why not grab some playoff style defensemen?

[Kronthewall55 14]

i think if we have learned any thing this playoffs it is this. the defensemen infront of the net is allowed to punch/slash/kick/elbow/slewfoot/stomp/interfere/hook as much as he wants. there will be no call. which is a very effective tool in the playoffs. our D are great in the opposing end, but why not fill the 3rd line with some nastiness.

i don't care who, but i would love a gill, pronger, eager type defensemen. it is just the facts. you are allowed to injure anyone you want in front of the net. why not do it?? their style comes cheap and they get the job done.

[BuckeyeWingsfan80 209]

i think if we have learned any thing this playoffs it is this. the defensemen infront of the net is allowed to punch/slash/kick/elbow/slewfoot/stomp/interfere/hook as much as he wants. there will be no call. which is a very effective tool in the playoffs. our D are great in the opposing end, but why not fill the 3rd line with some nastiness.

i don't care who, but i would love a gill, pronger, eager type defensemen. it is just the facts. you are allowed to injure anyone you want in front of the net. why not do it?? their style comes cheap and they get the job done.

f*** all 3 of those choices.

Our D was fine with the notable exception of the bad turnovers.

[Zack is Great 14]

If this playoff has taught me anything, it's that as long as you dont draw blood or break a stick it wont get called. I wouldn't mind seeing us get a little more punishing physically.

Not sure if it warrants any big roster changed though.

Edited June 14, 2009 by Zack is Great

[Kronthewall55 14]

i know you hate all these players but those were just the 3 that came to my head first. their just examples of their type. rather than lebda, wouldn't you rather have a guy who can injure the star players on the other team? seriously, its just playoff hockey. nhl has proven this.

[Hockeymom1960 5,107]

Well if the trend continues with the officiating in the playoffs why not. However, remember, this is the NHL and there is no consisitency. When you get it figured out, they change the rules

[Kronthewall55 14]

no huge roster changes, just a player maybe two to get the dirty work done.

[Zack is Great 14]

Well, we definitely need to add "spear the other guy in the balls" in our playbook. I mean, I think that's obvious.

[Kronthewall55 14]

lol as sick as spearing a man in the testicles is, why not fight fire with fire. if malkin or crosby had a testi popped out or two they might not of been so clutch. (crosby might have any to pop out)

[Mike 0]

The second the Wings do this is the second that the NHL starts screaming about calling every little penalty again.

[shoe 165]

I think these type of players can usually be found at the trade deadline and that reduces the chance of you having a guy like that who gets injured mid season for the rest of the season and then you have none. Nothing wrong with an extra big ugly defenceman though.

[hurtingwingsfan 0]

The second the Wings do this is the second that the NHL starts screaming about calling every little penalty again.

you took the words right out of my mouth.

[SuperNovaXll 124]

While I love being a fan of a team that plays such clean hockey, maybe one or two "dirty" players wouldnt hurt... Hey, if the NHL lets you get away with it, why not?

[Shaman 713]

Why? Let me see, if we pick these guys up, we'd have to give up someone who would probably be on the PK that one of those players would surely draw on a nightly basis, why not just spot every team a goal and skip the middle man?

[soonboomer 31]

i think if we have learned any thing this playoffs it is this. the defensemen infront of the net is allowed to punch/slash/kick/elbow/slewfoot/stomp/interfere/hook as much as he wants. there will be no call. which is a very effective tool in the playoffs. our D are great in the opposing end, but why not fill the 3rd line with some nastiness.

i don't care who, but i would love a gill, pronger, eager type defensemen. it is just the facts. you are allowed to injure anyone you want in front of the net. why not do it?? their style comes cheap and they get the job done.

Looking back, this team heading into the playoffs, although personnel wise very similar to the 08' squad, had a number of differences that might be attributed to the intangibles........hunger and luck.

1) This team gave up 60 more goals in the regular season than last year's squad.......and for some strange reason was uncharacteristically horrible on the PK, contributing to the fact that for the first time in recent memory became an "offensive first" team (Hunger?)

2)The playoff path to the SCF was substantially physically tougher this season than last which had to be a contribution to the physical wear and tear (injuries) and the fatigue that Babs referenced in his post game 7 statements. (Bad Luck?)

3)Compacted playoff schedule. I still haven't quite figure out the rationale for this. (What the f*** was the big ass hurry to get the SCF over so quickly? - More bad luck)

Ultimately, the feat of repeating a championship, as not only evidenced in the NHL but in other professional sports as well, is much more difficult that winning the 1st one. I think everything has to break well for you combined with the fact that you have to have the chemistry and drive that helped you win it the first time. IMO, it's not personnel issues or the fact that the Wings don't have enough grit..........The intangibles didn't fall the Wings way this year, so maybe it just wasn't meant to be.

[Guest Shoreline]

f*** all 3 of those choices.

Our D was fine with the notable exception of the bad turnovers.

Precisely right.

Notice how no one here is mentioning how many shots the Penguins blocked and how they got in the passing lanes? It always comes down to the physical thing, even though the WINGS were the most physical team. Getting players who can crosscheck or slash opposing players down low in front of the net is going to make this team take even more penalties. This just doesn't sound like it was thought through very well, in both addressing what the problems were in these playoffs, and especially the solution.

[Stiffy 0]

Our D was fine with the notable exception of the bad turnovers.

I don't agree with the OP, but please think about it when you say things like this. I mean, why not say, "Other than completely sucking Homer was pretty good." "Despite not scoring a single goal, Hossa was a force." I mean, it just doesn't wash. Results are results. "A" for effort is for little kids in grade school.

[eva unit zero 271]

Among defensemen healthy enough to play in the playoffs for the Wings, the one who fits the description put forth here of a "playoff-type defenseman" the most is Brad Stuart.

If we had six Brad Stuarts playing for us on defense, I somehow doubt we'd have made the final, as he was our worst defenseman throughout the playoffs, and by far the worst player on the ice in Game 7 as his poor decisions were responsible for both of Pittsburgh's goals.

[eva unit zero 271]

I don't agree with the OP, but please think about it when you say things like this. I mean, why not say, "Other than completely sucking Homer was pretty good." "Despite not scoring a single goal, Hossa was a force." I mean, it just doesn't wash. Results are results. "A" for effort is for little kids in grade school.

Hossa has been criticized all playoff about not scoring goals. Yet he was one of Detroit's top defensive forwards all playoff, set up linemates for many excellent scoring opportunities, and created his own scoring opportunities many times.

Just because he didn't score doesn't mean he wasn't playing well. No, he wasn't playing as well as he did in the regular season. But neither was Pavel Datsyuk, who many here would gladly get on their knees for regardless of his playoff performance. Hossa was no less effective overall in the playoffs than Datsyuk, yet Datsyuk gets no criticism and Hossa is assaulted with full force. And Datsyuk is a Hart finalist who was expected to do much more than Hossa going into the playoffs.

Holmstrom, as you mentioned, was pretty terrible. And is another forward who does not receive much criticm yet should catch much more.

[FedorovMan91 1]

Well, we cannot change it because Nick, Kronwall, Ericsson are locked up and both Rafalski and Stuart have NTC so they will not waive up. For this season, all our D-men spent probably the worst regular season. Our Goals average against was almost 3.00, which you will never see the Wings do that again. The problem in the regular season was both goaltending and D were terrible.

For my thought, I don't want to re-sign Hossa. It is not I hate him but I just have a feeling it would be bad.

By the way, before blaming Hossa, I wonder if there is any thread criticize Rafalski and Kronwall.

[luvmnger 125]

we dont need a defenseman....just need lilja to not get hurt in a freak way. we need our 2 hard core hittin defenseman to hit open ice players... that changed the blackhawk series. they were all worried about kron and stewie hitting them. crosby and malkin didnt fear that. because they didnt see it first hand.

i honestly felt that the "dynasty" feelings that have set in to any red wing player has a lot to do with it.

after being such a dominate force for so many years...the core guys just dont bring that "extra" that everyone else brings.

its hard to explain really.....i dont blame them....but the comfort zone was a little too relaxed.

if you only bring 90% of your will to play....the 110% players will find a way.

pittsburgh saw the luck shift their way too many times to not take advantage of detroits calm approach to winning.

the ref's helped out a lot....no call on the icing? 6 men on ice? both of those missed calls resulted in goals. that swings momentum in a big f***in way.

just like babs mentioned, the hit post in game 3....well thats just like the hit post in 7 and those missed calls. they all changed the landscape for the penguins to take advantage of.

i was under the impression that the refs were letting the rough stuff go..and calling everything else. hmmm. i guess it was on their judgement to let the icing go. and too many men.

the last time i saw the wings lose, it was to the devils....and we were just plain beat.

ok...i delt with that...just move on to the next year. but this just doesnt sit well, and i hope that next year they can up the "ante" by playing with the other 10% that got lazy.

hossa walked in to a room with 40 rings....if the role players didnt have most of them we might have had that fire.

i dont blame him...much...he should have brought his own personal fire...not relied on the mantra of detroit to always win.

i hope that this year the media doesnt "blow" smoke up their ass all year long and they use that as "hey....were here every year for a reason"

no major changes...kep the system intact, just get a little rougher.

one guy could change the environment...milan lucic.... my kind of player....he rocks like shanahan of old.

focus on that in the draft this year....first round....yeah....

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

We dont have room unfortunately. We just need a healthy Lilja with Ericsson, and have Kronwall and Stuart play more mean more often. Frick, if Chelios retires, hire him as the defence coach, that'll give us some snarl.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

DERIAN HATCHER BABY!!!!!

Why hasn't Holland ever thought about signing this guy before? He's won a Cup, is North American, is big and likes to hit. If we had a guy like that on our team, we could never lose in the playoffs.

[chrisdetroit 189]

Looking back, this team heading into the playoffs, although personnel wise very similar to the 08' squad, had a number of differences that might be attributed to the intangibles........hunger and luck.

1) This team gave up 60 more goals in the regular season than last year's squad.......and for some strange reason was uncharacteristically horrible on the PK, contributing to the fact that for the first time in recent memory became an "offensive first" team (Hunger?)

2)The playoff path to the SCF was substantially physically tougher this season than last which had to be a contribution to the physical wear and tear (injuries) and the fatigue that Babs referenced in his post game 7 statements. (Bad Luck?)

3)Compacted playoff schedule. I still haven't quite figure out the rationale for this. (What the f*** was the big ass hurry to get the SCF over so quickly? - More bad luck)

Ultimately, the feat of repeating a championship, as not only evidenced in the NHL but in other professional sports as well, is much more difficult that winning the 1st one. I think everything has to break well for you combined with the fact that you have to have the chemistry and drive that helped you win it the first time. IMO, it's not personnel issues or the fact that the Wings don't have enough grit..........The intangibles didn't fall the Wings way this year, so maybe it just wasn't meant to be.

Well said

[chrisdetroit 189]

Precisely right.

Notice how no one here is mentioning how many shots the Penguins blocked and how they got in the passing lanes? It always comes down to the physical thing, even though the WINGS were the most physical team. Getting players who can crosscheck or slash opposing players down low in front of the net is going to make this team take even more penalties. This just doesn't sound like it was thought through very well, in both addressing what the problems were in these playoffs, and especially the solution.

Just think, we were missing our #1 shot blocker, Lilja. Now I like Big E but he's a different type of D-man. I didn't realize how much we would miss Lilja until half way through the playoffs...

[Kronthewall55 14]

Why? Let me see, if we pick these guys up, we'd have to give up someone who would probably be on the PK that one of those players would surely draw on a nightly basis, why not just spot every team a goal and skip the middle man?

well if that was true then the red wings should of had about 10 goals every game through out the playoffs. they wont call it in the playoffs just like they didn't last run. and the run before that. and the run before that......