ten years,and they did it at Joe Louis Arena...
they signed Jason Arnott,from the Washington Capitals,and Jamie Langenbrunner,from the Dallas Stars... both are two-time Stanley Cup winners... Arnott won two Stanley Cups with New Jersey,in 1995,when they swept Detroit,and when they beat Dallas,in 2000,and Langenbrunner won a Stanley Cup,in Dallas,when they beat Buffalo,in 1999,and with New Jersey,when they beat Anaheim,in 2003... both are known for grit,and both will be mentors to the offensive,and defensive players,on the team... with T.J. Oshie,David Backes,Chris Stewart(from the Colorado Avalanche,midway into last season),they should be better,but with the overall talent of the Central Division,they will be improved,but do not have the consistency of the other three teams coming up,(Chicago,Nashville,and Detroit)in the breakdown of the teams of this division... they added Kent Huskins,from the San Jose Sharks,and Kevin Shattenkirk(from the Colorado Avalanche,during last season)for grit,and for defense,so they will be tougher,and more physical,to play this season... they have a young,and very good goaltender,in Jaroslav Halak,but he was injured during last season,too(missing 25 games),and if he can come back to the form,when he led Montreal,to the Eastern Conference Finals,in 2010(losing to the Philadelphia Flyers),the Blues will be much better,this season...

Central Division breakdown-Columbus Blue Jackets...

this is breakdown of every team in Central Division:
Columbus was last in division last year,with an anemic power play,and an inconsistent goaltender... they have improved their number one power play unit,and their defense somewhat,but with them being 23 points(104-81),in arrears,of the Red Wings last year,they will be improved,but will not make the playoffs,this year... they added Jeff Carter,from the Philadelphia Flyers,and James Wieniewski,from the Montreal Canadiens,for grit,and both are very good passers,and they should solidify that top power play group,along with Rick Nash... however,their main weakness is the fact that they still do not have much long term firepower(consistency in firepower)that you can say that they will score game in,and game out... their strength should be at goaltender,but Steve Mason has not lived up to his very good rookie season(2008-2009 Calder Trophy(rookie of the year) winner,and Vezina finalist,that year),and without his major improvement,and being a top-tier goaltender,the Blue Jackets will fight the St. Louis Blues,for being in fourth place,at end of season...

my preseason ranking of Central Division teams...

1)Detroit Red Wings
2)Chicago Blackhawks
3)Nashville Predators
4)Columbus Blue Jackets
5)St. Louis Blues

hockey news...

starting tomorrow,i will dissect every team in the Central Division,strengths,and weaknesses,then go over every team in NHL,before season starts in October,and as a bonus,i will try to find out about the talks,on the upcoming collective bargaining agreement,set to expire next off-season,most likely,next July 1st,2012...

commentary...

going back to late 1990's,and early 2000's,"the Grind Line"(Kirt Maltby,Darren McCarty,Joe Kocur,and Kris Draper) was a key part of the Stanley Cup winning teams... the event that actually turned the Red Wings,from a high-scoring team who could score,and win games,5-4,into a powerhouse,to be feared,was a pummelling between Darren McCarty,and the Colorado Avalanche's Claude Lemieux,on March 26,1997,for Lemieux's devastating hit on Kris Draper,when Draper was driven into the boards,and into a post that bloodied Draper quite badly(a very cheap shot)during the 1996 playoffs... the hit on Draper actually started the really bad blood between the two teams,during that time era,and the reason that i despise the Avalanche,to this day... the pummelling of Lemieux solidified the Red Wings into a team who was not known to fight,but fought like dogs,when needed,and a team that refused to back down from a fight,if pushed... after that game in that 1997 season,Patrick Roy(Colorado Avalanche Hall of Fame goaltender)said that,in a confession,"Detroit won the (Stanley) Cup that night"... the reason that i bring up that fight was during an autograph session,with Lemieux,recently,McCarty said that he would do it again,if needed,because that 1997 team was also stricken too,by a limo crash that happened less a week after winning the 1997 Stanley Cup(Sergei Mnatsakanov(team massueur),and Vladimir Konstantinov,were injured,and Konstantinov never played again)... that incident inspired the 1998 Stanley Cup winning team,and during the Stanley Cup ceremony,in 1998,they wheeled Konstantinov onto the ice,and gave him the Stanley Cup... both were remembered by the Red Wings,by a well-known patch,on their sweaters,over the entire season,and the players wanted to win Stanley Cup,in 1998 for both of them... those two Stanley Cup winning teams were the closest,in the way they did business,and they stuck up for each other,and those two teams were the foundation,of the current Red Wings,because the people,and coaches,on those two teams taught the new players the way of the Winged Wheel,of winning and class,that goes throughout the NHL,to this day(Steve Yzerman-Tampa Bay general manager,and Todd McLellan-San Jose Sharks' coach,are two examples of the way of the Winged Wheel)... hate to admit it,but i am proud of their Red Wings' roots,but it does not mean that i do not want to see both teams get beat by the Red Wings... the way of the Winged Wheel was one of showing great joy,when winning,and a very great respect to the winning team,when beaten... they respected the Avalanche,but clearly had bad blood between the two teams... many fights,but both teams wanted to beat each other... to get to the Stanley Cup,during that time,Detroit had to go through Colorado,and Colorado had to go through Detroit... they played so often that they knew that Patrick Roy would be there at the end... the breaking point between Roy,and the Red Wings was in 2001-2002,when Colorado was up,3-2,in games,in Denver(Western Conference Finals),when Roy made a sweeping glove save,and did the Statue of Liberty pose,but unfortunately,the puck slipped out of the glove,as he made the pose,and was dropped into the goal(Colorado lost that game,2-0,and then were crushed,7-0,in game seven-Roy giving up eight of the nine goals,in the process)... it shook him up quite badly,that he actually was never the same goaltender,after that mistake,when he played Detroit,even in regular season...

goodbye Drapes...

as expected,Kris Draper announced his retirement,after seventeen years,as a Red Wings' player,and twenty years in the NHL,today... a third round entry draft pick in 1989 NHL Draft,by the original Winnipeg Jets,he made his NHL debut,on October 4th,1990,when he scored his first NHL goal,and his first fighting major,in a 7-1 drubbing of the Toronto Maple Leafs... he played twenty games,for Winnipeg,from 1990-1991 through 1992-1993,before being traded to Detroit,on March 30th,1993,where he spent the next seventeen years sporting the Winged Wheel,of the Red Wings,proudly... on February 2nd,2009,against the St. Louis Blues(a 4-3 shootout win,for Red Wings),he became just the 235th player,at that time,to play 1,000 games,and on March 17th,2009,against Philadelphia,he joined Gordie Howe,Alex Delvecchio,Steve Yzerman,and Nicklas Lidstrom,to play 1,000 games,in a Red Wings' sweater... he played in 222 playoff games(two,with Winnipeg,and 220,with Detroit(second behind Nicklas Lidstrom's team-record 258 playoff games,and ninth all-time,in NHL annuls)... he played in 1,157 games,in the regular season,and in his seventeen years,with Detroit,he never missed the playoffs... he won gold medals in World Junior Championships,for Canada,in 1990,and 1991... he won gold medal at 2003 World Championships,and silver medal,at 2005 World Championships,both for Canada,and a gold medal at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey,and was member of seventh place Canadian Olympic hockey team,in 2006....

Red Wings' news...

reports indicate that Kris Draper will announce his retirement,from the Red Wings,at a press conference later today... a four time Stanley Cup Champion,he played seventeen of his twenty years,as a Red Wings' player,after being claiming off waivers,by the Red Wings,from the original Winnipeg Jets,for a dollar,in one of the strangest waiver day deals,in NHL history... he does not want to play anywhere but Detroit,saying that,"Detroit is home..."

trivia time...

Rolly Huard(Toronto-1930-1931),Dean Morton(Detroit-1989-1990),and Brad Fast(Carolina-2003-2004) are the only NHL players,who have played in only one NHL game,but have scored a goal,in their NHL debut,and only NHL game...

player statistics...

Teemu Selanne,of the Anaheim Ducks,has 637 goals,and 703 assists,for 1.340 points,in 1,259 games,including 76 goals,and 56 assists,for 132 points,in his rookie season,with the original Winnipeg Jets(see previous blogpost)... he has played for the Jets,Anaheim Mighty Ducks,San Jose Sharks,Colorado Avalanche,and again,the Anaheim Ducks... the Ducks dropped,"Mighty",from their team name in between stints for Selanne,with the team,or shortly thereafter,when he rejoined the team...

quirky NHL records...

the record for most consecutive games played by a goaltender,is 502 games by Glenn Hall... he played for the Red Wings,and Blackhawks,from opening day from 1955-1956,to November 7,1962,when he got lifted in first period,due to a back injury... even though,he played in NHL,until 1970-1971,he did not play more than 50 games,in a season,after 1963-1964... he played for the Red Wings from 1955-1956 to the summer of 1957,when he was traded to the Blackhawks when he played five more 70-game seasons,and won the Stanley Cup,with Chicago,in 1961(the last Stanley Cup,for Chicago,until 2010)...
the record for most consecutive seasons being in the top five in NHL scoring,is 20 seasons,by Gordie Howe... he was in the top five in NHL scoring from 1949-1950,to 1968-1969,when as a 40 year old,he had 103 points... the closest years streak,of top five in NHL scoring,beside that,is the 13 years that Wayne Gretzky had... no other player in sports history has had such consistency,than Gordie Howe during that 20 years...
the most goals scored by a rookie is 76 goals,by Teemu Selanne,of the original Winnipeg Jets,in 1992-1993,and most points,by a rookie,is also owned,by Selanne,who had 56 assists,too,for 132 points... the most goals by a rookie,since that season,to score more than 45 goals,in a rookie season was Alex Ovechkin,of the Washington Capitals,who scored 52 goals,in 2005-2006...

NHL history,and trivia...

what franchise was the last team,in the four major professional sports,to cease operations? answer:Cleveland Barons,of the NHL,after two seasons(1976-1977,and 1977-1978)... originally,they were the California Golden Seals,never made money,in Cleveland,and were 47-87-26,for 120 points,in their two seasons,in Cleveland... they later merged with the financially struggling,at the time,Minnesota North Stars... (side note:the same owners(the Gund Brothers),who also once owned the Cleveland Cavaliers,of the NBA,originally owned the San Jose Sharks,of the NHL,and put an AHL(American Hockey League) team back in Cleveland,called the Barons,from 2001 to 2006)...
the last original Baron,and Golden Seal,as well,to play in the NHL,was Dennis Maruk,who retired in 1989... he played one year,in Oakland,as a Golden Seal,two,as a Cleveland Barons' player,and he played for the Minnesota North Stars.got traded after two games,to the Washington Capitals,stayed there five years,and then traded back to the North Stars,for his last six years,of his NHL career...

quirky NHL records...

in 2007-2008,while with the San Jose Sharks,Jeremy Roenick scored only 14 goals,but scored ten game winners;the only time in eighty eight times that someone scored ten game winning goals,in a season,that the player scored less than 25 goals,which makes his feat more remarkable...
in 1991-1992,Al Secord,of the Chicago Blackhawks scored 44 goals,and had 303 penalty minutes;the only player in NHL history,to score more than 40 goals and 300+penalty minutes in same season... the next season(1992-1993),he had only had 180 penalty minutes,but had scored 54 goals...

quirky NHL records...

Bobby Orr,of the Boston Bruins had a plus/minus rating of plus-124,in 1970 -1971,best in NHL history... on the other side of that record,Bill Mikkelson,of the expansion Washington Capitals,in 1974-1975,had a minus-82 rating,in 59 games...
Wayne Gretzky,of the Edmonton Oilers,had,at least a goal,or an assist,in 51 straight games(a 51 game point streak),in 1983-1984... in fact,he scored an amazing 153 points,during the 51 game streak,averaging three points,per game...

belated birthday wishes...

Pavel Datsyuk turned 33 years old,on July 20th...

quirky NHL records...

which two players hold the NHL record for games played in one NHL season? answer:Jimmy Carson who played for the Red Wings,and the Los Angeles Kings,in an amazing 86 games,in 1992-1993,and Bob Kudelski,who played 42 games,with Ottawa Senators,and 44 games,with the Florida Panthers,in 1993-1994...
which two players hold the record for game winning goals in one NHL season? answer:sixteen,by Boston Bruins' Phil Esposito,in 1970-1971,and 1971-1972,matched by the Quebec Nordiques' Michel Goulet,in 1983-1984...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings signed Jordan Pearce to a two year contract... he played both for the Toledo Walleye,and the Grand Rapids Griffiths...he was 3-5-0,with a goals against average,of 4.41,and a save percentage,of .883,in Toledo,in the East Coast Hockey League,and was 12-6-2,in a failed,but frantic bid for the American Hockey League playoffs,last season... he played in 33 of last 34 games... he was 20-15-5,with a .908 save percentage,with a goals against average,of 2.89,with one shutout,playing in 44 games... in his AHL career,over three years,he has played in 50 games,he was 21-18-5,with a .904 save percentage,and a 3.01 goals against average... he went to college at the University of Notre Dame...

love my blog...

back to hockey on blog... had fun reverse blogging,for,at least,one day...

switcheroo day...

NFL Hall of Fame induction day will be August 6th,at Fawcett Stadium,in Canton,Ohio... Deion Sanders,Shannon Sharpe,Les Richter,Ed Sabol,Chris Hanburger,Richard Dent,and Marshall Faulk are members of the Class of 2011

switcheroo day...

i did make a mistake in posting my blogs today,and since i did it to one blog,i thought that i should have one day of posting reverse blogs,from now on,so July 21st,is that day,this year... NFL insiders indicate that owners may vote to end NFL lockout,in Atlanta(where,ironically,they decided to revoke the last collective bargaining agreement)... the players still have to vote to accept,and the NFL has to settle Brady,et al versus NFL,which has ten plaintiffs,to settle with,but the lockout should be over,no later than Monday,unless the plaintiffs get greedy... the union needs to certify,and players need to vote on CBA,and settle the remaining legal issues,to have season start relatively on time...

major NHL signing...

Tampa Bay Lightning re-signed Steven Stamkos,for five years,worth $37.5 million...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings announced the retirement of Chris Osgood(10th,in all time wins,as a goaltender),and signed Ty Conklin,as their backup goaltender... Conklin played one year as backup,as a Red Wings' goaltender,so he knows the system,of the coaching staff...

arena history...

the Red Wings played their 1926-1927 season,in Windsor Ontario,as the Detroit Cougars,and then,in 1927-1928,played in the old Olympia Stadium,as the Cougars,and then the Falcons,in 1930-1931,and then the Red Wings,in 1932... their first coach,Jack Adams coached them,until 1962-1963,when Sid Abel took over,and the Olympia Stadium,lasted until December,1979,when they moved into Joe Louis Arena...

Western Conference goaltender rankings*...

1)Pekka Rinne-Nashville Predators
2)Niklas Backstrom-Minnesota Wild
3)Roberto Luongo- Vancouver Canucks
4)Jimmy Howard-Detroit Red Wings
5)Antti Niemi-San Jose Sharks
6)Jonathan Quick-Los Angeles Kings
*all rankings are based on pure talent

Eastern Conference goaltender rankings*...

1)Tim Thomas-Boston Bruins
2)Ryan Miller-Buffalo Sabres
3)Ilya Bryzgalov-Philadelphia Flyers
4)Tomas Vokoun-Washington Capitals
5)Henrik Lundquist-New York Rangers
6)Martin Brodeur-New Jersey Devils
*all rankings are based on pure talent

sad story... RIP Jaroslav Jirik...

who was Jaroslav Jirik? the first Czech officially allowed to play in the NHL,during the communist era,in Czechoslovakia,who played only three games,for the St. Louis Blues,in 1969-1970... in fact,he was the first player ever allowed to play in NHL,by the communist authorities,behind the Iron Curtin... he was invited to play in 1970-1971,for the Blues,but went back to his homeland to play five more years,and then coached in the Czech,and German leagues,and coached the Swiss national team,in the late 1970's... well,he died in a plane crash,in the city of Brno,125 miles southeast of Prague,at age 71...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings re-sign Joey MacDonald to a two year contract... he was 5-5-3,in 13 games in relief,of Jimmy Howard,with a 2.53 goals against average(G.A.A.),and a save percentage,of .917,with one shutout,and was 10-9-1,as the Grand Rapids Griffiths' goaltender,before being called,as an injury replacement,as Chris Osgood had sports hernia surgery... it does not mean that he will backup goaltender,behind Howard,in Detroit... he will probably be in Grand Rapids,for at least another year...

Red Wings' history...

prior to 1995,when they were swept by New Jersey,in the Stanley Cup Finals,when was the last time that the Red Wings were in the Stanley Cup Finals? answer:1966,when they were beaten by the Montreal Canadiens,in six games... in fact,they were beaten by the Toronto Maple Leafs,both,in 1963(five games),and in 1964(seven games)... the Red Wings finally won the Stanley Cup,in 1997,by sweeping the Philadelphia Flyers,in four games,ending a forty-two year Stanley Cup winning drought... in 1997,1998,and 2002,when the Red Wings won three of their recent Stanley Cups,they only lost one game in the Stanley Cup Finals,in those years,also sweeping the Washington Capitals,in four games,in 1998,and after losing a overtime game(3-2),to the Carolina Hurricanes,they beat them in five games,in 2002,including a three overtime win(3-2),in game three,of the 2002 Stanley Cup Finals;goal was scored by Chris Draper,to end game...

cute story...

the 101st Sustainment Brigade,out of Fort Campbell,Kentucky,serving in Gamberi,Afghanistan needed street hockey gear,so a soldier in that brigade contacted the Red Wings for help with gear,so two weeks later,there was a box with three goaltender masks,two full set of goaltender pads,and eleven sticks delivered to the brigade... GO ARMY,and RED WINGS!!!!!!!!!

family ties...

Ryan Getzlaf,of the Anaheim Ducks,has a brother,Chris,who plays for the Saskatchewan Roughriders,of the Canadian Football League,as a slotback(wide receiver)...

TOAD IS 77,TODAY!!!!!! YAY!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!!!!!!!!!!

collegiate hockey news...

starting in 2013-2014,a new collegiate conference will be formed with the teams from Colorado College,University of Denver,University of Nebraska-Omaha,University of Minnesota-Duluth,University of North Dakota,and Miami University(Ohio)... a very strong collegiate conference,and all these teams have a very strong and long collegiate hockey history,and some of the best all-time collegiate coaches,in their school histories... no name for the conference,yet...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings has hired two coaches,as assistants... they are Bill Peters of the Rockford IceHogs,of the American Hockey League,and Jeff Blashill,who coached the Western Michigan Broncos... Bill Peters coached with Mike Babcock,with the Spokane Chiefs,of the Western Hockey League,from midway,in 1996-1997,until Babcock's final year,as coach,in 1999... he stayed,as head coach,until 2002,then after three years,at the University of Lethbridge(Alberta),he returned to the Chiefs,where he won the Memorial Cup,in 2008... his teams were known for stellar goaltending,and he groomed 28 players,into NHL,including 2010 Stanley Cup Champion (with Chicago),Niklas Hjalmarsson,and San Jose Sharks' goaltender Antti Niemi...
Jeff Blashill was a collegiate goaltender,at Ferris State(Bulldogs),and was an assistant coach there,for three years,and then six years,at the University of Miami(Ohio)(Redhawks),went to the USHL(junior hockey league-developmental league),and was coach,of the championship team,the Indiana Ice,the only season that he was there,and went back to the CCHA(Central Collegiate Hockey Association),with the Western Michigan Broncos,last season,and had a coaching record of 19-13-10,was fourth in conference,but was in the CCHA championship game,against the Miami Redhawks,beating the University of Michigan,in the semifinals,in a shocking upset...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings signed Chris Conner,to a two way(NHL,and AHL)contract,for one year... he has played a few games,for Dallas,and Pittsburgh,over five seasons... he will play in Grand Rapids,for the Griffiths,and be an injury replacement,for the Red Wings...

NHL news...

the National Hockey League(NHL),and the Kontinental Hockey League(KHL)signed a memorandum of understanding that regulates player transactions between the two leagues,respects player contracts,between the two leagues,and it expires on June 30,2012...

NHL labor update...

the NHL collective bargaining agreement expires after this season,and right now,i do not think that it will lead to a lockout,for next season...

NHL news...

Boston Bruins traded for Joe Corvo,from Carolina Hurricanes,for a 2012 draft pick... Corvo has played 568 NHL games with the Los Angeles Kings,Ottawa Senators,Washington Capitals,and Carolina Hurricanes,scored 79 goals,and 179 assists,for 258 points,and of his 79 goals,36 has been on the power play,and will help with grit,and on power play,for the Bruins,this season...

major NHL signings...

Jason Arnott,and Jamie Langenbrenner signed contracts with St. Louis Blues... both contracts are for one year,and Arnott's contract is worth $3 million...

major NHL signings...

Keith Yandle re-signed wIth Phoenix Coyotes,for five years,worth $26.25 million...
Tomas Kaberle,formerly with the Boston Bruins,signed with Carolina Hurricanes,for three years,worth $12.75 million...
Andrew Ladd signed a five year deal,with Winnipeg Jets,worth $22 million...

NHL news...

nine days ago,Devin Setoguchi was traded by the San Jose Sharks,to the Minnesota Wild,for Brent Burns,now Dany Heatley was traded by the Sharks,again,to the Wild for Martin Havlat,who was on the 2010 Stanley Cup champion,Chicago Blackhawks,and will give grit,to the Sharks,this season...

commentary...

Red Wings have loaded up on their defensive side,in free agency,and also in NHL draft... they do need to stiffen up their defense around the net... they also need a backup in net,to help Howard out,because he basically tired himself out,in the playoffs,last season... when Chris Osgood went down with a sports hernia,there was the weakest spot on the team... Jimmy Howard had a very good year,but having a backup,from the American Hockey League,most of the second half of the season really hurt the team in the long run... Nicklas Lidstrom won the Norris Trophy for the seventh time in his career,so he is one of the all-time great defensemen,in NHL,and having him teach defense to the rest of the defense can only help out the team... Pavel Datsyuk,Henrik Zetterberg,and Tomas Holmstrom hold up the offense,and will help the offensive side of the team... they will fight for the division,with Chicago,and Nashville close behind,in third... if the Red Wings can find a suitable backup in net,or Chris Osgood comes back at,or near,100%,they will be tough to beat for the Central Division crown,because there are very good coaches,in that division(Mike Babcock-Red Wings,Joel Quenneville-Blackhawks,and Barry Trotz-Predators),but in my opinion,all three coaches did one heck of a job last season-all three made the playoffs,and Chicago,and Detroit had major injuries,and major depth problems throughout season,and Barry Trotz has had a team with limited offensive punch,for years,and a goaltender who was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy,last season,but have made playoffs,the last few years,so the Central Division will be bruising to each team,and expect a Central Division team to be fighting for the Stanley Cup,next season

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings signed former San Jose Sharks' defenseman Ian White,to a two year contract...

NHL news...

free-agent Brad Richards signed a nine year contract with the New York Rangers... the biggest plum in this free agency period signed a contract worth $60 million,in those nine years.... a cap hit of $6.67 million/per year...

cute story...

Mike Commodore was on his way from Kelowna,B.C.,to San Diego,and was not expecting anything,when his agent called his cell phone,and his agent said that the Red Wings had called... his reaction? he almost crashed his truck... earlier in the day,he was bought out from his contract,from the Columbus Blue Jackets,for $1.14 million,over the next four years... i guess he was stunned,and happy about the upgrade in teams,going from the Blue Jackets,to the Red Wings...

Red Wings' news...

Red Wings sign Mike Commodore to one year,$1 million contract...

Jagr update...

Jaromir Jagr signed an one year deal,worth $3.3 million dollars,with the Philadelphia Flyers...

Free Agency opening day update...

Red Wings withdrew contract offer to Jaromie Jagr,as also does the Pittsburgh Penguins... Philadelphia Flyers,and Montreal Canadiens are in the hunt... Red Wings re-sign Patrick Eaves,Jonathan Ericsson,and Drew Miller to contracts... more detail later...