Hudler's Future

[Cali-Wing-Nut 102]

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.

Any thoughts on what should be done with him going forward?

Im seriously torn on this one. I know what is, what was and what can be with Happy.

Are we looking at a guy that had a serious slump coming back from the KHL? Are we witnessing the demise of a player on the verge of superstar status? Or did we see a player that hit his peak and quickly fell off?

I cheered for Happy like no other, he was making D look bad on certain nights and helped us win a Stanley cup.

Personally, I see him as having an off year that snowballed the season rolled on. Z had a pretty f***ed year last year comparatively to his other performances but not on Huds level. Emotionally I want to see him dress, realistically I want to see him up to the trade deadline and make a decision at that point. Problem with that if he is suckin it next Feb. hes worth as much then as he is now. On the other hand, we verify if he had a bad year and give ourselves a chance to see if he is as good as he used to be. Point being, Id hate to lose money on him if we trade him for peanuts only to find out he had a slump and it comes back to bite us. Worst case, we have to hang on to him through the rest of next year, best case is we have a guy that adds a lot of scoring potential to the team.

I wish Hudler was as cut and dry to me as Ericsson is.

[Guest stinky fish taco]

Hudler had 10 goals in 73 regular-season games and was useless in the playoffs.

that is really all that needs to be said.

dump hudler.

[HankthaTank 1,100]

that is really all that needs to be said.

dump hudler.

But he was statistically going at a 105 point pace over the course of 11 games in the 2010-11 season. People forget he also did this while on lines with someone other than Datsyuk as well.

Whoa! WTF... I forgot who I was for a second. Hudler is lazy and sucks, continue.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

Bleak, at best.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Downhill very very fast in his second season with the Avs.

He did only play 21 games. I think he got get concussed about a month into the season, then injured his shoulder and finally decided to have season ending surgery.

If I were an Avs fan (I just threw up in my mouth a little) I'd be worried about Quincey's health problems more than anything. Concussion problems. Back injury. Shoulder injury. Well that and why they insist on thinking he's a top pairing D-man. Move his minutes down to #3 and I'd bet he'd look a lot better out there.

Edited May 23, 2011 by haroldsnepsts

[hooon 1,089]

But he was statistically going at a 105 point pace over the course of 11 games in the 2010-11 season. People forget he also did this while on lines with someone other than Datsyuk as well.

Whoa! WTF... I forgot who I was for a second. Hudler is lazy and sucks, continue.

Lol at the font.

[Konnan511 1,736]

Coincidence?

[eva unit zero 271]

Let's not forget that Franzen is faster, better defensively, more physical, and far more difficult to knock off the puck.

Let's look at three big defensive mistakes from the postseason. Franzen, Helm, and Hudler all let a guy walk in and receive a one-timer pass. I rank Franzen's the worst of the three, and Helm's the most forgivable.

Why?

Hudler experienced the exact same play as Helm, but the Wings were now ready for it. No excuse.

Franzen was the only one of the three who was close to the scorer, he could see him and the passer, yet he did nothing to prevent the goal.

[cjm502 165]

I want one of Franzen or Hudler gone. I dont care which one. Franzens lack of effort and piss poor attitude in the playoffs really got on my nerves. If he was producing maybe I wouldnt have cared as much, but the clutch playoff performer was trash all post season. And Hudler is, well, Hudler.

[Guest Crymson]

I want one of Franzen or Hudler gone. I dont care which one. Franzens lack of effort and piss poor attitude in the playoffs really got on my nerves. If he was producing maybe I wouldnt have cared as much, but the clutch playoff performer was trash all post season. And Hudler is, well, Hudler.

Err... poor attitude in the playoffs? Where did you see that?

Let's look at three big defensive mistakes from the postseason. Franzen, Helm, and Hudler all let a guy walk in and receive a one-timer pass. I rank Franzen's the worst of the three, and Helm's the most forgivable.

Why?

Hudler experienced the exact same play as Helm, but the Wings were now ready for it. No excuse.

Franzen was the only one of the three who was close to the scorer, he could see him and the passer, yet he did nothing to prevent the goal.

Sigh... Hudler could shoot another Red Wing, and you'd find a way to call him blameless. When making comparisons that involve Hudler and Osgood, eva, you lack objectivity to a worrying degree.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

I want one of Franzen or Hudler gone. I dont care which one. Franzens lack of effort and piss poor attitude in the playoffs really got on my nerves. If he was producing maybe I wouldnt have cared as much, but the clutch playoff performer was trash all post season. And Hudler is, well, Hudler.

Franzen had a sprained ankle.

Nagging injury does not equal piss poor attitude.

And before you say "Well he shouldn't have played injured," pretty much anybody who can move a toe is going to attempt to play in the playoffs, I don't care if you are a first line super star or the towel boy. Really easy to say from the stands that somebody shouldn't play when you aren't the one playing or wanting to play.

Stinks that Franzen's injury couldn't improve but them's the breaks sometimes. That has jack squat to do with any attitude or character problems.

[eva unit zero 271]

Franzen had a sprained ankle.

Nagging injury does not equal piss poor attitude.

And before you say "Well he shouldn't have played injured," pretty much anybody who can move a toe is going to attempt to play in the playoffs, I don't care if you are a first line super star or the towel boy. Really easy to say from the stands that somebody shouldn't play when you aren't the one playing or wanting to play.

Stinks that Franzen's injury couldn't improve but them's the breaks sometimes. That has jack squat to do with any attitude or character problems.

Franzen looked like s*** before his injury. For almost 30 games before he was injured. But it was ok, because "he'll show up in the playoffs" and then he didn't, even before he was injured. Forwards who played better than Franzen IN THE PLAYOFFS BEFORE HIS INJURY? Datsyuk, Helm, Filppula, and HUDLER. Yep, Hudler. Maybe you don't remember because his San Jose series was so much worse, but Hudler was a force in the Phoenix series. Franzen was effective in one game, and even in that game he made a defensive mistake just as bad as the one Hudler made against San Jose.

B-B-B-But Franzen was injured! Please, explain it away some other way.

[HankthaTank 1,100]

Hudler was a force in the Phoenix series.

B-B-B-But Franzen was injured! Please, explain it away some other way.

And... so was the rest of the damn team. Name one player that didn't have an above average series against Phoenix. I mean, Salei even notched a goal and looked good.

B-B-B-But Hudler had that stretch back in December where he was Christ in hockey skates, right? We are provided nothing from you b-b-b-but Hudler love, stop.

[Guest Crymson]

Franzen looked like s*** before his injury. For almost 30 games before he was injured. But it was ok, because "he'll show up in the playoffs" and then he didn't, even before he was injured. Forwards who played better than Franzen IN THE PLAYOFFS BEFORE HIS INJURY? Datsyuk, Helm, Filppula, and HUDLER. Yep, Hudler. Maybe you don't remember because his San Jose series was so much worse, but Hudler was a force in the Phoenix series. Franzen was effective in one game, and even in that game he made a defensive mistake just as bad as the one Hudler made against San Jose.

B-B-B-But Franzen was injured! Please, explain it away some other way.

Sigh. Franzen's injury came in the second game of the series against Phoenix. He still outplayed Hudler.

Eva, I'm done discussing Hudler with you, and I'm done discussing Osgood with you. I'm not sure why, but you verge on fanaticism when you speak of them.

Edited May 25, 2011 by Crymson

[eva unit zero 271]

And... so was the rest of the damn team. Name one player that didn't have an above average series against Phoenix. I mean, Salei even notched a goal and looked good.

B-B-B-But Hudler had that stretch back in December where he was Christ in hockey skates, right? We are provided nothing from you b-b-b-but Hudler love, stop.

Hudler was one of the team's most effective players from Christmas until the end of the Phoenix series. It wasn't just a few games.

And my point was that Hudler outplayed Franzen during the portion of the playoffs Franzen was healthy for. And in case you didn't notice, this is a Hudler thread. Don't want to discuss Hudler, don't come into this thread. It's easy.

Edited May 25, 2011 by eva unit zero

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

For f**k's sake eva unit zero, you got to stop this s**t.

Explaining it another way is simple.

YOU HAVE HUDLER BIAS.

Give it a fricken' rest.

Franzen has more defensive potential than Hudler, you'll rarely see Hudler in there at the end of a game if the team is leading. You'll see Franzen over Hudler 99 times out of 100. You don't see Hudler play 4-on-4. You see Franzen play 4-on-4. YOU may claim or YOU may say he is a good defensive forward or above average or whatever, but coaches and people making the decisions think otherwise.

I will repeat...

YOU HAVE HUDLER BIAS in levels beyond unimaginable and annoying and you will not shut up about it. I like Hudler, it's cool that you like him, but seeing your absurd bias with him makes me want to (1) strangle you until you are temporarily unconscious and (2) see him not do well and not be here so there might come a time where you might actually shut up about him.

I. DO. NOT. CARE. THAT. BADLY. about you trying to prove that Hudler is better than he is or that Franzen was worse or that Hudler is better than Franzen or whatever numbers or stats you pull out of your rear end. And I think it's a safe bet plenty of other people in here share some of the same thought.

When it comes to letting things go regarding this, you have the I.Q. of a deck chair.

For the love of god and everything good and holy, give it a fricken' rest.

Edited May 25, 2011 by SouthernWingsFan

[HankthaTank 1,100]

Hudler was one of the team's most effective players from Christmas until the end of the Phoenix series. It wasn't just a few games.

And my point was that Hudler outplayed Franzen during the portion of the playoffs Franzen was healthy for. And in case you didn't notice, this is a Hudler thread. Don't want to discuss Hudler, don't come into this thread. It's easy.

Being objective about Hudler is impossible for you, though. It's a Hudler thread, but if you want we can all band together and bring all your quotes from "non-Hudler" threads where he is still somehow dissected by you. Don't get bent out of shape because we are calling you on the same old nonsense. It's truly unwarranted.

[Guest stinky fish taco]

mods: can we get a script going that automatically uses my daily negative votes on eva unit zero posts?

would save me some clicks every day.

thanks.

[eva unit zero 271]

Sigh. Franzen's injury came in the second game of the series against Phoenix. He still outplayed Hudler.

Eva, I'm done discussing Hudler with you, and I'm done discussing Osgood with you. I'm not sure why, but you verge on fanaticism when you speak of them.

Hudler was just as effective offensively as Franzen in those two games, he just played about half the time Franzen did. And Hudler didn't make a huge defensive mistake that cost the team a goal right off the bat. Or do you only remember massive defensive mistakes when Hudler makes them?

Hudler may not have had a great playoffs overall, but he was better than Franzen when healthy, and better than Franzen overall.

[ShanahanMan 473]

Hudler was one of the team's most effective players from Christmas until the end of the Phoenix series. It wasn't just a few games.

Hudler had a nice little spurt of point production between Christmas and the end of February. Thats pretty much it. Following that, he went pointless for seven games and finally started doing something again around the beginning of the playoffs (as others had mentioned, so did the rest of the team.) Franzen's longest pointless drought was 4 games, while Hudler's was 13. To even fathom the notion that Hudler is as/more valuable than Franzen makes one question your sanity.

And my point was that Hudler outplayed Franzen during the portion of the playoffs Franzen was healthy for. And in case you didn't notice, this is a Hudler thread. Don't want to discuss Hudler, don't come into this thread. It's easy.

You mean all ONE game of it?

Edited May 25, 2011 by ShanahanMan

[Guest Shoreline]

I'm wondering why people are laying such big turds on both Hudler and Franzen. If these players were not effective enough, neither Babs nor Holland would have them.

Hudler is prone to streakiness. Watching his play on the ice is indicative of his effectiveness, not merely his numbers. I'm confused why no one mentions this.

Franzen is prone to injuries. He's a little weak in those regards, but even more so, he puts himself in the position to be injured -- likely out of clumsiness. When he isn't injured, or coming back from an injury, he's one of the league's best goal scorers. I'm sure both Babs and Holland are aware of this too.

Edited May 25, 2011 by Shoreline

[mmamolo 287]

And my point was that Hudler outplayed Franzen during the portion of the playoffs Franzen was healthy for.

Not only is this debatable, but assuming it's true, that's a sample size of 1 game and about half a period.

You mean all ONE game of it?

Thank god some one else chimed in with this

[eva unit zero 271]

Being objective about Hudler is impossible for you, though. It's a Hudler thread, but if you want we can all band together and bring all your quotes from "non-Hudler" threads where he is still somehow dissected by you. Don't get bent out of shape because we are calling you on the same old nonsense. It's truly unwarranted.

I love how I am accused of not being objective about Hudler because I don't get irrationally angry about how small he is, or the fact he isn't a speedster. I have never claimed Hudler to be a superstar, I don't act like he's some kind of hero, but I get s*** on because I don't s*** on him. That's what's unwarranted.

[St. Michael (the Red Wing) 422]

I want one of Franzen or Hudler gone. I dont care which one. Franzens lack of effort and piss poor attitude in the playoffs really got on my nerves. If he was producing maybe I wouldnt have cared as much, but the clutch playoff performer was trash all post season. And Hudler is, well, Hudler.

Franzen was playing probably most of these last playoffs with an injury bro, where where you? Also Franzen isn't going anywhere anytime soon unless he retires as well. You know about his contract right? He's signed till like 2020.

Edited May 25, 2011 by St. Michael (the Red Wing)

[eva unit zero 271]

Hudler had a nice little spurt of point production between Christmas and the end of February. Thats pretty much it. Following that, he went pointless for seven games and finally started doing something again around the beginning of the playoffs (as others had mentioned, so did the rest of the team.) Franzen's longest pointless drought was 4 games, while Hudler's was 13. To even fathom the notion that Hudler is as/more valuable than Franzen makes one question your sanity.

It's easy to not have a long pointless streak playing with Datsyuk. What would March and April have looked like if the Hudler/Datsyuk/Cleary line hadn't been broken up for those last 15 games? If Hudler scores at the same pace he did while it was together, he's around 50 points on the season.

Yes, Hudler wasn't scoring early on. I wonder how "elite scorer" Franzen would have done without Dats or Z to feed him?