Is there any news on Fischer?

[egroen 384]

From Malik's blog:

...Eventually, Storm added a stick taped to the top of a cone to his drills, and had his players working on Datsyukian toe-drags and body-tuck puck dekes, and the only player who matched Cory Emmerton's ability to throw three or four extra dekes and dangles into the equation was a defenceman the Red Wings still miss, director of player development Jiri Fischer. His skills are still insanely good, and his ability to keep up with even the most complicated of Storm's mind-bogglingly complicated drills makes me wonder what could have been had he remained healthy.

That being said, he does a wonderful job picking out players who struggle with certain drills (Nick Oslund, whose stick is about 3 inches too long, struggled with the Datsyukian deke, so Fischer went to him and showed him how the proper hand position, and repeated it until Oslund got it down), and, based upon Jan Mursak's interview with me on Thursday, it sounds like there's no better off-ice role for Fisch than that of the prospect-organization intermediary that is the director of player development's role.

*Sigh* I do miss Fischer.

[imisssergei 0]

Fischer was an elite prospect coming out of juniors, and was DOMINANT at times in the 2002 playoff run.

Ericsson is miles behind Fischer developmentally; Fischer is only four years older. Ericsson is 24 right now. Fischer was already a key contributor to a Cup championship team at 22.

Furthermore...during Fischer's last season, he had been the Wings' best defenseman from the start of the season until the night he collapsed. That is noteworthy as far as his level of play given that Nicklas Lidstrom ended up winning the Norris. Fischer was 25 at the time, and probably the second best defenseman on the team overall; by now he might have become the best. Ericsson might be top six in the organization at 24. Might. He probably won't be as good at 28 as Fischer was at 25.

If you want to look at stages of development, it's not fair to compare ages. Especially with the d corp the Wings have had the last few years. You have to compare the development in years with the Wings. Ericsson hasn't been with the Wings for one full season yet, so it's unfair to say anything about him in comparison to Fischer.

[Louisville 112]

I saw Fish at the parade, he looked really happy and healthy. I didn't know he was working for the Wings but that's great to hear.

[LIDDYGIBBY5 1]

http://www.redwingscentral.com/camps/2008-...s/Sept12/12.php

Here is a link to a pic from TC. It's great to see him on skates with a stick in hand. At least he can still do some work on the ice to help develop prospects.

[TNBT 3]

I agree with pretty much everything that has been said. He was a great talent and he had a bright future ahead of him. I tried to model my own game around his, so it sucks that his career had to end so early. As long as he is happy and healthy though, that's what matters most.

[eva unit zero 271]

If you want to look at stages of development, it's not fair to compare ages. Especially with the d corp the Wings have had the last few years. You have to compare the development in years with the Wings. Ericsson hasn't been with the Wings for one full season yet, so it's unfair to say anything about him in comparison to Fischer.

Ok, I'll rephrase. Fischer was the #3 defenseman on the Stanley Cup champions at an age when Ericsson WAS A FORWARD.