Mike Babcock loves his wife and kids. Toronto loves to make crap up.
And so as we embarked on a home and home series between long time rivals, the Mike Babcock soap opera was ratcheted up more with this little gem.
Enter the unflappable Kenny Holland who responded with unusually confrontational words in a Detroit News article:
"“It’s total (expletive),” Holland said. “Someone is making stuff up. It’s totally not true.”"
A tepid offseason and the “every franchise in the NHL wants to bed Mike Babcock” story line serves as a distraction to what should be an exciting year of seeing the Wings youth plant their flag for the future.
And now this crap.
This garbage is precisely why hockey fans hate Toronto. If it’s not the media, it’s the fans. It’s why after being irrelevant for nearly four decades, no one cares and hopes they are irrelevant for another four. They act like brats throwing jerseys on the ice when the season is only five games old. Yeah, we get you’re pissed. If you were gagging again in a seven game series, it could be understood. But it’s the fifth game of what looks to be a transition year for your team. But the beef isn’t with the fans. Anyone can understand the desire to have the greatest coach in hockey behind your bench. The rumor mongering in the Toronto media is ridiculous.
We know–you want Mike Babcock as your head coach. So do 28 other organizations not named the Chicago Blackhawks or Los Angeles Kings. But for your media to come out and make an egregious claim that the Illitches are looking to sell is taking it too far. This news just coincidentally breaks during a back to back series. So we have four more games of this crap to look forward to. God help us all if the last playoff spot comes down to Detroit and Toronto.
The sad truth that may have been realized by the Red Wings faithful (and especially the front office) is that this year is going to be a circus. Hockey looks to be a sideshow to the main event: The seduction of Mike Babcock by Toronto and every rumor they can possibly muster to make it happen. It’s Cruel Intentions for the NHL. Meanwhile, Jimmy Howard hurt his groin Franzen is out, Pavel Datsyuk is still hurt and Gustav Nyquist shares history with Brendan Shanahan and Sergei Fedorov.
I think I speak for most Detroit fans when I say: Keep your drama in Canada, Toronto. Don’t drag us into your amateur hour. It’s already tiring….and we’re only five (six for you) games into the season.
Let the speculation begin after the season. Until then, can we please just enjoy hockey?
/rant
Two games – two wins. It was considerably less exciting in the first of the home and home games. The second felt like a playoff game. Captain Z’s goal with just a tenth under 10 seconds sealed the sweep and a perfect 4 points. I don’t remember October games being so exciting.
First Shift: Stephen Weiss returns.
I’ll be honest–I thought for sure he’d get hurt. As the rest of the team begins its yearly tradition of providing Piet Van Zant unparalleled job security (Franzen, Datstyuk, and Howard just to name a few), Weiss finally avoided a healthy scratch. (Somewhere Daniel Cleary is salivating). His numbers were low (Corsi For% 22 ES, Corsi -5 ES), following a less than impressive preseason. But there’s still a learning curve with a relatively short stint in Detroit.
Second Shift: Gustavsson stands tall
He was penciled in as the starter regardless of the breaking news of Howie’s injury. But his role may have increased and he responded well to his first test of the season. It provided a much-needed rest, and galvanized the team with a very impressive net minding debut. 30 saves and two big points.
Third Shift: Zetterberg shuts everyone up
Hell, I didn’t even want to put in the Corsi numbers after Wednesday’s game. It’s why there was a disclaimer before I even typed it in. It was so un-Zetterberg like. Naturally, the Captain roared back with 5 points in 2 games, a goal and four assists. Corsi For in the second game: 48%. The first game was 62%. Yeah, that’s the Z everyone knows.
On the winning goal, Zetterberg entered the zone, called for the pass, and delivered. One timing it no less instead of waiting to fire a wrister. Despite the circus, in spite of the injuries, the Captain and the team stepped up and took two crucial games.
We all get a chance to catch our breath until the Detroit Red Wings continue their Original Six tour with the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night.