Colorado Post-Game Thoughts

- Great win. Colorado tried the same route as Anaheim used in their last game for beating the Wings, but Quenneville seemed to have missed two critical parts: Anaheim didn't beat the Wings, and Colorado doesn't really have the skill to make it work. They did a good job getting in Wings' faces, but 12 shots on goal speaks for itself. The Wings did a good job battle two enemies: Colorado, and what was either the choppiest ice or the worst luck the Wings have seen all season. They didn't get frustrated and kept to their game. As Babcock would say, "adversity is a good thing".

-I like the Hudler-Fil-Kopecky line. Kopecky had probably his best game of the year against Anaheim, after Drake and Zetterberg were already injured and Cleary got hurt in the Pronger fight (a great fight by the way - Cleary is possibly the manliest dude on the team, and held in there against Sasquatch way better than anyone who gave up 6 inches should have. He's a motherfucking cowboy, and I eagerly anticipate his splendorous playoff beard.) Anyway, back to Koko. He's been giving the team energy all year, has been eager to throw his body around, and has shown occasional signs of creativity on offense. I'm not looking for him to develop into a goalscorer, but it's clear he's got hands and Fil and Huds can make use of them. He went to the net against Anaheim and knew no pain. He brings a physical element to that line, and if he can be more consistent he'll help the Wings roll three very good two-way lines. With Hudler, Filppula, and Kopecky, are we looking at Datsyuk Jr, Zetterberg Jr, and Holmstrom Jr, respectively? Well they're all European, that's a start.

-I like the Cleary-Franzen-Samuelsson line as well, of course. Size, physicality, and shut-down defense, they've got. They make for a superior Grind Line. The only question is whether they can put together any offense, and be the Wings #2 line straight up. All three have shown offensive abilities, especially when put with one or more Eurotwins. But does any of them have the offensive creativity to feed the other two? Hard to say. Time will tell. If they can't generate offense you have to think about replacing Sammy with Fil or Huds to try and get something going. (As much as do like the HFK line, I like them a lot better as a #3 than a #2.) Or maybe the scoring winger Franzen and Cleary need is... MARIAN HOSSA!

-Hossa, Sundin... blech. They would put the Wings over the top for the Cup, no doubt. But the cost... euch. I can't even think about giving up Kindl or Ericsson or Howard. Those three are in my mind untouchable (as are Abdelkader and Helm.) But man... either of those guys would do wonders for the Wings. More likely the Wings will pick up a smaller name. Recchi, Holik, Lapointe? All solid choices. As for defense, I still like Blake but not if he's going to cost a Sundin-like amount. Scott Burnside mentions Joni Pitkanen and Dan Boyle, but again I'm concerned about the cost. Whatever the name-level, we do need to pick up a d-man. The only question is how big a name. A forward is gravy, but still welcome.