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You gotta think the Wings will have the inside track on signing him, with all the Swedes they have in the lineup, but is that what this team really needs? They have been awesome for the majority of this season, don't get me wrong, but if anyone talks about what this team is lacking, its always grit & toughness. Another Swede isn't really who you would expect to bring that to the team. Its always a good thing to sign good hockey players, but where would this kid fit into the lineup right now?

I don't know anything about this kid, but I do know that Babcock won't have him on his team unless he plays tough.GoCanada, i take it you don't think the Swedes on the Wings are that tough but i would disagree. Nobody plays tougher than Holmstrom.Franzen and Samuelson both play in the corners ,and Zetterberg plays hard everywhere on the ice. Swedish players have come a long way ,and their Junior team at the Worlds this year was just as physical as Canada.

The Wings biggest dilemma is getting fans back to the Joe. Despite their great record, fans feel unattached to the personality-less Wings roster. Nik Lidstrom is a great player and nice guy, but lacks the charisma of Yzerman or Shanahan. The Wings need to bring some moxy back into their lineup to attract fans or they will be in trouble. Wings management has already hired consultants to spice up the team image.

I wasn't insinuating that the Wings' Swedes aren't tough, stevelee, but the team as whole isn't. I love Homer, and Hank, and Franzen and Samuelson, I think they are great players and really hope that the latter 2 don't get traded this year in a chase for the Cup (Homer & Hank aren't going anywhere, obviously). But as a team, they are last in the league in hitting, and, as a team, they lack that piece of sandpaper that you usually need to get to the Finals. Maltby isn't causing **** anymore, really, so they need someone to step up - An Avery without the headaches. I'd love to see a power forward come into the fold...I see this team as being very similar to the Red Wings team back in '96 - one piece away from winning the Cup. In '97, that piece was Brendan Shanahan...who will it be this year? Too bad we don't have a human wasteland like Primeau to off-load this time around...

Someone wake up Lunqvuist and get this guy on the Rangers!

+d

Sheesh my ability to spell is inversely proportional to the amount of coffee in my system.

LRTS GO FLYERS

*lets

Seems to me, that the wings don,t give a shoot, about their fans interest at all.They wouldn,t dream of taking a tucker or avery type, to put arses in the seats.I don,t care how supposedely skilled they are, this team bores the hell out of me.

Other NHL clubs (in particular,Toronto) envy the way the Red Wings covet European players...that's why this team stays competitive.They have people in the organization that know what they are doing and do their homework.It helps also when you have an owner (Mike Ilitch) that is committed to winning.As far as their attendance issues are concerned,it will eventually straighten out as long as they keep winning.

The Wings may "bore" some people...but what counts is that they are winning.How far they go remains to be seen.

How are they boring?!? By playing at an incredibly high level, with crisp tape to tape passing, high speed skating and sweet goals? Sorry the team isn't full of thugs that can't even skate, 4thstreet, but what the Red Wings play is certainly a heck of a lot more entertaining than watching your garbage team get skated around...or waiting for the constant delays while REAL hockey players are taken off the ice in stretchers because of the dirty **** your team pulls. The Wings are poetry in motion on the ice - anyone who finds their style of hockey boring can't be an overly knowledgable hockey fan

The Wings initially had Sean Avery...they got rid of him because he was a loose cannon...Scotty had little patience for players like him.

last time i checked we weren,t having attendance issues gocanada.
that name calling of thugs and goons is getting pretty stale, come up with something more original.as far as boring ,yes i find the wings boring,sorry if that offends you.the flyers, flames,ducks are exciting , because besides playing good hockey, they lay out some good hits.by the way ,does your partisan arse,ever take the time to watch the flyers? last time i checked gagne,luppel,briere,hartnell, downie, etc, were skating just fine.

JOEC
You said it better than me, they lack personality ( i said boring).it seems to me, that all of the wings own overly knoweledgeable fans don,t like and won,t pay for it.

I watch 2 games a night, when there are 2 games on, and the Flyers are a team I have seen a few times. I actually am a pretty big Briere fan, truth be told, as well as Gagne. I'm not sold on Hartnell yet, and Lupul is an Oilers cast-off because of how soft he is. Downie, well, I won't get into that. You named those guys fine, but where is Derian Hatcher and Mike Rathje and company in your list of excellent skaters? I'm sorry if I used the term thug, being repetitive, but what else should I call them? Classy hockey players? Not gonna happen.

I'll say it again - the Wings' attendance woes have less to do with them being "boring" and a heck of alot to do with the ever-collapsing economy in Detroit these days. When the U.S. auto industry falls apart like it has, Detroit is bound to be negatively affected, and ppl just have less disposable income to spend on going to a game.

Lastly - I apologize for coming on a bit aggressive this morning - I had to spend the wknd with Wings haters and was still a little defensive...

goCanada is right ...Wings attendance is completely related to the slumping auto industry.
Still a great team so I'll settle for watching them on TV.

Guys,

Just my 2 cents.

I believe the heavy Euro-influence and absence of a Canadian or American star (Chelly is too old now... but amazingly still going..) has alienated the working class fans of Detroit. The Wings won with guys like Yzerman, Shanny, McCarty, Draper, Kocur and the most popular heavyweight ever... Probert. Other Detroit teams have always been known for their tough play - the Pistons with the "Bad Boys" image and the Tigers with Kirk Gibson, Darrel Evans, Lance Parrish and company... Detroit is a blue collar town, and they prefer to bump and grind to a championship. I am not saying the ALL Wings fans don't like fast-paced, skilled hockey. However, I think this team has a little too much speed and flight - and not enough fight. They need to add a little sandpaper to their lineup for two reasons - a longer playoff run and renew fan faith in their tough Wings.

i'm all about tough hockey. The wings yes do need it. But honestly???? They are almost perfect right now. I'd say they're fine as they are. SO they have no goon that sticks out - like Bertuzzi, but they have a handful of dudes that will rough it up. Holmstrom, maltby, draper, chelios, CLEARY, and recently picked up Dallas Drake. Honestly they're fine. Another swed would work if he is better than anyone else who starts.

i'm all about tough hockey. The wings yes do need it. But honestly???? They are almost perfect right now. I'd say they're fine as they are. SO they have no goon that sticks out - like Bertuzzi, but they have a handful of dudes that will rough it up. Holmstrom, maltby, draper, chelios, CLEARY, and recently picked up Dallas Drake. Honestly they're fine. Another swed would work if he is better than anyone else who starts.