Who should we go after in FA this offseason?

[mmamolo 287]

mmamolo, will Kindl be used as a 7th dman in his debut season? I'm not sure but I doubt that would be the case.

I didn't say he'd be a 7th dman. I just don't think the Wings are going to throw him into the deep end and expect him to play a full 82 game NHL season with a whopping 3 games of NHL experience to date. Especially considering the consistency issues he has had at the AHL level. We've all seen the consistency issues Ericsson has had. I think both Ericsson and Kindl would benefit by having each other to lean on and will split time. Plus, we all know injuries happen so it's not like at the end of the season they'll have ended up playing a split 41 games each. They'll like end up with 60 odd games each. It'll just take some of the pressure of one another.

Actually Hudler is lazy and he sucks...

People are so in love with Happy... what gives? Do we miss him? Yes, but he is just not that dynamic of a player. I know he is doing well in the KHL, but come on.

Hudler did very well when he was here too. You have to admit, he adds a whole lot to our second PP unit - which looked pretty weak most of the game last night I thought and most of the season (although a lot of that can be attributed to injuries).

[superstarsingh 23]

I didn't say he'd be a 7th dman. I just don't think the Wings are going to throw him into the deep end and expect him to play a full 82 game NHL season with a whopping 3 games of NHL experience to date. Especially considering the consistency issues he has had at the AHL level. We've all seen the consistency issues Ericsson has had. I think both Ericsson and Kindl would benefit by having each other to lean on and will split time. Plus, we all know injuries happen so it's not like at the end of the season they'll have ended up playing a split 41 games each. They'll like end up with 60 odd games each. It'll just take some of the pressure of one another.

Right on. I was not sure what you meant when you had he and Ericsson separated by a slash. I thought you meant they would sort of be in a rotation. I agree, he should be weaned into the lineup given what we have seen with E.

[scotzman 29]

Hudler did very well when he was here too. You have to admit, he adds a whole lot to our second PP unit - which looked pretty weak most of the game last night I thought and most of the season (although a lot of that can be attributed to injuries).

Like I said, I know that we could have used Huds this year, I'm just amazed at how much love he gets here. I don't remember him being that amazing. If he was that amazing, he would have received the ice time. Babcock did not like his defensive habits and for some reason he didn't play him as much as some other guys. I'll welcome him back, but until I see what all the buzz is about I will continue to think of him as a slightly above average player (offensively).

[superstarsingh 23]

Actually Hudler is lazy and he sucks...

People are so in love with Happy... what gives? Do we miss him? Yes, but he is just not that dynamic of a player. I know he is doing well in the KHL, but come on.

Hudler never received the ice time that he deserved and even so, he still produced. He is a PP specialist which the Red Wings need as the second unit is not clicking. I will stand and say I am one of the people who are in love with Hulder (along with EZBAKETHAGANGSTA and eva). If he is given top six ice time, boom, 60 points minimum. I wonder if his ice time in the KHL has something to do with his production.

[scotzman 29]

Hudler never received the ice time that he deserved and even so, he still produced. He is a PP specialist which the Red Wings need as the second unit is not clicking. I will stand and say I am one of the people who are in love with Hulder (along with EZBAKETHAGANGSTA and eva). If he is given top six ice time, boom, 60 points minimum. I wonder if his ice time in the KHL has something to do with his production.

He got the ice time that Babcock thought he deserved... not much. Again, what does that say? Also, his points in the KHL... kind of like a league that is in between the minors here and the NHL. The talent level is not the same in the KHL as it is here in the NHL. Huds is a great little role player, but really the immense love for this guys "potential" if he got the "ice time he deserved" baffles me.

[superstarsingh 23]

He got the ice time that Babcock thought he deserved... not much. Again, what does that say? Also, his points in the KHL... kind of like a league that is in between the minors here and the NHL. The talent level is not the same in the KHL as it is here in the NHL. Huds is a great little role player, but really the immense love for this guys "potential" if he got the "ice time he deserved" baffles me.

He had 57 points in his limited role given to him by Babs. I don't want to use the KHL as a comparison and neither do you so scratch that. If we disregard this potential given his deserved ice time, he still put up 57 points last year. He would be great right now on Zetterberg's line and he would help the second PP unit. Bottom line is that he is capable of putting points up in the NHL and at a cap hit of 2.85 million, it is a steal.

Edited March 10, 2010 by superstarsingh

[mmamolo 287]

Right on. I was not sure what you meant when you had he and Ericsson separated by a slash. I thought you meant they would sort of be in a rotation. I agree, he should be weaned into the lineup given what we have seen with E.

Yeah that's all I was saying. He just needs to be weaned in and have someone to fall back on so that when he does eventually hit those inevitable bumps in the road a rookie season will no doubt bring he isn't left to fend for himself. I know I'll be so much more comfortable next season having Ericsson and Kindl as our options instead of having to fall back on either Lebda or Meech when Ericsson stumbled this year.

Like I said, I know that we could have used Huds this year, I'm just amazed at how much love he gets here. I don't remember him being that amazing. If he was that amazing, he would have received the ice time. Babcock did not like his defensive habits and for some reason he didn't play him as much as some other guys. I'll welcome him back, but until I see what all the buzz is about I will continue to think of him as a slightly above average player (offensively).

That's fair. I'm not saying he's Alex Ovechkin or anything. But at 57 pts in 82 games (the last year in Detroit) with an upcoming $2.85M cap hit that's very solid value especially considering the growth he showed in the previous years with the Wings. You're definitely right in saying that he has room to continue to grow but his game definitely hasn't peaked yet. He definitely won't be the best player on the team if he were to return but at that cap hit he will provide a huge boost to our secondary scoring and be a very valuable piece to our offence. In this year where our scoring has been low (and everyone seems to blame our secondary guys more than our primary which isnt necessarily true - but the point is we jut need more goals period) a boost is a boost and Hudler at $2.85 can provide just that so I think that's where all the love comes. Maybe some ppl jut didnt realize how valuable he was until he was gone.

[king_malice 17]

Actually Hudler is lazy and he sucks...

People are so in love with Happy... what gives? Do we miss him? Yes, but he is just not that dynamic of a player. I know he is doing well in the KHL, but come on.

No matter what Hudler will still play better and score more then Cleary,Miller,Williams,Bertuzzi and he can't be any lazier then the way half our team is playing now.

[DangleDangleBeach 16]

I agree with the last part. We don't necessarily need to move players as much as we need to get rid of McCrimmon. Our defense has gotten a lot worse since he got here.

i dont think lidstrom will be back personally. he could come back, still better then 90 % of the D out there. my thing is, if i was that much better then everybody else then this season hes still great dont get me wrong but hes just not where he has been in the past which has got to be discouraging. therefore i feel he is going to say, "i want to go out while im still the best and not be the next chelios"

[Guest EZBAKETHAGANGSTA]

No matter what Hudler will still play better and score more then Cleary,Miller,Williams,Bertuzzi and he can't be any lazier then the way half our team is playing now.

This is it. There will not be a better value for a legitimate scorer next FA class than Hudler.

I don't get why people are so quickly to call him off, by all indications, he is outpacing even ******* Datsyuk in terms of production for age. Case in point, Hudler was our third most effective forward at scoring per TOI last season (if adjusted to PP time, ES time and Pk time), outpacing both Franzen and Zetterberg (by a wide margin for Z). He had 57 points on the third line and 2nd powerplay unit, which is still a bargain for 2.85 mill regardless of icetime or linemates, and honestly do you really think that he can't become a consistent 70+ point scorer in the NHL?

This is a guy who from the ages from 14-16 was considered to be a potential phenom talent and was widely considered among the top 5 Euro prospects in age group. If not for Hudler's lack of height (he was around the same size as a 16 year old), he would have been a top 10 pick in his draft year. Holland has said it, projectionists have said it. Bob McKenzie immediately called out this pick as the potential steal of the draft when it was announced. I firmly believe that besides Datsyuk, Hudler had the most raw talent of any forward on this team, and yes that includes Franzen, Zetterberg, and Hossa. Give Hudler any one of there work ethic and body type and he is an Ilya Kovalchuck light. While he is small and dosen't win many battles in the corners he is not as lazy as many people make him out to be, it's just he was physically slower and weaker. He also has a decent mean streak, and while I would never expect him to punish someone with a check, his attidude it contagious. If you see a guy on your team talking trash and standing up to players significantly bigger than him in scrums, wouldn't it light a fire in your ass (no homo lol).

You may say that his type of body will never hold up in the playoffs, which I will respond by saying look at his points per TOI in our cup run. He was a ppg player up until the conference finals, and was among our best forwards in the 09 run before the Brown hit, and even then he was still over producing more than the average third liner could ream of.

There is a reason Hudler was among the top 25 players in points per minute last year, along with him at one time being called a hockey prodigy. This guy has elite skills, and while I doubt he will ever become the player he would have been had he been blessed with a 6'3 220 frame, he is still a damn good scorer who would make ANY team's second line better.

Edited March 10, 2010 by EZBAKETHAGANGSTA

[king_malice 17]

i dont think lidstrom will be back personally. he could come back, still better then 90 % of the D out there. my thing is, if i was that much better then everybody else then this season hes still great dont get me wrong but hes just not where he has been in the past which has got to be discouraging. therefore i feel he is going to say, "i want to go out while im still the best and not be the next chelios"

I kind of agree with you, i think thats what he is going to be asking himself this off-season. He isn't playing like his old self this season but yes is still better then 90% of the league, but i'm sure he will be thinking 1) do i come back 1 more season and end my career with a bad season or end it now with a great career and 2) do i come back and take away alot of cap space from the team when they could go get some more players, and if i do come back for 1 season not allowing the Wings to have that much spending money and have a bad season that would be the worst way i think for him to leave the league/team.

maybe he will come back and be on the 2nd pairing could you imagine he signed a 1yr-2/3mill contract which he might because eve if he has a bad season he gave the team the chance to have a ton of cap space and sign someone

[newfy 695]

BOOOGAAAAARRD!

Yes please.