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Notebook: On Deja Vu and the Pens
Jennifer Miller	11/10/2006
Well, it certainly seems time to blow the dust off of the old notebook and really get cooking with this season. Now that my other distractions have gone by the wayside. And before I get into hockey talk in earnest, I have to say a few things about the Detroit Tigers. I have to admit to being sad for about 10 minutes after the St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series. And then I thought about what fun I had this summer having a baseball team worth caring about. I thought of all of the joy the boys of summer brought, not just me, but every long suffering Tiger fan. They are still a very talented team and should still be in contention next year but with a lot more experience. So, on behalf of Tiger lovers everywhere, Thanks guys! I know one of my personal heroes, the late Detroit Free Press columnist Bob Talbert was looking down on this summer past and doing a giant happy dance. That image brings a smile to my face. * Onward children to the great sport from the frozen north. I just finished watching Detroit shut out the Edmonton Oilers and I have this to say: Holy Deja Vu, Batman! There was Don Van Massenhoven. It is early November and there is a Detroit player laying motionless and a stretcher being hurried across the ice. Made me shudder. Too soon for most of us to not be thinking of Jiri Fischer. Thankfully early reports are that Jason Williams will be just fine. Though judging by the close up of him as he was wheeled off of the ice, he will not be nearly as pretty as before. Get Well soon Jason! * And just as I was beginning to worry about my beloved boys in red, they go on a seven game winning streak, the power play starts to wake up, the penalty kill finds its legs and Henrik Zetterberg gets himself on track. Phew! Before my anxiety gave my blood pressure medication a run for its money. Just! * And the breakout player of the year is...Daniel Cleary. Who'd have thunk that? Don't get me wrong, I love the energy and grit that Cleary brings to the ice whenever he is out there but three goals in two games? And one of them was that ever so gorgeous shorthanded goal against Columbus. I'm officially impressed. *I would like to cast my early vote for Red Wing Rookie of the Year right now. It seems fitting since Johan Franzen was just presented with the award from last season. I predict Valtteri Filppula will take the honor. I feel more out on a limb than I would in previous years when we hardly had a rookie to speak of. This year we have a few and good quality young players to boot. Jiri Hudler is looking good and gaining confidence. Tomas Kopecky has been playing well when given the chance. But there is something about the young Fin that I think stands out from the others. * Congratulations to Mathieu Schneider for being inducted this week into the Michigan Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. I am thinking there aren't many other hockey players there so way to go Mathieu! * Not really anything to do with the Wings but I have to give a little shout out to cousin Evgeni in Pittsburgh. Not that I can prove any sort of blood relation but my maiden name was Malkin and if you were to see pictures of my father and his brothers as younger men, you'd understand why I call him cousin. And from what I have seen between his first few games in the NHL and his play in the Olympics last year for Russia, he is the real deal. I can't wait to see what he can do when he fills out a bit. * I would like to also say that it has saddened me to hear of Darren McCarty's recent struggles. For those of you who have never had the pleasure to meet Mac, he is truly one of the nicest people you could ever meet. Very genuine. To see him falling on such hard times is very sad for me and I really have to say that I hope his trustee in his bankruptcy can find a way for him to not have to give up his championship rings. I myself know of financial hard times and certainly can make a case for being worse off, not having started as a millionaire but I'm not really going to have to lose anything with that sort of intangible value. I know that as a family man he knows that the important things are the people who love you and those cannot be taken by a court for payment of a debt. But those rings are as irreplaceable as a child and that is something that few of us can truly relate to. Keep your chin up, D-Mac and remember that you still have a lot of people that care about you! Okay, I'm done spouting off for now. Next up for the Wings is a Friday game against Nashville for a two game lead in the division. That would certainly be the way to get ready for the western road trip they take next. Hopefully Jason Williams will be back soon.