Some Disparaging Words from Hudler

[Selke13 0]

huds does have a point. he wants to be a leader and being on a team with lids, z, dats, etc thats not possible. he couldve had 80 some points and still wouldve played behind z dats homer flip hossa mule cleary etc.

[GMRwings1983 8,803]

When did Babcock say that he disliked Hudler?

People here have too much man love for this squirt, to the point where Babcock is now thought of as a Hudler-hater or something.

[T.Low 1,011]

I don't know.... perhaps I'm reading too much into it, but it really sounds like he was complaining of his role on the Wings and lack of opportunity to prove otherwise. That bit about "dragging the grand piano" really got me peeved.

But meh, majority rules.

Qoute from MLive:

"dragging a grand piano" (i.e. doing heavy lifting to support the team's virtuosos)

Yeah, I think he needs to explain this. Exactly WTF is he talking about?

[DEVILSWATERBOY 10]

Can any one tell me or prove that Huds has the same skating ability as Lids,Dats,Zeek,Mule,Cleary,Flip,Drapes, Malts, Helm, Agitator, Sammy, ect

he skates almost as good as Homer the only reason Homer is on the ice is because he parks his butt in front of the net and gets the crap kicked out him every night

like I said I like Huds but he does not fit this team anymore let him go back to Chec rep and play for ythe KHL and improve his game to the elite level of the NHL

[Kira 451]

First of all, every player has to start somewhere. Even Pasha started out on the fourth line. You can't expect to jump right up to the top line when you first come in - you have to pay your dues, especially on a team as loaded as we are. So Jiri couldn't quite break the second line on a constant basis - so what?

And anyway, you got something that a hell of a lot of hockey players will never have - a Stanley Cup.

Don't bite the hand that fed you. Not if you ever want a chance to come back for seconds.

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

First of all, every player has to start somewhere. Even Pasha started out on the fourth line. You can't expect to jump right up to the top line when you first come in - you have to pay your dues, especially on a team as loaded as we are. So Jiri couldn't quite break the second line on a constant basis - so what?

He's been up full-time with the Wings for three seasons and has been around the bigs in stints while playing in North America for five.

he skates almost as good as Homer the only reason Homer is on the ice is because he parks his butt in front of the net and gets the crap kicked out him every night

Hudler is a better skater than Homer, who is unequivocally the worst on the team. He's a tad below average, but the Wings have several average skaters. Production is what counts; no matter how it gets done, so long as it gets done.

[Motown4013 350]

Yep. I completely understand why Hudler is feeling this way. He deserved more chances on the top 2 lines.

Agreed...Sammy could play like ass for 1/2 the year and still remain on the PP. Huds made one error and he wasnt seen for the remainder of the game....Babcock was not fair to Huds, IMO

[Doc Holiday 0]

Pretty obvious.

Wanted a more direct role, and now he has it.

Good luck in Europe.

[Doc Holiday 0]

When did Babcock say that he disliked Hudler?

People here have too much man love for this squirt, to the point where Babcock is now thought of as a Hudler-hater or something.

Well I think people are upset that Babcock isn't upholding Holland's "Play soft or die" attitude by keeping him off the ice.

[chrisdetroit 189]

Babcock was merciless with Huds; if he didn't produce immediately he'd be demoted to lower lines or riding pine (i.e. compare Hudler's treatment with Sammy's, who'd f*** up regularly, and yet continued to play minutes on the PP and top two lines). I hope Babs learned a lesson about pushing players too hard.

I don't. I don't want Babs to change a thing. It seems to work with most of the team giving 100%. If to much pushing means you lose a guy like Hudler, well that's the way it goes.

[LeftWinger 5,132]

regarding Hudlers comments: In other words he feels he is better than what he actually is....

Babcock was merciless with Huds; if he didn't produce immediately he'd be demoted to lower lines or riding pine (i.e. compare Hudler's treatment with Sammy's, who'd f*** up regularly, and yet continued to play minutes on the PP and top two lines). I hope Babs learned a lesson about pushing players too hard.

Ya, Babs learned his lesson alright! FYI: Babs is still with the team while Hudler is where he belongs, OFF THE TEAM...

[anthonyn66 89]

I think this is good, because he could possibly learn some leadership skills if he wants to lead the team so bad, but this year he could've been higher up because of the departures.

Hudler was on the fourth line in the playoffs, can't be blamed for lack of production.

Edited August 17, 2009 by anthonyn66

[eva unit zero 271]

Just to kick people in the teeth for a second over the "Hudler wasn't good enough to be a second line forward because he was a slow skater/was bad defensively":

Had Datsyuk played the same total minutes at ES, PP, and SH at the same age (Started the season at 24, so 2002-2003 season) Hudler was this past season, he would have scored about 62 points to Jiri's 57.

At the time, Datsyuk was notably worse defensively than Hudler is now. He was a better skater, marginally, than Hudler is now. And he was playing on the second line with Henrik Zetterberg and Brett Hull.

Hudler had far worse linemates than Datsyuk did at the same age yet produced similarly offensively per minute. Datsyuk was leading the Wings in scoring two years later and was among the better centers in the NHL. Hudler's scouting reports when he was drafted said that if he could get beyond his small size and slow skating, he had the talent to be a top notch center. His season last year, especially considering his much improved skating and defensive game, shows progression along that line.

It's quite possible that Hudler will be a top notch forward in two years if you project his development along the same lines that Datsyuk's followed as they are fairly similar players.

[Guest Crymson]

If he'd had any physical---even in the sense of not being predisposed to being thrown around like a ragdoll by anyone else on the ice---upside, or any defensive capability whatsoever, maybe he'd have gotten more minutes. As is, he's a one-dimensional player: a small, offensive forward who can fill no other role whatsoever.

[GMRwings1983 8,803]

Just to kick people in the teeth for a second over the "Hudler wasn't good enough to be a second line forward because he was a slow skater/was bad defensively":

Had Datsyuk played the same total minutes at ES, PP, and SH at the same age (Started the season at 24, so 2002-2003 season) Hudler was this past season, he would have scored about 62 points to Jiri's 57.

At the time, Datsyuk was notably worse defensively than Hudler is now. He was a better skater, marginally, than Hudler is now. And he was playing on the second line with Henrik Zetterberg and Brett Hull.

Hudler had far worse linemates than Datsyuk did at the same age yet produced similarly offensively per minute. Datsyuk was leading the Wings in scoring two years later and was among the better centers in the NHL. Hudler's scouting reports when he was drafted said that if he could get beyond his small size and slow skating, he had the talent to be a top notch center. His season last year, especially considering his much improved skating and defensive game, shows progression along that line.

It's quite possible that Hudler will be a top notch forward in two years if you project his development along the same lines that Datsyuk's followed as they are fairly similar players.

Yeah, yeah, we know. Adjusted for inflation, Jiri Hudler is the best player in history.

Babcock and Holland are idiots.

[eva unit zero 271]

Yeah, yeah, we know. Adjusted for inflation, Jiri Hudler is the best player in history.

Babcock and Holland are idiots.

I adjusted Pavel's stats to fit Jiri's ice time, actually. But as they played very similar minutes at even strength(even though Pavs missed 18 games and Jiri missed none) the adjustment wasn't much, and on the PP Pavel got a 9-point increase from the time difference.

My point was that the offensive production per minute at the same age was very similar, even though Datsyuk was playing with far more offensively capable players in Hull and Zetterberg. It sort of throws out the idea that Hudler isn't good enough to play on the second line as Dats was playing on the second line at the time on a team that was arguably as deep or even deeper than the Wings were at forward last season.

[GMRwings1983 8,803]

I adjusted Pavel's stats to fit Jiri's ice time, actually. But as they played very similar minutes at even strength(even though Pavs missed 18 games and Jiri missed none) the adjustment wasn't much, and on the PP Pavel got a 9-point increase from the time difference.

My point was that the offensive production per minute at the same age was very similar, even though Datsyuk was playing with far more offensively capable players in Hull and Zetterberg. It sort of throws out the idea that Hudler isn't good enough to play on the second line as Dats was playing on the second line at the time on a team that was arguably as deep or even deeper than the Wings were at forward last season.

Have you ever considered that maybe Datsyuk is better apt to handle big minutes than a guy like Hudler is?

Not every forward in the league can play 20 minutes a night, full speed on both sides of the ice, kill penalties and play on the powerplay, and be expected to be a team leader.

I don't think Hudler would put up Datsyuk-like numbers if he played the same amount of ice time. It's a bad way to compare stats that way. Hudler has a tendency of disappearing, which is not something that a team wants from a top 6 forward.

This guy played his way down to the 4th line during the playoffs. If he was a scoring machine during the entire playoffs, he would have gotten more minutes.

[hallelujahlogic 1]

well, he's right. huds worked so hard out there, and performed so well w/the little time he was given. yet..he wasn't ever given any more! if i were him, i doubt i'd be able to phrase it as eloquently. i'd want to say something more along the lines of "screw you guys, i'm goin' home."

[eva unit zero 271]

Have you ever considered that maybe Datsyuk is better apt to handle big minutes than a guy like Hudler is?

Not every forward in the league can play 20 minutes a night, full speed on both sides of the ice, kill penalties and play on the powerplay, and be expected to be a team leader.

I don't think Hudler would put up Datsyuk-like numbers if he played the same amount of ice time. It's a bad way to compare stats that way. Hudler has a tendency of disappearing, which is not something that a team wants from a top 6 forward.

This guy played his way down to the 4th line during the playoffs. If he was a scoring machine during the entire playoffs, he would have gotten more minutes.

He played his way down to 4th line minutes?

Hudler played 9 games at 4th line minutes, 4 of which were in the finals. He also scored 1-2-3 and was +2 in those games, with a team record of 6-3. In games where he was "3rd line" mins, he played 10 games and was 2-5-7 and +4, with a team record of 6-4. In games where he was "2nd line" mins, he played 3 games and was 0-1-1 and -1, with a team record of 1-2. In games where he was "1st line" mins, he played 2 games and was 1-0-1 and -1, with a team record of 2-0.

So his production did drop the few rare times played more minutes...but that is just as attributable to a lack of chemistry with his linemates, as in 19 games on the bottom-two lines he scored 3-7-10 and was +6 while he was 1-1-2 and -2 in 5 games on the top two lines, but obviously was not used to playing with those particular players. As he was primarily a 3rd liner, his total of 12 points in 23 games with a +4 can hardly be considered "not contributing" and he scored 3 points and was +2 in 7 games against Pittsburgh. That's better numbers than Franzen, Cleary, Filppula, Samuelsson, Holmstrom, or Hossa posted in the finals. Of the Wings' typical top 9 forwards, only Zetterberg and Datsyuk had a better Finals series than Hudler, and Dats was injured for half of it. Calling Hudler out as a choker for the way he finished this past playoff is a joke.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Can't blame him for wanting more PT, just natural of any player who wants to make his mark. Could he have gotten more minutes with the Wings? Without question, but it's not like he was just playing 3 minutes a game. He certainly had his chances and time out there, and produced well at times. Regarding this specific instance though, it would've been best for Hudler to keep mum IMO. Regardless, best of luck to him in Russia, I hope he does well.

[T.Low 1,011]

Most people are fine with him wanting more minutes and wanting a leading top six role with a competitive team. No one is harping on that. More moeny and more significant minutes. Excellent.

Its the frikin Grand Piano comment! He says he carried the Grand Piano, so other guys could shine while plaing it! WTF is that? He's a power play sniper and a bit pf a playmaker, not a frikin grinder, not an awesome checker or pk'r.

Please, from this point on in the thread, explain the justification for the Grand Piano comment!

[egroen 384]

Most people are fine with him wanting more minutes and wanting a leading top six role with a competitive team. No one is harping on that. More moeny and more significant minutes. Excellent.

Its the frikin Grand Piano comment! He says he carried the Grand Piano, so other guys could shine while plaing it! WTF is that? He's a power play sniper and a bit pf a playmaker, not a frikin grinder, not an awesome checker or pk'r.

Please, from this point on in the thread, explain the justification for the Grand Piano comment!

Lost in translation?

It could simply be that he means he was relied upon to carry the offense on lesser lines with lesser linemates - which he was.

I just think Babcock really liked having a potent offensive weapon on his bottom lines, but he rarely rewarded Hudler with more minutes, and certainly never gave him a 'tryout' on the 2nd line for any significant stretch, like he has with many other players (Kopecky, Samuelsson, Filppula, Cleary).

Not exactly the best comment though

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

like he has with many other players (Kopecky, Samuelsson, Filppula, Cleary).

Good, this reminded me of something. Do you want to know how I know Mike disliked Hudler? Friggin' Kopecky. Five minutes left in the game, team needs a goal, who comes over the boards? Little Jiri with the sweet hands? Hell no, Kopecky's here to fall down and miss the net.

[egroen 384]

Good, this reminded me of something. Do you want to know how I know Mike disliked Hudler? Friggin' Kopecky. Five minutes left in the game, team needs a goal, who comes over the boards? Little Jiri with the sweet hands? Hell no, Kopecky's here to fall down and miss the net.

That would piss me off like few other things... and it happened all the time.

It was the strangest thing with Babcock - like he was trying to prove a point or something.

"I would rather lose than admit this little mongol might have some value."

I was actually shocked he could not prevail upon Holland to go after Kopecky and Samuelsson over Hudler.

[Carman 387]

Hudler was a very good offensive player, on a team full of older, more proven offensive players. He was not a VERY good defensive player, therefore he got the short end of the stick for ice time in key situations. There is a damn good reason he got the ice time that he did. Whether it was attitude, work ethic, talent, or strength. Hockey is a team sport and winning the Stanley Cup should be the ultimate goal, not scoring 50 goals for your individual gains. I wish Hudler the best of luck and hopefully he can mature to realize there is more to hockey then his ego.