Where Ya Been?

My apologies for not updating this more regularly. I have been quite busy the last couple of months. I should be able to update more regularly.

With the season almost upon us, it's time to bust it out: GO WINGS!

I'm still hoping to get to the Training Camp in Traverse City this year. We'll see though--it's a pretty busy month. I'll be in Wisconsin and Iowa, and hopefully Atlanta. I might also get down to the Joe for the Pre-Season games. I've been to Pre-Season games the last few years in a row and it's a good chance to see the prospects fighting for a roster spot.

I'm not sure if I'll be able to go to the Red & White game in Detroit. I went two years ago, and it was a lot of fun. Met Ken Kal, Mickey Redmond, Doug Brown and we got to watch Babcock, Filppula and Hudler speak up close in the VIP room.

I expect to be writing more articles on the Red Wings soon. Lately, I've included updates about the team, prosepcts, etc. But, I do plan on writing more features and stories on the players.

A lot of things to do before the season starts!!!

Wings Release Regular Season Schedule

Just as I suspected...another horrible schedule. The 2007-2008 schedule is, once again--since the new CBA--extremely unbalanced and heavy on divisional teams.

Here's my brief analysis of the 2007-08 Schedule:

Positives:
Not many, but the Wings will face the Stanley Cup Champion Ducks, with former Wings Matthieu Schneider, on opening night. Should be interesting to see Schneids on the blue line with Pronger and, possibly, Neidermeyer.

Alexander Ovechkin will make his first visit to Detroit on Dec. 17th. This phenomenal player should have already played in Detroit by now, but I guess beggers can't be chosers in "the new NHL."

With 2 games in Detroit aginst the Los Angeles Kings, Wings fans will get to see hometown hero and promising young defenseman Jack Johnson (University of Michigan). The 6-1, 200 lb. Johnson is one of the most promising young defensemen to come out of the draft in years. He holds many records at Michigan. He played 5 games last season (no points, -5, 18PIM).

Negatives:
Where are the Original Six matchups? Of course, there aren't any. The Original Six teams, especially Detroit, have been disrespected and almost forgotten by this commissioner. This is nothing new, but in my opinion it reflects how out of touch with the hardcore hockey fan that Gary Bettman really is. So, let's look at the negatives:

No Toronto at home--the Wings play them ONCE this season. Unacceptable.
No Boston at home--the Wings play them ONCE this season. Unacceptable.
No Montreal at home--the Wings play them ONCE this season. Unacceptable.
No New York Rangers.

Too many games against division teams, specifically Columbus. The division heavy schedule is a joke and a slap in the face to the storied tradition of the Detroit Red Wings.

Most of the games are against teams in two or three time zones away. Why? Because the Red Wings continue to play in the Western Conference, even though they are in the Eastern Time Zone. They out-travel every team in the NHL, some by nearly 10 times. Until this changes, until Detroit is put in the Eastern Conference where they belong, this will always be an issue.

October
3 Wed. ANAHEIM Joe Louis Arena 7:00
6 Sat. At Chicago United Center 8:30
8 Mon. EDMONTON Joe Louis Arena 7:30
10 Wed. CALGARY Joe Louis Arena 7:30
12 Fri. CHICAGO Joe Louis Arena 7:30
14 Sun. At Los Angeles Staples Center 8:00
15 Mon. At Anaheim Honda Center 10:00
18 Thu. At San Jose HP Pavilion 10:30
20 Sat. At Phoenix Glendale Arena 9:00
24 Wed. VANCOUVER Joe Louis Arena 7:30
26 Fri. SAN JOSE Joe Louis Arena 7:30
28 Sun. At Vancouver GM Place 10:00
30 Tue. At Edmonton Rexall Place 9:00

November
1 Thu. At Calgary Pengrowth Saddledome 9:00
7 Wed. NASHVILLE Joe Louis Arena 7:30
9 Fri. COLUMBUS Joe Louis Arena 7:30
11 Sun. At Chicago United Center 7:00
13 Tue. At St. Louis Savvis Center 7:00
17 Sat. CHICAGO Joe Louis Arena 7:00
18 Sun. At Columbus Nationwide Arena 5:00
21 Wed. ST. LOUIS Joe Louis Arena 7:30
22 Thu. At Nashville Sommet Center 8:00
24 Sat. At Columbus Nationwide Arena 7:00
27 Tue. CALGARY Joe Louis Arena 7:00
29 Thu. TAMPA BAY Joe Louis Arena 7:30

December
1 Sat. PHOENIX Joe Louis Arena 7:00
4 Tue. At Montreal Bell Centre 7:00
7 Fri. MINNESOTA Joe Louis Arena 7:30
9 Sun. CAROLINA Joe Louis Arena 5:00
10 Mon. At Nashville Sommet Center 8:00
13 Thu. EDMONTON Joe Louis Arena 7:30
15 Sat. FLORIDA Joe Louis Arena 7:00
17 Mon. WASHINGTON Joe Louis Arena 7:00
19 Wed. LOS ANGELES Joe Louis Arena 7:30
20 Thu. At St. Louis Savvis Center 8:30
22 Sat. At Minnesota Excel Energy Center 8:00
26 Wed. At St. Louis Savvis Center 8:30
27 Thu. At Colorado Pepsi Center 9:00
29 Sat. At Phoenix Glendale Arena 9:00
31 Mon. ST. LOUIS Joe Louis Arena 7:00

January
2 Wed. DALLAS Joe Louis Arena 7:30
5 Sat. At Dallas American Airlines Center 2:00
6 Sun. At Chicago United Center 7:00
8 Tue. COLORADO Joe Louis Arena 7:30
10 Thu. MINNESOTA Joe Louis Arena 7:30
12 Sat. At Ottawa Scotiabank Place 7:00
15 Tue. ATLANTA Joe Louis Arena 7:30
17 Thu. VANCOUVER Joe Louis Arena 7:30
19 Sat. At San Jose HP Pavilion 10:30
22 Tue. At Los Angeles Staples Center 10:30
23 Wed. At Anaheim Honda Center 10:00
30 Wed. PHOENIX Joe Louis Arena 7:30

February
1 Fri. COLORADO Joe Louis Arena 7:30
2 Sat. At Boston TD Banknorth Garden 7:00
5 Tue. At Minnesota Excel Energy Center 8:00
7 Thu. LOS ANGELES Joe Louis Arena 7:30
9 Sat. At Toronto Air Canada Centre 3:00
10 Sun. ANAHEIM Joe Louis Arena 1:00
12 Tue. At Nashville Sommet Center 8:00
15 Fri. COLUMBUS Joe Louis Arena 7:30
17 Sun. At Dallas American Airlines Center 1:00
18 Mon. At Colorado Pepsi Center 8:00
22 Fri. At Calgary Pengrowth Saddledome 9:00
23 Sat. At Vancouver GM Place 10:00
26 Tue. At Edmonton Rexall Place 9:00
29 Fri. SAN JOSE Joe Louis Arena 7:30

March
2 Sun. At Buffalo HSBC Arena 3:00
5 Wed. ST. LOUIS Joe Louis Arena 7:30
9 Sun. NASHVILLE Joe Louis Arena 3:00
11 Tue. CHICAGO Joe Louis Arena 7:30
13 Thu. DALLAS Joe Louis Arena 7:30
15 Sat. NASHVILLE Joe Louis Arena 1:00
16 Sun. At Columbus Nationwide Arena 3:00
19 Wed. COLUMBUS Joe Louis Arena 7:30
20 Thu. At Nashville Sommet Center 8:00
22 Sat. At Columbus Nationwide Arena 7:00
25 Tue. At St. Louis Savvis Center 8:30
28 Fri. ST. LOUIS Joe Louis Arena 7:30
30 Sun. NASHVILLE Joe Louis Arena 3:00

April
2 Wed. At Chicago United Center 8:30
3 Thu. COLUMBUS Joe Louis Arena 7:30
6 Sun. CHICAGO Joe Louis Arena 3:00

Wings Release Pre-Season Schedule

2007-08 PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE

SEPT DAY OPPONENT SITE TIME (ET)
18 Tue @ Minnesota Excel Energy Center 8:00
20 Thu MINNESOTA Joe Louis Arena 7:30
21 Fri PITTSBURGH Joe Louis Arena 7:30
22 Sat @ Pittsburgh Mellon Arena 7:30
24 Mon @ Tampa Bay St. Pete Times Forum 7:30
25 Tue NY RANGERS Joe Louis Arena 7:30
27 Thu TAMPA BAY Joe Louis Arena 7:30
28 Fri @ Toronto Air Canada Centre TBA
29 Sat TORONTO Joe Louis Arena 7:30

Hopefully, with the NHL's ridiculous unbalanced scheduling, the fans of the Detroit Red Wings will be able to see Sidney Crosby at least once during the NHL regular season.

This is a pretty promising pre-season schedule. Highlights include the Penguings game in Detroit (Sidney Crosby), the Rangers game in Detroit (facing long time Wing Brendan Shanahan, and the home and home against long time rival, and Original Six team--the Toronto Maple Leafs.

However, despite those highlights, I suspect that Wings fans will be lucky to see the Maple Leafs in Detroit this season or Sidney Crosby and the Penguins. Although, I am holding out some hope.