LeftWinger

Good for Huskins! Pregame soundoffs: Cleary sucks Q sucks Howard.better NOT be playing Go Brunner, Go Tatar, Go Wings! Tooooootooo!

...and if he doesn't get out of his stinkiness, his contract will become a detriment as well....

Obviously not anymore...it is not as appealing to UFA's when you don't Have Lidstrom's, Shanahan's, Yzerman's or Hasek's on your team anymore...that was well apparent this off season. NOT ONE top UFA signed here. Not one. Used to be, everyone had Detroit on their short list...those days are gone. Long gone.

Kindl played fine tonight...but he cannot have one good game in 10 and expect to be a legit top 6 d-man. Every dog has his day, but on 90% of the nights, Kindl is garbage.

Good (solid): Dats, Z, Brunner, Lashoff, Tootoo, Huskins, Mrazek Ugly (hot garbage): Quincey, Cleary, Kronwall, Kindl (most nights) Bad (to average) : Rest of the team.... ungraded: Helm, Sammy, Cola, Monster, Mursak, Tatar, Andersson, Nyquist...

Honestly, you dont have to be a GM to be a good judge of talent. I can guarantee that half of the users on this forum can judge NHL talent just as good as Holland and some even better. Then only thing most of us lack is the business sense and aspect of the game. I know Axe is far from a Jimmy supporter and he is entitled to his opinion. I will NEVER like Franzine and nothing he can do or anyone can say will change my mind. Just our opinions. BUT, that doesn't mean that we or you or anyone cannot have a saavy sense of judging talent, we just don't have the means or resources Holland has or credentials to be in his spot. But I am willing to bet if a few of our beloved friends on here had all of Hollands resourses and credentials and business sense, they would be just as good if not a better GM in the league...

While I concur with this regarding our D, I am all for giving Howard a break and letting M-Raz get about 4 or 5 games in a row so Jimmy gets that little (or huge) push he needs to "defend" his #1 spot. M-Raz is ready, and in two years he could very well be the #1 guy here. IMO he has more skills than Howard and is/will be the better of the two. Howard needs to sit and get angry about it and secure his job for the next couple of seasons...oh ya, winning big games in the playoffs once in awhile would help too...but that is a different book and right now this team is not in that story...

For sure! I don't get it! Give the kids a shot...I know I beat on the trade for a sniper drum a ton, but it looks like Tatar has some hands, and I was impressed tonight with Andersson. Holland should trade for that #1 defender he needs and Babs needs to let the kids play with a defense behind them that can actually log some NHL minutes instead of looking like the Continental League. I would definitely keep Bertuzzi and Sammy out of the lineup for Tatar and Andersson. Of course I would also sit Cleary, so maybe one of Bert/Sammy can have his spot.

I would agree with this, if only the team hasn't stunk up the ice most night WITH the current injured players in the lineup. Really, the only guys that we haven't seen if they can have a positive affect on this team are Helm and Sammy. Datsyuk is a no brainer, we need him. But honestly, having a healthy Franzine, Bertuzzi, Smith & Cola hasn't proven to make that much of a difference with the exception of a good night here or there... I like what the kids are bringing, and given the consistant opportunity, they should solve a lot of our scoring problems, but our entire Defense with the exception of Lashoff, E on some nights and Huskins, who, for the life of me, isn't playing, are playing like puke. Kronner has ZERO confindence, White is just an average d-man who Lidstrom made into a better player and I have no need to mention Q and Kindl....so when basically you best defenseman (and I like the kid, I really do) is Lashoff, you are in a world of hurt no matter who you have up front. I think Howard needs to sit out about 4 or 5 games in a row. I do not know why Babcock refuses to play M-Raz... Ya, I know, Howard has senority, he earned his way to the #1 spot, but if he isn't playing great, then having the crappy D in front of you is going to make you look stupid. He gave up some horrible rebounds tonight, one leading right to Ryan's goal. It's time to give M-Raz a go and see if he can turn this crap around. I know it's rough to throw a rookie out there with the crappy defense, but let him play. If not send him back to GR so he can get some games in. If you aren't gonna play the backup once in a while, I think McCollum will suit that role just dandy and M-Raz can give top minutes in GR. The bottom line is, if Holland is not going to get a pure goal scorer (and if Brunner and Tatar continue the way they are playing) then he NEEDS to make that blockbuster legit #1 defender trade! Kronner cannot handle being #1, he plays best at #3. Bring in a top 5 in the NHL defender to pair up with Ericsson, move Kronner down with Lashoff, dress Huskins for pete's sake and a healthy Smith will round out the 6, until then, White will play his minutes. I was NEVER EVER on the Q train and he is proving me right every night. Same goes with Kindl. He had some solid plays tonight and that alone is good enough to keep him for the #7 spot. Or if you have to include him in a deal, then make White your #7. I don't know who would be involved in a trade to get that #1 here, but whatever it takes, it is blatenly obvious that they need him here....whoever he is. #1 Defender Wanted, 25 minutes a game.

Cannot blame White for a broken stick....Kindl had a nice pass, but that is one in how many games now? get rid of him. I'd would keep him over Quincey though....put Huskins back in for Q...Q is a useless hunk of scrap metal.

Well....same bunch of crappy players..... ....Quincey blows, Cleary sucks, Kindl inept, not impressed with Nyquist what-so-ever, Howard playing WELL below average... Just don't understand why babcock has M-Raz riding the pine. If you aint gonna play him, send him back to GR, he needs to play. I think babs is riding Howards crank or something because he just won't sit him...M-raz is way better than Howard IMO. Once again Bobby Ryan showing that he is the player we need on this team! Make the Filppula package deal tonight! Hell, make a blockbuster and acquire both Perry & Ryan... Did Kenny say that Helm was nowhere near returning? Jeezus! He has become too fragile for the NHL... On a positive note, I am still being impressed with Tatar...what an insult to compare him to Hudler the Pile of Bile. Andersson had a nice one, he needs to keep it up to keep me on his bandwagon. Time to sit the crap...Cleary, Q, Kindl and yes, sit Howard for a couple, let him know the job is on the line because the M-Raz train is coming and it's an express...

Ya, that is what I mean. Reward a couple of other kids with some NHL time and see what they bring...

Problem with Q (other than he is garbage) is he will never live up to being worth a 1st rounder...it's almost like Holland thought he was outbidding a phantom GM last March when he threw the 1st rounder at Yzerman... I think White is White....he is playing much like he was last season when Lidstrom whet out. Q and K are hot garbage...

While I believe Howard is way above average, I also believe M-Raz is and will be better. In two years, I believe M-Raz will be starting and Howard may not even be around...nothing personal, just business.

I agree....sit Cleary and send Andersson back to GR and give a bone to Sheahan and Ferraro.

I like a few of the comments by some of his big supporters now that say, even though they warmed up to Chelios they would NEVER want Tootoo on this team.... "Not now, not ever!" quote, un-quote! It's all funny now, and it just goes to show that no matter how much a player is hated from another team, there is a reason he is hated, he is good and he drives you nuts how good he plays against you. Pronger, Lemieux, Backes....I have a feeling that they would/would've had the same effect on the same fans that said "not now, not ever" to Tootoo...

Oh...well, I do think Tatar should get more playing time though. I just think he is looking a little better each game and TONS better than Cleary, so I think Babs should shake it up a bit. Would help if all were healthy, but its time to reward Sheahan and Ferraro with some NHL time. I think M-Raz should start the next game as well... Jiri, is that you?

...along with my opinion of Cleary in the other thread, Q and Kindl also just played their last game on my team. I like Tatar's little move on his goal he also threw a nice big check in the first, to compare him to Hudler truely is an insult to him. M-Raz is better than Howard. Didn't miss Franzine... I agree with Kip, it's time for another line shakeup (if Holland isn't gonna get the right players here for Babs) I say put Tatar back up with Dats, maybe make Fil the 3rd line center until Barbie Doll gets back. Andersson is nothing....too slow, has had a couple of golden oppourtunities so far to impress...does he suck? No, but he won't be anything more than a 4th line center/13th forward here, bundle him in a deal. Again, Cleary, Kindl & Q are hot garbage, shouldn't be allowed back on the ice in a Wings jersey...Time to bring Huskin's back in and when Smith gets healthy, Q and K OUT! Need me some Sheahan & Ferraro in place of Cleary and Andersson...

Dan Cleary just played his last game if this was my team....

What an insult to Tatar! Seriuosly though, I would like to see him get 25-30 goals someday. He has been solid, but he isn't showing me much offense yet. I guess it has to do with playing on the 3rd line, but I hope he shows some more than what he has already. I would hope that he would take Franzine's place on Z's line and get a chance like Brunner has been given. I am ready for the kids to take over... (although deep in side I still believe if there is a trade, Tatar will be a part of it...)

Well, not exactly the way I want to see him out of the lineup...I'd prefer a healthy scratch...get well soon Franzine, I never wish an injury on anyone...

Found this topic from around the deadline time of 2008...super funny how these opinion's have changed! I would proudly say that mine along with a few others in this original thread had the same opinion back then as we do now! I can't say the same for some others.... Read thru a few! Some of you have wavered more than John Kerry!

These phantom calls are getting absurd! The amount of goals Homer had called off weren't, he would have his jersey retired! Ok, not really, but this is stupid. This above above all, should be a reviewable play same as if the puck was kicked in or if it crossed the line...

The injuries are just purely coincidental....BUT you are seeing a team that is what it is. Soft, no heart, no passion...Injuries happen, but this is Hollands fault. I do get frustrated with all the injuries, it seems like one after another. I think they take too long to heal. Back in the day, you got a shot and went back out there, hell, Yzerman played on one leg for the last 5 years of his career it seemed. Today, you break a nail, they put you on IR for 3 weeks...

ya! In 1995-96 they started out 5-5-1 and went on to only lose 13 games all season long! But I think the personel on this team isn't quite as good as that team....