Let's Talk About Abdelkader, Plus Others

[RedLightGoesOn 81]

I liked Abby a lot on the top line. He would battle hard, go to the rough areas of the ice and scrums to get the puck or make a play.... We need more of that on our team. However, I don't think his skill set is good enough to consistently produce in a top 6 spot.

Most people agree that Abby should be in bottom 6, I agree. I think for a bottom 6 he is lethal and can be way more effective in a grind/shutdown/energy line -- that was proved by his top 6 play.

Our top 6 needs the likes of a young Bert and Homer (even a younger Cleary) to compliment our skill, add a sniper to boot and this team will be brutal on up front. Cleary is aging, Homer is gone, Bert's future is in question, Franzen is a former shell of himself, Filp's future is in question (at the moment). We need to find a way to replenish these types of players to find our former devastating top 6 success...

I also like the idea a lot of having Nyquist-Andersson-Brunner on the same line. If Brunner had played with Nyquist and Andersson in GR they would have way more chemistry. I want to see this chemistry develop as they also develop as players. Keeping them as a bottom 6 line is going to win us games, pure and simple.

[VM1138 1,921]

That's the thing. Abby is the type of player we need up there, but he isn't the player we need. Does that make sense? We need his style of play, but in the form of a player who scores.

[WorkingOvertime 536]

That's the thing. Abby is the type of player we need up there, but he isn't the player we need. Does that make sense? We need his style of play, but in the form of a player who scores.

Abby did lead the Wings in ES goals, scoring more goals than either Sedins and Semin, but I do know what you mean.

I would love a player like Clarkson on the Wings, but I think he will be overpaid if he reaches UFA. It looks like Clowe wants to stay in NY.

Abby is beneficial in the top-6 because of the Wings' skilled center depth. That is, the Wings only have two skilled centers in Dats and Z (Mule can play top-6 center if needed). Therefore, if the Wings want two skilled players and a physical presence on each of the top-3 lines, the physical player for the third line has to be the center and two of Abby, Bert, and Mule have to be in the top-6 (or Abby and Bert if Mule isn't enough for Babcock).

[Guest Crymson]

Here's my first one of these:

CAPGEEK.COM USER GENERATED ROSTER
2013-2014 Red Wings
FORWARDS
Johan Franzen ($3.955m) / Pavel Datsyuk ($6.700m) / Justin Abdelkader ($1.800m)
Gustav Nyquist ($1.000m) / Henrik Zetterberg ($6.083m) / Nathan Horton ($5.000m)
Tomas Tatar ($0.840m) / Joakim Andersson ($1.000m) / Damien Brunner ($1.750m)
Drew Miller ($0.838m) / Darren Helm ($2.125m) / Patrick Eaves ($1.200m)
Cory Emmerton ($0.533m) / Jordin Tootoo ($1.900m)
DEFENSEMEN
Niklas Kronwall ($4.750m) / Jonathan Ericsson ($3.250m)
Kyle Quincey ($3.775m) / Brendan Smith ($1.100m)
Danny DeKeyser ($1.350m) / Jakub Kindl ($1.050m)
Carlo Colaiacovo ($2.500m)
GOALTENDERS
Jimmy Howard ($5.292m)
Jonas Gustavsson ($1.500m)
OTHER
Buyout: Mikael Samuelsson ($0.000m)
Buyout: Todd Bertuzzi ($0.000m)
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled with the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $59,290,379; BONUSES: $1,010,000
CAP SPACE (23-man roster): $6,019,621

And yes, yes, I'm aware that Nyquist, Brunner, and Andersson might get more than that. If so, there's more than enough cap space to spend on them.

[GoalieManPat 1,007]

Here's my first one of these:

CAPGEEK.COM USER GENERATED ROSTER

2013-2014 Red Wings

FORWARDS

Johan Franzen ($3.955m) / Pavel Datsyuk ($6.700m) / Justin Abdelkader ($1.800m)

Gustav Nyquist ($1.000m) / Henrik Zetterberg ($6.083m) / Nathan Horton ($5.000m)

Tomas Tatar ($0.840m) / Joakim Andersson ($1.000m) / Damien Brunner ($1.750m)

Drew Miller ($0.838m) / Darren Helm ($2.125m) / Patrick Eaves ($1.200m)

Cory Emmerton ($0.533m) / Jordin Tootoo ($1.900m)

DEFENSEMEN

Niklas Kronwall ($4.750m) / Jonathan Ericsson ($3.250m)

Kyle Quincey ($3.775m) / Brendan Smith ($1.100m)

Danny DeKeyser ($1.350m) / Jakub Kindl ($1.050m)

Carlo Colaiacovo ($2.500m)

GOALTENDERS

Jimmy Howard ($5.292m)

Jonas Gustavsson ($1.500m)

OTHER

Buyout: Mikael Samuelsson ($0.000m)

Buyout: Todd Bertuzzi ($0.000m)

------

CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)

(these totals are compiled with the bonus cushion)

SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $59,290,379; BONUSES: $1,010,000

CAP SPACE (23-man roster): $6,019,621

And yes, yes, I'm aware that Nyquist, Brunner, and Andersson might get more than that. If so, there's more than enough cap space to spend on them.

Still doesnt help the Wings biggest glaring weakness which is the ability to score goals.

That's the thing. Abby is the type of player we need up there, but he isn't the player we need. Does that make sense? We need his style of play, but in the form of a player who scores.

This right there. If Abby had any semblance of a solid NHL offensive game he would be perfect up there. Unfortunately that is not Abby.

[dropkickshanahans 463]

My thoughts on Callahan:

I watch a lot/most Griffins games and Callahan is usually a stand out performer. GR coach Jeff Blashill has really raved about Mitch this season.

Although he only scored 11 goals in 70 regular games, he must have hit the pipe about a dozen times or more from the games I saw and was at his best when playing on a skilled line. A real agitator at heart though. When he gets to the NHL he'll be right up there with Maltby. It's not usual to see more than one player go after him after a whistle, just in the last game a few days a go at the buzzer about three Barons players went straight after him.

Didn't fight as much this season, which was probably down to injury. He got beat up pretty bad in two fights early on in the season which seemed to knock his confidence a bit. Still hits everything in sight and down low in battles along the boards there's no one better than Mitch on the team. His defensive game is great, physical game has declined but his offensive game has come leaps and bounds, if still not quite there yet.

I'd expect him to make an impact in preseason with some physical games, but don't see him getting a call up yet with the Wings/Holland quite keen to put skilled prospects on the 4th line when a spot opens up. Call-ups with Holland are never about how well you've played or your role.

Nice and thanks for your insight on Mitchell. Hopefully he keeps progressing then because I would really like to see him become a legit bottom sixer for the Wings in the future.

I also like the idea a lot of having Nyquist-Andersson-Brunner on the same line. If Brunner had played with Nyquist and Andersson in GR they would have way more chemistry. I want to see this chemistry develop as they also develop as players. Keeping them as a bottom 6 line is going to win us games, pure and simple.

This was going to be my other topic. I agree with this as well, they were the difference maker during the playoffs imo. As much as anyone would like to think Nyquist or Brunner belong in the top 6 now (maybe they do), I'd rather see the lines spread out with more scoring depth until we start seeing vets retire and more kids ready to make the jump up to the team. Ease them into that top 6.

[PavelValerievichDatsyuk 1,935]

Eaves is better than Miller. Better hands, faster. more of a scoring touch. I really like Miller too, but Eaves is just a step above. There's a reason he's paid more. BUt there's not much point in debating because Eaves is signed for next year and Miller isn't. If we're only keeping 1 it's going to be Eaves. I think both staying, though. Cleary and Emmerton will be the first to leave (assuming Helm's healthy).