Jiri Hudler

[Guest Crymson]

Then why has Holland offer both Downey and McCarty two way contracts? Maybe Holland thinks that both these players still have something to offer the team. Is having a couple players on the roster that could kick some a$$ asking too much? (rhetorical question) I love the Wings and am a lifelong fan, but I'm sure that I am not alone when I find myself falling asleep during some regular season snoozefest games because there's just a total lack of fisticuffs or probability of fisticuffs happening. Players like Downey and McCarty can add excitement to the atmosphere of the Joe and also pumps up the bench. When there is a fight, I'd say 99% of the fans at the Joe are on their feet (1% are pacifists or too fat to stand up) and it's all smiles up and the down the Wings' bench.

Holland has offered both of them two-way contracts because he realizes that they will only be needed in some scenarios and would like to be able to send them to the minors when they are not needed.

McCarty is valuable because of his experience, not because of his fighting ability.

[RockyMountainWingGal 108]

...because he took two stupid penalties in the waning moments of Cup clinching games 5 and 6 - yet the Wings still won, Huds kept on trucking, the team still supported him, and he was the most entertaining player at the parade. Other than that, I'd be griping about him had we lost game 6 too...

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Then why has Holland offer both Downey and McCarty two way contracts? Maybe Holland thinks that both these players still have something to offer the team. Is having a couple players on the roster that could kick some a$$ asking too much? (rhetorical question) I love the Wings and am a lifelong fan, but I'm sure that I am not alone when I find myself falling asleep during some regular season snoozefest games because there's just a total lack of fisticuffs or probability of fisticuffs happening. Players like Downey and McCarty can add excitement to the atmosphere of the Joe and also pumps up the bench. When there is a fight, I'd say 99% of the fans at the Joe are on their feet (1% are pacifists or too fat to stand up) and it's all smiles up and the down the Wings' bench.

[Guest Crymson]

...because he took two stupid penalties in the waning moments of Cup clinching games 5 and 6 - yet the Wings still won, Huds kept on trucking, the team still supported him, and he was the most entertaining player at the parade. Other than that, I'd be griping about him had we lost game 6 too...

Hudler cannot be faulted for his 'penalty' in the last minutes of game six. This is true for several reasons:

1) The penalty was iffy.

2) The Pens` player would have effectively been on a breakaway if Hudler had not slowed him down.

3) The refs did not call several flagrant penalties on the Pens, penalties which were far more clear calls than was Hudler's. Lilja's stick was ripped out of his hands on the play that led to Hossa's goal, and Datsyuk was blatantly tripped up in the last 20 seconds whilst aiming at the empty net. Neither of these penalties were called.

Hudler's high-sticking penalty in game five was, while in part his fault, mostly just bad luck. Sykora's shot was, effectively, also lucky; it was not aimed, and somehow found its way through several players.

[Doggy 130]

Hudler cannot be faulted for his 'penalty' in the last minutes of game six. This is true for several reasons:

1) The penalty was iffy.

2) The Pens` player would have effectively been on a breakaway if Hudler had not slowed him down.

3) The refs did not call several flagrant penalties on the Pens, penalties which were far more clear calls than was Hudler's. Lilja's stick was ripped out of his hands on the play that led to Hossa's goal, and Datsyuk was blatantly tripped up in the last 20 seconds whilst aiming at the empty net. Neither of these penalties were called.

Hudler's high-sticking penalty in game five was, while in part his fault, mostly just bad luck. Sykora's shot was, effectively, also lucky; it was not aimed, and somehow found its way through several players.

Sykora has a great shot. He is one of the last opponents you'd want the puck to have gone to in that situation because of his ability to put something like that away. What is this comment based on? Of course the bloody shot was aimed. He took the pass, waited for a Red Wing to drop for the block and shot it over him. It didn't have to make its way past anyone else besides Osgood.

[Guest Crymson]

Sykora has a great shot. He is one of the last opponents you'd want the puck to have gone to in that situation because of his ability to put something like that away. What is this comment based on? Of course the bloody shot was aimed. He took the pass, waited for a Red Wing to drop for the block and shot it over him. It didn't have to make its way past anyone else besides Osgood.

Go watch the goal again. It's on YouTube.

[Doggy 130]

Go watch the goal again. It's on YouTube.

My memory ain't great. I made that post after watching it again.

Again, what is the comment based on?

Edit: I have a feeling you'll argue again so I'll pre-empt you and end it (sorry for the crap pic, it's from youtube).

The puck hit the net just to the left of the bottle. It was pretty much a perfect shot and that's what Sykora is there for. And again, he waited for Zetterberg to go down for the shot block and then shot it over him.

Edited July 22, 2008 by Doggy

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Then why has Holland offer both Downey and McCarty two way contracts? Maybe Holland thinks that both these players still have something to offer the team. Is having a couple players on the roster that could kick some a$$ asking too much? (rhetorical question) I love the Wings and am a lifelong fan, but I'm sure that I am not alone when I find myself falling asleep during some regular season snoozefest games because there's just a total lack of fisticuffs or probability of fisticuffs happening. Players like Downey and McCarty can add excitement to the atmosphere of the Joe and also pumps up the bench. When there is a fight, I'd say 99% of the fans at the Joe are on their feet (1% are pacifists or too fat to stand up) and it's all smiles up and the down the Wings' bench.

What's more important to you? Winning or being entertained? While I like being entertained, I don't get bored easily, so I'll take winning over entertainment every time. And other parts of hockey are "entertaining" outside of two people throwing hands with each other.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Hudler's high-sticking penalty in game five was, while in part his fault, mostly just bad luck. Sykora's shot was, effectively, also lucky; it was not aimed, and somehow found its way through several players.

If this is the case, then you can make the same claim on just about any shot that was re-directed or deflected as those pucks have to somehow find their way to the net as well.

[uk_redwing 495]

What's more important to you? Winning or being entertained?

Being entertained. Easily. Winning on its own isnt entertaining. Its how you do it.

I watch sport to be entertained, not to be a winner. Thats called glory supporting.

[Opie 308]

Being entertained. Easily. Winning on its own isnt entertaining. Its how you do it.

I watch sport to be entertained, not to be a winner. Thats called glory supporting.

So if the Wings sucked, yet fought 3 times a game you would not complain at all?

Better yet, when you cheer for the team what are you cheering for them to win or to get into a fight?

If you are at a Wings game do you clap when they score, do you cheer when they win, or do you walk away with your head hung saying, man they didn't fight?

Edited July 22, 2008 by Opie

[uk_redwing 495]

So if the Wings sucked, yet fought 3 times a game you would not complain at all?

Better yet, when you cheer for the team what are you cheering for them to win or to get into a fight?

If you are at a Wings game do you clap when they score, do you cheer when they win, or do you walk away with your head hung saying, man they didn't fight?

I do it all

[Opie 308]

I do it all

OK just asking because your previous statement made it seem like winning was pointless to you.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

I do it all

Great, but what's more important to you? Attending a game in which all of the things Opie listed happen aside from a fight or watching Downey get in a scrap with someone and the Wings get outplayed in every other facet of the game and lose?

[Lidstromrules16 7]

this is why I like Hudler. Starts at :49 mark.

[Guest Dump-N-Thump]

So if the Wings sucked, yet fought 3 times a game you would not complain at all?

Better yet, when you cheer for the team what are you cheering for them to win or to get into a fight?

If you are at a Wings game do you clap when they score, do you cheer when they win, or do you walk away with your head hung saying, man they didn't fight?

Fighting 3 times a game automatically makes you a losing team?

Interesting.

[eva unit zero 271]

Fighting 3 times a game automatically makes you a losing team?

Interesting.

No. Fighting 3 times a game does NOT automatically make you a winning team. You can win and fight, or win and not fight, or lose and fight, or lose and not fight. The question was whether uk would prefer "lose and fight" to "win and not fight" as the standard Wings game.

[Opie 308]

No. Fighting 3 times a game does NOT automatically make you a winning team. You can win and fight, or win and not fight, or lose and fight, or lose and not fight. The question was whether uk would prefer "lose and fight" to "win and not fight" as the standard Wings game.

Thank you very much, I thought the SO IF at the start of that sentence made it clear.

[uk_redwing 495]

Great, but what's more important to you? Attending a game in which all of the things Opie listed happen aside from a fight or watching Downey get in a scrap with someone and the Wings get outplayed in every other facet of the game and lose?

Well the game which I enjoyed watching the most last regular season was the 3-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, because the game was fast paced, physical and there may have been a fight or two *whistles* and the avs game.

That said the 2nd to last game against the pens was also very enjoyable to me...though we lost, was just a very good game. And no fights. How shocking. I enjoy a game thats a good game of hockey. Winning or fighting isnt a major factor.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

Well the game which I enjoyed watching the most last regular season was the 3-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, because the game was fast paced, physical and there may have been a fight or two *whistles* and the avs game.

That said the 2nd to last game against the pens was also very enjoyable to me...though we lost, was just a very good game. And no fights. How shocking. I enjoy a game thats a good game of hockey. Winning or fighting isnt a major factor.

Agreed................

Well the game which I enjoyed watching the most last regular season was the 3-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, because the game was fast paced, physical and there may have been a fight or two *whistles* and the avs game.

That said the 2nd to last game against the pens was also very enjoyable to me...though we lost, was just a very good game. And no fights. How shocking. I enjoy a game thats a good game of hockey. Winning or fighting isnt a major factor.

...........but this bolded comment differs greatly from the way you have come off in this thread and in general on this board.

[uk_redwing 495]

Agreed................

...........but this bolded comment differs greatly from the way you have come off in this thread and in general on this board.

I just love Downey. And seeing the wings doing the turn the other cheek thing really makes me sick sometimes.

[Guest Dump-N-Thump]

The fact of the matter is.. Is that. we like hockey fights, we arent saying Pmfgz trade everyone there soft/euro/not tUFFNEUFFF..

We just want a couple players that can stick up for our teammates. I LOVE every player on this team, I like Sammy even. And i want to protect these guys.. Does that mean we need an Enforcer? Not necessarily.

If we could dress Quincey/Ericsson/McCarty/Lilja atleast two of them in each game.. Throw in Downey from time to time. I'd be estatic, Because i know that those 5 guys will stick up for our teammates if the other team starts to cross the line..

I just want players who will stick up for each other when the going gets tough. Someones got to draw the line in the sand and if NO MAS.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

I just love Downey. And seeing the wings doing the turn the other cheek thing really makes me sick sometimes.

That's a fair response.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see the Wings fight more on a toe-to-toe basis where both teams gets penalized equally. However, when a goon on the other team takes a whack at one of our players I'm most certainly fine with letting that individual screw his team by putting them SH'ed against this Wings lineup. The key here is not taking a stupid penalty back to even things up. Downey can go beat the crap out of any guy that cheapshots our guys in a way that puts them both in the sin bin, but I most certainly don't want to see the Wings start cheapshotting back which is what Babs has preached. He's 100% right. If a guy wants to take a dumb penalty, the Wings are smart enough not to retaliate in a way that evens things up penalty-wise. Then you've got a guy like Downey to take care of things afterwards to make sure a message is sent.

[Opie 308]

But you want certain names to do it, because when Dats came to the defense of a player getting run it was not good enough.

The problem I have is that you state you want some players who will stick up for each other when the going gets tough, that insinuates that the players the wings have now won't stick up for each other.

I have no problem with you wanting Downey on the roster, I have already stated my opinion on that 500 times, but you start a thread like this in which you make it appear as though there is no reason for anyone else to like Hudler because you don't like that style.

If you start a thread like this, what did you expect from people, everyone to have a eureka moment and say holy s***, Dump and Thump was right, Hudler is wasting a roster spot that could be taken up by a fighter!

[Guest Dump-N-Thump]

I dont care who it is.. And i dont expect Dats to do it on a regular basis..

But i expect someone to do it.. And you know what, after reading what people say about hudler im kinda warming up to the guy, So LGW you're sorta right..

Im just amazed by how many people forget how we've been man handled the past years but since we won the Cup because guys like Kronner/Stewie/Mac/Downey decided to show up and give us another element of toughness that we didn't have the past years..