I've got one major problem with Babcock

[Aussie_Wing 354]

And it's his handling of Hudler.

Hudler, perhaps our best player tonight with a goal and 2 assists, played 8:34. He did not step foot on the ice after he scored a goal. If he did, maybe only for another 30 seconds. What an absolute farce, I thought the best and hardest working players would be rewarded? He worked his backside off tonight and for what, to play less than 10 minutes and not even get out there in the last 5-10 minutes?

[Gordie Howe hat trick 110]

Yeah, and Ozzie is great too...

[maltbymaniac 13]

Yeah, and Ozzie is great too...

:rotflmao:

[Blueliner 69]

Well, usually you put your best players on the ice in a close game within the last few minutes. Hudler is not one of the best players on the team. Besides, when you have Hossa, Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Draper, and Flippula as some of the best defense forwards in the league, there isn't much ice time available for other guys on the team.

[I Red Wings I 40]

This topic couldn't of gone in the GDT?

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Why is it when we lose a game the forum gets bombarded with threads like these?

What the heck? I said I’ve got ONE problem with Babs, on no, fire him!!!11one

This is a legitimate concern, Hudler tried his heart out, had 2 beautiful passes to Franzen and Zetterberg and he scored one himself. Yet he received less than 10 minutes and didn’t play in the dying stages, whereas even Kopecky did. How is that fair?

[Aussie_Wing 354]

This topic couldn't of gone in the GDT?

Maybe if it was a one-off occurrence but it’s obviously not. Babcock has it in for Hudler for some unknown reason. He was our best player tonight, had 3 points and was subsequently awarded the 2nd star, and yet he barely played. He's not going to be in Detroit next season because Babcock clearly doesn't value him.

[CenterIce 83]

What the heck? I said I’ve got ONE problem with Babs, on no, fire him!!!11one

This is a legitimate concern, Hudler tried his heart out, had 2 beautiful passes to Franzen and Zetterberg and he scored one himself. Yet he received less than 10 minutes and didn’t play in the dying stages, whereas even Kopecky did. How is that fair?

Hudler plays better on the 3rd and 4th lines, with limited minutes, then he does on the top two lines. On the lower lines, he is playing against weaker opposition. Also, the lower minutes keeps him fresher for the power play. He seems to get bullied around playing on the top lines, to where he is worn down the rest of the game.

He wasn't out late because he is not known for his defense.

[egroen 384]

I'm frankly steamed at the handling of Hudler over the past couple years... he has done nothing but improve and do everything that is asked of him, only to be seemingly punished for it on a consistent basis. I'm suprised Babcock has not had him sit a few games already this year.

But Samuelsson, now there's a guy we need to give more ice time to!

I'm just pissy right now, but I do agree with you and I will be sad when Hudler is gone next year and putting up great numbers with a team and coach that will actually play him.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Hudler plays better on the 3rd and 4th lines, with limited minutes, then he does on the top two lines. On the lower lines, he is playing against weaker opposition. Also, the lower minutes keeps him fresher for the power play. He seems to get bullied around playing on the top lines, to where he is worn down the rest of the game.

He wasn't out late because he is not known for his defense.

And Kopecky is? He was out there with 2-3 minutes remaining while Hudler sat...

[RedArmy 4]

yes stupid NHL coach that just came off a stanley cup winning season. What does he know? yes I would have put... wait... lol this is an idiotic thread

[GoWings1905 2,694]

Well, usually you put your best players on the ice in a close game within the last few minutes. Hudler is not one of the best players on the team. Besides, when you have Hossa, Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Draper, and Flippula as some of the best defense forwards in the league, there isn't much ice time available for other guys on the team.

I would typically agree, but that's a flawed argument tonight. Babcock had Sammy and Kopecky on the ice with a minute left. Those two are nowhere near the best players on the team, especially defensively.

I am fed up with Babcock and his handling of Hudler too. Hudler was exceptional tonight, Sammy was downright awful, and who does Babcock play down the stretch? Sammy can do almost everything wrong, while Hudler can do plenty right, and it still doesn't matter to Babcock. Sammy turns the puck over constantly - how is that defensively responsible? I don't have many gripes with Babcock, but he is messing up badly with Hudler and Samuelsson.

Edited November 12, 2008 by GoWings1905

[Aussie_Wing 354]

yes stupid NHL coach that just came off a stanley cup winning season. What does he know? yes I would have put... wait... lol this is an idiotic thread

What the heck is wrong with some people?

Nah hang on.

Babcock is perfect, he is faultless, he does NOTHING wrong, ever.

He is yet to make a mistake in his coaching career.

[BeeRYCE 2]

Isn't Hudler's career points per minute played uber high?

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Hudler will leave as a free agent this summer, or be traded, and go produce somewhere else. It just isnt going to happen in Detroit, he wont be given the ice time to produce at a high level. That's just how it is. I dont like Hudler a ton, but he's smarter and more creative then Samuelsson, and that should warrant more ice, but it doesnt. Nothing we can do about it, unfortunately.

[Z and D for the C 712]

Hudler plays better on the 3rd and 4th lines, with limited minutes, then he does on the top two lines. On the lower lines, he is playing against weaker opposition. Also, the lower minutes keeps him fresher for the power play. He seems to get bullied around playing on the top lines, to where he is worn down the rest of the game.

He wasn't out late because he is not known for his defense.

Good post.

[GoWings1905 2,694]

Good post.

When did Sammy and Kopecky become "known for their defense"?

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Good post.

Hudler's defensive shortcomings are ridiculously overblown. I mean seriosuly, can anyone point out to me when he made his last terrible defensive play, or lack of defensive play?

And as I said, why was Kopecky put out late because it's not as though he's known for his defense. Kopecky actually had a pretty significant error which resulted in Pittsburgh getting to within 1. And he's right back out there while Huds sits and wonders what he has to do to get back on the ice.

[Z and D for the C 712]

Neither are "known for their defense", but I'd take Sammy before Kopecky before Hudler when it comes to defense. None of them will ever be considered for the selke, but that's how it goes.

I agree more with the more time hudler plays the less points he'll put up. I think he's a perfect 3rd/4th line player.

Edited November 12, 2008 by Z and D for the C

[GoWings1905 2,694]

Hudler's defensive shortcomings are ridiculously overblown. I mean seriosuly, can anyone point out to me when he made his last terrible defensive play, or lack of defensive play?

And as I said, why was Kopecky put out late because it's not as though he's known for his defense. Kopecky actually had a pretty significant error which resulted in Pittsburgh getting to within 1. And he's right back out there while Huds sits and wonders what he has to do to get back on the ice.

Good post. When exactly did Hudler develop the "poor defensively" stigma? Hudler can't possibly be any more careless with the puck than Samuelsson is and Sammy always plays in crucial situations. Sammy is very overrated defensively - he doesn't do anything to warrant the playing time he gets from Babcock. Hudler would do just as well, if not better, than Sammy or Tomas Frickin' Kopecky in defensive situations. We'll never know though because Babcock will keep riding Sammy's sloppy play, while Hudler sits on the bench. Hudler does far more than Sammy with half of the ice time.

[egroen 384]

Babcock rewarded Kopecky with more ice time than Hudler that game -- I didn't even realize Kopecky was playing.

[elriqo28 2]

What the heck is wrong with some people?

Nah hang on.

Babcock is perfect, he is faultless, he does NOTHING wrong, ever.

He is yet to make a mistake in his coaching career.

he's smarter than you. Putting hudler on the ice when the wings were on their heals for the last 5 minutes would not have improved their situation. He is an offensive foward, they were playing nothing but defense the last 5. Let it go, it was one game, the team lost this one together, Hudler wouldn't/couldn't have one this one on his own.

[CenterIce 83]

I didn't see where and when Kopecky was on the ice late in the third, but I assume it was probably with Draper to provide an extra center for a draw and to body some people on the ice. Babcocks stratergy the whole time he has been here is to use about 3.5 lines. He throw out the top two at the expense of the fourth's ice time. The third line is out for defense and give the top two some rest.

[egroen 384]

I can certainly live with Hudler not being on the ice for the last 5 minutes of a tight game -- just consistently Babcock rewards Hudler's good offensive and defensive play with less and less minutes.

He was yanked from the second line after only two games of admittedly lackluster play (which ususally takes Babcock a long time to do), and then was later demoted to the 4th line after playing great. The whole Hudler hate and Sammy love completely confounds me.

[GoWings1905 2,694]

Here is your answer

The answer you quoted wasn't accurate. Once again, Sammy and Kopecky are not two of the better defensive forwards on the team and those two were on the ice with about a minute to play and a one-goal lead. It would be one thing if the best defensive players were truly playing in those situations, but tonight they weren't. Having other options besides Hudler isn't a good argument when the alternatives used tonight were Samuelsson and Kopecky.