How big of an impact would Hudler be having on this season's team.

[Guest blueadams]

He'd sure give us a "natural" goal-scorer, wouldn't he? Him not screwing us means no Bertuzzi...probably no Williams...maybe no Eaves? Probably go into the season looking something like this...

Datsyuk-Zetterberg-Holmstrom

Hudler-Filppula-Franzen

Leino-Abdelkader-Cleary

Draper-Helm-Eaves?/Maltby

I know it's a moot point right now, but does anyone have any insight about the odds of Hudler returning to the NHL!? It sure would be nice to get that eurotwin 2.0 going on the second line.

[mmamolo 287]

Well, you're definitely right, we wouldnt have been able to sign either of Todd Bertuzzi or Jason Williams. Hudler's cap hit woudl have been $2.85M/yr if I remember correctly so we would have still signed Eaves in my mind. I think we would have seen a big difference on our second PP unit with Hudler in the line up. Ppl can say what they want about Hudler's decision to go to Russia but they can't deny how much stronger he made our second PP unit. We don't have any natural goal scorers on that unti as we speak and his ability to find the net would go a long way. Our PP units would have been something like:

Datsyuk - Zetterberg - Holmstrom

Lidstrom - Rafalski

Franzen - Filppula - Hudler

Kronwall - Stuart(or whomever)

That is a lot more dangerous than:

Cleary - Abdelkader - Bertuzzi

But it goes with the style and stratgey. Right now we're looking at a second PP unit as one that will grind it out, try and get garbage goals and have sustained pressure. With Franzen - Filppula - Hudler they woudl have been a puck control group with some finesse.

Either way, it's all changed up again anyways with Cleary going down for four weeks.

As far as Hudler coming back. As I remember he signed a two year $10M deal which pays him $5M/yr and he had an out clause after year one which means he'd be free to return to Detroit next season if he chose to. In my mind he'll play in Russia next year as well. He seems to be putting up very solid numbers and I don't see him walking away from that cash, tax free, to make about half in Detroit. In my mind, he'll play next season in Russia and then he'll have soem increased confidence and think it's his time to come back to Detroit and be one of their top guys. Which is possible but who knows right now, he could very well love it over there, love the money, the less physical play, and end up staying in Russia for the rest of his career.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

He will do whatever his agent tells him to do.

[shoe 165]

he would probably be injured too and the second power play would look like

broken arm - broken leg - broken groin

broken stick - Lebda

[RedArmy 4]

prolly no Bert, so more goals..

[Opie 308]

he would probably be injured too and the second power play would look like

broken arm - broken leg - broken groin

broken stick - Lebda

Damn you that was my post!

Seriously though no slight to Huds, but he would probably be injured how Lids, Dats, and Z are still standing is beyond me at this point in time!

WTF with all the injuries!

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Well, you're definitely right, we wouldnt have been able to sign either of Todd Bertuzzi or Jason Williams. Hudler's cap hit woudl have been $2.85M/yr if I remember correctly so we would have still signed Eaves in my mind. I think we would have seen a big difference on our second PP unit with Hudler in the line up. Ppl can say what they want about Hudler's decision to go to Russia but they can't deny how much stronger he made our second PP unit. We don't have any natural goal scorers on that unti as we speak and his ability to find the net would go a long way. Our PP units would have been something like:

Datsyuk - Zetterberg - Holmstrom

Lidstrom - Rafalski

Franzen - Filppula - Hudler

Kronwall - Stuart(or whomever)

That is a lot more dangerous than:

Cleary - Abdelkader - Bertuzzi

But it goes with the style and stratgey. Right now we're looking at a second PP unit as one that will grind it out, try and get garbage goals and have sustained pressure. With Franzen - Filppula - Hudler they woudl have been a puck control group with some finesse.

Either way, it's all changed up again anyways with Cleary going down for four weeks.

As far as Hudler coming back. As I remember he signed a two year $10M deal which pays him $5M/yr and he had an out clause after year one which means he'd be free to return to Detroit next season if he chose to. In my mind he'll play in Russia next year as well. He seems to be putting up very solid numbers and I don't see him walking away from that cash, tax free, to make about half in Detroit. In my mind, he'll play next season in Russia and then he'll have soem increased confidence and think it's his time to come back to Detroit and be one of their top guys. Which is possible but who knows right now, he could very well love it over there, love the money, the less physical play, and end up staying in Russia for the rest of his career.

This. I think he'll be back after his 2 year contract expires, but I wouldn't be too surprised if Holland managed to convince him to come back next season.

[XxGoWingsxX 0]

he would probably be injured too and the second power play would look like

broken arm - broken leg - broken groin

broken stick - Lebda

Dammit, I was gonna post this as well lmao. I was gonna say "He'd have no Impact on the scratch list"

[Taylorov 37]

he would probably be injured too and the second power play would look like

broken arm - broken leg - broken groin

broken stick - Lebda

I lol'd

And then shook my head in disbelief.

[Opie 308]

I lol'd

And then shook my head in disbelief.

You do realize it is only funny because it is true!

LOL

[stevkrause 1,247]

he would probably be injured too and the second power play would look like

broken arm - broken leg - broken groin

broken stick - Lebda

damn, broken stick is going to have to carry that D pairing...

[thedatsyukian 7]

Hudler isn't even close to a natural goal scorer rather he's a playmaker.

[cupforwings 138]

Damn you that was my post!

Seriously though no slight to Huds, but he would probably be injured how Lids, Dats, and Z are still standing is beyond me at this point in time!

WTF with all the injuries!

knock on wood!

[Opie 308]

knock on wood!

Done, Well if my press-board desk counts?

Oh s***, where is the door!

[KrazyGangsta 79]

he would probably be injured too and the second power play would look like

broken arm - broken leg - broken groin

broken stick - Lebda

We don't even have enough room to sign: Broken Arm - Broken Leg - Broken Groin on top of everything you want us to go and sign Broken Stick where he acknowledged us that he wants at least 5 year deal at minimum. I mean come on I wish we could of had all of them on this team ...

... oh wait ...

[Guest Crymson]

He'd sure give us a "natural" goal-scorer, wouldn't he? Him not screwing us means no Bertuzzi...probably no Williams...maybe no Eaves? Probably go into the season looking something like this...

....

Hudler is not a natural goal-scorer. He is a tiny forward who can only score in specific situations, namely with absolutely nobody covering him. Since everyone is bigger than he is, he has absolutely no chance of scoring if he's contested.

[Lovin Jiri Fischer 147]

Living, breathing, has a pulse, bones all connected to each other.

That sounds like what we need at this point.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Wait till eva hits this thread and statistically explains to us that Hudler would be leading the team in scoring right now.

[uk_redwing 495]

We could use a soft lazy player to be useless on 5v5 and get regulary destroyed by Phanuef, Brown and the like and also eat up alot of cap space.

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

Oh you guys, why do you hate little Jiri so?

We could use a soft lazy player to be useless on 5v5 and get regulary destroyed by Phanuef, Brown and the like and also eat up alot of cap space.

In '09 17 of his 23 goals at even strength.

The team could definitely use him over the likes of Bertuzzi or Leino for starters, and possibly some other guys that are getting a pass because they haven't played due to injury.

[Guest Crymson]

We could use a soft lazy player to be useless on 5v5 and get regulary destroyed by Phanuef, Brown and the like and also eat up alot of cap space.

Don't forget that he's jelly in the defensive zone.

Oh, and it's hardly Phaneuf, Brown etc. who can push Hudler around. Those who are uncommonly strong and can push around the normal-sized players in the NHL. The normal-sized players in the NHL can, in turn, push around Hudler.

[eva unit zero 271]

Hudler wouldn't be leading the team in scoring. But his PPG last year with ten minutes per game was 0.7, which over 30 games is 21 points. He would probably have better than 20 points, which is what Williams and Bertuzzi have contributed offensively combined, although Williams has been injured. Also, it would have allowed Dats to play on a line with a better build, further extending the offensive production. It would have provided the Wings with a great playmaker to place on the second PP (Hudler absolutely directed the unit last year) and another forward capable of either creating a goal for teammates by playmaking or creating one for himself.

Hudler instead of Willy/Bert would have absolutely been better for the Wings. Better offense, and you take away two defensive liabilities in favor of one player who is above average defensively. The only thing you lose is Bertuzzi's size, which he doesn't use.

[GoWings1905 2,694]

We could use a soft lazy player to be useless on 5v5 and get regulary destroyed by Phanuef, Brown and the like and also eat up alot of cap space.

We have that in Leino.

Hudler at least put up goals/points. His numbers from last season might outscore Bertuzzi, Williams, and Leino combined.

[Guest mindfly]

Nothing new here but hudler leaving detroit is all babcocks fault for treating him like a bag of s*** since he got up to detroit giving him very little ice time (even though he had excellent pts for the 12-13mins he played per night) and when he did got more icetime it didnt last long at all he never gave him a chance, hudler was tired of babcock and detroit, was very obvious, and went for a change of scenery and huge bucket of cash...

[thedatsyukian 7]

The impact Hudler could have had on our team is far more significant than people like us to believe. Hudler is probably the most skilled player behind the Euro twins and while I know it's fun to make jokes about Hudler being soft, he brings an element that we're missing right now. If you take a moment to look at our lines you'll notice that in reality, we're using a lot of grinders and very few skilled players which is a large part in why our offense has struggled. Hudler would have an instant impact on the second PP and would provide a dangerous threat in the offensive zone that we lack outside of our first line. It's rather baffling the irrational dislike that people have for Hudler in the misguided belief that players can't overcome the flaw of being "soft" through production. Take a moment and think about what Hudler brings... PRODUCTION. How many of our other players bring that trait?

People are just so blinded by the soft euro identity that they aren't willing to see that Hudler is an offensive specialist and a damn good one at that.

Edited December 11, 2009 by thedatsyukian