Tomas Kopecky, The Next Tomas Holmstrom?

[skyphoenix 153]

When Hossa comes back, I dont think Kopecky will see the ice.

[hillbillywingsfan 794]

So true, Kopecky is like a little brother that tries to do everything that his older brother does, but fails.

for some odd reason they remind me of Ray and Robert Barone=)

[RedArmy 4]

It is a little strange how much time they spend together.

yes I think Kopecky might have a little Hossa in him... literally

[Rivalred 630]

Title of the thread sounds dirty...

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Unfortunately, the little bit of Holmstrom he has is the part that falls down a lot.

[eva unit zero 271]

I guess I can't understand why LGW is so incredibly obsessed with hating on Kopecky. Last year he was 26 years old, was the Wings' most physical forward and outplayed Draper and Maltby in the regular season. He's a decent defensive forward who is good on faceoffs, can play both wings, is a good hitter, average skater, and has solid puck skills. No, he's not a superstar player. But again, he's only 27 right now. He certainly could develop in the next year or two into a solid second liner with a physical presence and a good two-way game. He is already good enough to be the base of a checking line on most teams.

The only reason I can think of for Wings fans disliking him is being spoiled. He wasn't a super-good third/fourth line player. He was just good. Which clearly meant he was terrible and needed to go.

[Carman 387]

I guess I can't understand why LGW is so incredibly obsessed with hating on Kopecky. Last year he was 26 years old, was the Wings' most physical forward and outplayed Draper and Maltby in the regular season. He's a decent defensive forward who is good on faceoffs, can play both wings, is a good hitter, average skater, and has solid puck skills. No, he's not a superstar player. But again, he's only 27 right now. He certainly could develop in the next year or two into a solid second liner with a physical presence and a good two-way game. He is already good enough to be the base of a checking line on most teams.

The only reason I can think of for Wings fans disliking him is being spoiled. He wasn't a super-good third/fourth line player. He was just good. Which clearly meant he was terrible and needed to go.

Haha, good hitter. Nice one. Quantity does not equal quality sir. I'd give he is a serviceable 500k player, that's about it.

[Echolalia 2,961]

I wonder what its like for Kopecky to have a best friend that is so much better at everything then him. I never understood the relationship between Hossa and Kopecky, they are 1 number off, they wear their socks the same, their jersey the same, their pants the same, they go to the same team, and you can tell Kopecky tries to play like Hossa, he just has no skill. Its all very strange.

Hossa isn't better at winning Stanley Cups.

[Carman 387]

Hossa isn't better at winning Stanley Cups.

Wonder how we're going to add blackhawks to that...

[rage 24]

I think he got signed in Chicago because it was needed to get Hossa.

Who knows what he'll actually do in the next 5 years, but at 26 or 27 I wouldn't hold my breath.

[rage 24]

That's mean Carman!

lol

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

I guess I can't understand why LGW is so incredibly obsessed with hating on Kopecky. Last year he was 26 years old, was the Wings' most physical forward and outplayed Draper and Maltby in the regular season. He's a decent defensive forward who is good on faceoffs, can play both wings, is a good hitter, average skater, and has solid puck skills. No, he's not a superstar player. But again, he's only 27 right now. He certainly could develop in the next year or two into a solid second liner with a physical presence and a good two-way game. He is already good enough to be the base of a checking line on most teams.

The only reason I can think of for Wings fans disliking him is being spoiled. He wasn't a super-good third/fourth line player. He was just good. Which clearly meant he was terrible and needed to go.

Honestly I don't hate Kopecky the way some here do. I don't think he deserved to be the whipping boy here. But to call him the Wings most physical forward is hee-larious.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

I quite liked Kopecky, didn't want him to leave, but in saying that...

Patrick Eaves > Kopecky.

Edited November 7, 2009 by Aussie_Wing

[Echolalia 2,961]

Wonder how we're going to add blackhawks to that...

This pic really takes the sting away from losing the Cup this summer. Honestly.

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

As I said here, this is your average Hawks fan's opinion on the State of Kopecky:

-Tomas Kopecky doesn't do anything. I mean at all.

[eva unit zero 271]

Honestly I don't hate Kopecky the way some here do. I don't think he deserved to be the whipping boy here. But to call him the Wings most physical forward is hee-larious.

Who was more physical? Let's go through last season's regulars.

Zetterberg

Datsyuk

Hossa

Franzen

Hudler

Filppula

Cleary

Samuelsson

Kopecky

Draper

Maltby

Who on that list was more physical than Kopecky? Franzen? Maltby? Hardly. Franzen is big and uses his frame to create scoring opportunities, but he is far less physical than he should be at that size and strength, and less physical than Kopecky. As for Maltby, he used to be a vicious hitter, one of the hardest hitters in the league, but that part of his game has all but disappeared. Now he's pretty much down to being a fairly quick defensive forward who is annoying. Maltby does sometimes, however, give you a free waxing with the facewash.

This season, the Wings have some guys who are more physical than Kopecky. But last year, nope.

[rage 24]

Honestly I don't hate Kopecky the way some here do. I don't think he deserved to be the whipping boy here. But to call him the Wings most physical forward is hee-larious.

Yeah, wouldn't Datsyuk win that award?!?!?

After all Datsyuk did lead our team in hits last year!

[Carman 387]

Honestly Kopecky even being argued as a physical forward for the Wing's is more of a testament to how soft the team was then anything related to Kopecky.

[rage 24]

I quite liked Kopecky, didn't want him to leave, but in saying that...

Patrick Eaves > Kopecky.

I totally agree Aussie. Nice to see more and more people warming up to Eaves!

[rage 24]

Who was more physical? Let's go through last season's regulars.

Zetterberg

Datsyuk

Hossa

Franzen

Hudler

Filppula

Cleary

Samuelsson

Kopecky

Draper

Maltby

Who on that list was more physical than Kopecky? Franzen? Maltby? Hardly. Franzen is big and uses his frame to create scoring opportunities, but he is far less physical than he should be at that size and strength, and less physical than Kopecky. As for Maltby, he used to be a vicious hitter, one of the hardest hitters in the league, but that part of his game has all but disappeared. Now he's pretty much down to being a fairly quick defensive forward who is annoying. Maltby does sometimes, however, give you a free waxing with the facewash.

This season, the Wings have some guys who are more physical than Kopecky. But last year, nope.

Cleary, Sammy, and Datsyuk last year my friend.

[eva unit zero 271]

After all Datsyuk did lead our team in hits last year!

Incorrect. Last year's top ten hit leaders on the Wings:

Stuart - 159

Kopecky - 109

Cleary - 107

Draper - 105

Kronwall - 96

Lilja - 95

Samuelsson - 92

Franzen - 91

Datsyuk - 76

Hossa - 70

Last year's top ten playoff hit leaders:

Helm - 118

Cleary - 64

Kronwall - 59

Hossa - 56

Stuart - 55

Franzen - 47

Samuelsson - 42

Ericsson - 39

Holmstrom - 39

Zetterberg - 39

Kopecky played 8 games and had 15 hits in the postseason, which projects to 43 over the 23 that the team played. Cleary is really the only forward who is arguable among the regular forwards as more physical than Kopecky last season. Certainly Helm fits the bill, but he was not a regular until the postseason.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Who was more physical? Let's go through last season's regulars.

Who on that list was more physical than Kopecky?

conservatively,

Zetterberg

Datsyuk

Hossa

Cleary

Draper

The incorrect assumption you are making is that the most statistical hits = the most physical player.

Kopecky having a large number of hits doesn't mean he was the most physical. It only means he was the forward with the most recorded hits, nothing more.

Most of his hits were glancing blows at best. And he does fall down a lot of the time. Guys like Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Cleary and Hossa were easily more physical. They may not have thrown as many hits, the but the ones they did throw had greater impact. they also spent a lot more time in the high traffic areas, knocking guys off pucks, battling in corners.

As someone else mentioned, not all hits are created equal.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Kopecky played 8 games and had 15 hits in the postseason, which projects to 43 over the 23 that the team played.

Oh, I didn't realize we were talking about fictional hits based on meaningless extrapolations.

but sure, Kopecky led the team in imaginary hits.

[eva unit zero 271]

conservatively,

Zetterberg

Datsyuk

Hossa

Cleary

Draper

The incorrect assumption you are making is that the most statistical hits = the most physical player.

Kopecky having a large number of hits doesn't mean he was the most physical. It only means he was the forward with the most recorded hits, nothing more.

Most of his hits were glancing blows at best. And he does fall down a lot of the time. Guys like Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Cleary and Hossa were easily more physical. They may not have thrown as many hits, the but the ones they did throw had greater impact. they also spent a lot more time in the high traffic areas, knocking guys off pucks, battling in corners.

As someone else mentioned, not all hits are created equal.

I wasn't saying Kopecky was the most physical because of his hits number. That came up because of what rage said. I said Kopecky was the most physical forward because when he was on the ice for a great deal of his shifts he was using his body in the ways you stated, as well as throwing hits. He was often battling in corners and in front of the net and typically used his body as his primary tool to do so. While other Wings forwards used their body to do so, they were more likely to use their stick and puck skills rather than physical strength. Kopecky spent far less time on the ice, so naturally he spent less time doing these things than other players. But that doesn't mean he was less physical.

[hooon 1,089]

lol watching the hawks game now. Kopecky just delivered comedy gold. I wish there was a clip of it but basically he just had a semi breakaway, and when he tried to stick handle, he tripped (over nothing) got no shot off, and slid headfirst into the goalies feet.

Foley's announcing for it was hilarious as well "KOPECKY! DRIVING TO THE NET! AAAAaaannd....... he.... loses.... the handle of it."