Andy Pred 48 337 Report post Posted December 27, 2007 I'd just thought I would give the Paintrain some kudos. If anyone hasn't taken notice of his play of late, in the last 9 games he has gone from a -5 rating to a +9!! I doubt if anyone on the roster has a better +- rating over this period than Lilja's +14. Well done and keep up the good work. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cicada 4 Report post Posted December 27, 2007 (edited) i have no idea how he did that tbh his brainfarts still drive me crazy though...he had a couple tonight that could have easily cost goals. in that nine game span he has 1 goal and 3 assists, so it's very much so him being on the ice at the right time... helps that Kronwall's been really hot recently as well Edited December 27, 2007 by Cicada Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GoCryWolfe 0 Report post Posted December 27, 2007 It's very difficult to give somone like Lilja any appreciation. Why you ask? Because he does something stupid every single game. Let me rephrase... he does more than one thing stupid in every single game. And it's not just meaningless penalties or missed passes that don't amount to anything. They end up being potentially game-breaking opportunities for the other team. He is a disease. I prefer to call him The Plague. Yes, he does bring a few good qualities... oh wait, maybe just one: grittiness. In all seriousness, I know all Wings fans have to remember Game 5. The potentially game-breaking opportunity he provided Teemu Selanne- oh wait... it WAS a game-breaking play. And it's not like these happen once every few games. Each and every game he does something bone-headed. I genuinely feel sorry for every defense partner that gets paired with him. At least with Lids, Lids could cover his ass. But Lilja is just horrible. You can even look to last night, where on at least 2 occasions he provided a potentially game-breaking opportunity to the other team. Near the endof the period while he was killing a penalty, he rightfully gets called for a cross check to put us on a 2 man disadvantage. And if it weren't for a great penalty kill, it would have bit us in the ass. Then there was the pass, I think in the first period, where he came from behind our own net and looked like he was trying to pass it cross ice in FRONT of our net. But that wasn't a pass. That wasn't a solid pass. That was a gimme-pass to the blues, which if it weren't for Osgood, they woulda scored. He made a fantastic save to save The Diseases ass. I usually offer good discussion on these boards, and never rant on players when making posts. But this topic just brought it out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Reds4Life 51 Report post Posted December 27, 2007 (edited) Yep, I do agree, Lilja is definitely the worst defenseman we have. He is big and can fight, but he really makes too many mistakes, I hope K.Holland will trade him before the playoffs. Edited December 27, 2007 by Reds4Life Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BeeRYCE 2 Report post Posted December 27, 2007 (edited) I'll give Lilja credit for being probably the second best defenseman last playoff season, and with his +/- rating, and our astonishing 27-7-3 record... I wouldn't waste my time ragging on him. Edited December 27, 2007 by BeeRYCE Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Opie 308 Report post Posted December 27, 2007 I'll give Lilja credit for being probably the second best defenseman last playoff season, and with his +/- rating, and our astonishing 27-7-3 record... I wouldn't waste my team ragging on him. What are you trying to say that people around here should appreciate what they are witnessing, nah it is funner to ***** and moan all year about players not being the next lids or dats when they are not supposed to be. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thedisappearer 291 Report post Posted December 27, 2007 nah it is funner to ***** and moan all year about players not being the next lids or dats when they are not supposed to be. +1 There is a reason he is playing for the Wings- he is good enough to. And there is a reason he isn't a first line D-man- he isn't good enough. I don't know why so much time and effort is taken to rip on our own players, the very people we depend on to make us happy and win the Cup. Maybe... just maybe... if we spend the time and effort supporting some of our players, they would perform better. It's hard to be a non-highly skilled Wing. We have a bunch and the fan base expects excellence. But there are other roles out there, and Lilja fills one for us, and very nicely at that. Does he screw up? Sure. But everyone screws up. Maybe he does it more frequently than maybe? But here's why Mr I pays Babcock- to coach these players, and here's why he pays Kenny- to decide who stays and who goes. Not only are you second guessing the player, you are second guessing the whole organization. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
esteef 2,679 Report post Posted December 27, 2007 Good job by Lilly! He's one of my darkhorses that I secretly root for while he gets ripped on this board. I don't think he makes THAT many mistakes, he's just made a few big ones in the past that have gotten him the bad rep. For the most part, it's hard to hide your mistakes when you play on lines with Lids and Chelios, those guys rarely ever screw up, so naturally everyone's gonna notice his gaffs. The big difference I notice is he just doesn't have the foot speed of a Lebda or even Kronwall to get back if he misplays something, so the mistake is REALLY evident. I've noticed him stepping up at the blueline more (Kronwall too) which is great and he's greatly improved his passing out of the defensive zone. Hell, he even got a goal the other day!!! Here's to him keeping up the great effort! Cheers to Lilly! esteef Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thedisappearer 291 Report post Posted December 27, 2007 Let's not forget he has a better +/- than Chelios and Kronwall, and both of his goals are game winners- that's as many as Lidstrom, Hudler, Chelios, Downey, Drake, Rafalski, Sammy, Kronwall, and Lebda COMBINED. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grittzkey 1 Report post Posted December 27, 2007 Ill take Lilja on our roster until we can make a deal to get a gritty physical pressence on our blueline. until then. Lilja will suffice over Quincey and Meech. Anyone notice when meech was in like 2-3 games ago, when he got into someones face and you could read his lips going "IMA F****ING KILL YOU" i laughed my ass off when i seen that. i think it was the last blues game. made me cry almost.. off topic just thought id tell you all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
esteef 2,679 Report post Posted December 27, 2007 Standing tall amidst the chaos! Atta boy Lilly!!! Cheers! esteef Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shannyfan1414 0 Report post Posted December 27, 2007 Well last year at this time i hated Lilja. Last year during the playoffs he seemed to turn his game around and has been playing pretty dran well as of late. I'm glad to see that since he will be here in detroit for a while. He seems to be playing a little more of the tough guys role which i think we needed and that he needs to keep up. I'm now willing to retire his nickname of Lillypad. I'm more then happy to bring that name back if he start so suck it up again. Keep up the good work Lilly. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ben_usmc 253 Report post Posted December 27, 2007 some players no matter what they do will never gain any respect here which is pretty sad really. We all know Lilja is not the greatest but come one I can think of far worse 4-6 d man in the League then Lilja, WE HAVE A SALARY CAP for that reason alone he has been playing good, so congrates to Lilja now if we could just get Kocur to teach him and Mule to fight Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
up2here 41 Report post Posted December 27, 2007 Youre right we should give him props,especially for the perfect feed he gave Paul Kariya in his own slot last night. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
uk_redwing 495 Report post Posted December 27, 2007 Praise Lilja for his awesomeness. Need I quote from The Bible? I think I need to. "And Jesus saideth to the meneth of Detrioteth and the rest of the land of the jewsestheth that Lilja did cometh down from the kingdom of demon spirits and evil ducks and he was triumphant and his word was the word of the people who bathed his feet in vinegar and all fasted in his hounour...eth" Indeed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thedisappearer 291 Report post Posted December 27, 2007 Youre right we should give him props,especially for the perfect feed he gave Paul Kariya in his own slot last night. Yeah, and let's not forget to slam Lids and Chelios over the game where they both allowed own-goals... Players make mistakes. Ozzie bailed him out- no harm, no foul. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
esteef 2,679 Report post Posted December 27, 2007 Yeah, and let's not forget to slam Lids and Chelios over the game where they both allowed own-goals... Players make mistakes. Ozzie bailed him out- no harm, no foul. Exactly. If that was Lilja with the own goal people would be calling to hang him here. I've seen Rafalski do worse than Lilly so far. just sayin', esteef Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
up2here 41 Report post Posted December 27, 2007 Exactly. If that was Lilja with the own goal people would be calling to hang him here. I've seen Rafalski do worse than Lilly so far. just sayin', esteef The big difference is the mistakes those guys make are much fewer and farther between not to mention they make up for the occasional gaff with some offense. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
esteef 2,679 Report post Posted December 27, 2007 The big difference is the mistakes those guys make are much fewer and farther between not to mention they make up for the occasional gaff with some offense. Exactly my point, Lilly is compared to Lids and Cheli all the time. Most defensemen in the league don't compare favorably to those two. If offense gets them off the hook for their mistakes, then Lilly makes up for his by dropping the gloves, especially when no one else on the team would (pre-Downey and Drake era). Cheers to Lilly! esteef Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FedorovGurl 2 Report post Posted December 27, 2007 Thats the thing... you NOTICE MORE when Rafalski makes a mistake because he does not do it often. But Lilja? Its not such a big thing anymore because it happens so often. Its just like 'yup, he effed up again'. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
esteef 2,679 Report post Posted December 27, 2007 Thats the thing... you NOTICE MORE when Rafalski makes a mistake because he does not do it often. But Lilja? Its not such a big thing anymore because it happens so often. Its just like 'yup, he effed up again'. Examples? Aside from last year's gaff to Selanne I haven't seen any major blunders for him to continue to have that nametag. To me, this type of thing is the equivalent of others teams' fans still saying Detroit has no fighters, it's just not true anymore. peace, esteef Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
up2here 41 Report post Posted December 27, 2007 Examples? Aside from last year's gaff to Selanne I haven't seen any major blunders for him to continue to have that nametag. To me, this type of thing is the equivalent of others teams' fans still saying Detroit has no fighters, it's just not true anymore. peace, esteef Dont make me start naming all Lilja blunders,Ill be out of names by February. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
esteef 2,679 Report post Posted December 27, 2007 Dont make me start naming all Lilja blunders,Ill be out of names by February. Go? I mean, if he sucks THAT bad and costs us goals/games, shouldn't that show up in his plus minus? He's +9 right now with 2 goals and 7 assists. Oh and BTW, he kicks ass killing penalties too. peace, esteef Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thedisappearer 291 Report post Posted December 27, 2007 The big difference is the mistakes those guys make are much fewer and farther between not to mention they make up for the occasional gaff with some offense. You aren't paying any attention. Why are you comparing him to Lids or Cheli? They are future HoFers. They've won boatloads of Norris'. Lilja is not supposed to be that guy. He's a second line Dman. Sure he scores less. That's not his job. He's the physical presense.The few blue liners in the league who bring the body AND the offense are either making 5 times Lilja's salary, or have not hit UFA status yet. He also doesn't clock PP time. That cuts down anybody's offense. And he may score less, but his goals count. He has more GWG than everyone else on Detroit's blueline COMBINED. You, good sir, have been blinded by hate. Feel free to point out all of Lilja's blunders. Someone could do the same for every single player to ever wear the Winged Wheel. Lids has screwed up... Stevie Y too. I prefer to look at Lilja as much better and cheaper than Derian Hatcher ever was for us. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204 Report post Posted December 27, 2007 I like Lilja and his play is just awesome by his standards this year. But he is the dumbest, hockey player I have ever seen. If he ever stops with the brain farts he'd be a really good defenceman. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
