• Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.

Sign in to follow this  
Guest Crymson

Jonathan Ericsson Watch Thread

Rate this topic

Recommended Posts

This will most likely end up being a thread in which to rag on Ericsson.

Tonight, he yet again suffered a hideous lapse of awareness. It's beyond me what he thought he was accomplishing by watching Vlasic and drifting into the slot.

That's exactly what it will be, which is almost certainly why you created it.

I guess it's easier just to be negative than be optimistic.

And on the play you mention, Hudler, Helm and Smith did a poor job covering their assignments and got outworked or outmuscled. Yet you key in on Ericsson, who was actually moving to the slot to cover Desjardins and Murray after he went over to help Helm.

Ericsson is overpaid and likely won't earn his contract, but if you're going to rip on his play, that goal is a poor choice because he's about 4th in line for being responsible.

Edited because I couldn't spell Desjardins.

Edited by haroldsnepsts

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest Crymson

That's exactly what it will be, which is almost certainly why you created it.

I guess it's easier just to be negative than be optimistic.

People may panic but at least they're talking about the team. Most of your posts recently are baiting people and spamming the thread with gems like this one.

Hmm... did the same person say these two things?

And on the play you mention, Hudler, Helm and Smith did a poor job covering their assignments and got outworked or outmuscled. Yet you key in on Ericsson, who was actually moving to the slot to cover Desjardins and Murray after he went over to help Helm.

Ericsson was doing no such thing. There wasn't a single person in the area he moved into, and he left the entire left side of the net utterly wide open. It was yet another case of him being boneheaded.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hmm... did the same person say these two things?

I was actually just quoting you, pointing out your hypocrisy. Apparently negativity and player bashing is acceptable when it's someone you don't like.

I'm touched that you went and dug up my old posts though. It's good to know my hard work doesn't go unnoticed.

Ericsson was doing no such thing. There wasn't a single person in the area he moved into, and he left the entire left side of the net utterly wide open. It was yet another case of him being boneheaded.

Yes he was. Watch the replay. Vlasic wasn't his man. He helped out Helm, then went over to the slot and was watching Desjardin and Murray. He shouldn't have gone to the left side of the net because Helm was covering that, ineffectively.

Like I said, Ericsson was about #4 on the list of responsibility for that goal. Helm got overpowered inthe corner, Hudler and Smith looked confused as to who had who, Hudler lets Vlasic skate away unchecked behind the net, then Helm didn't cover the left side of the net well. For Ericsson to be at the left side of the net he would've run into Helm, been guilty of running around in his own end, and left two players wide open in the slot. It wasn't his responsibility.

I'd put Hudler most at fault, for peeling off his coverage of Vlasic, I'm guessing because he thought Smith would pick him up. Still, he shouldn't have let the puck carrier go unchecked behind the Wings net. It was lazy defensive play on his part.

Edited by haroldsnepsts

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest Heaten

Refresh my memory, but wasn't it Brendan Smith who gave the puck away to Vlasic for him to score? Why is it Ericsson getting the hate?

What about Zetterberg who looked clueless out there, or Datsyuk and Lidstrom missing their assignment and giving Sharks a short handed goal?

Ericsson is just easier to blame?

Smith is a complete bonehead, Dastyuk has no heart, Zetterberg is clueless, Lidstrom is looking old and washed up. Lets blame Ericsson!!! :thumbdown:

Edited by Heaten

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

What are we watching? Watching him suck? Sorry, I just turned the thread into exactly what you thought it would be, but honestly, I've given up. When's the last time I found myself thinking, "Gee, you know, he might just turn it around and start earning his paycheck"? Not since his paycheck increase, that's for sure. Yeah, he's got a little experience on Kindl and Smith, but I'd gladly take a few rookie mistakes and more cap space over his kind of experience.

I'm not saying Ericsson's the only one making us bad; when we're playing badly, the whole team is playing badly. The difference is that players like Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Franzen, etc. all have the ability to snap out of it. Ericsson does not. Same with our rookies - Smith and Kindl at least have the potential for improvement; Ericsson, frankly, does not. That's the difference, and that's why I tend to focus on the negative more so with Ericsson than with the other players.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Am I the only one who thinks E hasn't been that bad? Sure he still makes some boneheaded plays but it looks like he is playing a much safer game out there and not taking as many risks. He is also stepping up the physical game as i've seen him step up for some big hits and has had a couple good ones recently. All he needs to do now is not stand around with his dick in his hand in front of the net and clear the crease better.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Am I the only one who thinks E hasn't been that bad? Sure he still makes some boneheaded plays but it looks like he is playing a much safer game out there and not taking as many risks. He is also stepping up the physical game as i've seen him step up for some big hits and has had a couple good ones recently. All he needs to do now is not stand around with his dick in his hand in front of the net and clear the crease better.

No, you're not.

I'm sure it comes off like I love the guy but honestly I just don't think he sucks, which compared to the prevailing opinion here probably looks like worship.

He's overpaid and likely won't improve enough to earn his contract this season, but he's been playing solid defense, stepped up his physical play, and has the occasional Rafalski-worthy breakout pass like he had to Bert the other night.

He's taken a few bad penalties, but like I said in the GDT, when he took one the other night clearing the crease, I'm okay with it. At least half the time the refs would let that go. He's definitely using his size more and makes sure to step in between Howard and whatever forward is trying to get in his face at the end of the play.

He still needs to figure out how to get his slapshot off quicker. And I'd love for him to start blocking shots, since almost no one on this team does these days. But that may be asking a bit much.

Edited by haroldsnepsts

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest Crymson

He doesn't really make use of his size, and he always looks like he's completely discombobulated.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

He doesn't really make use of his size, and he always looks like he's completely discombobulated.

I agree he needs to use his size better, but it's funny how much more grief he gets for it than Kindl, who never really fights (not counting getting tuned up by Benn recently) and is even less physical than E.

Ericsson is 6'4" 221 lbs. Kindl is 6'3" 216. They both should be knocking guys around out there.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest Heaten

How much does Ericsson make? Is Ericsson a rookie?

Smith gave the puck away to Vlasic, Vlasic scored, and it's Ericsson fault because he makes more money and isn't a rookie? Umm, that makes sense. :blink:

Using that logic, why not blame Howard? He makes more money than both of them combined. :ph34r:

Edited by Heaten

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'd put Hudler most at fault, for peeling off his coverage of Vlasic, I'm guessing because he thought Smith would pick him up. Still, he shouldn't have let the puck carrier go unchecked behind the Wings net. It was lazy defensive play on his part.

What happened on this goal, and I noticed it during the broadcast because it was the exact same play as the one Huds got roasted for in the playoffs (although coming from the other side, and the cross-ice pass wasn't made) is that the puck went down low, and Hudler was covering Vlasic tight, and Smith batted at the puck. but he knocked it right into Vlasic's skate. Hudler peeled off because the entire side of the ice was open and he was going to retrieve the puck; but it wasn't there, which he quickly realized. The only player who IMHO screwed up defensively on that play? Brunnstrom. He looks like a fool on the play. Had he made the simple poke check on Desjardins, there's no shot, no rebound, and Ericsson has the puck.

Learn to play the game, Fabian.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Worst offensive player on the team.

Good thing he's a defenseman.

Seriously, if that's your knock against Ericsson, you're scraping the bottom of the barrel for things to ***** about. I mean, he may not be Kyle Quincey, but he's not as bad as you make him out to be.

Anyone who tries to argue that Ericsson has any offensive upside is wrong. Tonight is just an example of how awful his shot and instincts are. As a #6 big body who fights I don't mind him, but that kind of player isn't worth 3.25 mil.

Who has ever argued that? He's got a good first pass, but he's not an offensive defenseman.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

...

but he's not an offensive defenseman.

Bad news is that he is. Good news is that he is progressing, albeit significantly slower than his first stints with the Wings led most of us to expect. He was better last year than in 09-10, and better again so far this year. This year, his offensive instincts (in terms of when and how to jump in) aren't really that far behind Kronwall or White.

If he could fix his horrendous shot accuracy and laughably slow wind-up on his slapper he could be a 40+ point defenseman. If he can't fix those problems, he'll likely never grow into his contract because he's never shown any signs that his positioning, shot blocking, anticipation, physicality, or reaction time are (or could be) any better than 3rd-pair level.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Bad news is that he is. Good news is that he is progressing, albeit significantly slower than his first stints with the Wings led most of us to expect. He was better last year than in 09-10, and better again so far this year. This year, his offensive instincts (in terms of when and how to jump in) aren't really that far behind Kronwall or White.

If he could fix his horrendous shot accuracy and laughably slow wind-up on his slapper he could be a 40+ point defenseman. If he can't fix those problems, he'll likely never grow into his contract because he's never shown any signs that his positioning, shot blocking, anticipation, physicality, or reaction time are (or could be) any better than 3rd-pair level.

According to who?

Ericsson has never scored 40 points in his career, let alone doing it in the NHL. He's a converted forward, but I've not heard or seen any real expectations of him to be an offensive producer for the Wings. His potential is to be a big physical puck moving defenseman who can kill penalties and clear the crease. Ideally sort of like Stuart but with a better first pass.

Edited by haroldsnepsts

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this