1984Echoes

I've already mentioned AJ a couple of times but let me state that properly: Because I don't think AJ will do so well 20-24 minutes per night on the 1st pair every single night against NHL size. So... Against the bigger tougher teams/ 1st lines, Chiarot and Seider. Against the smaller, shiftier, faster teams/ 1st lines Johansson and Seider. The "off" night puts Chiarot, or AJ on a 15-ish minutes against weaker lines. Hmmm, sort of a "breather" if we can call it that. The "Top-Pair" night gives Chiarot or AJ those 24-ish minute nights: Chiarot against bigger lines AJ against smaller. Thinking about this... having "breather" nights might help Chiarot have fresher legs throughout the season so when he IS on the top pair he may even play a bit better. Obviously it's "in progress" because that could be subject to change based on performance, Wallinder rising up quickly (if that were to happen). or Buium returning (whenever that is), any other factors (a trade for example), and ALSO proving it on the ice. So a transition year for our top D pairing. As for Wednesday... Who are we playing? (Joking...), against the Panthers, I think we could afford to try out AJ on the 1st pair. Except... They haven't practiced together very much if at all (Mo and AJ as a pair, or at least I'm just guessing) so this may not even be realistic. But I've had Chiarot's 1st pair head on my platter since he signed so I would have been trying out all other options to replace him on the 1st pair, including AJ. But... that's just my 2 cents (all of the above that is...).

I've tried to convince my relatives that Barker derives from "Circus barker". But it doesn't. It actually derives from Middle English leather (some type of tanner related) worker. I'm not convinced. Especially if you knew the rest of my family. They're all like me. Or worse. Dad, Uncle Ken... Especially my Grandma. I think she started it all. She's a relentless optimist and tigress. What a hoot she was! At least when she was still amongst us... (that was a long time ago... But I still blame you grandma! With love...)

And it HOLDS!!! 3-2 Wings.

FREAKING HELLUVA shot by Appleton!!!

Understood. I think that's currently ongoing... This year. But if no one can rise up to the task this year to push Chiarot downward in the lineup... well then, I guess it's "wait till next year". But... I'd rather not.

The only counterpoint I would make... With respect to Skubal, is that... He has tree trunk legs and drives his pitches with his legs... Just like Nolan Ryan. Which says NOTHING about Skubal's future potential longevity, or lack thereof... I'm just... Sayin'...

Oops, wrong thread...

They just explained it... Toronto player with a broken stick at the bench getting a replacement. ASP and Edvinsson in the O-zone when the returning player knocks ASP in the back and down to the ice... Turnover, 3 on 1 rush the other way... I'll allow that.

Yeesh. I just watched a 3-on-1 rush against the Wings after a turnover... WTF guys?!?!

PS: I forgot they're on ESPN+ at 2PM... I'm late! I need to go switch the channel right now!!!

I guess you mean that with regards to Chiarot? This is what I see with Chiarot as a 1st pair D with Mo Seider: His 1st year here those two were paired up. 2022-23. Chiarot ended up with a -31 +/-. IIRC, Seider had a -20 or -25 plus-minus when he was paired up with Chiarot, until Walman supplanted Chiarot as the 1st pair LHD with Seider. Seider ended up at -9, so -20 or 25 with Chiarot, plus 15-ish or so with Walman. Walman ended up a +10. In 2023-24, Walman and Seider were paired. Walman ended up a -2 so no great earth shakes there... and Seider ended up a -7. Again, nothing great. Chiarot ended up a -4 as 2nd pair that year, instead of the -31 he had the prior year as mostly the 1st pair LHD with Mo. In 2024-25 Walman left and Chiarot was again 1st pair LHD with Mo... Chiarot -14, Mo -5. In two games this year so far, Mo and Chiarot are both -3. I'm sorry... but I don't even mind Ben Chiarot. I love his hits and toughness on the ice. Just not as 1st pair. I think as a 1st pair LHD he is not only too old and too slow and an overall negative on the ice, but more importantly, I think he DRAGS Mo seider DOWN with him. I like ben Chiarot. I just like him as 3rd pair LHD, and NOT 1st pair LHD... is all. I'm sticking to my guns. Heck, I'll take AJ as 1st pair LHD over Ben any day. Starting today... if I could just write up the lineup myself...

YAY!!!

But I will give him credit for hammering this out. I told my father (MAGA) that I will NEVER call Trump a good president. He attempted a coup against the Constitution of the United States. He is a TERRIBLE president, by U.S. Democracy, and MANY other standards. But I also told him... "I hope, somehow, some way, Trump does the right thing for the country." He has ****ed our farmers, again, with his tariff wars. He is ****ing the middle class, with the tariffs themselves. They are REGRESSIVE taxes, AGAINST the middle class and poor. the top 5% are HARDLY affected by tariffs. Amongst many, many many other evils and terrible harms he has inflicted upon this country. . . . But I don't think any president is 100% bad or 100% good. I'll give him credit for working this out. Israel got all of its hostages back. That's a positive. How this works out in the future, for Gaza, no one knows... But if there are no more terrorist attacks from Gazans/Hamas and they can rebuild their territory (country for those who wish to use that) and lead better lives in the future, without inflicting or suffering harm to others... That also is a positive. (But unknown at this point). Just my fair, and balanced... 2 cents.

The Trump Crime Family is corrupt to their core. Maybe not all of them. But... Completely, and totally, corrupt. From Donald J. and on down.

We almost already did. Until Teddy Roosevelt became president.

This. I love.

I wanna see Shai Buium. He's been my favorite since we drafted him. Gotta wait for the recovery from injury so I guess I'll need to have some patience here. Nothing new though, in that regard. I just wanna see Chiarot pushed down to 3rd pairing. The sooner the better.

Lopez I know who that is because we signed Roy Lopez in the offseason for DT depth. But Harper? Had no clue who he was... And Campbell? Two of them on defense? When did that happen and who is this other Campbell? Or did I just fall asleep somewhere...?

Huge upset. Huge revulsion. In my stomach.

I approve this 1000%. Or... . . . Should that be giving 10-1 odds against that they would actually "come clean" like that?

I don't think allowing "sign and trade" fixes that... But if it helps the smaller market teams gain bigger trade packages for all the guys they end up losing... I am definitely for it. It might not balance out the money... but it might help balance out the talent...

😉

😁

My buddies and I in high school (early 80's) played a fun trick... Bob Barker was all the rage back then... So they all started calling me Bob. I made a "Bob" spray-painted T-shirt that I wore as much as I could. The vanity plate on the front of my car said "Bob". I only answered to Bob (not my first name, actually...) At school... kids would come up to me and ask: "Are you really Bob Barker? You're not related are you?" "Of course I am." What degenerates we were...

Stewart? Or Stuart? I'm confused.