Top 20 most valuable Red Wings players since 2002

[Guest irishock]

you can choose to do it by value over a long period of time (Franzen would be > Hossa, etc.) or value no matter how long the duration (Hull would be > Holmstrom, etc.)

I'll go

1.Lidstrom

2.Datsyuk

3.Zetterberg

4.Hasek

5.Hossa

6.Shanahan

7.Hull

8.Franzen

9.Yzerman

10.Holmstrom

11.Rafalski

12.Kronwall

13.Filppula

14.Cleary

15.Draper

16.Stuart

17.Bertuzzi

18.Schneider

19.Samuelsson

20.Lang

Actually, yeah Hossa really shouldn't make the list. I think talent alone he's top 5 but his playoff disappearance really changed everyone's perception of him. Probably take him out of the list and put Hudler into top 20.

Edited December 18, 2012 by irishock

[GMRwings1983 8,793]

Top 3 are obvious, but Hasek and Hossa are ranked too high, and Holmstrom and Kronwall are ranked too low. Hossa did s*** for us in the playoffs and was only here one year. He shouldn't even be on the list actually. Here's my top 10.

1. Lidstrom

2. Datsyuk

3. Zetterberg

4. Holmstrom

5. Rafalski

6. Shanahan

7. Kronwall

8. Franzen

9. Yzerman

10. Lilja

Edited December 18, 2012 by GMRwings1983

[GoWings1905 2,694]

Cool thread -- quite the list of players to choose from in just a decade. I'm going to take the longevity factor into account mostly.

1. Lidstrom

2. Zetterberg

3. Datsyuk

4. Osgood

5. Yzerman (2002 playoff run alone made me boost him this high)

6. Rafalski

7. Franzen

8. Shanahan

9. Kronwall

10. Draper

11. Holmstrom

12. Stuart

13. Chelios

14. McCarty

15. Cleary

16. Schneider

17. Filppula

18. Helm

19. Howard

20. Drake (wasn't here long, huge impact in the 2008 playoffs though)

[Kira 451]

Wow, this is tricky.

1) Pasha/Nick. I can't decide between the two.

2) Steve. What can you say - he was The Captain.

3) Henrik

4) Johan. Those hat tricks in the '08 run didn't hurt his status at all.

5) Ozzie.

More than this, I'd be really hard pressed to rate them.

[Guest The Axe]

1. Lidstrom

2. Datsyuk

3. Zetterberg

4. Kronwall

5. Filppula

6. Helm

7. Yzerman

8. Rafalski

9. Ericsson

10. Franzen

11. Osgood

12. Cleary

13. Shanahan

14. Drake

15. Howard

16. Draper

17. Chelios

18. Fischer

19. Maltby

20. Stuart

[GMRwings1983 8,793]

I love Yzerman, but the thread says since 2002. I thought that meant the 2002 playoffs don't count.

After that season, all I remember from Stevie were injuries and waiting for him to return. I don't see how he can rank really high here. His impact diminished and I remember him even playing on the 3rd line.

Edited December 19, 2012 by GMRwings1983

[Guest irishock]

I meant to include the 2002 playoffs since I put Hasek and Hull up there as well.

[GMRwings1983 8,793]

I meant to include the 2002 playoffs since I put Hasek and Hull up there as well.

OK.

I'd rank Yzerman a little higher then. Hasek I might include in the top 10, but he was on and off in Hockeytown.

[Guest The Axe]

OK.

I'd rank Yzerman a little higher then. Hasek I might include in the top 10, but he was on and off in Hockeytown.

OK.

I'd rank Yzerman a little higher then. Hasek I might include in the top 10, but he was on and off in Hockeytown.

Ok. It has been noted.

[achildr1 255]

you can choose to do it by value over a long period of time (Franzen would be > Hossa, etc.) or value no matter how long the duration (Hull would be > Holmstrom, etc.)

I'll go

1.Lidstrom

2.Datsyuk

3.Zetterberg

4.Hasek

5.Hossa

6.Shanahan

7.Hull

8.Franzen

9.Yzerman

10.Holmstrom

11.Rafalski

12.Kronwall

13.Filppula

14.Cleary

15.Draper

16.Stuart

17.Bertuzzi

18.Schneider

19.Samuelsson

20.Lang

Actually, yeah Hossa really shouldn't make the list. I think talent alone he's top 5 but his playoff disappearance really changed everyone's perception of him. Probably take him out of the list and put Hudler into top 20.

As long as this includes the Cup in 2002, this is my list. I don't see a reason to have anyone on my list that wasn't on a Cup team. Past that, I don't think we win the Cup in '02 at all without Hasek, thus his ranking. My major changes...I'm not the biggest Osgood fan but he certainly should be on the list. Darren Helm, I believe, is one of the most important players on the Wings and is arguably the best bottom six forward in the game. He's the new Kris Draper, who was ranked highly for similar reasons. I think both of those players set the tone of work ethic when they play/played.

1.Lidstrom

2.Datsyuk

3.Zetterberg

4.Hasek

5.Kronwall

6.Shanahan

7.Franzen

8.Hull

9.Yzerman

10.Rafalski

11.Holmstrom

12.Osgood

13.Draper

14.Helm

15.Cleary

16.Stuart

17.Filppula

18.Samuelsson

19.Chelios

20.Hudler

[LeftWinger 4,949]

I cannot believe nobody put Fedorov or CuJo on their lists....Hudler doen't belong ANYWHERE on that list!

Fedorov lead the team in points with 83 in that one season, Hudler has 127 in SEVEN seasons...

I mention CuJo because he did win 34 games and even if they did get swept in the first round, he still only had a 2.08 GAA for the playoffs. If the Wings cannot score more than 2 goals a game, they usually do not win...also how valuable was Manny during the whole Cujo/Hasek debacle? 23 wins followed the next year by 37 (too bad he did choke in the playoffs...)

All three of these guys should make that list above Hudler and with the exception of one magical playoff year, Franzine doesn't deserve to be ranked that high, he is WELL below the MVP status of Filppula!

As long as this includes the Cup in 2002, this is my list. I don't see a reason to have anyone on my list that wasn't on a Cup team. Past that, I don't think we win the Cup in '02 at all without Hasek, thus his ranking. My major changes...I'm not the biggest Osgood fan but he certainly should be on the list. Darren Helm, I believe, is one of the most important players on the Wings and is arguably the best bottom six forward in the game. He's the new Kris Draper, who was ranked highly for similar reasons. I think both of those players set the tone of work ethic when they play/played.

1.Lidstrom

2.Datsyuk

3.Zetterberg

4.Hasek

5.Kronwall

6.Shanahan

7.Franzen

8.Hull

9.Yzerman

10.Rafalski

11.Holmstrom

12.Osgood

13.Draper

14.Helm

15.Cleary

16.Stuart

17.Filppula

18.Samuelsson

19.Chelios

20.Hudler

No Maltby? So Hudler was more valuable than Maltby? Hopefully this was an oversight...

[GoWings1905 2,694]

Depends on your interpretation of value. Hudler had some pretty significant offensive seasons while Maltby's effectiveness was decreasing rapidly during this time span.

I am a little surprised at the lack of love for Ozzie so far. Saved what could have been a first round exit in 2008 and was brilliant the rest of the way. Would have won the Conn Smythe too in 2009 had his team scored more than two goals combined in Games 6 and 7.

Edited December 22, 2012 by GoWings1905

[GMRwings1983 8,793]

Depends on your interpretation of value. Hudler had some pretty significant offensive seasons while Maltby's effectiveness was decreasing rapidly during this time span.

I am a little surprised at the lack of love for Ozzie so far. Saved what could have been a first round exit in 2008 and was brilliant the rest of the way. Would have won the Conn Smythe too in 2009 had his team scored more than two goals combined in Games 6 and 7.

You're right, I should have put Osgood on my list in retrospect. Just for 2008 and 2009 (although we like to forget the latter season around here).

[Guest irishock]

Hudler was good for 5 years. Maltby was solid for probably 6 years. I'd take Hudler over him.

[LeftWinger 4,949]

Hudler was good for 5 years. Maltby was solid for probably 6 years. I'd take Hudler over him.

Wow! Really? Hudler was nowhere near as good defensively! Picture Hudler on the Grind Line!

Edited December 22, 2012 by LeftWinger

[Guest irishock]

Wow! Really? Hudler was nowhere near as good defensively! Picture Hudler on the Grind Line!

Hudler obviously wasn't good defensively but he was still a 2nd line calibre player while Maltby was always Drape's sidekick.

In this league a scoring line guy is always more valuable than a grind line guy imo.

Edited December 22, 2012 by irishock

[GoWings1905 2,694]

Wow! Really? Hudler was nowhere near as good defensively! Picture Hudler on the Grind Line!

That's easy to flip: imagine Maltby trying to score 25 goals in a top-six role.

[Dabura 12,207]

And yet, does anyone really miss Hudler?

[GoWings1905 2,694]

No, I don't personally. Just saying in this context I think he's more valuable than Maltby.

[Guest The Axe]

Maltby = 4 rings.

[GoWings1905 2,694]

Maltby = 4 rings.

Why does that matter? The Red Wings still win all four without him.

I'm not trying to diminish what Maltby did here, but he basically agitated and killed penalties. It should also be noted I didn't include Hudler on my list either, though he would have made it ahead of Maltby.

Edited December 22, 2012 by GoWings1905

[Guest The Axe]

Why does that matter? The Red Wings still win all four without him.

I'm not trying to diminish what Maltby did here, but he basically agitated and killed penalties. It should also be noted I didn't include Hudler on my list either, though he would have made it ahead of Maltby.

You don't know that. Grind line was big for us.

[GoWings1905 2,694]

Yes, they were. In saying that, Maltby was easily the least valuable and replaceable of the three. Take away Maltby and you still have the two crucial elements of that line in Draper and McCarty. If you want to argue the Red Wings may not have won all four without one of those two, I would agree more.

[Kira 451]

I guess in the case of Malts vs. Hudler, it's a toss-up...do you go for stability and steady, or a flash in the pan. You could say that about a lot of guys. So it becomes a very subjective list.

[Guest irishock]

Yes, they were. In saying that, Maltby was easily the least valuable and replaceable of the three. Take away Maltby and you still have the two crucial elements of that line in Draper and McCarty. If you want to argue the Red Wings may not have won all four without one of those two, I would agree more.

Pretty much this. Replace Maltby with prime Cleary or Drake and we win the 3 cups pre-lockout anyways.

Edited December 22, 2012 by irishock