Andreas Lilja to Anaheim

[VM1138 1,921]

Aye. The level to which Datsyuk made him look like a moron last weekend definitely spurred my interest in him returning to the Red Wings.

So because a player gets made a fool of by Datsyuk he's not worthy of playing for the Wings? There have been tons of highest caliber players (He's even robbed Ovechkin if I recall correctly) Datsyuk makes fools of. I'd hardly use that as a measuring stick.

Lilja is a great 5th defenseman who can step up to 3rd or 4th if need be. I'd love to see him come back to Detroit in the future.

[Konnan511 1,736]

So because a player gets made a fool of by Datsyuk he's not worthy of playing for the Wings? There have been tons of highest caliber players (He's even robbed Ovechkin if I recall correctly) Datsyuk makes fools of. I'd hardly use that as a measuring stick.

Lilja is a great 5th defenseman who can step up to 3rd or 4th if need be. I'd love to see him come back to Detroit in the future.

I'm indifferent about wanting him to come back. I flip-flopped on him so much while he was here. But this organization is the most loyal in all of the NHL, but it is a two-way street, and Lilja made his choice to not stay loyal.

[Andy Pred 48 337]

more like his agent gave him some bad advise, he'd be $350,000 better off if he had signed when offered the deal. Salei will do us a job anyway.

[achildr1 255]

Lilja is a great 5th defenseman who can step up to 3rd or 4th if need be.

When, and in what world, has Lilja ever showed anything in his skill set or play to ever suggest he's:

1. Great (at anything, let alone overall)

2. Worthy of a number 3 or 4 d-man spot, even on a bad team

?

The Lilly-pad love has gone too far obviously, for some. The Red Wings made Andreas into a relatively useful defenseman from an absolutely horrendus one. Lilja was one of the worst players I have ever seen on the squad in my 15 years of watching them, when he first came here. He progressively got better in his tenure, to become a PK specialist, and a relatively good shot blocker. He never used his size to his advantage, not even with his reach did he make much of a differance. Lilja was never better on this team than a 5th d-man, nor should he ever had been. The gap in overall play and ability between him and Brad Stuart is tremendous.

Enter 2010 Free Agency period. Lilja, although just coming off a concussion, hardly gets a sniff from any NHL team. Almost goes back overseas, only to receive a try-out from a Sharks team with a thin blueline. Fails to make that team, and is signed to Anaheim to replace another d-man who would be no higher than our 5th d-man if we were to have him, and who I believe most LGWer's hold in higher esteem. I can't think of one NHL team that Lilja could be a clear cut #4 guy on, even pre-concussion.

It took me all of one of Ruslan Salei's shifts to be thankful that he replaced Lilja. Datsyuk's undressing of him in the clutch against the Ducks burnt up any shade of remorse for his absence in this lineup.

[Guest Crymson]

So because a player gets made a fool of by Datsyuk he's not worthy of playing for the Wings? There have been tons of highest caliber players (He's even robbed Ovechkin if I recall correctly) Datsyuk makes fools of. I'd hardly use that as a measuring stick.

Lilja is a great 5th defenseman who can step up to 3rd or 4th if need be. I'd love to see him come back to Detroit in the future.

Go back and read the post two which I was replying; it will cause my post to make more sense to you.

[Echolalia 2,961]

I've liked Salei. The only thing I really miss about Lilja is the shot blocking.

[titanium2 867]

Speaking of players coming back I can already see Kenny offering Lebda a cheap contract once his Toronto time is over. Ugh...

[chrisdetroit 189]

When, and in what world, has Lilja ever showed anything in his skill set or play to ever suggest he's:

1. Great (at anything, let alone overall)

2. Worthy of a number 3 or 4 d-man spot, even on a bad team

?

The Lilly-pad love has gone too far obviously, for some. The Red Wings made Andreas into a relatively useful defenseman from an absolutely horrendus one. Lilja was one of the worst players I have ever seen on the squad in my 15 years of watching them, when he first came here. He progressively got better in his tenure, to become a PK specialist, and a relatively good shot blocker. He never used his size to his advantage, not even with his reach did he make much of a differance. Lilja was never better on this team than a 5th d-man, nor should he ever had been. The gap in overall play and ability between him and Brad Stuart is tremendous.

Enter 2010 Free Agency period. Lilja, although just coming off a concussion, hardly gets a sniff from any NHL team. Almost goes back overseas, only to receive a try-out from a Sharks team with a thin blueline. Fails to make that team, and is signed to Anaheim to replace another d-man who would be no higher than our 5th d-man if we were to have him, and who I believe most LGWer's hold in higher esteem. I can't think of one NHL team that Lilja could be a clear cut #4 guy on, even pre-concussion.

It took me all of one of Ruslan Salei's shifts to be thankful that he replaced Lilja. Datsyuk's undressing of him in the clutch against the Ducks burnt up any shade of remorse for his absence in this lineup.

You lost me on that one. One of the worst ever? Give me a break. We get it that you hate Lilja that you make irrational statements like that.

[achildr1 255]

You lost me on that one. One of the worst ever? Give me a break. We get it that you hate Lilja that you make irrational statements like that.

Yep. Meant exactly what I said. One of the worst in 15 years. I can't name 5 guys that I thought were as bad as Lilly Pad, The No-Pain Train, upon his arrival. I'll even cut it down to the last 10 years, when I had become more intelligent hockey wise.

My worst Wing's (since 2000):

Andreas Lilja

- The first year he was here, I was astounded he made the team. This guy brought absolutely nothing to the ice. Here was an about 6'2", 200 lbs plus d-man, who didn't use his size at all. Didn't get his stick in the way. Couldn't pass, shoot, or hit worth a darn. The only reason I even thought they brought him in was in the hopes that he may one day use his size to his advantage...and it never happened. He was constantly bad on a team with very few weak links, let alone out right bad players. At that point he wasn't only not bringing any pluses to the rink, he was a liability. The Selanne goal ('07 playoffs), on Lily's give-away, wasn't a surprise at all to me at the time. My only shock was why they even let him on the ice in that OT at all. Would have taken Patrick Boileau or Cory Cross instead, anyday.

Fast forward to '09-'10. Lilja was no longer a constant liability. He rarely was my scapegoat anymore. He wasn't great but he wasn't bad enough to constantly stand out. There was even one game, one of the last I saw him in, that I thought he might have had the best game out of our players that particular night. Needless to say, it was quite the occassion.

Boyd Devereaux

-Skated like a newborn deer, just a bit better than Holmstrom. Only difference is, Holmstrom knows what he's doing with a stick in his hands. This dude played on an explosive line, with Dats and Hull, and still couldn't muster more than 25 points. There was nothing more than very short glimpses of anything more and who knows why Edmonton drafted him so high..

Robert Lang. (Not at first, but the longer he stayed here.)

- No heart. Doesn't belong on a Wings team. Lazy.

Derian Hatcher

- High expectations, no follow through. Me and my GF used to joke he'd literally be better without a stick.

There's probably more, but Lilly is obviously the one who I feel like i've been subjected to the most.

[WizardOfOz30 1,886]

Lils at his first Dux in Tux (blech, that name) event.

As opposed to just about every other team making Salei look like a waste on the ice?

The Ducks version of Toast of Hockeytown. Lilja is good and mingling with everyone, he just does a better job when he's here.

[edicius 3,269]

Someone has to find me a pic of Lilja and his pornstache. NOW.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Someone has to find me a pic of Lilja and his pornstache. NOW.

Not a pic of the stache, but this one's for you Edi.

Great hipcheck by Lilja. I dont' know that I ever saw him throw and open ice one like that in Detroit. As much as I hate the Ducks, he seems to be playing well there.

[Travis 576]

Someone has to find me a pic of Lilja and his pornstache. NOW.

[VM1138 1,921]

When, and in what world, has Lilja ever showed anything in his skill set or play to ever suggest he's:

1. Great (at anything, let alone overall)

2. Worthy of a number 3 or 4 d-man spot, even on a bad team

?

The Lilly-pad love has gone too far obviously, for some.

I was referring to fillin in with injuries, not that Lilja could be a 3rd or 4th D-man every game of the year.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Eddi's face =

[edicius 3,269]

Not a pic of the stache, but this one's for you Edi.

Great hipcheck by Lilja. I dont' know that I ever saw him throw and open ice one like that in Detroit. As much as I hate the Ducks, he seems to be playing well there.

Awesome find, thanks for that.

YES.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Awesome find, thanks for that.

YES.

When can we expect the stache to be your new av?

[edicius 3,269]

When can we expect the stache to be your new av?

<<<

[titanium2 867]

That stache doesn't look like a porn stache. It just looks like a stache. As in, it doesn't really stick out to me.

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

[Turd Ferguson 4]

Still weird seeing Lilja in a new uni

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Lebda is making $1.45 million to play for Toronto (when he's not watching from the press box). Meanwhile Lilja is making $600k and has had a significant role in settling down the Ducks blueline.

crazy world.

[WizardOfOz30 1,886]

<<<

I think your caption fits even better with that pic.

That's more of a beard, he looks much better when it's like that.

[eva unit zero 271]

My worst Wing's (since 2000):

Andreas Lilja

- The first year he was here, I was astounded he made the team. This guy brought absolutely nothing to the ice. Here was an about 6'2", 200 lbs plus d-man, who didn't use his size at all. Didn't get his stick in the way. Couldn't pass, shoot, or hit worth a darn. The only reason I even thought they brought him in was in the hopes that he may one day use his size to his advantage...and it never happened. He was constantly bad on a team with very few weak links, let alone out right bad players. At that point he wasn't only not bringing any pluses to the rink, he was a liability. The Selanne goal ('07 playoffs), on Lily's give-away, wasn't a surprise at all to me at the time. My only shock was why they even let him on the ice in that OT at all. Would have taken Patrick Boileau or Cory Cross instead, anyday.

Fast forward to '09-'10. Lilja was no longer a constant liability. He rarely was my scapegoat anymore. He wasn't great but he wasn't bad enough to constantly stand out. There was even one game, one of the last I saw him in, that I thought he might have had the best game out of our players that particular night. Needless to say, it was quite the occassion.

Lilja was not perfect, he certainly had issues. But he made a great deal of improvement in his time here and was a solid third pairing defenseman, who is certainly capable of playing in the top four.

Boyd Devereaux

-Skated like a newborn deer, just a bit better than Holmstrom. Only difference is, Holmstrom knows what he's doing with a stick in his hands. This dude played on an explosive line, with Dats and Hull, and still couldn't muster more than 25 points. There was nothing more than very short glimpses of anything more and who knows why Edmonton drafted him so high..

Did you ever see Devereaux play? Even once? You sit there saying he couldn't skate. Skating was about all he could do. He was a decent backchecker and he showed glimpses of real skill, but he never put it together.

Robert Lang. (Not at first, but the longer he stayed here.)

- No heart. Doesn't belong on a Wings team. Lazy.

Lang's style didn't match the Wings' style. Adjusting was difficult for him. When he wasn't as productive playing on the second line in his first season in an unfamiliar system as he was playing top line in a system built around him, fans turned on him.

Derian Hatcher

- High expectations, no follow through. Me and my GF used to joke he'd literally be better without a stick.

There's probably more, but Lilly is obviously the one who I feel like i've been subjected to the most.

Hatcher's biggest problem was not the expectations or the injuries; it's the fact he was never really that good to begin with. The expectations were already more than he was able to deliver before any kind of failure on his part occurred.

[Travis 576]

That stache doesn't look like a porn stache. It just looks like a stache. As in, it doesn't really stick out to me.

It's only a couple of weeks old. It'll grow.

As much as I hate the Ducks, I totally support their mustache growing.