Jonas Mahonas

I agree. I think this team is going to look magnificent in 2 years. I dont see a weakness with the exception of a superstar center and a superstar winger. We need a couple of our draft picks to blossom. Perhaps Kasper and Soderblom will.

problem with Zadina is that he doesnt drive offense in either end. He doesnt cause turnovers / create take aways - he plays defense but only the type where he skates back and TRIES to get in the way. This isnt effective. He's not aggressive or tenacious on defense. Being those doesnt mean you have to be a tough guy. It means you have to have a willpower to get the puck from the opposition at all costs and not stop driving your legs and going after the puck until you do. Zadina just skates until he is in the defensive zone and coasts to a position where he thinks he's going to stop a pass. And in the offensive zone, the same is true. Zadina does not drive creativity. He skates until he hits the blue line and then coasts to a position where he thinks he can accept a pass to shoot. That might be acceptable if he had a high finishing rate like Nyquist. But his finishing rate is terrible. The best thing the team could have done is to room Zadina with Larkin and have him immitate Larkin's every move for 2 years. Larkin plays the exact opposite style of hockey that Zadina does. Does Larkins speed help? Yah. But it can bed done with good speed instead of exceptional speed, as well. Zetterberg is a good example of that. Zadina has too good of a frame, time in the organization, NHL experience, and willingness to help the club to just discard right now. But if he comes out of the 22-23 season with 8 goals and 15 pts, then Detroit needs to make way for some of their peospects (Soderblom, Dower-Nielsen, Niederbach, Berggren, Mazur, Kasper, etc.). #11 has til mid February to put up 30 pts, imo. He will be trade bait if he stagnates again.

10-4. One more year, then call it a sunk cost and dump his ass.

Wow. I hope this kid keeps rolling.

Ahhhhh, ok. Yah, I definiyely believe the SHL is 2nd best to the NHL, with the AHL a close 3rd. The US Dev program has top notch talent. After that, the Canadian Junior leagues are a real crapshoot. Veleno was granted exceptional status in the Q and fell from top 5 pick to grinding out a bottom 6 career. Im in agreement with you here.

Yah, his groin and hip were shot. I cant believe they didnt catch that in a physical. Team's physician cost the Ilitch's 24.5 mil.

We will have to wait to see. The lineups of Colorado, Tampa Bay, and Pittsburg, Washington, Chicago. and LA (last 10 years of cup champions) have had exactly TWO Swedes (Backstrom and Hedman). I think it's a bit early to start proclaiming Sweden the talent factory.

Mazur!!!!

Weiss

Foderev would have been the first Russian captain.

Im excited to watch good looking, testosterone filled, hard hitting Canada vs R-Slured, Lazy Eyed, Contact Avoiding Sweden. Based Seabass Cossa vs Jesper Weenieboy Walstedt.

im not comparing both of them as whole players, and you know that. Im making a comparison only on offensive minded only vs 2 way player, and making a point thay not every player is going to be able to do that. Most guys are doing the spoiled brat thing and requesting trades when things dont go perfect. Zadina has been a good teammate and played how and where he's been asked to play. Im not saying that should give him an infinite leash, but it should at least give him until he's 24/25. He had 2 seasons worth of games in 3 years now. We need players in this range to take the next steps. Very few players are going to enter the nhl and light it up immediately like Mo and Raymond.

Canada 11, Slovakia 1. Jesus.

You have to be careful with this XYZ player sucks thing that LGW posters have. Sometimes a player gets completely neutered when they get to the NHL, and theyre asked to do things they havent done their whole lives (play defense against the best players in the world). STEVE YZERMAN had to learn how to do this, remember. It takes time. I see guys like Zadina and Ras willing to buy in to the defense/team first mentality, and I like it. Other posters want the neutered dog to still produce a lot of puppies. That being said, if youre supposed to score goals and you dont, you better play damn good defense/win lots of face offs/board battles (Ras). We havent gotten that grit in Zadina YET. So he definitely needs to give Saul Goyzerman a reason to keep him around THIS year.

What about Abdelkader?

Stephen Weiss also shined after his prime years.

Guy Lafleur was born in France, but trained in Canada. So doesnt count.

Eddog, you mean?

great point. trade that bust.

No Swedish goalie as ever won a Stanley Cup.

Me too. Kid is a winner. He's excelling with what he's been given. Those kind of guys are the kind I want on my team.

he does play similarly

$20?

you will like Lindstrom better this year. He was basically a rookie last year. He needs seasoning.

Dead wrong. Your worst take on this message board. Sebrango is 20 and has 100 games as a pro already. He's playing for Canada in the World Juniors. That's FAR from sucking. On top of that, the organization loves him. I will bet you $20.00 he gets a game with the Wings this year. Deal?