What Should Babcock Do With Hossa?

[Rocket Queen 30 1]

I think the biggest gripe that people are having with Hossa- and with Pavel and, to some extent, Homer- is the difference between the number of goals scored in the regular season compared to the post-season.

Compare the accelleration of goals per game of players like Cleary and Samuelsson to the retardation of the scoring pace of players like Datsyuk and Hossa, and it appears that the latter two have been slacking. Last season Franzen surprised us with his scoring. Sammy has been a surprise in the playoffs for the last several years (not that it takes much to surprise LGW folks) simply because the puck has actually found the net at key times.

The playoffs tend to be a time when the unexpected players shine, largely due to the opponents' intensified focus on the star players. If Hossa is not able to put the puck in because he doesn't have a lane, but is able to pass it to someone who does, he is doing his job.

Edit to add that crashing the net would be nice- but that goes for everyone.

you said retardation!?!?! have some class why don't you?

[NomadFromKazoo 42]

Considering the Wings have been a great team year after year since I've been alive I suppose you could say that.

You don't have to be too old to remember the Wings sucking year after year. A 35 year old for example could easily remember a good decade of sucking year after year.

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

You don't have to be too old to remember the Wings sucking year after year. A 35 year old for example could easily remember a good decade of sucking year after year.

I know, I was just goofing around.

Edited May 23, 2009 by Heroes of Hockeytown

[thedisappearer 291]

you said retardation!?!?! have some class why don't you?

Didn't just say, but used it correctly.

[NomadFromKazoo 42]

I know, I was just goofing around.

Ahhhhh.... I thought you were just really young.

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

Ahhhhh.... I thought you were just really young.

The thing I said was true for me, because I'm not particularly old, but I'm aware that not everyone in the universe shares the same age as me.

[Outsider 42]

Not much to be "done" with Hossa.

Just have to hope, I suppose.

Giving him more minutes hasn't helped. I don't see how giving him less minutes will be any more effective.

Dropping him down to the 3rd line messes up a good thing the current 3rd linemates have.

Benching him will do NO good.

Again.....just have to hope.

[Holmstrom96 347]

Robert Lang is doing fine. I mean Hossa, Hossa! Why would I confuse him with a high-priced Red Wings acquisition that contributed zero in the play-offs!?

Edited May 24, 2009 by Holmstrom96

[Outsider 42]

Robert Lang is doing fine. I mean Hossa, Hossa! Why would I confuse him with a high-priced Red Wings acquisition that contributed zero in the play-offs!?

Ya know.....

I might not be so upset if I didn't see him, game after game, shift after shift, go skating after a loose puck and suddenly have that moment of:

"Ah.....FRAK it......let it go."

And then turn lackadaisically toward the bench for an immediate line change.

I wonder if HE is watching today's Plugs/Canes game?

Because his former Team is doing JUSSSSSST fine without him. While he's contributing precious little to his current Team.

Shame. Damned shame.

[Cern 0]

To be fair, Hossa did put up a multipoint game last night. He could be better but he is contributing.

[Cern 0]

Because his former Team is doing JUSSSSSST fine without him. While he's contributing precious little to his current Team.

Shame. Damned shame.

He was the Habs top scorer when he was healthy and the Habs' went into freefall when he was injured. If anything his team needed him badly.

[Outsider 42]

He was the Habs top scorer when he was healthy and the Habs' went into freefall when he was injured. If anything his team needed him badly.

I was referring to Hossa, as was the Poster I quoted in my response.

[soonboomer 31]

What a stupid thread. If Hossa isn't signed for next season, so be it. But lets get real.....the Wings won their round 1 series, right? And now, they're up 2 games to 1 in round 2 and what do the Redwing faithfull do? They heap most if not all the blame on a guy who has a 2 point night in the only game they lost. So, is anyone actually blaming Hoss for the game 3 loss? If so, please elaborate.

If you can't tell me just what he did that was the overwhelming contribution to that loss, then just STFU. What a bunch of spoiled sissies. You should all be banished to Long Island.

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

Robert Lang is doing fine. I mean Hossa, Hossa! Why would I confuse him with a high-priced Red Wings acquisition that contributed zero in the play-offs!?

Why have you made this post when you had the option to not make it.

Edited May 24, 2009 by Heroes of Hockeytown

[Stiffy 0]

I haven't had the time to read through all this carefully, but I am really confused.

I had no idea Hossa is ***

That Robert Lang is involved

And that we needed to do anything about it

[Guest Four]

What a stupid thread. If Hossa isn't signed for next season, so be it. But lets get real.....the Wings won their round 1 series, right? And now, they're up 2 games to 1 in round 2 and what do the Redwing faithfull do? They heap most if not all the blame on a guy who has a 2 point night in the only game they lost. So, is anyone actually blaming Hoss for the game 3 loss? If so, please elaborate.

If you can't tell me just what he did that was the overwhelming contribution to that loss, then just STFU. What a bunch of spoiled sissies. You should all be banished to Long Island.

Uh for one, it's the third round..

Two, it's the whole playoffs, not just one game.

You should be banished to comprehension school.

@ stiffy..

[NomadFromKazoo 42]

Uh for one, it's the third round..

Two, it's the whole playoffs, not just one game.

You should be banished to comprehension school.

@ stiffy..

Well, you have to admit that if we dumped players any time they are not achieving any armchair fan's individual statistic expectations for any period of time greater then one game when it's a team game and we're winning then we'd have fewer slackers on the team. We'd have NOBODY on the team. Ergo, no slackers! Undeniable logic. Moronic logic, but undeniable.

[soonboomer 31]

Uh for one, it's the third round..

Two, it's the whole playoffs, not just one game.

You should be banished to comprehension school.

@ stiffy..

My bad about the rounds (the Columbus series was so easy I inadvertantly forgot it). The point of my post (and the point you failed to address in your response, as expected) was that you failed to define exactly just what Hossa's play (of lack thereof) had cost the Wings? Seems to me you're just another spoiled fan who has to come up with some fabricated negativity to make yourself feel relevant in a discussion. Fact is, in any series, some players will underachieve.....some will overachieve......but never will everyone play up to their fullest capability. It's all about the TEAM results, and in that area, Detroit is in good shape. Now, go enroll yourself in comprehension school if you can't get that concept.

[The Secret 304]

I think the only thing to do would be a good old fashioned tarring & feathering... if that doesn't do it nothing will.

Really, Hossa is a defensive machine. The guy busts his ass always, all the time. If I were Babcock I would be asking him to make 1 less pass and lean into more of those laser beam wrist shots he can throw from anywhere. If Hossa simplifies his game he is scoring more goals. He is going to be important for us and he will find his groove again. He didn't leave othe rhigh profile offers from other teams to come here for less moneyto work his ass off all year and "ride our coat tails" for the rest. The guy is giving his 100% effort and isn't fidning it yet. I was a big doubter that Osgood could find himself magically for the play offs and I have been proven wrong. Osgood is playing like we need him to and so will Hossa. Hossa is a winner, he will get it going.

[Jake Ryan 1]

Stop playing the guy with Ninety-SUX.

[Guest Four]

I think the only thing to do would be a good old fashioned tarring & feathering... if that doesn't do it nothing will.

Really, Hossa is a defensive machine. The guy busts his ass always, all the time. If I were Babcock I would be asking him to make 1 less pass and lean into more of those laser beam wrist shots he can throw from anywhere. If Hossa simplifies his game he is scoring more goals. He is going to be important for us and he will find his groove again. He didn't leave othe rhigh profile offers from other teams to come here for less moneyto work his ass off all year and "ride our coat tails" for the rest. The guy is giving his 100% effort and isn't fidning it yet. I was a big doubter that Osgood could find himself magically for the play offs and I have been proven wrong. Osgood is playing like we need him to and so will Hossa. Hossa is a winner, he will get it going.

Thank you for a valid post, now if many of the other LGWs could do the same and provide their input instead of just causing negativity.

[eva unit zero 271]

Franzen-Filppula-Hossa.

No.

Franzen-HUDLER-Hossa.

With Datsyuk out, Hudler is the best playmaker in a Detroit jersey. Why not put him between those two?

[The Secret 304]

Thank you for a valid post, now if many of the other LGWs could do the same and provide their input instead of just causing negativity.

The one thing I find to be a negative in our play is the same old thing that happen ins Detroit all the time.... too much ticky tacky fancy s***. Hey, when its working, do it but they have to be more will to play ugly play off hockey and grab some Caca goals instead of always pass, pass, pass, pass, shoot from the perimeter, back off.... If the pretty stuff isn't finding its way through throw those hard wristers 2 the net with 2 guys busting in for a rebound. I mentioned wristers too for a reason, wristers are more accurate and take less time to get off then winding up for a big predictable slapper... Hossa has one of the best and fastest wristers I have seen and he will be deadly if he starts leaning into more of them. Hoss will findhis touch, mark my words but in the mean time he is working hard defensively and trying hard offensively why be negative about that.

[Holmstrom96 347]

Robert Lang is doing fine. I mean Hossa, Hossa! Why would I confuse him with a high-priced Red Wings acquisition that contributed zero in the play-offs!?

1. Cleaning shoe

2. Opening mouth

3. Inserting foot

[CopenhagenWing 38]

Hossa's going to get 2 on Sunday.

...shamelessly quoting myself...