Suspicions were confirmed as Red Wings' super scout, Hakan Andersson, has been quoted as saying the organization "Tried a lot but to no avail. Wants back to west coast." regarding the future of Brad Stuart in Hockeytown.
It's no secret that Brad has wanted to head back west to be closer to his family. I can't say that I relate to Brad because I do not have children and I am no one's spouse. I can however relate to his children. When I was significantly younger than I am now, My father was working on the road with his company and would be gone for months at a time. He worked in Mexico, Canada, Nebraska, St. Louis, and so on and so on. Unlike Brad, my Dad was able to dictate when he got to come home. He always made sure he never missed a single birthday or significant event. But in day to day life, there was still something missing that would stay missing for months on end then return just to leave again. I was old enough to understand that traveling was part of what my Dad needed to do to bring home a paycheck but it didn't make weeks of disruption to our family routine any easier to handle. Hockey players travel all the time and they don't get to dictate their schedules like my Dad. They don't get to tell their bosses that their daughter's prom is coming up and they would like to be there. They don't get to tell their employer that it's their child's graduation from high school or that their daughter is due with their first grandchild and they would like to be there. That's the life hockey players sign up for, however. I'm sure when they're young athletes they don't envision getting married, having kids, and then having to leave them in order to make their careers successful.
I think it all changed after Ruslan Salei passed away. Suddenly, the career that had always come first now comes second to family. It has come as no surprise to anyone who has watched Brad struggle publicly with the distance that separates him from his family. It has been the writing on the wall since training camp but most chose to ignore it. I don't fault Brad in any way. I will never think less of him for opting to leave this organization when/if that time officially comes. If that time comes, I will thank Brad for what he did for this organization and express how grateful I am that I was able to watch him play for us as long as he did. No player will be able to fill the enormous skates on the blue line that will be left when Brad departs. Kyle Quincey, Jakub Kindl, Brendan Smith and the like are not and can never be Brad Stuart. Brad is a unique player that will bring his tremendous skill and talent to whichever team is lucky enough to be close to his family and he chooses to move on to.
It's always difficult to watch a player we have grown to love leave the organization. But at the end of the day, even though we make it our lives, hockey is just a game and there are often more important things in life.
Try to stay with me: The forever Captain (Steve Yzerman) traded Steve Downie to the Avs for Kyle Quincey then turned around and traded Kyle Quincey from the Tampa Bay Lightning to Detroit for the Wing's first-round pick this year and Griffin Sebastien Piche. Bottom line: We lost Piche and a draft pick for round two with Mister Quincey.
If you denote some skepticism, you are absolutely right. I am very skeptical of Kyle Quincey in this organization. I'd be lying if I didn't still hold it against him for trying to make Ken Holland and the owners look like assholes for not giving him a championship ring in 2008. As the story goes, during the 2008 playoffs, Kyle was a Black Ace for the duration of the playoffs. As per usual, The Red Wings include all Black Aces in the center ice photo. Quincey did not qualify for his name to be engraved on the Stanley Cup. Per team policy, Quincey was not presented a Stanley Cup championship ring. That summer, Quincey spoke to the media about how he felt slighted by the organization for not receiving a ring. Kyle has since tried to downplay that entire incident but the fact is that it happened. At the end of the day, he went to the media and made the organization have to defend their actions. Going to the media and acting as if the organization that drafted him, had mistreated him. We all know that's not the case. If the ring was that big of a deal to him, they sell class rings at Wal-mart. He could have purchased one of those and played pretend for the low-low price of $99.98!
Hopefully, the several seasons that Kyle has spent elsewhere have helped him mature and become more humble. Players who believe they are entitled have no place in the organization.
And to those suggesting that Kyle was acquired because Lidstrom is... ya know... the "R" word or Brad Stuart is... ya know... the "L" word, I say.... SHUT YOUR PIE HOLES!
Detroit Red Wings v. Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center 8:00PM Game can be found on: Fox Sports Detroit, NBC Sports Network, TSN2
I know, guys. I'm shocked that I did a gameday preview too.
Detroit has traveled to Chicago to play in the United Center for the final time this regular season. In the three meetings so far this season, each team has won once in their home arena and Detroit won on the road to take the season series lead so far. Tonight the Wings will attempt to tally another win in the United Center to quiet those pesky "Detroit Sucks" chanters that seem to exclusively reside in Chicago. Tonight will mark the return of Jimmy Howard. Howard is coming back after a index finger injury and will be backed up by new number one back-up, Joey MacDonald. Dan Cleary is also looking to make the return after he had fluid drained from his knee.
The Red Wings will look to improve upon their 15-15-1 road record and extend the gap between themselves and the Vancouver Canucks in the standings. The Red Wings currently sit atop the NHL standings with 84 points, the Canucks are currently in second overall with 82 points, and the Hawks sit in tenth place with 71 points. As soon as the Red Wings take the ice tonight, one of the biggest rivalries in the NHL will reignite.
Over the past few days, several have suggested that the Wings' current record breaking home winning streak is more important than winning the Stanley Cup. The current home winning streak is awesome, but it's not the big picture. Perspective, my friends, I've got it.
The big picture is the Stanley Cup. Teams don't play as hard as they do, through injuries and adversities, to become the first loser in the Stanley Cup Finals. NHL Teams today, play to win. Regardless of the fact that sometimes it doesn't always seem like some teams are playing to the biggest picture, it's generally the driving force. When free agents sign with teams, it's not to break a record. Sure, it's nice to have that icing on the cake but players sign with teams they think can win. They sign with organizations who they believe can take home the biggest prize at the end of the day. Cuppy, Cuppy, Cuppy and what not.
As far as records go, there can always be someone to come a break your record and take that honor away from you but no one can take a championship away. For instance, There will only ever be one 2007-2008 Stanley Cup Championship Team. No matter how many wins or losses the team goes through, no one can take the honor of being a Stanley Cup Champion away. I'm sure the 1929-1930 Boston Bruins didn't think that anyone would tie or break their record until the 1975-1976 Philadelphia Flyers did it. Both teams, given the way the sport has changed in the last 30 years, probably thought that no other team would be able to tie or break it yet one team did.
Breaking the record and being able to witness it is amazing. It's a testament to the players who work hard every game to make sure the fans at the Joe see them at their best. Sure, seeing the Wings break a record that was held by two different teams in very different eras of hockey is fantastic. And yes, seeing the team hold on to team records for many years is great. But do you think that the 2011-2012 Red Wings would rather be record breakers or champions? I'm sure the Red Wings would love to shatter records forever but in the Red Wings organization it don't mean a thing if you don't get that ring.
In Red Wing land, this is not Valentine's Day. It's true, Despite whatever Wingman/Blind Date/Blah Blah Barf thing that Amway is sponsoring tonight, it's a night much more important than Valentine's Day. It's a night that history could be made. HISTORY. Breaking records is more important than some random necklace Kay Jewelers pawned to every man in the metro area. It's more important than that box of chocolates that fell off your table and into your dog's loving mouth who is now getting sick from them. It's definitely more important than some flowers that will mold then die in a week.
Sure, tying records is fun. But breaking them? It takes a special team to break them.
It's almost time for the team to begin their quest towards history. And just because it's a night more important than Valentine's Day doesn't mean there won't be any kisses.
