Now some gritty forwards.

[Richdg 267]

I made a list of RHed Dmen we should be taken a long look at and trying to get. So now I will do gritty forwards. None of these guys are goons. They a big guys that can skate, hit, and even score. Guys that play 10+ mins a game, some in the 15mins range. All are under 30, all make less than 4 million per season, and none are going to break the bank to pick up. So here are the guys I would take a long hard look at:

RW's:

Brouwer Wash 6-3/215

Setoguchi Win 6-0/200

Jones CGY 6-2/210

Kassian Van 6-3/215

Smith-Pelly Ana 6-0/225

LW's:

Martin NYI 6-3/210

Greening Ott 6-3/210

Bollig Chi 6-2/225

Clifford LAK 6-2/215

Kulemin Tor 6-1/225

Maroon Ana 6-3/230

C's:

Wingels SJ 6-0/200

Jenner CBL 6-2/205

Hanzel Phx 6-6/240

Smith Ott 6-2/215

Eller Mon 6-2/215

Nolan LAK 6-3/225

Setoguchi and Kulemin are UFA's, so we could just sign them. The others need to be traded for. I would LOVE to see us grab 2 guys off of this list, or find 2 guys that play the same type of game as these guys. Guys that skate, hit, play hard every shift and could net 10+ goals. We need the grit and size, as Boston clearly showed us.....

[Guest DeGraa55]

Well we had a guy that had grit and could fight and score 10+ goals he just didn't have size. And he ended up buried in GRR. As much as I agree we need it I'm sure holland is convinced we will win without it(which has never been the case).

We used to have the grind line. We also had homer who showed grit and toughness by getting abused every game in front of the net. Both of which were severely lacking.

[GMRwings1983 8,803]

We definitely need some size and grit to balance out our lineup and compete with bigger teams.

However, what has Kenny Holland ever done in free agency to make you think he'd sign a big, gritty forward?

[Nhurdi 42]

No way in hell I want Diving Devin Setoguchi anywhere near this team. I still remember him flopping all over the ice that one year in the playoffs. It's been said before that he even dives in shootouts!

But some size couldn't hurt.

I'm in Vancouver and they talk about Kassian all the time on Team 1040 and I'm not sure he could be had for cheap. At least if you believe the guys on the radio that is. There was talk at length of someone trying to sign him and paying the compensation.

[Aznknight 139]

Thanks. Now Kenny's gonna see this and add it to his list of players he won't take

[barabbas16 499]

Well we had a guy that had grit and could fight and score 10+ goals he just didn't have size. And he ended up buried in GRR. As much as I agree we need it I'm sure holland is convinced we will win without it(which has never been the case).

We used to have the grind line. We also had homer who showed grit and toughness by getting abused every game in front of the net. Both of which were severely lacking.

He scored 10+ goals one time in 10 NHL seasons. He scored 11 goals.... six seasons ago in 2007-08. His career average would be about 7.5 goals per full season.

Maybe Detroit should sign Jonathan Cheechoo - he could score 50+ goals.

[dirtydangles 1,328]

If Hanzel is on the market I would be all over him. But PHX is not deep at C. Dwight King may be a cap casualty in LA that would be worth looking into.

[Guest DeGraa55]

He scored 10+ goals one time in 10 NHL seasons. He scored 11 goals.... six seasons ago in 2007-08. His career average would be about 7.5 goals per full season.

Maybe Detroit should sign Jonathan Cheechoo - he could score 50+ goals.

Lol I don't care. It was mostly a joke mixed with fact.

[number9 3,297]

Setoguchi and Greening are gritty? A lot of opposing fans would disagree

[RyanBarnes! 293]

I like Prust from Montreal.

[frankgrimes 1,836]

The problem with Kassian is this, he is a lose cannon and has a very bad attitude, i.e taunting the Calgary bench or Edmonton after injuring one of their players AND declining to fight Gazdic.

Boone Jenner right now may be close to untouchable for the Bluejackets but I think a guy like Bollig would be a nice addition. Wings need to create a fourth line from hell one that is respected by 'Boston, Toronto, Calgary but if we add Bollig we need to add some heavyweights to so he can do his hitting without having to fight the likes of Orr, Lucic, Chara...

I like Maroon and him best on this list, well done

[Richdg 267]

dirty-yes but they need scoring

9-no. greening was 12th in hits this past season for forwards.

Frank-thanks. TBH we could very much use a loose cannon or 2 around the RW's. far to much passivity and civility at the Joe. Remember that commercial they did a couple of years ago. The ne where they were welcoming other teams, had easy listening music, aroma candles etc...... The part they didn't mention was, that was the home locker room!

[uk_redwing 495]

Mitch Callahan. He is essentially Tomas Holmstrom but with extra fightings and yappings.

The loss of Holmstrom in his retirement is one of the most underrated losses on this team by the management staff, and one they've never sought to address. They need to. They can talk about team toughness all they want, but there's no one in the Wings who is a patch on Holmstrom except Callahan.

[Dominator2005 558]

Eller, Seto, Grenning gritty?!?!

Kassian and Martin would be great...

Z - Dats - Kassian

Nyquist - Weiss - Franzen

Tatar - She - Jurco

Abdelkader - Helm - Martin / Gazdic

Kronwall - Smith

DeKe - Niskanen / Boyle

Ericsson - Greene

Marchenko

[Guest Playmaker]

Well we had a guy that had grit and could fight and score 10+ goals he just didn't have size. And he ended up buried in GRR. As much as I agree we need it I'm sure holland is convinced we will win without it(which has never been the case).

We used to have the grind line. We also had homer who showed grit and toughness by getting abused every game in front of the net. Both of which were severely lacking.

It was much easier to put together a "grind line" before the salary cap. You just can't keep an entire team of experienced veterans together anymore.

To be fair, there's probably only a handful of players ever in the NHL who could do what Tomas Holmstrom did. Ciccarelli comes to mind, Ryan Smyth. But it isn't like players like these are a dime a dozen or would come cheaply even if they were out there.

[VM1138 1,921]

Holland has to sign a gritty forward who can play hockey. Babcock has no use for a player like that who is a defensive liability.

[TheXym 2,606]

I appreciate the thought put into this, as I agree the Wings could use some grit up front but it needs to be with size and skill. However, Setoguchi on this list is enough to make one put on the LOLlerskates while driving the ROFLcopter. He dove more in one playoff series then the IJN kamikaze air corps did in all of WWII.

That said, Hanzal would be a nice add, but I really don't think PHX lets him walk. Z. Smith would be interesting. I didn't see much of him in OTT, but when I saw him playing for the B-Sens I liked what I saw.

Mitch Callahan. He is essentially Tomas Holmstrom but with extra fightings and yappings.

The loss of Holmstrom in his retirement is one of the most underrated losses on this team by the management staff, and one they've never sought to address. They need to. They can talk about team toughness all they want, but there's no one in the Wings who is a patch on Holmstrom except Callahan.

I don't know if Dirty Harry is Holmstrom 2.0, or if there ever will be one. Homer was an absolute beast in front of the net, with a GPS like ability to park outside the line and stay there, though they'd just call him for farting into the crease. The Wings should have him mentor a few players on how to front the net. Who better to learn from?

[Richdg 267]

Just because guys don't fight or do it very much doesn't mean they are not gritty. All of the guys listed are Abby size or bigger and most if not all hit more than he does. They all go to the corners, in front of the net etc... Also, like I mentioned before all can skate. last thing, most of these guys are not going to cost an arm and a leg to get. Reasonable trade can be made. You also never know what they can develop into. a 23 year martin that has always been on a checking line could develop into a 20+ goal scorer playing with a guy like Datsyuk.

[DatsyukianDekes 2,428]

Just because guys don't fight or do it very much doesn't mean they are not gritty. All of the guys listed are Abby size or bigger and most if not all hit more than he does. They all go to the corners, in front of the net etc... Also, like I mentioned before all can skate. last thing, most of these guys are not going to cost an arm and a leg to get. Reasonable trade can be made. You also never know what they can develop into. a 23 year martin that has always been on a checking line could develop into a 20+ goal scorer playing with a guy like Datsyuk.

Sign me up. Get Abby off the top line.

[TheXym 2,606]

Just because guys don't fight or do it very much doesn't mean they are not gritty. All of the guys listed are Abby size or bigger and most if not all hit more than he does. They all go to the corners, in front of the net etc... Also, like I mentioned before all can skate. last thing, most of these guys are not going to cost an arm and a leg to get. Reasonable trade can be made. You also never know what they can develop into. a 23 year martin that has always been on a checking line could develop into a 20+ goal scorer playing with a guy like Datsyuk.

Good points. Like the Rob Brown on Mario's wing effect? (or to a lesser but maybe more apropos extent, Gallant on Yzerman's wing?)

[number9 3,297]

dirty-yes but they need scoring

9-no. greening was 12th in hits this past season for forwards.

Frank-thanks. TBH we could very much use a loose cannon or 2 around the RW's. far to much passivity and civility at the Joe. Remember that commercial they did a couple of years ago. The ne where they were welcoming other teams, had easy listening music, aroma candles etc...... The part they didn't mention was, that was the home locker room!

Greening is big, fast, and will fight here or there, but he's defiantly not gritty. Any Sens fan will tell you he doesn't use his size, he's not aggressive enough, and is inconsistent in his play.

He's basically a poor mans Franzen.

Just because guys don't fight or do it very much doesn't mean they are not gritty. All of the guys listed are Abby size or bigger and most if not all hit more than he does. They all go to the corners, in front of the net etc... Also, like I mentioned before all can skate. last thing, most of these guys are not going to cost an arm and a leg to get. Reasonable trade can be made. You also never know what they can develop into. a 23 year martin that has always been on a checking line could develop into a 20+ goal scorer playing with a guy like Datsyuk.

And likewise just bc Greening was 12th in hits doesn't mean he's gritty

[matemate 34]

the thing is, wings like gritty forwards who is like helm, abby, miller and glendening instead, and it really sucks. only abby play very physical but he is not very hard hitting or tough.

[Wings02 31]

I saw Adam Henrique at the bar last night and I mentioned how I was a little pissed that the wings are out and he said he's a red wings fan too and bought me a beer .. New Jersey would be stupid too get rid of him but it would a awesome

[kipwinger 8,755]

Is it just me, or are half the dudes on that list not gritty at all? Eller? Setoguchi? Those dude are big, sure, but they're cream puffs.

[nawein 324]

I think a lot of us are missing the point on the grit factor. Most of the players listed here are bottom sixers. We need grit, but we need top 6 forwards with grit. Ones with actual hockey ability. Ones like Wayne Simmonds. Guys like Glendening, Helm, Miller, Abby all can play gritty, bottom 6 hockey. We have no on in the top 6 that plays gritty AND can make plays. That's what we need. Not many players we have talked about are that. They don't grow on trees and are going to be expensive to get, but that's what we need.