StormJH1

The entire month of December will seriously feel like the Playoffs to me. Knowing how bad teams like the Capitals (huge losing streak, Boudreau swearing) and Philly (Bryzgalov debacle) looked at times on that show, I just really hope we're playing .500 or better hockey at that time because images of those clubs really stick with you over the 4 episodes.

Yeah, it's funny to me how people always bemoan changing uniforms often and jumping head-first into temporary trends, but then whenever something is unveiled that looked like the last iteration, people are mad that they didn't reinvent the wheel. It looks like a Team Sweden jersey. I mean, if you grew up idolizing THIS: ...wouldn't it mean more to you to put on something that at least vaguely resembles that?

I understand why a lot of people were skeptical about the Alfie signing (or glancing at CapGeek and dreaming what else we could have done with the money), but it was almost impossible to imagine him playing on a line with Datsyuk and Zetterberg and not having that become one of the most cerebral, veteran scoring lines imaginable. He's also a coveted right-handed shot that actually can play the left point on the power play, which was not a good role for Brunner. He's 40 and staying healthy for a season could be a challenge, but it's a vintage Red Wings' free agent signing and I loved the idea as soon as I heard it. Also, T.Low's point about "playing for Alfie" in the Playoffs is huge. This is a team with guys who have pretty much all won it before (Howard being the key other veteran that hasn't), and the Swedes get to play with a living legend who never won a Cup. Reminds me a lot of the veterans on the 2002 and 2008 teams.

I've been reasonably happy with Weiss so far. He's made some big plays, including the OT winner (garbage goal clean-up or not). Comparing him to Filppula isn't really the most effective means of evaluating him as a player, but given that he is literally Flip's replacement and they got similar contracts, it's inevitable. Filppula would disappear for games on end. I think Weiss is a better goals-per-game scorer than Filppula, but if you're expecting him to blossom into a 30 G/40 A player simply because of a change of scenery, that's just completely ignorant of his decade-long track record.

My gut says "5 games" just because plays like that one (or potentially like that one) are far more common than we'd like to believe, but following the logic of Shanny suspension videos, you could get definitely get to 10. It did cause significant injury on the play, and that "jump into the hit" follow-thru, whether or not it technically constitutes "leaving your feet" ABSOLUTELY refutes the argument that McLeod was stopping or making a play on the puck. It was a hit from behind, it targeted the head as the principal point of contact, and it was avoidable. Anyone who watched the 2008 Wild/Avs series (before we beat the Avs in Round 2) should be familiar with the type of player Cody McLeod is. The Wild had that series under control but then McLeod and several others started running Wild players behind the play, and of course refusing to fight Boogaard or anyone else to atone for it. That series was actually one of the final straws in convincing me that the fighting element does nothing to deter the Matt Cooke (from 2 years ago), Cody McLeod, Jordin Tootoo, etc. type of players that get labeled as "pests", when they're arguably more dangerous than the so-called "goons".

The Wheel Deal ‏@Bill_Roose1m #RedWings have recalled Petr Mrazek from @griffinshockey for tonight's game against the @BlueJacketsNHL. He will backup Jonas Gustavsson Jonas Gustavsson played an NHL game in Boston on Monday. Today, Tuesday, he is playing against Columbus. What do we put that odds at, based on past results, that Monster makes it through tonight's game without some type of groin injury, sprain, or other aggravation? 45%? 60%? He played well (enough) against Boston, but I'm just saying....

As I finish up my tasty plate of crow, I'm still not ready to declare that Jonas Gustavsson is suddenly "fixed", or that his litany of heart, groin, and soft tissue injuries won't come back to bite him. That being said, that one-timer save last night (where he reached over with his glove, but actually trapped it between his arm and body) is a great example of using his size well and playing deep in the net. Minimal movement, maximum coverage. When Henrik Lundquist is playing well, he does it similarly. At the end of the day, having a good "goaltending tandem" can be a nice way to take mileage off a starter, but it's largely irrelevant to overall success so long as you have a solid #1 that can play 60+ games. Which the Red Wings do in Jimmy Howard. The 08-09 season got us back to the Cup Finals, and as you said, our backup play was largely atrocious the past two seasons, except for a few memorable Mrazek performances. The reason you may be right THIS year, however, is the Olympics. It's looking more and more probable that Jimmy Howard could play some or many of the games for the U.S. team in Sochi. Even just being overseas and practicing with the team will put additional strain on him in what would otherwise be a 2-week vacation. So Monster may be needed. Plus, if Mrazek was called into duty out of necessity LAST season, it seems likely they could do the same this year.

Man, am I LOVING being proven wrong right now! Huge save in the 3rd! Sent on iPhone using Tapatalk

Gustavsson did have a very nice game. But the thing you notice about him immediately is that his movement for a big goaltender is very chaotic. Most large goaltenders (Sean Burke, Giguere, etc.) identify the angle, and then play a little deeper to limit the amount of movement they have to do. This would be in contrast to someone like Manny Legace, who had to run about 5 feet out of the crease at times just to cover the net. When Monster goes side to side, he seems to over-commit, and then either falls or shuffles back to the correct angle while the puck is in traffic. While he's doing that, he's basically effed if there's a shot on net. There were a number of times yesterday (including one where Weiss blocked two shots on his ass) where Boston could have scored quite easily, but the D cleared it out. Then again, he is a backup goaltender, and we're actually spoiled watching Jimmy Howard, who I think may be a Top 5 NHL netminder right now, and plays very under control with his movement. I'm not pointing this out to rail against Gustavsson, just pointing out that even in a win, there's a bit of luck involved.

I love that Luke Glendening played 10 minutes last night, while Jordin Tootoo only played 7:29. I love it so much. My problem with Gustavsson isn't so much that he's "bad" as NHL backups go - he probably isn't. But if you're going to pay any kind of premium for a "veteran" netminder to backup Howard (granted, $1.5 mil AAV is not that much), you'd hope to get a guy that is either: (a) better than replacement level ability; and (b) durable enough to play long stretches if Howard has any type of injury worse than a bruised hand. Monster didn't really fit either of those bills - he has any number of health/durability questions, and he's been no better than a 2.90 GAA and .900 SV% goalie for 4 seasons in the NHL now. Unfortunately, while Mrazek looks very promising, he's so young that he needs to keep playing and developing.

I was actually impressed by his skating ability and ability to pressure the puck carrier (yes, in very short bursts), but mostly because I had no expectations for him whatsoever. It really begs the question of how you identify future NHL "role players" and grinders as young players. You used to hear the phrase "scored 50 goals in juniors" as evidence that goons and grinders were once thought of as potential Top 6 forwards as prospects. Glendening really hasn't been a great scorer at any level of collegiate or pro hockey, but if he learns to be an effective defensive forward at NHL speed that can kill penalties, does that even matter?

Yeah, I don't put that one on Lou, but some combination of Garrison and Hamhuis completely botching the handle with literally no Canadiens on the ice at the time...I'm putting that on them. Possibly more on Garrison for kicking it out of Hamhuis' possession.

Numbers-wise, you're looking at very similar players. The one difference, as I see it, is that Weiss proved himself over several seasons to be a more consistent goal scorer, in addition to being a playmaking center. Val only had one season where his goal scoring output could justify paying him as a 2nd line center, which is what he had become. Earlier in his career, he spent time on the 3rd or 4th lines, but his offensive game never really took the next step when he got Top 6 assignments. I don't think that Red Wings fans, uniformly, were tired of Filppula's game. Obviously, when you have a puck possession team like the Red Wings, players like Filppula are critical to that. We missed him badly when he was hurt in 2009-10 and it looked like we might struggle to miss the Playoffs (that was the injury-riddled season). But when it came time to pay him, you have to agree that Stephen Weiss can do his job at least as well, and potentially take another step forward with a better team. Weiss is one of those players (like Sam Gagner in EDM, or David Legwand in NAS, to a lesser degree) that gets crapped on by everyone because he was highly drafted/touted and didn't blow up into a mega-star right away. But Weiss is not Patrik Stefan, you look up a decade later and he's been a very productive NHL player in a not-very-publicized market. And he still has some good years left to give, I think.

Haha, that blog post is awesome. It's easy for armchair fans like me to look at scoring numbers and wonder why Brunner wasn't resigned (well, initially, anyway), but if you're a coach like Babcock that understands the game on a higher level and has seen mistakes like this over and over again in games and practices...it's no small wonder skilled guys like Brunner and Tatar end up in the doghouse for reasons that seem unwarranted. I really think the whole NHL is just smarter about this kind of thing now. It's really no different than basketball - it's a 5-on-5 game where each player has both offensive and defensive responsibilities. But in the NBA, casual fans seem to understand that a guy that puts up 20 PPG but plays crap defense is a garbage player. Meanwhile, the Marian Gaborik's and poor man's versions of him with offensive skill seem to skate along, and invariably get big money from dumb teams, even though they cost their team as much as they help. To be fair, defensive in hockey is much more amorphous than the largely man-to-man NBA.

My favorite thing about this GIF is...what the heck is Marc Staal doing? Can't tell if it's a badly delayed reaction to seeing the puck go in the air, or if he was going to "Keith Ballard" his goaltender and missed.

Yes, and not only that, any time the offensive player is trailing a race and playing at home, there's going to be a rain of boos from home crowds (well, if they even learn the rule) when the play blows dead. What if it's like Mason Raymond trailing the play and Doug Murray is the defender with position? How far away does Raymond have to be before you can be SURE that he wouldn't catch up and pass Murray? I don't think there will be many ACTUAL problems or controversies caused by this type of rule. Probably not even as bad as the stupid 2-minute minor for shooting the puck out of play with no pressure whatsoever on you. But why does the league allow discretion on some things (hybrid icing, intent to blow, etc.), but not on a play where the puck hops up on edge and you're required to call a delay of game because of black letter law? International/college icing is far safer than even hybrid icing and does nothing to harm the game. It's also leaves virtually no room for interpretive error.

I'd "like" this post 5 times if I could! Of course, with Red Wings fans, it's mostly preaching to the converted. Even if you believed that a John Scott-level enforcer actually had some redeemable value on an NHL team (which I don't), Jordin Tootoo isn't that guy. He's actually more of a pest and agitator that elevates the level of chippiness in any game he plays in. Tootoo running guys behind the play and generally being annoying encourages other teams to retaliate with cheap shots against all Detroit players, as opposed to just playing hockey. And yet, some fans still tell themselves that you need Tootoo to fight people after a cheap shot has already occurred, because that somehow has "deterrent" effect. Never bought it.

So we think it's $2.5 AAV? Guess he ended up getting the best he probably should have gotten in the first place. As I pointed out on the other thread, The Devils have FIVE wingers (not forwards, but wingers) that make more than $3 million per year on that roster. NJ is probably a worse team than DET, but it's not like he's guaranteed Top 6 playing time on that team either.

I just have to chuckle at these quotes from Patrik Elias talking about how great Brunner looks in practice and how he's the second coming of Petr Sykora. Everybody loves Brunner until he gives the puck to the other team for an odd-man rush. I heard Darko Milicic use to shoot the lights out in practice for the Pistons, too. I'm kidding, obviously. Brunner is talented and I wish him well playing for the Devils and their dozen horrible mid-level contracts they've handed out in lieu of one gigantic one to Ilya Kovalchuk.

How exactly do these "tryout contracts" work? I don't recall many of these in past years, at least not for reputable veterans like Tim Thomas and Dan Cleary. In Cleary's case, didn't they already have the terms (something like 3 yrs/$8.25 mil) worked out, and then he walked from it? Funny that we all assumed months ago he be on the Devils as soon as the Kovalchuk thing happened, but it didn't happen for whatever reason then. One thing you could say about Brunner is that you'd assume he'd have a better chance of being a Top 6 winger there than here. But if you actually look at their roster, that isn't necessarily the case. Elias, Clowe, Ryder, Jagr, and Zubrus - there's 5 wingers that are all making $3 million+ this year. But then again, we all know that he didn't end up there because it was the "ideal situation" for him.

You could make an argument that Tatar has the most intriguing offensive game in the Wings organization right now. At least from the standpoint that he's much closer to NHL-ready than some of the newer draft picks, and I believe he has more scoring upside than Nyquist and Andersson. Maybe considerably more. I'm just not really that receptive to these "bad attitude" complaints about guys in their very early 20's. If Sean Avery can play two half-seasons for the Wings, surely Tomas Tatar deserves a chance to become a professional while actually playing at the highest professional level. These are just kids that come over from Europe chasing a dream to play in the NHL. He's 22 now, and I'm sure he watches highlights around the league of 18 and 19 year olds already that he may be better than. And no offense to the City of Grand Rapids, but living and playing there and in other small U.S. cities probably isn't what he had in mind. Especially now that he's achieved (in his mind) the highest prize the AHL has to offer. Maybe he is a bad dude, cancer, "coach killer", whatever. Or maybe he's just an immature, talented kid who is frustrated because he wants to prove he's better. Either way, he's an asset, and I'd prefer to know more about him before we move him. And I'd certainly prefer to see him getting ice time over Dan Cleary.

Obviously, you're right that we have all these other problems that are more of a concern than 1 year, $1.75mil for Cleary. But those other deals were already in place. There's absolutely zero certainty that anyone is taking 22 or 37 off our hands. Knowing that, how do you compound the problem by adding Cleary back into the mix? There's just no upside to the move. The potential "good" is that Cleary's knees don't give out, and he stays healthy enough to give you 20 goals in a 3rd line or spot 2nd line role. The potential (and more likely) bad is that you block the progress of Nyquist, Tatar, Andersson, or the next young guy from GR, for a guy that may become a sunk cost if he continues to regress.

Nyquist played every game of the Wings' two rounds last year. In terms of actual NHL resume, him and Tatar were roughly even last year, except: (a) Tatar is 15 months younger; (b) Nyquist showed more value as a two-way player; © It's pretty well known already that Tatar is sort of a cocky guy, which is fine if you're good, but also leads to an extended "humbling" process in this organization. I can't imagine Nyquist starting in Grand Rapids. I could imagine it with Tatar, but, reportedly, he cannot. This is what I kept saying in 2012 when they signed all those guys - it's not that any ONE of the Sammy, Tootoo, Bertuzzi, Miller, and Abdelkader deals are that bad, but combined, that's about $10 million + of guys that could more or less be replaced by faster, skilled youngsters on rookie contracts. Of course, as the past two offseasons have shown, just because you have a spare 10-15 million in cap space laying around doesn't mean you're landing the next Weber or Suter in free agency (though I like Weiss and one year of Alfie).

Moreover, I just think that whatever delusion led them to think that contract was a good idea last summer, it probably hasn't completely disappeared just because he lost basically a whole year to injury. It'd be another story if he'd actually played the year out and sucked (see: White, Ian).

You're probably right. If he's still holding out hope for anything other than a 1-year "show me" deal, he's delusional. I'm not even sure why Brunner wouldn't be in favor of that. Returning to Switzerland is an always an option if it doesn't work out, or he could score 30 goals over an actual full season and get a better deal even than he asked for this year. Expecting teams to pay him 3 mil/year or more on a multi-year deal after only a 48-game season where he did basically nothing for the second half of it...it's just not realistic.