krsmith17

PVD, we usually agree on most things Red Wings, so let's just agree to disagree on this one. I think he should have started the season down in Grand Rapids, and proven himself down there first. That's not saying I'm not excited as hell to see what he can do with the Wings Friday night. And now that he's up, I hope he never looks back, plays 82 games and scores 100 points, on his way to the Calder Trophy this season...

I 100% agree with kip here. And those are the exact lines I would have liked to see on Friday night in Detroit. To me, it would have been just as exciting to see him suit up for the Griffins on a line with Mantha / Bertuzzi / Athanasiou Friday night in Bakersfield...

I'm not hating on the kid at all. He's already one of my favorite players within the organization. I just don't think he should be up with the Wings yet, more specifically as a winger. He's our future number one center, play him where he's most comfortable, play Zetterberg where he's most comfortable... Makes no sense to me... As for Jurco, as I've made very clear, Larkin should be down in Grand Rapids, so there's Jurco's spot in the lineup... However I do agree with you, I would much prefer seeing him sub in and out of that 3rd line position with Pulkkinen and/or Franzen than see him down on the 4th line where Babcock had him all last season...

Atlantic: 1. Detroit 2. Tampa Bay 3. Montreal Metropolitan: 1. Washington 2. New York R. 3. Pittsburgh Wild Card 1. Columbus 2. New York I. Central 1. St. Louis 2. Chicago 3. Winnipeg Pacific 1. Anaheim 2. Calgary 3. Los Angeles Wild Card 1. Edmonton 2. Dallas

So it appears that Larkin has made the team as a top 6 winger... What the F***? The promotion makes a bit of sense if you're thinking you don't want Zetterberg to play center, but zero sense in my opinion, if you're having Zetterberg play center and Larkin on the wing... Jurco continues to get mishandled... Unreal... I'm happy to see Glendening back in that 4th line center slot, where he belongs, and also happy to see Ferraro in the lineup over that scrub Andersson...

One could absolutely argue that, though I would wholeheartedly disagree... I wouldn't up assets to get a top 6 forward when we have about 7 or 8 capable top 6 guys on the team right now, with another few pounding on that proverbial door... Especially when we only have 3 proven, legit top 4 defenseman, with maybe one on the way... We are much deeper up front now and in the future than on the back end. I don't get how anyone would be able to justify giving up assets to improve an already potent forward group, when the true area of weakness is defense...

A trade would obviously need to be made, who would be involved? I have no idea. I'm a big fan of Helm, but that is one name (that actually has value) that I would be willing to throw out there. To be honest though, no matter how overloaded the roster becomes, I doubt we'll see a big trade with a top end player coming back to Detroit. Holland is a great general manager, but one thing he has been reluctant to do, since the salary cap has been implemented, is make big trades...

If we're putting a package of players / prospects / picks together, it should be for a top 4 defenseman, not a top 3/6 scorer. We have way too many forwards as it is, both top 6 and bottom 6, and many more knocking on the door over the next couple years.

I'm not opposed to Larkin playing with the Wings this season, I'm just not a fan of him being handed the spot out of training camp, without spending any time down in the minors (aside from the six games last playoffs). If he started the season down in Grand Rapids, and was tearing s*** up, then by all means, give him a shot up with the Wings. However, with him making the roster out of camp, if he plays as well as management, media and fans think he will, I don't think he should be sent back down again, even when Datsyuk returns. To me, that would be poor management. You give the kid a shot based on a solid training camp, when he probably should have started in the minors, then he proves himself in real games, and you send him down then? Doesn't look good in my opinion. That's when Holland should be forced to make some tough decisions, and clean up this roster a little bit. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I do believe there is such thing as too much depth... We have too many players, and not enough roster spots...

The same way Mantha was "That Good" last year? or?... I'm not saying he can't play in the NHL this year, I just don't think he should start the season in Detroit. I would much prefer to see him start the season down in Grand Rapids, and if he plays well enough and there are injuries down the middle in Detroit, then he should get his shot. I don't like the idea of an 18 year old kid, going from college, straight to the National Hockey League. My opinion.

Pretty good article on Mantha, Athanasiou and Bertuzzi. http://www.mlive.com/griffins/index.ssf/2015/10/what_3_top_griffins_prospects.html It looks like the top two lines to start the season are going to be: Callahan - Athanasiou - Mantha and Bertuzzi - Miele - Zengerle. Two pretty solid looking units. I like Bertuzzi up with Athanasiou and Mantha, but I also like the idea of spreading out the talent over the two lines. Callahan should provide the sand paper to that line, as well as provide a little offense. And that line of Bertuzzi, Miele and Zengerle looked great in the playoffs last year.

Miele is a great asset to have down in Grand Rapids, but he will never see an NHL game with the Red Wings. I'm glad he made it through the waiver wire, but it wouldn't have been a huge loss if he were claimed. Same goes for Lashoff in my opinion, and although Callahan wouldn't have been a huge loss either, he is the one I was the happiest to see cleared... Cleary and Andersson will both be waived at some point and both will likely go unclaimed as well, although I wouldn't shed any tears to see some desperate team pick up Andersson...

e_prime, exactly, people really need to get over hating on Dan Cleary. I was a little shocked when I seen that he was once again re-signed, but he's here for one more season, and he will not hurt this team in anyway, so get the f*** over it... But speaking of the crazy depth we have at forward, that's one of the biggest reasons I'm not a fan of Larkin making this team to start the season. We have way too many forwards and some that shouldn't be sitting, are going to do just that. I'd rather Jurco or Pulkkinen be in the lineup in Detroit and Larkin continue to develop in Grand Rapids for a season. Then when Richards is gone next season, that would be the perfect opportunity for Larkin to come in and take over as the 2nd line center...

Again, for the umpteenth time... Cleary Is NOT Taking A Roster Spot From Any Of The Kids... He is simply holding down that 13th/14th/15th forward spot until Helm and / or Datsyuk is healthy. Would you prefer Mantha be up with the big club sitting every game? Cleary will be waived before Ferraro or even Andersson. Again, he is not harming this team in any way whatsoever...

I'll obviously be rooting for the kid, and I'd love nothing more than to see him light it up and never play another game in the American League again. There's no doubt he's a star in the making, but he only turned 19 just a few months ago and has only played 6 games of pro hockey. I just would have preferred to see him start this season in Grand Rapids, and if he tore s*** up down there after a few months, then make the decision to call him up. We have a ton of forward depth, even with Datsyuk and Helm out of the lineup, but this all but ensures that one or possibly both of Jurco and Pulkkinen will be out of the lineup on opening night, and that, I'm not okay with. I would rather have seen Zetterberg center the top line, Richards the second, Sheahan the third, and Glendening the forth, with Larkin centering the top line in Grand Rapids. There's no need for a fill-in center while Datsyuk is out, with those 4 guys down the middle. Larkin needs to be playing center, and they better not be planning on playing him on the wing like it has appeared in practices. We have enough healthy centers and enough wingers as well, with Abdelkader, Nyquist, Tatar, Jurco, Pulkkinen and Franzen in the top 9, and Miller, Ferraro and Andersson on the forth line. Helm will also be within the mix as soon as he's healthy, which could be as soon as opening night. There is no need to rush this kid. And what about a guy like Athanasiou, who has been with the organization two years longer than Larkin, and arguably outplayed him in preseason? I'm not saying Andreas should have necessarily been on the team over Larkin, but I just think both should have started in Grand Rapids, with the amount of depth we have up front in Detroit... Anyway, good luck Dylan, I hope you prove me wrong, stick with the big club, and are in the Calder conversation at the end of the season...

I'll will be pissed if Andersson is in the lineup ahead of Jurco or Pulkkinen. I know, one is a "center" and the other two are wingers, but we have more than enough viable options down the middle that Andersson doesn't need to be in that 4th line center spot...

Because the better players need to play. They will get minutes down in Grand Rapids that they wouldn't get in Detroit. Cleary is NOT taking a spot from any of the kids.

I very well could be wrong, but I think Jensen is better, and I also don't think Ouellet's ceiling is very high. I think he is probably the most overrated prospect in our system. That, I hope I'm wrong on...

Here's my predictions, all Red Wings related because... F*** other teams... 1. Pulkkinen leads the Red Wings in both power-play goals and total goals on the year. 2. Howard gets nominated and plays in the All-Star game and is in the Vezina conversation at the end of the season. 3. Zetterberg plays in 80 games and puts up 70+ points, which is good for second in team scoring.

Swayze, I watch a s*** ton of Griffins games every year, and I definitely don't see the same thing you're seeing and apparently not the same as management either... I know +/- is a flawed stat, but come on, to top the entire league, you have to be doing some pretty good things on a consistent basis. In my opinion he does everything moderately to much better than Ouellet. Other than "solid" or "steady", I find it hard to see what else Ouellet is as a defenseman. number9, that's a great question, one I don't have an answer for...

I'd respond but I'd just be repeating the exact same thing I said in my previous post, the same way you just repeated the exact same thing you said in your post last night... Anyway, regardless of age Jensen > Ouellet last year, this year, and in coming years, in my opinion... Wow Larkin made the opening night roster?... I'm very surprised to say the least, and honestly a little disappointed...

number9, I don't get what their age has to do with it, if anything that argument should go in Jensen's favor. He's been with the organization for 2 years longer than Ouellet and still hasn't gotten a single game in the NHL, despite consistently outplaying him. Jensen looked much better in camp a year ago, was the last defense prospect to get sent down, and out-produced Ouellet in the AHL, but yet Xavier gets rewarded with 21 games in the NHL. He again looked better in camp this year, and he gets sent down and once again Xavier gets rewarded. Because he's a couple years younger? Since when is that a good thing for the Red Wings?... Jensen is a far superior skater, with and without the puck, his transition game is by far the best of all our prospects in my opinion. He can skate the puck out of danger, or he can make a quick tape to tape outlet pass under pressure. Last season Ouellet had 16 points (1 goal, 15 assists, 0.308 P/G) and an even +/- rating in 52 games with the Griffins and 3 points (2 goals, 1 assist) and a +4 in 21 games with the Wings. Jensen had 27 points (6 goals, 21 assists, 0.360 P/G) and was a league leading +30 in 75 games with the Griffins and I'd be willing to bet that if given the opportunity he would produce well more than 3 points in 21 games with the Red Wings...

Andersson, quick? Seriously? Cleary with two bummed knees would skate circles around Joakim f***ing Andersson... By far the worst skater on the team, probably in the league...

I'm also pretty disappointed that Jensen got sent down before Ouellet. I think Jensen was the much better player of the two, lead the entire team with a +8 rating and lead all defenseman with 4 points (0 goals, 4 assist) and 7 shots on goal in 6 games. And he's also that highly coveted right handed shot going for him. I honestly think he's a better all around player than Ouellet, but then again, I'm one of the very few that aren't all that high on Xavier. Sure, he's a good player, and does a lot of good things, but in my opinion, he does everything average, nothing really stands out to me, other than him being smart and safe. And I guess that's good for a third pairing guy, but in my opinion Jensen brings that, plus a lot more. He's an unbelievable skater, very good passer, and for the very few mistakes he makes, he has very good recover ability. Very disappointed to see him still behind Ouellet and likely Marchenko as well. He should be ahead of both by a mile in my opinion.

e_prime, the point wasn't that I want Cleary in over Andersson, or vice versa, the point is, I don't want Larkin in the lineup on opening night. I said the same thing with Jurco last season, and I think he should play a full season in Grand Rapids. If he absolutely dominates the American League, and we get hit with injuries at Center, then we can call up either Larkin or Athanasiou. Why should Larkin get the nod before Athanasiou at this point? AA put up better numbers in pre-season and was just as noticeable out there on any given night. Larkin should and most likely will play the season (or at least a good portion of it) down in GR. I look forward to watching him, along with the rest of the boys tear it up down there.