Pretty soon - Who are the THREE odd men out?

[Theophany 110]

Well there's absolutely no question that Abdelkader will be in Grand Rapids (where he belongs right now).

Abs needs the 22 mins a night in GR way more than he needs 8 mins in Detroit at this point. Right now I feel like he's lost his scoring touch and that's due, in part because he's spent all this time as a grinder. He's playing that role very, very well-- he's hitting like crazy and skating like an NHLer. But I think he needs more time in GR as one of the 'go to guys' who's expected to score.

I definitely agree; he's lost something in terms of shooting and offensive edge this season, through no fault of his own. He's not completely NHL-ready yet, and needs time in GR.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Abs will be sent to GR and get 20+ minutes a night in all situations, he's gonna be ready big time if we need him in the playoffs should we make it.

May has played over 80 games in the playoffs and was a great role player for Anaheim in there Cup run, I'd like to have him as one of the odd guys out in case. Miller was great for the Ducks in the playoffs last year, I constantly found myself cussing at him for playing so well, and if not for fantastic saves by Osgood would've had a couple beauties against the Wings in the playoffs. I'm not a Leino fan by any means, and he's sucked big time this year, but I dont think Kenny will waive him, or Lebda for that matter. Meech makes less then the league minimum and has been fine this year, Janik will likely be sent down.

Besides the deadline will be soon, and with Homer's injury we've got space now.

[luvmnger 125]

DREAM SEQUENCE!

Dallas Drake comes out of retirement and exclaims,"if niederwhiner can do it...so can i" arrives at his first practice and precedes to knocks leino into parking lot.

tells management to lock doors and turns to Babcock and says..."pay me what that punk gets and i am all in"

city of Detroit holds parade to celebrate which generating tons of money from media frenzy.

there.....done.

happy?

[newfy 695]

People saying May is just an enforcer bothers me. He skates just as good if not better then Leino. He gets in hard on teh forecehck will hit and can give and recieve a pass. He can stand on his own 2 feet (which at this point I'm wondering if Ville can) and he sticks up for our guys.

Leino skates around with his head in the clouds, slow and has had oppurtunities on top lines while May hasn't.

Its pretty easy to see May provides more for this team then Leino. (sorry finn wing )

[Finnish Wing 110]

I wouldn't be surprised if this is Leino's last year in Detroit, while May comes back next season.

You just don't want to admit that your countryman turned out to be a big bust over here.

I would have no problem admitting it if that was really the case. Fortunately, it's not. By "over here" you probably mean the Red Wings, because that can be possible.

[Finnish Wing 110]

Finnish Wing has a humongous boner for Leino.

At least I can explain my arguments, unlike many other guys here.

"ENFORCER! YARR! WANT GOALS! NO! LEINO YOU SUCK! HELM WITH DATSYUK! KILL! ******* OSGOOD!"

[Guest mindfly]

Leino only played in the L.A game because of homers injury, in the third period he didnt play much and his TOI wasn't above 10mins, i think its fair to say that he's done in detroit once everyone is healthy (if that ever happens, you start to wonder really)

[Finnish Wing 110]

People saying May is just an enforcer bothers me. He skates just as good if not better then Leino. He gets in hard on teh forecehck will hit and can give and recieve a pass. He can stand on his own 2 feet (which at this point I'm wondering if Ville can) and he sticks up for our guys.

Leino skates around with his head in the clouds, slow and has had oppurtunities on top lines while May hasn't.

Its pretty easy to see May provides more for this team then Leino. (sorry finn wing )

Yeah, I think it's easier to keep playing May in the 4th line because you know what you'll get.

My arguments for keeping Leino:

- We need a more offensive substitute forward, Miller/Leino

- Leino is better choice than May when you also look to the future (hard to argue against that one); he has a 2 year contract at 800k/year and has the potential to be an ok 2nd liner (or 3rd liner in this team)

- Babcock's hockey is about puck control, passing and actually PLAYING the game rather than hitting and punching everything that moves, so you need guys that can do that

- Babcock's been saying good things about Leino earlier and they've developed him 2 years, they won't get rid of him just like that

[Finnish Wing 110]

Leino only played in the L.A game because of homers injury, in the third period he didnt play much and his TOI wasn't above 10mins, i think its fair to say that he's done in detroit once everyone is healthy (if that ever happens, you start to wonder really)

I kinda think the opposite. Because these injuries we've been playing like some Minnesota. Playing defensive and trying not to concede goals rather than scoring them. Once we get the full healthy roster, our game is back to normal, just like at the start of thes season. You can't play Babcock's hockey with grinders playing in top lines.

[uk_redwing 495]

My arguments for keeping Leino:

- We need a more offensive substitute forward, Miller/Leino

- Leino is better choice than May when you also look to the future (hard to argue against that one); he has a 2 year contract at 800k/year and has the potential to be an ok 2nd liner (or 3rd liner in this team)

- Babcock's hockey is about puck control, passing and actually PLAYING the game rather than hitting and punching everything that moves, so you need guys that can do that

- Babcock's been saying good things about Leino earlier and they've developed him 2 years, they won't get rid of him just like that

My counter arguments for Lame-O being a useless pile of s***e:

-He provides/has provided no offense

-If hes one for the future and not now, he should be in Grand Rapids which he refuses to do. Plus hes pushing 26 not 18.

-May is very good at playing the game and has probaby the best hands for an enforcer in the game. He even has the ability to not fall over every time theres a slight breeze, something Leino cant do.

-Babcock is clearly getting fed up with Leino, scratching him, giving him little ice time and slagging him off in the media. Detroit got rid of Grigorenko and Ryno just like that. They'll do the same to Leino.

[mmamolo 287]

Finnish Wing has a humongous boner for Leino.

In my own perfect little world, Lebda is traded for a stick of peppermint gum, Leino is waived and sent to sulk in Finland and unfortunately Abs is sent down to GR but at least gets 1st line minutes.

In your own perfect world wouldnt you just rather Lebda signed a 10 yr contract worth 500k and over night turned into the next Lidstrom? Would you rather Leino was extended and turned into the next Datsyuk? WOuldn't you rather Abs...ok you get my point.

GOD DAMN YOU MMAMOLO!!!!

See the thread about Holmstrom...

ha ha oh my god, that's not even funny. In my defence, since Holmstrom's injury happened after practice in Anaheim his injury must have happened before I said anything. But you're point has been made. I'll keep my mouth shut on the injury front.

[Guest micah]

At least I can explain my arguments, unlike many other guys here.

"ENFORCER! YARR! WANT GOALS! NO! LEINO YOU SUCK! HELM WITH DATSYUK! KILL! ******* OSGOOD!"

I want goals, silly. I think all of the pro-enforcer guys on here want goals. That's why we advocate for goal-scorers who, you know, score goals. No like Leino. He didn't stand out in the AHL and he sucks in the NHL. He is supposed to be a scoring guy, but a scoring guiy who can't score doesn't do us any good. May doesn't score, but May was not brough in to score, May was brought in to punch people. If Leino would start punching 225lb men in the head with some regularity, I would have no problem giving him May's occasional 4th line spot. I certainly don't advocate giving May Leuino's spot, they do different jobs.

Leino sucks at scoring in the NHL. You know this, so you deflect the argument - "bu-bu-bu May can't score either!". Ozzie and Howard can't score either, but they perform their role well. I would love it if Howard scored 25 goals this year, but I'm not upset that he hasn't tallied one yet. He isn't here to score, so it would be unfair to judge him on that.

Howard doesn't score, but he stops pucks.

May doesn't score, but he (acording to Babs) prevents some cheapshots and he fights.

Leino doesn't score, but he_____________.

Please fill in the blank for me, because I'm having a hard time seeing exactly what it is that he brings.

[Rivalred 630]

Leino!

[Finnish Wing 110]

My counter arguments for Lame-O being a useless pile of s***e:

-He provides/has provided no offense

-If hes one for the future and not now, he should be in Grand Rapids which he refuses to do. Plus hes pushing 26 not 18.

-May is very good at playing the game and has probaby the best hands for an enforcer in the game. He even has the ability to not fall over every time theres a slight breeze, something Leino cant do.

-Babcock is clearly getting fed up with Leino, scratching him, giving him little ice time and slagging him off in the media. Detroit got rid of Grigorenko and Ryno just like that. They'll do the same to Leino.

- He provides more offense than May and will definitely provide even more in the future. He was good at the start of the season, why couldnt he play like that again?

- Some players max up their potential at a older age, and I think as a Red Wings fan you should definitely know it.

- Leino has much better hands and better puck control. Falling over doesnt mean a player sucks. Helm's fallen over a number of times.

- I can't go inside Babcock's head, but I know that the Red Wings way, as an organization, has always been patience. Grigorenko and Ryno went back because they themselves wanted to.

[Rivalred 630]

- He provides more offense than May and will definitely provide even more in the future. He was good at the start of the season, why couldnt he play like that again?

- Leino has much better hands and better puck control. Falling over doesnt mean a player sucks. Helm's fallen over a number of times.

- May's role is not to score goals while Leino is, but yet is not doing so.

- Homer falls all the time, but at least he has been scoring. Leino falls a lot, but has not been scoring.

[Finnish Wing 110]

- May's role is not to score goals while Leino is, but yet is not doing so.

- Homer falls all the time, but at least he has been scoring. Leino falls a lot, but has not been scoring.

- As said many times before, we don't have room for May in the lineup if Babcock builds the lines like he did in the early season when everyone is healthy again. Leino-Filppula-Williams was our 3rd line and also in many games our best one. Not very defensive 3rd line, but that's fits well with Babcock's playing style.

- Holmstrom get's about 1,5 million more than Leino does. Holmstrom has been in the NHL since -96. Holmstrom's is a totally different type of player than Leino is. Holmstrom has already maxed he's potential. I think it's pretty stupid to compare Leino to Holmstrom.

[Rivalred 630]

- As said many times before, we don't have room for May in the lineup if Babcock builds the lines like he did in the early season when everyone is healthy again. Leino-Filppula-Williams was our 3rd line and also in many games our best one. Not very defensive 3rd line, but that's fits well with Babcock's playing style.

- Holmstrom get's about 1,5 million more than Leino does. Holmstrom has been in the NHL since -96. Holmstrom's is a totally different type of player than Leino is. Holmstrom has already maxed he's potential. I think it's pretty stupid to compare Leino to Holmstrom.

Alright, Helm has been more effective of late than your Leino... How is that for comparison?

[Finnish Wing 110]

Alright, Helm has been more effective of late than your Leino... How is that for comparison?

I mentioned Helm before only because he's the player that seems to be above critic no matter what he does. But Helm is definitely staying up so I think we shouldn't compare him to Leino in this thread.

[mmamolo 287]

I mentioned Helm before only because he's the player that seems to be above critic no matter what he does. But Helm is definitely staying up so I think we shouldn't compare him to Leino in this thread.

I agree that Helm is never criticized here but rightfully so. Game in and game out he is the hardest working guy. He gives it is all in every situation. Obviously his skills are limited when compared to other players on this roster but you can never fault a guy who busts his ass and works the way he does.

If Leino got more engaged and showed that he was working as hard as Helm no one here would have as big a problem with him as they do now. Leino is here to score but if he worked his ass off and was doing everythign in his power to produce and the puck wasnt going in then ppl would know it was just a matter of time. WHen you play uninspired, lazy hockey and don't score ppl tend to give you a short leash.

For the record, as poorly as Leino has done, I'm a fan and I dont want to see him waived or given up on. I just want to see him engaged in the game and working his ass off every night.

[Rivalred 630]

I mentioned Helm before only because he's the player that seems to be above critic no matter what he does. But Helm is definitely staying up so I think we shouldn't compare him to Leino in this thread.

Sorry, his salary is a lot less and expectations are not as high as they are for Ville, therefore he is comparable.

No matter what is typed, you come back saying "player x" can not be compared to Ville and etc.

[Finnish Wing 110]

Sorry, his salary is a lot less and expectations are not as high as they are for Ville, therefore he is comparable.

No matter what is typed, you come back saying "player x" can not be compared to Ville and etc.

Hahaha .

No matter what? I said that in two occasions: Helm and Holmstrom. Read the title, "Who are the THREE odd men out?"

You really think Helm or Holmstrom can be even discussed in this thread? I don't.

May, Miller, Abdelkader, Maltby, Williams, Draper. Those are the forwards I would compare with Leino in this thread.

[Guest micah]

- As said many times before, we don't have room for May in the lineup if Babcock builds the lines like he did in the early season when everyone is healthy again.

May was signed before the 3rd game of the season(when the Wings were healthy), specifically because the Wings were getting bullied. What early season are you refering to?

[Rivalred 630]

Hahaha .

No matter what? I said that in two occasions: Helm and Holmstrom. Read the title, "Who are the THREE odd men out?"

You really think Helm or Holmstrom can be even discussed in this thread? I don't.

May, Miller, Abdelkader, Maltby, Williams, Draper. Those are the forwards I would compare with Leino in this thread.

Draper, Maltby, and Williams are not going anywhere, therefore cannot be discussed in this thread. Same goes for Miller, May, and Abby...

[Finnish Wing 110]

Draper, Maltby, and Williams are not going anywhere, therefore cannot be discussed in this thread. Same goes for Miller, May, and Abby...

Abdelkader is definitely going down. May, Miller and Williams don't have anything guaranteed. I accept the fact that Leino could be gone and that he's one of those players. But I'm not going to discuss with you anymore if you think Miller, May, Abdelkader and Williams are all guaranteed. You expect us to go to the post season with only 6 defenseman, as your logic would be dumping Leino, Meech and Lebda? Edited January 8, 2010 by Finnish Wing

[Finnish Wing 110]

May was signed before the 3rd game of the season(when the Wings were healthy), specifically because the Wings were getting bullied. What early season are you refering to?

That early season were Leino-Filppula-Williams was our best line and Draper-Helm-Eaves didn't excist. Now that it does and is working, there's no room for May in the actual lineup.

Holmstrom-Datsyuk-Bertuzzi

Franzen-Zetterberg-Cleary

Leino/Miller-Filppula-Williams

Draper-Helm-Eaves

Edited January 8, 2010 by Finnish Wing