Is next season finally the year we get an Enforcer?

[Guest DetroitIan]

I know many are split on this topic. And I've always kinda been on the fence with this. But I think its finally time we snag some sort of enforcer to help protect our stars. Im just getting so fed up with other teams taking so many liberties against us, knowing there will be zero reprocutions. I know its hard to fit an enforcer on our talented squad. But I just feel like its important for us to finally have a sherrif out there in red. Thoughts?

[Go_Wings_Go_13Dats 0]

If the enforcer can play decent hockey, and put up some points, then sure! But I don't want someone running around, taking cheap shots on others.

[Superman54 91]

I think if we re-sign Bertuzzi that would help. But knowing Kenny, no........

[glasgowcelticwing 18]

I know many are split on this topic. And I've always kinda been on the fence with this. But I think its finally time we snag some sort of enforcer to help protect our stars. Im just getting so fed up with other teams taking so many liberties against us, knowing there will be zero reprocutions. I know its hard to fit an enforcer on our talented squad. But I just feel like its important for us to finally have a sherrif out there in red. Thoughts?

I know what you mean about other team's taking so many liberties against our team , but i'll be more than happy if the Wings stepped up and played with the mix of physical and talent that they played with in the playoff's this season....although . I wouldn't mind seeing a Chris Neal or someone like that playing for the Wings.

[Go_Wings_Go_13Dats 0]

I think if we re-sign Bertuzzi that would help. But knowing Kenny, no........

I was thinking that, too. Maybe Bertuzzi could be an enforcer, when needed...?

Edited June 30, 2007 by Go_Wings_Go_13Dats

[sean 19]

agreed with above. i think holland is unlikely to sign a one dimensional player.

[Rice 42]

No. We have too many forwards already. One-dimensional enforcers are useless now anyway.

[Go_Wings_Go_13Dats 0]

If the Wings play the gritty and tough style of hockey seen in the Playoffs, I don't think an enforcer is required.

[Guest DetroitIan]

If the enforcer can play decent hockey, and put up some points, then sure! But I don't want someone running around, taking cheap shots on others.

Definitely. A cheap shot artist is the last thing I would ever want in the winged wheel. But if we can throw an enforcer on our fourth line(one that can basically get the puck to Franzen) we could protect our players, and not lose too much offense. That would be perfect.

[Go_Wings_Go_13Dats 0]

Double post, sorry.

Edited June 30, 2007 by Go_Wings_Go_13Dats

[Guest DetroitIan]

I know what you mean about other team's taking so many liberties against our team , but i'll be more than happy if the Wings stepped up and played with the mix of physical and talent that they played with in the playoff's this season....although . I wouldn't mind seeing a Chris Neal or someone like that playing for the Wings.

Oh man, I would do ANYTHING to get this guy in red. A Chris Neil type, is exactly what would fit with our squad. The only question is, who else has a Chris Neil type game?

[Superman54 91]

Mike Grier would be perfect. He can put up some points, feed the puck to Franzen, and is a guy not to reckon with.

[RedRockit 0]

What possible use is an enforcer with the instigator rule so firmly in place?

Yeah, I'm REALLY unhappy with what I saw in the playoffs (and before that), and it wasn't just the Pronger-led Ducks v. Wings series. There was a deal of Senator borderline and over-the-line cheap crap dished out to Buffalo as well.... they call it "physical play" and "let 'em play" but I call bulls***.

If the new NHL truly wants to clean up play in this New NHL, then for heavens" sake, refs, call the Bad Stuff (you know, the Pronger bloody hits that didn't get called on ice, or Alfy's boarding hit on Tallinder:again a no-call), not the petty barely-hooking, barely-tripping calls, that happen away from the play. Get consistent, get 'core about your calls-- care about players' heads, if you care about anything at all. It may slow down the game for a season or so, but at least you won't turn off fans for life, or damage players for life.

Get rid of the instigator rule.

Get rid of the instigator rule.

Get rid of the instigator rule, and let the players defend themselves, since it's obvious that the refs won't/can't/are helpless to do so.

Edited June 30, 2007 by RedRockit

[sean 19]

Oh man, I would do ANYTHING to get this guy in red. A Chris Neil type, is exactly what would fit with our squad. The only question is, who else has a Chris Neil type game?

I gotta ask...what makes you think he would fit well with our squad? I like Chris Neil, too, but sometimes a good player isn't a good player everywhere. I mean, alot of people thought Bertuzzi would be great for us because he had alot of the elements our team was missing: toughness, willigness to battle towards the net, etc. It is my belief that even if Bert were 100%, he would have had trouble. He simply lacks alot of the skills necessary to play typical red wing hockey. He's not too good at cycling, and his passing and puck control aren't really top of the line. I think you have to have these skills if you expect to be a DRW top 6.

I don't mean to attack you. I honestly haven't watched Chris Neil a ton, and maybe he does posess the the necessary skills AND have that physical edge we've been looking for for the past 3 years. It just seems like alot of trade proposals here are from a sort of EA SPORTS point of view. You gotta get guys that will work well with the team AND contribute something new. This is very hard to come by and I think this is why Holland is so conservative.

[Wings_Dynasty 267]

The Wings have an enforcer, Brad Norton. He doesn't play. You know why? Because to play on the Wings you need more than your fists and skates.

Bert is the closest thing we may get to an enforcer this year. He is not an enforcer. To play on the team you need to be a playmaker, responsible, and have some finesse with the puck. No one mentioned in the UFA rumors for the Wings thus far have had all the qualities to make the Wings and is a bonefied enforcer.

So unless Holland makes some out-of-nowhere nove to land a Gratton or a Neil, than no enforcer this season until the trade dealdine anyway.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Arron Asham. Nuff Said.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

I want the players, I don't care if you are an enforcer or not, to stick up for each other.

No, I don't want just an enforcer on the Wings that is just going to play 3-4 minutes a game and just drop the gloves once and only produce something on the statsheet once every 45 games.

An enforcer cannot stop goofy plays from happening or big hits or goalies getting run into, he's not going to fully protect Datsyuk and Zetterberg and Lidstrom because he's not going to be out on the ice at key moments of the game.

The Wings are fine in the toughness/physicality department as this playoff run showed. They could still use some more of the physical play, but they showed they can dish just as many hits out and they don't cower or anything like that.

[Guest Crymson]

If the enforcer can play decent hockey, and put up some points, then sure! But I don't want someone running around, taking cheap shots on others.

No kidding.

Enforcers who can play decent hockey and score points are not numerous. I doubt we'll find one who is available. Regrettably people get on Kenny about the lack of an enforcer anyway.. they evidently forget that create-a-player is not a feature available in real life.

[redwingfan19 293]

chris simon

[Guest Crymson]

No. We have too many forwards already. One-dimensional enforcers are useless now anyway.

spot on.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

No kidding.

Enforcers who can play decent hockey and score points are not numerous. I doubt we'll find one who is available. Regrettably people get on Kenny about the lack of an enforcer anyway.. they evidently forget that create-a-player is not a feature available in real life.

Exactly , there arent alot available. But there is one that the Wings should look at.

Arron Asham 11 G's 12 A's 23 points , + 3 in 80 games 63 PIM. Hes a tough guy , that can play and doesnt take unnesscecary penalties.

Edited June 30, 2007 by Detroit # 1 Fan

[RedRockit 0]

I want the players, I don't care if you are an enforcer or not, to stick up for each other.

No, I don't want just an enforcer on the Wings that is just going to play 3-4 minutes a game and just drop the gloves once and only produce something on the statsheet once every 45 games.

An enforcer cannot stop goofy plays from happening or big hits or goalies getting run into, he's not going to fully protect Datsyuk and Zetterberg and Lidstrom because he's not going to be out on the ice at key moments of the game.

The Wings are fine in the toughness/physicality department as this playoff run showed. They could still use some more of the physical play, but they showed they can dish just as many hits out and they don't cower or anything like that.

In answer to the bolded part of your post, yes, agreed. But an enforcer has NEVER been able to PREVENT a cheap shot on any player: Probie couldn't stop the hits on Stevie, for instance.

What he COULD do, is kick major arse to the offending culprit, and make him sorry that he gave Stevie so much as a sideways look.

It wasn't so much about retribution as it was about making the The Othere Guy think twice and thrice before messing with a Wing.

After all is said and done-- what did Pronger suffer for what COULD have been a career-ending injury for Homer?

He was rewarded for his day(s) off-- he lifted the Cup.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

In answer to the bolded part of your post, yes, agreed. But an enforcer has NEVER been able to PREVENT a cheap shot on any player: Probie couldn't stop the hits on Stevie, for instance.

What he COULD do, is kick major arse to the offending culprit, and make him sorry that he gave Stevie so much as a sideways look.

It wasn't so much about retribution as it was about making the The Othere Guy think twice and thrice before messing with a Wing.

No doubt about it. But Probert had a fairly signficiant impact by BOTH dropping the gloves when needed and chipping in with goals/assists every now and then. He wasn't one-dimensional who just played 2 out of 60 minuts agame.

After all is said and done-- what did Pronger suffer for what COULD have been a career-ending injury for Homer?

He was rewarded for his day(s) off-- he lifted the Cup.

Well, what can you do? Sometimes the guys we don't like win it all. Happens in all sports. I'm not condoning what he did but all of our ranting and moaning about him winning the Cup still won't change anything.

Edited June 30, 2007 by SouthernWingsFan

[Go_Wings_Go_13Dats 0]

I remember that, at one point in the Playoffs, Lilja was leading the NHL in hits. Now if we can get more guys to play like that, all the time, then we won't need an enforcer. I'm not saying that players like Datsyuk and Zetterberg have to be going out and deliberately checking other players, but if they DO play with a bit of an edge, then that'll be great. Datsyuk even said, "I try to hit more this year, so people don't forget me" in an interview, so it shows that some Wings are trying to play tough.

[RedRockit 0]

No doubt about it. But Probert had a fairly signficiant impact by BOTH dropping the gloves when needed and chipping in with goals/assists every now and then. He wasn't one-dimensional who just played 2 out of 60 minuts agame.

argh, I know I'm dummish for not doing the HTML, but yaya to what you said. That's my point: PROaction is PREvention in hockey, but the blighty instigator rule prevents that-- especially and invertively because we know that it's the RETALIATORY pen that gets called.

Well, what can you do? Sometimes the guys we don't like win it all. Happens in all sports. I'm not condoning what he did but all of our ranting and moaning about him winning the Cup still won't change anything.

Hey, if one can get away with it in hockey, I'm all for it. I'd like my players to NOT headhunt, ala Pwronger, but I do like my hockey hard... just don't do it against MY Guys, 'k?

Edited June 30, 2007 by RedRockit