73 replies to this topic

[stevkrause]

Definitely CuJo. He became my favorite goalie a few years before we got him. I think he single-handedly beat the Avs when he played for Edmonton in a first-round series. Of course, we all hated Colorado then. When we acquired him, I was totally stoked. But then he ended up playing in the minors and completely screwing up in the playoffs.

once a-freaking-gain

stevkrause, on 19 March 2010 - 01:50 PM, said:
Are you freaking kidding me?!?! The CuJo situation was the only black mark on the otherwise incredible player relations of the brass of the last 20 years... he played stellar when he was here and got a raw deal and was a scapegoat for an offense that couldn't put the puck in the net... in his 2 playoff rounds with the Wings, he had under a 2 gaa and about a .925 save %... look at the stats... people that blame him, or don't recognize that the team failed him and not the other way around are complete idiots...

[eva unit zero]

Igor Grigorenko coming over seemed exciting at the time, but he ended up looking awful. Holland even said he'd give him a qualifier so he could come to camp the next year, but he ended up blowing it in Russia too and they just let him go. It was a shame, when he was drafted he had Datsyuk potential. Unfortunately, the accident he had crippled that.

You are mistaken.

Igor Grigorenko, when he was drafted, was the Ovechkin of that time. He was a rocket skater who delivered bone-crunching hits, he was a skilled playmaker and a had a ridiculously powerful and accurate shot. Everything that was said about Ovechkin going into his draft year was said about Grigs; except Grigs was not considered a defensive liability.

The accident he had completely shattered his leg and ruined his career, and the fat embolism he developed in his left lung is a condition from which 90% of patients die.

He went from being an agile skater with blazing speed to a mediocre skater at best. Even after the amazing affort he put into getting back on the ice; which it is truly amazing that he ever even made it back onto the ice; his skating ability was so damaged that his ability to perform overall was greatly diminished. He was still capable of performing at the pro level, but his attitude had greatly changed after seeing this. He was no longer the passionate player he once was; rather he had become complacent as he knew his chances of playing regularly, if at all, for Detroit were very unlikely. So he returned to Russia after playing a few games for Grand Rapids. In the recently completed KHL season, Grigorenko posted scoring numbers that would put him as quite capable of playing in the NHL if his skating is up to par; he scored at a very similar pace to Jaromir Jagr, and better than notable top-six NHL players such as Richard Zednik, Sergei Fedorov, Ville Peltonen, Alex Korolyuk, Viktor Kozlov, and more. That would suggest that Grigorenko certainly still has the ability to perform in the NHL given the right conditions, which would mainly be his skating.

[Crymson]

My vote would be for re-signing Cleary this time around. I was super excited when we did, but man, he doing nothing for that price tag. Flame on, but I'm sticking to my guns.

He had another 40 point season last year and did wonderfully in the playoffs. How were you unhappy about that?

getting rid of Avery, if he would have stayed a wing he could not only be a better player, but he would keep his edge on the ice the same but he would act more professionaly off the ice. I believe he could be a 20 goal scorer every season if he was still here, and he would add toughness and get into the other teams heads.

That's a fairly arbitrary statement. Holland got rid of Avery because he felt Avery did not have respect for the game, and Dallas got rid of him in part because the rest of the team really didn't want him back. He has chronically misbehaved both on and off the ice; he has clashed with the league, the media, his coaches and his peers. He's a hack, and I really don't understand your logic here.

[Andy Pred 48]

LOL - many posters here are probably too young to remember these guys...Neither had a snowballs chance in of making the Red Wings.

yeah i know but the fact some fans forget is these were both 1st rounders, with high hopes from our scouting ranks. If you think what might have been, consider Kocur, 17th overall in '88 and the Wings 2nd pick Serge Anglehart 38th overall, 3rd pick 47th Guy Dupuis and 4th pick 59th Petr Hrbek none of them played a game in the NHL, 2 forwards and two D. Hindsight is a great thing but look who our guys passed over for these that year.
67th overall Pitts F Mark Recchi
68th overall NYR F Tony Amonte
70th overall LA D Rob Blake
76th overall Buff D Keith Carney now that would have been better all of these played over 1000 games in the show. But for me the biggest sickner was overlooking 2 forwards who went 89th and 129th messr's Mogilny and Kamensky!!
Now our scouting system hasn't always been as good as it is at present.

[pockets]

Hatcher and Hossa both times a friend texted me we had signed them and i was like "Hell yes!"

Id like to add that at certain times during the playoffs even though he wasnt scoring Hossa was one of the most noticable Wings it was just the combination of him and Dats mostly not scoring and the injuries

[Hockeytown0001]

I remember being on vacation in Florida when I jumped up in the air seeing a sports report that the Red Wings signed Derian Hatcher. I was also at the Vancouver game where he hurt his knee. Really disappointed that he didn't work out here.

[13dangledangle]

Haskek, Hull, Hatcher and the jury is still out on Williams, but ill let you know.


PS. I still think about Hull Dats and Z though! Someone should upload video of those three!

[Konnan511]

He had another 40 point season last year and did wonderfully in the playoffs. How were you unhappy about that?

I dunno. It's hard to explain. I'm not pointing this at you, just a general statement: Filppula had a 40 point season last year right? He signed a 5yr 3mil cap hit and he gets criticized for being overpaid, has one of the highest PPG ratio on the team and everything. Cleary signed for ~3mil cap hit and he seems to get a pass and he also puts up 40 points and plays a defensive game that is slightly less than what Filppula provides. Filppula has roughly the same points this season with 10 less games played to boot.

I like Cleary and his work ethic, but I just haven't really every been as excited about the re-signing now as I was back in the day. So that, in my twisted eyes, is the reason why it was a "failure" to me.

[Broken 16]

Hossa, by a mile. As good as he was in the regular season, he looked like a bungling fool at times in the playoffs.

Edited by Broken 16, 20 March 2010 - 08:20 PM.

[LeftWinger]

I can't believe nobody has mention, but when the Wings acquired Jimmy Carson from the Oilers, everyone and their brothers were excited getting a guy who scored 55 and 49 goals the season's prior. The Wings should've drafted him instead of Joe Murphy first overall in 1986, but seemed to make amends by getting him in 1990. Of course, he was used to get Paul Coffey here later on, which worked out pretty well, until Bowman came to town. Of course, in a round about way we drafted Joe Murphy 1st overall and wound up with Brendan Shanahan in the end. I'll take that! But ya, Carson was a HUGE disappointment.

[daniel1]

Brendan Shanahan - I was really excited to get a player like him, but he never really worked out that well for the Wings.

You've got to be kidding.

[LeftWinger]

I was also pretty excited when the Wings got Miroslav Frycer in 1988, but alas, he was a major disappointment too. (yes I actually purchased a Wings sweater with #14 Frycer on it. Hell,I may still have it somewhere.)

[F.Michael]

I can't believe nobody has mention, but when the Wings acquired Jimmy Carson from the Oilers, everyone and their brothers were excited getting a guy who scored 55 and 49 goals the season's prior. The Wings should've drafted him instead of Joe Murphy first overall in 1986, but seemed to make amends by getting him in 1990. Of course, he was used to get Paul Coffey here later on, which worked out pretty well, until Bowman came to town. Of course, in a round about way we drafted Joe Murphy 1st overall and wound up with Brendan Shanahan in the end. I'll take that! But ya, Carson was a HUGE disappointment.

Ya know - I was thinking about Carson too...The thing is though - he turned out exactly as many sort of expected; a skill guy whom is capable of 75-85 points year in - year out, but has below average defensive instincts, and zero physical play...Like you said he was used later on to obtain others, but it's too bad we gave up Adam Graves (IMO Klima, and Murphy wore out their welcome in Detroit) in that deal.

[LeftWinger]

A couple others have to be Vincent Riendeau and Troy Crowder. Huge hype coming into their first games and OUCH! Injury... Vincent "I took A Dive" Riendeau only played 2 games and Troy Crowder only played 7 (had 35 PIM's in those 7 though!)

edit: What made the Crowder signing worse was he was a type 2 FA at the time and Wings had to give them compensation, the Devils wanted Probert, but and arbitrator awarded them Dave BArr and Randy McKay. In hindsight, I would have rather kept Randy McKay...

Edited by LeftWinger, 21 March 2010 - 12:11 AM.