I know these guys make gazillions of dollars to play a game, but once in a while I realize how tough they have to be. I broke my thumb mountain biking a week before Hansen broke his fingers. His pins came out less than two weeks ago, a week after mine, and my hand is still very stiff and sore. I can’t imagine how he’s going to be able to hold his stick properly and get thrown in against the Red Wings! Tough customers, these guys. Or perhaps I’m just a total wimp…

Poor Hansen. He had terrible luck last year with injuries and then there not really being a spot for him when he recovered. He looked fantastic in preseason this year and I figured he might have a real breakthrough season. Then the stupid fight and busted knuckles, which pretty much guarantee another difficult year where he struggles to contribute.

Sorry to say it, but those top two lines look weak. I like all of those players (half of them as good third-liners), and I don’t see any better options from the bottom 6, but it’s hard to imagine them generating much offense. Sigh.