The "Is Rafalski Overpaid" Poll

[Theophany 110]

You ought to be ashamed of yourself for being so ungrateful. Rafalski's decline in production has mirrored every single other member of this team.

Not even one year ago Rafalski's stats were 78gp 10g 49a 59pts (that was 5th in the LEAGUE, in case you weren't keeping track) +17 and he added 18gp 3g 9a 12pts +11 in a playoff run that got us to game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Brian Rafalski is a premiere offensive defenseman who, despite the way this season has gone, has still managed to be top 40 in defenseman scoring in the league with 23 points and have an excellent +/- rating of +14 while on one of the lowest scoring teams in the league that has been crippled by injuries.

This is just more "what have you done for me lately" crap that devalues a player that has actually been playing pretty damn well as far as I'm concerned. I bet 90% of the teams in the league wouldn't have a moment's hesitation making room for Rafi's 6 million dollar cap hit if he became available.

This post says it all, as far as I'm concerned. Rafalski has been playing very well this season; not up to what he's done in the past, but it's hard to do that when you're past your prime.

[deltawing 12]

Could not have said it any better

[Pucks 66]

Haha I made a joke in the "Is Filppula overpaid thread" that someone should make a poll for Rafailski. Nice work or maybe just coincidence?

Seriously thought who voted that he wasn't grossly overpaid? I think he gets bonus dollars paid for icings and turnovers. Plus he also gets commissions for blow coverage. Awful contract.

[titanium2 867]

Might as well just make a "Who is over paid poll?" and then have multiple choices with the whole team.

[Yellowknife Redwing 57]

Henrik Zetterberg? $6.08M cap hit for a top line player that's going to finish the year with 66 points...overpaid?

Pavel Datsyuk? $6.7M cap hit for at op line player that's going to finish the year with 65 points...overpaid?

Of course not. You guys need to get real and understand that giving up 50 shots 3 games in a row and getting shut out 6 times so far doesn't rest on one player. The team as a whole is playing sub-par hockey. I know there's a common need to overreact and throw guys under the bus around here when things aren't going well, but this is downright embarrassing. I guess the next thread is "the official is Lidstrom overpaid" thread. Give me a ******* break.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

If he's not overpaid, I don't know who the hell is.

Like others have said, he deserves around $4 million or so per year.

[clutchngrab 12]

He most certainly is.

[clutchngrab 12]

And all of this with a no-trade clause. Excellent..

This is what kills me. Rafalski does less than Kronwall at half the price. Pair Kronner with Lids and watch his numbers soar. Christ, pair Ericcson w/ Lids and watch him get his confidence back.

Edited February 2, 2010 by clutchngrab

[titanium2 867]

Let's say you go through a contract where you're underpaid for years and then receive a contract where you're considered to be overpaid for years. Is it fair in that it should balance out that way or no?

[egroen 384]

This is what kills me. Rafalski does less than Kronwall at half the price. Pair Kronner with Lids and watch his numbers soar. Christ, pair Ericcson w/ Lids and watch him get his confidence back.

Kronwall had scored all of 20 pts in a Red Wings uniform, and was just back from a 52-game injury (which was not even his first extended IR visit) at the time he signed his contract. Not exactly an apples to apples comparison. If Kronwall signed today, it would be for Bouwmeester money.

Edited February 2, 2010 by egroen

[egroen 384]

Where do you guys find the time for all these crazy stats?

In all seriousness - I totally agree with ya; for what he currently provides (as well as for what he's done these past 2 seasons) only now with the team in a funk do some call him out, or question his value...I'm not saying that he can't improve his play since as of late it isn't as good as it's been in the past, but overall he's been a solid addition, and a reason why the Red Wings made it to the Finals back to back.

Since this comes out an awful lot - I thought I would take a stab at presenting the pertinent data.

Yes, the emergence of Kronwall makes trading Rafalski appealing (if we ignore his NTC)... but that is a good thing.

Rafalski was a huge improvement over Schneider - whom if we remember, was asking for north of $5m from the Wings at the time.

[zettie85 106]

Since this comes out an awful lot - I thought I would take a stab at presenting the pertinent data.

Yes, the emergence of Kronwall makes trading Rafalski appealing (if we ignore his NTC)... but that is a good thing.

Rafalski was a huge improvement over Schneider - whom if we remember, was asking for north of $5m from the Wings at the time.

Well he was overpaid from the start. Look beyond his offence from the previous years and his lack of defencive ability shines through(or lack there of). I am absolutely against offensive denfencemen. If you lack defencive ability be a forward. At least when everyone elses production goes down the rest of our D serve a purpose by play denfecive hockey. What can Rafalski do?

[egroen 384]

Well he was overpaid from the start. Look beyond his offence from the previous years and his lack of defencive ability shines through(or lack there of). I am absolutely against offensive denfencemen. If you lack defencive ability be a forward. At least when everyone elses production goes down the rest of our D serve a purpose by play denfecive hockey. What can Rafalski do?

Offensive defenseman have been behind the Wings success over the past 20 years.

Because of their puck-possession style of play, Detroit relies on solid transition passes from the defense more so than perhaps any other team in the NHL -- and quite honestly, only a handful of defenders have ever really been able to excel equally at both offense and defense.

All defensemen whom have found themselves playing in Detroit during Lidstrom's tenure (with the notable exception of Konstantinov) "sucked" defensively. We've been spoiled here.

Edited February 2, 2010 by egroen

[zettie85 106]

Offensive defenseman have been behind the Wings success over the past 20 years.

Because of their puck-possession style of play, Detroit relies on solid transition passes from the defense more so than perhaps any other team in the NHL -- and quite honestly, only a handful of defenders have ever really been able to excel equally at both offense and defense.

All defensemen whom have found themselves playing in Detroit during Lidstrom's tenure (with the notable exception of Konstantinov) "sucked" defensively. We've been spoiled here.

It is not hard to be offensively minded while being responsible in your own end. Murphy was at least responsible. Even Schnieder could defend. Rafalski can work the PP and he can make a good first pass while not being pressured. Put any one on him and it's a turnover. Force him in the corner and it's a turn over. Pressure him in the corner when we have a chance to gain easy possession and the other team will gain control. He let's the forecheckers get the puck which allows them to set up. He won't take a hit. I hate watching him play. You don't have to be amazing at both aspects of the game but you do at least need to know how to defend alittle and his loss of speed has definitely made him a 2nd or 3rd tier player in this league. For $6 mil a year.

[egroen 384]

It is not hard to be offensively minded while being responsible in your own end. Murphy was at least responsible. Even Schnieder could defend. Rafalski can work the PP and he can make a good first pass while not being pressured. Put any one on him and it's a turnover. Force him in the corner and it's a turn over. Pressure him in the corner when we have a chance to gain easy possession and the other team will gain control. He let's the forecheckers get the puck which allows them to set up. He won't take a hit. I hate watching him play. You don't have to be amazing at both aspects of the game but you do at least need to know how to defend alittle and his loss of speed has definitely made him a 2nd or 3rd tier player in this league. For $6 mil a year.

Murphy and Schneider were not any better than Rafalski defensively... Lidstrom was busy covering for them, just as he is now busy covering for Rafalski.

If you think Rafalski is all of a sudden a 2nd or 3rd tier player, you are even further divorced from reality than most Red Wings fans who rip apart any defenseman that is not Lidstrom... and even Lidstrom now that Nic is not perfect 100% of the time.