Holland Confirms: Ericsson to Start the season on 3rd pairing

[Guest Heaten]

Holland just confirmed on Red Wings Live that Ericsson will be teamed with Salei on the 3rd pairing to start the season.

I'm happy about this because i think Ericsson will pull it together and grows to become a better d-man. I support Ericsson, you should too.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

It's a nice thought, but apparently too late. Glance at a few threads around here and you can see that Ericsson has been anointed as the new whipping boy, even before one minute of the regular season has been played.

Salei seems like a good pairing. Hopefully it'll help E get his game together and play more physical.

[Broken 16 381]

That was pretty much a given. One bad game from Ericsson though and Kindl will probably get his shot. And based on what I've seen from E so far, that won't take long.

Edited October 3, 2010 by Broken 16

[titanium2 867]

The Wings always give the players who have put in more time the opportunity first until they lose it. Like Hasek in '08 even though many felt Osgood had the better regular season confidence wise.

Ericsson hasn't actually lost his opportunity yet.

[Guest Heaten]

That was pretty much a given. One bad game from Ericsson though and Kindl will probably get his shot. And based on what I've seen from E so far, that won't take long.

I agree and vice versa w/ Kindl. I don't think Kindl will hang onto the 6th spot very long either. And I'd bet if the D stays healthy, E and K will probably close the season with close to the same amount of games played.

[Carman 387]

Have to give Erisson a lot of rope to work with. He's proved he can play at a high level, he just needs to find a way to get there again.

[Broken 16 381]

I agree and vice versa w/ Kindl. I don't think Kindl will hang onto the 6th spot very long either. And I'd bet if the D stays healthy, E and K will probably close the season with close to the same amount of games played.

Ya... unless one of them manages to pull away. A nice problem to have at your #6 spot.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

I hope Salei is really good at diving pokechecks.

[egroen 384]

I'm fine with it, I think mNy do not realize Ericsson is best as more offensive and Salei should be able to give him that opportunity. I don't mind seeing him get caught up ice occasionally but he does need to learn to use his size better.

Salei has a pretty good breakout pass too... I think the Wings will be scoring a lot more this year.

[Konnan511 1,736]

I hope Salei is really good at diving pokechecks.

And defending two-on-ones

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

And defending two-on-ones

and defending giveaways to Malkin

[titanium2 867]

and defending giveaways to Malkin

You hoped that maybe he learned his lesson when he utterly failed to pass the puck through Getzlaf last year which turned into a goal against.

But few people learn that quickly. It's a process, as always.

Maybe he'll surprise us when the regular season starts. I hope so. But I can't help but think of it like a zero sum game. If Ericsson plays well then who or what else suffers? Can't be that lucky can we?

[Jenny 315]

I'm hoping Ericsson and Kindl will push each other to be better. Competition for a roster spot over the course of a season can do funny things.

Edited October 4, 2010 by Jenny

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Ericsson is going to kick y'alls asses if you keep being mean to him!

[seeinred 1,488]

I still believe in the guy. Plus I have faith that it becomes apparent he's not the best man for the spot, it'll go to whoever is.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Have to give Erisson a lot of rope to work with. He's proved he can play at a high level, he just needs to find a way to get there again.

But... he's already had an entire NHL season! PLUS ONE SUMMER! How isn't he leaps and bounds better in October than he was last year?

On a side note, I've got a feeling Kindl will have a new ass hole ripped in him on LGW by the end of the season. I surprising number of people haven't seen his decision making skills in action in GR.

Seriously. I hope this team's weakest link remains our #6 defenseman. I guess that will mean the important players are doing well

[Echolalia 2,961]

It would be best for him to learn how to properly beat other players' asses down so us LGWers forget about his mishaps after a good ragdoll tossing.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

I think we've answered the question in the thread, "Who will be this years whipping boy?"

[WhiteLightning91 105]

I remember another certain big, young defenseman who was hated on by fans ruthlessly when he first came into the league...Jiri Fischer. Let's not forget he was not the physical, occasional drop the gloves, crease clearer he was before his career was tragically cut short. He had as many brainfarts, if not more, than E has had in his whopping 1 season with us. Defenseman take longer to adjusts to the big leagues, especially when they were drafted as a forward. Cut him some slack.

[Broken 16 381]

I'm really hoping E can find some chemistry with Salei. If E can find his confidence, that would be a rock solid bottom pair.

[DaWingsin071 4]

Boy I haven't posted in ages. But after watching the preseason so many here have praised Big E. I for one think his time has come and gone. So many times he tries to pinch up on the blue line and gets beat countless times. And for christ sakes use your body it's like watching a ballerina out there. Like everyone I hope he can turn his game around but I just don't see it happening. Bring up Smith or Kindl. Same thing with Stewie stop pinching up so much.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

It would be best for him to learn how to properly beat other players' asses down so us LGWers forget about his mishaps after a good ragdoll tossing.

I would actually overlook all the f***ups if that were to happen.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

I remember another certain big, young defenseman who was hated on by fans ruthlessly when he first came into the league...Jiri Fischer. Let's not forget he was not the physical, occasional drop the gloves, crease clearer he was before his career was tragically cut short. He had as many brainfarts, if not more, than E has had in his whopping 1 season with us. Defenseman take longer to adjusts to the big leagues, especially when they were drafted as a forward. Cut him some slack.

Lillypads was pretty awful with the brainfarts when he got here too, even for a seasoned bottom pairing guy. They need to give Ericsson whatever they gave Lilja that finally convinced him to keep it simple and use his size more.

[Z Winged Dangler 2,082]

It's a nice thought, but apparently too late. Glance at a few threads around here and you can see that Ericsson has been anointed as the new whipping boy, even before one minute of the regular season has been played.

Salei seems like a good pairing. Hopefully it'll help E get his game together and play more physical.

yup...he's definately the new whipping boy for the wings. my dad called me twice while i was watching Hellyeah at the Rockstar Uproar concert yesterday, while the wings were playing the leafs, to tell me how s***ty ericsson is. kindl will take his spot on the 3rd pairing the 3rd game of the season. i liked ericsson and thought he had potential, but i'm jumping right on the whipping boy bandwagon until he's +15 or more at the end of the year with 20+ points.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

yup...he's definately the new whipping boy for the wings. my dad called me twice while i was watching Hellyeah at the Rockstar Uproar concert yesterday, while the wings were playing the leafs, to tell me how s***ty ericsson is. kindl will take his spot on the 3rd pairing the 3rd game of the season. i liked ericsson and thought he had potential, but i'm jumping right on the whipping boy bandwagon until he's +15 or more at the end of the year with 20+ points.

"Prone to frustrating, untimely giveaways coming out of the defensive zone ... Decision-making and hockey sense continues to be a concern ... Struggles with inconsistency ... Despite excellent size, isn't the imposing physical force that he could be. "

Sound like anyone we know? that's not about Ericsson, that's Kindl's description from Red Wings Central.

"At times, he over-thinks things with the puck on his stick. Jakub needs to make better decisions with the puck on a more consistent basis. There are some games where he's fantastic and other games where he over-handles it and over-thinks it." — McNamara (March 2010).

Everyone here who's so high on Kindl needs to check out what his biggest weakness has been in the AHL. He's turnover prone and still makes inexplicable decisions at times. Hopefully that'll improve at the NHL level, but there's likely going to be some growing pains with him too.

Hopefully his presence will push Ericsson and at least one of the two will sort it out and start playing like an NHL defenseman.