32 replies to this topic

[Red Crazy]

Did the Wings make a mistake by turning Ericsson into a defenceman? I know he is a rookie and that he may have some future upside but he has not made any improvements this year at all. He seems lost playing defence and is often caught out of position ( third and fourth goals tonight). I think that he could have used another year in Grand Rapids. Thoughts?

[Winged_Wheeler]

He's making mental mistakes, not physical like Rafalski and Lidstrom.

[brett]

can we make a trade?

lebda and ericcson for quiency? i want him back

[seeinred]

He's making mental mistakes, not physical like Rafalski and Lidstrom.

You bite your tongue. Nick never has, and never will make a mistake.

[wingsdiehard13]

Did the Wings make a mistake by turning Ericsson into a defenceman? I know he is a rookie and that he may have some future upside but he has not made any improvements this year at all. He seems lost playing defence and is often caught out of position ( third and fourth goals tonight). I think that he could have used another year in Grand Rapids. Thoughts?

He would've had to clear waivers to go to Grand Rapids, and there is no way he'd of cleared.

Give him some time, he is making mistakes but he doesn't suck.

[Howard He Do It?!]

This is his first full season in the NHL. Everyone knows that defenseman take longer to develop. Ericsson has the physical side figured out. Now he needs to sort out the mental aspect of the game. Simply put, Ericsson needs time.

Edited by Howard He Do It?!, 06 February 2010 - 08:46 PM.

[wingsdiehard13]

This is his first full season in the NHL. Everyone knows that defenseman take longer to develop. Ericsson has the physical side figured out. Now he needs to sort out the mental aspect of the game. Simply put, Ericsson needs time.

Exactly my thoughts, very well put.

[cjm502]

He is fine. One thing he does more often than any of our other dmen is CLEAR THE NET. That alone is good enough for me because we know Lebda isn't going to do it.

[SouthernWingsFan]

Did the Wings make a mistake by turning Ericsson into a defenceman? I know he is a rookie and that he may have some future upside but he has not made any improvements this year at all. He seems lost playing defence and is often caught out of position ( third and fourth goals tonight). I think that he could have used another year in Grand Rapids. Thoughts?

No. He played defense in Grand Rapids in the minors. Rookies are going to struggle from time to time.

[Drapez]

Ericsson was the last pick in his draft year so the fact that hes playing in the NHL says enough. But he really is as over hyped as it gets. Hes as big as Chris Pronger yet has zero physical edge to his game, outside of the occasional fight. Thats what happens when you draft for "skill".

Skill is great but you occassionally need a guy who will make someone pay for standing in front of the net. Stuart and Lilja do this on ocassion and they're flamed for taking penalties. Chelios also did it before he was playing three minutes a night and couldn't afford the PIMs.

Kronwall and Ericsson on the other hand are soft players. Yes, feel free to link youtube hits of Kronwall leaping in the air at center ice and killing Havlat but those hits very rarely happen in games. A player camping out in front of our teams net has a literal free for all. Anahiem routinely capitalizes on this. The Neidermeyer brothers were the worst offenders.

We can't have six defenseman playing the same style as Rafalski and Lidstrom. In transition that "Quick stick" is great but once the play comes to cycling and in front of the net, Rafalski, Lidstrom, Kronwall and especially Ericsson get out matched physically. It doesn't help his case that hes 6'5..

[seeinred]

We can't have six defenseman playing the same style as Rafalski and Lidstrom. In transition that "Quick stick" is great but once the play comes to cycling and in front of the net, Rafalski, Lidstrom, Kronwall and especially Ericsson get out matched physically.

No, Nick doesn't. Just because he doesn't bang bodies and knock people on his ass doesn't mean he's not playing physically and it definitely doesn't mean he's outmatched. Nick is one of the only (if not the only) defenseman you see that's just always in the right position when he's on a guy in front of the net, so there's no need for him to cross check guys in the back or lace 'em or do the pants push down trick or anything like that.

Nick's not outmatched at anything, ever. And I mean that completely seriously. I guess if he ever fought he probably would be though.

[Drapez]

No, Nick doesn't. Just because he doesn't bang bodies and knock people on his ass doesn't mean he's not playing physically and it definitely doesn't mean he's outmatched. Nick is one of the only (if not the only) defenseman you see that's just always in the right position when he's on a guy in front of the net, so there's no need for him to cross check guys in the back or lace 'em or do the pants push down trick or anything like that.

Nick's not outmatched at anything, ever. And I mean that completely seriously. I guess if he ever fought he probably would be though.

Hello, my name is Homer.

Lidstrom is routinely outmatched, this isn't 1997. There have been a few goals this season where Lidstrom is standing in the crease, on the outside looking in, while a player bats one in.

[seeinred]

Hello, my name is Homer.

Lidstrom is routinely outmatched, this isn't 1997. There have been a few goals this season where Lidstrom is standing in the crease, on the outside looking in, while a player bats one in.

Hi, Homer, it's nice to meet you.

A few, huh? You mean Nick hasn't been out there for zero goals against this season? Let's trade him!

[Drapez]

Hi, Homer, it's nice to meet you.

A few, huh? You mean Nick hasn't been out there for zero goals against this season? Let's trade him!

Zero goals vs "Has never been outmatched".

Lidstrom gets beat and its swept under the rug. But if you bring it up, people reference his past performance. The fact is, you proved my point. The only player you had a problem with was Lidstrom. Rafalski, Ericsson, Kronwall, Lebda, Meech.. its a bit redundant don't you think?

BRB, drafting Jakub Kindl, Brendan Smith and any other offensive defenseman from the Q who is 5'7 and 150lbs.

[seeinred]

Zero goals vs "Has never been outmatched".

Lidstrom gets beat and its swept under the rug. But if you bring it up, people reference his past performance. The fact is, you proved my point. The only player you had a problem with was Lidstrom. Rafalski, Ericsson, Kronwall, Lebda, Meech.. its a bit redundant don't you think?

BRB, drafting Jakub Kindl, Brendan Smith and any other offensive defenseman from the Q who is 5'7 and 150lbs.

Obviously he's going to have goals scored on him. But you don't see Nick get pushed out of his position so the offense can have a better crack at it. I just don't think it's fair the way people label Nick as a non-physical defenseman. He uses his body and stick perfectly, and I don't see how anything could be more physical than that.

But yeah, most of the rest of our defense usually blows.

[norrisnick]

Zero goals vs "Has never been outmatched".

Lidstrom gets beat and its swept under the rug. But if you bring it up, people reference his past performance. The fact is, you proved my point. The only player you had a problem with was Lidstrom. Rafalski, Ericsson, Kronwall, Lebda, Meech.. its a bit redundant don't you think?

BRB, drafting Jakub Kindl, Brendan Smith and any other offensive defenseman from the Q who is 5'7 and 150lbs.

It gets swept under the rug because it happens less to Nick than to anyone else.  League wide.  If you're the best defensive-defenseman in the league, you get a bit of slack.

[Drapez]

It gets swept under the rug because it happens less to Nick than to anyone else. League wide. If you're the best defensive-defenseman in the league, you get a bit of slack.

Lidstrom is the "Best defensive defenseman in the league" in the same sense that Zetterberg is the best defensive player on this team. Neither are factually correct for anyone that isn't obsessed with Swedish Red Wings.

[norrisnick]

Lidstrom is the "Best defensive defenseman in the league" in the same sense that Zetterberg is the best defensive player on this team.  Neither are factually correct for anyone that isn't obsessed with Swedish Red Wings.

Who's better?  And what have you got to support that claim?

I've got this.
http://www.theglobea...article1448148/

[egroen]

Lidstrom is the "Best defensive defenseman in the league" in the same sense that Zetterberg is the best defensive player on this team. Neither are factually correct for anyone that isn't obsessed with Swedish Red Wings.

On a team that has struggled offensively (outscored at even strength), with less offensive production individually this year, Lidstrom is racking up +/- like nobody's business... and he is out there consistently against the top lines in the league.

Beyond his own partner, Rafalski at +16, the next defenseman on this team is Kronwall at a +1. The best forward on the team is Datsyuk at a +13. Only 8 Wings are in positive territory, while 17 are in the negative (18 if we counted Leino).

[lilja4mvp]

hahahaha, Drapez OWNED like a slave.