WCQF Game 4 GDT: Red Wings 6 at Coyotes 3

[wingnut40 176]

Good on ya!!

Ah yes. I thought so...

[Electrophile 3,554]

Considering I was worried that we'd have a hard time making it out of the 1st round, given how we were playing the last half of the regular season, sweeping our 1st round opponent is a very nice surprise. I didn't expect us to play this well, even though I knew we had the talent to pull it off. I thought our injury issues and underperformance problems would get the better of us, even it if wasn't deserved.

Never felt so good to be wrong.

[LeftWinger 4,959]

Wait..what? Helm will not get anywhere near that. he might hit 2.5 at most, but I'm guessing he gets around 2mil at most.

Well, I am just going by his value to this team. I understand what you are saying, and I am sure he is not going to hold out or go to arbitration (cough Hudler cough cough) so ya, he probably will take a contract around $2M-$2.5M because it would be such a huge raise for him, but he is outplaying a lot of players that are making a lot more money...

Edited April 21, 2011 by LeftWinger

[GoWings1905 2,694]

He was just as shaky all season long. People here were just focusing on things like Howard's poor play, Hudler's slump, Datsyuk's injury, etc. and so Stuart slipped under the radar. But now most of the team is playing very well, so he doesn't look so solid anymore.

You never give Stu any credit regardless. He's just a very steady d-man; I don't know what more people expect from him. He isn't flashy, but he's physical and incredibly reliable in his own zone. I don't think Stuart's play dropped off at all in this series - he was still strong, but Kronwall and Salei just ramped up their play a ton from the regular season. I don't see that as a flaw in Stuart, it just means the other guys weren't playing up to their potential. I don't know where you are coming up with Stuart isn't "solid". He had one rough night in game 7 in 2009, but beyond that he has been our most consistent d-man since he came here not named Lidstrom.

Somewhat related note, but if we didn't have a guy named Pavel Datsyuk, Niklas Kronwall was the MVP of this series. Best Kronner has looked since the 2008 playoffs.

[Yak19 303]

I don't feel bad for Yotes fans because they didn't come out and support the team, now they could lose the team and they realize it. Should have went to games the last few years, should have got season tickets, compared to Detroit and all the Canadian markets the tickets are dirt cheap too. They are crying now but where were they before?

Edited April 21, 2011 by Yak19

[plopster 136]

I was able to listen to the game via my sling player on my ipod while working. So I didn't see much of it. How did Modano look out there? Was he hungry, physical and energetic?

[VM1138 1,921]

Helm, right now, is one of the most valuable Wings. He is more important to this team than most, if not everyone not named Lidstrom/Datsyuk/Zetterberg. There in lies the problem. After next season, he will be an RFA, he will easily, EASILY get more than Filppula, Hudler or Cleary. If he continues his playoff magic this season and throughout next, he will be in the $3.5M - $4M... More Cap, More Problems... He is well worth the money! When Lids retires, Helm could easily be the next Alternate Captain. If Lids stays a couple more seasons, he could easily become the next Captain, even ahead of Zetterberg...

Well, maybe, in the off season, Holland could package Stuart/Hudler for a trade to LA for Jack Johnson....

I doubt he's going to get more than Cleary and Filppula. Sure, he's great, and one of the best players on the team, but he's not a second liner yet and shouldn't be paid like one.

[Konnan511 1,736]

I was able to listen to the game via my sling player on my ipod while working. So I didn't see much of it. How did Modano look out there? Was he hungry, physical and energetic?

He looked very energized. He still shoots too far away form the net, but he directly lead to the first goal of the game by taking a defender out of the play by driving the net.

[HankthaTank 1,100]

Well, maybe, in the off season, Holland could package Stuart/Hudler for a trade to LA for Jack Johnson....

You're kidding, right?

Hudler, maybe but Stuie better not go anywhere. Johnson is solid but let's not go crazy.

[Nightfall 871]

Gotta give Howard some credit too. He was a steady goalie. He didn't need to come up with game saving stops all the time, but he did have to play solid which he did. I was watching some of the goals he allowed and I can count one softie he probably should have had. The rest were deflections, uncovered players on the other side of the net, and so on. If the defense plays this well and the goaltending is solid, then the Wings are going to go far. Especially considering 13 different players scored in this series. Talk about depth!

Rest up Wings! 12 more to go!

[Konnan511 1,736]

For 3.75 mil a season and a guy who has been a plus once in the past 6 seasons while averaging about 20 points a game, I think he got lucky with such a big contract. I like him, and think he adds more positives than negatives to the team. I think he's slightly over valued and a contract that paid him 2.75-3.25mil a year would be about appropriate, but we are definately a much better team since he arrived to the Wings and am happy he is here.

Jack Johnson is a Dion Phaneuf, except Jack Johnson has zero idea how to play defense. I mean damn, JMFJ finished -21 on a team that finished +22.

Edited April 21, 2011 by Konnan511

[Drake_Marcus 890]

For 3.75 mil a season and a guy who has been a plus once in the past 6 seasons while averaging about 20 points a game, I think he got lucky with such a big contract. I like him, and think he adds more positives than negatives to the team. I think he's slightly over valued and a contract that paid him 2.75-3.25mil a year would be about appropriate, but we are definately a much better team since he arrived to the Wings and am happy he is here.

Jack Johnson is a Dion Phaneuf, except Jack Johnson has zero idea how to play defense. I mean damn, JMFJ finished -21 on a team that finished +22.

Johnson is talented and physically gifted but he's dumber than a bag of hammers. He doesn't have a head for the game. Very similar to Dion.

Well, maybe, in the off season, Holland could package Stuart/Hudler for a trade to LA for Jack Johnson....

Johnson doesn't have the hockey IQ to play in Detroit.

[Konnan511 1,736]

Johnson is talented and physically gifted but he's dumber than a bag of hammers. He doesn't have a head for the game. Very similar to Dion.

Johnson doesn't have the hockey IQ to play in Detroit.

I guess we disagree on that. Dion is a very smart hockey player and that makes me sick just saying that. I compared JMFJ and Neon Dion because they play very similar except Dion knows how to play defense. He's only been a minus player once before this season where he finished -1 on a team that finished -122!!! Dion has a great head for the game, JMFJ on the other hand is lucky to be able to tie his own shoes without his father's help.

[Z and D for the C 712]

Helm, right now, is one of the most valuable Wings. He is more important to this team than most, if not everyone not named Lidstrom/Datsyuk/Zetterberg. There in lies the problem. After next season, he will be an RFA, he will easily, EASILY get more than Filppula, Hudler or Cleary. If he continues his playoff magic this season and throughout next, he will be in the $3.5M - $4M... More Cap, More Problems... He is well worth the money! When Lids retires, Helm could easily be the next Alternate Captain. If Lids stays a couple more seasons, he could easily become the next Captain, even ahead of Zetterberg...

Okay, you're getting kind of ridiculous. He's an awesome energy guy and flies around like crazy, but he had 32 points this season in 82 games. He isn't the next Yzerman.

[HankthaTank 1,100]

Okay, you're getting kind of ridiculous. He's an awesome energy guy and flies around like crazy, but he had 32 points this season in 82 games. He isn't the next Yzerman.

And you are underestimating him so let's not get out of hand either. Points aren't what makes a player and Helm is not only just "an awesome energy guy and flies around like crazy" anymore. Both are wrong

[Guest Crymson]

I guess we disagree on that. Dion is a very smart hockey player and that makes me sick just saying that. I compared JMFJ and Neon Dion because they play very similar except Dion knows how to play defense. He's only been a minus player once before this season where he finished -1 on a team that finished -122!!! Dion has a great head for the game, JMFJ on the other hand is lucky to be able to tie his own shoes without his father's help.

Dion is also a conceited ****** and is a terrible presence in the locker room.

[Konnan511 1,736]

Dion is also a conceited ****** and is a terrible presence in the locker room.

Never said he wasn't. Never said I wanted him. I was just comparing two players whose only main difference is that one is good at defense.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

Bryzgalov played that third period like his driver had the engine running on his limo.

From Toronto Sun :

Winnipeg isn't even back in the NHL, yet, but it already has a potential free agent problem.

Phoenix Coyotes goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov, a soon-to-be free agent who was probably the team's most valuable player the last two seasons, says he'd rather go back to Russia than play in Winnipeg.

"You don't want to go to Winnipeg, right?" Bryzgalov said after the Coyotes lost to Detroit, Wednesday night. "Not many people live there, not many Russian people there. Plus it's cold. There's no excitement except the hockey. No park, no entertaining for the families, for the kids. It's going to be tough life for your family."

...

[Konnan511 1,736]

Bryz has said for a while that he won't play in Winnipeg if the team moves. Can't blame him, it's like living in Edmonton...but worse.

[TheXym 2,606]

I long ago got the feeling that Keith Jones dislikes the Wings from his Avalanche days.

I thought the same the first time I heard him on a broadcast commenting about the Wings.

[TheXym 2,606]

While I agree he leaves it all on the ice, and gives his all every game, I don't feel that he merited such effusive praise from the broadcasters right after being swept. Yes, I wouldn't mind having him on my team if I'm a GM but I'm not a huge fan of the douchebaggery he displays at times on the ice. Sure his team was limited, though I'd add Turris and maybe Boedker to your list, but after years of seeing Yzerman being ripped by broadcasters for the lack of playoff success pre 1997, I'm gonna have that filter. Yzerman totally revamped his play for the good of the team with great success. I'd also consider Lidstrom a better leader than Doan by a significant margin. Maybe I came across too harshly with my George Custer Memorial Trophy comment, but the Wings just swept the Coyotes and it seemed to my tired brain at 1:00 am that they were slighting the only team to pull off the sweep.

Edited April 21, 2011 by TheXym

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

Since "Maggie the Monkey" didn't make the picks on TSN this season (she retired), they enlisted a willing replacement: Regis "Pierre" McGuire. When it came to the Detroit - Phoenix/Glendale series, he was asked who had the better goaltending. He made a funny face and said "Bryzgalov, of course; the only people who would chose Jimmy Howard is his family".

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Johnson is talented and physically gifted but he's dumber than a bag of hammers. He doesn't have a head for the game. Very similar to Dion.

Johnson doesn't have the hockey IQ to play in Detroit.

I've always thought Johnson was overrated. Great offensive skills, not so into playing defense.

After watching him this season, I still wouldn't want the Wings to deal for him, but he's improved in the defense department. He's physical, blocks a ton of shots, and obviously has a very good offensive skillset. At 24 years old, there's still hope for him to turn into a great offensive defenseman who's not a total liability in his own end.

Of anyonone on the Kings I'd want in Detroit, it'd be Matt Greene, but they have him locked up long term. I mean, sure, I'd want Doughty, but I don't see LA parting with him ever. Martinez is an interesting young defenseman for the kings and is an RFA this season.

[Konnan511 1,736]

I've always thought Johnson was overrated. Great offensive skills, not so into playing defense.

After watching him this season, I still wouldn't want the Wings to deal for him, but he's improved in the defense department. He's physical, blocks a ton of shots, and obviously has a very good offensive skillset. At 24 years old, there's still hope for him to turn into a great offensive defenseman who's not a total liability in his own end.

Of anyonone on the Kings I'd want in Detroit, it'd be Matt Greene, but they have him locked up long term. I mean, sure, I'd want Doughty, but I don't see LA parting with him ever. Martinez is an interesting young defenseman for the kings and is an RFA this season.

The guys a beast. If he was on the East coast, everyone would know his name. He's a lot like Rafalski in so many ways, just faster...he's even from Michigan

Plus with Hickey and Forbort and even Voynov, they might be willing to deal Martinez.

Edited April 21, 2011 by Konnan511

[wingslogo19 281]

Great sweep glad that the boys can rest up now. Look forward to round 2, LETS GO RED WINGS