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This won't help the team at all. I don't want an enforcer, I want a gritty 4th liner that fights when he has too. Not someone who goes out every game with the job of fighting. Having an enforcer in the lineup doesn't really make us tougher when we could get a guy like Nystrom who can play 12 minutes a night and have someone to answer the bell out there more often for the wings. These next few years I tihnk the wings are going to become more of a tough team by infusing some middleweight type guys on the bottom lines that can play instead of signing one tough player. Having a team with 3 middleweights like Philly is way better then if Detroit just signed someone like Parros or Downey.

And I hope someone tells Ericcson to stop playing like a teddy bear next year. The kid is tough like borderline heavyweight but he plays soft. If he's going to play bad with the puck like he did this year he could at least clear the net front and beat guys up.

Oh I thought Carkner was still a free agent, My mistake. Janik looks like he could be getting 7th duty next year. Lebda and Meech will be gone so Janik and Kindl will be added. Janik is pretty comparable to pre concussion Lilja style wise. I think if we had Janik play like we had Lilja and give him some decent coaching he could turn into a player on the same skill level as Lilja is now.

Yeah but I think an overall tough team is a lot better then having a skilled team with one enforcer. Adding 2 guys that are 5-10 fights a year but still play a regular shift type guy is better then getting someone who will beat the snot outta someone but can only play 4 minutes a night. Add Nystrom (or another free agent like him) that is good for 5-10 a year, plus abdelkader who will probably end up with around 8 and you've all of a sudden got respectable toughness. Then with a couple guys more willing to fight guys like Ericcson will fight a bit more. E is probably good for 5 and can go with light heavies. Then on top of that there is an off chance Lilja might be gone and someone that played like old Lilja may be brought in. Or someone tougher like Carkner or Janik might get some 7th defenseman time. This team is starting to realize toughness in the bottom 6 is a good thing to have and next year we're gonna be a different team. We most likely won't be the softest team in the league anymore with Ab and another guy like him. Oh Miller should be let go too. Doesn't really provide anything at all. I have nothing against him but we don't owe him anything and its time to get a more energetic scrappier guy in his place.

If he comes back really cheap then yes. I just can't see him signing for over a million after he was out for over a year and didn't do anything significant once he came back. The old Lilja did everything a 3rd pairing defenseman should. He hit, he fought, he cleared the crease and was solid defensively. The new Lilja doesn't really do any of that, he seems like Bertuzzi in a way. Shells of what they used to be. I think the 1.25 million could get invested in a real mean number 5 or 6 guy like Matt Carkner. That would be unreal if we could bring him here. I honestly think Janik for a really cheap salary at this point is just as good as Lilja. While everyone was hurt Janik played great. He just stayed home, hit and had a couple fights and will protect his goalie. I say we either give Janik a shot at 6 or 7 or try to sign Carkner. Get an old time defenseman that will make people think twice about going anywhere near Jimmy.

Even if there is a slight risk in taking him, its not worth the 21st pick. We rarely draft that high and need top end talent. We can't be drafting a guy who may never come across from Russia. Sure we might complain 5 years down the road when he's scoring 50 goals or is the next Datsyuk but we should be able to pick up a for sure 30 goal scorer at our pick so it isn't too bad. Oh and just this year Moncton almost sent him home because he was complaining about ice time, his teammates told him they would help him pack his bags. So yeah he really doesn't seem like he has that great of character

I don't think how much they fight really matters. Boogard had like 7 last year because he's so damn scary no one will go him. I tihnk the fact that Nystrom can give us probably 10 a year is good and he can go with the light heavies is good. Its not really quantity, its the fact that you have 2 guys put into the lineup (Abdelkader and Nystrom) that will go whenever needed. What does everyone think about Kyle Chipchura? I know he's had a rough time in the NHL but he was a first round pick a few years ago, was supposed to be a goal scorer, skates great and fought 10 times last year. Detroit can resurrect careers so maybe they could turn Chipchura into a 10 goal 10 fights a year type guy?

Exactly. People that think Kabanov is a good pick at 21 are delusional. We need to pick a guy we can for sure get in the line up in 2 years or so.

Prust isn't bad defensively itas just he basically only has hands to punch stuff with. To play him on a fast line that just forechecks extremely hard he would be a perfect fit and could be the fighter that fits in that we've all wanted so baadly.

No I meant there was always a heavyweight presence on the line. When Kocur left Mac was on it. And as much as I do like these guys, that line would provide so much more momentum with a guy like Prust on it. He has the speed he just doesn't have the hands. Guys a battering ram on skates out there.

Kabanov I wouldn't mind in the second but definitely not the first. He is not worth the risk for sure. Austin Watson might fall too us, which would be sick. Same with Macfarland. Both big hitting, scoring power forwards with a bit of bite to their game. Between Mcilrath and these two I'm hoping we can get one of them.

The grind line had the ability to beat the crap outta guys with Mac and Kocur both on it. In no way do I think in the near future this team will have the next Kocur but if you wanna have the next grind line, your toughest guy can't be Abdelkader. Eaves Abdelkader Burish Eaves Abdelkader Nystrom Eaves Abdelkader Prust Those arel ines that have 2 tough guys that can play, grind it out and defend themselves well if they wanna. Eaves Helm Abby would be a solid line but to call them the next grind line isn't right at all. Eaves Abdelkader

I agree. Abdelkader showed flashes in the playoffs that showed he is much better then a fourth line player. Abdelkader should be the 3rd line center next year and Helm the 4th. Yeah Helm has more experience but Abdelkader seems more suited with his hands and scornig ability for that spot. And yeah I never thought of that. Prust and Callahan in the future would be dirty. 2 guys of that size that can chuck with the heavies (Light heavies mostly)

Even if those guys do have less offensive instinct then Hudler (which I tihnk youre wrong about most) they have other things that are needed in hockey. Umm SIZE, and skating ability. Not to mention that most of those guys, if not all are stronger defensively. I know youre not really saying Hudler is better, but really Hudler isn't anywhere near most of those guys. And Perry has awful skating ability but still has put up more points then Hudler. Offensive instinct and hockey sense aren,t all that matters in hockey. And no Huds is for sure below average defensively

The fact that people can't stand Burish makes me want him more. Its been a long time since we've had a scrappy guy who everyone they play against can't stand. He's a solid fighter and can piss people off. Homer pisses people off but lets be serious, he's not scaring anyone.

Yeah every now and then its nice to see a 6th round pick not from Europe. I think Callahan was too good to pass up that late in the draft, some had him ranked going in the 4th round.

I consider myself part of the enforcer crowd so I'll chime in here. I don't think a lot of guys are unhappy about him being undersized, the enforcer advocates don't want 6'5 goons that can't play, they want tough players in the line up that can man up when needed. Callahan is a tough kid for sure but its the only person in the system like this and has taken huge strides in one year, so whats not too like. He'll never be an enforcer at his size but he could be a good complimentary guy for a bigger guy. The second punch in a 1,2 punch if you know what I mean?

I'm surprised Nystrom has only been mentioned once. He's probably the one guy who can play the wings system and chip in offensively as well as fight. He's young too. I really hope Kenny goes the route of signing a young energy guy. Brandon Prust would be solid, nystrom solid, and so would Burish. It depends what Kenny is going for. Is he really going after a guy that can fight or does fighting have nothing to do with it? We all know Babs has been an advocate of a fighter in the past. I would be happy with any of Burish, Nystrom, Prust(probably my favourite option), Kenopka, Chipchura(could turn into a goal scoring Dallas Drake that fights more) and Winchester. Asham and Thorton would be nice too but I would much rather have a guy under 30 and be able to get him to stay for a few years. Add any of these guys plus Abdelkader to the line up and our team is suddenly respectably tough. Also Ericcson would play tougher and if Lilja doesn't come back Janik or even Carkner may be in the line up. Should be a different team to watch next year. Oh is Prust an RFA or UFA?

I wouldn't be so sure of Miller coming back guys. He was a solid waiver pick up but Holland wants tougher guys in the bottom 6. Miller might have to go.

I dunno if this has been discussed since its way too long of a thread to read all of it but its looking like Kenny wants to toughen up the bottom 6. Hopefully he gets someone who isn`t coming here to play a year then retire. Someone under 30 would be nice. He said someone who can play and is really tough to play against (which means he probably wants someone who will fight) because Babs loves these guys. We could probably use a third liner but it doesn't seem like its going to happen unless something unforeseen takes place. So heres a list of realistic guys who wouldn't cost much more then a million at the most and are tough to play against. Adam Burish - think the hawks need to let some guys go, they already have eager, fraser and some other scrappy guys so Burish may the odd man out. I really think this might be the most realistic guy to sign here. Only 26(?) or so. From our division so the wings will know a lot about him. Eric Nystrom - Not a fighter but can fight and fights pretty well when he does. Plays a work horse style game and will grind it out with the best of them. PKs like crazy and will run guys over. He's also in his mid 20s so thats a plus. Brad Winchester - Big guy, hits, fights and can play the game. WOuld be a perfect fit for a 4th line role here. I`m pretty sure he`s under 30 so he could be a good pick up for what we`re looking for. Scott Nichol - Faceoffs, PK, Feistiness, the occasional scrap. If he does well in San Jose this year he might choose to stay. He's also old so would rather see one of the first 2. Zenon Konopka - led the leagues in fights and faceoff percentage last season. Could take Drapers spot as the 4th line centerman. Under 30 and put up lots of points in the AHL so there may some untapped potential there too. Aaron Asham - Best middleweight fighter in the league. Plays on a solid third line and can put up 30 points. The only knock on him is his age. Could fit in nicely though. Shawn Thorton - another older guy but he`s a heavyweight that can play really well. Definitely deserves to play other then his fighting skills. Wouldn`t mind seeing him since he`ll take anyone on. Adding any of these guys with the addition of Abdelkader to the bottom 6 will make this team much different to watch. If Kenny realy wants to toughen it up, let Lilja walk and sign Carkner.

I read that too. Traded to Tampa Bay but it went through to late or something so it didn't work out. Makes you think both teams won't be trying to hard to resign their tough guy if tampa is trading for boogard and minny is trading him. Boogard is actually an enforcer that is just frightening as hell. People say enforcers don't intimidate, they havent watched Boogard. I would be happy if we signed either guy but I can see Konopka actually becoming a pretty solid 3rd or 4th liner here.

I wish I was as cool as you.

I was at this game. Great fight by Eaves and Versteeg too. I was at game 4 against the sharks got 39 dollar tickets on game day and couldn't refuse. Wow was the joe rocking that night.

Okay I've held off saying it because I'll seem like an enforcer slappy but I say we sign Konopka. Yeah yeah he's a goon blah blah blah. But he's one of the best faceoff men in the league and has shown he can put up numbers in the AHL but has been bouncing around the NHL and hasn't really settled in. Sign him for around the league minimum, he's still young. Have him play in Drapers 4th line center spot, win big faceoffs and play a regular 4th line role. He could be a reclamation project somewhat because he's shown he can score in the AHL. If not I'm sure the wings could turn him into a defensively strong player that wins key faceoffs and can fight. If it doesn't work out just waive him to GR.

He could be a decent pick at 53 or so by the sounds of it. If we pick Mcilrath however it just won't happen. Either way I hope we get one of these two since they seem to be a couple of the toughest but still skilled guys in this draft. Any body know any forwards that play with an edge that might go around 21 or 53?