Real1 2 Report post Posted June 9, 2008 In my eyes I beleive that he has to earn his spot on the roster. He has skills but I think that he is not good enough to just be given a spot. Does anyone think he needs to spend a year or two with GR? What is everyone thinking? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
selkie 10 Report post Posted June 9, 2008 Has to earn it. No one just gets roster spots with this club, and a year in GR would probably be good for him to learn how to cope with a long season. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Crymson Report post Posted June 9, 2008 In my eyes I beleive that he has to earn his spot on the roster. He has skills but I think that he is not good enough to just be given a spot. Does anyone think he needs to spend a year or two with GR? What is everyone thinking? He has played one game in a Wings jersey. That's not enough for any of us to be judging his skill level. Helm is the only new guy who has earned a roster spot. He was brilliant in the playoffs, especially in the finals. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Real1 2 Report post Posted June 9, 2008 Has to earn it. No one just gets roster spots with this club, and a year in GR would probably be good for him to learn how to cope with a long season. Many people have "Just been given a spot". Hank, Pavel, Ozzie, Homer, Lids, Fischer, ect... But I get your point. Do you think that he is first line material for GR? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zata fan 40 6 Report post Posted June 9, 2008 Needs GR time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
weGotTheCup89 41 Report post Posted June 10, 2008 eh, i watched him play for michigan state this college hockey season. if he had gone to u of m, i'd say give him the spot yeah send him to GR. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kylee 727 Report post Posted June 10, 2008 he needs to earn his spot. but on a happy sidenote: i did a roster update on my NHL 08 and Abdelkader was created and placed on the team... a few years down the line in my dynasty, he is 90 overall with blazing speed and hitting. lets hope they're right!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Real1 2 Report post Posted June 10, 2008 he needs to earn his spot. but on a happy sidenote: i did a roster update on my NHL 08 and Abdelkader was created and placed on the team... a few years down the line in my dynasty, he is 90 overall with blazing speed and hitting. lets hope they're right!! I think that he will develop in to this type of player. I think that he will have Drakes hitting ability, Drapers speed, and Hank/Pavels hands. He will turn into something else.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ozzy318 3 Report post Posted June 10, 2008 eh, i watched him play for michigan state this college hockey season. if he had gone to u of m, i'd say give him the spot yeah send him to GR. as a michigan grad student and watching him against Michigan this last season I second this notion. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RWK23 0 Report post Posted June 10, 2008 I think that he will develop in to this type of player. I think that he will have Drakes hitting ability, Drapers speed, and Hank/Pavels hands. He will turn into something else.... I see him becoming more of a checking line winger who is good for 15-20 goals, 40-45 points a year. Think late '90s Darren McCarty. I also believe he'll be on a line with Helm before too long. He's going to be a real nice player for us, but the player you're describing is like Eric Lindros in his prime. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norrisnick 1 Report post Posted June 10, 2008 Many people have "Just been given a spot". Hank, Pavel, Ozzie, Homer, Lids, Fischer, ect... But I get your point. Do you think that he is first line material for GR? A player can "earn" a spot in training camp as well. The AHL is not the only spot for that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Real1 2 Report post Posted June 10, 2008 A player can "earn" a spot in training camp as well. The AHL is not the only spot for that. Oh yeah, forgot about that... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SouthernWingsFan 854 Report post Posted June 10, 2008 He had only 2 games of regular season time and no playoff experience. I think the only way he gets a roster spot if he just completely kicks butt in training camp or impresses so much in Grand Rapids or during a call-up. He'll get his time on the Wings before long, but I doubt it happens anytime soon during the beginning of next season. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest EZBAKETHAGANGSTA Report post Posted June 10, 2008 I think that he will develop in to this type of player. I think that he will have Drakes hitting ability, Drapers speed, and Hank/Pavels hands. He will turn into something else.... ......So a faster ovechkin? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NEpats1028 1 Report post Posted June 10, 2008 i have a feeling they'll start him in the big leagues and then move him down if need be. he wouldnt have left MSU a year early for the minors...he probably has some kind of agreement with holland cause theres no way he leaves college a year for the minor leagues. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marcaractac 3,963 Report post Posted June 10, 2008 I see him becoming more of a checking line winger who is good for 15-20 goals, 40-45 points a year. Think late '90s Darren McCarty. I also believe he'll be on a line with Helm before too long. He's going to be a real nice player for us, but the player you're describing is like Eric Lindros in his prime. I totally agree there. I can really see a Kopecky/Helm/Abdelkader being a 3rd or 4th line for our team down the road, and a really good one to. Kind of like what Maltby/Draper/DMac were for us back in their days. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stud_defenseman 1 Report post Posted June 10, 2008 No offence, but it seems like kind of a dumb question to me... everyone has to earn their spot on the roster, especially a guy who has played 1 game. I don't think he will find a spot on the Wings at all next year except for a few games here and there for injury time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CenterIce 83 Report post Posted June 10, 2008 The wings are projecting Helm/Abdelkader as the future versions of Draper/Maltby. I think Helm could be with the big club next year, but Abdelkader will be in Grand Rapids. The Wings go slow with their prospects, unless they have a large upside like Zetterberg and Datsyuk. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kylee 727 Report post Posted June 10, 2008 ......So a faster ovechkin? ah yes, an Alex Ovechkin type...but grittier and North American. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Drake_Marcus 890 Report post Posted June 10, 2008 (edited) He has played one game in a Wings jersey. That's not enough for any of us to be judging his skill level. Helm is the only new guy who has earned a roster spot. He was brilliant in the playoffs, especially in the finals. Agreed. I can't count the number of times I commented to my gf on how fast Helm was. Fast, tenacious and hardworking. Exactly what the Wings value in a player. I'm loving the Hudler Helm combination. Throw Kopecky in there for his grit and you've got: a talented puck handler, a speedster who can retrieve the puck and a hardworking bruiser who's young enough to keep up. Sounds like a good 4th line to me! Abdelkader played fantastic in his call-up. He's been fantastic for his college team but he's yet to experience the rigors of an 82 game, two games in two nights type of season. He's not Hank or Pavel- he projects as a checking winger with some potential for offensive upside. Give him the GR treatment and see what he does with it. Hopefully he steps it up in GR and knocks the socks of the Red Wings' brass. Edited June 10, 2008 by Drake_Marcus Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joshy207 156 Report post Posted June 10, 2008 i have a feeling they'll start him in the big leagues and then move him down if need be. he wouldnt have left MSU a year early for the minors...he probably has some kind of agreement with holland cause theres no way he leaves college a year for the minor leagues. LOTS of guys leave college early for the minors. Jimmy Howard and Kyle Okposo are 2 names off the top of my head. There's a huge difference between NCAA hockey and NHL hockey. There are at most 3 forward spots open, 2 if they keep 8 defensemen, 1 if McCarty is re-signed... and a lot of prospects fighting for a chance, not to mention any free agents that are brought back or added to the mix. Abdelkader starts the year in GR. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
timothy1997 0 Report post Posted June 10, 2008 While I am a spartans fan so I immediately like him, he will be in GR for at least 2 seasons before becoming a full time red wing. people forget that he wouldnt have a slot if kopecky wasnt injuried. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Texas Wingnut 0 Report post Posted June 10, 2008 Nobody just "gets a spot". The coaches and management do a great job of preparing a player for the NHL lineup. Let him show his stuff in GR and earn his roster spot. Helm (and others) have already shown what they can do. If Abdlekader is given a spot, even if some open up when people either retire or aren't resigned I would hope that Kenny will do something in free agency if at all possible. :battle: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
toby91_ca 620 Report post Posted June 10, 2008 Many people have "Just been given a spot". Hank, Pavel, Ozzie, Homer, Lids, Fischer, ect... But I get your point. Do you think that he is first line material for GR? No one has ever "just been given a spot." Not playing in the AHL does not mean you were just given a spot, you earned it in training camp. Some guys demonstrate their readiness for the NHL in training camp, while others need more develop and head to the AHL first. For the record, of your list, Osgood and Fischer have spent time in the AHL. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
egroen 384 Report post Posted June 10, 2008 (edited) He'd have to play extremely well in training camp and beat out a lot of players to get on the Wings... I am sure there was no "guarantee" in place for him to leave college. He is just getting into the minors earlier in the hopes of making the NHL earlier. Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Holmstrom Franzen - Fillpula - Samuelsson Maltby - Draper - Cleary Hudler - Kopecky - ______ Now you have: Helm, Leino and Abdelkader (maybe even Drake) all duking it out for that last slot w/ McCarty and/or Downey as a reserve (mucker/enforcer). Edited June 10, 2008 by egroen Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
