eva unit zero

Hudler's performance with Datsyuk over an eleven-game stretch this season far exceeded anything Franzen has been able to display outside of the occasional game. Think about it for a second; Franzen played this season mostly with Datsyuk or Zetterberg, and when he was with Filppula, Flip was playing the best hockey of his career (whether Mule was on the ice or not) and yet Franzen posted worse numbers than Hudler did two seasons ago playing mostly third line time with far less offensively skilled players. Take away Franzen's five-goal game, and it's an even larger disparity. Once Hudler broke his slump, he was scoring points at a much higher rate than Franzen ever has, even before he linked up with Datsyuk. Different type of player maybe. But Hudler, not Franzen, is the one with the higher offensive peak. And if Babs puts him on Dats' or Z's line this season full-time, you'll see that. Hudler had plenty of chances? To start the year, Hudler was put with the worst possible match of anyone capable of playing center in the organization. Completely clashing play styles led to both players having poor starts, in addition to Hudler having more trouble than expected re-acclimating to NHL speed while Modano either couldn't or wouldn't play the Wings' system. Hudler eventually broke his slump, in part to line shuffling and more ice time available due to injuries, as well as being placed with players he had known chemistry with such as Filppula and Helm. Once that happened, he was on pace for the 70 points Babcock expected, and while the Hudler/Datsyuk/Cleary line was together he was on pace for over 100. So I'm not sure exactly what you're expecting, but after that first thirty games he was one of the team's top four forwards and playing at least as well as he did in 08-09.

Four years at Wisconsin-Madison.

Hossa was also injured. He was playing through a shoulder injury which required him to have surgery and ultimately miss the first eight weeks of the following seasons. Or did you miss that part? He took a lot of flak for not scoring. It's difficult to shoot when one of your shoulders is wrecked. Maybe Datsyuk should have been taking faceoffs against the Sharks, and then we could all rail on him for losing 80% and then later find out he was injured?

Are there 30 defensemen better than Rafalski? No. That makes him a #1. I can't understand why people don't get this; it's really not hard. 1-30 = #1 31-60 = #2 And so on. The Wings have three defensemen who are definitely in the #1 or #2 spot and can probably be considered #1. Lidstrom, Kronwall, and Rafalski. Being a #1 doesn't mean you are the #1. A team can have 4 #2 defensemen and no #1, and that doesn't make one guy a #1, one guy a #3, and one guy a #4.

He was a healthy scratch for one playoff game. One. He was scratched for a few games early in the season, and missed a few near the end with the flu. If Hudler was given the same kind of leeway Franzen gets on poor performance, he would never have been scratched.

And from Michigan. Maybe Babcock has a thing against Americans if they didn't play college hockey?

Carle is possible, but only if he comes in as a UFA after next season. Meszaros is the more likely trade acquisition; Stuart and a pick for Mesz would do nicely I think.

Hint: This is all speculation and pot-stirring. Teams can't negotiate trades for another couple of weeks; if after the Cup presentation Holland suddenly deals Flip for Doan and a pick for Nabokov, he probably ends up with a fine.

Before Hudler left for the KHL in 2009, there was a general consensus on this board that Hudler was better offensively, and that Flip brought better two-way play. So either everyone on this board is stupid over and over again, or you are basing your opinions about what happened in the recent past on the present. A sort of "peek-a-boo" argument, perhaps. I can't see it, it didn't happen!

Kaberle is UFA, not RFA. Nabokov is not a UFA; the Islanders will be tolling his contract and he agreed not to object to it in order to play in the world championships. Adam Foote is officially retired. Those are the only corrections I can see. As for actions, I would start by finding out Nick Lidstrom's intent; whether he wants to play. I would regardless go out and sign Joni Pitkanen, hopefully both Pitkanen and Ehrhoff (to replace Salei and Ericsson) as well as retaining Eaves and Osgood, and promoting Emmerton and Mursak. Kevin Bieksa, Andrei Markov, Tomas Kaberle, Ian White, Grant Clitsome, Anton Babchuk are other names that come to mind.

I cut it to 33 to make it comparable to the earlier Hudler/Filppula comparison... 33 is the games played difference between the two. Guess that didn't translate. But no, definitely, Modano should not have played. In the games he did play, he shouldn't have. It should have been Mursak instead. Could have gone with: Hudler/Zetterberg/Abdelkader Holmstrom/Datsyuk/Bertuzzi Cleary/Filppula/Mursak Draper/Helm/Eaves Two quick checking lines with puck skills. Hmmmm....

I wouldn't mind having Bogosian, but he is probably the most overrated player on this board. He's already had a couple of serious injuries and he has not really shown himself to be anything special. He's got some decent offensive skills and can play physical but is not that good on the back end. You could get Mike Green ($5.25m) or go for Bogo (RFA, coming off $3.75m EL contract) for probably the same or similar assets. Green is about five years older than Bogosian. They play basically similar styles.

Being forced into a turnover, or caught out of position does not make a player slow. And Rafalski is not slow. He's not as fast as he used to be, but he's certainly faster than any other defenseman on the Wings.

Abdelkader is not actually far behind Laich in offensive ability. They scored almost the same goals-per-minute rate at even strength, and Laich had a higher assist rate largely due to playing on the second line of an offensively powerful team while Abdelkader was primarily a fourth-liner. Abby is also more physical than Laich, and three years younger. Abdelkader has displayed chemistry with Franzen and Bertuzzi, showing that it can be a good "power" line if needed. So I don't think adding Laich is a necessary move.

He's clearly too small or too slow, which is why the Hudler/Datsyuk/Cleary line had such trouble scoring.

"Man, Rafalski is so overpaid. He makes $6m and couldn't even stay healthy. WTF?" Rafalski for five years at $6m was an absolute steal when it was signed. He's still a legit #1 defenseman now. He's not top ten like he was, but still very good and still one of the elite offensive defensemen.

I appreciate Ericsson and the fact that he's punching his own ticket out of town. He would have been overpaid had he stayed, so now the Wings can get two top-four types (Ehrhoff and Pitkanen, please) or they can put Kindl in that slot and get a cheap but solid defender (Derek Meech, Doug Janik) to fill the last spot.

Rafalski is the fastest of those players, and was the Wings' fastest defenseman this past season. The only faster Wings defenseman who had a realistic shot at playing in the regular season was Derek Meech. Old and slow my ass. As for Draper or Homer being soft?? I can understand you arguing that for the others. But those guys, especially Homer, take tons of punishment every shift. Bert was coming around to play as his old physical self, and hopefully that carries over. Osgood is one of the most mentally tough goalies to play during his era, and in the league right now. Not sure how else you would measure how "soft" a goalie is. It seems like you are just using soft to describe "not a big hitter" in which case you forgot Lidstrom.

Taken a team that was basically a couple high end players, a decent vet or two, and prospects or filler and: Added a skilled old goalie who was being used as a bandage on the Isle, traded the goalie he signed to be the starter, added a skilled forward for a cheap deal because Philadelphia's stupid, and made some deals to turn it into a worthwhile team. Yzerman learned how a team should be built from Holland. Just being good at hockey doesn't give you that success; ask Brett Hull or Wayne Gretzky about their post-playing jobs. Ken Holland was basically a minor leaguer when goaltending was at its worst.

Modano this season: 15 points in 40 games. 14 in his first 33. 14 in his last 33.

So you're firmly in the camp of " No Ty Conklin" then? Because the majority seems to be fighting the "Conklin vs Nabokov" fight over who should be next year's backup. And Ville Leino? How about that one? He's a real popular name right now. As for reclamations... Joey MacDonald? Jason Williams? Chris Osgood? Dallas Drake? Darren McCarty? Ken Holland has grabbed up plenty of former Wings in various capacities. Just as it's not unusual for a GM to raid their old club for players and prospects, Holland sometimes will reach back and pick up a former Wing who fits the need. The need is a mobile, physical, two-way forward capable of playing center and wing, right? Someone who can play on the PP or PK? Say hello to Tomas Kopecky.

How many of Hudler's games were played alongside Datsyuk? Take those last three points and give them to Hudler instead of Filppula, what does the stat line look like? Hudler 34 in 61 for .56, Filppula 46 in 86 for .53. And what did it look after game five? Hudler 31 in 59 for .53, Filppula 46 in 84 for .55 And then you consider that a large majority of their postseason careers has been spent on the same line. Excepting last season and the occasional game or shift when Flip would get promoted or Hudler demoted. Makes you wonder how the numbers would look if Hudler had been getting those promotions.

It's like I keep saying. Homer is not a top-six forward, but he has to be on a scoring line because otherwise he is useless. So we put him in a spot where he can succeed and help his line out. Homer has the largest disparity between his actual ability and his effectiveness that I have ever seen from a hockey player. This is mainly because of the chemistry he and Dats have developed; and that is why he has to be on Dats' line next season. The fourth line has to be Mursak/Helm/Eaves. It keeps the same attitude as Draper/Helm/Eaves and has the speed and grit. I'd rather have Abby on the fourth line, but that line combo is too good a combination to split. Maybe move up Helm, stick in Emmerton on the bottom line. But that doesn't work so well because while Emmerton can play some D, he's not really gritty. So put it together like this: Filppula/Datsyuk/Holmstrom Cleary/Zetterberg/Hudler Franzen/Abdelkader/Bertuzzi Mursak/Helm/Eaves Emmerton That puts Homer on a line that has been proven to work, the second and third line work, and the fourth line worked great with Draper so it should work as well with Mursak. Emmerton is a good enough all-around player that he can step in pretty much anywhere, although I might shift Abby down to the fourth line if Helm went out.

Did you know that, despite the fact Filppula has played second line (or even first line at times) for years now, Hudler has only four fewer points in his NHL career in 33 fewer games? He scored ten points in his first 33 games this season, and he scored 23 points in his last 33 games. Just saying.

Trading Hudler for Leino's rights at the draft isn't even future considerations. It's ONE WEEK of time to negotiate with Leino before other teams can. One week. Who do you want in charge of the Wings, Ken Holland or Brian Burke?