I'm not even mad... that's just impressive.

The Patrick Kane Cab Company: Dropping the gloves on high prices

The Anchorman quote is because I'm not really upset Detroit lost today. That was a great game, one of the best regular season games I've ever seen.

All things considered (aka, getting royally screwed over by the NHL, then hosting the hottest team in the NHL 22 hours later on the opposite side of the country), this was a good weekend. I ripped Dallas yesterday for racking up so many overtime loss points, but now the Wings have jumped to eight on the year. Sadly, because of that stupid loser point, Detroit had the same outcome this season as they would have if they won a game and lost one. I think based off where we were on Tuesday, a lot of people would accept that.

One of those terms that everybody and anybody likes to throw around is "statement game." This was a chance for Chicago to make a statement that they're officially usurping Detroit, or this was a chance for Detroit to prove that they're not going anywhere. I think Detroit is too experienced to be caught up in making statements through just one game. "Oh no, we lost to Chicago again, now they're officially better than us." Does that sound at all like anything Detroit would say?

The game was pretty back and forth, but I can say pretty confidently that Detroit was the better team throughout most of the game. Chicago is talented and had Detroit hemmed in pretty good at times, but really most of their offense came with Detroit playing a man down. At the very least, you have to admit these teams are pretty equal. Now imagine if Detroit were healthy, and Chicago were missing Marian Hossa, Brent Seabrook, Troy Brouwer, and Dustin Byfuglien as a rough estimation of what roles Detroit was missing today. Can you honestly say that things would have wound up the same?

Plus, can you really take a team who puts Tomas Kopecky on the second powerplay unit seriously? Detroit's got Drew Miller and Derek Meech on theirs and still looked more dangerous than Kopecky did at any point. Silly tennis-loving Slovaks.

While a lame excuse, injuries are a definite major factor in this rivalry right now. For the third straight game against Chicago, Mebdeech looked totally outmatched and outclassed throughout. Lebda is officially afraid of venturing with the puck into the offensive zone, something he was once proficient at. He did his best impression of ECHL defensemen when he just decided to stand next to Brad Stuart, leaving Patrick Sharp all alone to put home Chicago's third goal of the game. Not to be outdone, Derek Meech knocked Stuart over, leaving Meech alone to defend Hossa one-on-one. The entity was the worst player on the ice. Note that I said on the ice, meaning it does not include Brad May, who was the worst player on the bench.

Regarding Stuart's recent struggles, Casey said it best in the WIM game thread: it's Mebdeech's fault. Stuart is forced to babysit these two, and his play has suffered for it over the past two weeks. He really needs Niklas Kronwall, so at least he can anticipate when Kronwall's going to step into the play. Mebdeech, Meech especially, are just absolutely terrible about jumping into the play.

In light of the recent record 44 comment (and counting) post on whether or not Detroit should trade Nick Lidstrom (seriously: some people are suggesting Detroit should trade Nick Lidstrom), Lidstrom now quietly has two goals in three games. This is just how he is. I bet he finished the year with his usual 10. He's going to be shooting like crazy now. Does anyone recall him making any mistakes in the past week? I don't.

Today was a perfect example of Detroit's players being the best players in the ice. Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg were something else. Clearly the best two players on either team. How often has that happened this season? This is now officially the standard for them.

Saving the best for last: Patrick Eaves. If there was any doubt he was going to be re-signed long-term, there isn't anymore. He could probably do nothing the rest of the season and get a new contract after today. I don't know what prompted him to fight Kris Versteeg, but he definitely landed his share of solid blows. Eaves was the one cut, but Detroit needed that fight more than Chicago. You just knew Eaves was going to make a big play after that, and he got it with his goal. As for Versteeg? Well, I just had to check to make sure he didn't get hurt, because I didn't notice him once after that fight.

Washington on Tuesday. Jimmy Howard was fine today (first goal was weak), but I think I'd like to see Chris Osgood finally on Tuesday. The Capitals give him a chance to make a huge statement, with their ridiculous offense. Think about it. If he gets lit up, it's Howard for the next month guaranteed. If he plays like he did the first time Detroit played Washington, he's officially back in the picture. We'll see.

Comments (12)

Michael Petrella said:

	... I have many leather bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany. With you 10,000% re: Patrick Eaves. I want him re-signed post haste. I'm thinking four years at like 850 per if he'll bite.
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January 17, 2010 | url
Votes: -1

Keith B said:

	... Meech can at least shoot the puck. Lebda is just awful and adds no value what so ever. Why not bring up Kindl, let him get experience BEFORE the playoffs, and send Lebda down? To me this makes a ton of sense.
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January 17, 2010
Votes: +1

Keith B said:

... Once again, I don't want Lidstrom traded. I'd love for this team to be competitive in March and make the playoffs. But 3 goals in 43 games doesn't prove he's an amazing D. For example, Kronwall had 5 goals in just 21 games. Rookie Del Zotto has 6 goals in 48 games. Tim Gleason, who had 0 goals in 70 games last year, has 5 goals in 39 games this year. Zotto and Gleason aren't good D. Zotto might become something special but he's not close to Lidstrom, yet. Yeah, Lidstrom has 2 goals in 3 games, he also has 3 goals in 43. Look, he's finally shooting on the net, which will actually help him score more (amazing isn't it). However, he's not suddenly the league's best D again because of this current hot streak. You can't just limit your focus to the last couple of games, otherwise Eaves would be considered an amazing fighter and Zetterberg is an awful shootout option.

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January 17, 2010
Votes: -4

moorecha (NOHS) said:

	... Meech can shoot the puck? Um no, no he can't. I just want to say that Bert loked good today too and looked in the same league as Z and Dats.
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January 17, 2010
Votes: +0

KyleKujawa said:

... You're suggesting that he's not an amazing defenseman now? I just don't understand your opinion on him at all, or, again, why he should be disgraced and shipped out as a rental player. I am absolutely not limiting my focus to just the past few games. I've been saying this whole time that he's playing WELL. The only thing negative I've said about him all season is that he is making more mistakes than last season. STILL very few overall. Goals are absolutely not what makes an amazing defenseman. I was mentioning that it was ironic that he's scored twice since this talk surfaced, after just once the rest of the season. I've suggested it myself, but I think people are making way too much of his "off" season. It's not bad overall. He is still absolutely, without a doubt, the best shutdown defenseman in this league. Why do you think the PK has been so good even with so many injuries? He's out there for like half the kill. But whatever. Clearly I'm making to progress on this argument, so I'm just going to refrain from discussion anymore, I don't want to drag it into this post as well. It's frankly embarrassing to read as a Wings fan, this is only SLIGHTLY less embarrassing than anyone who would suggest Detroit trade Steve Yzerman towards the end of his career. Lidstrom has had the same impact in Detroit and is arguably the best ever at his position. If that doesn't make someone immune from that "rental player" status, I don't know what out there will. It disgusts me that in some minds he hasn't done enough to earn that legendary "untouchable" status. Let's erase Scotty Bowman's name from our record books and fire Ken Holland too, while we're at it. I think we should unretire Terry Sawchuck's number because Martin Brodeur just passed his records. Let's get something for the banner while it still has ANY value. Put that on Craigslist!

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January 17, 2010
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Baroque said:

	... Poor babysitting Stuart. And I'd bid on that banner. Maybe if I'm lucky it would appreciate in value and I could sell it back for a bundle.
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January 17, 2010
Votes: +0

Baroque said:

... If you don't want Lidstrom traded then why even bring it up? He's not going to leave his family behind for a few months alone in another city playing for a team he doesn't know. I think someone needs to get to Mrs. Babcock, since he listens to his wife, and get her to keep telling the coach that he shouldn't break up Zetterberg and Datsyuk - they are very good apart, but together they are stupendous and they should play together all the time.

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January 17, 2010
Votes: -1

felix said:

... I was at the game today, and honestly the only thing that really upset me was Jimmy not stopping Hossa in the shootout - I felt he should've had that one. Everything else I was impressed with. Aside from falling behind early (which I'd like to chalk up to Mebdeech, although Johnny Ericsson might have been at least partially responsible for one of them), I'd say we outworked Chicago for the entirety of the game. Killing off 3/4 penalties in the first really kept us in it, and I knew when we had one before the 2nd we'd come back. Eaves was incredible today, and I actually happened to be sitting behind his wife (who is a total babe btw.) I can confirm that yes, he is totally getting laid tonight. She also said (texted to someone as I looked over her shoulder) that he might've gotten into the fight because she made him mad this morning. Who knows! I was happy I got my money's worth today.

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January 17, 2010 | url
Votes: +1

junkyarddog said:

	... what a shootout goal by datsyuk. Mr. K do you think he will pay a price for showing up chicago goaltender? I missed most of the game cause my mom turned off the tv because of the Fight.
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January 18, 2010
Votes: +1

yannick said:

	... Just too bad we didn´t score in that overtime where we had tons of chance...
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January 18, 2010
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Baroque said:

	... I don't think Chicago will do anything to Datsyuk for that goal, because first, he embarrasses a LOT of goalies, and they can't hit him hard because he's too sneaky.
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January 18, 2010
Votes: +2

KyleKujawa said:

... Felix, that's an awesome story, thanks for sharing it. That puts things in a whole different perspective. Everyone assumes he was just fed up with Versteeg, but maybe he just had a rough morning and wanted to pound on someone he knew he could beat. Good stuff. Mr. J, it isn't the first or the last time that Datsyuk will show up a Chicago goaltender. He holds his own when teams run him. Just ask Steve Ott (who apparently took a few licks from Wild goalie Josh Harding tonight, though I haven't seen it yet). Baroque, I totally agree on the Eurotwins. Over at WIM last week (after the 6-0 game, so just guess at where my head was at), I think I called for wanting them apart. They've since made me look stupid. They just look terrifyingly good when they're clicking on the same line. Absolutely no reason this team should ever be shut out again.

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January 19, 2010
Votes: +0

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