Your favorite new addition

[RusDRW 155]

All of our acquisitions are more or less ok. Todd And Eaves are better for their prices.

[cjm502 165]

Not to mention, he never played defense until he was 17 yrs old and was drafted 291st, the very last pick in the '02 draft. It's amazing that he is even playing in the NHL. Also his defensive partner is dumber than a log. He should be paired with Stuart or Lidstrom, someone he can learn from, not a #7 defensman which Lebda is on his good days..

I completely agree here. I know Lids can make almost anyone he is paired with look good (well, anyone but Raffi), but Ericsson was the guy who looked like the Norris Trophy winner when they were together. E can rock on the PK, the PP, and has one rocket of a shot. Lebda is doing nothing but slowing the developing of a future top 6 defenseman.

[VM1138 1,921]

The 3rd line is actually my favorite. I think Eaves, Helm, and Draper all play really well together.

Normally I'd say Ericsson for my rookie pick, but his play's been sub-par for the past few games. Not at all like he was in the playoffs. Right now, I'm loving the After Burner Line.

The Speed Line makes me think of the Two Kids and a Goat line from '02 and '03. They make Draper better and he makes them better.

[Guest Lidstromboli]

nvm

Edited November 21, 2009 by Lidstromboli

[Mors 201]

Bertuzzi is working harder than I would have gussed when the season started, if he popped in 2-3 more goals at this point people would be all over his jock.

My least favorite? Leino...good puck control, but absolutely DEFINES soft-euro at this point. This guy makes Filpulla look like the hulk. Has a game passed this season where Leino hasn't been destroyed by a highlight reel check?

[wings1110 184]

To me leino isn't working hard enough. Remember when he was called up last year and he worked his ass off trying to stay on the big club. I feel that he isn't working as hard because he "knows" his spot on the wings is secure. my sugestion... scratch him for 3-5 games maybe that will be a wake up call.

[cjm502 165]

To me leino isn't working hard enough. Remember when he was called up last year and he worked his ass off trying to stay on the big club. I feel that he isn't working as hard because he "knows" his spot on the wings is secure. my sugestion... scratch him for 3-5 games maybe that will be a wake up call.

We already tried this. Did nothing. We can not afford to scratch one of our top 6 forwards right now either. Leino has very poor work ethic, he could be a lot better than he is.

[titanium2 867]

To me leino isn't working hard enough. Remember when he was called up last year and he worked his ass off trying to stay on the big club. I feel that he isn't working as hard because he "knows" his spot on the wings is secure. my sugestion... scratch him for 3-5 games maybe that will be a wake up call.

If a player doesn't work hard enough, they simply aren't allowed to wear the Wings jersey.

Last year his role was just to come in, play his game and score some goals.

This year, he has Babcock's comments of, "He's got a long way to go to be the type of two-way guy I expect him to be" constantly hanging over his head as he embarks on the path to become the next Filppula-Datsyuk-Zetterberg. He has to worry a lot more about his defensive game that of course overall he's going to struggle with as he learns to put it all together. It's going to take time.

It's just like what happened to Abdelkader early on, "Abby's one of these kids that's really a conscientious, hard-working guy. He's going to be a great player in this league because he's a thick guy, he hunts you down, he's physical. But until the game in Calgary (Oct. 31), I never saw him skate. He's so busy thinking about where to go, he never skated."

[hokike 1]

considering situation they are all fine. Ericsson, Leino and Abdelkader are still learning that 82game schedule with full plate of responsibilities is totally different stuff compared to "jump in for some games and back to AHL"

Bertuzzi? - He does not play on his natural position: do in 3rd line what Holmström does in 1st( annoy goalie), now he has to play due to injuries skating and playmaking winger and those qualities have never been Bertuzzi's strengt.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Ericsson is not being considered a rookie (as far as the calder trophy goes) due to his age. There was a thread about it at some point this summer, and if you look on the NHL site under rookies hes no where to be found.........

but anyway im satisfied with his play considered he IS a rookie, some mistakes are to be expected, hes still better then the old lebda and cheli combo, by himself

He's not considered a rookie for calder considerations because he played more than the combined games allowed in the previous seasons. For all intents and purposes, though, he's a rookie on this team. This is his first full season. Any other time he's been here was as an injury call-up.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Not to mention, he never played defense until he was 17 yrs old and was drafted 291st, the very last pick in the '02 draft. It's amazing that he is even playing in the NHL. Also his defensive partner is dumber than a log. He should be paired with Stuart or Lidstrom, someone he can learn from, not a #7 defensman which Lebda is on his good days..

I completely agree here. I know Lids can make almost anyone he is paired with look good (well, anyone but Raffi), but Ericsson was the guy who looked like the Norris Trophy winner when they were together. E can rock on the PK, the PP, and has one rocket of a shot. Lebda is doing nothing but slowing the developing of a future top 6 defenseman.

Agreed on all points.

[Guest zackmorris]

I don't mind Eaves, but I think he gets away with some stuff because no one has any expectations of him. I think his line is more a combo of Helm and Drapes. Most anyone with some adequate speed could pop in there and it'd work.

I like May. Hard worker on the 4th line, sticks up for his guys, fights when he has to, and has one of the most admirable team-first attitudes I've ever seen. Plus he's a great voice for the young guys to listen to about most anything hockey related.

As for AHL guys who have come up, Helm. We think so much of him we expect him to have hands-it just says something about our perspective and expectations. If we didn't think much of him we wouldn't care if he didn't score on those breakaways, you know? Helm is a beast, especially in the postseason.

[Theophany 110]

The Speed Line makes me think of the Two Kids and a Goat line from '02 and '03. They make Draper better and he makes them better.

Except that Helm won't turn into an 80+ point player by the time he's 27. Eaves has a real scoring touch and a good shot, but Helm is lacking.

Granted, the kid is only 22. He could develop further, but I don't see it. I see him as Draper 2.0.

Edit: Also, Leino being lazy? Leino's been fighting his ass off for the pucks, and has been making some great passes. Zetterberg likely wouldn't have so many goals without Leino on his line, because he's certainly more visible on that line than Cleary is at the moment.

Edited November 22, 2009 by Theophany

[Carman 387]

I'm not saying Helm will turn into a 80+ point player, but he does have a gift that very few players have with that speed. That is something you cannot teach, another thing is offensive instincts and he is getting plenty of opportunities which is something that is in itself impressive in his current role. I wouldn't write him totally off in terms of his potential. Scoring touch/shooting can be worked on and he is still young. I don't believe it's totally senseless to have a realistic expectation of not being surprised to see him suddenly breakout. He was a decent scorer in juniors and always seemed to be a late-bloomer so who knows. Either he will be a top-notch checking forward, or become a pretty good secondary scorer either way the Wing's have a great young player that will help the team for a long time to come.

Edited November 22, 2009 by Carman

[King Crane 289]

May, because it shuts-up everyone who complains that the red wings "need" an enforcer.

[titanium2 867]

May, because it shuts-up everyone who complains that the red wings "need" an enforcer.

Not really.

Now they're all, "Why can't we get a heavyweight?" or "May is too old" or "Where is my 'Pain is weakness leaving the body' t-shirt?"

[skyphoenix 153]

Except that Helm won't turn into an 80+ point player by the time he's 27. Eaves has a real scoring touch and a good shot, but Helm is lacking.

Granted, the kid is only 22. He could develop further, but I don't see it. I see him as Draper 2.0.

Edit: Also, Leino being lazy? Leino's been fighting his ass off for the pucks, and has been making some great passes. Zetterberg likely wouldn't have so many goals without Leino on his line, because he's certainly more visible on that line than Cleary is at the moment.

I thought I was the only one that had this view of Leino. It's not really his fault that he isn't built like a truck and gets knocked all over the place. When you go to the dirty areas and play along the boards to get puck control all the time, you will get muscled around and while people think he is being lazy (which is just a joke to me), he has been very beneficial to Zetterberg and Cleary on that line and I guarantee Zetterberg would not be on the point streak he was on without Leino (even Zetterberg has said to credit his linemates for his success so far). Zetterberg is amazing on his own, but Leino and Cleary are both very good compliments to his skills because they play the boards and have very good puck control and can dish it to Zetterberg at almost any given moment.

With that said, Leino does need to start shooting more because it would be nice to see him notch a few goals. We all have seen that he has a scoring touch and brilliant hands but I think trying to play the 2-Way hockey that Babcock wants has taken precedence over trying to score right now and everything should balance out after awhile.

[Guest zackmorris]

aw beat me to it

there's no beating this new edition