115 replies to this topic

[stevkrause]

Smith gets his first NHL hat trick.

Bold enough for ya?

too bold! It took Nick 20 years to get one!

[ogreslayer]

Smith gets his first NHL hat trick.

Bold enough for ya?

I'll see your bold prediction & raise with this one...

Smith's hat trick will be for the LA Kings, as he will be traded in a package deal for rfa Drew Doughty after a lengthy holdout.

Edited by ogreslayer, 18 August 2011 - 11:34 AM.

[haroldsnepsts]

Umm....

Aren't you forgetting a special someone?

I guess you could say Hudler's work ethic on the defensive side of the puck was okay, he just sucks at it.

[haroldsnepsts]

Franzen has scored 72 goals and 135 points in 174 games over the past three seasons. That's an average of 24 goals and 21 assists in 58 games each season. Or, for an 82 game season, it works out to 34 goals and 30 assists. But over his six seasons, Franzen has played 395 games, an average of 66 games. He's in his early 30s and is fairly injury prone, he is very streaky, and his work ethic on the defensive side of the puck is worse than any other player on the team; this is particularly sad given the fact that he started his career as a defensive center.

That's really overstating things about his defensive play (or lack thereof). It's not like he's Patrick Kane out there. Modano was by far the worst on the team last season.

My problem with Franzen is the general lack of consistency in his work ethic. His willingness to pay the price to go to the net. The streakiness in scoring I can deal with somewhat. That's just how some guys are. They score a bucketfull and then are quiet for a while.

But he's pretty much come out and said he doesn't like the regular season. Given this site's history with players, he gets off pretty easy for being lazy out there. I'm a fan of Franzen overall but I swear sometimes he hops over the boards during games and takes what looks like a warmup skate.

[eva unit zero]

Umm....

Aren't you forgetting a special someone?

Modano is the only possible suspect, as Harold mentioned, and he's no longer on the team. Homer sucks defensively, Hudler is no star in his own zone, Bertuzzi is mediocre. But those guys all work hard in the defensive zone. They just aren't as good at it as guys like Dats, Z, Helm, or Flip. Franzen knows what to do to play defense; it used to be his job. He just doesn't do it.

Unless I missed it I didn't see anyone saying Brunnstrom would make the team, So I will add that he takes Emmerton's spot which would be a real good thing in my opinion. To me a Brunnstrom with ethic and a will to win (if that indeed is the case) makes him a threat on any line, like Hudler used to do/be. I also think Hank, Pavs, Helm and Flip have great years, Howard and Conks are fabulous, Bottom 6 all around are stellar but Mule and Huds come up short.

Brunnstrom's best year by the age of 26, with top-six ice time, was 29 points in 55 games, or pace for 43 points. Hudler scored 37 in 73 last year, which included a huge scoring slump. Brunnstrom played top six in Dallas, Hudler has always been third line or below in Detroit. Brunnstrom is also consistently criticized by every scouting report for failure to backcheck, inconsistency, etc. Hudler's performance last season was, effectively, as good or better than anything Brunnstrom has EVER produced. And it is being called terrible. If you prefer Brunnstrom, that's fine, but you are also welcome to the unfortunate results of such a choice. Of course, the fact that Brunnstrom's ceiling closely matches a year that was very disappointing by Hudler standards, and has people calling for a 'bounce-back' year, tells me all that needs to be said.

Edited by eva unit zero, 18 August 2011 - 01:52 PM.

[Red Wings Addict]

Brunnstrom's best year by the age of 26, with top-six ice time, was 29 points in 55 games, or pace for 43 points. Hudler scored 37 in 73 last year, which included a huge scoring slump. Brunnstrom played top six in Dallas, Hudler has always been third line or below in Detroit. Brunnstrom is also consistently criticized by every scouting report for failure to backcheck, inconsistency, etc. Hudler's performance last season was, effectively, as good or better than anything Brunnstrom has EVER produced. And it is being called terrible. If you prefer Brunnstrom, that's fine, but you are also welcome to the unfortunate results of such a choice. Of course, the fact that Brunnstrom's ceiling closely matches a year that was very disappointing by Hudler standards, and has people calling for a 'bounce-back' year, tells me all that needs to be said.

Proof that Hudler had a decent year.

[Crashnburnluder]

Proof that Hudler had a decent year.

You win..,

[eva unit zero]

Proof that Hudler had a decent year.

Hudler was tied for 159th in forward scoring, but 233rd in ice time. Defensively, e was equal to or better than most forwards finishing with similar scoring numbers. There are 30 teams, and three forwards per line. Teams generally dress two as scoring lines. So finishing in the top 180 (30 x 6) means the player is a "top-six" forward in the league, 159th being a second line forward. But Hudler's rank of 233rd in ice time would place him as having been a third-line forward. So offensively, he produced above what his ice time suggested he should have. If he had ranked in the same range of scoring as his ice time, he would have scored about 25 points.

It's not the year he had in 2008-09, but it's not the terrible performance that LGW haters make it out to be.

[Majsheppard]

Another bold prediction.

We will regret some of the rule changes Shanahan is attempting when implemented.

[wmubronco420]

Hudler was tied for 159th in forward scoring, but 233rd in ice time. Defensively, e was equal to or better than most forwards finishing with similar scoring numbers. There are 30 teams, and three forwards per line. Teams generally dress two as scoring lines. So finishing in the top 180 (30 x 6) means the player is a "top-six" forward in the league, 159th being a second line forward. But Hudler's rank of 233rd in ice time would place him as having been a third-line forward. So offensively, he produced above what his ice time suggested he should have. If he had ranked in the same range of scoring as his ice time, he would have scored about 25 points.

It's not the year he had in 2008-09, but it's not the terrible performance that LGW haters make it out to be.

Man you are really reaching aren't you? Hudler will have another mediocre year and possibly be part of a deal at the deadline.

[F.Michael]

My predictions:

I myself will claim that our team is too soft, and doesn't have enough good Canadian lads.

I myself will ***** about Ericsson, and his bloated contract (see more below).

Eva will continue to make excuses for Hudler.

My man love for Ian White will come outta the closet when he has his first 3 point game.

Commodore will drop the gloves in his 1st reg season game as a Red Wing thus becomming a fan favorite (especially amongst us knuckle draggers here at LGW), and solidify his spot as our #5 Dman.

Franzen will be out with an injury before the end of October.

Smith/Kindl will fill in from time to time when Ericsson finds his way into the new defense coach's doghouse.

Man you are really reaching aren't you? Hudler will have another mediocre year and possibly be part of a deal at the deadline.

I doubt it since he's been offered up this past draft, and it appears nobody wants him...Imagine that?

[eva unit zero]

I doubt it since he's been offered up this past draft, and it appears nobody wants him...Imagine that?

He wasn't offered up as "please take him for anything" he was offered for a 1st round pick, in a year where Holland had plenty of cap space and there were many good free agent forwards. That's a huge difference.

[Crashnburnluder]

He wasn't offered up as "please take him for anything" he was offered for a 1st round pick, in a year where Holland had plenty of cap space and there were many good free agent forwards. That's a huge difference.

Source??

[F.Michael]

Source??

Exactly.

[ogreslayer]

Exactly.

Rumor has it that an offer was even floated to Toronto & they passed. I mean what the hell, they signed Lebda of all people & even they didn't want Happy.

[hooon]

Rumor has it that an offer was even floated to Toronto & they passed. I mean what the hell, they signed Lebda of all people & even they didn't want Happy.

Damn, it would have been great to get a first overall pick for him!

[Crashnburnluder]

Rumor has it that an offer was even floated to Toronto & they passed. I mean what the hell, they signed Lebda of all people & even they didn't want Happy.

I hate Rumors. Haha

There was a rumor all summer that Wiz was the guy we were getting to replace Rafalski and that he is the one in our sights and well obviously that wasn't even close in the end of things to the point where he bashed Detroit in the media. Oh well. I'm incredibly happy Holland and Co. Didn't overpay, just saying that just cause it was a rumor doesn't me it was close to happening

Edited by Crashnburnluder, 20 August 2011 - 10:24 AM.

[stevkrause]

I hate Rumors. Haha

There was a rumor all summer that Wiz was the guy we were getting to replace Rafalski and that he is the one in our sights and well obviously that wasn't even close in the end of things to the point where he bashed Detroit in the media. Oh well. I'm incredibly happy Holland and Co. Didn't overpay, just saying that just cause it was a rumor doesn't me it was close to happening

EXACTLY - At the price tag that Columbus paid for Wiz, I'm ECSTATIC that we didn't land him... also, I want to kiss Tallon for overpaying Jovo... I think his career is over and even at sub 2m, I wouldn't have wanted him here... I'm very happy with the way this off-season played out all and all

[chrisdetroit]

Hudler was tied for 159th in forward scoring, but 233rd in ice time. Defensively, e was equal to or better than most forwards finishing with similar scoring numbers. There are 30 teams, and three forwards per line. Teams generally dress two as scoring lines. So finishing in the top 180 (30 x 6) means the player is a "top-six" forward in the league, 159th being a second line forward. But Hudler's rank of 233rd in ice time would place him as having been a third-line forward. So offensively, he produced above what his ice time suggested he should have. If he had ranked in the same range of scoring as his ice time, he would have scored about 25 points.

It's not the year he had in 2008-09, but it's not the terrible performance that LGW haters make it out to be.

That is some twisted logic. Your logic would only make sense if all teams were relatively equal. Hudler may be a top six forward on Edmonton but not even close on the Wings. I'll give him that he is a top six forward on a crappy team but you can't average all 30 teams together and draw a conclusion like you did.

Secondly you are only looking at his offensive performance which is only half the game. He finished with a +/- of -7 which ranks him 479th among forwards and dead last on the Wings. There are 587 forwards that played last year in the league 479/587 = 0.81 which means that he is in the bottom 19%.

Lack of scoring was not his biggest issue. It was lack of defensive play.

I'm not a Hudler hater and I expect him to have a much better season this year, but let's not sugar coat it.

[Wing Across The Pond]

BAZINGA!

And now for my predictions...

- Darren Helm scores 20 goals and 45 points on the 3rd line and gets nomiated for the Selke.
- Datsyuk gets 101 points with 30+ goals.
- Z scores 40 goals and tops 90 pts.
- Howard controls rebounds this year and his GAA drops under 2.00 and he gets nominated for the Vezina and wins the Jennings.
- Lids wins the Norris with a landslide vote and retires on top with the Conn Smythe and Ol' Stanley.
- Hudler gets waived to make room for Tatar.
- Franzen learns how to hustle for 60 mins and scores 40 goals
- Flip gets 20g, 40a playing with franzen and Bertuzzi all season.
- Commodore grows a playoff afro and dies it Wings Red.
- Kronwall steps up and replaces Rafalski no prob.
- Homer plays on the 4th line all year and 1st PP.
- Nyquist wins MVP in the AHL and Smith takes Dman honours. Both take the jump for the following year after departures of Homer and ....cringing...Lids...I'm assuming the Wings win the Cup.

Now that I would LOVE to see.

My predictions:

1) Under the influence of Commodore on the bottom line, Ericsson will become a beast with his physical play and finally unlocking the secret to using his size and strength.

2) (Not a Red Wings one) BOLD - Sidney Crosby will not play another game in 2011. VERY BOLD - Wont play another game all season, Pens miss playoffs.

3) Nik Lidstrom wins an 8th Norris and a Stanley Cup to cement his place as the games best ever defenceman and retires with honour (tear ). Replaced by Weber in the offseason (since he's now only on a year contract). My dream comes true (apart from the millions in the bank and being able to do what the hell I want as President of the World)