Return of Hatcher?

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Hatcher definitely gets more grief here than he deserves. Most of the memory people have of him is after his ACL surgery. He was never a fast guy to begin with, but after a major layoff like that, it's gonna take him a while to get back into game shape.

QUOTED FOR TRUTH!!!!!

Look, I'm not going ga-ga if Hatcher comes back here, but I wouldn't be totally against it either. He has a good mean streak.

But I emphasize that past post as I have torn my left ACL and MCL from playing pick-up basketball. I had reconstructive surgery on it nearly 3 years ago, and while my left knee doesn't inhibit me from doing anything, if I run hard or have an intense workout, I limp for a good while afterward. I had a pretty hard spinning class late last week and put a lot of pressure on the knee for nearly an hour straight, and it took me a while for the limp to go away.

My knee will never be 100% ever again, and I'm no athlete. Whether Hatcher rushed his recovery back from his ACL surgery, you be the judge, but cut him some slack with the injury, it's really hard to immediately come back from that injury and feel the same like you did before.

And for those who might say, "Well he shouldn't have come back or come back so soon then..." What do you expect him to do? He had to return eventually, this is his career, what he does to make a living.

[WingMachine91 0]

if anyone actually thinks we would be better off with Hatches instead of Schneider, they are out of their mind. lets give away one of our best scorers, especially on the power play, and a dman who can move the puck up ice, and is pretty quick, for a pretty slow d-man, who doesnt even hit that much anymore and gets no points? crazzyyyy

[Bob_Essensa 0]

Hatcher would be a good pickup to bring some size and toughness to this team,but not at the price of his current contract.The guy is basically just a big overpaid pylon who takes 10 minutes to skate from one end of the ice to the next,and is'nt really all that good defensively.All he's useful for is a big body on the back end for teams to contend with.He does'nt really bring anything else.Unless he comes cheap,which he won't..pass.

[interminded 1]

I am not amused, are you, IM? The only player who was a bigger waste of space on the WIngs was Uwe Krupp. Usually. the mere donning of a Wings sweater elevates a player in my mind, but Hatcher is the exception. The Flyers fans who are rating him a solid defenseman must be watching tapes from Dallas. Yes, then. Now? Nope.

I am certainly not amused.

If there has been one player in the Red Wings history who had OVERPAID written on his forehead, it's Derian Hatcher.

He had trouble with the 'old' NHL, let alone the NEW NHL.

He's done.

[puckloo39 5,686]

I am certainly not amused.

If there has been one player in the Red Wings history who had OVERPAID written on his forehead, it's Derian Hatcher.

He had trouble with the 'old' NHL, let alone the NEW NHL.

He's done.

Totally agree. Some players give their salary back to their clubs when injury leads to a disappointing season. Some don't. Oh, well. I don't want him back here, but I am sure Hatcher would be thrilled with such an appointment!

[gowingsgo 3]

He's a good player, I'd rather chase Bertuzzi and find a way to deal Datsyuk so we dont lose him to UFA

[interminded 1]

Totally agree. Some players give their salary back to their clubs when injury leads to a disappointing season. Some don't. Oh, well. I don't want him back here, but I am sure Hatcher would be thrilled with such an appointment!

I'm pretty sure this is a classic example of an internet-generated rumour, Loo.

Holland doesn't even think about senor Hatcher...

[edit: spelling]

Edited February 15, 2007 by interminded

[superstarsingh 23]

We do not need such

[Louisville 112]

There is a reason he was bought out, and it wasn't only because of his salary.

Why would we want him anyway? Our defense is great.

Edited February 15, 2007 by Louisville

[wingsfan40 0]

I say NO to Hatcher, he's big but not a smart hockey player.

[TheUkrainian 49]

In yahoo NHL fantasy Lilja is 603 season rank and Hatcher is 621....just for comparisons sake

[wingslogo19 281]

In yahoo NHL fantasy Lilja is 603 season rank and Hatcher is 621....just for comparisons sake

How can that be right

[Zion 93]

I'll always remember Hatcher as the guy that stood off to the side as the Flames scored the OT winner to eliminate us in 2004.

Don't even think about it, Kenny... he is not the "toughness" we need.

[Icer 0]

DO NOT WANT!!!!

[BlueMonk 102]

For the right price, as part of the right trade, sure, I'd take him. He's not nearly as bad as people are making him out to be here. He played three games for Detroit before getting hurt, never had time to adjust to the system, and then was asked to play as a top four defenseman in the playoffs the instant he returned to the ice. He was a very solid player in Dallas, the captain of a team that won a Stanley Cup. He's a stay at home defenseman, and an extremely physical, borderline dirty player. It's not like he's any slower than Chelios. The Wings could use the edge he plays with.

For all the criticism of Hatcher, the only time since 2002 that this team made it past the first round of the playoffs was when he was on this team, and he was way less than 100% that season.

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

For all the criticism of Hatcher, the only time since 2002 that this team made it past the first round of the playoffs was when he was on this team, and he was way less than 100% that season.

I'm rather indifferent on the subject in general, but why would you go and bring this up? There's so much "correlation != causation" all over this I can't make heads or tails of it.

Edited February 15, 2007 by Heroes of Hockeytown

[clutchngrab 12]

3.5m for 2 more years is all that should need to be said.

[mannysBETTER3434 1]

Bring Hatch back?? Jeez if we do something dumb like that we might as well throw Cujo back in the mix too

[SwedeLundin77 460]

Yeah this rumor has about a .01% chance at coming to fruition... We had Hatcher, and he disappointed us, we're not getting him again, especially in the new NHL.

[Howe's Bony Elbow 0]

3.5m for 2 more years is all that should need to be said.

Exactly. Why would we want to tie up so much money in a guy who would be a No. 6 or 7 defenceman? And why would we even be trading for a defenceman? Stupid rumour. And Hatcher's ain't too bright, either, if he's even commenting on it.

[CloudConnected 0]

Hatcher is a bum. Had a few good seasons in Dallas when paired with Zubov, one of the best puck moving defensemen of this era. He's always been slow, always been dirty (which was ok before, but now it's just PIM time), and always made bad decisions with the puck. Now, he's an expensive man's Hal Gill, but older.

[Guest Crymson]

Why have Hatcher? Simple.

He big, he angry, he seasoned.

He can do the stuff Schneider can't.

.... except score. That's rather important, don't you think? Have you forgotten that Schneider was #1 in points on the team last playoff year?

Meanwhile, Hatcher can't score for s***. We don't need hard-hitting defensemen. Our defense is perfect as-is. We need hard-hitting forwards.

EDIT: I'd rather eat razor blades than pay Hatcher $3.5m for the next two years. The guy is having a terrible season--he's clearly on the decline.

Edited February 15, 2007 by Crymson

[DraperFan MN 0]

For the right price, as part of the right trade, sure, I'd take him. He's not nearly as bad as people are making him out to be here. He played three games for Detroit before getting hurt, never had time to adjust to the system, and then was asked to play as a top four defenseman in the playoffs the instant he returned to the ice. He was a very solid player in Dallas, the captain of a team that won a Stanley Cup. He's a stay at home defenseman, and an extremely physical, borderline dirty player. It's not like he's any slower than Chelios. The Wings could use the edge he plays with.

For all the criticism of Hatcher, the only time since 2002 that this team made it past the first round of the playoffs was when he was on this team, and he was way less than 100% that season.

Not to mention, he was utilized incorrectly. I remember Hitler putting him on the point during the PP. He turned over the puck, was defenseless to stop the skater from going around him, and a short handed goal was scored. I don't know if he is still a huge pylon, because I haven't watched enough Flyers games to know, but I do like the idea of him sitting on the bench to stop the cheap shots Dats and Zetter keep taking.

Babcock can talk all he wants about this team being big and tough enough, but they won't be come playoff time. I would disagree with you BM on one thing, I would bet he is slower than Chelios.

[Guest Crymson]

He's a good player, I'd rather chase Bertuzzi and find a way to deal Datsyuk so we dont lose him to UFA

Enough, please avoid the moronic thinking that Zetterberg would produce nearly as well without Datsyuk and Holmstrom--especially Datsyuk.

[wingslogo19 281]

Pass, Lilly is slow enough we don't know a sloth on our team