48 replies to this topic

[Doc Holliday]

You guys do realize that just because we've gone on a winning streak here doesn't mean that enforcers are completely useless now in hockey.

That argument can go both ways.

I don't think anyone is saying that. Are they?

I kinda half paid attention to what was going on in this thread.

[GMRwings1983]

I don't think anyone is saying that. Are they?

I kinda half paid attention to what was going on in this thread.

Well, people have brought up the winning streak here several times.

[Shoreline]

Well, without May the boys have been playing without balls -- er, I mean winning a lot (hey, some like the cause based rationale for enforcers being on a team that merely won the cup therefore were a prominent or essential part of it.. lets use their rationale). Maybe he's doing that enforcer voodoo upon other teams from afar so they'll be too afraid to smack around wussy Euros like Dats, Z, and Flip.

Edited by Shoreline, 31 March 2010 - 10:00 PM.

[Detroit # 1 Fan]

Honestly, I've noticed this season outside of Crosby on Zetterberg and a few Abdelkader incidents where he bitched out, teams arent acting tough against us anymore. Normally there'd be scrums and teams punching our stars in the face after whistles all the time, but this year not so much. I think having Bertuzzi, Ericsson, and to some extent Lilja has had a bit of an impact. I'm all about enforcers, and I'd take the 97 team over this year or last years anyday of the friggin week, but IMO the need for an enforcer hasnt been there as much this year. But to your point UK, of course having May in the line-up gave us more balls, just like Downey did, that isnt up for debate, that is fact.

[GMRwings1983]

Honestly, I've noticed this season outside of Crosby on Zetterberg and a few Abdelkader incidents where he bitched out, teams arent acting tough against us anymore. Normally there'd be scrums and teams punching our stars in the face after whistles all the time, but this year not so much. I think having Bertuzzi, Ericsson, and to some extent Lilja has had a bit of an impact. I'm all about enforcers, and I'd take the 97 team over this year or last years anyday of the friggin week, but IMO the need for an enforcer hasnt been there as much this year. But to your point UK, of course having May in the line-up gave us more balls, just like Downey did, that isnt up for debate, that is fact.

Good point.

I haven't seen many scrums, cheapshots or faceswashes against us. Also haven't seen anyone jump many of our Euros like we've seen in the past.

[GMRwings1983]

ESAD got banned? LOL.

Oh, and 9-0-1 and 12-2-1 with "no balls". I'll take that, thanks.

See Andreas Lilja.

We started winning when he came back.

Coincidence? I think not.

[Shoreline]

See Andreas Lilja.

We started winning when he came back.

Coincidence? I think not.

It's definitely Lilja. Mojo has a j in it, and so does Lilja. Lilja's j is just silent (well, pronounced differently) because he doesn't want to intimidate mojo, but has more mojo than mojo.

Edited by Shoreline, 31 March 2010 - 10:15 PM.

[Heroes of Hockeytown]

See Andreas Lilja.

We started winning when he came back.

Coincidence? I think not.

You've forgotten the return of noted tough guy and pugilist Johan Franzen. His willingness to drop the gloves and protect his teammates has spurred the Wings to these great heights.

Edited by Heroes of Hockeytown, 31 March 2010 - 10:16 PM.

[egroen]

Awww.... I kinda liked E_S_A_D
He must have done something I didn't see, because his posts never seemed to cross the line to me.

Oh, and OP - agreed.
Though I am honestly not sure if that is a good thing for this team, however. The reason being is it is not part of their ingrained, perfected 'style'.
I think part of the reason the Ducks have given the Wings so much trouble is that they successfully throw the Wings off their 'game', and get them playing chippy - which is fun to watch, but I don't think the Wings (at least this team) excel at that sort of play (they do well playing with grit, but not necessarily a chip on their shoulder).

I think we could see them play more successfully with that style in the future, with a lot of the prospects coming up.

Edited by egroen, 31 March 2010 - 10:25 PM.

[GMRwings1983]

I can't believe no one has mentioned Bertuzzi's name yet.

Teams are afraid to f*** with us, because no one wants to get paralyzed.

[Lidstromboli]

Newbury's first shift this year was the greatest Red Wings shift of all time.

[Doc Holliday]

You've forgotten the return of noted tough guy and pugilist Johan Franzen. His willingness to drop the gloves and protect his teammates has spurred the Wings to these great heights.

Epic post.

[McAwesome]

Little thing I've noticed:

Both sides of this argument have made and continue to make valid points regarding the pros and cons of having an enforcer in the lineup, but the pro-enforcer folks seem to concede the valid points that are brought up during the debate, whereas the anti-enforcer folks rarely concede anything.

Brad May was a valuable piece of this team while he was needed, and when we got our regular players back from injury, he was no longer needed. Not because of his style of play, but because we had too many players under contract and we needed space. IIRC, May was brought in towards the end of training camp without much realistic expectation of making the regular lineup, and only got a contract after Franzen went down with what appeared to be a season-ending injury. I'm grateful for his contributions when he was in the lineup, I'm glad he wasn't claimed when he was sent down, and I firmly believe he will get some playing time in the playoffs, especially if we have another deep run, but he is a role player and nothing more.

How many fighting majors have the Red Wings had this season aside from May? I can name a few, Ericsson had one against the Ducks and I think against the Sharks, Janik had a couple during his brief stint (which he lost if memory serves), Eaves vs. Versteeg which was a great fight, Abdelkader fought Corey Fairy, and I think Cleary had a fight too. Does fighting have its place in hockey? Absolutely. Does having an enforcer directly correlate with fewer injuries and/or star players being roughed up? Debatable. Are having a tough team and having a skilled team mutually exclusive? No, and that is where I think most of the partisan debaters are mistaken. You can be tough and not fight, and and you can be European and not be a wuss.

/rant

Newbury's first shift this year was the greatest Red Wings shift of all time.

Absolutely

[Rivalred]

And here we go....

Enforcer debate #401256

Yet you post in the thread? Why not just ignore it.

I am hoping May will be back up here for some games during the playoffs; I think it will be based on who we play. Bert and Big E need to become a little more physical. And as other members have mentioned since Lilja returned, the Wings have played a lot better.

Edited by Rivalred, 31 March 2010 - 11:20 PM.

[uk_redwing]

I think we need to goon it up for the winnings. No gooning no Lord Stanley to drink out of. Just regular glasses for us.

[uk_redwing]

I think its safe to say this is well and truely another enforcer thread.

Im still upset the mods got rid of THE enforcer thread.

Edited by uk_redwing, 31 March 2010 - 11:45 PM.

[Drake_Marcus]

On that note, the wrongly banned E_S_A_D says hi to all at LGW.

You have to admit that E_S_A_D wasn't even trying not to piss people off. He wasn't MaleLion bad, but he was bad.

[uk_redwing]

You have to admit that E_S_A_D wasn't even trying not to piss people off. He wasn't MaleLion bad, but he was bad.

Haha MaleLion. Hes brilliant. Randomly appearing from time to time to post a few words surrounded by thousands of smileys. Usually angry ones.

[SouthernWingsFan]

Yet you post in the thread? Why not just ignore it.

I post in the thread because I can.

[55fan]

Rob, Jack... here is a spot for you boys.

It's much easier to stand up for yourself if you know that someone has your back. It's also easier to stand up for someone on your side if you know that someone else on your side has your back.

It is also easy to get your side and your back mixed up when you stand up and sometimes you land on your bottom.

Enforcers are good. Winning is good. The two are not mutually exclusive.