roboturner

Everybody around here knows I don't like Howie in net, and it seems because of that everybody is reading too much into what I've said. I just reread all of that and nowhere do I say I want to just get rid of Howie right this second (i.e. a Majkowski-Favre situation). It's more of a Favre-Rodgers situation, where the backup comes in and shows he can handle the job. A season or two later they got rid of Farve and and Rodgers took over. I'd say they made the right decision and Rodgers turned out to be even better than Favre. And clarifying my statements because people like you are reading too much into them isn't what I would consider backpedaling

no, what I was talking about was a couple years from now when Howie still has years left on his $5 mil deal

Yeah I'm getting pretty tired of people shoving words in other people's mouths and then arguing against what wasn't said.

You understand that it's not really fair to take the opinions of like 50 people and then mash them into one statement like they were all just one schizophrenic individual, right? And to be honest, maybe I missed a couple, but I don't really recall any non sarcastic overreactions like that from anybody

I don't know why you guys seem so offended by it. It's not an illegal play that they are getting away with. Being in the path the opposing player wants to skate in isn't illegal, it just forces him to take an extra few strides to get around. Hitting the guy would be interference but not just standing in his way. Maybe 'subtle' isn't the best word to describe it because it implies that it is full on interference just sneakily hidden, but I don't think that is what is meant (most of the time. at least by everyone other than Eddy) "The Wings use those ends boards better than anybody else" "They're one of the best teams at screening the goalie and tipping the puck in" (not anymore, but..) "There is that subtle interference play that they do so well" Every team does it and the Wings do it well (apparently). That's all they're saying.

uhh not really. Are you mad or something? I don't really know what you're getting at.

Even more to my point. It didn't have to do to those other teams being more loyal to the their players, it had to do with their geographical location. I know it isn't the same. That was addressing the "we don't trade players because we are loyal to them" claim which is bogus

You guys understand that I have no influence whatsoever on what the actual management of the Wings does, Right? It's just one more fans opinion. No I'm not mad, WTF haha. Again, this isn't just a reaction to a couple of games, it's about their playing styles. And you really missed the boat thinking I'm just going for the flavor of the month. That whole thing was meant to combat that idea. When I say we should get Mrazek going it's because of this long term plan. But yeah you're right, I forgot about how those Wings teams of yesterday never traded. We didn't trade people to get Shanahan, Chelios, and Hasek. WTH am I thinking here? Those guys we (didn't) traded to get them were signed to play with us and by god we honored that, out of pure loyalty! (that was sarcasm) DeKeyser is a special case seeing as how he grew up around here. I understand the over ripe philosophy. Which is why I understand none of what I said will ever happen. But there need to be exceptions to this rule when it's called for. Like I pointed out with Hank and Pav. Petr might be over ripe already. I just looked up a bunch of other goalies (the good ones anyway) to see when they started starting. Anywhere from 21-25, with a bunch starting about 22-23. seems a pretty standard age

I just looked up some goalie retirement ages. Seems most were around 37-39 years old (of course some are older, but I suspect that isn't the norm) So a couple points here. (DISLAIMER: These numbers are just guesses based on league patterns. I understand that it may not actually play out this way. The points remain the same.) 1. Jimmy turn 31 in a couple months. I'd say Howie has about 6,7, maybe 8 seasons left in his career. Of those years, maybe 3-4 are still good production years, with declining production after that. -We could keep him until he retires, which would almost certainly mean mrazek gets moved (and yeah we would probably get a good package back for him). 2. Mrazek turns 23 next month. That gives him maybe 14-16 years left in a normal career, with perhaps 11 give or take in the pre-decline years (yeah I made that up, pre-decline years aren't an official league stat track by professionals trackers. go ahead throw a fit about). -We could keep mrazek and trade Howie -Howie's trade value is never going to be higher than it is right now. With each passing year his value will decline exponentially -Peak production years are usually 25-28 or maybe 24-29. -I'd presonally like to have him ready to compete for cups at 24-25 with a longer prime window to compete for cups, instead of getting his feet under him playing his first full season as a starter or worse splitting time (or even worse backing up) at 25 Z & Pav were both playing full seasons with the wings when they were 22-23 years old, held their own while getting used to the NHL, and then their production really picked up a few years later right on track. So I guess the question is, Is 6-8 more seasons of Howie (who isn't going to get any better and doesn't have the intangibles) worth losing 14-16 seasons of Mrazek? Or should we get mrazek going soon, get a good 11-12 seasons out of him, and lose the tail end (6-8) seasons of Howie?

It's the opposite of the GBvsSEA game that broke my heart today.

There's such an exaggeration complex on this board. "We we're very good that 1st period" is read as "Everybody shut the game off because it's over already" "Mrazek has played well the past 3 games and the team likes playing with him" turns into "He's the chosen one! We will murder anyone who disagrees!!"

He was clearly asking a legitimate question, not being snarky. And no he didn't really let in any bad ones. So whose really going around baiting people of the two of us?

Uh, yeah. How they just didn't show up because sheahan said they were comfortable with him in net. Like they were just like "f*** it, Pete's Got this one guys!" while it most likely had to do with them playing a back to back and nothing to do with who was in net.

Wow, If you define comfortable as not showing up for the 1st period then yes, all the skaters were extremely comfortable 2nd time you've tried to make that connection already tonight.

Put down the crack pipe man If anything is stopping this from being in the US its a certain segment of the population that think a sperm is a person

This really is amazing! http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nhl/red-wings/2015/01/18/gordie-howe-stick-handling-stem-cell-treatment/21959997/

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nhl/red-wings/2015/01/17/mrazeks-puckhandling-skills-asset-red-wings/21942697/

Not really getting a whole lot of experience sitting on the bench for 70% of the games or observing playoff hockey from the second row (all those season ticket holders on the glass have sooo much playoff experience by now, suit em up!!). I agree that's probably what's going to happen. Though I don't know if management has the balls to get rid of a known veteran commodity who has years left on a contract paying him like (5.5 mil?) a season, even if they have a better player ready to go.

haha I did hear him say "Pookie" and was so confused as to who he was referring to as "Nike". Thanks for the quote too But no I'm not "trying too hard" to put Howard down and I don't really care if anybody else agrees with me. I don't like Howard's style of play. That's literally my only beef with him. So when we already have (don't have to trade for or draft and develop for years) a young goalie who can stop the puck as well as Howie has been this season, but who has a style of play that I think helps the team out in other areas (and incidentally is almost exactly like what I personally want to see in a goalie) then of course I'm going to want him to play more. That's literally it. If you have two great goalies,great! Play the one who gives the team the best chance to win! "I know all the guys like when he's in the net..." seems pretty straightforward, They like playing with him. Doesn't mean they don't like playing with Howie. "...plays the puck really well and breaks it out for us..." Is something they don't get from Howard and it really seems to help the guys out quite a bit, expand on why they like playing with him "... and then he's amazing in net, so we definitely feel comfortable with him in there." Sounds like they know he can hold his own and they don't have to worry about having a rookie goalie in net, because he has the composure and plays like a veteran. The team has won 3 straight without Howard so they aren't really missing him (the way Nashville is missing Rinne)

You understand that at some point in every single player's career they "had no playoff experience", right? It's not like Howard has had great success in the postseason (not all his fault, but it is what it is) Edit: Yeah he is a rookie and he is young, which mean's he's still got potential to improve and get more comfortable than he already is. When exactly is he going to get a full season under his belt so you can make a judgement on him? In six years when he's 28 and we've missed out on some almost all of his prime years?

Right, just ignore the part about how his playing style helps the team.... Mrazek is putting up similar numbers to Howard's (so also 'Top 10') and has won 3 straight

I want you're honest opinion. Does anybody really miss Howard right now? It sure seems like the team isn't. Did anybody hear Sheahan's post game comments to Keating? I'll paraphrase (cuz I don't remember exactly what he said) "We're really comfortable with him back there, he's great at playing the puck and starting our breakout..."

FSD+

have they said who is starting in net for Nashville?

Yeah but Farve had good seasons after he unretired and left green bay (I'm a packers fan ) He threw six touchdowns in a game with the Jets (which was his career best) and had one one his best statistical seasons with the vikings the next year, almost getting them to the superbowl (though the game did end with a Farve interception). His last season was really bad though, so it was just one season too long.