Sort of New Wings fan

[superdeluxe 0]

Hello!

I'm from seattle washington, and have been watching with great interest the playoffs and how well the wings are doing. I really had no rooting interests in the NHL, but one of my good friends is a HUGE Wings fan. So I am kind of piggy backing on his team.

Please bare with me and my what might appear to be stupid questions

1)Who does everyone expect to be the 'next big thing' on the Wings lineup? Someone young or up and coming, that should make a impact next season?

2)How many more years does everyone think Ozzie is going to be goalie for the Wings? (he played one year in Seattle Thunderbirds )

3)I notice many Swedes on the Red Wings roster, is this a strategy? Or it just worked out that the team is dominated mostly by europeans.

4)What happens to the octupus after they are picked off the ice. Is it feed to animals at the Aquarium? Or just discarded.

Thanks! and Go Wings tonight!

[VM1138 1,921]

Hello!

I'm from seattle washington, and have been watching with great interest the playoffs and how well the wings are doing. I really had no rooting interests in the NHL, but one of my good friends is a HUGE Wings fan. So I am kind of piggy backing on his team.

Please bare with me and my what might appear to be stupid questions

1)Who does everyone expect to be the 'next big thing' on the Wings lineup? Someone young or up and coming, that should make a impact next season?

2)How many more years does everyone think Ozzie is going to be goalie for the Wings? (he played one year in Seattle Thunderbirds )

3)I notice many Swedes on the Red Wings roster, is this a strategy? Or it just worked out that the team is dominated mostly by europeans.

4)What happens to the octupus after they are picked off the ice. Is it feed to animals at the Aquarium? Or just discarded.

Thanks! and Go Wings tonight!

1.) Any number of players could be the next big thing. Hudler and Filpulla still have to have a breakout year like Franzen is having, so watch out for them. Helm could have a great year, he's displaying some early Datsyuk-like qualities. Ericcson may be brought up on defense, and after early jitters could have a solid first year.

In the long run, I think the bright lights of this team will be Helm, Abdelkader and Ericsson. I just don't see Hudler as becoming a marquee player, but hopefully he or Filpulla can step it up.

2.) Ozzie is locked in for another 3 years I think. I don't know if he'll retire after his contract is up, but we've got him that long at least.

3.) It's sort of a strategy. Nobody else was looking at Europe, so the Wings started searching really deep for obscure players to lure here. It didn't start in Sweden, it started in Russia, and then other teams caught on to Russia, so we moved to another country. Once we got so many Swedes, I think we just kept looking, assuming they would all play comfortably with each other, being able to communicate with each other and help each other develop.

4.) I read that the Octopi is dumped into the Detroit River, which is illegal, but done anyway.

Oh, and welcome to Wings fandom! Hope you stick around, the Red Wings are a great team to root for and have such a rich history. Even we're learning something new every day it seems.

Edited June 2, 2008 by VM1138

[KronwallCRUNCH 5]

Welcome!!! Glad to see a new Wings fan! Enjoy game 5!

[kemosabi 0]

Hello!

I'm from seattle washington, and have been watching with great interest the playoffs and how well the wings are doing. I really had no rooting interests in the NHL, but one of my good friends is a HUGE Wings fan. So I am kind of piggy backing on his team.

Please bare with me and my what might appear to be stupid questions

1)Who does everyone expect to be the 'next big thing' on the Wings lineup? Someone young or up and coming, that should make a impact next season?

2)How many more years does everyone think Ozzie is going to be goalie for the Wings? (he played one year in Seattle Thunderbirds )

3)I notice many Swedes on the Red Wings roster, is this a strategy? Or it just worked out that the team is dominated mostly by europeans.

4)What happens to the octupus after they are picked off the ice. Is it feed to animals at the Aquarium? Or just discarded.

Thanks! and Go Wings tonight!

1) Depends how you define big. But Valterri Filpula has tons of potential. Franzen is proving he's on more than just a hot streak. Hudler's got some moves. Helm's got a hell of a lot of intensity and hussel. And Jimmy Howard is one of our up-and-coming goalies who for a while (not so much anymore) was regarded as the second coming of christ (in goalie form).

2) I think ozzie will be signing 1 or 2 years at a time on a yearly/bi-yearly basis now. So, that one's kindof a "we'll see."

3) Being that the wings are consistently one of the best teams (made the playoffs 17 years in a row now or something like that) the staff tried their darndest to make good use of their end-of-the-line draft picks. So we looked in hidden places, like Sweden, and we have an expert scout over there in that country. Also, the swedish style of hockey is very consistent with the Wings puck-possesion style. So, it all works out!

4) Tossed into the Detroit river to keep the population of... (i cant remember what) down. Or something like that. I'm don't believe Detroit has an aquarium... so sad.

[betterREDthandead 58]

Hello!

I'm from seattle washington, and have been watching with great interest the playoffs and how well the wings are doing. I really had no rooting interests in the NHL, but one of my good friends is a HUGE Wings fan. So I am kind of piggy backing on his team.

Please bare with me and my what might appear to be stupid questions

1)Who does everyone expect to be the 'next big thing' on the Wings lineup? Someone young or up and coming, that should make a impact next season?

2)How many more years does everyone think Ozzie is going to be goalie for the Wings? (he played one year in Seattle Thunderbirds )

3)I notice many Swedes on the Red Wings roster, is this a strategy? Or it just worked out that the team is dominated mostly by europeans.

4)What happens to the octupus after they are picked off the ice. Is it feed to animals at the Aquarium? Or just discarded.

Thanks! and Go Wings tonight!

Welcome to the ever-growing club!

1) The next big things are today's big things: Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk. They will be the anchors for a long time. Franzen, Filppula, Hudler and Kronwall made their mark this season and will be huge in the future. For guys looking to break in next year, look for Jimmy Howard and Jonathan Ericsson. You should also hear from Tomas Kopecky, who played a steady role this year but got hurt and missed the playoffs.

2) The most common expectation is that Ozzie will start next year and maybe the year after, while Howard assumes the backup role and transitions into the starters' job.

3) The Wings have a super-scout in Sweden named Hakan Andersson, who's been with the organization since 1991. He's the reason for drafting Swedes like Zetterberg, Franzen, Kronwall, and Holmstrom, and as the director of European scouting is also responsible for guys like Filppula and Hudler. Others, like Samuelsson and Lilja, are guys who happen to be European that fit the Wings' free agent needs, and no doubt were attracted by the already sizable Swedish contingent.

Plus, the Wings have always been very proactive about scouring Europe for talent - they took chances on Russian talent before the fall of the Iron Curtain and have thus always had a European flair.

4) They are dumped into the Detroit River. Handy, since it's right next door.

[betterREDthandead 58]

4) Tossed into the Detroit river to keep the population of... (i cant remember what) down. Or something like that. I'm don't believe Detroit has an aquarium... so sad.

We had one on Belle Isle, but it closed. Octopuses were never brought there anyway though.

[Hank 0]

Welcome to the boards! Glad to have you here!

[superdeluxe 0]

Thanks for the warm welcome. I will definately keep a eye out for those players!

[Wing Fanatic 3]

Welcome to the boards and the fanclub! I hope you grow to love this team as much as we all do.

[selkie 10]

Hakan Andersson is the biggest reason why it seems like every year the Wings manage to find a guy in the third round or later of the draft who will turn into a solid to exceptional NHL player in a couple of years. He's got an uncanny knack for spotting potential, and while he'll gladly drive up to see an interesting-sounding player that's the third leading scorer in a Finnish beer league somewhere above the Arctic circle, he's said he takes it almost as a personal insult if another scout manages to scoop him on a prospect close to home in Sweden.

If it wasn't for Hakan seeing the one game in Sweden where Johnathan Ericsson, normally a forward, played defense in an emergency situation, the Wings would have passed on him along with everyone else, and we wouldn't be looking at a Mr. Irrelevant that's morphed into a guy who should be a quality NHL level defenseman.

Edited June 2, 2008 by selkie

[Lilja 0]

Next big thing: Filppula, he reminds me alot of Zetterberg from some years ago.

Ozzie and Hasek. Im curious what will happen with them. I think its time for Howard to take the step to see what he goes for! Daniel Larsson has played well in sweden and might make impact soon. One of the stronger goalie prospects out of sweden at the moment.

[Chase 0]

Next big thing: Filppula, he reminds me alot of Zetterberg from some years ago.

Agreed. I still dont think he gets enough recognition from media/fans.

[superdeluxe 0]

Wow Great responses!

A couple more questions

1)How many years do we have Anderrson contracted up for? I hope the wings never let him go.

2)When you bring Octipus to the game, where do you keep them? If you brought them in a bucket, I would assume they start stinking pretty hardcore after awhile

[Ozzie30 170]

Wow Great responses!

A couple more questions

1)How many years do we have Anderrson contracted up for? I hope the wings never let him go.

2)When you bring Octipus to the game, where do you keep them? If you brought them in a bucket, I would assume they start stinking pretty hardcore after awhile

1. I don't know if Hakan is under contract, but I doubt he's going anywhere anytime soon. He's been around at least since 94

2. The octopus are boiled first, then put in a ziplock bag, then shoved down the front of your pants.

[Hank Dats 'N Homer 81]

Wow Great responses!

A couple more questions

1)How many years do we have Anderrson contracted up for? I hope the wings never let him go.

2)When you bring Octipus to the game, where do you keep them? If you brought them in a bucket, I would assume they start stinking pretty hardcore after awhile

1) i think they just extended Anderrsons contract for another 2 years or something (but dont think hes going anywhere even after that

2) Boil them, put them in a garbage or ziplock bag, and the nyou saran wrap it to your body. Or just stuff the little guy down the pants, but that could be a little uncomfortable.

[selkie 10]

There was a blurb a couple of days ago that the Wings had agreed to terms with Hakan for another two years but, following general office protocol for the club, the contract wouldn't officially be signed until after the playoffs.

[Systemfel 33]

Next big thing: Filppula, he reminds me alot of Zetterberg from some years ago.

Agreed. I still dont think he gets enough recognition from media/fans.

True. Some people are saying Flip doesn't have the finish of Zetterberg, but how many goals did Z score in his second year?

[betterREDthandead 58]

True. Some people are saying Flip doesn't have the finish of Zetterberg, but how many goals did Z score in his second year?

15 in 61 games, which is almost precisely the pace Flip scored this year - 19 in 78.

And Flip is the same age - 23 - that Z was in his second year.

But the big difference is, Zetterberg has always had more assists than goals, but with Flip it's the opposite. Quite a bit fewer assists.

But - I am a huge Filppula fan, and I do think he will be a star. Not quite Zetterberg's numbers, but I think some 30-goal seasons are in his future.

[PaVel DaTsYuK fan13 0]

True. Some people are saying Flip doesn't have the finish of Zetterberg, but how many goals did Z score in his second year?

He strikes me as a little bit of Dats and little bit of Zetterberg. I don't think he'll ever put up 100 points, but he has the ability to hold the puck on a string like datsyuk, and can back check and fore check similarly to Hank in his second year. He didn't have very many assists this year, but I think in his prime he'll have 2-4 years of roughly 75 points.

Edited June 2, 2008 by PaVel DaTsYuK fan13