10 items of excitment

Hey it's only July, but that doesn't mean it's too early to start looking ahead to the upcoming season. Before we know it the playoffs will be starting and the quest for Cup number 12 will have begun. In my anticipation for the 10/11 season (and for the lack of other news and things to write about this summer), I've put together a top 10 list of things I am personally excited for the most this year.  Let's begin...


#10 - Training Camp

I love training camp. It's like the first day of school when you get to see all your friends that you haven't seen all summer. Now, I am not personally going to training camp in Traverse City, but I know that a lot of people are. This is my first camp while being involved in the whole Wings' blogosphere, so I am highly anticipating the coverage of the event. The longer offseason means that (hopefully) everyone will be fully healthy entering camp and ready to go better than ever when the season rolls around.


#9 - Brendan Smith

What? Did you really expect me to leave of the namesake of this blog off the list? Whether he makes the team or not at camp, I can't wait to follow his first professional season. Even if he's in Grand Rapids, I'm going to keep a close eye on how he performs down there and plan to update the blog regularly with his progress. Hopefully he makes the big club and I can purchase my Smith jersey come Christmas time.


#8 - The Rest of the Kids

This goes for the kids in Grand Rapids, Detroit, and the prospects too. I want to see how Tomas Tatar and Thomas McCullom do with the Griffins. I want to see how 1st round draft pick Riley Sheahan does in his second season at Notre Dame. And of course, I want to see Abby, Helmer, and Ericsson take the next step in Detroit and I want to see just how well Jakub Kindl can handle potentially being the 6th defenseman on this team.


#7 - Opening Week

The Wings open with the hated Ducks on a Friday night. I can tell you right now that I will be glued to my TV watching Ken and Mickey on Center Ice that night. It's still July and it has been far too long since I've seen a Red Wings game. But ya know what's even better? After the Wings beat the Ducks, they get to fly to Chicago to play the Blackhawks. What could be better than watching the Hawks' 4 or 5 returning players raise their banner and then destroying the living hell out of them on their home ice. Let them raise their banner and then send an early message but crushing them, let's say, 6-0? Sounds about right to me. We're taking the Cup back. Enjoy it while it lasts, Chicago.


#6 - Jimmah Howard

Jimmy was the surprise of the season last year. He saved the Wings on many occasions and without him, they may not have even made the playoffs. And, he did it all as a rookie. This season is going to be big for Jimmy. We've all seen and heard about the sophomore slump (see: Steve Mason, CBJ) and I think deep in the back of all our minds we have that little doubt or a question asking if Jimmy can do it again this year. I hope he can. I think he can. I believe Jimmy will have a solid follow up campaign. I mention Mason, but the big difference in Howard's case is that he's playing behind the Detroit Red Wings, not the Columbus Blue Jackets. Having guys like Datsyuk and Lidstrom on your side will do wonders for one's confidence. Plus, I don't expect Jimmy to play as many games as he did last year. Let's hope Ozzie has gotten his act together and plays well enough to split the season's starts about 60/40?


#5 - New Years' Eve

I'm going to my first ever New Years' Eve Red Wings' game.  It's going to be a family affair too.  I'll be there with my uncle Leon (huge fan), aunt Amy, my parents, possibly some cousins, and most importantly, my girlfriend Jillian. I've mentioned her on Twitter before (@JillianRM, follow if you want, but she never tweets haha).  The biggest reason I'm excited for this game is that it will be her first Red Wings game and first time inside Joe Louis Arena.  She's from the Lehigh Valley area of eastern Pennsylvania and really didn't know anything about hockey when we first met two years ago.  Over the past two years she's basically watched every single Wings game with me, learned the rules of the game of hockey, listened to my tin foil hat stories, and put up with all my nonsense.  Well, in all this time she became a fan herself.  She knows all the players, the rivals (present and historic) and learned all about the Wings' history too.  I'm also pretty sure she'd leave me for Pavel Datsyuk if she could too.  Bottom line, I can't wait for her to experience her first Red Wings game at the Joe.  Ladies and gentlemen of Hockeytown, add one new member to our population.



#4 - The Mule

I don't know about you, but I missed watching Frazen last season.  I'm pretty sure his teammates missed him too.  The Mule was supposed to be The Man last year.  The 09/10 season was his time time to shine.  Every Wings' fan knew that Franzen was going to be counted on heavily with the departure of Hossa, Hudler, and Samuelsson (hate him).  Instead, Mule was gone in the third game of the year and missed a great deal of the season.  If you ask me, if Franzen is healthy, then Pavel and/or Hank would have had at least 10-20 more assists to add to their resume.  But The Mule is back.  He had an excellent playoff run putting up 18 points in only 12 games.  I, for one, cannot wait to watch him this upcoming season.  I'm honestly expecting him to net 40-50 goals and battle for the league lead.  He has the ability.  Everyone get ready to jump on the Mule and go for a ride.


#3 - Detroit vs. Boston

The Red Wings are coming to Boston this year.  I'm probably the happiest hockey fan in the entire city.  I've never been to a Red Wings game in an opposing building and I can say that I am absolutely thrilled to be doing so this season.  Boston is a decent hockey city.  Living here the past two years, I'd say they have a solid fan base.  I've met a lot of Bruins' fans that are hardcore about their team and you can have a great hockey conversation with them.  However, with Boston having so many championships this past decade (none by the Bruins), the B's kind of get the short end of the stick when it comes to sports in this city.  I like to see the Bruins do well.  I don't mind seeing them win, that is, unless they are playing the Red Wings.  And I cannot wait to see the Wings play a home-and-home series with Boston and sweep the floor clean with them.  When you're watching the game, look for the loud Wings' fan wearing a Yzerman (or Smith) jersey.  That will be me.  If there is one thing Detroit's sports teams have over Boston, it's hockey.  I want to make sure it stays that way.


#2 - Nicklas Lidstrom

I personally believe this is the last season Lidstrom will spend with the Wings before he retires.  I'm looking forward to watching the last games of his amazing career.  When I was younger, it was easy to overlook the impact he had on this team.  The more I grew up in general and as a Wings fan, the more I was able to understand and appreciate what an unbelievable player Nick Lidstrom is.  He is arguably the best defenseman of all time.  Without a doubt, the best European born player (of any position), the best Red Wings' defenseman, and possibly the best player of the last 15 years or so.  He plays the game so disciplined and at the highest level.  He rarely makes mistakes, he always knows where to be on the ice, and he makes it all look so effortless.  I don't remember who said it or where I read it, but it's crazy to think that Nick has never won the Hart Trophy...let alone be nominated!  But that says something about his game.  He's so good at doing the right things that you don't notice him out there.  A lot of the times, the best defensemen are the ones you never notice.  He isn't super flashy.  He doesn't take dumb penalties or take runs at guys.  There's always talk of "who can replace Lidstrom?"  Well, no one can.  You can't replace him.  There is no other player like him.  He's Nick Lidstrom.  He's just one of a kind and I can't wait to watch him end his career with his 5th Stanley Cup championship.


#1 - H2H2

Of course H2H2 is number one!  This is going to be the party of the year.  I couldn't be more excited for this.  Everyone that has ever told me anything about the original H2H as had nothing but great things to say.  Most every said it was one of the best weekends of their lives.  I graduate from college in December and plan to come back to Boston in the spring until Jill finishes school in May, but there is no way in hell I'm missing this party.  It might be hard to top the H2H, but we sure as hell will try.  Anyone who has ever tweeted me or read this blog or commented...I want to meet you.  I think I'm going to make a list of all the names of the people I need to meet and won't stop until every name is crossed off.  I plan to go to the game on the 9th and will be there on the 11th with Gannon, my Uncle Leon and cousin Robbie (his birthday is the 12th).  We're all going to be ready to party.  So when H2H2 comes along and you're in Detroit, if you see the guy in the Brendan Smith jersey, that will be me.  Pretty sure if they make Smith jerseys by then, I might be the only one who owns one!  Come say hello and we'll raise our glasses to the best organ-i-zation in the history of sports!

Lets Go Red Wings