Do you think players read these boards?

[Leadzedder]

I was thinking about missing out on the Spencer Foo signing. It was reported that he was down to Vegas and Detroit. Then he signed with Calgary. In the shape we are in, that signing could have been a boost.

But my question is... do you think a player in that situation, that is weighing his options, would read hockey forums? Specifically, this one? Maybe a vet wouldn't but I wonder if a college guy would.

Cause if I'm him and I read this message board... I'm thinking...

"F$ck those asdh$les".

Just food for thought.

Click to read more...

 

[SpookyTsuki]

There was a thread on this two years ago on the main board. Players definetely read it. The question is how many?

 

[Leadzedder]

Interesting. I'm sure this isn't the only team message board that is 90% negative. But I wonder if reading through would sway a player's decision.

 

[Martinez]

Maybe, just for entertainment.
But if you're looking at options like foo did, hockey forums have 0.00% impact. He was meeting with teams front office, touring facilities, cities, his agent, family, and friends were giving opinions, contracts, playing time etc.
So maybe they read it but we could all say we love foo on here and Calgary fans could all say they hate him and it wouldn't impact his decision at all. We are just highly opinionated fans.

 

[Syckle78]

You think any player that couldn't handle the negativity here would sign in a Canadian city? Lolol. Go to their forums and see what it's like when they struggle. I'm pretty sure nobody here has wished death on Holland.

 

[Hatter of the Beach]

I'm sure most draft eligible prospects have read the respective thread about them

Probably came by it by accident googling their name and then stayed awhile

 

[Henkka]

Absolute sure they won't read.

 

[Leronziia]

Some professional AFL footballers read the main football forum over here, and clubs employ sports psychologists to teach the young guys how to deal with media scrutiny and avoid fora like these.

I'd say it's very likely the same happens in hockey.

 

[Tomas W]

Maybe, just for entertainment.
But if you're looking at options like foo did, hockey forums have 0.00% impact. He was meeting with teams front office, touring facilities, cities, his agent, family, and friends were giving opinions, contracts, playing time etc.
So maybe they read it but we could all say we love foo on here and Calgary fans could all say they hate him and it wouldn't impact his decision at all. We are just highly opinionated fans.

Unless they are stupid, the know before they even read fan forums, that comments on a place like this depends if things go well or not. If things go less well, there will be a lot of guessing and opinions on what a team should do. Its frustration among the fans that need to be vent, no need to feel bad because some radom guy is saying something on a internet forum.

That said, the NHL and NHLPA for example deserve some flak every know and then, when comes to how they handle look-outs, Olympics, the world cup etc...

 

[Beltv]

Maybe......that's why Holland is doing the things he does.....he's just trolling us?

 

[njx9]

Just food for thought.

You're right, we should all join hands, and sing kumbaya. It's clearly the only difference between Detroit and Calgary. I'm sure he'd weigh the fact that this board doesn't approve of the GM much higher than his potential play time, or the relative trend of each team. Simply brilliant.

 

[PelagicJoe]

I doubt they do. Smith, Howard, Ericsson, and Cleary would have either went postal or offed themselves by now if they did.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

I doubt they do. Smith, Howard, Ericsson, and Cleary would have either went postal or offed themselves by now if they did.

They make millions I doubt they honestly care. If anything they would make an account and talk crap about hf

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

I'm guessing some players read the boards, but mostly for laughs.

 

[Leadzedder]

Cool story that absolutely missed the point completely. You think a player is going to read a random fan's opinion on a message board and decide to jump ship on a franchise, or let that comment/poster/group override things like 'winning' and 'money' and 'play time'? That's probably a minority opinion. Good luck with it. Appreciate the personal shots though.

Don't take it personal NJ, or do, whatever, but your timing into the thread lead me there. Your posts are junk though from what I recall. But that's the point. That's the normal here. The quality is in the gutter. The mob mentality. Over the last few years more and more jump on board and spew venom on anything wings related.

I guess I shouldn't talk, I don't add much at all. Just the occasional thread calling fellow wings fans dicks but it's hard to read this board. We all know the current state of affairs. Anyone sensible knew it was coming, and why it was coming. The over the board negativity has grown on this board and now I dislike reading the other boards cause wings fans bring it over there as well. Some make **** up and spread it like it's fact. The only way to fit in, for most, with the wings crew here is to go hard core rage against the wings. It's craziness.

Anyway, that's my rant. Maybe a little self check on why you're a wings fan and what you hope to get out of this community is in order.

Or maybe not. Carry on...

 

[Syckle78]

Someone needs a hug.

 

[Beltv]

Someone needs a hug.

 

[Bench]

Don't take it personal NJ

You named him. Don't take it personal? Ha.

Anyway, no, fans don't sway any athletes worth damn. If the Wings started winning, everything would change. Losing teams have grumpy fans. Winning teams have less grumpy fans. This isn't complicated.

 

[Syckle78]

You named him. Don't take it personal? Ha.

Anyway, no, fans don't sway any athletes worth damn. If the Wings started winning, everything would change. Losing teams have grumpy fans. Winning teams have less grumpy fans. This isn't complicated.

It's not even about being grumpy. I don't get what fans expect us to be positive about. Leading up to the draft pretty much everyone in the draft thread was either positive or just not being negative. When Holland moved players at the deadline pretty much everyone responded positively. If there's nothing to be positive about should we just ignore everything else and just not talk hockey? It's a negative situation we're in,by default we're going to be discussing negative aspects of the team.

 

[JPE123]

I have refrained from posting because I honestly have no idea what Holland is trying to do. I'm confused. Hoping the players know

 

[Leadzedder]

I have refrained from posting because I honestly have no idea what Holland is trying to do. I'm confused. Hoping the players know

I find that odd.

Holland is pretty vocal in his intentions / expectations. The last few years he laid out a plan to continue to make the playoffs while not selling off the future. Last year he warned of a transition year and tried to lower expectations. This year he's telling you that he isn't committing to sucking and they'll do what they can to be more competitive and hope for the playoffs. But as he did last year, if they are out of it at the TDL he will sell off parts. He tells you that he's wanting a top 4 d, but doesn't like the prices.

I don't find it all that hard to follow really.

 

[Leadzedder]

Someone needs a hug.

Nah, I'm good, thanks.

 

[Leadzedder]

It's not even about being grumpy. I don't get what fans expect us to be positive about. Leading up to the draft pretty much everyone in the draft thread was either positive or just not being negative. When Holland moved players at the deadline pretty much everyone responded positively. If there's nothing to be positive about should we just ignore everything else and just not talk hockey? It's a negative situation we're in,by default we're going to be discussing negative aspects of the team.

It is a negative situation. It sucks. We've been at the top of the league for so long. But it was bound to happen. A lot of posters wanted it to happen, maybe rightfully so. And now that we are here... complaining by the truck load.

We had a core of Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Kronwall. Unless a poster can say that they would have went full tank while those guys were all here and productive then no one can complain about trying to stay competitive up until the minute Datsyuk said he was heading back to Russia. Once that happened, new ballgame. Party is over, make a new plan. We kept our picks in the last few years and started rebuilding depth for this whateveryouwanttocallit transition / rebuild / retool. Actually, I don't even want to type more on the subject as it should be common sense.

Anyway, yes, the board was positive during the trade deadline. And leading up to the draft. Most have even come around to the Rasmussen pick. That's all good. But it's not the conversation about our negative situation that is the problem. It's the manner of it. And the group coolness of going off the deep end with it.

 

[BinCookin]

I find that odd.

Holland is pretty vocal in his intentions / expectations. The last few years he laid out a plan to continue to make the playoffs while not selling off the future. Last year he warned of a transition year and tried to lower expectations. This year he's telling you that he isn't committing to sucking and they'll do what they can to be more competitive and hope for the playoffs. But as he did last year, if they are out of it at the TDL he will sell off parts. He tells you that he's wanting a top 4 d, but doesn't like the prices.

I don't find it all that hard to follow really.

A couple points here:

1) Holland has been "rather straight-forward" when it comes to his plan. Just most posters here do not agree with it. thus the rage.

2) I do agree this board is overtly negative.
I am one of the positive ones. I do not think it is the end of the world if we were to sign Daley.

Our overall plan is clear.

Holland will use FA to improve the team, likely to sign shorter than 3 year deals.
Holland will likely cut bait with some of our young guys that look like they will never be anything special (XO).
Holland will continue to draft our team to have larger players.

He does not appear to be tanking. He is going year by year to see what happens.

I am not so much in the "supertank" category, but i would be more active in having 1 year deal's for vets and be really cheap on those deals (get people in desperate situations). And keep playing the youth and watch us get near dead last. I also wouldnt be trading away our 28/27 year olds... but my middle of the road approach would be more "tanky" than Holland, that is for sure.

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

It is a negative situation. It sucks. We've been at the top of the league for so long. But it was bound to happen. A lot of posters wanted it to happen, maybe rightfully so. And now that we are here... complaining by the truck load.

We had a core of Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Kronwall. Unless a poster can say that they would have went full tank while those guys were all here and productive then no one can complain about trying to stay competitive up until the minute Datsyuk said he was heading back to Russia. Once that happened, new ballgame. Party is over, make a new plan. We kept our picks in the last few years and started rebuilding depth for this whateveryouwanttocallit transition / rebuild / retool. Actually, I don't even want to type more on the subject as it should be common sense.

Anyway, yes, the board was positive during the trade deadline. And leading up to the draft. Most have even come around to the Rasmussen pick. That's all good. But it's not the conversation about our negative situation that is the problem. It's the manner of it. And the group coolness of going off the deep end with it.

Please do. I'm WAY more positive than most here. Damn near Pollyanna-ish on some things. I try to be as positive as I can about everything. And making topics and posts like this to complain about the negativity do nothing but make people defensive and therefore more negative than they were.

I've just always thought that the difference between the best and the worst team isn't worth throwing away 3+ seasons to where you are actively trying to suck. Lottery picks are such a crapshoot that you shouldn't rely on them. Take the elite player if you happen to fall there, but if you don't, do the job with the assets you have.

I just hate the idea of scorched earth tanking. It's like a dude selling all of his earthly possessions to buy Mega Millions tickets. If you get lucky and hit the jackpot, you're set. But the higher likelihood is that you end up disappointed and worse off than if you just took sustainable steps to improve.

Everyone seems to want the fix to happen right away... and that's not how it should work.