Red Wings Report Cards

[Nightfall 871]

LOL so because I said Francine needs to work his ass off same as Z and Dats I'm calling for a team full of enforcers with no skill? I guess there must be jackass fans that like to put their own interpretation on what is posted on this site. Well if it feels good............

Please re-read the first sentence of what I typed. That goes straight to what you said. The rest of it goes to other people who posted before you. Sorry I didn't clarify.

[ltgator333 3]

Couple of grades since I watched practically every game this year(I'm lifeless). Not going to grade everyone...

Zetterberg: B+ Absolute stud. Not quite the goal scoring year for him but his hustle and turning it up a notch in the playoffs after a quiet start(injury plagued) makes him our MVP.

Datsyuk: B. Our best playmaker and carried us for a good portion of the season. Has a tendency to be a little too flashy at times and sometimes disappears playoff time(late season injury slowed him down this year).

Franzen: C- Not much to say here that hasn't already been said. Too many expectations because of 08 and his work ethic results are no longer mule like. Not a leader.

Filppula: B Good skater with a breakout season. Good playmaker. Lacks in the physical aspect and was an absolute no show in the playoffs.

Hudler: C Benefited from excellent linemates. Gets knocked off the puck like a toddler and decision making with the puck was shoddy at best. Goal scoring was the only positive thing I can say about him.

Lidstrom: C+ Still not too shabby for a 41 year old but he lost a step and then his injury left him barely noticeable in the playoffs. It's going to be hard to replace his presence but we had to do it for all our other stars as well. He'd make a nice defense coach though.

Holmstrom: C. Just for work ethic alone. Franzen should take notes. It's been a great ride but its time for some youth. Thank you for being the hardest working Red Wing the past 15 years.

Stuart: C- Aside from some nice hits here and there he was pretty bad in decision making especially in our own zone and seemed lost and disinterested. Asinine playoff blunders since 09. Thanks for 08 though.

Kronwall: B. Had the chance to step up and shine with all the injuries but didn't. Bone jarring hitter with a knack for scoring but his defense and passing took a step back.

White: C+ Surprised me with a pretty good plus minus this year. Easily pushed off the puck and was lost when Lidstrom went down. Nothing compared to Rafalski regarding pinching up for some offense at the right times.

Bertuzzi: C+ Probably the only guy that showed some tough guy mentality and intensity. Unfortunately the team never feeds off it. Very streaky and his shootout goals gave us a few points we needed in the regular season. Unfortunately for him there are no shootouts in the playoffs and he was nonexistent there.

Nyquist: B. A player with some decent speed besides Darren Helm. Showing glimpses of a promising future. Can actually skate into the offensive zone without lame puck dumping strategies. Too much line juggling for further grading.

Helm: B. Good speed,penalty killer and work ethic. Can't really complain much other than his lack of scoring.

Ericsson: B- Still not physical enough for his size but surprisingly solid on defense especially after his injury. Better decision making with the puck this year.

Cleary: C- Difficult to watch him this year. His grade gets a break for him playing hurt but he seemed to be a human mass that pretty much just dumped the puck back to the opposition on every shift. Good playoff hustle but that's just about it.

Quincey: C- Not worth a first rounder and didn't fit in well with us when we needed him especially playoff time.

MacDonald: B- Pretty reliable backup before he went down to injury. Maybe this grade is a comparison to Conklin.

Conklin: D. Disappointing backup at the beginning of the year. Not that much better after MacDonald went down. Could've used a few of those points we lost because of him for playoff seeding.

Howard: B. Solid goaltending before his injury. Pretty much carried the defense every game since that unit took a step back this year. Not the same after his injury and he wasn't bad in the playoffs.

Miller: B- One of the main bright points to an awful penalty killing regular season unit. Solid on the same line as Abdelkader and Helm. Good cycling on the boards this year.

Abdelkader: C. I just don't know what to think about him. He does hustle and bangs the body around but he doesn't score and you sometimes don't even hear his name in numerous games.

Kindl: C- I don't know if he was having a competition with Stuart for biggest bonehead plays by a Wings defenseman but he is just not a player I like in the lineup. He did look decent at times this year and he wasn't really that much worse than Quincey.

Emmerton and Mursak: D. Combined to form the most useless 4th line in the NHL. Enough said.

Babcock: C+ Something hasn't seemed right since that 09 SCF game 7. There have been far too many big games where there just seems to be a lack of emotion and motivation. Always having to dig themselves out of holes and waiting til the 3rd period to start hustling. This team should've at least made a Conference final the past 3 years. In his defense I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt regarding some older players and injuries. Line juggling can be difficult with players who's skills have declined.

Don't get me started on his coaching staff. Anyway,this isn't the end of the franchise. A couple of things need to be addressed. Speed(especially on defense),tougher players and a legitimate 35 goal scorer that hustles. We have a good core of guys here and if(Big IF)Holland uses his brain we can keep this team elite.

He lost his #1 coach too San Jose. Than the team stopped listening to him.Good coach but I think it's time for him to go.