Ericsson a healthy scratch tonight

[HockeytownRules19 902]

Dang!

http://freep.com/article/20100202/SPORTS05...r-Wings-tonight

[kylee 727]

so whats the defensive pairings for tonight?

[stevkrause 1,247]

Dang!

http://freep.com/article/20100202/SPORTS05...r-Wings-tonight

There is no way they should EVER opt to play both Lebda and Meech over Ericsson... regardless of his blunders...

[Yellowknife Redwing 57]

There is no way they should EVER opt to play both Lebda and Meech over Ericsson... regardless of his blunders...

I think this is an important message to send to Ericsson after his last half dozen games. Normally he's capable, bordering on good, but he's been really bad lately. Hopefully this sparks him.

[stevkrause 1,247]

I think this is an important message to send to Ericsson after his last half dozen games. Normally he's capable, bordering on good, but he's been really bad lately. Hopefully this sparks him.

I agree, he has played poorly over the last half dozen games, but Lebda AND Meech when ANYONE else is healthy... blech... hell, I'd rather put May in as the 6th d-man and take my chances, haha

[Rick Zombos Ghost 82]

I think this is an important message to send to Ericsson after his last half dozen games. Normally he's capable, bordering on good, but he's been really bad lately. Hopefully this sparks him.

This.

Its all results driven. He has been absolutely brutally horrible.

[egroen 384]

He definitely needs a message -- wish it didn;t mean we had Lebda and Meech to look forward to against the Sharks, however. Wish Janik was up.

[ilmickeyli 40]

Good but ballsy, here's to our last pairing letting in 3 tonight

[PROBIE4PREZ 58]

Could be a message sender but...

More than likely Meech is playing to gain some trade interest .. thats my take

edit!

nvm that sounds kinda dumb when you figure they arent really in a position not to dress their best

Edited February 2, 2010 by PROBIE4PREZ

[mmamolo 287]

Considering how much Stuart and Meech played together during all of the injuries my best guess would be that they will be paired together tonight. So I would imagine the pairings will be:

Lidstrom - Rafalski

Stuart - Meech

Kronwall - Lebda

Although, who knows, they may opt to use Lidstrom to minimize Lebda in some cases but I doubt it.

[stevkrause 1,247]

Could be a message sender but...

More than likely Meech is playing to gain some trade interest .. thats my take

edit!

nvm that sounds kinda dumb when you figure they arent really in a position not to dress their best

I think/hope if anything, the reason Lebda has been playing the last 3 games, is to dangle him out there... and tonight, they're just getting Meech some work, while sending E a message

[GoWings1905 2,694]

Lebda and Meech together against San Jose?

I'm not sure this is the best game to send a message to Ericsson.

[RedSea 31]

No, don't scratch the turnover king!

I love Ericsson, but the past two weeks it seems like every game he's turning it over in our defensive end...,

But Meech and Lebda together? Ack, maybe Dats will be out there with them so we have some sort of defense out there...

[Drake_Marcus 890]

As arguably his biggest fan on these boards I have one thing to say about this:

Good. I hope this message gets across to him loud and clear and he gets his play back up to where it was in the playoffs. In fact, I hope he manages to improve on that play produce offensively like he did at the start of the year when he had a better than a 0.5 ppg average.

To everyone who thinks this is the beginning of the end-- don't count on it. Luke Schenn has been scratched many times this year because of his terrible play. He's still a valuable piece in Toronto. The list of players who were scratched in their first year to send a message is long and even includes some elite players.

This scratch is 100% about sending Ericsson a message and not about where he stands in the Wings' plans.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

They could have sent him an even better message by putting Leino on defense in his place.

Anyway, get ready to see Brett Lebda against the Sharks tonight.

Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy night.

[CenterIce 83]

Maybe Babcock will play mostly Lidstrom/Rafalski and Kronwall/Stuart, with Lebda and Meech mixing in on occasion.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

No, don't scratch the turnover king!

I love Ericsson, but the past two weeks it seems like every game he's turning it over in our defensive end...,

Ericsson has 39 turnovers in 41 games played. By comparison Rafalski has 52 in 51 games played. Stuart has 40 in 55 games played, Lidstrom has 38 in 55 games and Kronwall has 22 in 25 games.

In terms of turnovers per game you can't call Ericsson the turnover king.

[Rick Zombos Ghost 82]

Ericsson has 39 turnovers in 41 games played. By comparison Rafalski has 52 in 51 games played. Stuart has 40 in 55 games played, Lidstrom has 38 in 55 games and Kronwall has 22 in 25 games.

In terms of turnovers per game you can't call Ericsson the turnover king.

i dont have it in front of me but one would assume rafalski plays way more minutes against the other teams top lines on a night in, night out basis.

[ilmickeyli 40]

i dont have it in front of me but one would assume rafalski plays way more minutes against the other teams top lines on a night in, night out basis.

yep. combo this with the stats listed above and i'd say if he isnt turnover king, he's got to be queen or co-king

[Guest mindfly]

Great news!

(Yes I know, lebda&meech still sucks)

[Yellowknife Redwing 57]

Ericsson has 39 turnovers in 41 games played. By comparison Rafalski has 52 in 51 games played. Stuart has 40 in 55 games played, Lidstrom has 38 in 55 games and Kronwall has 22 in 25 games.

In terms of turnovers per game you can't call Ericsson the turnover king.

It's not so much the volume of turnovers as the egregious nature of the turnovers. Every player has turnovers, it's the nature of the game. Lately Ericsson has been guilty of having his passes picked off in prime scoring locations and making very poor decisions on defensive zone breakouts. I don't think there's a single person here that doesn't want JE to succeed and become the future of D in the D, but to think that he has been playing any better than Lebda or Meech lately just isn't right. He's easily as much of a defensive liability as either of those two at the moment, so hopefully watching the game from the pressbox tonight will be just what the doctor ordered.

[TheDetroitRedWings 286]

With horrendous defensemen like Lebda and Meech, there should be no reason to scratch Ericsson. I strongly disagree with Babcock's decision here.

[CMatt89 63]

Ericsson could be alot better, BUT... A part of his game that is being taken away from him is fighting. He's said it in interviews that he enjoys mucking up and fighting and Babcock says he's more valuable on the ice instead off....But I disagree to an extent. Fighting won't make him the greatest D-man ever..but, it will make him more effective. He's being groomed into a player I don't think he'll become. He's not the super skill, always in position, decent to good minutes guy they want him to be. I think if he's allowed to play HIS game...which is a little more gritty and reckless.. he wont be on the ice as much, which will minimize his mistakes and keep his play at a tamed constant. He's playing in alot of different situations and it doesnt look like he's learning...It's like the opposite of Hudler. Hudler put up good points for such little TOI. Ericsson on the other hand is getting the ice time and playing in tough situations and is struggling with it.

With Lilja comin back, he will be more suited to play some tough situations (penalty kill, shift after powerplay, late minutes) so it will take some pressure off big E.

[action jackson 6]

no ericsson? -> SHUTOUT win, f*** yeah

Edited February 2, 2010 by action jackson

[Hockeymom1960 5,107]

With horrendous defensemen like Lebda and Meech, there should be no reason to scratch Ericsson. I strongly disagree with Babcock's decision here.

I agree. Let's call out some of the other players that are not putting the puck in the net on the other end????