Jiri Hudler Watch Thread

[Austrianwing 71]

He's playing with energy tonight, and he's clearly trying very hard. That's been half the criticm so far this season. Unfortunately, he's short on confidence, because he would've normally burried a few of those prime chances.

He was also one of exactly two Wings that was not a minus tonight... I have not been all that impressed by Hudler this season, but I wonder why no-one actually expected Helm to bury the setup he got tonight. There is always a whipping boy on here.

[GMRwings1983 8,803]

He still flatly refuses to drive into contested areas. These include the net.

He's not trying hard enough.

Did Hudler run you off the road or something?

[canada1 0]

Hi to all, new to this form,Wing fan for the last 35 years , anyway huddler doesnt to anything out there. doesnt hit, check,or score !!! Didnt really want him back this year, especially at that cap space. People say to trade him . Who would want him at 2.8 million or so cap space. if they put him on waivers. he probably wont get picked up.hes too small,, if anything a minor league player. He had one decent year. let him go whereever, and then can pick up a 5 million dollar player at the deadline for the playoff run.

[clearlybetter11 18]

Hudler needs a psychiatrist, we all know what he is capable of but he just seems like he lacks confidence and questions himself. For instance it seemed like shooting the puck never even crossed his mind on his two on one tonight, he is a shooter he needs to shoot. I don't want to see him become the Jason Williams and wind up doing nothing with his career, he is too good. Also, is anyone else annoyed by the way he tapes his socks?

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Hudler is lazy and he sucks.

[Austrianwing 71]

Hudler is lazy and he sucks.

Haha, hope it works! I'd rather see him do something than not

[clutchngrab 12]

In this Kings game, Hudler was far from the worst player out there. I wonder when Mule is actually gonna play physical again. Wings got man-handled physically and out-goaltended.

[clearlybetter11 18]

Hudler is lazy and he sucks.

The lazy part may be true but I don't think he sucks. Hudler is not a guy who can carry a line but I think he is a guy who can compliment other players well. I would like to see him on a line with Datsyuk to see how they would play together. Datsyuk is so good at opening up space and making the players around him better I think he could really help a guy like Hudler who needs someone to feed him, at least until he gets his confidence back up. I know I am going to get grilled for sticking up for Hudler but I think we are all underestimating his potential. I just don't want to see us make the same mistake we made with Leino. Leino was doing just as bad if not worse at this point last year and I think everybody on here including myself was saying "he is lazy and he sucks" and rightfully so, but we had him on a checking line and he is not an NHL caliber checker, he is and NHL caliber scorer. Once Leino went to Philadelphia and was put on a line with Briere his game took a 180. I think we need to put him in every possible spot for him to succeed before we give up on him, and if his success can only come at the cost of the teams success then go ahead and trade him.

[titanium2 867]

I wonder when Mule is actually gonna play physical again.

The playoffs... Maybe. Depending on how much he feels like he's made of glass.

[Konnan511 1,736]

Hudler is lazy and he sucks.

I bet he sucks at being lazy and sucking.

[Joey v3.4 45]

Hudler needs a psychiatrist, we all know what he is capable of but he just seems like he lacks confidence and questions himself. For instance it seemed like shooting the puck never even crossed his mind on his two on one tonight, he is a shooter he needs to shoot. I don't want to see him become the Jason Williams and wind up doing nothing with his career, he is too good. Also, is anyone else annoyed by the way he tapes his socks?

I made this comparison somewhere else, between Hudler and Williams. It's almost starting to look like Deja Vu.

In my highschool there was a rich kid, who sucked at football. His dad was "connected" and despite the fact that this kid should have been cut almost first, he not only joined the team but went on to be the quarterback. Much like Hudler, he sucked at that position, and my HS football team lost every single game that year. Granted, I was more interested in setting off fireworks beneath the stands, than actually watching the game.

What does this got to do with Hudler? Absolutely nothing. I just feel the same about Hudler as I did about the rich kid who lead our team to a completely losing season.

It really didn't help that all of our cheerleaders were the size of a couch. Girls were kind of ugly in the early 90's.

Edited December 14, 2010 by Joey v3.4

[Echolalia 2,961]

Actually tonight Hudler looked as close as he ever has to his old self. He held onto pucks a little longer and seemed a little more comfortable in the offensive zone. I did notice he opted for the pass on a mini two-on-one in the second where I'm almost certain a confident Hudler would've shot. He was pretty square to the net for a 2 on 1.

[titanium2 867]

So the bottom six yesterday was something like this:

Hudler-Helm-Cleary

Miller-Abdelkader-Eaves

And despite the loss, they obviously did a lot of good things.

Did anyone notice anything in particular about a difference in play between when Helm is the third line center versus Abdelkader? (And please keep references to Helm's finishing ability to a minimum if possible).

It appeared as if something clicked there. Maybe, maybe not.

[syntax 359]

Wings forward Jiri Hudler is on the trade block, if he is traded it will be closer to the trade deadline.

about 1 hour ago via web

-From NHLSourcesSay

Obviously, take with a grain of salt.

[titanium2 867]

Wings forward Jiri Hudler is on the trade block, if he is traded it will be closer to the trade deadline.

about 1 hour ago via web

-From NHLSourcesSay

Obviously, take with a grain of salt.

Yikes.

[Konnan511 1,736]

Wings forward Jiri Hudler is on the trade block, if he is traded it will be closer to the trade deadline.

about 1 hour ago via web

-From NHLSourcesSay

Obviously, take with a grain of salt.

Damn, that's still like 30 games away.

[titanium2 867]

Who else besides Zherdev is now back in the NHL after some time in the KHL?

[kylee 727]

Wings forward Jiri Hudler is on the trade block, if he is traded it will be closer to the trade deadline.

about 1 hour ago via web

-From NHLSourcesSay

Obviously, take with a grain of salt.

is this a legit source? if so, i just dont understand how the Wings organization can be so ready to pull the trigger and send off a guy who can be a six player with 25-35 goals a year whose only 26...sure he's in some slump right now but i do believe the year before he defected he went something crazy llike 30 games in between goals. Like other young players the goal is always consistency. Why send off top six potential because of a slow start?

[Broken 16 381]

is this a legit source? if so, i just dont understand how the Wings organization can be so ready to pull the trigger and send off a guy who can be a six player with 25-35 goals a year whose only 26...sure he's in some slump right now but i do believe the year before he defected he went something crazy llike 30 games in between goals. Like other young players the goal is always consistency. Why send off top six potential because of a slow start?

Slow start? Little beyond a slow start, don'tcha think?

[kylee 727]

Slow start? Little beyond a slow start, don'tcha think?

sure, but doesn't the crux of my point stand?

[titanium2 867]

sure, but doesn't the crux of my point stand?

Well, in regards to the credibility of the source, it does have its own version of The Onion:

http://twitter.com/BSNHLSourcesSay

[Guest Stolberg]

its around eklund level credibility-wise

[syntax 359]

Yep, NHLSourcesSay is in the middle of the credibility list somewhere. I've seen them post utter BS, then pull off a gem a week before anyone else knows what's going on. Hence my 'grain of salt' comment.

[Guest Hatethedrake!]

I've been wondering if having Hudler on the team is affecting other players. I mean think about it. Here is Hudler who is making 3 million a year. He plays lousy and yet he still gets playing time and power play time. I think it's sending the wrong message to all the other Wings players. I know the Wings have one of the most (if not the most) solid locker rooms in the NHL. But it's human nature. If you see someone at your workplace screwing the dog and not contributing, it does have an effect on the other workers. It creates a bad and toxic atmosphere. I think the longer this goes the more it will affect the Wings as a team. The Wings did great in October and November but are off to an average start to December. Is Hudler's presence one of the reasons? I'm not saying if it is or isn't but I belive it's something to think about. FWIW, I don't see Hudler turning it around. I really don't. A quarter of the season has been played and he is not getting any better. The ones who believe he is showing improvement are likely seeing what they want to see. Holland is showing alot of patience with this guy. Holland is the best GM in the game but is he afraid to admit he made a mistake bringing him back? Trading him would in essence be admitting that but you have to cut bait at some point. The bigger mistake would be to keep playing him and getting nothing. Hudler needs to go. Whether it's for a draft pick, a minor league player or even waivers. He needs to go.

[Broken 16 381]

sure, but doesn't the crux of my point stand?

If he would have had any sort of positive streak to reflect on beforehand, I'd certainly agree. But he has literally shown next to NOTHING since he got back. That's my only concern.