Ozzie30 170 Report post Posted March 3, 2012 My only comment about Smith so far is that this kid should never play another game in the AHL. Well said! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bring Back The Bruise Bros 1,029 Report post Posted March 3, 2012 (edited) I doubt Ericsson is going anywhere. If Smith can continue to play well, maybe next year could look like this: Lidstrom-White Kronwall-Quincey Ericsson-B.Smith -Vandermeer Pick up a bottom 6 player for Kindl and sign Jim Vandermeer. Edited March 3, 2012 by Bring Back The Bruise Bros Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pucktividi 472 Report post Posted March 4, 2012 Not surprised that Holland didn't even consider deals with Smith included at the deadline.The kid is going to be a stud in year or two Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nightfall 871 Report post Posted March 4, 2012 My only comment about Smith so far is that this kid should never play another game in the AHL. I have had season tickets to the Griffins for the last few years so I have seen Smith for a while. Last season, he did pretty well. Same with this season. I will say that he didn't standout like Kronwall did when he was a defenseman with the Griffins. I really feel that one of two things has to happen.... 1. Smith moves back down with the Griffins to get more seasoning at the AHL level. 2. Smith moves up to the Wings and learns under the tutelage of Lidstrom. I think in order for Smith to excel, he needs first or second line minutes. To have him playing 7 minutes a night at the NHL level is a waste when he can play 20-25 minutes. The Red Wings allow their prospects to over-ripen in the minors. I am ok with that as the track record is excellent when the Wings do this. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Wings Addict 787 Report post Posted March 4, 2012 I doubt Ericsson is going anywhere. If Smith can continue to play well, maybe next year could look like this: Lidstrom-White Kronwall-Quincey Ericsson-B.Smith -Vandermeer Pick up a bottom 6 player for Kindl and sign Jim Vandermeer. See I figure that the Wings don't want to trade Kindl to another team and see him become another case like Quincey where perhaps they don't re-acquire him. At the same time, I don't know if it's such a good idea to keep Kindl or Smith as the #7 dman. Both should get consistent minutes. But I suppose at the end of the day the Wings would rather deal with that problem instead of having a dman that really sucks at the #7 spot. It's probably why I can't see the Wings trading Kindl. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
newfy 695 Report post Posted March 5, 2012 huge hit on kane tonight than pumped Shaw, looked really good out there with the extra playing time Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Namingway 146 Report post Posted March 5, 2012 (edited) 'atta boy Smitty! Keep it up Edited March 5, 2012 by Namingway 1 Red Wings Addict reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
b.shanafan14 733 Report post Posted March 5, 2012 Great game. Plays smart and confident with ice time. Good hit, good scrap, and showing flashes of offensive acumen. It'll be great to see him every game from here on out. Makes Kindl look like Ericsson, and makes Ericsson look like a beer leaguer... well, like worse of a beer leaguer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kipwinger 8,521 Report post Posted March 5, 2012 (edited) Great game. Plays smart and confident with ice time. Good hit, good scrap, and showing flashes of offensive acumen. It'll be great to see him every game from here on out. Makes Kindl look like Ericsson, and makes Ericsson look like a beer leaguer... well, like worse of a beer leaguer. Are we watching the same team? I've thought Kindl has looked like a completely different player of late. I especially like his work on the powerplay. If our bottom three defensemen are any combination of Kindl, Smith, and Ericsson I'm not complaining a bit. I doubt Ericsson is going anywhere. If Smith can continue to play well, maybe next year could look like this: Lidstrom-White Kronwall-Quincey Ericsson-B.Smith -Vandermeer Pick up a bottom 6 player for Kindl and sign Jim Vandermeer. Why would we trade Kindl? Has his rookie season somehow left you with the feeling that he's a useless throw away player? Edited March 5, 2012 by kipwinger Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
haroldsnepsts 4,826 Report post Posted March 5, 2012 Are we watching the same team? I've thought Kindl has looked like a completely different player of late. I especially like his work on the powerplay. If our bottom three defensemen are any combination of Kindl, Smith, and Ericsson I'm not complaining a bit. I agree. Kind seems to be taking step backwards the second half of the season and I'm not sure why. when given the opportunity, he's had some brutal gaffe's like turning the puck over on the blueline for a clean breakaway. And Ericsson has steadily improved this season. He's stepped up his physical play and has had fewer brainfarts. In general looking fairly poised. As I said in the GDT, you'd never guess that Kindl is actually 10 lbs heavier and an inch taller than Quincey because he plays so soft. Hopefully E and Kindl will get healthy and can learn some things from Quincey. Smith has looked very good so far. It was unfortunate to lose him for 5 minutes when the D was already shorthanded, but he really didn't have a choice since Shaw jumped him. And he handled himself well. I can't wait until he's a regular in the lineup. He should leapfrog right over Kindl and Ericsson. Here's the fight. 2 Rick D and Hockeymom1960 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
newfy 695 Report post Posted March 5, 2012 I agree. Kind seems to be taking step backwards the second half of the season and I'm not sure why. when given the opportunity, he's had some brutal gaffe's like turning the puck over on the blueline for a clean breakaway. And Ericsson has steadily improved this season. He's stepped up his physical play and has had fewer brainfarts. In general looking fairly poised. As I said in the GDT, you'd never guess that Kindl is actually 10 lbs heavier and an inch taller than Quincey because he plays so soft. Hopefully E and Kindl will get healthy and can learn some things from Quincey. Smith has looked very good so far. It was unfortunate to lose him for 5 minutes when the D was already shorthanded, but he really didn't have a choice since Shaw jumped him. And he handled himself well. I can't wait until he's a regular in the lineup. He should leapfrog right over Kindl and Ericsson. Here's the fight. I was stuck watching the chicago feed on centre ice and they interviewed Kane between periods. Apparently after his hit there was a lot of talk to Smith from the Chicago guys and Smith mustve known they were going to be gunning for him. Nice to have a guy who can play regular minutes and pump little twats like Shaw when need be Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
winger30 20 Report post Posted March 5, 2012 The kid can fight and is it just me or shades of fischer wearing number 2 out there I miss fischer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
newfy 695 Report post Posted March 5, 2012 Babcocks post game interview was pretty funny. Saying he wasnt a fan of playing with only 4 d but because he did so well he can scrap all he wants when they have 6. Babcocks gotta love that dimension of his game Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dirtydangles 1,328 Report post Posted March 5, 2012 anyone have the video of the hit on kane? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jollymania 162 Report post Posted March 5, 2012 (edited) anyone have the video of the hit on kane? it is on nhl.com http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?hlg=20112012,2,976&event=DET269 Edited March 5, 2012 by jollymania Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
redwingfan19 293 Report post Posted March 5, 2012 all i have to say about smith is: fap fap fap Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Echolalia 2,961 Report post Posted March 5, 2012 Okay I love this kid. He should not be in the AHL any longer, and he needs to be playing 15-20 min a night. Ericsson can handle that work load despite popular belief, Quincey sure as hell can handle that work load, Kindl has really stepped it up now that his job is on the line, and he has shown he can handle that work load. I don't see any reason why next year we can't have 3 defensive lines averaging 20 min each/night. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolverine1817 55 Report post Posted March 5, 2012 (edited) I <3ed the fight watching it now... is that just a good decision by Shaw to take out a defenseman like that? Smith didn't even have a chance to deny the fight when Shaw just came and rocked him Edited March 5, 2012 by wolverine1817 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
canadian wings fan 305 Report post Posted March 5, 2012 great tilt. This kid looks like a keeper Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hooon 1,089 Report post Posted March 5, 2012 it is on nhl.com http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?hlg=20112012,2,976&event=DET269 We need a YT or a gif of this beautiful hit. I hate NHL.com, have to watch a 35 second advertisement for a 5 second clip. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nevermind 363 Report post Posted March 5, 2012 I liked how Smith handled himself in that fight. I didn't like how he kept his visor on though. Then again, he did get jumped in the first place. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolverine1817 55 Report post Posted March 5, 2012 Yeah, I'm sick of those idiots from Chicago calling him a ***** for keeping his visor on... only they would claim that the guy who was jumped was a ***** for not preparing enough for the fight that he didn't know was about to start, while standing up for the guy who sucker punched him twice ha 1 Hockeymom1960 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LeftWinger 4,951 Report post Posted March 5, 2012 I have had season tickets to the Griffins for the last few years so I have seen Smith for a while. Last season, he did pretty well. Same with this season. I will say that he didn't standout like Kronwall did when he was a defenseman with the Griffins. I really feel that one of two things has to happen.... 1. Smith moves back down with the Griffins to get more seasoning at the AHL level. 2. Smith moves up to the Wings and learns under the tutelage of Lidstrom. I think in order for Smith to excel, he needs first or second line minutes. To have him playing 7 minutes a night at the NHL level is a waste when he can play 20-25 minutes. The Red Wings allow their prospects to over-ripen in the minors. I am ok with that as the track record is excellent when the Wings do this. I certainly hope you are kidding? Smith is the type of defender this team needs...he hits, fights and clears the front of the net, why on Earth would you want to change his game to a Lidstrom type? Don't they have enough Lidstrom type defenders? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Danielsm 244 Report post Posted March 5, 2012 That fight was awesome. He gets hit in the face twice out of no where and just turns in to rage mode and manhandles the dude for the rest the fight. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LeftWinger 4,951 Report post Posted March 5, 2012 The kid can fight and is it just me or shades of fischer wearing number 2 out there I miss fischer. It's just you...tragic how Fish's career ended, but I think that incident is more defining his career than his career did. He had ONE good season and was horribly inconsistent the rest of them...sorry, but I think the sympathy bug has clouded everyone's memory of him. He was great in 2002, but before that, not so great and when he got pummeled by Scott Thornton he turn into, well, Ericsson... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites