Jakub Kindl

[newfy 695]

Kindl will be fine, he looks like Big E did/does in his NHL career thus far. It is also really hard to get your groove going when you are in and out of the line-up. I see Big E and Kindl rotating the rest of the season barring any injury.

Ericcson moved to D when he was 19, was actually dominant in the AHL for a season and came up to Dettroit playing poorly while his mom was going through chemo.

Kindl only showed dominance in the OHL, he never looked good in the AHL, I just really dont see him becoming much more then a number 5 defenceman who seems to have the skills but can never quite put it all together.

[Konnan511 1,736]

Ericcson moved to D when he was 19, was actually dominant in the AHL for a season and came up to Dettroit playing poorly while his mom was going through chemo.

Kindl only showed dominance in the OHL, he never looked good in the AHL, I just really dont see him becoming much more then a number 5 defenceman who seems to have the skills but can never quite put it all together.

They had the same amount of points in the AHL, except Kindl began his AHL career at 20 in stead of Ericsson's 22. I think Kindl will be far and better than big E is now in two years.

[newfy 695]

They had the same amount of points in the AHL, except Kindl began his AHL career at 20 in stead of Ericsson's 22. I think Kindl will be far and better than big E is now in two years.

Points dont mean much really. Anyone who watched the Griffs knows Ericcson was actually pretty dominant out there, Ericcson played very solid in a call up with the wings in the playoffs and Ericcson played bad in a season only where his mom was having chemo.

What has Kindl ever really shown besides that he has a decent set of hands with absolutely no defencive awareness? Guys like Travis Ehrhardt looked comparable to him defensively in GR, and he never even showed the slightest bit of defensive aptitude in the AHL.

What has he really shown that makes you think he will be better then Ericcson, Ericcson actually impressed in the NHL before last season too, Kindl has done absolutely nothing

[Bring Back The Bruise Bros 1,029]

Points dont mean much really. Anyone who watched the Griffs knows Ericcson was actually pretty dominant out there, Ericcson played very solid in a call up with the wings in the playoffs and Ericcson played bad in a season only where his mom was having chemo.

What has Kindl ever really shown besides that he has a decent set of hands with absolutely no defencive awareness? Guys like Travis Ehrhardt looked comparable to him defensively in GR, and he never even showed the slightest bit of defensive aptitude in the AHL.

What has he really shown that makes you think he will be better then Ericcson, Ericcson actually impressed in the NHL before last season too, Kindl has done absolutely nothing

I haven't really been impressed with him, either. I don't see him as a part of the team in the future. Smith could be ready to go as early as next year. I think Kindl will be trade bait, maybe he can thrive elsewhere, because he's not going to get a ton of playing time with guys like Lidstrom and Rafalski eating up the amount of ice time they do. Maybe he is dealt to a rebuilding organization where he is given more free-lance.

[Guest mjtm77]

bad draft pick by the wings that no one wants to admit.

[newfy 695]

bad draft pick by the wings that no one wants to admit.

Agreed. People try to say he has this long term potential because of his draft position when really he has made no strides really since turning pro or shown that he will ever be even close to solid defensively

[HankthaTank 1,100]

Agreed. People try to say he has this long term potential because of his draft position when really he has made no strides really since turning pro or shown that he will ever be even close to solid defensively

Yeah, I would like for you to be wrong about this and I am sure you would too but Kindl is just a non-factor out there as Big E was pretty noticeable his first year. We can hope that Kindl doesn't take the E route and disappear later in his career and in fact do the opposite. Here is hoping.....

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

bad draft pick by the wings that no one wants to admit.

Pre-mature. He's only a rookie.

Everybody here was ready to throw Ericsson under the bus after a bad first full year and he's doing all right now in his second full year. Kindl isn't even in his second full year.

Edited February 17, 2011 by SouthernWingsFan

[eva unit zero 271]

Yeah, I would like for you to be wrong about this and I am sure you would too but Kindl is just a non-factor out there as Big E was pretty noticeable his first year. We can hope that Kindl doesn't take the E route and disappear later in his career and in fact do the opposite. Here is hoping.....

Kindl is also the 7th defenseman, while Ericsson was playing regularly.

This is why I said at the end of last season that I expected our defense to be Lidstrom/Rafalski, Kronwall/Stuart, and Ericsson/Kindl with Meech as #7 to start the year; because you don't get better if you sit on your ass.

Had that happened, Kindl likely would be playing much better than he is now due to consistent play time and increased confidence.

[Barrie 900]

Any chance Toronto would be interested in trading Kaberle for Kindl?

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Kindl is also the 7th defenseman, while Ericsson was playing regularly.

This is why I said at the end of last season that I expected our defense to be Lidstrom/Rafalski, Kronwall/Stuart, and Ericsson/Kindl with Meech as #7 to start the year; because you don't get better if you sit on your ass.

Had that happened, Kindl likely would be playing much better than he is now due to consistent play time and increased confidence.

I do think it has to hinder development that he can't take what he's learned at the NHL level and continue to work on in it the minors. Sometimes Holland's "overly ripe" philosophy doesn't always work out.

[Guest Heaten]

How Kindl makes most of you feel this year, and how Ericsson made you feel last year is how I felt during Jiri Fischers first season in the NHL. I've learned back then not to expect much from a rookie defenseman. It'll take a few years. Just like it did with Jiri Fischer.

[Jesusberg 1,256]

I don't know what people don't understand about the cap era. Talent = cap space. People expect WAY too much out of our cheap, young defensemen. Detroit's a successful team who drafts late... They're not going to draft the next Shattenkirk. These guys are going to take some time to get fully accustomed to NHL play. People wanna throw away a rookie defenseman after 28 games!? Holy.

Before anyone says, "Well he could be replaced by a solid veteran who is a lot better defensively for the same cap hit"... yeah, maybe he could, but we've also got an aging defense core and we need to see if any of the players in our current system can be solid future defenders. Right now it seems to me like Kindl is being asked to focus on his defensive game, because yes it is lacking a lot at times. But in that time, I've also noticed some very strong defensive plays. It's like almost any other guys the Wings put through their system; defense first. Kindl's played minimal minutes, being shifted up and down the line-up. He jumped into an injury plagued team with a lot of other issues on the ice too. Maaaaaybe in the proper setting, he'd be showing some better growth, but again it's only been 28 GAMES.

If we threw away every player who struggled in his rookie season then we'd have about 3 active roster players.

[eva unit zero 271]

Everyone has a different definition of "NHL calibre"...Just cause there are guys on weaker teams who may be more suited for the game at the AHL level doesn't mean Kindl's any better, or he's an NHL quality Dman.

Some players may have the potential, but just never hone their abilities to stay in the "Bigs"...Many players are borderline AHL/NHL (where I see Kindl), and others are career AHL'ers.

If, of all defensemen currently signed to NHL contracts, he's in the top 180, then he's an NHL-caliber top-six defenseman. Math is easy.

[Guest Heaten]

I don't know what people don't understand about the cap era. Talent = cap space. People expect WAY too much out of our cheap, young defensemen. Detroit's a successful team who drafts late... They're not going to draft the next Shattenkirk. These guys are going to take some time to get fully accustomed to NHL play. People wanna throw away a rookie defenseman after 28 games!? Holy.

Before anyone says, "Well he could be replaced by a solid veteran who is a lot better defensively for the same cap hit"... yeah, maybe he could, but we've also got an aging defense core and we need to see if any of the players in our current system can be solid future defenders. Right now it seems to me like Kindl is being asked to focus on his defensive game, because yes it is lacking a lot at times. But in that time, I've also noticed some very strong defensive plays. It's like almost any other guys the Wings put through their system; defense first. Kindl's played minimal minutes, being shifted up and down the line-up. He jumped into an injury plagued team with a lot of other issues on the ice too. Maaaaaybe in the proper setting, he'd be showing some better growth, but again it's only been 28 GAMES.

If we threw away every player who struggled in his rookie season then we'd have about 3 active roster players.

I agree, if GMs overreacted to a player in his first 28 games like fans do, then there would be a lot of good players out there jobless... or other (patient) GMs would be ecstatic because all the great players they're getting from stupid GMs for nothing.

Kindl isn't going to be the next Lidstrom. He could develop into a Kronwall level in the next 4 or 5 years. (not a Kronwall player, but a Kronwall level / value)

That said, Ericsson is due for a raise. He could get $2.5 - $3 million on the open market as is. Holland needs to lock him up for around $2 million per year.

Edited February 17, 2011 by Heaten

[eva unit zero 271]

I agree, if GMs overreacted to a player in his first 28 games like fans do, then there would be a lot of good players out there jobless... or other (patient) GMs would be ecstatic because all the great players they're getting from stupid GMs for nothing.

Kindl isn't going to be the next Lidstrom. He could develop into a Kronwall level in the next 4 or 5 years. (not a Kronwall player, but a Kronwall level / value)

That said, Ericsson is due for a raise. He could get $2.5 - $3 million on the open market as is. Holland needs to lock him up for around $2 million per year.

Ericsson shouldn't get more than $1.25m. He's been playing well recently, but he's been inconsistent this year. His last few weeks have been $2m level, but not his whole year.

[Datsyerberger 279]

Mickey (my words, but close to his):

Kindl has done a very good job for a young player in his position.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

I can never keep it straight. Do we hate Ericsson now, or Kindl? Or Salei?

Someone remind me who's the whipping boy on defense.

[eva unit zero 271]

I can never keep it straight. Do we hate Ericsson now, or Kindl? Or Salei?

Someone remind me who's the whipping boy on defense.

There's a youth movement on the team, so it must be the oldest guy, right?

[achildr1 255]

Ericsson shouldn't get more than $1.25m. He's been playing well recently, but he's been inconsistent this year. His last few weeks have been $2m level, but not his whole year.

Yea, I can't justify paying 2 mil for him. Until he uses his size to his advantage its seems he'll stay the bottom pairing guy that he is.

[Rivalred 630]

Just a rookie

Ledba was on this team for a few yrs and Kindl is easily a step above

[VM1138 1,921]

He'll never be an important part of this team, a bottom pairing career guy. He wasn't very good in the AHL and he's basically only up because he's run out of options. I'm not going to rag on him because he is a rookie, but people saying he'll be like Kronwall are fooling themselves. If we trade Kindl, fine, the team doesn't lose anything significant, if we keep him, fine, he's not really hurting things all that much.

[Konnan511 1,736]

Kindl > Ericsson. Kindl had a rough fortnight, Ericsson has only played well for a fortnight.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Kindl > Ericsson. Kindl had a rough fortnight, Ericsson has only played well for a fortnight.

[eva unit zero 271]

Ledba was on this team for a few yrs

Despite the fact we had better defensemen sitting in Grand Rapids in Derek Meech and Kyle Quincey. Hell, Ericsson played three strong seasons and Kindl two in Grand Rapids before Lebda left.

There was no excuse for his being present on the team; between those four everything Lebda could possibly provide was accounted for, and all four were and are better players.