ATTA BOY KOPECKY

[Cern 0]

Okay. If winning fights boosts energy and momentum, and this is an advantage for the team, why don't the Wings sign some thug for $500k a year?

I'm as big a fan of hockey fights as anyone - but not because it makes the team that wins the most fights anymore likely to win the game. I applaud the toughguys because sticking up for yourselves and your teamates is the right thing to do, the chance of a good fight makes for a more entertaining product, and because soccer on ice bores me to tears. I like the hockey I grew up with and I'm not going to appologise for that. I understand it won't likely come back anytime soon, but that won't stopp me from omurning it's passing and praising the brave men who aren't afraid to break a nail (or an orbital bone).

If scoring goals bores you to tears, ditch hockey altogether and watch MMA. The Wings are the most offensive prolific team in the league, calling it 'soccer on ice' is laughably misguided.

Edited May 8, 2009 by Cern

[betterREDthandead 58]

Fights are rarely just about the fights themselves; they're games within games, strategically speaking. And from a strategic standpoint, I thought this was a smart move on Kopy's part. As other have already said, the Wings lost a scrub while the Ducks lost a #4 defenseman -- definitely a worthwhile trade. Sure, the crowd might have gotten riled up, but the Wings are simply too experienced and professional to let the home crowd get to them.

No, but the Ducks aren't above stepping it up a notch by feeding off the energy of the crowd.

[EuroTwin 240]

And to those who say "But he got his ass kicked. It was pathetic. It was an embarrassment."

It doesn't matter. At the very least, the rest of the team will rib him and get a good laugh out of it (assuming he isn't seriously hurt). Things like that loosen a team up and get them together.

Now, if he is seriously injured. It still works towards chemistry. Maybe more so. Then the "Lets do it for Kopy" mentality kicks in. No matter how you slice it, Kopy helped our team. He found a way to contribute. Sounds corny, but I'm proud as hell of him.

I think this was very well said. I agree completely. And I'm also proud as hell of him.

Ironically, I'm rewatching the game on VS right now and the fight just happened again. Koko still did not win.

[Doc Holiday 0]

Dino is a great example of what I'm talking about. Look at how many FMs he had before the instigator rule and how many he had after if you can. As I recall, he got his ass kicked a few times a year until there was a rule passed to protect guys just like him. Dino did something that I'm unconvinced Homer can or would do - get beat up by thugs and not let it affect his game. Dino was very tough, and very brave. Maybe Holmstrom would be just as good at and willing to take a beating as Dino was. I doubt it, but maybe.

That isn't Holmstrom's job. It never has been.

[Frozen-Man 144]

That isn't Holmstrom's job. It never has been.

I tried to tell him the exact same thing in another thread but he still maintains that Homer is a coward, selfish, and has no heart. There is not really any convincing him, he has decided to despise the players on this team and will stand by that even against the evidence.

[SaskatchewanRocket 0]

Latest from the wire, it seems like Francois Beauchemin broke poor Tomas Kopecky's face. Man, don't tell me that Francois Beauchemin is the second coming of Dave Brown.

http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/2009/05/re...mas_kopeck.html

Edited May 9, 2009 by SaskatchewanRocket

[Guest Four]

I want to see Leino up too somehow :/

[EuroTwin 240]

Latest from the wire, it seems like Francois Beauchemin broke poor Tomas Kopecky's face. Man, don't tell me that Francois Beauchemin is the second coming of Dave Brown.

http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/2009/05/re...mas_kopeck.html

Christ, Koko, has there been a year in the NHL when you didn't break some part of yourself?

HEAL DAMNIT.

[xBrave_Heartx 0]

I want to see Leino up too somehow :/

Im sure he'll see a game. i'd almost bet onnit

[titanium2 867]

So he broke his face. Man... Maybe he was a little too excited to play in his first playoffs.

[Statts 4]

Latest from the wire, it seems like Francois Beauchemin broke poor Tomas Kopecky's face. Man, don't tell me that Francois Beauchemin is the second coming of Dave Brown.

http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/2009/05/re...mas_kopeck.html

Damn that sucks. Not a big loss, but a loss none the less.

I have been happy with Kopy's play this off season, and would rather have him on the 4th line than alligator.

[Guest Crymson]

I tried to tell him the exact same thing in another thread but he still maintains that Homer is a coward, selfish, and has no heart. There is not really any convincing him, he has decided to despise the players on this team and will stand by that even against the evidence.

If he believes that Holmstrom is a selfish coward with no heart, then I don't think there's much of any point discussing this sort of thing with him. I'd wager that everyone on who faces Homer on the ice, and especially his own teammates, would disagree in the extreme with the description of Homer in question.

[kylee 727]

wow Kopecky's face is broken?

so he's going to be out for the remainder of the playoffs?

whos to take his spot?

[lets go pavel 2]

I know I shouldn't go here, because we don't really need another enforcer debate, but Kopecky is now the second player we've lost this year in a fight. Most of the posters in this thread are applauding his willingness to stand up for himself, and I agree wholeheartedly ... but isn't that the whole point of having a guy like Downey around? Sticking up for teammates, sacrificing the body, building team chemistry, etc? I realize Downey doesn't bring the skill set that Kopecky has, but now Kopecky isn't going to be bringing the skill set either. Would we really be that much worse off having Downey around to absorb the blows (and hopefully land a few too) instead of guys like Kopecky?

[Hockeymom1960 5,107]

If he believes that Holmstrom is a selfish coward with no heart, then I don't think there's much of any point discussing this sort of thing with him. I'd wager that everyone on who faces Homer on the ice, and especially his own teammates, would disagree in the extreme with the description of Homer in question.

Besides he's told John Keating that he tried learning to box but he said he didn't grow up that way. Anyway he's a hugger not a fighter.

[The Secret 304]

The Kopecky "fight" showed the entire world yet another aspect of his game that blows. The good thing about it, a part from the really good laugh I had, is that Kopecky is out and Abdelkader is in. There is no way anyone could be as useless as Kopecky on the ice. Abdelkader has a huge opportunity here to show his value, and coming in to replace Kopecky will make him look that much better.

[Reds4Life 51]

The Kopecky "fight" showed the entire world yet another aspect of his game that blows. The good thing about it, a part from the really good laugh I had, is that Kopecky is out and Abdelkader is in. There is no way anyone could be as useless as Kopecky on the ice. Abdelkader has a huge opportunity here to show his value, and coming in to replace Kopecky will make him look that much better.

I 100% agree! Kopecky sucks and the sooner he is out for good the better.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

The Kopecky "fight" showed the entire world yet another aspect of his game that blows. The good thing about it, a part from the really good laugh I had, is that Kopecky is out and Abdelkader is in. There is no way anyone could be as useless as Kopecky on the ice. Abdelkader has a huge opportunity here to show his value, and coming in to replace Kopecky will make him look that much better.

Give him a break.

The guy was fighting during his menstrual cycle, which is the only reason why he lost.

You're right about Abdelkalder being an improvement, though. Hopefully he gives this 4th line some energy now that Helm has been promoted to the 3rd line.

The whole key to this 4th line is for Maltby and Abdelkalder to let Sammy take all the shots, while they crash the net for rebounds.

[xBrave_Heartx 0]

Only thing that worries me, is that Abdelkader tones it way down, to avoid the penalties and stuff where he just looks like a cleary clone, instead of a hartnell clone.

[esteef 2,679]

I don't think that there are that many fighters getting good playoff time especially in their roles as a fighter. No one has had more than 1 fight so far in the playoffs so I wouldn't say there has been that much. There has been 58 playoff games and only 14 fights so roughly 1 fight every 4.1 games. Parros has been on the ice a total of 38:50 for the entire playoffs, Getzlaf had 9 second more ice time in one game, 38:59 in game two of this series, then Parros' time on the ice for the entire playoffs. In fact, Parros has less average TOI for the playoffs than Chelios does.

Yay! More stats! So what you're saying is that fighters/enforcers ARE playing in the playoffs, ergo the "real' season. Thanks.

esteef

[Frozen-Man 144]

Yay! More stats! So what you're saying is that fighters/enforcers ARE playing in the playoffs, ergo the "real' season. Thanks.

esteef

The "stats" are the amount of time that the fighters are playing - you said:

I'm just loving all these fighters this year getting good playoff ice time and NOT being detriments to their teams as some here would have people believe. Fighter on team =/= instant penalty, loss.

How can you gripe and act as if it is not relevant to actually show the ice time rather than just spouting of something that isn't true and that you cannot back up with "stats" i.e. reality. I love how you put the word ARE in all caps as if I said that they weren't playing in the playoffs (which I didn't) rather than actually address what I said which is that they are not getting "good time" (again your words) but rather getting minimal time at best.

Oh yeah and I don't think you know what ergo means therefore or consequently which doesn't make sense with your sentence. I think you meant either aka or i.e.

Edit: bold the word good

Edited May 9, 2009 by Frozen-Man

[esteef 2,679]

How can you gripe and act as if it is not relevant to actually show the ice time rather than just spouting of something that isn't true and that you cannot back up with "stats" i.e. reality. I love how you put the word ARE in all caps as if I said that they weren't playing in the playoffs (which I didn't) rather than actually address what I said which is that they are not getting "good time" (again your words) but rather getting minimal time at best.

Dude, I wasn't even talking to you to begin with, and second, what I'm pointing out is that fighters get playoff time, as grotesque and horrific as they are, they still are used in the playoffs with success. How much actual time is irrelevant. What is relevant is that the coaching staff thought enough of their style of play, as useless as it is, to suit them up in the playoffs. I'm merely pointing out those examples where fighters are used and the team has success (see Hordichuk's goal last Van game), because "fighters don't play in the playoffs/there's no fighting in the playoffs" are statements often regurgitated around here with regard to the Wings using a player such as Downey in the playoffs. That's it. But please feel free to dazzle me with some more numbers.

esteef

Edited May 10, 2009 by esteef

[Broken 16 381]

Dude, I wasn't even talking to you to begin with, and second, what I'm pointing out is that fighters get playoff time, as grotesque and horrific as they are, they still are used in the playoffs with success. How much actual time is irrelevant. What is relevant is that the coaching staff thought enough of their style of play, as useless as it is, to suit them up in the playoffs. I'm merely pointing out those examples where fighters are used and the team has success (see Hordichuk's goal last Van game), because "fighters don't play in the playoffs/there's no fighting in the playoffs" are statements often regurgitated around here with regard to the Wings using a player such as Downey in the playoffs. That's it. But please feel free to dazzle me with some more numbers.

esteef

9 times out of 10 an enforcer (I assume this is what you mean, since anyone can be a fighter) playing regular shifts in the playoffs is more a symptom of lack of depth. Unless that enforcer has another facet or two to contribute.

When compared to the need for defense, offense, goaltending, team toughness and grit, coaching and team discipline... dudes that can beat people up is behind all of those and probably a couple more I couldn't think of.

Edited May 10, 2009 by Broken 16

[Dabura 12,232]

When compared to the need for defense, offense, goaltending, team toughness and grit, coaching and team discipline... dudes that can beat people up is behind all of those and probably a couple more I couldn't think of.

BUT ENFORCERS ARE GETTING ICE TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111111111111111

[norrisnick 1]

I pulled this one out last season (or the year before maybe) but come playoff time fighting ability has about as much impact as beard growing ability.