Joe Hicketts Recalled

Claypool

Registered User
Jan 12, 2009
13,670
4,352
We talking about the same Bertuzzi that has played a grand total of 19 NHL games? If so, i really doubt anyone can look smart or dumb from such a tiny sample size.
Or people just need to chill and see how a player does at the NHL level before taking a giant dump on their career. Too many on this board love writing off prospects before they even play in the league.
 
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Henkka

Registered User
Jan 31, 2004
31,077
12,078
Tampere, Finland
Seems like a lot of people didn't learn from the Bertuzzi thread. Some of you all are going to look real dumb.

I have been a big fan of Bertuzzi, because Bertuzzi had lots of NHL elements on his play.

But I have really really hard time to believe Hicketts will ever be regular NHLr. Guy is just useless in own end and at net-front, when the big guys are coming to battle for loose pucks. No reach, and no strength against them. You can't escape with speed and skating on those things.

Good trade bait, if he does well in the beginning. Package him with Green.
 

Claypool

Registered User
Jan 12, 2009
13,670
4,352
I have been a big fan of Bertuzzi, because Bertuzzi had lots of NHL elements on his play.

But I have really really hard time to believe Hicketts will ever be regular NHLr. Guy is just useless in own end and at net-front, when the big guys are coming to battle for loose pucks. No reach, and no strength against them. You can't escape with speed and skating on those things.

Good trade bait, if he does well in the beginning. Package him with Green.

He hasn't even played in the NHL yet. You have no clue what you're talking about.
 

GrGriffins

Registered User
Jan 30, 2017
1,261
607
Grand Rapids, MI
Actually surprising given how bad he's been in GR, never really understood the hype for a 5"6 D-man.

Hicketts had a bad start at the beginning of the season here in GR (so did the rest of the team). He is coming around just like the rest of the team and he deserves this call up. Sure he will not put up large offensive numbers like Hronek and Russo will, but he makes up for that by taking out forwards trying to score against us. He is a battler and he will fight in the corners and with his size, he is not afraid to use it in front of his own net. Last night, an IceHog forward thought he had a breakaway on Coreau on the wing when Hicketts came in like a bowling ball and separated the IceHog forward from the puck and prevented the scoring chance away without a shot attempt. You will not see that on the box score, but he puts out game in and game out every night.

Hronek is an offensive minded d-man, who still is in the learning process of playing defense (which is suppose to be his primary function as a d-man). Nelson on Wednesday game took Hronek off the top PP unit and replaced him with Saarijarvi because he was floating out on the ice when the Admirals iced the puck down and he, on two occasions, took his sweet time getting the puck behind our net, only to have an Admirals checker raced down and take the puck away from Hronek and that Admirals player had a great chance to score shorthanded each time. That is what most of you people online do not see and this is what I and most other fans that go to all the home games in GR see. Does not matter what Hronek done in the OHL, he is finding out (just like Sproul learned) that you can score all the points you want in juniors, but when you play here in the pros (ECHL, AHL, or NHL), you better learn to play defense now because if you don't, you will not make it to the NHL. Look where Sproul is at now as your latest example (Hartford AHL).

Ouellet and Jensen better start taking notice of Hicketts because one of them might not be with the Wings much longer.
 

Winger98

Moderator
Feb 27, 2002
22,756
4,569
Cleveland
I have been a big fan of Bertuzzi, because Bertuzzi had lots of NHL elements on his play.

But I have really really hard time to believe Hicketts will ever be regular NHLr. Guy is just useless in own end and at net-front, when the big guys are coming to battle for loose pucks. No reach, and no strength against them. You can't escape with speed and skating on those things.

Good trade bait, if he does well in the beginning. Package him with Green.

Which he also doesn't really have, at least not to the level of what you see in most other NHLers who are similarly disadvantaged. I like that he's apparently going to get a look but his ceiling is probably on the third pair getting some sheltered minutes. I don't remember seeing many midgets in the NHL who weren't fantastic skaters.
 

The Zetterberg Era

Ball Hockey Sucks
Nov 8, 2011
40,957
11,577
Ft. Myers, FL
Hicketts had a bad start at the beginning of the season here in GR (so did the rest of the team). He is coming around just like the rest of the team and he deserves this call up. Sure he will not put up large offensive numbers like Hronek and Russo will, but he makes up for that by taking out forwards trying to score against us. He is a battler and he will fight in the corners and with his size, he is not afraid to use it in front of his own net. Last night, an IceHog forward thought he had a breakaway on Coreau on the wing when Hicketts came in like a bowling ball and separated the IceHog forward from the puck and prevented the scoring chance away without a shot attempt. You will not see that on the box score, but he puts out game in and game out every night.

Hronek is an offensive minded d-man, who still is in the learning process of playing defense (which is suppose to be his primary function as a d-man). Nelson on Wednesday game took Hronek off the top PP unit and replaced him with Saarijarvi because he was floating out on the ice when the Admirals iced the puck down and he, on two occasions, took his sweet time getting the puck behind our net, only to have an Admirals checker raced down and take the puck away from Hronek and that Admirals player had a great chance to score shorthanded each time. That is what most of you people online do not see and this is what I and most other fans that go to all the home games in GR see. Does not matter what Hronek done in the OHL, he is finding out (just like Sproul learned) that you can score all the points you want in juniors, but when you play here in the pros (ECHL, AHL, or NHL), you better learn to play defense now because if you don't, you will not make it to the NHL. Look where Sproul is at now as your latest example (Hartford AHL).

Ouellet and Jensen better start taking notice of Hicketts because one of them might not be with the Wings much longer.

I don't think Hronek is near the dumpster fire Sproul was in his own end. He has a lot to learn, but he at least thinks the game on some level defensively, I honestly had to question that about Sproul a lot when I would see him even at the AHL level it was a constant struggle shift to shift for him.

I have seen a lot of both leagues, the jump in terms of the exploitation of space and time from the AHL level to the NHL level is humongous. I will never likely question the commitment of Hicketts, the dude busts his backside all the time. But there was very little doubt he could be a good player at lower levels outside of the NHL. The big mystery question is going to be answered over the next couple years and it is a massive step that he will be shooting for. Hopefully he can find his way as a third pairing defensive guy. The biggest issue for Hicketts is he isn't just very small, but he really doesn't have the skating to bail him out all that often.
 

Redder Winger

Registered User
May 4, 2017
3,700
730
Remember Matt Ellis? That guy worked and worked. It got him 300 games in the NHL. Good for him!
But realistically, he was never more than a warm body for the fourth line.

If Hicketts can find a way into 200-300 NHL games - good for him.

But he won't be any better than XO or Jensen - mediocre as they might be.
 

BlueBull

Habby Man
Oct 11, 2017
1,696
1,434
Vancouver Island
Hicketts sucks.
Guy has sucked all year. He's physically overmatched in GR and somehow he's going to work against bigger, faster and stronger guys in the NHL?
#pipedream
The only reason he is in the nhl right now is that the royals (his junior team) was the best team in the whl in 2016 despite almost all players being 5'9'' or shorter. If the best team in the whl in 2016 does not get even one nhl alumni, some scouts heads (possibly including mine) are going to explode.
 

lilidk

Registered User
Mar 4, 2008
9,592
3,426
Chill, they need to try and see, if we can trade main players an replace them with GR . Bertuzzi is very useful , I've rather see him than Tatar . If you look at the whole team only Green and kids try to play , rest of the team just superstars . And if there are superstars lets trade them for pics or drafts . You can see how frustrated was Haward. Hope he will have success with the team and next year Hronek should be with the main team
 

The Zetterberg Era

Ball Hockey Sucks
Nov 8, 2011
40,957
11,577
Ft. Myers, FL
Jensen is a good hockey player. I don't understand the hate.

When he throws out a clunker it is really ugly though. His skating allows him to cover some of his mistakes, but he does need to make a few less mistakes over the course of a hockey game. Still as a #6 or #7 he isn't the worst. Just hopefully we can get back to the point where we have something better playing. His skating elevates him over some of the options we have there right now. But long-term I am pretty hopeful that Jensen and Ouellet just aren't good enough to play for us anymore. It means we have gotten better.

I don't think Hicketts is going to be better than either of those guys, but it is his turn to hopefully improve on them. I don't think he is ready, I haven't been that impressed with him in Grand Rapids this year, I think the AHL has a book on him now that he is a chalk talk player down there and he has struggled at times this year though he has been better lately. I don't get to watch as many Griffins games anymore though, so maybe I am just catching the wrong ones, still I have seen over 10 this year and he hasn't been what I was hoping for in most of them.
 

kliq

Registered User
Dec 17, 2017
2,727
1,319
Nice to see the kid get a shot. Worst case, he flounders and we send him back down or trade him. Best case, he steals a spot from Jensen or XO. This is the time of year to give these kids a shot and see what they can do. Not going to give up on a kid before he even steps on the ice, but not going to have unrealistic expectations either.

Looking forward to seeing what he can do.
 
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Red Stanley

Registered User
Apr 25, 2015
2,414
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USA
Nice to see the kid get a shot. Worst case, he flounders and we send him back down or trade him. Best case, he steals a spot from Jensen or XO. This is the time of year to give these kids a shot and see what they can do. Not going to give up on a kid before he even steps on the ice, but not going to have unrealistic expectations either.

Looking forward to seeing what he can do.

Yup, totally agree. Looking forward to watching him play in the NHL.
 

Skinnyjimmy08

WorldTraveler
Mar 30, 2012
22,483
11,943
he will bust his ass BIGTIME and become a fan favorite right away... he will get the crowd going like he did in that last exhibition game this year VS the Leafs with his hard work, smart plays and willingness to play the body.

he will be the NHL version of Rudy
 

izlez

We need more toe-drags/60
Feb 28, 2012
4,576
3,462
Good for him and good luck to him, but I don't have high expectations.

I'm expecting fans will love him at first: a little guy throwing his body around and doing some decent things offensively will be fun to watch...for a little while...but it won't be too long before the coaches decide he's contributing a lot more to losing than winning.
 

Hammettf2b

oldmanyellsatcloud.jpg
Jul 9, 2012
22,489
4,612
So California
Hicketts had a bad start at the beginning of the season here in GR (so did the rest of the team). He is coming around just like the rest of the team and he deserves this call up. Sure he will not put up large offensive numbers like Hronek and Russo will, but he makes up for that by taking out forwards trying to score against us. He is a battler and he will fight in the corners and with his size, he is not afraid to use it in front of his own net. Last night, an IceHog forward thought he had a breakaway on Coreau on the wing when Hicketts came in like a bowling ball and separated the IceHog forward from the puck and prevented the scoring chance away without a shot attempt. You will not see that on the box score, but he puts out game in and game out every night.

Hronek is an offensive minded d-man, who still is in the learning process of playing defense (which is suppose to be his primary function as a d-man). Nelson on Wednesday game took Hronek off the top PP unit and replaced him with Saarijarvi because he was floating out on the ice when the Admirals iced the puck down and he, on two occasions, took his sweet time getting the puck behind our net, only to have an Admirals checker raced down and take the puck away from Hronek and that Admirals player had a great chance to score shorthanded each time. That is what most of you people online do not see and this is what I and most other fans that go to all the home games in GR see. Does not matter what Hronek done in the OHL, he is finding out (just like Sproul learned) that you can score all the points you want in juniors, but when you play here in the pros (ECHL, AHL, or NHL), you better learn to play defense now because if you don't, you will not make it to the NHL. Look where Sproul is at now as your latest example (Hartford AHL).

Ouellet and Jensen better start taking notice of Hicketts because one of them might not be with the Wings much longer.
Thank you for this. Too many times fans just see the stat line and label the player based on that.
 

TheMule93

On a mule rides the swindler
May 26, 2015
12,466
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Ontario
to me, Jensen is the Darren Helm of defensemen. He can use his great skating to make room for himself and his quickness sometimes allows him to deke past someone, but in terms of shooting, passing, etc he's pretty bad.
 

Redder Winger

Registered User
May 4, 2017
3,700
730
Jensen is a good hockey player. I don't understand the hate.

I think the 2.88 ga/60 is the big one.

I keep hearing about how much XO sucks.
The Red Wings score more goals when XO is on the ice and allow fewer goals.

Jensen, every 5-6 games, will have a nice rush up the ice that makes you think he's a good player. But most, he just

Over the last 2 years, only Dekeyser has a worse GF% on the Red Wings D.
 
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Redder Winger

Registered User
May 4, 2017
3,700
730
to me, Jensen is the Darren Helm of defensemen. He can use his great skating to make room for himself and his quickness sometimes allows him to deke past someone, but in terms of shooting, passing, etc he's pretty bad.

The worst part of his game is body positioning in front of the net and along the boards.
He's constantly facing the wrong direction or letting a player get inside positioning on him - and you can can't do that when you're a small D like Jensen.
 

Martinez

Go Blue
Oct 10, 2015
6,654
2,139
The worst part of his game is body positioning in front of the net and along the boards.
He's constantly facing the wrong direction or letting a player get inside positioning on him - and you can can't do that when you're a small D like Jensen.
Agreed, I was big on Jensen last season but he has been our most disappointing player this season. He has no clue where to be in the d zone. He can't pass and brings no offense.

XO at least has somewhat of a defensive IQ. When he gets beat it's simply because he doesn't have the quickness.

Hopefully hicketts can take this opportunity and run with it, odds are against him tho
 

The Flying Octopus

Registered User
Sep 18, 2017
1,305
997
Birmingham
Tyler Bertuzzi - 6'1 190 pounds. AHL this year: 16 games 7-7-14
Joe Hicketts - 5'7 180 pounds. AHL this year: 43 games 2-6-8

One guy has NHL size and the requisite production you'd expect at a lower level.
One guy will be the smallest D in the NHL and has almost no production at a lower level.

What? He played meaningful minutes last year for GR, played in key situations, put up 34 points, put up 8 pts in 19 games in route to a calder cup. Was a + player in the regular and post-seasons. No production? Please don't use this year as his only sample size, as, GR got off to a terrible start this year.
 

Redder Winger

Registered User
May 4, 2017
3,700
730
What? He played meaningful minutes last year for GR, played in key situations, put up 34 points, put up 8 pts in 19 games in route to a calder cup. Was a + player in the regular and post-seasons. No production? Please don't use this year as his only sample size, as, GR got off to a terrible start this year.

It's half a season - not just a bad start.
He's got fewer points, fewer goals and a worse plus-minus than Dylan McIlrath.

And regardless of the bad start, Russo and Hronek have twice the production.
 

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