Lilja

[Guest Jeremy88]

I know you guys bash him a lot, but I've grown to like him. He's shaping up as a good defenseman lately. He's big, and I've seen him make quite a few Lidstrom style plays this year that have stopped the other team from scoring.

I hope we keep him.

[Kp-Wings 3]

I know you guys bash him a lot, but I've grown to like him. He's shaping up as a good defenseman lately. He's big, and I've seen him make quite a few Lidstrom style plays this year that have stopped the other team from scoring.

I hope the Wings aquire another defenseman at the deadline to take his spot

Fixed.

Edited February 8, 2008 by Kp-Wings

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Fixed.

It's funny, most couldn't stand him, now it's as though they pity how pathetic he is so as a result they like him.

[Kp-Wings 3]

It's funny, most couldn't stand him, now it's as though they pity how pathetic he is so as a result they like him.

Tell me about it! I can't believe all the people around here saying "Wow, Lilja is playing some great hockey lately" and stuff of that nature. He's a turnover machine for crying out loud! The fact that leads the Wings in hits is such a terrible stat anyways, because often times nudging a guy can still count as a hit.

Want an example? Dustin Brown, who I like very much mind you, has well over 200 hits this season, and is approaching 300 or something. How many of those hits do you think are actual big hockey hits though? With Brown's case, maybe 100 or so, because he is a very physical player, but there is no way that every hit in that total of his is an actual hit. Sometimes, just touching a guy can count as a hit, which is sickening, but for some reason it counts as such.

Lilja is a mistake waiting to happen in the playoffs. He is terrible with the puck. He's already proven in two different playoff series that he cannot play when it really matters. It's even more ridiculous that the Wings want to sign him to a contract extension. Kyle Quincey must be counting his days down in GR, because at this rate, he'll never get a shot with the Wings.

Edited February 8, 2008 by Kp-Wings

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Sure, keep him till the end of the year. DO NOT RE-SIGN HIM.

[DaKineMaui 8]

Great, now my computer froze and is on fire.

Can we make a rule? No more using those words in the exact same thread?

[Sevumar 0]

I like Lilja for completely irrational reasons. He reminds me of a pirate.

[imisssergei 0]

I know you guys bash him a lot, but I've grown to like him. He's shaping up as a good defenseman lately. He's big, and I've seen him make quite a few Lidstrom style plays this year that have stopped the other team from scoring.

I hope we keep him.

Does. Not. Compute.

[Sergeiwasmyfav 0]

Lilja is not as bad as many on here like to make him out to be. I haven't noticed him making any bad turn-overs lately at all. How long does he have to go playing some decent hockey before some people on here will admit that maybe he is improving his play and being more careful with the puck? I have no problem with him not being someone's favorite player, but I don't understand why some people can't get past their dislike of him and at least acknowledge that he is playing pretty decent right now. Is it really that hard to be objective about what is going on in a game? Yeah, I like Lilja, but I can see that he can make bad plays and be sloppy with the puck and has cost the team goals or scoring chances at times. I also see that he has not been doing that lately. Is it really that hard to be objective about a player's performance?

[Grittzkey 1]

Meech > Lilja

[imisssergei 0]

Meech > Lilja

Fixed it.

[Guest Jeremy88]

ok...there were two plays tonight where osgood was out of it and lilja stopped the puck from going in the net. granted we lost, but without lilja, we would have lost 7-3

[bloodred13 0]

the only memories i can ever have of lilja are the stupid give aways he does in our zone that lead to scoring chances for the other team or goals....didnt he learn to not clear it up the middle in peewee hockey???

[wingnut22 81]

ok...there were two plays tonight where osgood was out of it and lilja stopped the puck from going in the net. granted we lost, but without lilja, we would have lost 7-3

so two good plays tonight make up for coutless giveaways and make him a Lidstrom style player? I dont "hate" Lilja but I wouldnt go that far.

[DaKineMaui 8]

How long does he have to go playing some decent hockey before some people on here will admit that maybe he is improving his play and being more careful with the puck?

See that's just it I guess. This isn't a training league. It's the Red Wings of the NHL. The only place in Detroit for a guy do on-the-job-training is with the Lions.

Come NHL playoff time. you can't run with the dogs if you're gonna piss like a puppy.

He's had "a few years" now, and all I see is a 5 on 4 every time he's on the ice.

So I guess the answer to your question is: "A few years."

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Wow, talk about some overephatic and overdramatic posts in this thread.

Lilja and Lidstrom-like plays shouldn't be mentioned in the same sentence together, but to say he is pathetic is going way off the deep end of the emotional scale as well.

Good perspective F. Michael.

[redwingfan19 293]

This is the thing with Lilja. He is being used as a top 4 defenseman which he is absolutely not, he is a 5th,6th d man at best. He is good on the Pk i must admit, but other than that he should be playing a limited role on this team and we need to get a legit top 4 guy at the deadline like blake or someone of that nature.

[Zion 93]

This is the thing with Lilja. He is being used as a top 4 defenseman which he is absolutely not, he is a 5th,6th d man at best. He is good on the Pk i must admit, but other than that he should be playing a limited role on this team and we need to get a legit top 4 guy at the deadline like blake or someone of that nature.

Correct.

[thedisappearer 291]

so two good plays tonight make up for coutless giveaways and make him a Lidstrom style player? I dont "hate" Lilja but I wouldnt go that far.

No one said "player", what was said was "play". There is a difference.

[thedisappearer 291]

Meech > Lilja

Huh? Do you actually think you know more than the coaches and scouts? There's a reason Meech is the 7th d-man and Lilja actually plays without an injured d-man...

[jerm8352 3]

Brian Rafalski turns the puck over just as much if not more than Lilja. Watch him on the powerplay. Lilja has been playing better the last half of last season and this season. Is he as good as Nicklas Lidstrom? No. Is he as good as Chris Pronger? No Is he going to win the Norris? No way. But he is holding his own and like it or not he is the only physical presence we have on the back end.

Edited February 8, 2008 by jerm8352

[Opie 308]

Ok so I did a little research on this board and since the departure of Lang the following people have become the LGW.com whipping boy:

Grigs: Training camp (deservedly so)

Flip: Preseason (undeserved)

Huds: Preseason-start of season up until 11/2007 ("too small", "can't hit", "trade him", "Bench him for DRAKE, even with a cage he provides more than Huds" That one is from needmoregrit, "Ellis, and Downey play great togather. I think they need to send hudler down. he is to small. he gets creamed every time he comes close to the puck." that one is from savaking72)

Sammy: All season and last season (Role player doing his job, undeserved "Can't pass", "can't use his teammates")

Lilja: Training camp -present ("He sucks", "turn over machine", "5-4 every time he is on the ice" (<--my personal favorite))

Kronwall: after an injury, start of season ("injury prone", "Overpaid", "Underachiever", "Trade for Souray", and my personal favorite: "We should trade him and move on to some new talent. Lebda is a much better defenseman that Kronwall!")

Dats: Start of the season ("doesn't shoot enough", "can't score", "not a leader", "Trade him for Shane Doan")

Babs: start of the season ("z is taking away from Dats", "why isn't x player playing")

Edit:

Ralf: Mid Season ("Turn over machine", "overrated", "a defensive liability")

Lebda: ("Waste of Space", KPWings this is my favorite I love this one thanks for the laugh--> "He's basically a smaller, less versatile version of Dandenault")

Holland: always ("Why can't Detroit have a guy like x", "overrated", "Why can't we have a team like PHILLY", "Lang trade revisisted" For Mike Green at that, "should have paid Markov", "Can't believe he let Big Bert go")

Kopecky: Mid Season ("Slow and Fat", "Doesn't use his body")

Dom: All Season ("washed up", "can't hack it anymore", "needs to retire")

Ozzie: All Season ("He is no Dom", "career backup" (that one was mine, oops), "Lucky")

Drake: start of season ("There is absolutely no need for him in the line up" due to Downey, "Too Old", "does Nothing")

All of these players (one coach) sucked and were detrimental to the team (according to this place) at some point in time this season, and trading them was brought up (well you can't trade Babs, but you get the point).

YET:

With all of these bums on this team, it is the best team in the league by far. And don't give me that BS of yeah well the regular season means nothing it is all about the post season, these threads have nothing to do with the post season otherwise people would have brought up what these players have done in the playoffs, the only one that ever is, is Lilja's giveaway, which most of you forget that if that goal is not scored he is the hero of that game, not saying it makes his giveaway ok, but it shows he is a little more talented than some of you think.

I wish there was a way for teams to give fans like these a legit chance to make these moves so they could see that they actually know nothing about the game when compared to Babs, Holland, Nill, Andersson, you know the Red Wings Brain trust that has this team as the most dominant team in the NHL over the past 16 years.

Edited February 8, 2008 by Opie

[Sergeiwasmyfav 0]

Wow, talk about some overephatic and overdramatic posts in this thread.

Lilja and Lidstrom-like plays shouldn't be mentioned in the same sentence together, but to say he is pathetic is going way off the deep end of the emotional scale as well.

Good perspective F. Michael.

Great post. That's exactly what I was trying to say about being objective when watching Lilja play. You just put it much more concisely than I did in my post.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

How dare you guys start a Lilja thread without me. This guy scores GWG for us, he hits, he fights for his teammates, he blocks shots. What the hell else do you want him to do? Are Lebda or Meech really that much more useful than he is? When Downey is scratched in the playoffs, Lilja will be our only true enforcer out there, so you better learn to like him, because we'll need him when the tougness comes.

[esteef 2,679]

How dare you guys start a Lilja thread without me. This guy scores GWG for us, he hits, he fights for his teammates, he blocks shots. What the hell else do you want him to do? Are Lebda or Meech really that much more useful than he is? When Downey is scratched in the playoffs, Lilja will be our only true enforcer out there, so you better learn to like him, because we'll need him when the tougness comes.