newfy

No, those guys are helpful and will help protect the stars. Late in a game where you used to see the Ducks goon guys at the buzzer in playoffs, Gaustad or Moen can be trusted out there. Noone has ever said get these guys cause they can fight. Fighting is definitely part of it but its because theyre useless in other areas as well that this team is really lacking. If people wanted someone to just fight they wouldnt be suggesting these guys, they would be suggesting Colton Orr

Youre underrating Jones big time lol. You would rather have someone with talent, thn list Steve Ott?

Yeah I think when he really rips on the wings people catch wind of it but when he compliments them people forget, you tend to remember the negative and forget positive stuff. That Abdelkader bit was definitely telling everyone how much guts he had for blocking those shots, and last time he ripped the wings for not being tough enough he was talking about how in 08 they could handle the rough stuff with Downey Mac and Drake regular season and Mac and Drake in the playoffs. He really just said what a lot of people here including myself say at that time

Actually he did give that 2008 team credit just this season lol I get the Cherry hate for the s*** he says, but at least know the facts

Yeah but Cherry has never hated America or Americans. Everyone rips on him here but noone has ever memtioned how he did a piece on Abdelkader a couple weeks ago blocking a shot, being hurt and than trying to block another one. He gives Americans plenty of credit all the time. People just dont notice that because after doing that, he'll call the wings soft. Which to be honest they are a pretty soft team, one huge hitter in Kronwall, a couple solid ones with Stuart and Abdelkader, Helm is good for a big one but not consistently at all and ABdelkader seems like the only somewhat willing fighter that plays. I dont know why people care so much that Cherry points it out. The wings are still a very elite team, but they are fairly soft compared to most teams and definitely are in the bottom 6 or so

Young and can play the second PP pretty well, has 23 points this season. Not a big tough guy, but can throw a hit and has some size. Not a complete ***** anyways. Well, pack your bags Kindl, theres no way the wings go with Kindl and Commodore scratched the rest of the way. Unless a complete shocker happens and Stuart is moved? A really late first in this years draft isnt awful

I agree with the whole sentiment that Detroit doesnt need a goon and could use another guy who can play a bit and be tough but are you forgetting the team Cherry is in love with? The bruins, to say he wouldnt allow American teams isnt true at all. I dont think the wings are softer then a few teams out there, but they are definitely soft and could use another Abdelkader in the lineup. PS isnt it nice to see Abdelkader manning up now and actually scrapping? 5 fights now, probably end up with 6 or 7 before the year is done and hes getting a lot better at it too

All these people calling Moen just a grinder and that he wouldnt improve this team at all are clearly just the homers who dont watch anything except the wings and think every prospect is going to be the next Datsyuk/Lidstrom. People do realize hes the best PKer on the leagues best PK right? And that Detroit has a pretty terrible penalty kill. He was also part of the best shut down defensive line since the grindline that was huge fora cup win in anaheim. On top of that he plays a physical game that could only help come playoff time. Do peoplle erally want to see a lineup with Emmerton and Mursak in come playoff time? The wings have always won cups with 4 lines they can roll and theyve been barely rolling the fourth line in the regular season this year, so what does that say about plaoyffs?

From an all time best player Lidstrom is second behind Gordie quite easily. Gordie is without question a top 4 player all time and I have hi behind Gretzky and Orr. 6 hart trophies, leading the league in scoring while being the toughest fighter and playing very solid defensive hockey. He is Mr. Hockey for gods sake. We all love Nick but hes not the player Gordie was. From a who was the better "redwing" I have him behind Yzerman as well, even though he was a better player from an all time stand point than Steve was. So in short, the answer is no to your question

I see that a lot of people call Abdelkader useless and extremely mediocre etc. But I dont really get it. For starters, he provides something this team lacks. Hes not a great fighter but at least hes willing and has become a solid middleweight, hes leading the team in fight majors this year. Hes the only consistently physical forward and leads the forwards in hits, second on the team behind Stuart. Second in the forward group for blocked shots, and has a 52% faceoff rate. On top of that, from playing pretty much the entire year on the fourth line he has 1 less point then Helm and only 4 less than Miller. Not to mention the age difference between Abby and Miller Why do we see this Abdelkader hate and everyone loves the other 2 so much? Did everyone have their hopes up for the next Mccarty fighting every other night or something and now they dont like him cause he got their hopes up (GMR lol)? Someone wanna help me out with this?

He deserves to be high on the list but anyone that has him above Nyquist or Jarnkrok just dont have knowledge of prospects. As for Pulkkinen, definitely not above Tatar. Jurco is close, but Tatar has shown he can play in the NHL and is much closer to a full time job there while Jurco has had one great season in the q. Jurco is definitely moving up the list quickly however. Tatar has good speed, is very competitive and willing to go into traffic despite his size. He has a pretty good offensive package, but not amazing. He looks like he should be a solid second line winger which is pretty good `50 points

Over his career I can agree with. When Helm came up for playoffs especially his only job was to run around full speed and hit everything, he was good at it but it also left him out of position. He could run around like that because of his speed. WIth less ice time this year Abdelkader has had more big hits fairly easily I think. Thats because Helm knows he has to play smarter positionally now and cant run around out of position. I think Abbys skill with his hitting is that he can line guys up without that speed and stay in position. This year Abby is definitely ahead in the hitting department

Nobody "owns" it but Canada is by far the dominant country when it comes to hockey.

See thats not right though. I gotta agree with workingovertime here, youre just proving that theres no real seasoning behind it. Hes definitely not a far better hitter, Abdelkader is much more consistent physically and also a heavier hitter. Helm is no slouch physically but Abdelkader throws harder hits and throws them more often. Helm has speed for sure and is a great PKer, but Abdelkader isnt far behind on the PK and I would say is better defensively 5 on 5 for sure. He is always back helping out the D. He was also made the second line center in the playoffs last year to shut down Doan against the Yotes and he did a great job. Has Miller been that much more clutch? Hes scored some goals this year sure, but he has a total of 4 more points while playing on the third line with Cleary. Miller has been pretty invisible when the playoffs role around but somehow he has the "clutch" factor on Abdelkader lol.. Youre just proving how there is no basis in the Abdelkader hate. GMR: I can agree with that sentiment of yours as well. But I would say if this team is lacking in toughness why would you want to get rid of Abdelkader? Instead why wouldnt you just bring in another version of Abdelkader and play them together?

Or he just gets frustrated when he loses big games, which he does a lot cause hes a choke artist. I dont know if the whole "its our game crap" is crap though, more likely its true. Youre sounding a lot like Ryan Kesler

Since late January the wings have actually doubled their fighting majors from October to January. Theyve had like 5 fights in their last 5 games or something like that. As well, Ericcson wanted Eager bad tonight but Eager had nothing to do with it. I have to think Babcock said something to them about sticking up for each other and toughening up down the stretch to get ready for playoffs. Commie cementing himself as what looks to be the more regular 6th defenseman has helped as well. Just seems like whenever the wings look flat and a fight starts, the wings get their legs under them. Abdelkader sparked them tonight and they didnt look back after. If they have eachothers backs like this all the time I would be very happy. Keep it up

So now Emmerton centers the fourth line, Abdelkader goes with Helm and Miller and Mursak plays wing on the fourth line? Once Cleary went down and Abby was moved up that line loooked pretty good together

Shanny - Larionov - Ciccarelli Redmond - ? - Hull the grind line Kocur - Lapointe - Robitaille Coffey Murphy Rafalski Scneider Uwe Krupp Dandenault?

Its frustrating that Ericcson will go have a good fight with someone like Clowe who is VERY tough than not fight for the rest of a season and has like 1 all year... I think if he fought five times a year even with the added experience he would become a very solid LHW as well. Hell he already can fight with guys like Clowe and he barely has any experience. Oh well I guess, maybe he'll toughen up now that he sees the rest of the squad doing it

Not in all those games I'm sure but Abdelkader definitely woke them up earlier in the season when he pumped Lapierre and last night with Edmonton they turned on right after. I'm not going to say its the only cause but where theres smoke theres usually fire

Commie will be in both games this weekend against the Ducks and Philly I can guarantee you that, they need that presence against those teams. If Rinaldo or Sestito get running around on the wings someones gonna have to step up and Commie is the most willing/capable. Abdelkaders hit on Hall was huge tonight as well

Sheahan or Ouellet now too? Jesus have you seen what Ouellets been doing in the Q this year? Hes going to be the top dman in that league next year and most likely on team Canada. If anyone should get traded with a bit of value it would be Pulkkinen

Trade our only decent prospect standing over 6 feet tall, uses his size and plays the style of the wings system to a T ? Hes much more likely an NHLer then pretty much everyone in the prospect pool besides Smith and Nyquist. The difference between him and Ferraro is huge as well? If youre saying Sheahan and Ferraro are remotely close in value then you are way off

Hockey used to be a mans sport, used to get a few scars and learn to handle yourself and keep your head up. This game is getting softer then baby s***