| 04 September 2010
Facts, because what I call opinions are statements that reflect intense anger, hate or, in a handful of cases throughout nearly 25 years, love. Facts, because those are the statements I can reason with, and although they lack any actual solid, physical or mathematical substance, they are reasonable. At best. So I'm sticking to the bold statement that I like our chances this year, for everything.
And why? Well of course, because of a great many reasons. Because last year, if we back up before the first injury to the team, before they decided to engage in active role play with Final Destination V: Detroit Red Wings Hockey, before the slow start, before the signing of Toddberculosis (a.k.a. Every Wings Fan's Drunkenloser-of-a-Step-dad), before all that, we knew, collectively, going into the 2009-10 season that things would be different. We knew it would be as close to a rebuilding year as this franchise has seen since George Burns' 21st birthday. We lost so much, then we lost more when Huds left. Then we got discouraged when a friend, and excellent (regular season, PP only) hockey player signed with Chicago, then more discouraged when Marian Hossa followed him (psyche your mind!). Then the guy that Alan Moore based the character personae of Edward Blake (a.k.a. The Comedian) from Watchmen off of, signed with us. Then, as a last hurtful gesture, just as the dagger in the heart was waiting to be twisted, we slapped ourselves in the forehead (or in our neighbor's groin region) and said “Chris Osgood is our goalie.” Not normally bad news, especially after his run in the 2009 SCF, but bad news because we remembered his previous season of...whatever you wish to call it.
So yeah, last year was as close to a rebuilding year as I can recall, simply because I can't remember the era that the Wings were not favoured to win the division or, what's more, be runner-up in the division only to face the division winning Blues in the playoffs and laugh as they find a way to lose despite a half of a roster-full of hall of famers. I know, I'm dating myself here (as a young squirt), but seriously, we had grim, bleak hopes considering our typical level of elitism entering the 2009-10 season.
Then the injuries came. First, it was Patrick Eaves, who has about as good of luck as Pete 'Dead Meat' Thompson from Hot Shots at staying healthy, injured himself by merely tying his boots on incorrectly (probably). Then it was J-Won't, who so bravely re-enacted that scene from Deliverance where Bert Reynolds snaps his leg such that the bone protrudes. Then it was Osgood, whose soul vacated him. Then, in no particular order, it was everyone save Bertuzzi (a.k.a. Everyone who has bad karma's first-born daughter's first boyfriend) and Lidstrom, The Perfect Human. Even games where we were playing short-handed and lost multiple people to injury in that very game, such was the case when we faced Xerxes' army at the Thermopylae.
Yes, our season was a rough one last year. Not to mention the the League working against us every game. Sure, Steve Ott, you totally scored and the center ice ref saw it, despite the no-goal call from the immediate official...Makes sense to me! Anyway, I'm inclined to agree with what pretty much every other Red Wings fan is already thinking.
This year will be different. I look at our roster, and we are stacked, offensively. Adding the greatest American born hockey player (athlete, basically) of all time to our team and telling him “Meh, maybe make our third line better” and putting a former Selke winner on the fourth? Who does that? And it's not like our Hall-of-Fame third line is limited to just a burnt out (sorry, Willa) former star. It has also got a former first rounder and an Oompa-Loompa that can snort his own body weight in coke off a hooker's a$$.
We also have our strong, defensive PK forwards returning, with another year under their belt in terms of working with the team (Eaves, Miller, I'm looking at you). Pav and Hank, the greatest show on Earth (F*** Justin Beiber! I want my money back, that tease), will be back for a year in which they won't be hounded as doggedly as they will have secondary scoring. Filppula can hopefully keep his hair healthy. Lids is back; Howard, Ericsson will have had another year to develop, Rafalski will be...bald, but still probably pretty good.
Okay, Rafalski's tough for me to love, because I've never thought him worth his cost in the cap world, but hopefully he plays like he did all Olympics this year (he almost did after the 2010 Olympics last year). And maybe, just maybe, he won't look like a duckling when he skates, all top heavy just leaning and let his weight push his skates whilst he kicks his webbed feet wildly.
Point being, I agree with Ken Holland (fan of NOHS), we are much, much more ready this year. Our experience from last year will only benefit us. And because of our scoring depth, and because it's The New NHL, we will have success. Big things predicted for this year. I'm going to go ahead and say it: I want the Cup.
That's my rant for the week, I know I promised readers I'd go into my ties to Datsyuk, but I'll cover that next week (pinky-swear). I just had more of an urge to discuss, at some length, my frustrations of last season's curse and this season's promise. Don't let me down, Hockey Gods. I totally put money into the collection jar at St. Shanahan's last sermon.
