Grading the Wings after 41 games

[titanium2 867]

FORWARDS

Justin Abdelkader B

**Made an immediate impact on the third line upon returning from a rib injury. He's still learning the league but is generally a hard worker and responsible defensively.

Todd Bertuzzi A-

**Got off to a great start offensively, has played well defensively and showed he can still be a game-changer by scoring big goals.

Danny Cleary A

**Shored up the third line and then capitalized when given more minutes. His work ethic can't ever be faulted. Had 16 goals in 35 games before breaking his right ankle.

Pavel Datsyuk A

**Another guy who benefited from a long summer break, Datsyuk netted 12 goals among 39 points in 33 games before breaking his hand. A creative genius, he's been dazzling to watch again.

Kris Draper B+

**Accepted being in and out of the rotation the first two months and then showed he can still contribute. Provides veteran leadership and helped out with three goals in a six-game span.

Patrick Eaves A

**As good as they come as a role player, he provides speed and energy, kills penalties, and has shown how good he can be with the puck by scoring 12 goals in 33 games.

Valtteri Filppula B-

**He was on a nice roll with seven points in six games before being sidelined by a groin injury. Still needs to go to the inside and shoot more and show he's a bona fide second-line center.

Johan Franzen A-

**Leads the team with 17 goals has at least a point in 27 of his 40 games. He's on track for a career year offensively, using his big body and soft hands to thwart opponents regularly.

Darren Helm A

**His main role is to provide energy and kill penalties, but lately he's also shown the offensive side to him that teammates have long have encouraged, with nine points in a nine-game stretch.

Tomas Holmstrom B

**He's on pace for another 20-goal season and remains as big a pest as ever in front of the net, setting screens and tipping pucks. His four power-play goals are second on the team.

Jiri Hudler D

**He has struggled badly in returning to the NHL after a season in the KHL, and has just 12 points after 36 games, well below what's expected of a guy making $2.875 million.

Drew Miller C+

**He earned a return engagement after a really strong 2009-10, and while he hasn't been bad, he hasn't quite taken another step forward, either, with just one goal and six points in 34 games.

Mike Modano B-

**He spent October adapting and getting his 40-year-old legs going, then showed in November why the Wings signed him by setting up six goals in nine games before suffering a severe wrist injury.

Henrik Zetterberg A

**He looked back on track for a great year from the start, then showed his leadership in doing more after Datsyuk got hurt. Had 15 goals and 31 assists after 41 games.

DEFENSE

Jonathan Ericsson B

**He's daily proof why it pays to be patient, as he's looked like a steady, reliable player again, having distanced himself from the turnovers that plagued him all last season.

Jakub Kindl C

**On the balance he's done a serviceable job as the team's reserve defenseman, especially considering this is his rookie season. He just needs to keep focused on learning in practices.

Niklas Kronwall A

**He's already set a career high by scoring eight goals, and in general has looked back to the form he was before getting hurt last season, including going to his shot more.

Nicklas Lidstrom A+

**The team's Cyborg defenseman is likely to win a seventh Norris trophy after a great offensive first half has been coupled with his usual superb defensive play and ever-calming presence.

Brian Rafalski B+

**He was sidelined at the start by a knee injury and has since had to adjust to playing with a brace, permanently. Generates offense with his passes and has two goals and 26 assists in 30 games.

Ruslan Salei B

**His steady presence has had a ripple effect on the whole defense, enabling the Wings to field three balanced pairings and keep everyone's minutes in check. Also good on the penalty kill.

Brad Stuart A

**The team's workhorse, he's been great night after night and been a great partner for Lidstrom. He's fearless when it comes to blocking shots and great on the PK.

GOALTENDERS

Jimmy Howard A-

**He gives his teammates the chance to win on most nights and has been racing Montreal's Carey Price for most wins much of the season.

Chris Osgood B

**Has looked much better than his previous two seasons. Was spectacular in picking up his 400th career victory Dec. 27.

COACHES

Mike Babcock A

**Babcock and his assistants made sure everyone had the structure down pat in training camp, have juggled lines and reshuffled defensive pairings. Babcock is demanding, but players know he does it to maximize winning.

Read more: Grading the Red Wings' first half | freep.com | Detroit Free Press http://www.freep.com/article/20110109/SPORTS05/101090581/Grading-the-Red-Wings--first-half#ixzz1AX9eD9iG

Hopefully this will spark some quality discussion.

St. James is obviously a lot more friendly of an evaluator than we are here on LGW, but she's not all wrong imo. The grades are obviously based on what the Wings expect of each player and how well they've met those expectations or perhaps surpassed them.

[Echolalia 2,961]

Hmm, I guess I'm a bit more harsh a grader than the freep.

[Reds4Life 51]

Pretty good, though I'd give E (maybe even F) to Hudler; D to Modano and Miller; C to Abdelkader; B to Helm and Howard

Edited January 9, 2011 by Reds4Life

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Kindl - B

Lidstrom - A+

Abdelkader - B

Cleary - A+

Datsyuk - A

Eaves - A+

Miller - C

Tatar - N/A

Stuart - A

Salei - B

Hudler - C-

Rafalski - A-

Osgood - B

MacDonald - N/A

Draper - B+

Howard - B+

Janik - B

Mursak - B

Zetterberg - A

Helm - A-

Bertuzzi - B

Filppula - B

Ericsson - B

Kronwall - A

Franzen - A-

Holmstrom - B

[titanium2 867]

And now Mlive.com's Ansar Kahn:

Forwards

Justin Abdelkader (B) -- Has tapered off a bit, with two points (assists) in 24 games, following a strong start, but still is tied for second on the team at plus-11. A physical, in-your-face player whose role was expanded to include penalty killing.

Todd Bertuzzi (B-) -- Had a strong first quarter at both ends of the ice, producing offensively and back-checking diligently. Led team with a plus-13 rating at one point but now is even. Went 15 games without a goal before scoring twice in Edmonton.

Danny Cleary (A) -- Fractured ankle was a tough break for a versatile player who was playing the best hockey of his career (16 goals, 26 points) after putting last season’s health issues behind him. Hopes to return just before or after the All-Star break (Jan. 27-31).

Pavel Datsyuk (A) -- Rebounded after a down year, offensively, by his standards. He was clicking with Henrik Zetterberg and again leading league in takeaways before suffering a broken hand that will keep him out another three weeks.

Kris Draper (B) -- After missing two months with a sports hernia, he has taken advantage of opportunities created by injuries. He is providing energy and chipping in offensively with three goals in his last seven games.

Patrick Eaves (A-) -- A strong penalty killer who’s using his wicked wrist shot more often and being rewarded for it, with 12 goals, equaling his total from last season.

Valtteri Filppula (B) -- A first half of spurts and lulls for a player who still has not reached his potential. He will look like a star for a few games and then won’t have much impact for a stretch. He’s on pace for 20 goals, which is good, and 50 points, which is about 20 fewer than the club projected.

Johan Franzen (A-) -- He is scoring goals (18) at his typically healthy rate. But still there is room for improvement. He can he harder on defenses and stronger on the puck with his size, strength and skating ability.

Darren Helm (B+) -- Has picked up the pace offensively, creating a lot of chances with his speed. Still learning to become a better finisher. Has improved in faceoffs. Main duties are still to provide energy and kill penalties.

Tomas Holmstrom (B) -- The long-time net-front specialist appeared to be nearing an end following the 2008-09 season, but he continues doing his thing, tipping shots and providing screens. He’s on pace for another 20-goal season.

Jiri Hudler (D) -- It was a miserable first half for a skilled player who returned from Russia with high expectations. He collected only three goals and 12 points in 36 games, while sporting a team-worst minus-8. He has improved lately, but needs to be more involved, go to the net and shoot more.

Drew Miller (C+) -- A grinder and penalty killer who raised the bar last season, stepping in for injured players and scoring 10 goals. The offensive opportunities haven’t been there this season (one goal, six points).

Mike Modano © -- Got off to a slow start but was getting more comfortable in new surroundings before having a tendon in his wrist severed by a skate blade. He is expected to return in March, but can he go through the whole process again and be a factor in the playoffs?

Jan Mursak (Incomplete) -- Fast skater who has some offensive upside but for now will be expected to forecheck hard, pressure opponents into making mistakes and provide energy. He will continue to get an opportunity while the club has injuries.

Tomas Tatar (Incomplete) -- His exuberant goal-scoring celebration in his NHL debut could be repeated often once this skilled player with a nose for the net establishes himself in Detroit next season or the year after.

Henrik Zetterberg (A) -- Having his best season since 2007-08, he got jump-started playing on a line with Datsyuk and has continued to flourish after his linemate was injured.

Defensemen

Jonathan Ericsson (B) -- One of team’s most-improved players. He is playing with poise and confidence, which he lacked last season. He has cut down on turnovers and has been more sound positionally.

Jakub Kindl (C+) -- Played OK as an injury replacement earlier in the season. Now, with Brad Stuart out for a while, the offensive-minded Kindl must step up his game and play safe and steady in his own zone.

Niklas Kronwall (B+) -- Already has a career-high eight goals, as he’s jumping into the play more often. Hasn’t dished out the bone-jarring hits like he once did. Club hopes he’s saving it for the playoffs.

Nicklas Lidstrom (A) -- A tremendous first half for an ageless wonder who appears on track for his seventh Norris Trophy. At age 40, in his 19th season, he is off to his best offensive start. He’s just a machine.

Brian Rafalski (B) -- Offensively, he’s been a factor with his puck movement (two goals, 27 assists in 31 games). Defensively, he’s not been as solid, averaging about one giveaway a game.

Ruslan Salei (B) -- A no-frills, stay-at-home sixth defenseman who has done what the club has asked. He plays a safe, steady game and provides a physical element without the rattling hits.

Brad Stuart (A-) -- His size and grit will be tough to replace as he recovers from a broken jaw. He does the dirty work, leading the team in hits and blocked shots and was having another strong season.

Goaltenders

Jimmy Howard (B) -- Was strong first two months, picking up where he left off last season. His performance tailed off over the last month, as he went 6-5-1 with a 3.35 goals-against average and .889 save percentage during one stretch. Was outstanding Saturday in Vancouver and needs to regain his consistency.

Chris Osgood (B-) -- Getting his 400th win might have been a load off his back. Played well since returning from a groin injury, but now the issue has flared up again, forcing him to see a specialist on Monday to determine if surgery is needed.

Coaching

Mike Babcock and staff (A) -- Team defense and penalty killing have not been as strong as they would like, but they continue to find ways to win, no easy task as injuries mount and the competition gets tougher.

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2011/01/red_wings_midseason_report_car.html

[hooon 1,089]

Agree with both analysts views for the most part, except Howard is not an A-, even after last night's game.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Hmm, I guess I'm a bit more harsh a grader than the freep.

No kidding.

I'm happy with the Wings overall, but talk about some homer grades there from the free press. On a team that's often giving up 3 and 4 goals a game, they're getting off easy for defensive miscues.

Kronwall's had a great offensives season, but as mentioned by Khan hasn't been hitting anybody, and has had more than his fair share of brainfarts defensively. To me that warrants lower than an A. I'd give Kronwall a B, maybe B-

Rafalski too. doing great offensively, but some games he'll get three points but have just as many brutal defensive gaffes. B or B-.

Homer's been his usual self in front of the net and in the corners, but has been a turnover machine anywhere else. I guess a B fits that though.

And how does Howard get an A-, unless these grades were given after the game last night? Jimmy's not been bad, but if he was in the A range last season, he's a B this season. Too many juicy rebounds and occasional softies.

Ozzy I'd give a B. good, not great. But for the first time has shown he can be effective as a backup.

Otherwise I thought most of the other grades were pretty good.

Edited January 9, 2011 by haroldsnepsts

[Buppy 1,720]

Datsyuk - A (Was having maybe his best season yet before the injury)

Zetterberg - A (Had some slow spots, but has stepped up big since Pav went down)

Franzen - B (Too much casual play to get an A, but production is solid)

Holmstrom - B- (Age is catching up to him, but still on a 20g pace)

Filppula - C+ (Was improving before the injury, still needs to use his speed more, and of course shoot)

Bertuzzi - C+ (Fading some after a great start)

Cleary - A+ (Hopefully he won't lose anything when he comes back)

Hudler - D+ (Improving lately, still needs a lot more improvement, also needs to shoot a lot more)

Abdelkader - B- (Like Bert, fading after a great start, but expectations are lower for him)

Helm - B+ (Hot lately, seems finally to be trying to round out his game and not just rely on speed. Needs to hit more)

Eaves - A (Great lately, almost a 30g pace. Almost hope he slows down so we can re-sign him cheaper)

Miller - C- (Mostly invisible as expected, but gets a minus since our PK hasn't been good)

Modano - C- (Can only wonder what might have been without the injury, was starting to improve)

Draper - B (Looking good for an old man. Fits well with Helm)

Mursak - C (About what I expected in his limited time)

Tatar - B (Some impressive flashes in his brief time, and no glaring mistakes)

Lidstrom - B+ (Still the best in the game, despite a weak +/-)

Rafalski - B- (Stellar offense, turnovers haven't been too bad)

Stuart - C+ (Maybe not good enough to do everything he's being asked, but has been solid. Just too many mistakes)

Kronwall - B- (Seems almost too focused on goal scoring. Turnovers and poor passes keep him from an A)

Ericsson - B (Huge improvement over last season)

Salei - C (Hoped he'd play a little more physical, but he's been good)

Kindl - C (Not too many mistakes, can't expect much more)

Janik - C (Not bad in his limited call-up role)

Osgood - C+ (Better than last year, some great games, but still too many mediocre ones)

Howard - C (Poor lately after a very good start. Hopefully, the Canucks game marks a turnaround)

Babs - C+ (Could have handled the goalies better, and do a better job getting 60 minute efforts, but he's getting guys to step up with the injuries)

Piet Van Zant - Z----- (Scapegoat for the injuries. One more and we'll need to invent a new letter)

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

With those grades, you'd think we were undefeated this season.

Little too generous there. We're having a good year, but we're not the '77 Canadiens. There are some weaknesses on this team. Howard and Rafalski should be graded lower.

Edited January 10, 2011 by GMRwings1983

[eva unit zero 271]

Grading Modano above Hudler is a joke. Modano has been no better defensively or physically; arguably worse. Modano plays a much higher percentage of his time on the power play, and averaged more per game overall.

It'll all come out in the wash with Hudler's A for the second half, though.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Grading Modano above Hudler is a joke. Modano has been no better defensively or physically; arguably worse. Modano plays a much higher percentage of his time on the power play, and averaged more per game overall.

It'll all come out in the wash with Hudler's A for the second half, though.

You're wrong.

Hudler should be A+++++++++++++

Like A Christmas Story.

[Konnan511 1,736]

I'll grade later and take slack for being LGW resident ahole teacher in a bit.

[sleepwalker 512]

Hudler - C-

Hudler has played "average" the first half? Man, I wish you were my teacher in high school. I would have made the honor role!

[hooon 1,089]

You're wrong.

Hudler should be A+++++++++++++

Like A Christmas Story.

A compass and a stock and this thing which tells time... Poetry! Sheer poetry!

[titanium2 867]

My own ratings really aren't all that different. Although if you were to ask me against tomorrow I'd probably adjust a few here and there.

The evaluations from St. James and Khan are undoubtedly debatable but they're also close enough within range of what is fair imo.

A - Excellent

B - Does his job well, for the most part

C - Bare Minimum

D - Below Average

F - Fail

Justin Abdelkader (B)

Todd Bertuzzi (B)

Danny Cleary (A)

Pavel Datsyuk (A)

Kris Draper (B)

Patrick Eaves (A-)

Valtteri Filppula (B)

Johan Franzen (B)

Darren Helm (B+)

Tomas Holmstrom (B-)

Jiri Hudler (D)

Drew Miller (C+)

Mike Modano (C-)

Henrik Zetterberg (A)

Defensemen

Jonathan Ericsson (B)

Niklas Kronwall (B+)

Nicklas Lidstrom (A)

Brian Rafalski (B-)

Ruslan Salei (B-)

Brad Stuart (A-)

Goaltenders

Jimmy Howard (B)

Chris Osgood (B)

[Guest mjtm77]

disagree with Stuart being an A

Datsyuk - A (Was having maybe his best season yet before the injury)

Zetterberg - A (Had some slow spots, but has stepped up big since Pav went down)

Franzen - B (Too much casual play to get an A, but production is solid)

Holmstrom - B- (Age is catching up to him, but still on a 20g pace)

Filppula - C+ (Was improving before the injury, still needs to use his speed more, and of course shoot)

Bertuzzi - C+ (Fading some after a great start)

Cleary - A+ (Hopefully he won't lose anything when he comes back)

Hudler - D+ (Improving lately, still needs a lot more improvement, also needs to shoot a lot more)

Abdelkader - B- (Like Bert, fading after a great start, but expectations are lower for him)

Helm - B+ (Hot lately, seems finally to be trying to round out his game and not just rely on speed. Needs to hit more)

Eaves - A (Great lately, almost a 30g pace. Almost hope he slows down so we can re-sign him cheaper)

Miller - C- (Mostly invisible as expected, but gets a minus since our PK hasn't been good)

Modano - C- (Can only wonder what might have been without the injury, was starting to improve)

Draper - B (Looking good for an old man. Fits well with Helm)

Mursak - C (About what I expected in his limited time)

Tatar - B (Some impressive flashes in his brief time, and no glaring mistakes)

Seen a few one caused a goal agianst

[Bring Back The Bruise Bros 1,029]

Cleary was on fire before he was injured, same can be said for Datsyuk. Eaves has proved himself to be a valuable part of the team. Abdelkader has played decent. Lidstrom, nearly perfect, as usual. Although he is aging, so not quite as perfect. Miller has been decent at best, nothing great. Filppula has been playing well as of late. Hudler was beyond a fail for the first 30 games, but has shown slight improvement. Interested to see if Janik gets a chance now that Stuart is out for a while.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Pretty good, though I'd give E (maybe even F) to Hudler; D to Modano and Miller; C to Abdelkader; B to Helm and Howard

If they gave these grades out last month Hudler would've gotten an F. Based on his play over the last few weeks he's looked fine. He's still creating tons of chances out there and looks dangerous on the PP. I'd give him a C or C- today. Last month I'd have definitely given him an F or at least a D.

Edited January 10, 2011 by Drake_Marcus

[Konnan511 1,736]

Abdelkader - B-

Cleary - A

Datsyuk - A

Eaves - B

Miller - C

Tatar - C+

Hudler - D+

Draper - B-

Mursak - C

Zetterberg - A-

Helm - A-

Bertuzzi - B-

Filppula - B-

Franzen - A-

Holmstrom - B-

Lidstrom - A+

Ericsson - C+

Kronwall - B

Rafalski - A-

Stuart - B

Salei - C+

Kindl - C

Howard - B

Osgood - C

[eva unit zero 271]

Hudler has played "average" the first half? Man, I wish you were my teacher in high school. I would have made the honor role!

Are you sure about that? I don't think you would have.