newfy

Smiths advanced stats are actually pretty good. Hes a better possession player than Dekeyser who gets a way longer leash from wings fans than Smith even though he isnt perfect. Smith was arguably (IMO was) the wings best dman in the playoffs last year against Boston and was great on the top pair after the Olympics. When he has been given the opportunity in the top 4 Smith has actually been really good.
I would like to see your stats and facts that support what youre saying.
Last season Smith's ES production was tied with Shattenkirk, a point off Drew Doughty, 3 off Krug etc and he was ahead of guys like Franson, Wideman, and Enstrom. For his limited ice time Smith was very productive. I'm not saying hes a stud but hes actually solid when hes in the top 4, unlike what youre saying.

Lets hope for some of this...

And some of this! Callahan is fearless. He doesn't just fight with one guy...

He needs to stay on the top pair, even when Ericcson is back

He needs to stay on the top pair, even when Ericcson is back

He needs to stay on the top pair, even when Ericcson is back

Concussion has become such a scare word now. Even losing consciousness doesnt mean you'll get a concussion. Yes they are scary and need to be taken seriously but sometimes I really think we're getting too worried about them

I want us to acquire both Kassians, and put them on the same line as Datsyuk.

Karlsson, Subban and Doughty are the top 3 D in the league for give aways. Are you sure you want to use that stat as proof that a guy isnt a good passer? More often than not these are the guys who push the play and are actually moving the puck. Smith definitely pushes the pace and anyone who thinks he doesnt is a stat watcher.
As for some other stuff. We're going to use stats to say Dekeyser is better offensively? Dekeyser gets PP time and still barely outscores Smith. Dekeyser has an OK shot but that spot/the spot Kindl had all year should be Smiths. The way he passes and the instincts he has to cut back door and get sneaky in the offensive zone is only shown by Kronwall on this team. Hes getting tough love from babcock but its working and his game is coming along really nicely. I would wager next year if he keeps this up he will be on the PP and we'll see a solid spike in production

Smith is far better offensively. He also tries to push the play more which is where the turnovers come from, not inaccurate passes.

Andersson is not as good as Sheahan. Sheahan might get sent down but hes gonig to be back in soon. The wings are going to move some bodies out, I know its Holland but theres no way they dont make room for some of these kids.
Andersson will have some trade value, he could be used in a package for sure or just get a third or 4th rounder for him and put Sheahan in the line up. Your team improves and you aquire an extra pick in the draft. At 6'2, 24 years of age and some solid minutes on a good PK I dont see how a team like Edmonton doesnt at least be interested in Andersson.

Ferraro is a speedy player. Hes got grit and will throw his weight around. He looks like Helm out there before Helm started scoring a lot. But lately he has been off his game, even Kaiser the griffs announcer who is a masive homer mentioned how he needs to step it up. Hes a really good PKer and will scrap a bit as well.
Realistically, Callahan and Ferraro would make the wings fourth line very fun to watch and interesting in the future. Both have above average speed, are pretty big hitters, both agitate and Callahan is a pretty solid fighter (Ferraro is alright and willing, not the best though). Both have skill though that makes them desireable. Both are good defensive players (Callahan is better 5 on 5, Ferraro on the PK) and both can PK really well. They each would add speed to the line up and a bit of a scoring touch. Theyre the type of energy guys that can make a really good fourth line that can be counted on, not a bunch of cast offs like the wings have right now.
Pretty much they would each give the wings more speed and toughness while not being a step down defensively and most likely better in the future than what the wings have right now. I would say Sheahan is starting to separate himself from these 2 with the call ups hes getting, but both these guys should at least have fourth line NHL futures. The only vet that the wings should consider bringing back is Alfie to get these young guys up and start giving the wings bottom 6 an identity

The problem with the "fourth line players" the wings have now is that they arent actual fourth liners. A fourth line should provide energy, some grit and defensive play at least. Instead the wings are putting washed up skilled guys who didnt play a fourth line role their whole career in the bottom 6. Emmerton is a scorer who cant score, hes not good on the PK, draws and not physical. Sammy is the biggest waste of space ever, hes so slow and still tries to stick handle around everyone like hes a top 6 player, Cleary is ridiculously old and broken down (and not even scratched ever) and even Eaves doesnt do much out there. Hes injury prone and redundant.
You take out those guys who are filler and put in specialist types and the fourth line would have an identity. Sheahan is the big, defensive center that can chip in some offense and is a great PK guy, Callahan will piss the other team off, throw big hits, fight a bit and is a really good PK guy and Glendening is a bit of a balance of the two. He agitates a little and plays a bit physical but is also more defensive minded. I consider Callahan and Glendening fast and Sheahan solid speed wise. Theyre all young and want to prove smoething as well. What is Samuelsson or Cleary playing for? Theyre handed a spot on the team and have made their millions over their careers. Need some guys who are hungry which all three of those would be, and would likely feed off each others energy

The problem with the "fourth line players" the wings have now is that they arent actual fourth liners. A fourth line should provide energy, some grit and defensive play at least. Instead the wings are putting washed up skilled guys who didnt play a fourth line role their whole career in the bottom 6. Emmerton is a scorer who cant score, hes not good on the PK, draws and not physical. Sammy is the biggest waste of space ever, hes so slow and still tries to stick handle around everyone like hes a top 6 player, Cleary is ridiculously old and broken down (and not even scratched ever) and even Eaves doesnt do much out there. Hes injury prone and redundant.
You take out those guys who are filler and put in specialist types and the fourth line would have an identity. Sheahan is the big, defensive center that can chip in some offense and is a great PK guy, Callahan will piss the other team off, throw big hits, fight a bit and is a really good PK guy and Glendening is a bit of a balance of the two. He agitates a little and plays a bit physical but is also more defensive minded. I consider Callahan and Glendening fast and Sheahan solid speed wise. Theyre all young and want to prove smoething as well. What is Samuelsson or Cleary playing for? Theyre handed a spot on the team and have made their millions over their careers. Need some guys who are hungry which all three of those would be, and would likely feed off each others energy

Cant say I disagree. Hes got size that most NHL heabyweights nowadays dont. Realistically, how many players in the NHL are even his size?
The crazy thing is that hes supposedly a fitness freak and his weight is muscle, not Byfuglien weight. Im glad he went to college so he can develop some skill, his mean streak is always going to be there and hes had plenty experience fighting. He needs to work on his puck skill and skating

I'll add some context since I watch a lot of Griffins.
Callahan is playing lower in the line up than guys like Ferraro or Sheahan. He usually plays with someone like Triston Grant. He doesnt get regular PP time (did get some when there were call ups) but does play the PK. Callahan is outscoring Sheahan and Ferraro while getting way less opportunity on the PP and with less skilled linemates. Hes essentially playing the exact role he would in the NHL on grand rapids, whereas Sheahan and Ferraro are playing more of a scorers role.
Callahan is arguably the most trusted winger down there defensively. Hes out at the end of games when the other team has the goalie out and everything. Overall I do like how Sheahan has played since his call up and he has looked great, but between Callahan and Ferraro I'm not sure who should really have the edge. Both are fast (Ferraro has elite speed) but Callahan adds more of that rugged play and seems to put the puck in more.
All three should be on the team next year. They all deserve a chance. Callahan looks like a better play than Tootoo down in GR. And if the wings want to be tougher you need to keep Callahan. Hes cheap, homegrown toughness that you dont need to overspend on in free agency for guys like Tootoo

I'll add some context since I watch a lot of Griffins.
Callahan is playing lower in the line up than guys like Ferraro or Sheahan. He usually plays with someone like Triston Grant. He doesnt get regular PP time (did get some when there were call ups) but does play the PK. Callahan is outscoring Sheahan and Ferraro while getting way less opportunity on the PP and with less skilled linemates. Hes essentially playing the exact role he would in the NHL on grand rapids, whereas Sheahan and Ferraro are playing more of a scorers role.
Callahan is arguably the most trusted winger down there defensively. Hes out at the end of games when the other team has the goalie out and everything. Overall I do like how Sheahan has played since his call up and he has looked great, but between Callahan and Ferraro I'm not sure who should really have the edge. Both are fast (Ferraro has elite speed) but Callahan adds more of that rugged play and seems to put the puck in more.
All three should be on the team next year. They all deserve a chance. Callahan looks like a better play than Tootoo down in GR. And if the wings want to be tougher you need to keep Callahan. Hes cheap, homegrown toughness that you dont need to overspend on in free agency for guys like Tootoo

Watch the game he was a -2 in and got benched after and tell me which goals were his fault, watch the game against Carolina where he was a minus 1 where he made a PERFECT defensive play on the goal and Quincey effed up.
Hes not defensive stud by any means but a LARGE part of his plus minus is on Quincey and its not surprise to anyone that hes looked much better with Ouellet and now Kronwall as well

Watch the game he was a -2 in and got benched after and tell me which goals were his fault, watch the game against Carolina where he was a minus 1 where he made a PERFECT defensive play on the goal and Quincey effed up.
Hes not defensive stud by any means but a LARGE part of his plus minus is on Quincey and its not surprise to anyone that hes looked much better with Ouellet and now Kronwall as well

Probably came across as more condescending than I meant to but honestly there is no reason to even bring up his play as bad last night. He created offensive chances and made no real defensive mistakes. The goal he was on the ice for he played it perfectly against a pretty good player and Quincey messed up royally. I've actually seen some people say he was one of the wings better players last night and even had him as a star (I think he was solid but not top 3) the only reason people would be saying anythnig bad about his play is because hes getting the Ericcson treatment where everyone hates on him and watches for one little thing he does wrong. Smith played like a second pair dman last night

What game were you watching? Smith was fine out there all night, people call Dekeyser a stud off tonights game and say Smith was brutal. Both played a comparable game its funny how once someone gets a rep around here they cant shake it no matter what. Same thing happened to Ericcson

Probably came across as more condescending than I meant to but honestly there is no reason to even bring up his play as bad last night. He created offensive chances and made no real defensive mistakes. The goal he was on the ice for he played it perfectly against a pretty good player and Quincey messed up royally. I've actually seen some people say he was one of the wings better players last night and even had him as a star (I think he was solid but not top 3) the only reason people would be saying anythnig bad about his play is because hes getting the Ericcson treatment where everyone hates on him and watches for one little thing he does wrong. Smith played like a second pair dman last night

What game were you watching? Smith was fine out there all night, people call Dekeyser a stud off tonights game and say Smith was brutal. Both played a comparable game its funny how once someone gets a rep around here they cant shake it no matter what. Same thing happened to Ericcson

What game were you watching? Smith was fine out there all night, people call Dekeyser a stud off tonights game and say Smith was brutal. Both played a comparable game its funny how once someone gets a rep around here they cant shake it no matter what. Same thing happened to Ericcson

Youre kidding right? An agitator who happened to be voted the second hardest hitter by the actual NHL players doesnt make the team tougher to play against? Having a willing and high end middle weight fighter in the line up in case hes needed doesnt make the team tougher? Youre full of it. Tootoo must get noticed by other teams players if the players vote him the second hardest hitter in the league, you dont think some dmen voted in that and having him bearing down on them leaves them a little more uncomfortable back there?
Cant wait for tougher players to start making it to the wings since theyve bee drafting this way lately. It will really clear out a lot of the band wagon fans who jumped on for the flashy european style of play. The wings arent good enough for that to work anymore, and it wasnt all that effective this year. Theres a shift coming so get used to it, its not like the wings were forced to sign Tootoo. Management decided it was in the best interests of the team for the direction theyre heading
I also dont think anyone would identift Miller as a banger or their definition is pretty far off from reality. Solid player, Tootoo, Abby and Helm are the only guys that should be called that though

Youre kidding right? An agitator who happened to be voted the second hardest hitter by the actual NHL players doesnt make the team tougher to play against? Having a willing and high end middle weight fighter in the line up in case hes needed doesnt make the team tougher? Youre full of it. Tootoo must get noticed by other teams players if the players vote him the second hardest hitter in the league, you dont think some dmen voted in that and having him bearing down on them leaves them a little more uncomfortable back there?
Cant wait for tougher players to start making it to the wings since theyve bee drafting this way lately. It will really clear out a lot of the band wagon fans who jumped on for the flashy european style of play. The wings arent good enough for that to work anymore, and it wasnt all that effective this year. Theres a shift coming so get used to it, its not like the wings were forced to sign Tootoo. Management decided it was in the best interests of the team for the direction theyre heading
I also dont think anyone would identift Miller as a banger or their definition is pretty far off from reality. Solid player, Tootoo, Abby and Helm are the only guys that should be called that though