kipwinger

Right. The problem with trying to interpret Nyquist's production up to this point is that both years diverge pretty sharply from the norm. So trying to interpret them individually, or sticking them together, is a dangerous game. That first year is about as unorthodox as it gets. I'd be VERY surprised if Nyquist ever did anything like it again. 78% even strength goal scoring with a shooting percentage of 18% suggests anything but "normal". However, you're probably right that his power play numbers from a year ago are outliers as well. At least based on his career up to this point (in GR about 30-40% of his goals came on the PP). It's not really easy to pigeonhole him right now because both of his years have been wonky (in totally different ways). So I think it would be wrong to conclude (as I, and others, have) that he's destined to be a PP specialist. But I don't think it's crazy to hypothesize such a thing, and see what the numbers say going forward.

Maybe they (correctly) thought that nobody listens to, or care about, the radio anymore? Edit: Unless you don't call it "radio" and do call it "podcast". Then it's a hit.

I wasn't implying Datsyuk would leave a year early. Sorry if it came across that way. I think he'll leave at the end of his contract.

The two guys I think of off the top of my head are Kyle Turris and Claude Giroux. He's a little bigger than Giroux, but otherwise I like those comparisons. He's fast, responsible, and sees the ice extremely well. He's a good shooter, and a great passer. Plus he thinks really quickly. I watched him do that little "toe drag/use the defenseman as a screen" move the other night. It's not exactly groundbreaking, but for a 19 year old to have the presence of mind to do that makes me think he processes the game at a truly high level.

Did someone say "goalie battle"?

I was responding to Rick's comment about how we're going to fit all our young kids over the next two years. I legitimately see all of those things happening in the next 2-3 years. I don't believe Datsyuk will sign another deal. I think Richards will be done after this year. I think Quincey will be done after this year. I don't see Miller or Andersson having long term futures, Andersson will likely be waived this season and Miller's contract is up at the end of this year. I genuinely believe that barring injuries one of Kindl or Smith will be traded THIS year (recall, Smith was almost traded last year as part of the deal for Phaneuf). The only real stretches in my previous post are Helm (who I think will be allowed to walk at the end of his contract a la Filppula) and one of Nyquist or Pulkkinen (which was my preference, and not a likely Holland move for sure).

Richards will be gone, Datsyuk will retire, Quincey gone, Franzen will retire, Miller will move on, Smith/Kindl/Both will be moved, Andersson will be waived, Helm (may) be traded or allowed to walk. We'll be fine. I'd even be amenable to letting Nyquist and Pulkkinen battle for the next year or so, and then move the one you don't want to keep. Some others might throw Tatar in that group too. Obviously I wouldn't, because I think he's WAY better than the other two.

If Nyquist's preseason is any indication, he's still got a lot to learn about scoring at even strength. He does fine off the rush, and in broken coverage. But he's not really great at establishing zone time or creating offense off the cycle. Probably because in those situations he tends to get overwhelmed easily...since he's kinda weak. I think as he strengthens up and learns to play in traffic he'll be fine. But for the time being the lion's share of his scoring will be on the PP and off the rush, because that's where perimeter players do their damage.

I don't disagree with your assessment of his talent. He is THAT good. Which is why I'd rather have him at the position of greatest importance (and organizational need). As a top six winger he'd just be one amongst many (Tatar, Nyquist, Mantha, Svechnikov, Pulkkinen, Bertuzzi). We're much less stacked at center going forward (Larkin, Sheahan...Nosek?). Plus, it's his natural position. Which everybody knows I'm a stickler for. I don't see the point of turning one of our top center prospects into a winger, and then needing to change one of our top winger prospects (Svechnikov) into a center.

This is why I don't agree with those that think AA should be on the wing. This kid has game breaking ability at center. He reminds me of a young Kessler. This is why I don't agree with those that think AA should be on the wing. This kid has game breaking ability at center. He reminds me of a young Kessler.

Dylark getting lots of looks. They must be having a hard time what they want to do with him.

Stamkos is close. He's the only other person in the ballpark as far as I'm concerned.

Has Nyquist registered a point yet in the in preseason?

Hmmm, the big, bad, bruiny, bears are acting like big Boston *******. Head locking Larkin? He's 19 years old tough guy!

Jurco! 2-0 wings.

Miller scores. Clearly assists. Clearly...so useless.

To clarify, it's only the radio announcers. It would be the equivalent of the Wings leaving Ken Kal in Detroit to call games from the TV.

I think it's great. Show how much enthusiasm there is for the sport. You've got to remember, this is just the pre-season and people are irritated that they can't see it. A few short years ago nobody cared about pre-season hockey. It's crazy the change you see in the consumption of the sport. You've got people watching the draft, playing fantasy hockey, watching the preseason, following minor league affiliates, and monitoring European prospects overseas. That kind of stuff probably doesn't seem that crazy to the Canadian fans, they've been at that level for a while. But that's entirely new and exciting for American fans. It means that the sport is growing. And everybody has to like that.

Hmmm...looks like there's at least one stream that should be up and running around game time.

Maybe, but I don't care if he does or doesn't. I think it's WAY more important for the team's success that Tatar be a 30+ goal scorer than a 25 goal scorer with defense. The entire Mike Babcock mentality, that a guy's only valuable if he's defensively responsible, has got to change in Detroit. In some instances it's true, and in others it makes no sense. For instance, last year Kindl couldn't buy a spot in the lineup because he didn't play good defense. However Smith, who is significantly worse than Kindl offensively and only marginally better defensively, played all season. What makes it bad, however, isn't Smith. I don't care about him. It's the usage. Both guys led the defense in offensive zone starts. So their respective differences in defensive ability didn't really matter because neither of them were ever going to play a defensive role. But by removing Kindl from the lineup you effectively ensured that you weren't going to get any production from the back end, even though that was the role Smith way playing. You replaced a guy who can produce offense with a guy who's better defensively, and then never used the defensive guy in a defensive role. Dynamic offensive players don't grow on trees. I'd be pissed if we stunted Tatar's upward potential by asking him to take on more defensive responsibility. We don't need that from him. Not when he's only 1 of 2 guys on the team that can score 30+.

Tatar is a better possession player than Kane. Demonstrably. He was one of the very best possession players in the league. http://www.nhl.com/stats/player?navid=nav-sts-indiv#

Vermette was their 3C.

I think so. I think he's as good as Tatar or Nyquist. Which is to say that he's no superstar but he doesn't completely ignore that part of the game either. But the fact that he's such a good possession player IS his defense. What does it matter if he can backcheck if he's got the puck in the o-zone for the majority of his shifts?

To be honest I don't really care about his defense. I care about his ability to contribute to possession. Which he can demonstrably do. He's playing the exact same role for us that he did a year ago for the Stanley Cup winner. So I don't think there's any denying you can win with Brad Richards as a 2C. I think the days of sacrificing offense for defense are coming to an end in Detroit. Sure being a 200 foot player is important, but not to the extreme that the Babcock Wings took it. Look at Chicago and LA. There are quite a lot of guys on both those teams that are only ok defensively, but contribute a lot offensively (Kane, Sharp, Richards, Carter, Gaborik). All things being equal I'd usually rather have a guy who can maintain possession in the offensive zone, than a guy who can't do anything with the puck but can backcheck like a bulldog. At the end of the day you still have to score points.

Are we talking about the same Brad Richards who had all the primary assists in Tatar's hat trick? Not sure why you're insinuating he is some washed up scrub.