Interupt

Can Hudler take faceoffs? Can Hudler throw a check? OK then.. Theres more to hockey then just statistics. Hudler isn't fast enough to make up for his small size. And as we've seen, Helm is more likely to be in the top six than Hudler.

Hudler IS redundant. Since Hossa is gone, its pretty clear that Babcock will go back to the DZH line. Homer is a top six forward, while playing on a line with the Twins. Datsyuk-Zetterberg-Holmstrom Cleary-Filppula-Franzen They won the cup with those lines...You'll notice one name missing from that top six and its Jiri Hudler. Even if you got "Crazy" with the lines, Holmstrom won't be playing on the bottom two lines, so you're looking at: Filppula-Datsyuk-Holmstrom Cleary-Zetterberg-Franzen That leaves a bottom six of Leino, Helm, Draper, Maltby, Abdelkader and another player. Franzen - 11 years Zetterberg - 10 years Datsyuk - 5 years Filppula - 4 years Cleary - 4 years Holmstrom - 1 year Can Hudler play the role of Holmstrom? Obviously not. Hudler is never going to get a chance of being a top six player on this team. The cap space saved by not signing Hudler gives us the ability to sign an all star player at the deadline for cheap. Or even better, two role players who are upcoming UFAs for a deep playoff run. The draft pick(s) more than makes up for Hudler's loss.

I compared his play to that of: Helm Datsyuk Zetterberg Lidstrom He is paid more than every player on that list, except Lidstrom, who made the same salary as Marian. You're the one making excuses for an all star not producing... not I. And really, this team didn't need another forward playing D and backchecking. The team has plenty of "Two way" guys with limited offensive potential. On the other hand, we only had one bonefied 50 goal guy and he decided not to show up.

The difference being, Hudler is very redundant on this team, while Neil is the kind of player we needed. We'll get a Neil type eventually, when the dead weight known as Draper and Maltby are put to pasture.

Like I said, Hudler gets by on talent more than any player on this team. Take 20lbs away from Datsyuk and you're look at similar players. The key difference? Datsyuk started working out more than ever in his career and put on tons of weight, he still a skinny guy. Hudler is closer to Toni Rajala in terms of size than Datsyuk. Someone of Hudler's size should be able to skate much faster than he does. And yes, that is something that can be improved upon but I don't think Hudler has shown the willingness to do so. Why would he? Hes putting up 60 points on the third line. If he were on any other team he'd be under the spotlight much more.

Hossa would be "The guy" on any other team in the league besides Pittsburgh and Washington. If he put fourth similar effort and numbers as "The guy" on a team like Vancouver, he would be burnt at the stake. There are certain players who give 100% every night, Marian Hossa isn't that guy. Helm, Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Lidstrom are. When you're making $7.5 milliion a season, the list of excuses is pretty short. Datsyuk and Lidstrom were injured, Helm was playing in the AHL two months ago and Zetterberg was healthy and our best forward. What was Hossa's excuse? If Datsyuk, uninjured, went through four rounds of the playoffs and finished with a handful of goals and points, the "Trade Datsyuk" threads would be in full effect. Zetterberg would probably get the benefit of the doubt.

Zetterberg and Lidstrom were shutting down Crosby Datsyuk was injured but still throwing his weight around and playing great D. What was Hossa doing? He wasn't even showing as much effort as Darren Helm. I hear nothing but excuses, Hossa has all world talent and CAN pass the puck but refused to do so. Hes as big as Franzen and has shown his ability to hit. He may have been the fastest skater on the team. Theres more to a $7 million dollar players game besides shooting the puck. Hossa never came close to "Giving it all".

No.. its just simply the case. If Hossa was snake bitten, ala Datsyuk, he could have atleast took the body to players like Malkin and Crosby. Instead, he floated around waiting for passes and shooting the second he got the puck. Take it for what it is, people seem to hate Fedorov for leaving, well I hate Hossa because I honestly thing he cost the Wings a second cup. The team had more chemistry and was better off before he came into the lineup. The addition of an "All star" player, caused this team to slack all season and get by on talent alone for most of the season. Its not necessary to be so sentimental, Hossa was a massive disappointment and was supposed to take us from "A good chance to repeat" to "A sure thing". If he wants my respect, he should return his salary like Hasek did in 2004.

Thanks for nothing. This season will go down as one of the ultimate "Fails" in NHL history. The definition of a player phoning it in. Any winger in the league, making more than $5 million can score 40 goals on a line with Datsyuk. Probably score more than 70 points too.

Homer, playing with Datsyuk is a top six forward as long as the other forward isn't Marian Hossa. Hudler has never found a place in the top six, I don't understand how that is going to improve with age. Maybe the should put a stipulation in his contract that he needs to start doing squats in the weight room and actually attempt to gain NHL speed.

Why SHOULD, Hudler's point total increase? Who in the top six is he going to beat out for a spot? Cleary? Datsyuk? Zetterberg? Flip? Franzen? Homer? Hudler is officially stuck on the third line for this team. $3 million for a PP specialist? Not even the first PP, the second PP. I would rather save the $2 million for the trade deadline and pickup a $5-$6 million dollar player for the playoffs who is going to be a UFA next season.

Comparing Flip and Hudler is simple.. Hudler is a 30 point guy, without his PP time. He can't play on the top lines consistently, can't play center and doesn't play on the PK. Flip, while not as flashy, COULD play on the PP, does play center, is our second line center or first line LWer and plays on the PK. Flip got five years, 15 million. Hudler doesn't deserve anything more than hes getting currently. There has to be a veteran player out there who can play in the top six with some consistently and or be used as a PP specialist.

Again, nothing but stats. What does this team lack? A big physical defenseman. Ericsson really isn't that, Lilja is the only example. Everyone else on the team plays a Lidstrom-lite game. Imagine Chara or Pronger on a line with Rafalski. 9 points an slightly higher +/- doesn't make up for a foot in height and 50lbs. Chara brings something to the game which Lidstrom never has and never can.

+/- isn't the end all be all of stats. Detroit's defense was atrocious during the regular season, including Lidstrom and a lot of it has to do with Lilja missing time. If im going into game seven of the finals with just one defenseman im picking Chara or Pronger. They're both great defensively and they actually make players pay the price instead of just letting them camp out in front of the net. If anything, this thread proves that Pronger doesn't get enough respect. Lidstrom has a great stick but it doesn't make up for the times when he gets man handled by bigger players like Getzlaf and it results in a goal. Osgood was "Off" this year but his defense was terrible, he and Conklin were hung out to dry on multiple occasions.

The media "Annoited" Lidstrom the best defenseman in the league for a decade. Chara plays the same game but is much more physical, its the same story with Pronger. Did you really expect Lidstrom to keep winning the Norris until he retired due to boredom? Hes slowed a step or two in the last couple years. He gets beat much more consistently and the "Off games" that were unheard of a couple seasons ago, happen more and more frequently, including in the playoffs. Take off the homer glasses and realize that there are teams in this league not located in Detroit. If you listened to the majority of this board, they'd lead you to believe that Lidstrom should have won the Hart and Norris every year since 99. Nothing more than hype and Ken Daniels. Lidstrom is a great player, one of the top defenseman in the league but hes not an MVP candidate and this team will survive just fine without him.