krsmith17

Why do people keep bringing up Gallant? I really don't see him being an upgrade over Blashill in the main area of concern - player usage. From everything I've seen and heard on him, he prefers grit / vets over skill / kids, which is the main reason Florida fired him. They were going more towards analytics and Gallant is more into "process"... which is coincidentally Blashill's favorite word... Sounds like it would be much of the same to me...

Not that I don't like them, just not really high on either. They're both somewhat undersized and while size isn't everything, it's very tough to become an impact player in the NHL as a smallish defenseman. This is the first time I've seen Hronek play (outside of Red Wings training camp), hopefully they both have a strong tournament.

We have three players playing this year, none of which I'm all that high on... Finland - Vili Saarijarvi Czech Republic - Filip Hronek Switzerland - Joren Van Pottelberghe

Larkin didn't even come right from the draft table to Detroit. He played his first year at UofM, then got a look in GR for those 6 playoff games, before finally earning a full time spot in Detroit the following season. I would have loved to see us draft Chychrun, but there's zero chance he would have played in Detroit this season, and maybe not even next season...

http://ohlprospects.blogspot.ca/2016/07/30-teams-in-30-days-detroit-red-wings.html?m=1 Really excited to see what Smith and Sambrook can do this season...

I find it f***ing hilarious (insane?) that so many people have already given up on Mrazek... I'd bet a significant amount that Mrazek will be a top 10ish goalie in the league in a few years. People seem to forget that he's still only 24 years old, which is very young for a goaltender. Do we seriously need to draft a goalie to backup our future number one? No. Coreau will likely become a very good backup, maybe even starter at the NHL level. If not, I'm sure one of Paterson, Perry, Van Pottelberghe, Larsson, or any veteran UFA would be more than capable of filling the backup role... We have much bigger needs than between the pipes. We shouldn't have drafted a goaltender last year, and we definitely shouldn't this year...

I haven't watched as many Griffins games this year, only a couple since Mantha got called up. But I've very been impressed with Hicketts every single game I've watched. Kid is tiny, but has absolutely no fear and hits like a ton of bricks. It means nothing to him that he's the smallest guy on the ice, just goes out there and gets s*** done... I'm excited for Russo and Svechnikov too.

No Atlantic team will get a Wild Card spot, both will go to the Metro. If we're going to make the playoffs, it's going to have to be as a top three divisional seed and unfortunately I don't see that happening...

Goaltending is not a need for this team at all right now. I'd concentrate on drafting as many defenseman as we can, and a forward or two if someone we really like drops to us...

HockeyTown Café and Cobo Joe's are my two go-to spots for pre-game beers. Great atmosphere and good food. I highly recommend the Hudson Café for the best breakfast you could possibly imagine... I've never been to a Griffins game, but I will definitely make the trip next time I'm in Michigan.

You think DeKeyser is carrying Green? Really? I definitely see it as the other way around... Hajek? He was drafted by Tampa. Pretty sure you mean Hronek, who is a much smaller, right-handed puck moving defenseman... Jensen may not ever make it, but I don't see his size or speed having anything to do with it. He's basically the same size as Ouellet, a better skater, and plays a very similar style game...

Seems like the only logical thing to do...

Jensen has been recalled. Marchenko on 7-day IR.

Larkin - 1st line center. Mantha - 1st line winger. Athanasiou - 2nd line center / winger. Svechnikov - 2nd line winger. Jurco - 3rd line winger. Bertuzzi - 3rd / 4th line winger. Smith - 3rd / 4th line winger. Turgeon - 3rd / 4th line center. Sadowy - 3rd / 4th line winger. Nastasiuk - 4th line winger / bust. Frk - 3rd line winger / bust. Nosek - 3rd line center / bust. Holmstrom - 3rd line center / winger / bust. Cholowski - 1st / 2nd pair defenseman. Sproul - 1st / 2nd pair defenseman. Ouellet - 2nd / 3rd pair defenseman. Russo - 2nd / 3rd pair defenseman. Hicketts - 2nd / 3rd pair defenseman. Renouf - 3rd pair defenseman / bust. Sambrook - 3rd pair defenseman / bust. Marchenko - 3rd pair defenseman. Saarijarvi - 2nd / 3rd pair defenseman / bust. Hronek - 2nd / 3rd pair defenseman / bust. Mrazek - number one goaltender. Coreau - starter / very good backup goaltender. I could be wrong, but I thought he / she just meant that's where they should slot in the future, not necessarily where they should be right now... So of the players I have listed, I see something like this... Mantha - Larkin - _______ Svechnikov - Athanasiou - _______ Jurco - Nosek - Smith Bertuzzi - Turgeon - Sadowy _______ - _______ Cholowski - Sproul Ouellet - Russo Mrazek Coreau Obviously not everyone will make it, some may surprise, and there will be some veterans mixed in, but that's give or take where I see the future of our young players...

I agree with the bolder part. I'll believe Holland will sell when I see it...

I think we'll see where Holland's head is at come trade deadline. He should sell for future assets (prospects / pick), but I can easily see him buying if we're even relatively close to a playoff team, or standing pat... Vanek could fetch a 2nd (possibly a mid round pick as well), Ott could get us a late round pick, Smith could get us a mid round pick. Howard might be able to be moved if he keeps up his level of play and a contending team loses it's starter. I don't think anyone else has much value as a "rental", but I'd also explore actual hockey trades as well... I'd be open to moving anyone in the right trade outside of Larkin, Mantha, Athanasiou, Sproul and Mrazek...

My biggest issue with Blashill is his player usage and his obsession with defensive players like Glendening. I don't think that would change under Gallant. My choice would be a coach that likes to play a fast paced, offensive style game. Play the kids. I'd rather lose with the kids, getting big minutes and playing in every situation than sit them in favour of Ott / Miller or Ericsson / Lashoff... Whoever is coaching this team needs to coach for the future, not the now...

Why would you have Mantha in that group?...

The thing is though, our drafting in the first round based on position really hasn't been that bad at all... I thought the original argument was that Holland shouldn't be trusted to make the pick if we draft top 5 or 10? We can joke and say Holland would just trade it anyway for two seconds anyway or he'd go way off the board and pick someone that would be available in the second, but really, I still have enough confidence in Holland (as much as that has diminished over the past couple years...) that he would make the right pick in that situation... Maybe...

So stop using them... They sound awful... Maybe I should just go back and unread it though...

I'm okay with Larkin and Athanasiou playing center, but I'm not okay with them being our top two centers. As of today both Zetterberg and Nielsen are better slotted as our one / two in my opinion. You really think Svechnikov has earned a spot on this team with his 8 points in 24 AHL game? He's not close to being ready. We don't need to mismanage another highly touted prospect, the same way we did with Jurco. Tatar hasn't been great so far this season, and I get frustrated with him as much as anyone. I'd move him off that top line for sure, but no way would I scratch him... 14 - 40 - 39 72 - 51 - 62 21 - 71 - 26 8 - 43 - 15 / 41

I'm really not sure what game you watched, but we outplayed Columbus for large portions of that game last night. We out-shot them 33-25, out-chanced them, lead them by a wide margin in puck possession (60.55% corsi), dominated the faceoff circle (62%)... Mrazek had an off game, and we couldn't capitalize on our opportunities... that's why we lost, not because we "got dominated"... In saying that, we still aren't icing our best team. If Lashoff is still in over Sproul tomorrow, I will lose my s***... Mantha had another unreal game, and continues to be one of our top players every night. Jurco looked really good, but continues to get demoted for whatever reason... Glendening continues to be an anchor in the top 6... Blashill continues to piss off fans...

McCarty had some skill and could play in the top 6, Abdelkader is competent in the top 6, Glendening is useless in the top 6... Our top 9 should consist of Zetterberg, Nyquist, Mantha, Athanasiou, Larkin, Nielsen, Vanek, Tatar and one of Abdelkader / Helm / Sheahan... Glendening should never be anywhere close to the top 9, let alone top 6...

F*** Blashill!

It has nothing to do with Glendening being a "walk-on", it's that he's not and likely won't ever be anything more than a 4th liner. Nyquist is a very good 2nd line winger. Why are you only looking at goals? He's tied for 2nd among forwards to only Zetterberg in points... That's not top 6 worthy? What 6 forwards on the team are better than Nyquist?