newfy

This board is too obsessed with the word classy. Hockey isn't supposed to be classy

That any redwing fan would like LaPerrier, the same asshat who took out Lids knee, maybe shortening his career, causing him to lose a step, anything.....is disgusting as hell.

Hope the SOB gets hit by a bus.

Yeah a clean hit on a star player. I would love him here and I'm sure if he was a wing and did that clean hit to Crosby you would love it.

Hudler has more skill than Verbeek did, just less opportunity. If he had Verbeek's physical game and muscle (Beeker had a bit more weight on him) then Huds would be putting up some sick numbers. Probably over a point per game and definitely All-Star worthy.

Yeah but he doesn't have the muscle or the physical game at all. He doesn't even have a little bit of a physical game its non existent. Thats why he doesn't get a chance because he's too weak to play against top 2 lines. Its kinda like saying if Helm had Datsyuks hands he would score more. Fact of the matter is he doesn't.

Anyone see Mike Fisher of Ottawa headbutts Fleury of Pittsbrugh last night. Not Bob Probert style, but he did break Fleurys nose, he should be suspended.

Unless youre talking about a different play, Fisher got pushed into Orpik and shouldn't have even got a penalty let alone a suspension.

To whom are you replying?  I only saw one post that thought that Lids was maybe a third-place choice.  The rest of us just think he's a great d-man whose play may not be what it was when he was young, but is still a fantastic player who we would take over pretty much anyone in a heartbeat.

That he is not a Norris contender is not a statement that he is no good, nor are we upset about this.  As you say, it's a changing of the guard. Nick still brings leadership, hockey smarts, grace under fire, and a very high level of play.  No homer glasses here.

The general feel (not on this thread in general but the whole website) is that everyone still thinks Lids is the best in the game. While he is still good he just simply isn't the greatest anymore.

Actually, playoff hockey is about sacrificing the body, but knowing how to block a shot.  They guy needs to learn not to face the puck or wear a face sheild.  He should know better considering he did the same thing earlier this year.  Maybe he's so dumb he can't pass shot blocking 101

Wear a face shield? Learn to block shots? He was turning his face as it hit him. Have you ever blocked a shot, I would love to see you not face it when you first go down for the block. You gotta make sure its getting released or get up really quick and get back in position. The guys tougher then our whole team combined for god's sake and you're saying he's dumb. Pfft ya right.

If you take off the Homer glasses guys its easy to see that Lids didn't really deserve to win or really get nominated. Its an award for best defenseman, Nick has been shakier then usual this year on the defensive end with almost no offensive output. Doughty and Keith are both deserving, not Green however. Nick simply isn't the best in the game anymore, its a changing of the guard.

I'm pretty sure its awarded to the best defenseman not best defensive defenseman. Noone has ever said defenseman aren't supposed to put up points too, just like forwards aren't supposed to just forecheck.

Why would he bother dealing with the arbitration issue if he could get rid of him for draft picks?  Oh that's right, because he understands that keeping players who know the system and were raised in the system is much better than bringing in some pluggers who can't even bring the same offensive game.

Kenny is going to take Hudler and neither Armstrong or Clarkson will be on the roster next season.  You can book it here.

I said that I didn't think they would be. What I said is that Armstrong would be better for this team. Detroit is moving away from 3 scoring lines and a 4th line and more into a 2 scoring line grind line 4th line team.

Hudler won't fit that system, because he isn't a top 6 player.

Considering Kenny Holland has made a career out of regular season and playoff success, I'll take his opinion on the matter over some nobody who thinks a low scoring forward who is "physical" can do better than Jiri Hudler.

How do you know what Kenny Holland thinks? He's loyal to the people he drafts. How do you know he doesn't think he would be better off signing armstrong and trading Hudler but just doesn't do it because he's loyal? Or how do you know he won't sign Armstrong? Just cause he hasn't yet, but you never know he might. I doubt he will but too say you know what Kenny thinks is done. What Kenny thinks and what Kenny does can be two different things.

Colby Armstrong has had 0+1=1 points in 5 playoff games in his career, meaning 0.20 ppg.

Jiri Hudler has had 9+19=28 points in 51 playoff games in his career, meaning 0.55 ppg.

Hudler's has also ten times more playoff experience than Armstrong. Yet, somehow Armstrong is better playoff player. Weird.

Hudler is invisible in the playoffs. Stats aren't everything. A guy like Colby Armstrong would be much more beneficial in the playoffs then Hudler. I guarantee you our team would be better off with 2 draft picks plus Colby Armstrong then just Hudler. I'm not saying I think this will happen but to think that this wouldn't make our team better is dumb. If you get rid of Hudler you free up basically 3 million or have about 3 million to spend after other guys come off the books and with 3 million you can get either a) a better offensive guy then Hudler who can play top 6 b) a strong 2 way guy like Armstrong who can hit and fight and will be noticeable come post season.

Just don't even try explaining to them.they don't understand the fact that playoff hockey isn't for one-dimensional ballerinas midgets.

There I fixed that for you

How is Armstrong a better fit for this team?

We're not gonna resigng more than one of Bertuzzi, Williams and Holmstrom. Top6 guys we're going to have next season: Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Franzen, Filppula, Bertuzzi/Williams/Holmstrom, X

Bottom6: Cleary, Helm, Draper, Abdelkader, Eaves, Miller

We already have enough bottom6 guys for next season. Of our top6 guys only two are better than Hudler offensively. Plus, three of them, Filppula, Zetterberg, Datsyuk are all good penalty killers too.

I fail to understand how Armstrong or any guy that brings us less offense and more defense for that same money could be a better option for this team. Armstrong has potential for +50, Hudler has potential for +70. Hudler is two years younger and has already played for this team and played under Babcock. You can hate all you want but I know which of them Babcock and Kenny want.

Like I said, a guy who brings 20 less points in the regular season, that can hit, fight and show up in the playoffs if nothing else but laying out bodies in the top 6 is much more important to a team then a 60 point getter that can't play in his own zone or be even slightly effective in the corners.

Think of it this way. We could trade Hudler for a couple prospects or draft picks, with that money sign Armstrong. Essentially youre trading Hudler for Armstrong and 2 prospects. Sounds good to me anyday.

Its obvious that Hudler can put up points. What he can't do is play defense or be physical which are integral parts of hockey. Detroit believes in solid two way play from all forwards, Hudler was the only one last season that couldn't play good defensively.

Dats and Z are still physical players, especially compared to Hudler.

Oh geez.

How much physicality do you honestly think comes out of playing defense?  Lidstrom is a top-5 defender EVER and has barely been physical.  Datsyuk defends by takeaways.  Zetterberg is one of Detroit's best shutdown players.  Cleary is more of a grinder than anyone on the team.

Also Armstrong had 40 points in one year.  What happened when Kovalchuk left?  11 fewer points and 7 less goals.  Man what a player.

David Clarkson?  What made you think he was better all around?  His +/- is deplorable in comparison to Hudler's while playing in front of a much better regular season goaltender.



Since when did physicality become necessary for a player to be successful in a puck possession system?

Unless we are selecting Armstrong for a 4th line role guy at 1 mil, which I would have no problem lift.

Youre comparing guys like Z, and Datsyuk and Lidstrom, three guys who will be hall of famers to Hudler. I never said physicality meant defense, I mean if a guy pays defense as well as another guy but lays people out at the same time, the big hitter is more valuable. A healthy cleary will put up 10 more points a season then Hudler.

Armstrong is a better option then Hudler.

Yes, and that's why we need a guy like Hudler. As a team we already have that defensive abilitiy, but lack offense. Getting Hudler helps with that. It's like we have 80 offense 100 defense and Hudler balances it to 100-100.

Of course I take a guy that is great in offense and great in defense over a guy that is great in offense but only average in defense, IF THEY WOULD HAVE THE SAME CAP HIT. We're living in a cap era, and when we get Hudler we don't pay too much money for defense which would be "wasted" as we already have great two-way guys.

Got the point?

Got it, but you don't get the point that he's not a huge offensive guy, what does he do in playoffs? Gets laid out to give the other team momentum and be too smalls and slow to make an impact. I would sacrifice 20 points in the regular season for a guy who will actually make an impact come playoff time. Hudler's 57 points doesn't mean s*** come playoffs.

Yeah, but we have Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Filppula, Helm, Eaves, Miller, Draper, Cleary... all good defensive guys. We don't need a guy for our PK.

Our top forwards only had 70 points this season. I don't think that's so much. We need more offense and the fact is that if you want to get a guy with imaginary offense rated 10 and defense rated 5 it's cheaper or much cheaper than a guy with offense rated 10 and defense rated 7. And we wouldn't really even have no real use for that defensive ability. We need to strengthen our offense more than our defense at this time, that's the point.

We also already have a lot of soft players. Datsyuk, Z, Cleary and Flip should be put into scoring roles and not have to worry about defense. WIth guy like Hudler on the team it is more likely that they'll be forced into playing more defensively. If Dats or Z are stuck playing with Hudler they'll have to play twice as defensive to cover for his liable ass.

I wouldn't say Clarkson would be a better fit for our team's top 6 I would say he would be a better fit for our team however. And Armstrong would be a hell of a lot better then Hudler by far. You guys talk about how Hudler put up that many points playing on the 3rd line with bad players. Armstrong played for Atlanta and didn't play with Kovalchuk a lot. Hudler has played with twice the talent in his career then Armstrong and Armstrong would be a guy that people would keep their head up for. I don't think anyone keeps their head up for Hudler, even with their head down they're staring at the top of his head the guy is so damn small.