I don’t know what’s better -- watching the Red Wings come back from a 3-0 deficit, watching them win in overtime, or watching Pavel Datsyuk creating magic on the ice once again. Thursday night they delivered the hat trick and it was fun to watch. I don’t like that the Wings hadn’t won in overtime before that, but at least they’ve gotten rid of that goose egg.

 Oh, and welcome to the NHL, Mr. Lebda. Brett survived a dirty hit Thursday night courtesy of the Blues’ Dallas Drake, who left his feet to slam him against the end boards.  Fortunately, Lebda returned to the game.

By the way, Lebda is scheduled to be a part of our CCHA broadcast tonight (Friday). We’re in Ann Arbor for #5 Notre Dame vs. #7 Michigan. Normally, this game would be a Michigan blow out, but this one should be an awesome contest – Michigan’s high flying offense vs. Notre Dame strong defense.

The Irish upset #1 Boston College, at BC no less! And the Wolverines are as deep as ever. This is also Andrew Cogliano’s last game for Michigan before he leaves for Team Canada's tryouts in advance of the World Juniors.

 Let’s drop the puck! 

    I know it’s been forever since my last blog, and I apologize for that. As much as I love hockey, this fall has been crazy covering other sports as well. (Thanks, Tigers, for a great season!) Now, that baseball is over, and the Rivaly Rewind DVD (A behind the scenes recap of the MSU/Michigan football Game) is complete, I can concentrate more on the Red Wings.  

     And looking at what the Wings did during the first few games this season, perhaps it’s good that other sports were capturing our attention. Considering the roster changes, we all knew there would be adjustments this year. However, I was surprised they got off to such a slow start. Hopefully, their current four game win streak is a sign of things to come.

     But, I give the Stars fans credit. As they watched the game, they learned more about it. And a couple of years later I would here them yelling about a delayed penalty. Yet, during the 1998-99 season (the season they went on to win the Stanley Cup) I realized learning the game is one thing, studying its history is another. 

     One night, a good friend of mine, who was a Dallas native, said “You have to meet this girl’s dad. He knows everything about hockey. He’s Mr. Hockey!” I replied, “Her dad is Gordie Howe!” My friend had a puzzled look on his face, as did everyone else in the group. Class was in session as I tried to enlighten them on one of the greatest players of all time.     Wednesday, I was at the Wings and Flames morning skates. Before Calgary began skating, I had a chance to talk to another old friend, Darren McCarty. It’s always great to visit with him because he is so charismatic. And despite the tough times he’s going through off the ice, he had a big smile. His financial situation is unfortunate, but certainly not unique.

      In the meantime, see you at the rink!

Hello from Hockeytown North!

After 4 1/2 months of life without the Red Wings in action, it's great to see the boys back on the ice once again.  It seems like a lifetime ago that Edmonton upset Detroit in the first round of the playoffs. But, trust me, no one within the organization has forgotten the disappointment or frustration of the early exit. And they're all ready to prevent a repeat. 

Training Camp in Traverse City is a blast. From golfing, to fishing, to balloon rides, and of course hockey, there's always something to do.

I've covered Wings training camp since I came to FSN Detroit in 1999, and this year there is definitely a different atmosphere than at previous camps. The biggest difference is Steve Yzerman's absence. It's still hard to imagine the lineup without The Captain, but the game plays on. With Stevie Y's and Brendan Shanahan's departures, only four players remain that played on the '97, '98 & '02 Stanley Cup teams.

Then there's Chris Osgood who, of course, won a Cup as the backup goalie in '97 and as the starter in '98. Dominik Hasek came to Detroit to give us a Cup in 2002. When Dom arrived, Ozzie was the odd man out which is a bit ironic considering the two are teammates now. I talked to the Dominator about the delicate dynamics between he and Osgood. Dom said they talked a few days before training camp began, and that he thinks they will eventually be good friends. We are scheduled to talk to Chris tomorrow.

With this new era upon the Wings, there are many storylines to follow throughout this training camp. Here's just a few:

 -- Dominik Hasek's health, the number of games he will play, the number of games Ozzie will play, and how far along Jimmy Howard, Stefan Liv and Joey MacDonald are in their development. MacDonald would have to clear waivers if the Wings wanted to send him back to Grand Rapids.

-- Greg Johnson signed with the Wings this offseason, but did NOT pass his physical due to an abnormal heartbeat. He is undergoing further testing. Considering everything Jiri Fischer has gone through, the Red Wings are taking every precaution possible. Let's hope Johnson is okay.

-- The New Captain......while the next captain hasn't officially been made, EVERYONE expects Nick Lidstrom to wear the C this season. The four-time Norris Trophy winner is one of the best defensemen to ever play this game. And everyone respects his talent and leadership qualities.

That's all for now. I'll check in again in a couple of days before we head back to Detroit!

Hi Red Wings fans! Welcome to my blog. I will be up in Traverse City for training camp when the Red Wings hit the ice on September 15th. I'll be checking in during camp with blog updates to keep you posted on all of the stories surrounding this year's team. In the meantime, I hope you all will come out to Comerica Park on Saturday, September 9th at 7 p.m. for the Champions Celebrity Softball Game. This star-studded game features the current Wings against some former Tiger greats. If you can't make it to the ballpark, FSN will televise the event on Monday, Sept. 11th at 8 p.m. I'll check in with you next from Training Camp.