Which former Wing would you choose?

[IceMunkee 15]

This really comes down the stage of their careers the players were at:

1) Fischer was a budding young star with a bright career ahead of him.

2) Fedorov was a star center, but was on the decline.

3) Vladdy was the best defenseman in the world at the time.

4) McCarty was a third liner who was bought out because he was overpaid and underperforming.

5) Shanahan, like Fedorov, was an aging star on the decline.

None of the three forwards mentioned were going to be as good as they had been, while the two defensemen were very good and still had the potential to get better.

So, looking at it that way, it really comes down to one comparison. Fischer or Konstantinov. Konstantinov was the best defenseman in the league, and Fischer had the potential to be such.

Realistically, though, you have to say Vladdy, for the reason that he was at the top of the league when it happened. Fischer could have gotten there, or just as easily flamed out. With Vladdy still around, the Wings likely win two or three more Cups than they have. There are many moves that would never have been made with Vladdy still around, including Hasek, Chelios, Lilja, and Markov.

I definitly have to disagree with Shanny. I think he proved beyond a shadow of a doubt last year that he can hold his own and he definitly is not on a decline. Maybe he is steady but a decline...

While I agree if we could have changed the world on Vladdy it would have made a differance but to say 3 more cups? That would mean the wings would have won 6 out of the last 10...

Vladdy and Fisch for sure. They are the only ones that did not chose to leave the Red Wings. All of the others left on there terms. Besides Mac but I don't think his name even belongs on this list.

[Opie 308]

i still wear his jersey all the time

Which raises an interesting question, do you see his jersey up in the rafters ever? anytime soon?

as more of a memorial to him not that his career in detroit was so phenomenal (like stevie's) but as a way to honor him and what he lost?

I know they retired the number, but what about hanging it up?

Edited July 31, 2007 by Opie

[WhiteLightning91 105]

As for hypocrisy regarding Fischer... I think you weren't paying attention. Fisch was great in '02 and the Cup run. Took a couple steps early in '02-'03 but then blew out his knee. '03-'04 he was playing on an unstable knee and fairly tentative so he wasn't anything better than average. Then he played in the World Cup and World Championships as well as over in the Czech league during the lockout and he was great early in '05-'06. Second only to Lidstrom IMO in his play. He was skating, hitting, shooting, etc... just playing with confidence. He was a beast out there. Then his heart gave out on him.

Fischer was always a case of great potential and right as he was starting to show it, is when his career ended.

I was talking about the way Fischer was treated on these boards, not how he was actually playing. All I ever remember is all the bitching and moaning people did when he would take a stupid penalty or get caught flat footed, until he went down and all of a sudden was talked about as if he was the next Lidstrom...

[kylee 727]

i agree on Vlad,

but i do think that is Sergei played his entire career here,his number would end up being retired.

greed does a funny thing to you in the end.

[norrisnick 1]

I was talking about the way Fischer was treated on these boards, not how he was actually playing. All I ever remember is all the bitching and moaning people did when he would take a stupid penalty or get caught flat footed, until he went down and all of a sudden was talked about as if he was the next Lidstrom...

There is a sizable contingent on this, and any, board that honestly don't know what is going on. People were ripping on Lilly late last season and into the playoffs when he was playing SOLID hockey. It takes a while for the bandwagon to transition but that doesn't mean that everyone who gives their opinion, now or then, is being hypocritical.

Could be that I've ignored a lot of the noise but there were more than a handful of people early in the season coming out of the lockout that felt Jiri was playing great.

i agree on Vlad,

but i do think that is Sergei played his entire career here,his number would end up being retired.

greed does a funny thing to you in the end.

It causes you to push a franchise forward out the door...

[Guest jaytan]

McCarty and Shanahan were not the players they had been when they left Detroit....

Yeah, all Shanny did his last season with the Wings was rack up 40 goals, 81 points, 100+ penalty minutes and lead the team in goals. Not to mention putting up his best offensive numbers in 10 years (yup, that's right, his highest points total since the season he first played for the Wings), Shanny was also a +29.

Then the next season, in only 67 games, he pots 29 goals, adds 62 assists and finishes with a positive plus/minus rating on a poorer, less defensively-inclined team. In case you don't recall, he was one goal shy of the Rangers' team leader in that category, Jaromir Jagr, who played in all 82 games.

And in the playoffs last season, Shanahan (with a little help from another Detroit reject) led a pretty average Rangers team deep into the tournament.

So, despite being 10 years older, how is he any less of a player when we got rid of him than he was when we acquired him?

Edited July 31, 2007 by jaytan

[Kp-Wings 3]

So, despite being 10 years older, how is he any less of a player when we got rid of him than he was when we acquired him?

He is lazier, no longer fights on a regular basis, and has a habit of disappering in the playoffs. None of which was the case when the Wings first acquired him.

[Echolalia 2,961]

Konstantinov hands down, and with that said I think its a wonderful time to add this clip of him leveling one of our good friends in the Avs

[Guest jaytan]

He is lazier, no longer fights on a regular basis, and has a habit of disappering in the playoffs. None of which was the case when the Wings first acquired him.

I'd hardly call Brendan Shanahan lazy. And how many skilled power forwards fight regularly late in their careers? It's not worth the risk, and they're worth too much to lose for five minutes all the time. Most of those guys fought all the time as kids because they were trying to prove themselves.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Yeah, all Shanny did his last season with the Wings was rack up 40 goals, 81 points, 100+ penalty minutes and lead the team in goals. Not to mention putting up his best offensive numbers in 10 years (yup, that's right, his highest points total since the season he first played for the Wings), Shanny was also a +29.

Then the next season, in only 67 games, he pots 29 goals, adds 62 assists and finishes with a positive plus/minus rating on a poorer, less defensively-inclined team. In case you don't recall, he was one goal shy of the Rangers' team leader in that category, Jaromir Jagr, who played in all 82 games.

And in the playoffs last season, Shanahan (with a little help from another Detroit reject) led a pretty average Rangers team deep into the tournament.

So, despite being 10 years older, how is he any less of a player when we got rid of him than he was when we acquired him?

I understand your point, but I wouldn't look too closely at the stats to judge him last year as opposed to 10 years ago. When he played here the Wings always had balanced scoring so that none of our forwards were league leaders in major scoring categories. In New York, he was one of the top dogs on a team that has trouble getting scoring outside of their top 2 lines. Losing him last year really hurt, but it was inevitable and was coming for some time. Also, don't forget that his playoff production in Detroit wasn't too hot the last few years.

[Wings&Beer 0]

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[sharomyga 6]

#16

ps as a matter of fact would love to see the whole Russian 5 back! Oh, well just dreams )))

Edited July 31, 2007 by sharomyga

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

Vladdy, Fisch, and Feds for sure. I was just thinking about Fisch today and how amazing he and Kronner would be together as partners. Damn!

Speaking of which.. today is Jiri's birthday so Happy Birthday to him!

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Tie b/w Konstantinov and Fedorov IMO.

[yankeebaddabing 0]

Really how many fisch fans were there before his accident, anyways vladdy for sure, hands down

These boards are laughable. When Fischer is healthy and playing for us he is treated worse than Lilja as the team's human pylon but when he goes down by a freak accident he is suddenly almost as important to us Konstantinov was...

[norrisnick 1]

I'd hardly call Brendan Shanahan lazy. And how many skilled power forwards fight regularly late in their careers? It's not worth the risk, and they're worth too much to lose for five minutes all the time. Most of those guys fought all the time as kids because they were trying to prove themselves.

Babcock would. That's why he kept mentioning Shanny has to move his feet. Shanahan personified what was wrong with the Wings come playoff time. Not willing to put in the effort to get his nose dirty and firing harmless wristers from the blueline.

[Swayze 81]

#1 and #3 definitely. Then we'd have the "grit" and an amazing blue line.

[TimeBinder 28]

Vladdy on so many levels - besides hockey. I'm so glad the Wings are helping him and not just writing him off.

[HuntsVegas Baby 0]

I'll take number 6. Yzerman who should have never retired. He had a couple of years left for sure.

Edited August 1, 2007 by HuntsVegas Baby

[YoungGuns1340 1]

I'd hardly call Brendan Shanahan lazy. And how many skilled power forwards fight regularly late in their careers? It's not worth the risk, and they're worth too much to lose for five minutes all the time. Most of those guys fought all the time as kids because they were trying to prove themselves.

Sorry, but Shanahan blew in the playoffs. Being centered by Datsyuk will have anybody scoring goals. And plus he blew in the playoffs.

[IceMunkee 15]

I'd hardly call Brendan Shanahan lazy. And how many skilled power forwards fight regularly late in their careers? It's not worth the risk, and they're worth too much to lose for five minutes all the time. Most of those guys fought all the time as kids because they were trying to prove themselves.

Would it be safe to say that no players in the NHL fight regularly anymore? I

[Lovin Jiri Fischer 147]

Oh man do I miss Jiri. I loved him. I would deff want him back first, then Vladdy.

Then Shanny. But not because I think he would make our team better, but because I miss hearing the Irish song every time he scored a goal.

[BeeRYCE 2]

I'll take number 6. Yzerman who should have never retired. He had a couple of years left for sure.

WHAAAAAAAAAAT?

Sure Yzerman did good beyond any expectations in his final 20 some odd games in the NHL, but his career should have been over physically speaking before the lockout.

But yeah, it's Vladdy without question. If Sergei had left in the 97/98 season as expected, I'd probably say Sergei, if Shanny left in the 90's, I'd say Shanny, but Vladdy was the man. Probably would have raked in at least 2 Norrises too, because his career was getting better and better.

[theman19 47]

it's so easy for us to say, what might have been. Seriously though, without a doubt in my mind. If Vlad never had that accident, and played with lids his entire career,......We'd have done a heck of alot more than just repeat in 98'. I'm talking Dynasty on the level of the islanders, lets see adam deadmarsh walk in and score that goal from the l.a. series with a healthy vlad on the ice. 99' Av's come back and two games down and sweep us? no sir,....i'm telling you Peter forskin wouldn't have sniffed a good scoring chance. What might have been is always a debatable thing. But the importance of what vladdy did, in combination to what lids did, is unbelievably understated.

[irishtemper14+25 11]

id have to go with vladdy too, even though i got to play with fisher...hes on the wings roster for NHL 07 and u can play with good ol #8