Zetterberg injured?

[OsGOD 3]

OsGod, I have a serious question for you. I realize people have the rose-colored Z glasses on all the time here at LGW, but why do you feel the need to knock down Z at pretty much every opportunity you get? I've noticed this since the past postseason, and was curious.

It seems like the common theme in your posts is that too many LGW'ers rip on a guy like Lang or other "regulars" on the Wings, and to balance it off you rip Z whenever he has an off game. Of course the stars and fan favorites are going to get some free passes from the fans simply because of who they are, but even stars have off nights. It just seems like you take almost every opportunity to knock Z down after one of those such nights.

The difference between guys like Z and the "regulars" on the Wings, is that Z is a much better player night-in and night-out. Thus LGW'ers rip on these "regulars" because their play is more often detrimental to the team. Z on the other hand plays at a higher level the majority of the time, and when he all of a sudden has a poor game, it seems like you feel its necessary to compare his play to that of a guy like Sammy's.

I just don't get it.

Honestly there is not much too get...

Some people see things differently while looking at the same plays and same exact people... I see this Injury of his as being a nagging one that will hamper him from here on out... Sure he is good when he is playing but there will come a time where eventually it will catch up to him and he will be as useless on the ice as some people Deemed Bert to be.

I hope he gets better... but I just don't see it happening any time soon now. I am not ripping on Z only stating how I feel about his injury and the results it will pose... If you want ripping on players see posts from me about Dom.... that is ripping. Z, I am just concerned and since the wings are placing so much on his back ... it literally broke it and that could be a huge loss for us.

The stuff said from you about Z are pretty much the same way I feel about Fedorov and his performance for us in the past... Other disagree... it is all good... There isn't much needed to be understood... people are all different and view things differently.

Edited August 3, 2007 by OsGOD

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

Maybe he is really fine?

Another little snippet about Hank.

Sounds good to me!

[eva unit zero 271]

I agree with your comment about us lacking the attitude players, but it's not like we don't have players that take dumb penalites now. Everyone takes dumb penalties from time to time. That's no excuse for not having an enforcer.

The last real enforcer the Wings had was Joey Kocur. McCarty (90s, not 00s), Lapointe, Shanahan (90s, not 00s), Fischer are the kind of guys the Wings should be looking at. And they are hoping that's the kind of guy players like Kopecky and Franzen develop into.

[wingsgirl001 983]

Is he fine or isn't he?! I'm so confused!!

[Mickeyisms Rule! 0]

He's fine. Move along. Nothing to see here.

[Flip-check 6]

Another little snippet about Hank.

Sounds good to me!

It's just the same report, nothing new there.

We'll really only know once the season's underway.

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

Is he fine or isn't he?! I'm so confused!!

I think he is. There would be no reason to hide it if he wasn't, being the offseason and all.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

IMO, we don't need an enforcer, we need team toughness and size. There's a big difference.

[Flip-check 6]

I see this Injury of his as being a nagging one that will hamper him from here on out... Sure he is good when he is playing but there will come a time where eventually it will catch up to him and he will be as useless on the ice as some people Deemed Bert to be.

No offense Brandon, but I don't know why you'd say that without evidence to the fact. No one knows yet the extent to which this will become an issue - and just because Bert's career (momentarily, permanently) tanked doesn't mean Hank has the same fate.

It doesn't mean he doesn't, either. NFM mentioned the trend he observed but reading your response, I just pick up that same feeling--like since other people laid their lumps on players like Lang and Bert, Z's not getting any from the LGW crowd so someone may as well deliver.

I'm just confused. When Bertuzzi entered the offseason despite the sure risk he posed as a FA signing, it never occurred to me to say "he will fail us" or "he will not fail us".. simply because that's not a thing anyone can definitely answer.

I don't get your lean toward certain doom for Z for that same reason.

[Grind_Lines_#1_Fan 0]

I think he is fine, because we don't have any sources that are reliable. Until I hear the words for his mouth, I don't believe it. Besides we still have a while before Training Camp.

[Chase 0]

Zetterberg is f-i-n with a capital E finE.

[irishtemper14+25 11]

maybe we should close this tread before it gets so spammed up with everyone saying he is fine when one person asks a question

[FinWing 26]

I'm sure he's fine.

[Chase 0]

maybe we should close this tread before it gets so spammed up with everyone saying he is fine when one person asks a question

Look out for the forum police!

Edited August 4, 2007 by Chase

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Guess I should have added more than " " to show a funny.

Next time though I'll be more responsible and do something like this:

Attempt at a joke to follow

Insert funny zinger here

Joke has past, please continue

...or maybe you should just actually make it funny..

[eva unit zero 271]

For the most part you're spot on - however having an enforcer has an effect that will make others play with that "chip" on their shoulders...For the record I'd much rather have what we had in '97, & '98 vs what Anaheim had this past year.

No, having players like Jiri Fischer, Darren McCarty, Brendan Shanahan, Martin Lapointe, guys that can play the game AND contribute physically provides that 'chip.' It's not about fighting, it's about grit or toughness. And grit/toughness is best defined as not backing down from adversity. Fighting doesn't win games. Fighting doesn't serve as a deterrent. Fighting isn't even a guarantee of morale...Brad Norton's miserable showing is evidence of that. What we need is what we had this past playoff; with guys like Datsyuk, Cleary, Zetterberg, Hudler, Filppula, Samuelsson going hard, fighting through checks and not getting intimidated. That, not an enforcer, is what wins games. There was not one game this season where an enforcer would have changed the outcome, and there is not one 'enforcer' that I would have played over anyone who did play. Sure, we'd all like to have a team full with a top six of Brendan Shanahan, Wendel Clark, Cam Neely, Joe Thornton, Gary Roberts, and Mark Messier, featuring a top four defense of Konstantinov, Stevens, Chelios, and Tinordi all in their primes, and having Billy Smith in net. But that ISN'T GOING TO HAPPEN. Of the guys on the team last playoff, the only guys who seemed to disappear when the playoffs rolled around are GONE NOW, and were replaced with guys who will show up.

[wingfaninco 0]

I believe this is implementation of the Uwe Kruppe clause. AKA dont do anything stupid to hurt yourself. LOL

[Guest jaytan]

The main reason we've had no trouble making the playoffs for so many seasons in a row is that while we've always got a competitive team on the ice, we still play in a weak division. If we have an off year, or some guys get hurt, we'll still be able to beat Columbus and the like most of the time.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

For the most part you're spot on - however having an enforcer has an effect that will make others play with that "chip" on their shoulders...For the record I'd much rather have what we had in '97, & '98 vs what Anaheim had this past year.

Adding one enforcer to the Wings is not going to be the missing piece that brings the cup back to Detroit. True, it may help the rest of the team play a little more gritty, but that's not the solution.

Personally I think you're underestimating the effectiveness of a tuff guy (1 that can fight unlike Norton) such as a Probert, or Laraque (actually they were/are able to play the game which is a bonus)...Knowing that someone "has your back" I think has a positive effect with our smaller/talented players.

Yet, no team Laraque or Probert has played for has won a cup with them in the lineup.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

No it's not the guaranty that folks want to bring the Cup back to Detroit...However it's hard to bring a Cup home when your star players are injured during the regular season (such as Hank)...Enforcers can't guaranty the safety of our stars throughout the regular season as well, but since we lack the physical dimension (aka overall tuffness that has teammates standing up for each other instead of looking the other way), an enforcer, or 2 that can play on a regular basis give our smaller/star players the confidence in knowing that someone is watching over them.

I was thrilled to see Dats/Hank show a physical edge throughout the playoffs, but unfortunately when your stars have gotta take the lead in the physicality dept. that's not a good sign - not worth risking injury to our star guys when they're up against the likes of a Pronger, or May...Better off having Maltby, Draper, Samuelsson, Franzen, Chelios, Cleary, Hudler, Kopecky, etc, etc stand up for them somebody with the capabilities to deal with these threats than an amateur to rely upon.

No, its not an answer to the problem.

I'm sorry, but an enforcer on the Wings isn't the direction the Wings should go. Team toughness as a whole is what needs to continue to be focused on. It's as simple as that.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

I agree 100%, but where do plan on finding this "team tuffness"? It isn't going to appear overnight.

I'm not trying to be an a$$; it's just that the Wings have very little ability to stand up for our smaller/skilled players...In the meantime I feel the best alternative is to get agitators (read Maltby doesn't apply here), & guys whom can play MEAN, & want to HURT somebody wearing the opposite sweater, & will STAND UP when our boys get run at.

BEFORE ----->Shanny & DMac

AFTER ---->

You decide

Nor is an enforcer changing this team overnight going to happen either.

Also, what are you arguing? By pointing out guys like Shanny and DMac when they were in their primes, you just further proved what I'm saying.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

No, its not an answer to the problem.

I'm sorry, but an enforcer on the Wings isn't the direction the Wings should go. Team toughness as a whole is what needs to continue to be focused on. It's as simple as that.

Team toughness didn't prevent us last year from having as many injuries as we did from opposing cheapshots. Many posters here don't realize that as childish as it may sound, "an eye for an eye" isn't a bad theory to have in hockey. Why should our players always be the ones subjected to cheapshots? An enforcer/goon would at least go after the other team's skilled players in retaliation. That would make other teams think twice, or at least it would even the odds. It's plainly obvious that many opposing coaches have given their players a green light in running Wings players. We have to change that philosophy, or else we'll be the whipping boys of the league. Yes, cheapshots often result in teams taking stupid penalties against us, but in a playoff series that can be a small price to pay. Calgary and Anaheim resorted to playing dirty when those games were already out of hand on the scoreboard, thus they had nothing to lose.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Team toughness didn't prevent us last year from having as many injuries as we did from opposing cheapshots. Many posters here don't realize that as childish as it may sound, "an eye for an eye" isn't a bad theory to have in hockey. Why should our players always be the ones subjected to cheapshots? An enforcer/goon would at least go after the other team's skilled players in retaliation. That would make other teams think twice, or at least it would even the odds. It's plainly obvious that many opposing coaches have given their players a green light in running Wings players. We have to change that philosophy, or else we'll be the whipping boys of the league. Yes, cheapshots often result in teams taking stupid penalties against us, but in a playoff series that can be a small price to pay. Calgary and Anaheim resorted to playing dirty when those games were already out of hand on the scoreboard, thus they had nothing to lose.

Detroits players arent the only ones subjected to cheapshots? Just off the top of my head...Robidas? Hollweg? Kaberle? Spacek? All those teams have at least one bona fide tough guy.

IMO, we arent going to see much on this team in the way of fighters until Holland finds a guy that has at least 10 goal, 25 point potential. Keep in mind, Holland has had his eye on guys like Drake (even before he was past his prime), Mayers, Lapointe, and Witt, again just off the top of my head. IMO, THOSE are the guys I would love to see on the Wings. But Detroit has too many restrictions right now. A guy like Asham is gonna want more than 1M, and definitely more than just 1 year.

I think people forget that Detroit is essentially in their rebuilding phase. Holland is at a point where he needs to figure out whether Quincey, Meech, Hudler, Kopecky, and Filppula are gonna rise to the ocassion or fall back. Similarly he has to figure out what Zetterberg is going to require and whether or not hes going to have to replace Lidstrom, or have to accomodate a new salary for Lidstrom. IMO, thats why we saw the signing of Drake. One year, waivable, and still brings a fighting element to this team, however weak that is.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

We lack team tuffness - right?

We're not going to add these players overnight - right?

Having somebody like Asham who isn't afraid to stand-up for a teammate, & possibly making an opponent think twice before he takes any "liberties" with our star players is what we need @ this point in time...Believe it, or not but 1 guy can change the attitude in both the locker room, & on ice.

Once again I'd much rather have a combined team tuffness (like we had in'97/'98) however it takes time (years) to build a team with that level of character; we need something here, & now instead of taking a wait, & see approach of "building for the future".

And once again, I completely disagree. A guy like Asham isn't going to give the Wings the changes you seem to think he will. We need size and skill throughout the lineup, not a big fighter who'll supposedly convert all our softer, small guys to play with a chip on their shoulder. It isn't that simple, and if it was, Norton would be considered a god right now.

Edited August 7, 2007 by Never Forget Mac #25

[bringback91 2]

Wouldn't it just be easier to say you like to watch hockey fights, and want a fighter on the Wings cause you love to see fights? To me that's the only logical arguement for wasting a roster spot. I love hockey fights too, but with how the leauge is structured now, there really isn't a spot for a player like Kocur on a team like the Wings. I thought the Wings this past post season proved they were damn tough. But maybe I'm the one with the short term memory loss?