41 replies to this topic

[cupforwings]

He provides leadership which is a huge part of any team, especially in the playoffs. It's not like he has been bad this year?

[clutchngrab]

His role is to skate around and not really do anything, but look damn good at it.

[hooon]

Williams hasn't done a damn thing for us this season. I understand the logic behind having a right handed shot on the point on the PP, but what good is it if that right handed shot is terrible?

As per the topic: I think the OP is right in a lot of ways, but I think he'll play most games. Might depend on the matchup. I wouldn't mind seeing even May get back in a game or two if the opponent is right.

[Zeke]

I love him being around for two reasons:

1) He is one of the reasons, why when young grinders make it into the Detroit Red Wing's line-up, they are very good at face-offs and are excellent back checkers. I know that the Red Wing mantra has been to always be defensively responsible, but I undoubtedly believe Draper has a huge hand in a lot of the on-ice preparation of this defensive mentality for these young forwards in the Red Wing roster.

2) Every team needs someone who looks like Chuck Norris.

So.... bullet points:
1) Mentorship and leadership
2) Chuck Norris

I think Scotty Bowman once said that good locker room players should remain in the locker room.

[talex]

Draper adds experience and you do not see his line making nearly as many mistakes as the other lines, he always seems up on the forecheck and you can feel pretty good a safe when he is out there that there will not be mistakes, that is a great thing for a grind line. It would be nice to see his line score a bit more, but Draper is doing a good job, I will say the same about Malts, not many mistakes that cost at crucial times, although it is time for at 1 to move on and I think that is happening. Draper is an excellent leader and has an amazing conditioning routine which shows the young guys what it takes, they need to keep him in, next year as well and then take a good hard look at things then, if the kids are ready to play mistake free 90% of the time then it will be time for Drapes to hang them up, but not until then, we need mistake free players on this team, not fast mistake prone players.

I say sit Willimas when Abby can come up, then possibly Bert unless he starts to do something, Bert can be great but when he is cold, he is a big liability, does not score and cough's up the puck way to often.

[Gaggster]

What i always loved about this organisation is that they never seem to send old workhorses to the slaughter, they show respect for what they've done
and use them in the best way possible, as mentors and leaders.

Wouldn't we all hate to see faces so strongly associated with drw beeing disrespectfuly handled?

[Zeke]

What i always loved about this organisation is that they never seem to send old workhorses to the slaughter, they show respect for what they've done
and use them in the best way possible, as mentors and leaders.

Wouldn't we all hate to see faces so strongly associated with drw beeing disrespectfuly handled?

Loyalty is an admirable trait,but come playoff time,I want the best players on the ice.
He can mentor in the locker room and in the warmup.

[Crymson]

It seems that Draper has always been heralded as a great 'role' player on the team. Never scored a lot of goals,but chipped one or two in once in a while,and was a faceoff specialist,as well as an excellent penalty killer.

Is it just me,or:

He now rarely kills penalties...
He always gets booted from the faceoff circle...
When did he last score a relevant goal?
His only contribution is freezing the puck against the boards like its 1995?

I'm all for loyalty,and recognize his past achievements ,and I know there's another year on the old (gratuitous)contract,but what exactly does he bring to the table?

1) Leadership
2) Faceoffs
3) Defensive play
4) Offense when he's not on a defensive line

He's a good player, and he's not very expensive.

He is nowdays Redundant on this team imo..

You're spot on about everything, I don't see why freezing the puck along the boards is a good thing, though...

The team isn't perfect and this leads to the team not dominating everyone and the team losing makes mindfly angry for days! Waaaah! Waaah!

[Gaggster]

Loyalty is an admirable trait,but come playoff time,I want the best players on the ice.
He can mentor in the locker room and in the warmup.

I don't disagree, less icetime if they can handle it, and off the team if they are a liablility. I do get a warm fuzzy feeling when i see malts, draper, homer etc doing good.

I do also think there's an real upside to treating your players fairly over time too. The sentiment DRW is the place to be, is not to be taken lightly imo.

[ceebs]

Was it last playoffs or the playoffs before that he scored a goal off his face? Maybe he'll get another one off the jaw in playoffs cause there is no way in hell that slapshot of his is finding the back of the net.

[Lidstromboli]

Eaves just needs 1 more point and he'll be tied with Drapes and Helm with 22 points

[Detroit # 1 Fan]

Was it last playoffs or the playoffs before that he scored a goal off his face? Maybe he'll get another one off the jaw in playoffs cause there is no way in hell that slapshot of his is finding the back of the net.

That was 2008, Cup year The Sammy-Draper-Drake line was great when it was put together in that series.

[egroen]

Nope. I have faith that Babcock will bench Williams.
I truly believe Williams could have contributed to this team (he has talent), but his injury is one he simply has not recovered fully from, and he is ineffectual out there right now.
Management has to see that.

[titanium2]

Nope. I have faith that Babcock will bench Williams.
I truly believe Williams could have contributed to this team (he has talent), but his injury is one he simply has not recovered fully from, and he is ineffectual out there right now.
Management has to see that.

Not sure if you're being serious or not. I doubt it will happen but I hope the Wings do so.

[Nev]

Wow, not a lot of love for Drapes in here....his best offensive season in several years, the 4th line of him, Eaves and Helm has been terrific, and he is a leader off the ice - not just vocally, but also by example. The (deservedly) much maligned Williams said when he re-signed here last summer that in all his travels around the league he hasn't come across better conditioned athletes than Draper & Datsyuk.

[Jamaica Jon]

two things draper promises in nearly every game he plays:

(1) he will almost certainly pin someone against the boards and

(2) if the opportunity rises, he will take a slapshot from a face off dot

Draper is also the ONLY Red Wing who is EVER called for offsides it seems like... Anyone else notice this?

[Icesurfer]

There is no substitute for playoff wisdom someone can bring to the team.

[bdavis]

When will the DHE line be reunited? How can anyone be bitching about Draper, I thought that he played very well together with Helm and Eaves. Draper gives the team a nice spark of energy.

Edited by bd2988, 06 April 2010 - 06:36 AM.

[SouthernWingsFan]

When will the DHE line be reunited? How can anyone be bitching about Draper, I thought that he played very well together with Helm and Eaves. Draper gives the team a nice spark of energy.

Putting Flipper on Zetterberg's line kinda put a monkey wrench in the 3rd and 4th lines, if we're talking about each line having just 1 center.

Overall, I think Flipper-Zetterberg-Bertuzzi is working out all right.

If they remain together, I honestly think you could interchange either Draper or Cleary with Helm and Eaves. Both are solid defensively, and Cleary has more offensive upside. With Helm's speed and hopefully him and Eaves contributing a goal here/there, it could hopefully turn into somewhat of a secondary scoring line consistently.

I'm all for keeping them together. With Draper-Miller-Williams, it's neither a great/bad line, I just wish Williams could get going. He hasn't been awful by any stretch, but hasn't contributed much to the scoresheet lately.

[13dangledangle]

Williams hasn't done a damn thing for us this season. I understand the logic behind having a right handed shot on the point on the PP, but what good is it if that right handed shot is terrible?

As per the topic: I think the OP is right in a lot of ways, but I think he'll play most games. Might depend on the matchup. I wouldn't mind seeing even May get back in a game or two if the opponent is right.

We could have used May against Philly

I also agree with Williams on the Point too, someone said on here that Eaves should get a "shot" at playing the ponit on the PP and I cant think it would hurt to try but why not even go back to the Fedorov days and put Z back there.