Hudler's Future

[Red Wings Addict 787]

The more I think about it, the more I feel like the Wings are stuck with him for one more year.

If we wanted to look at the upside, at least it's a contract year for him so maybe he'll play a little more motivated.

He was cocky and thought he deserved more money from the Wings, once he got to Russia he ran his mouth about how the Wings were holding back his talent and we had to welcome him back with open arms because of the arbitration. If he wasn't so greedy and stuck around he might have improved and become a vital player on the team.

I don't remember that. Not that I don't believe you but do you have a link by any chance?

[WizardOfOz30 1,886]

The more I think about it, the more I feel like the Wings are stuck with him for one more year.

If we wanted to look at the upside, at least it's a contract year for him so maybe he'll play a little more motivated.

I don't remember that. Not that I don't believe you but do you have a link by any chance?

Estranged Hudler

"Let them think what they want to. For me, the main thing is that I have been given the opportunity to reach a new level of my career. Understand, I didn't think of money in general this summer. I received a good contract, and could have done so in the NHL: I had been assured that arbitration would settle the dispute with Detroit to my advantage. I wanted another. With the Wings, though I won the Stanley Cup, I wasn't a leading part of the team. More likely, 'dragged a grand piano.' And now I would like not only victories, but also direct participation in them. To leave the bench on the first line, the majority of the time, to hammer in key goals. I want to leave Dynamo on that level."

Once I read that, I was done with him.

[Frozen-Man 144]

I have no problem if he is traded (although I don't know that for any return we get it would be worth it), however if he is traded and then pulls a Leino I bet there will be a lot of hysterical people here complaining about Holland.

[Barrie 900]

Hudler is signed for next year, with his trade value low, he's going no where. Also, he's in a contract year, so I'm expecting he'll return to 2008 form. Let's take advantage of that!

[LeftWinger 4,953]

I have no problem if he is traded (although I don't know that for any return we get it would be worth it), however if he is traded and then pulls a Leino I bet there will be a lot of hysterical people here complaining about Holland.

Nah, more times than not, Leino's are rare. Most of the time Holland pulls a Fleishmann or a Matthias... remember how up in arms the folks were when they traded them? Well, if Hudler goes on somewhere and becomes great, good on him, I just don't want him on the Wings anymore... btw, remember Fedorov? Sure, Holland didn't trade him, but he left thinking he was the man and Detroit needed him more than he needed Detroit, well look where that got him.... If Fedorov never left, he'd be ritiring a Wing and his jersey would be going up in the rafters... Trade Hudler, we won't miss him, even if he becomes something...

[Red Wings Addict 787]

Estranged Hudler

Once I read that, I was done with him.

Yeah. It's hard when you disagree with a certain approach. Or maybe culture is a better term for it. I would think that guys like Kenny and Babs make it clear that if you want to be on a scoring line you have to do x, y and z. If you don't do those things then you don't play on a scoring line. It's that simple. Jiri probably thought and probably still believes that he can do x and most of y or that he does a good enough job of x, y and z and thus he should be able to play within the top six. Here in NA I'm sure many hockey professionals in management and coaching disagree with the Red Wings approach or culture, which validates Hudler's supposed beliefs. Overall, maybe he'll never be a good enough fit for the Red Wings style.

[Frozen-Man 144]

Nah, more times than not, Leino's are rare. Most of the time Holland pulls a Fleishmann or a Matthias... remember how up in arms the folks were when they traded them? Well, if Hudler goes on somewhere and becomes great, good on him, I just don't want him on the Wings anymore... btw, remember Fedorov? Sure, Holland didn't trade him, but he left thinking he was the man and Detroit needed him more than he needed Detroit, well look where that got him.... If Fedorov never left, he'd be ritiring a Wing and his jersey would be going up in the rafters... Trade Hudler, we won't miss him, even if he becomes something...

I don't disagree with any of that, and I'm not saying Hudler will be a Leino. My point is the guy did have a 57 point year a couple years back so the talent is there and a Leino situation MIGHT happen. IF it does there will be hysterics by some posters here, I can practically guarantee it especially if he is traded now while his stock is so low. (Note: I'm not saying that he shouldn't be traded merely prognosticating about the short term memory of some people here if he turns it around for another team and they begin blaming Kenny and Co. for letting him go for next to nothing).

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

I'm surprised some folks here and saying he was even decent in Game 7. I thought he was far and away the worst forward on the team in that game. He was much, much better in Game 6. But the bottom line is, the team's secondary scoring type players had a very disappointing series, but at least they all chipped in at some point with a big play or two. All of them except Hudler, of course.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Trade him to the LNAH.

Let the big Canadian boys have their way with him.

Edited May 13, 2011 by GMRwings1983

[Firehawk 305]

I'm surprised some folks here and saying he was even decent in Game 7. I thought he was far and away the worst forward on the team in that game. He was much, much better in Game 6. But the bottom line is, the team's secondary scoring type players had a very disappointing series, but at least they all chipped in at some point with a big play or two. All of them except Hudler, of course.

I agree that he was terrible in Game 7. In no way does my opinion have anything to do with him putting Cleary out of the game. That was a completely freak accident that could have happened to anyone.

The entire year it seems Hudler has been reluctant to shoot the puck. Every time he gets the puck he's looking around to dish it off. He's even stopped and stood there with the puck, while given space, and continued to just stand there looking to dish it, not shoot it.

Hudler is here to score some goals. That requires shooting the puck. If he's not going to do that, he shouldn't be in the lineup. He gets paid way too much to do what he's done. I also think that he should have been benched in game 7. I felt Modano shoulda stayed in and draper should have replaced Hudler. I don't know if it woulda made much difference on the outcome of the game (other than Cleary) but Hudler didn't deserve to be in there in my opinion.

I do hope he isn't here next year. We need another 20 goal scorer but more importantly, we need to shore up the 5 and 6 defenders. Our defense was good in the san jose series but it was not great, not like in many past years where we knew how to chip the puck out religiously and didn't get beaten on the forecheck to the puck like we are so much now. I'm not used to seeing the wings struggle with getting the puck out in their own zone. Both Phoenix and San Jose had their way many times.

[kylee 727]

Hudler and Ericsson for Bogo? I love Huds and I'd bite for that but isn't Ericsson a free agent now? Not to highjack the thread but he breeds to be gone one way or another.

[Guest Crymson]

I don't recall ever hearing that Atlanta was ready to accept that deal.

On the open market Ericsson will probably get 3-4 million,

errrrrmmmmmmmm

[eva unit zero 271]

Well, Hudler has gone on a long journey with the Wings. He did great in GR, worked his way up to the Wings, scored some big goals in the '08 playoffs, had his breakout season in '09, got a big arbitration reward that summer, left after making the Wings wait--and thus exhausting most of the free agent pool--did very well in Russia, and then this year made a triumphant return to the team, and promptly put in what was probably the worst performance of any forward on the team and was certainly the worst performance of any forward on the team as far as salary-per-performance goes. Then, finally, he was generally worthless in the playoffs.

Mike Modano? Hello? Modano made nearly $2m and outside of a stretch of seven or 8 games this season played at an AHL level. Modano was the worst forward to play for the Wings this season, including call-ups, and the worst by salary.

As for the playoffs, Hudler had an excellent first-round. In the second round, he wasn't as good but Filppula was no better through the first few games. And Hudler played very well in the last couple of games. It was brought up that he was a minus in games six and seven. In game six, it's because he was tying up the guy going to the net and then diving into the net to try and stop the puck that Howard couldn't hold on to. In game seven, he was on the ice for Couture's goal, which Howard should have been set and ready to react to but wasn't, and Zetterberg handed an open Couture the puck on a clearing attempt. Clearly that's all Hudler's fault. Just more examples of how plus-minus is not actually representative of the player's performance.

Jiri Hudler never came back from Russia. You said it well, he worked up from GR, played well despite his size and then the summer of 2009. Waited it out, handcuffing the Wings in free agency, left, and came back supposed to be a difference maker and failed miserably. Last night was possibly his worst game yet even when you don't mention the clumsy blind-siding of an actually effective player in Dan Cleary. He was called upon to take on big minutes, especially with the extra man and between him and Rafalski, managed to render all Red Wings powerplays worthless.

I agree with the firing squad comment. Either way, give me Miller, Eaves, or Draper any day, and I have no idea why we couldn't have played Modano. Still baffles me, but that's Babcock's issue. Trade or waive Hudler, at least with Filppula's contract we get solid defensive skill, more hustle, and equal/greater offensive capability.

Hudler was skating in a straight line; Cleary skated into him when trying to cut back towards the center of the ice.

As for Filppula having greater offensive capability... just no. Flip is better defensively and a better skater, he might be a better player...but he is not better offensively. Not even close. It's like Ron Francis and Adam Oates.

[newfy 695]

We got the minus button back just in time for Evas posts in a Hudler thread, awesome !

Seriously, we have people defending a soft, prima donna who averaged about 8 mins a game against San Jose. I would much rather have a Dallas Drake type out there playing thoise minutes come playoff time than this slug. Even if Hudler has a pretty assist every now and than on the PP, he is USELESS

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

I'd say his future in Detroit is cloudy at best.

[Nyquistfan14 489]

If he is going to be her he needs to play in the top 6 with either Pav or Z. Im tired of having Pav and Z playing with older players with suspect top 6 ability. If Huds is here start the season with him playing with Z and Clears and have Pav with Fil and Franzen. If Hudler still struggles then something needs to be done. But we need to have 2 really skilled dominant lines. I may get flamed for this post, but I do honestly believe Huds has the ability to be a gamebreaker (especially if he worked on his skating, and you know actually worked hard). But I honestly do believe he would work hard playing with skilled guys like Z and Clears

[Red Wings Addict 787]

Hudler is signed for next year, with his trade value low, he's going no where. Also, he's in a contract year, so I'm expecting he'll return to 2008 form. Let's take advantage of that!

Pretty much.

I'd gladly put up with all the 'I told you so's from the Hudler sheeple circle jerk if he can score 50-55 points and stay out of the minus.

[achildr1 255]

I'm going to call it.

Bleacher Report - After a long, frustrating search, Brian Burke has finally got his man. After unsuccessfully attempting to lure Brad Richards to the Blue and White and missing out on a trade that would have seen Paul Stastny as the newest Leaf, Burke landed playmaking extrodinaire and Stanley Cup Champion Jiri "Adam Oates" Hudler. Hudler is expected to play on the top unit and be the playmaking center to the dynamic offensive Juggernaut that is the Phil Kessel Show. Phil, being much more valueable than three high draft picks and certainly Tyler Seguin, has been attacked falsely by the elitist "majority of common sense hockey people" for being an underachieving, streaky, one dimensional hockey player. Burke's new acquisition couldn't be much farther from those things. Hudler, whose passionate play and crunching body checks are feared by many, should complete a dynamic offensive duo rivaled only by the Sedin Twins and Heidi & Spencer™.

In defence of the trade, Burke stated that greatness comes at a price. He believes James Reimer, the Leafs 2012 first round pick, and 17% percent stake in the Leafs in a drop in the hat compared to Hudler's experiance and elite "vision". Burke stated, with a sense of accomplishment, "Ken Holland is the one who believes you don't need a great goalie or high draft picks to win, I'm just trying to follow his lead." He went on to say, "The loss of Reimer hurts but Hudler's tenacious backchecking should cover the difference between Reimer's play and our replacemen's,, Norm Maracle."

All's well in Toronto folks.

Sincerely,

Maple Leafs Fan

Edited May 14, 2011 by achildr1

[kook_10 1,705]

whoa - I just woke up and read the title as "Hitler's Future". I would bet they are almost equally popular around here these days .

[Krayzie_Bone 58]

I think he deserves another shot everyone has a down year look how many people wanted cleary gone after last year or Datsyuk traded in 05'06 because he never produced in playoffs. I was down on him alot this year but I dont think he just forgot how to score.

Edited May 14, 2011 by Krayzie_Bone

[kook_10 1,705]

How much does everyone think he is worth on the open market anyway?

Edited May 14, 2011 by kook_10

[sandyeggo wingnut 19]

Maybe we can trade him for cash and a decent defense coach?

[Jenny 315]

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

That's funny!

I wouldn't mind giving Hudler one more season in his current contract, we know he can score and produce in specific situations, power play etc. and to be honest the last two playoff games I don't think he was that bad but like pretty much everybody else here I would not be against trading him if an opportunity presents itself because he isn't going to get the time to round out his defensive game here. Fair or not, Detroit has often had the depth to where Hudler didn't get top-line minutes consistently and I don't see that changing next season.

Hudler's fan club need not respond to this with a Hudler isn't being treated fair rant or nothing is Jiri Hudler's fault schtick because we are not going to agree on that.

Edited May 14, 2011 by SouthernWingsFan

[kylee 727]

Huds silences all the haters next year and gets 60+ points.