A season of questions

[theman19 47]

With the signing of bert, our forward corps appear to be established. Good or bad, this is going to be a season that i doubt very few people can predict with any kind of conviction in their voices.

The hockey news has us anywhere from 1-7th and i think that's spot on,...you really can't predict.

This offseason reminds me of the off season heading out of the lockout.

Coincedently it was my first season here at LGW as well.

Back then, there was a flurry of what-ifs and speculation

FA came and went, with LGW clamoring for either the bulin wall or Mark Bell (or both).

In the end the fans were disappointed, we signed three guys who for the life of us all we couldn't figure out why they were wings now

That season, Lilja, Samuelsson and Cleary joined us. Hindsight being what it is, those were fantastic deals for us.

This season we face a slew of signings that again appear to be baffalling moves given our needs, after all we did lose several outstanding players only to replace them with C and D rated replacements. Still, i don't feel any negativity towards this years squad. I'm hopeful, just like i was in 06 that we are fans and they are managers for a reason.

No, this isn't a blind "in Holland we trust" thread but lets let the dust settle on the first part of the season before we throw everyone under the bus. What do you guys think?

Here's my incredibly biases opinion,

Eaves is going to resurrect his career here, his comparison to cleary is premature, but it could be spot on in a bout six months.

Bertuzzi is going to give us what he gave the flames, a productive injury shorted season. Hopefully without the stupid penalties

Williams is going to show that he learned something and not suck

Lenio is going to dazzle this season

Edited August 18, 2009 by theman19

[tommingthepuck96 1]

Im most pumped up about ericsson, this guy has so much glaring potential to be a real super star in my opinion. Then you got filppula getting top 6 ice time, leino having an opportunity to replace hudler, helm playing a full season, a 100% Cleary having completely recovered from his injury from 2 years ago, Franzen having the opportunity to score 40+, euro twins playing on the same line once again and williams, bertuzzi, and eaves are all here to chip in 15+ goals each just in case. Yes i might be a little biased but if the wings stay healthy imo they have the best shot at the cup. But the league might have other cup plans for ovechkin and the caps, or kane/toews and the hawks.

[theman19 47]

oh i agree on all points.

I'm already hearing "doom and gloom" reports from some mags. about the wings this year.

Ideal situation for me? Pens/wings rematch,....totally healthy wings squad

[datsyukismyfriend 4]

oh i agree on all points.

I'm already hearing "doom and gloom" reports from some mags. about the wings this year.

Ideal situation for me? Pens/wings rematch,....totally healthy wings squad

...with bertuzzi sending cindy flying through the glass on big bert's way to lifting the cup!

[Guest mindfly]

Wings have gotten more north american'ish...

EURO OUT: Hossa, Samuelsson, Kopecky, Hudler

EURO IN: -

NORTH AMERICAN OUT: -

NORTH AMERICAN IN: Williams, Eaves, Bertuzzi

Edited August 18, 2009 by mindfly

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Wings have gotten more north american'ish...

EURO OUT: Hossa, Samuelsson, Kopecky, Hudler

EURO IN: -

NORTH AMERICAN OUT: -

NORTH AMERICAN IN: Williams, Eaves, Bertuzzi

Williams and Eaves don't play like the typical lower line North Americans.

Thus, they're both euros in my book.

[VM1138 1,921]

Williams and Eaves don't play like the typical lower line North Americans.

Thus, they're both euros in my book.

Well, from what I understand, Eaves hits. He's just not a heavyweight but he hits. He's just made of glass.

Williams, on the other hand, is a coward.

[uk_redwing 495]

I dont think Im ever going to get over us re-signing Williams. Unless he gets injured.

[wingslionstigers 12]

I don't know what some of you guys are complaining about. We have a great team and will make a solid run at the cup. All of your rookies are going to be even better. We got a good playoff power forward in Bert, Eaves looks like a solid depth player, only person im waiting to judge is Williams.

[wings-fan for life 0]

I dont think Im ever going to get over us re-signing Williams. Unless he gets injured.

I'm going to throw out my opinion here. As I saw earlier, Helm and Ericsson have me the most excited. Helm for the entire season is great, I think he could easily score 20 goals or more even just centering the 3rd line, and if he gets some PP time, it could be 25 or more. Ericsson I think will be awesome as well, and should be on 2nd line PP I think alternating with Stuart and Kronwall. Datsyuk and Zetterburg should score 30 goals again each, and both have the potential for 40, and ditto that with Franzen. We should be able to get at least 90 from the three of them (30 a piece, obviously) and each at least have the potential to be 40 goal scorers. Filpulla moving up to Top 6, most likely second line still hasn't reached his potential, but with more time and more minutes, he should do better too. I think Filpulla will go 20-25, but think he could score 30 goals too. For top two lines I'm thinking Holmstrom/Datsyuk/Filpulla as Dats and Filp have played together well, and I see a lot of Datsyuk in Filpulla. Second line Cleary/Zetterburg/Franzen like we saw a lot of last year. I think Eaves has potential to do well also, and probably has the most likely chance of remaining after the season (at only $500k). Just my opinions...comments?

[Guest lnvincible]

I don't know what some of you guys are complaining about. We have a great team and will make a solid run at the cup. All of your rookies are going to be even better. We got a good playoff power forward in Bert, Eaves looks like a solid depth player, only person im waiting to judge is Williams.

Im sure williams will do fine.

[Doc Holiday 0]

I dont think Im ever going to get over us re-signing Williams. Unless he gets injured.

Really? It's really not that big a deal.

[uk_redwing 495]

Really? It's really not that big a deal.

It really is.

[titanium2 867]

Really? It's really not that big a deal.

Dude. It's like, totally a big deal. I s*** you not.

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

They are fluff for a season that's really entirely about our recruits proving themselves. They can expect a certain contribution from them, pending they stay healthy.

Cap goes up again (sometime in next few years) and we still have a Stanley Cup core w/ a mess of proven players backing them up.

Maybe not the most glitzy team ever, but it's not exactly an all rosy year as far as money either.

[rick zombo 3,739]

Odds are really in The Wings favor that at least one of Bertuzzi, Williams, Eaves or Howard will have a jaw-droppingly good year and prove to be a steal for the very little $$$ and expectation thrown their way. To me, that's very exciting.

Throw in a full season of seeing Helm and Ericsson play, and even Leino, and you have the formula for some entertaining hockey.

Truth be told, I think this year's team will be a success and far from boring to watch.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

I have a hard time seeing this team slipping a great deal. The core of the team hasn't changed at all, with only Lidstrom and Rafalski aging to the extent that their play might decline this season (although Lidstrom's play only got better after he recovered from his facial injury in the preseason, so I don't think his season this year is going to be significantly worse, if it's worse at all).

The Detroit Red Wings of 07-08 didn't need Hossa to win the cup, they just needed a focus on defensive play. So I have a hard time seeing the loss of Hossa as being as significant as some think it is. The fact remains that the Wings are a better team when they have to play defensive hockey instead of relying on scoring bunches of goals. Not having Hossa to save their bacon early in the season will force them back into that mindset, which can only be a good thing.

Once again, the rumour of the Red Wings' demise are exaggerated.

[uk_redwing 495]

Once again, the rumour of the Red Wings' demise are exaggerated.

You spelt it with a u. Well done sir! The english language approves

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Williams and Eaves don't play like the typical lower line North Americans.

Thus, they're both euros in my book.

Calling Williams a euro is an insult to guys like Ovechkin who aren't puss-bags. Williams hasn't been in a corner since 2006.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

You spelt it with a u. Well done sir! The english language approves

I'm Canadian, we're still respectful of the original spellings of (most) words

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

I'm more excited for this season then last. I was never a big Hossa fan, and he proved to be a distraction in the playoffs. This team has no distractions, a bunch of has beens that are trying to resurrect there careers and a bunch of guys who came 2 goals short a Stanley Cup victory. Plus we're grittier with the additions of Ericsson, Helm, Eaves and Bertuzzi. Williams is meh, but hey if we make it to the Finals again this year, Don Cherry cant say s*** because we'll have 10+ Canadians

[uk_redwing 495]

I'm Canadian, we're still respectful of the original spellings of (most) words

Canada is indeed an awesome place.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

I'm going to throw out my opinion here. As I saw earlier, Helm and Ericsson have me the most excited. Helm for the entire season is great, I think he could easily score 20 goals or more even just centering the 3rd line, and if he gets some PP time, it could be 25 or more. Ericsson I think will be awesome as well, and should be on 2nd line PP I think alternating with Stuart and Kronwall. Datsyuk and Zetterburg should score 30 goals again each, and both have the potential for 40, and ditto that with Franzen. We should be able to get at least 90 from the three of them (30 a piece, obviously) and each at least have the potential to be 40 goal scorers. Filpulla moving up to Top 6, most likely second line still hasn't reached his potential, but with more time and more minutes, he should do better too. I think Filpulla will go 20-25, but think he could score 30 goals too. For top two lines I'm thinking Holmstrom/Datsyuk/Filpulla as Dats and Filp have played together well, and I see a lot of Datsyuk in Filpulla. Second line Cleary/Zetterburg/Franzen like we saw a lot of last year. I think Eaves has potential to do well also, and probably has the most likely chance of remaining after the season (at only $500k). Just my opinions...comments?

It will take 3 seasons for Helm to hit 25 goals (and that's the career number, not an individual season number). He just doesn't have the hands to be a 25 goal scorer. Guys who can score that many goals aren't as common as you'd think.

Hudler has absolutely amazing hands (his wrist shot is arguably better than Datsyuk's while his passing is somewhere near Zetterberg's, but certainly not as good as Datsyuk's) and he only scored 15 goals and 10 assists in his rookie season. Expecting a guy who doesn't have half the offensive skill of Hudler to easily put up 20 goals in his rookie season is a bit absurd.

I'm expecting Helm to put up something around 5 goals and 10 assists this year. He likely won't spend most of the year centring the 3rd line unless Williams ends up s***ting the bed in that regard, although I expect Babs will give him more than a few shots at centring the 3rd. My guess is that Helm will play the majority of the year split between the 3rd and 4th line (depending on injuries) with some 2nd unit PK replacement minutes mixed in there as well. There would have to be a TON of injuries for Helm to get PP time.

For the record, here are Helm's regular season NHL stats (combined):

Regular Season: 23 games--0 goals--1 assist--1 point

Playoffs : 41 games--6 goals--3 assists--9 points

If we average those out and apply it to a 82 game season we're looking at a total of 13 pts.

Helm is an excellent player who will serve this team very well over the next few decades, but expecting him to be a significant scorer is just silly.

[miller76 463]

I am honestly surprised at how many posters there are on here, that are disappointed in what the team has done. Our off season signings imo, were locking Zetterberg and Franzen up. Those were the important two. Hossa was a pipe dream and an expensive one at that. Signing Hossa would have left the team exposed and unable to sign pluggers, like Eaves and Williams. I am not overly impressed with either guy, but the unhealthy, unreliable Kopecky is gone. Sammy was clutch at times, but often too hot and cold. I think signing Bertuzzi is a steal for 1.5 million. I just hope he stays healthy, cause if he is, he will produce.

I would much rather be in this situation as a fan with this team, then any other. I dont think there is a ton of pressure in Detroit this year, like there would be in S.J., Montreal, Boston, Calgary, Philly, or even Vancouver this year. Those are going to be pressure cookers this year.

[miller76 463]

nevermind

Edited August 19, 2009 by miller76