Wings sign Ruslan Salei

[jollymania 162]

crease clearing is underrated. hard to get second chance opportunities when your boxed out or on your ass

it is important, yes, but very few guys make a name for themselves by "clearing the crease" and tbh pretty much all defensemen are taught to do this and do do it regularly

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

crease clearing is underrated. hard to get second chance opportunities when your boxed out or on your ass

It's nice to have that in a 3rd line defenseman but it isn't something the team is lacking. It's not like Detroit was victim to a plethora of close-crease goals last season.

[hookah 0]

it is important, yes, but very few guys make a name for themselves by "clearing the crease" and tbh pretty much all defensemen are taught to do this and do do it regularly

not all defensemen can do it. Just look at our defensemen with the exception of stuart. they suck at clearing the crease. Lids gets a pass because of his excellent stick work.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

It's nice to have that in a 3rd line defenseman but it isn't something the team is lacking. It's not like Detroit was victim to a plethora of close-crease goals last season.

I disagree. honestly I'd say they were the victim of exactly that pretty often last season.

There were a lot of times the Wings were outnumbered around their own net, and opponents had several good whacks at a loose puck without even being touched.

it is important, yes, but very few guys make a name for themselves by "clearing the crease" and tbh pretty much all defensemen are taught to do this and do do it regularly

They're taught to do it, but you need a player of size and with some edge to do it well. And honestly I think it is something the Wings are lacking.

Lidstrom has compensated for his lack of size with smarts and skill and tying up the stick. No one on the Wings really clears the crease that well except maybe Stuart. Ericsson has the size but doesn't use it well yet. Raf and Kronwall just get overpowered or aren't the one battling in front of the net.

Edited August 11, 2010 by haroldsnepsts

[hookah 0]

It's nice to have that in a 3rd line defenseman but it isn't something the team is lacking. It's not like Detroit was victim to a plethora of close-crease goals last season.

countless times i saw our guys standing around playing with their balls and letting the other team get good in close opportunities. Obviously witht the personnel we currently have on D right now this isn't possible, but our guys have to make the front of the net a living hell to be in, kinda like what homer puts up with. right now it's more of a country club atmosphere in front of our net. Raffi is the guy who carries your bag when you arrive.

However, this shall change in the next few years with the smiths, lasshoffs, erdhardts, nicastro, kolosolovs, coming up.

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

I disagree. honestly I'd say they were the victim of exactly that pretty often last season.

There were a lot of times the Wings were outnumbered around their own net, and opponents had several good whacks at a loose puck without even being touched.

See: Jimmy Howard's 40+ save game against LA. Countless rebounds knocked away by Detroit's defensemen. Helped Howard win the game for them.

Either way, I honestly haven't seen that any more than I have seen it since 2007. Hasn't kept the Wings from winning games like other things that I have noticed.

[Hockey Convert 55]

Either way, I honestly haven't seen that any more than I have seen it since 2007. Hasn't kept the Wings from winning games like other things that I have noticed.

I don't want to draw this thread off topic, but I'm curious; what are the other things you have noticed?

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

See: Jimmy Howard's 40+ save game against LA. Countless rebounds knocked away by Detroit's defensemen. Helped Howard win the game for them.

Either way, I honestly haven't seen that any more than I have seen it since 2007. Hasn't kept the Wings from winning games like other things that I have noticed.

One 40+ save game means they clear the crease?

All I can say is I noticed it a lot last season. Opposing players hanging around our net for easy chip ins or at the very least great scoring chances because no one was making them pay a price for standing there.

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

One 40+ save game means they clear the crease?

If you watch the game again you will notice there were a large number of rebound chances knocked away by Detroit's defensemen.

All I can say is I noticed it a lot last season. Opposing players hanging around our net for easy chip ins or at the very least great scoring chances because no one was making them pay a price for standing there.

Agree to disagree I suppose. Defensemen don't HAVE to destroy a guy to nullify him from making a play. And I don't think a depth defenseman is going to change that a helluva lot if he only plays <10 minutes a night.

Edited August 11, 2010 by Doc Holliday

[WingNut 25 5]

I think the Wings have definitely lacked a big guy who is just flat out nasty in front of the net. Guys crash the crease when they know there are zero consequences for doing so (and some just do it anyway!) A guy like Salei should help keep some bozos in the league honest. As much as I hate the guy, I would love to have seen Pronger in the Winged Wheel.

[sputman 1,268]

Guys crash the crease when they know there are zero consequences for doing so

[Booster313 138]

You can't clear someone out anymore if they don't have the puck. It's called interference.

[sputman 1,268]

i would love to have a guy that just destroys people in front of the net if they so much as look at the goalie wrong, but whenever we play against a team that has that type of player and they get a roughing penalty on holmstrom i just laugh and laugh. i really think the wings are the smartest team in the league, and having some goon back their taking penalties just to keep players "honest" after whistles would be a step in the wrong direction IMO.

plus, it doesn't matter whose on the ice, anybody that runs howard or takes liberties on him is going to get some attention. salei is a big boy and plays mean, and babcock has respect for him which means he's got some smarts.

if he stays healthy, i think salei will have a ton of fans in detroit before long.

[newfy 695]

Wow I can't beleive some of you guys.

Clearing the crease isn't important and our defenseman do it just fine? What team were you watching last year? Detriots biggest weakness was problem their play in their net front area.

And you don't have to equate clearing the crease to penalties either. Have you guys watched the playoffs? Nothing gets called infront of the net, I was watching the Phoenix series on NHL network yesterday and I was sitting there looking at the beating Homer got from Jovo and Morris all series long. The refs don't call net front battles in the playoffs for sure and thats when it hurt us the most. Salei is good infront of his own net and hopefully Ericcson will improve playing with him.

To say clearing the crease and net front play is overrated is like saying knowing when to pinch and when not to is overrated.

ITS DOING THESE LITTLE THINGS THAT MAKE A TEAM GREAT DEFENSIVELY INSTEAD OF JUST GOOD.

Not to mention the wings have been pretty bad defensively the last season or two and haven't been clearing the crease well at all. I bet theres more of a correlation between those 2 things then some people here like Jollymania and Doc would like to think

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

Wow I can't beleive some of you guys.

Clearing the crease isn't important and our defenseman do it just fine? What team were you watching last year? Detriots biggest weakness was problem their play in their net front area.

How does a 5-6 defenseman solve this "problem"?

And you don't have to equate clearing the crease to penalties either. Have you guys watched the playoffs? Nothing gets called infront of the net, I was watching the Phoenix series on NHL network yesterday and I was sitting there looking at the beating Homer got from Jovo and Morris all series long. The refs don't call net front battles in the playoffs for sure and thats when it hurt us the most. Salei is good infront of his own net and hopefully Ericcson will improve playing with him.

To say clearing the crease and net front play is overrated is like saying knowing when to pinch and when not to is overrated.

ITS DOING THESE LITTLE THINGS THAT MAKE A TEAM GREAT DEFENSIVELY INSTEAD OF JUST GOOD.

Not to mention the wings have been pretty bad defensively the last season or two and haven't been clearing the crease well at all. I bet theres more of a correlation between those 2 things then some people here like Jollymania and Doc would like to think

Once again, signing a defenseman who plays very few minutes a night doesn't address that "problem" the way you would like to think.

For starters, the 09 team relied on their offense way too much, which is why people overlooked their defensive struggles.

2010's team was riddled with injuries, and were much more gritty having to play depth players during a good chunk of the season. So I don't see the correlation at all.

I don't believe the team has been bad defensively simply because of crease crashing, because Kronwall was just awful in all aspects of defense last season (crease clearing aside), and Stuart just fell off during the second half.

If Stuart and Kronwall play the way they are supposed to, I don't think there will be much of a problem with the team's defensive play.

Edited August 11, 2010 by Doc Holliday

[titanium2 867]

I don't think it's just clearing the crease. Yes they struggled in that area but they also struggled to possess the puck like they normally do. They struggled to play tough on the puck and win battles like they normally do.

[T.Low 1,011]

Hmm. 5-6 Dman. Hopefully he'll be on ths ice at the same time as Modano and that little poo poo Tootoo.

[newfy 695]

Once again, signing a defenseman who plays very few minutes a night doesn't address that "problem" the way you would like to think.

No but it is a start. That means there is one more guy on the roster who will clear it instead of standing around stick checking guys infront of the net, which is a very bad way to play defense during a scramble. In a scramble youre better off having the other team on their asses.

This one guy is here to mentor Ericcson. If Ericcson starts doing it then we have a defenseman with solid top 4 upside going forward who will clear that crease in the future. Also if guys like Stuart and Kronwall hear Babcock praising guys like Ericcson and Ruslan for clearing the crease like they do then you might just see guys like Stuart doing it a lot more.

Its sort of like having someone like May in the lineup this past year. He filled his role fine but also rubbed off on other guys like Cleary and the team as a whole just seemed to be playing tougher. One guy on defense could rub off on a few other defenseman and have our team crease clearing a lot more.

This may not be the only problem with our defense but it is definitely something that they are horrible at and improving it is only going to help the team. The future looks bright for guys that will do this though so we just need to wait for guys like Lashoff, Kolosov, Nicastro etc

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

No but it is a start. That means there is one more guy on the roster who will clear it instead of standing around stick checking guys infront of the net, which is a very bad way to play defense during a scramble. In a scramble youre better off having the other team on their asses.

This one guy is here to mentor Ericcson. If Ericcson starts doing it then we have a defenseman with solid top 4 upside going forward who will clear that crease in the future. Also if guys like Stuart and Kronwall hear Babcock praising guys like Ericcson and Ruslan for clearing the crease like they do then you might just see guys like Stuart doing it a lot more.

Its sort of like having someone like May in the lineup this past year. He filled his role fine but also rubbed off on other guys like Cleary and the team as a whole just seemed to be playing tougher. One guy on defense could rub off on a few other defenseman and have our team crease clearing a lot more.

This may not be the only problem with our defense but it is definitely something that they are horrible at and improving it is only going to help the team. The future looks bright for guys that will do this though so we just need to wait for guys like Lashoff, Kolosov, Nicastro etc

We'll see.

[HankthaTank 1,100]

Nick is not playing second paring minutes... Maybe Stuy with Raf, and leave Konner where he is...

Fully aware and I worded it wrong but another post actually stated what I wanted which was....

Lidstrom-Kronwall

Stuie-Rafalski

[Guest mindfly]

Well, don't have the stats in front of me but i'm pretty sure there's no difference in icetime for the no4 d-man (stuart) and no.1 d-man (lidstrom).. Wings play their top4 equally much..

Edited August 11, 2010 by mindfly

[RusDRW 155]

You can't clear someone out anymore if they don't have the puck. It's called interference.

it is still allowed in the play-offs...

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

If you watch the game again you will notice there were a large number of rebound chances knocked away by Detroit's defensemen.

Again, that's one game. It's a larger problem I noticed a lot last season.

Agree to disagree I suppose. Defensemen don't HAVE to destroy a guy to nullify him from making a play. And I don't think a depth defenseman is going to change that a helluva lot if he only plays <10 minutes a night.

Of course they don't have to destroy them. And it's harder to do in the new NHL. But that doesn't mean they should be able to just plant themselves by the far post untouched, which happened often last season.

I think Salei will play more than 10 minutes a night. Lebda averaged 13 to 14 minutes a night, and that was Lebda. Lilja averaged between 14 and 17 the last couple seasons. Plus as Babs pointed out, he thinks Salei can handle 20 minutes (not that we'd want him to).

It's obviously not a solution, but if he plays that way 14 minutes a night, some of it on the PK, that's an improvement.

You can't clear someone out anymore if they don't have the puck. It's called interference.

I honestly am not sure what to say to this. It's certainly been notched back in the new NHL, but it still goes on. Think of what Homer has to deal with every game. And when he does have the puck on his stick it's for less than a second. There's a lot of battling that still goes on and is not called a penalty.

No but it is a start. That means there is one more guy on the roster who will clear it instead of standing around stick checking guys infront of the net, which is a very bad way to play defense during a scramble. In a scramble youre better off having the other team on their asses.

This one guy is here to mentor Ericcson. If Ericcson starts doing it then we have a defenseman with solid top 4 upside going forward who will clear that crease in the future. Also if guys like Stuart and Kronwall hear Babcock praising guys like Ericcson and Ruslan for clearing the crease like they do then you might just see guys like Stuart doing it a lot more.

Its sort of like having someone like May in the lineup this past year. He filled his role fine but also rubbed off on other guys like Cleary and the team as a whole just seemed to be playing tougher. One guy on defense could rub off on a few other defenseman and have our team crease clearing a lot more.

This may not be the only problem with our defense but it is definitely something that they are horrible at and improving it is only going to help the team. The future looks bright for guys that will do this though so we just need to wait for guys like Lashoff, Kolosov, Nicastro etc

What he said.

[titanium2 867]

I think it'll be nice that the Wings will have Salei's point shot as a legit threat coming from the third pairing. We didn't have that with Lilja.

[Superman54 91]

or this

We would have beat Ottawa, and even though it was game 5 against the ducks, I liked our chances.

But kidding aside, Lilja was the s***. I enjoyed him but sadly all the good that came from him, was followed with misfortune.