Four games, four bad pinches, four goals against for Lilja

[Lou_Siffer 1]

Now that I think about it, you can't really blame Lilja for any of these mistakes. Everyone knows that enforcers have never been known to be the most skilled players on a team.

Nice!

[J-Swift 0]

EDIT: oh yeah... the shortage of LGW posters memory. same people who screamed The Pain Train when Lilly was rocking in playoffs... now they're back to usual bashing... oh, the double standards...

I don't see how it's a double standard when Lilja is praised while playing well, and criticized while playing poorly.

Personally, I don't mind having Lilja around as a sixth or seventh defenceman. As he proved last post-season, Andreas can step in and play well in a pinch. But a full-time top-four defenceman he is not. That's kinda why I wanted us to re-sign Markov or some other decent complimentary d-man to play with Lidstrom on the top pairing.

[dicksmack 33]

I don't see how it's a double standard when Lilja is praised while playing well, and criticized while playing poorly.

Personally, I don't mind having Lilja around as a sixth or seventh defenceman. As he proved last post-season, Andreas can step in and play well in a pinch. But a full-time top-four defenceman he is not. That's kinda why I wanted us to re-sign Markov or some other decent complimentary d-man to play with Lidstrom on the top pairing.

Exactly. Lilja's game is what it is... He's always going to be somewhat of a liability and that isn't going to change. As you point out, he can string a few good games together here and there and therein lies his utility. I too wanted Markov back as he 's more consistent.

[puckloo39 5,686]

I am realistic about Lilja's contributions, but I like the guy. We are the most critical fans on earth, I swear. Come on, Lils, show 'em this season!

[Kp-Wings 3]

Now that I think about it, you can't really blame Lilja for any of these mistakes. Everyone knows that enforcers have never been known to be the most skilled players on a team.

As for Lilja: it would please me if he was sent off somewhere and the Wings bring up Quincey or Brad Ference to replace him. We need consistant grit on the blueline, not the once in a blue moon grit that Lilja brings occasionally. Quincey or Ference would be good upgrades in my opinion.

[Feldmarschall 9]

Lilja and Kronwall have both been turning the puck over a lot, and making generally poor plays. Our D in general hasn't looked all that great and has been relying more and more on backchecking forwards going deeper into the zone to help the play. We've given up a correspondingly larger number of blueline shots and while the season is young, these guys have a lot of work to do. I can think of a couple of teams we wouldn't be beating in the playoffs with our D playing as it is.

The only truly solid defensive players we've got on the back end right now are Chelios and Lidstrom. Rafalski is mediocre, too light on his feet, Kronwall and Lilja exhibit poor decision making, and Lebda really isn't very noticeable one way or the other. Makes the loss of Markov sting a bit more.

[Izzy24 44]

What's to stop Chelios from taking Lilja's minutes?

[ben_usmc 253]

all we wings fans do is *****, Lilja has been much improved which leads me to believe that maybe he will get even better through out the seasons, nothing ever satisfys people here. ITS CALLED A SALARY CAP

[clutchngrab 12]

My main concern with Kronwall is him managing to stay healthy. Over the last three seasons in the NHL, he's played in 115 regular season games. It's no wonder he looks out of rhythm sometimes and is making rookie mistakes.

My main concern is that Kronwall stop playing like a dumbass. He has the physical skills, but he just makes stupid mental errors more than he should.

As far as Sammie goes, I think he looks like one of the most improved Red Wings this year. Definitely quicker and handling the puck better.

Lilja - well, popeye said it best: "I ams what I ams"

Edited October 12, 2007 by clutchngrab

[up2here 41]

although kronwall looked pretty good, i thought, in the first two games, he's definitely regained his form from last year these last two (in a bad way). he gives the puck away consistently and hasn't been good positionally. he has shown a few flashes of his potential but not much. i'm still waiting for this guy to live up to even half his hype.

Lilja gets no break from me.Im pretty sure hes also to blame for the Polar ice caps melting.

[LIDDYGIBBY5 1]

What's to stop Chelios from taking Lilja's minutes?

Part of the reason that Chelios has been so effective this late in his career is the way his minutes are managed. I don't think he would be as effective if he was playing 25 plus minutes every night. Chelios is too good on the penalty kill to limit his time on it (especially now when everything is a penalty) to give him more 5 on 5 time that Lilja was playing.

all we wings fans do is *****, Lilja has been much improved which leads me to believe that maybe he will get even better through out the seasons, nothing ever satisfys people here. ITS CALLED A SALARY CAP

If the salary cap is the reason that Lilja is around, why not let your marginal players go and develop your great young talent? (Quincy, Meech)

[edicius 3,269]

I don't see why Lilja's getting all the crap from Babcock. In the games I've watched this season, you know who's been our best defenseman?

Chelios.

I hate to admit it, but along with Lilja and Kronwall, even Lidstrom's made some uncharacteristically boneheaded moves in our zone this season. Rafalski's been great on the power play, but other than that, I haven't seen much that would exempt him from scrutiny either.

What really confuses me is that Lilja's been Holland and Babcock's golden boy since last season (i.e. no matter how much he screwed up, he was always out there). Makes me think that something's changed behind the scenes.

[OsGOD 3]

boo" in four straight games, and it's hard to believe that Babcock won't turn to Derek Meech if

Lilja "gaps up" again vs. Chicago.

Awww shucks coach... that just is Lil' Ja being Lil' Ja... sucky for him, i guess... but good for those who don't want to see #3 on the ice.