kipwinger

Coincidence? Detroit Red Wings ‏@DetroitRedWings 2m2 minutes ago UPDATE: The #RedWings have recalled Alexey Marchenko from the @griffinshockey.

26 years old and 200 games of experience isn't Marek Zidlicky levels of experience, but it's not like he's Xavier Ouellet either. You're making it seem like it's reasonable to expect rookie mistakes out of him because "he's young", when in reality he's played the better part of three full season (admittedly one was only 48 games). He shouldn't still be making bush league mistakes. The Abby comparison is a reach. Abby didn't produce well until this season, but he did everything else right. He played special teams, worked hard, was defensively sound, forechecked, was physical. The only weak part of his game was his negligible offensive skills. Conversely, Smith A) doesn't produce offense, B) doesn't play good defense, C) doesn't play on the special teams, D) isn't phyiscal. Abby had value, even when he didn't score. Which is why he stayed in the lineup. What's Brendan's value to the team? Seriously, what is it that he does well? Edit: FYI, Kindl has only played roughly 250 games and is universally considered a bust. So if Smith still sucks in 50 games is he a bust too? Or is Kindl still too young and inexperienced to really know?

He's 26 years old and has played in roughly 200 NHL games. A) The "he's young" excuse is borderline, B) if he doesn't know how to pass, score, or defend yet, how much longer does he need?

I honestly don't know why they didn't trade him at the deadline to be honest. He really hasn't had a bad season. And I have every reason to believe he'd perform better under a different coach. If I was a team looking for a reasonably priced 5-6 puck mover, I'd give him a look.

I know lol. We need more tough guys, like Smith. You know, someone who hits less often than Jakub Kindl. It's incredible the amount of goodwill a guy can earn just by getting into a couple of fights early in his career. Even though I disapprove of fighting, I would encourage every single prospect coming into our system to get in a couple of fights in their first few NHL games. You can play pedestrian hockey for the next 200+ games and nobody will care.

My frustration stems from the fact that he's always been a version of what he is now, a third pair defenseman with (possible) upside. At no point in his NHL career has he been better than that. Yet, the lengths that some folks go through to make excuses for him have been unrivaled in recent memory. People were ready to trade Tatar after last year's playoffs and yet there's always an excuse for Smith. Until now anyway, when he finally did something so monumentally stupid that you just can't excuse it.

Why do people try so hard to invent ways to keep this dingbat in the lineup? We've got world class forward prospects. We've got world class defense prospects. If Brendan plays his way out of a spot, trade him. Don't finagle ways to give a roster spot to him just because he's there.

People only agree about Smith because of the bonehead penalty last night. Not a month ago the general concensus on LGW was that "Smith's been our best defenseman lately". There were A LOT of people around here saying he should be put on the top pair lol. Of course, it wasn't smart then and it isn't now. It's just that the narrative has changed now. Reminds me of Quincey last year. He was "terrible" all season long, until Babs praised his play, and then suddenly he "turned it around". Which was silly too. Smith has been bad to mediocre all year. Anybody who'd bothered to look would have seen exactly that. But nobody bothered, for whatever reason. Now people can't say enough how "stupid" he is. And he is. And always has been. As Forrest Gump might very well have said on the subject, "Stupid is as stupid was".

You're more of a fan than Jack Squat! Get it? Get it?

I thought she wore Joffrey Lupul's pants...ya know...after they're done doin' it and all.

At times like this, I like to ask myself "who does Gary Bettman think constitutes "real fans?". Because his is the only opinion on hockey that really matters/I care about. If you don't choose Gary's model of fandom, or more importantly if that model doesn't choose you, then you're not a fan. Plain and simple, Gary Bettman IS hockey fandom.

Jesus Christ. Phaneuf looks like a whipped dog in that video. Unbelievable.

Do you guys honestly think Smith's going to be smarter with the puck at forward...when he has the puck more? I don't want that dingbat touching a puck ever again. Like, seriously. If I were near Brendan Smith and he tried to reach down a pick up a puck to put it back in the bin at a sporting goods store, I'd still punch him.

Jack Edwards is a real fan. Everyone else is posing.

And scores all those points for us? Lol. If his offensive game is his "most helpful" contribution then he's worse than I thought. He's produced less offense than every other defenseman we have. Including Kindl...who doesn't even play regularly.

Would you go so far as to say that you need "PK for your bunghole"?

Agreed. Heaven forbid P.K. Subban even have fun after the game. Let alone during it. If he'd squirted Thornton, the Beantown faithful would have been dusting off their hoods.

I thought of Clowe too. Or Thornton, squirting water from the bench.

Jeff Blashill?

I just don't think it's fair to expect too much from us against a team like Montreal. They're freaking awesome! Maybe if we were allowed to play one man up, 6 on 5 or something. Like, what if we could get an assist from the bench or something like that? Maybe we'd have a better shot?

Hey what's up guys, what's been going on lately? I haven't been watching the game, but for some reason my ears were ringing so I thought I'd check in.

Do we really need Ferraro AND Pulkkinen in the same lineup? Don't we have any adults who play hockey?

Kronwalls weak and Tatar is streaky huh? Lol.

I want Tatar to break 30 sooooo bad. Haven't had 30 since 2009.

You really think that or you're being a smart ass?