lordstanley

Not to mention the entertainment value. One playoff series, even in a losing effort, typically has as much excitement as the rest of the regular season combined. The Tigers making the playoffs last year and winning the wild card round and hosting two playoff games had value and was exciting, even if they weren't legit contenders to get past the Yankees let alone the Dodgers. We know the Pistons can't compete with Boston or Cleveland, but they'll make the playoffs and should give the Knicks or the Pacers a challenge, and that's enough to make their season better than the Wings'. At least last year the Wings' final half-dozen games or so were a playoff atmosphere with some last-minute heroics. This year might not get that.

But doesn't the removal of the strip affect Comerica's chances of hosting the Cricket World Cup some day?

Austin Watson scores in back to back games, lol. 4-2 Avs, 3 minutes to go.

Had just come here to post it.

Habs look to be on the way to a loss in St. Louis, so the window has opened a crack for the Wings. But Wings trail 2-1 after 1.

Compher gives the Wings a 1-0 lead in Denver. Hard to expect much from the back end of a back to back.

Same reason I’d like to see a Lions alternate of at least half gold. Look more like a lion. Never see any black and blue lions in the wild.

A short write-up in today's Vancouver Sun on former Wing Pius Suter, who scored his 21st goal of the season last night. No regrets with the Wings letting him go, but he's been decent for the Canucks @$1.6mm/year. https://vancouversun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/vancouver-canucks/canucks-4-new-jersey-devils-3-so-points-gained-points-made-with-gutsy-comeback-effort/wcm/4960666b-64d0-4a42-bd5a-ef79a21b2e09 Suter becoming super shooter Smart and responsible have always been calling cards for the pending unrestricted free agent. A knock on the Swiss centre is he isn’t the fastest pivot, but he lets the puck do the work by getting into scoring areas. He struck again in the first period on a play that said everything about poise and positioning. When Marcus Pettersson worked his way down the left way in the offensive zone, he spotted Suter finding a soft area in the slot. And with one quick motion, he took the feed and whipped over the stick side shoulder of Jacob Markstrom for his career-high 21st goal. Suter’s value continues to rise, which makes you wonder about next season. He’s 28 and a glue guy and penalty kill staple. His expiring two-year deal and US$1.6 million salary cap hit is a bargain. At this stage of his career, he’s probably looking for salary and term. Maybe less of a bump and more security here? “Smart guy, systems guy,” said Tocchet. “He’s like another assistant coach for us.”

Concussion?

I was actually interested in the Wings looking at Chyrchrun this summer. Not at $9 million though.

ENG for DeBrincat. Wings have never lost in Utah.

Edvinsson knuckles one in. 3-1!

And have lost their goalie and are somehow leading. Are the Wings going to tease us and keep faint hopes alive by actually winning this game?

3 shots, 2 goals. Kasper gives Wings the 2-1 lead.

Elmer with his 4th of the season. Four more than I thought he would score with the big club this year.

I’m hoping to go to the Tigers-Mariners matinee on Wednesday April 2. I haven’t been to a game at T-Mobile Park when the roof is closed.

Fine on TV or of course on radio. But I'd hate to go to one game at Comerica all season and have it be the City Connects instead of the classic home whites with the olde English D.

Since it's a General thread, I'm posting a YouTube clip of a commercial I remember well from Tigers broadcasts growing up.

Not a "prospect" per se, but what do you know Sloth about Josh Leivo's 49-goal record-setting season in the KHL? 31 years old and never scored more than 19 points in an NHL season for the Leafs, Canucks, Hurricanes or Blues. He did have some decent points total in AHL seasons but that never translated to the NHL for him. Is he on PEDs or something, or is there any remote chance that something has clicked in the KHL and he'll be looking at NHL offers this off-season. It's just bizarre to me. https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=130558

Not sure whether anyone posted this a few days ago. The Athletic's compilation of top 100 position players. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6204865/2025/03/20/mlb-position-player-tiers-2025/ Tigers have no one in Tier 1 (6 players), no one in Tier 2 (13 players), Riley Green in Tier 3 (18 players, "All-Stars"), no one in Tier 4 (23 players), no one in Tier 5 (16 players), and Carpenter and Torres in Tier 6 (24 players). The difference between Tier 5 and Tier 6 seems just to be age (30-somethings vs. 20-somethings). KC's Bobby Witt Jr. is Tier 1 ("Best of the Best") joining Betts, Henderson, Judge, Ohtani and Soto. Guardians' Jose Ramirez is Tier 2 ("MVP Contenders"). Minnesota's Carlos Correa is Tier 4, Guardians' Steven Kwan is Tier 4.

GMing is hard. You’re competing against 31 other reasonably smart minds and trying to beat the market. Just like picking stocks, it’s not easy to do, and having done it for years successfully in one organization doesn’t mean you’ll be able to replicate it in a different time and place. Quite possible for example that over the past 6 years Yzerman has done better than 20 of the other 31 GMs would have done in his shoes. But in order for the Wings to be solidly in the playoffs and in line to be true Cup contenders within a couple of years he would have had to have been a top 5 GM since being hired by the Wings. Maybe he is only #12, let’s say. Skill has something to do with it of course, but so does luck. I think Yzerman has had bad goalie luck, as I liked what he tried in bringing in Ned then Husso then Lyon. Just needed one of those to pan out as being above average, and I expected one of those three would have.

With the caveat that "these are professionals and are supposed to play hard and energized 100% of the time no matter what", have to start wondering what type of impact on the dressing room there has been by Yzerman deciding at three straight trade deadlines to not bring in material reinforcements. Management can stress patience and some potential long-term payoff, but players on the ice are supposed to play with urgency? Well yes, they are supposed to, but still ...

Wings now in line for a top 10 draft pick.

At the beginning of the month, biggest competition for the final two playoff spots looked to between Detroit, Ottawa, Columbus, NYR and Boston. The Sens have gone on a hot streak, fine, and have sewn up a spot. But in their past 10 Detroit has gone 2-8, Boston has gone 2-7-1, Columbus 2-7-1, and NYR has gone 3-5-2. That's pathetic.