Finally Downey is playing

[Opie 308]

Alright let me try to understand why you want to get rid of the 8th leading scorer on the team last year (whihc btw is more than one game).

Then you want to add another grit guy, and keep Downey.

So that means the following four people will be in your starting roster:

Drake, Downey, Maltby and PFT (Player Traded For).

I do understand this much, Sammy will not garner a lot for trade, so at best you get rid of him and aquire another him in return, but is more gritty and probably scores less.

I have an idea the wings should trade the all of the forward except DZH, for gritty forwards.

That way they have one scoring line, no secondary scoring but the scrappiest, grittiest, toughest team to ever miss the playoffs.

I am not a Sammy lover, but more a realist.

A. What are you going to get for Sammy?

B. It takes more than just luck and being in the right place at the right time to score in the NHL ask Downey.

C. Robert Lang looks real lazy and sucky on the Blackhawks doesn't he. If Sammy is the second coming of Lang then the wings will be great this year, because that means Sammy will get 60+ points!! SWEET!!!!

D. I hate when a guy is getting 3rd line minutes, plays the point for a team on the PP, and all he has to show for it is 1 goal and 3 assists in the first 5 games of the season. Trade him now for GRIT!!!!!!

[redwingfan19 293]

If we could trade sammy for a grit player who puts up the same kind of numbers I would be all for it but that scenario is NOT likely.

Edited October 15, 2007 by redwingfan19

[joey_corleone 0]

Alright let me try to understand why you want to get rid of the 8th leading scorer on the team last year (whihc btw is more than one game).

Then you want to add another grit guy, and keep Downey.

So that means the following four people will be in your starting roster:

Drake, Downey, Maltby and PFT (Player Traded For).

I do understand this much, Sammy will not garner a lot for trade, so at best you get rid of him and aquire another him in return, but is more gritty and probably scores less.

I have an idea the wings should trade the all of the forward except DZH, for gritty forwards.

That way they have one scoring line, no secondary scoring but the scrappiest, grittiest, toughest team to ever miss the playoffs.

I am not a Sammy lover, but more a realist.

A. What are you going to get for Sammy?

B. It takes more than just luck and being in the right place at the right time to score in the NHL ask Downey.

C. Robert Lang looks real lazy and sucky on the Blackhawks doesn't he. If Sammy is the second coming of Lang then the wings will be great this year, because that means Sammy will get 60+ points!! SWEET!!!!

D. I hate when a guy is getting 3rd line minutes, plays the point for a team on the PP, and all he has to show for it is 1 goal and 3 assists in the first 5 games of the season. Trade him now for GRIT!!!!!!

Better to have Lang kill us a few times a year, then have to deal with watching his lackluster play that makes me want to puke for the full 82 game season. Also, I think Lang was not much more than a liability every time he was on the ice. Poor back checking, poor defensive play, poor overall effort. Chicago can keep him.

I don't like Samuelsson's style of play, and I don't really see him as very valuable. OK he has 4 points so far, big deal. Where was he in the playoffs? I just think his play is generally sloppy and lazy thats all.

Edited October 15, 2007 by joey_corleone

[Opie 308]

Ok I will concede that you think he is lazy and sloppy, whom do you think can take his place? Whom can he be traded for?

[joey_corleone 0]

Ok I will concede that you think he is lazy and sloppy, whom do you think can take his place? Whom can he be traded for?

I have not thought of this a great deal. What I would love to see would be like a Michael Pecca or Ryan Smyth type guy...but I think the wings would have to sweeten the deal quite a bit to get a player of that caliber.

Maybe more realistically, something along the lines of a Marty Lapointe second coming???

I concede on my wanting all grit all the time. I'd also like to see somebody else that has proven to be a hard working team player with consistant numbers up front. Like a 2nd or 3rd line forward that is not Samuelsson. I'm not trying to be all negative I honestly just don't see what he has really brought to the team, and he gives the puck away all the time and refuses to ever hit somebody. I don't think one has to be considered a very gritty player that hits everybody whenever he gets the chance, but in hockey sometimes the right play is to step into your man, and take him out. Samuelsson doesn't do that, ever. Sometimes that is a play that seems so small but results in a goal for the other team eventually

Edited October 15, 2007 by joey_corleone

[redwingfan19 293]

Ok I will concede that you think he is lazy and sloppy, whom do you think can take his place? Whom can he be traded for?

sammy and a pick/prospect for eaves and neil.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Ok I will concede that you think he is lazy and sloppy, whom do you think can take his place? Whom can he be traded for?

Robert Lang.

[Heaton 1]

You guys expect a lot from a guy who makes 1.2m and does his job accordingly.

[Lou_Siffer 1]

Nice to see Downey in, would be even nicer to see him in tonight! Although, after last night's game, its tough to say guys like Parros and May will be looking to fight tonight. Unless your David Koci fighting on back to back nights doesnt seem to happen all that often. Best bet is probably Moen, he'd be the underdog going in to Downey but he'd fight him if challenged.

sammy and a pick/prospect for eaves and neil.

You're joking right? Ottawa wouldnt even think of trading away Neil for Samuelsson.

[Kp-Wings 3]

You guys expect a lot from a guy who makes 1.2m and does his job accordingly.

It'd be nice if he...

A. Didn't take useless shots at every possible moment. Pass the puck at least once in a while.

B. Wasn't so slow and lazy. Sometimes he makes Lang look an Olympic Speedskater.

C. Played with some actual grit and passion. Again, he makes Lang look energetic at times. He plays with no fire at all. All he does is just goes through the motions.

D. Actually used his size for once. The guy is 6'2 but he plays like he's 5'5.

Is it really that much to ask that Samulesson not suck so badly? I mean, can he for once put out an effort? You got guys like Cleary, Filppula, even Hudler who put forth a decent effort every game, and they all make less money and get less ice time then Samulesson does.

If Samulesson was a 40 goal scorer or something, then I could let his lazy and non-passionate play slide accordingly. That's why I never complained about Shanny in his later years (until the playoffs came around anyways, which was a different story).

But he's not that at all. He's a fringe player at best, who reaped the benefits of good linemates 2 seasons ago. Holland then signs him a ridiculous 3-year extension over one 20 goal season.

I think it's funny how people defend Samulesson now, when before everyone wanted him gone faster then the plague. My oh my, how opinions quickly change here.

[Heaton 1]

I think it's funny how people defend Samulesson now, when before everyone wanted him gone faster then the plague. My oh my, how opinions quickly change here.

Your expectations are too high, how many other players who make 1.2m do what you're expecting him to do? Samuelsson hustles, he gets his nose dirty. You just have a vendetta against him for some reason, I'm not exactly sure. He fills in adequately in the top 6, I guess I don't see all of these glaring turnovers, he's about right for the minutes he gets. Every player on this team has a ton of turnovers, just like every good player, the more you have the puck the more you have the chance to have giveaways.

Samuelsson is a bargain for what he brings, the idea that a guy like Aaron Downey would bring more worth to the lineup than Samuelsson is strange, for a team who has virtually no offensive depth at this point, Samuelsson is a bright spot. It's not like there's guys banging on the door but Samuelsson is holding them back, no one is producing yet Samuelsson somehow was still finding the back of the net.

He's not a great player, he's not even a good player, but considering the makeup of our team and the lack of offensive depth, Samuelsson is necessary until either Filppula, Hudler, Grigorenko or Franzen show that he's not needed.

Edited October 16, 2007 by Heaton

[Wildwings44 5]

So far I like the Downey, Drake, Ellis line. I wish they would have had more ice time - perhaps tonight. The problem with Sammy is that there is no where to put him. He doesn't fit well on any line.

[Kp-Wings 3]

Your expectations are too high, how many other players who make 1.2m do what you're expecting him to do?

What I listed above is not that hard. Cleary does all that and more for less money.

I'm not asking Samulesson to be a 30 goal scorer, because I know under no circumstance does he have that potential at all. What I listed above are things that players who make 450K can do.

Samuelsson hustles, he gets his nose dirty.

You just have a vendetta against him for some reason, I'm not exactly sure.

Yeah, I do. Because I see that he's not needed on this team at all for what he brings, yet he get's tons of ice time that he doesn't really deserve.

I guess I don't see all of these glaring turnovers

I don't want to sound rude here, but how can you not see them? Every time he get's the puck he tries to do some fancy Datsyuk-esque stickwork, only to lose the puck because he has no natural talent. Or, he takes a useless shot even when there is someone open for a pass.

Samuelsson is a bargain for what he brings, the idea that a guy like Aaron Downey would bring more worth to the lineup than Samuelsson is strange

When did I ever say Downey should be playing Samulesson's minutes? When?

The guy I want out of the lineup for Downey is Kopecky, because Kopecky is the worst player on the team, in my opinion. He does absolutley nothing at all, and I don't see why Downey can't get a spot, since he and Kopecky are pretty much on the same talent level. The difference is that Downey brings grit and charecter to the lineup, while Kopecky is a waste of air.

Samuelsson is necessary until either Filppula, Hudler, Grigorenko or Franzen show that he's not needed.

See, I really don't think he is. But hey, that's just me.

I will probably never like Samulesson. I don't like the squishy soft style of hockey he plays, I don't like what he tries to do with the puck, I don't like his constant useless shots from nowhere, I don't like him on the PP. I just don't like him. Sorry, but just because someone plays for the mighty Red Wings doesn't mean I have to like him.

Edited October 16, 2007 by Kp-Wings

[Heaton 1]

You don't have to like him, but I expect that you'll actually understand that he's PRODUCING, he's SCORING and getting SCORING CHANCES, something NONE of our DEPTH is doing right NOW.

I feel I needed to cap those words for emphasis. It's not like Cleary or Franzen or Filppula or Hudler is scoring making Samuelsson obsolete. I don't care how he does it as long as he's putting the puck in the net. He's been a + player since he's joined the team. I wanted him benched in favor of Hudler before the playoffs last year, reason being? Hudler was producing, and until these other offensive guys start producing, Samuelsson has a lot of value to this team.

[Kp-Wings 3]

You don't have to like him, but I expect that you'll actually understand that he's PRODUCING, he's SCORING and getting SCORING CHANCES, something NONE of our DEPTH is doing right NOW.

See, I don't understand how shooting the puck from the far boards and it still counting as a shot, and being the 2nd assist man really counts as producing.

There's no sense arguing about it, because we obviously have different views on the situation. I don't think Samulesson is producing, you do. I entitle you to your own opinion.

[Heaton 1]

See, I don't understand how shooting the puck from the far boards and it still counting as a shot, and being the 2nd assist man really counts as producing.

There's no sense arguing about it, because we obviously have different views on the situation. I don't think Samulesson is producing, you do. I entitle you to your own opinion.

He has 4 points in 5 games, the only other forward besides the big line with more than one point is Draper. Comparing him to the rest of the team, he's producing.

A point is a point is a point.

If there was any other forward showing signs of life that could take his spot, I'm all for it, but there isn't any.

Edited October 16, 2007 by Heaton

[joey_corleone 0]

It'd be nice if he...

A. Didn't take useless shots at every possible moment. Pass the puck at least once in a while.

B. Wasn't so slow and lazy. Sometimes he makes Lang look an Olympic Speedskater.

C. Played with some actual grit and passion. Again, he makes Lang look energetic at times. He plays with no fire at all. All he does is just goes through the motions.

D. Actually used his size for once. The guy is 6'2 but he plays like he's 5'5.

Is it really that much to ask that Samulesson not suck so badly? I mean, can he for once put out an effort? You got guys like Cleary, Filppula, even Hudler who put forth a decent effort every game, and they all make less money and get less ice time then Samulesson does.

If Samulesson was a 40 goal scorer or something, then I could let his lazy and non-passionate play slide accordingly. That's why I never complained about Shanny in his later years (until the playoffs came around anyways, which was a different story).

But he's not that at all. He's a fringe player at best, who reaped the benefits of good linemates 2 seasons ago. Holland then signs him a ridiculous 3-year extension over one 20 goal season.

I think it's funny how people defend Samulesson now, when before everyone wanted him gone faster then the plague. My oh my, how opinions quickly change here.

Awesome post, you put into words what I wanted to, only better. Bravo!

[Grittzkey 1]

the way downey skates i like it.

he skates with a purpose...

[joey_corleone 0]

the way downey skates i like it.

he skates with a purpose...

I agree. If there was an NHL award given to the player that exerts the absolute minimum amount of effort required to keep his job, Samuelsson might win it. Or Robert Lang haha

[kylee 727]

If we could trade sammy for a grit player who puts up the same kind of numbers I would be all for it but that scenario is NOT likely.

very true.

i dont mind sammy.

i do mind some of his shot choices.

samuelson: shoot first, ask questions later.

[Wings_Dynasty 267]

No, I am not happy. Because he is NOT playing. 2 minutes per game is not playing. He should have had MUCH more time in the ANA game, especially after it got out of hand.

WAKE UP BABCOCK!!!

[drwscc 212]

YEAH! Z-D-Downey line! Let's light it up! Downey is the savior of this team, let him get some minutes.

[Kp-Wings 3]

YEAH! Z-D-Downey line! Let's light it up! Downey is the savior of this team, let him get some minutes.

Nobody is saying that.

It would be nice, though, if Downey did get some playing time over these useless scrubs like Kopecky that haven't done s*** to give themselves a full-time roster spot.

I don't understand how wanting a guy to play more automatically means we think he's the savior of the team, and that he'll score 30 goals. Nobody is saying that at all. I just want him to be given a chance to at least play in the game is all. If guys like Kopecky, who suck ass, can get regular shifts, why can't Downey?

Plus, I want to see some more fights. Especially in horrible games like last nights. The game was clearly over with about 5 minutes left to go yet Babcock still wouldn't put Downey in. At that point, when the game is over and nobody cares anymore, at least make it somewhat entertaining with a fight or two. It's better than watching Kopecky get all the ice time, and not do anything with it.

Edited October 16, 2007 by Kp-Wings

[Lou_Siffer 1]

Nobody is saying that.

It would be nice, though, if Downey did get some playing time over these useless scrubs like Kopecky that haven't done s*** to give themselves a full-time roster spot.

I don't understand how wanting a guy to play more automatically means we think he's the savior of the team, and that he'll score 30 goals. Nobody is saying that at all. I just want him to be given a chance to at least play in the game is all. If guys like Kopecky, who suck ass, can get regular shifts, why can't Downey?

Plus, I want to see some more fights. Especially in horrible games like last nights. The game was clearly over with about 5 minutes left to go yet Babcock still wouldn't put Downey in. At that point, when the game is over and nobody cares anymore, at least make it somewhat entertaining with a fight or two. It's better than watching Kopecky get all the ice time, and not do anything with it.

Get ready for the "Red Wings are too classy to do that" typical response.

[Kp-Wings 3]

Get ready for the "Red Wings are too classy to do that" typical response.

Oh jeez, tell me about it!

Some people on here act like the Wings need to be a bunch of old British men drinking tea around a fireplace to be a successful team. It's ridiculous.

"Classy" and "weak" are two totally different words that people need to start telling the difference from. I don't want the Wings to swing their sticks around like lumberjacks (or Jesse Boulerice), but it's ridiculous when people on here and completely frown upon the notion of toughness or fighting because it would make the Wings "not classy" anymore. Heck, you'd think aquiring Bertuzzi would have thrown that notion right down the drain, considering what he did.

The Wings were a classy team in the 90's, and they still had forms of toughness and fighting. So, that's not going to break that off like everybody seems to think.