NHL.com gushes about Ducks' Ryan Getzlaf as Conn Smythe candidate

[titanium2 867]

http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/2009/05/nh...ducks_ryan.html

May 3, NHL.com: I know, I know ... we're only two games into the conference semifinals in the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs. But seriously, has anyone been better this postseason than Anaheim's Ryan Getzlaf?

Big. Strong. Powerful. Great skater. Getzlaf has it all. Detroit coach Mike Babcock even went as far as calling the soon-to-be 24-year-old (a week from today) "one of the best players in the world." Hard to argue with Babcock. Getzlaf had three more points in today's 4-3 triple-overtime win at Joe Louis Arena, giving the big centerman a League-leading 13 points this postseason.

Of course, the Ducks have a long way to go in these playoffs if Getzlaf has any crack at the Conn Smythe. But he has to be considered the early favorite, right?

On Sunday, Getzlaf gave us another reason why he'd be worthy of the award. He fell one second shy of playing 39 minutes. He had another goal and two assists. He didn't shy away from the physical game. Yes sir, Getzlaf is the whole package. And the trio of he, Bobby Ryan and Corey Perry form one of the most formidable lines in the NHL. It sure can't be fun to play against those three.

"As time goes on, we're hoping that the more he plays gutsy, the more he's going to run out of gas," Babcock said. "I think he had 37 (minutes) tonight. We're going to just keep padding it on and keep going. That's what you do in a series - just try to wear the other team out."

If only Getzlaf showed signs of slowing down.

"In my mind, he's the best player in the league," Ducks forward Teemu Selanne said. "If there's a better all-around player, show him to me."

[Electrophile 3,554]

"In my mind, he's the best player in the league," Ducks forward Teemu Selanne said. "If there's a better all-around player, show him to me."

Gee, that was hard.

[Reds4Life 51]

Well, he was much better than any Wings forward in game 2 and his line basically the only offensive weapon Ducks have. Good article

[Broken 16 381]

He's been better than any of our forwards. I'd say if they were to hand it out today, he would deserve it.

[Jocke 53]

He was great yesterday. Too bad he looks and sounds like a brat..

[Guest NumbaSixty-Six]

Gee, that was hard.

[Guest mindfly]

Gee, that was hard.

Datsyuk has been brutal almost the entire playoffs so just stop it already.

[dat's sick 1,002]

If the Ducks go all the way, I would not be surprised at all if he gets it. I'd say it's either him or Hiller on the Ducks.

But of course, it's way too early to talk about things like that.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Really? So Datsyuk is nominated for the Hart AND the Selke and you think he's not the best all-around player in the league?

If you can score 97 pts a season AND be the best defensive forward in the league you're the best all-around player in the league.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Datsyuk has been brutal almost the entire playoffs so just stop it already.

Mindfly, what did we tell you about giving up before the fights over?

Don't be a one-hitter quitter! No one's booked their tee times yet.

[toby91_ca 620]

Really dumb talking about Conn Smythe at this point, especially since the chances of them losing in the second round are better than them winning.

That said, Getzlaf has been awesome so far and the one thing that I can say after the first 2 games is that the Wings are having a really difficult time handling his line (regardless of whether they are scoring or not, which they are). At the same time, after his line, there isn't much threat from the other lines. I find it very interesting that that line has all 3 guys shooting right, amazing considering the majority of players in the league shoot left. I think at times it hurts them when they don't have someone to pass to for one-timer. I saw this a couple times in yesterday's game.

[Guest micah]

I gotta say I love Getzlaf. Kid has it all. I hate it when I hate a team but like some of that team's players.

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

I gotta say I love Getzlaf. Kid has it all. I hate it when I hate a team but like some of that team's players.

Getzlaf is a phenomenal player and he truly does have it all. To think he's just 23 years old too. And its not like this is a coming out party for him or anything, he's been great for a couple of seasons in a row now.

He produces a s***load of points. He kills penalties, logs a ton of ice time. He can dangle. He's got a booming point shot. He can fight. He's a monster at what, 6 foot 4 and 220lbs. You can't get the puck away from him.

There's pretty much nothing this kid can't do. Obviously he's a different kind of player than Datsyuk but IMO, he's probably the 2nd, 3rd best all around forward in the game and on any given night can be the best player in the league.

As I figured would happen, we're having a heck of a time stopping him. We probably won't stop him. I think the dominance of that line and the lack of production from our big 3 and Homer is making the difference. We really didn't generate alot last night.

Anyway, Getzlaf is a great player.

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

Really dumb talking about Conn Smythe at this point, especially since the chances of them losing in the second round are better than them winning.

That said, Getzlaf has been awesome so far and the one thing that I can say after the first 2 games is that the Wings are having a really difficult time handling his line (regardless of whether they are scoring or not, which they are). At the same time, after his line, there isn't much threat from the other lines. I find it very interesting that that line has all 3 guys shooting right, amazing considering the majority of players in the league shoot left. I think at times it hurts them when they don't have someone to pass to for one-timer. I saw this a couple times in yesterday's game.

I don't think its an issue for them because they really have no need to set up the way we do. All 3 of those guys are big, have good hands and can take the puck to the net hard. They cycle so well and having Pronger and Niedermayer on the back end enables them to play down below the circles and just rip it on net and either bang away or just drive hard for rebounds. They don't really need to set up a la Datsyuk to Hull or Datsyuk to Shanahan.

[maltbymaniac 13]

id trade datsyuk for getzlaf

[GORM19 0]

good ol canadian boy

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

So what? He's been fantastic and deserves the recognition as far as I'm concerned...

[titanium2 867]

So he's only 23 while Franzen is 29. The 23 year old was telling the 29 year old to stop being a wuss and get up off the ice. Wow, how embarrassing.

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

So he's only 23 while Franzen is 29. The 23 year old was telling the 29 year old to stop being a wuss and get up off the ice. Wow, how embarrassing.

Getzy's tough man. What can you say. He plays by very old school rules. You spray my goalie, I hack you. You get your elbow up I'm going to challenge you to fight. You dive I'm going to call you out for being a *****.

I gotta say the only thing I hate about the kid is that he plays for Anaheim. Other than that, he's just sick.

[Guest micah]

So he's only 23 while Franzen is 29. The 23 year old was telling the 29 year old to stop being a wuss and get up off the ice. Wow, how embarrassing.

I have never been able to understand how a guy with the skill, size and strength of Franzen can also be such a wuss. It is embarrassing. I love Franzen the player, love the points he puts up, but I just don't get why he refuses to man-up. Quit whining, get off the ice, get mad and show the world that you're not a ***** - without sacrificing your game. That's all I ask.

[Guest micah]

Getzy's tough man. What can you say. He plays by very old school rules. You spray my goalie, I hack you. You get your elbow up I'm going to challenge you to fight. You dive I'm going to call you out for being a *****.

I gotta say the only thing I hate about the kid is that he plays for Anaheim. Other than that, he's just sick.

If I had to put a team together around any forward in the league, I'd have a hard time choosing anyone over Getz. Ovie, Dats, Crosby and Malkin all get more press, but I love the game Getlaf plays. His attitude seems contagious, and he brings it all. There isn't anything that he think's he's above or any part of the game that he seems uncomfortable with. I'm really looking forward to watching him in the next few years.

[titanium2 867]

Getzy's tough man. What can you say. He plays by very old school rules. You spray my goalie, I hack you. You get your elbow up I'm going to challenge you to fight. You dive I'm going to call you out for being a *****.

I gotta say the only thing I hate about the kid is that he plays for Anaheim. Other than that, he's just sick.

Oh most definitely. I just hate that the player we have that most resembles a power forward flails about and has very little outward showings of toughness. Don't get me wrong, I'm not hoping that one day he'll have a violent temper and take undisciplined penalties and start fighting every major PF in the league. But is it too much to ask that he not present himself as such a, as Milbury put it, wuss?

Milbury shouldn't receive any kind of validation for being right at any point in time because he has one of the worst minds in the game, but I have to grudgingly admit he was dead on about Franzen yesterday.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

I can't believe Franzen hangs out with Lilja, and hasn't learned anything about sticking up for himself.

As I said yesterday, that pathetic gesture of his did nothing but embarrass the team. He made the whole team look like a bunch of ******* by flopping around like that on the ice.

Babcock needs to have a man to man talk with him about these Forsberg-like plays of his.

[Z and D for the C 712]

Datsyuk has been brutal almost the entire playoffs so just stop it already.

I wouldn't call it brutal, but Getzlaf has no doubt been better than datsyuk this series.

[stormboy 47]

i would say, in general, datsyuk is the better player. (more points with lower ATOI + selke winner/repeat candidate.) in this years' playoffs, though, getzlaf has been, IMO, far and away the best -- and undeniably the most valuable to his team -- player out there. i hate him. i hate his face. i hate that he cycled the puck in our zone at will the entire game yesterday. if the wings cannot find a way to shut down getzlaf, we will not win the series. and for that, he is far more valuable to his time right now than any of our players are, hands down.