Stephen Weiss
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The Geelee
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- Jul 27, 2013
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Finds himself in the same situation Legwand was in last year, a 2/3 center playing on the 4th line wing
Cursed Lemon
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Cyborg Yzerberg
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ElysiumAB
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- Sep 12, 2013
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Anyhow, I noticed he was visibly frustrated near the end of the last game when the Wings were on the power play and he thought he was going in but wasn't.
He was producing too, right? Makes me wonder if Babs just doesn't like him or if he doesn't like something he's doing in practices.
Meanwhile Franzen looks like he'd rather not be on the ice half the time.
He was producing too, right? Makes me wonder if Babs just doesn't like him or if he doesn't like something he's doing in practices.
Meanwhile Franzen looks like he'd rather not be on the ice half the time.
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detredWINgs
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He's been scoring dirty goals, winning board battles, putting up points...The only way his 4th line usage makes sense is if they're concerned about the hit he took the other night. Otherwise, it's unacceptable. Its even more mind-boggling when Jurco is ahead of him and yet the best Jurco has looked all season (and the most dangerous that line has been) was when he was on the 4th line feasting on weak match-ups. You have a solution where you can improve two lines with a simple swap and it just isn't being done. Nonsense.
Pavels Dog
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My take is that Babs is keeping his icetime low to ease him along. He's still early in his comeback days and I'm doubtful he stays healthy for long if he gets 15+ minutes per game. He's scored some nice goals but he's still not back at the point where he looks like a 2nd line center.
stillwater
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- Mar 17, 2011
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That's ridiculous. The camera panned to Weiss, but how you can guess what a player is thinking, at that point, is beyond me.
That PP came with two minutes left in the game, with the Wings up by two goals. There was no immediate concern at that time about scoring a PP goal. Kill the clock, and go and enjoy New Years Eve.
Perhaps Babcock simply tried NOT to run up the score against a team with 9 regular players out of their lineup?
detredWINgs
Registered User
There's no such thing as "running up the score" in a 3-1 game with 2 minutes to go. Goal differential is actually important these days. And your point is more a vote for putting Weiss on the PP than it is keeping him on the bench - put a guy out there who has only played 8 minutes instead of Hank, Datsyuk, et al.
As for judgments as to what was going through Weiss' mind, we can almost guarantee he'd rather have been playing on a PP than sitting on the bench. It's hardly "ridiculous" to assume he was frustrated.
Hammettf2b
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There has to be something going on that we don't know about. Health wise, locker room wise, something that explains his lack of ice time.
Cyborg Yzerberg
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Holland and Babcock keep raving about his character, hell there was that interview with Ericsson with Ansar where he called out Weiss for being such a nice guy. I doubt it's character issues.
Hammettf2b
oldmanyellsatcloud.jpg
I don't think it is either but there has to be something that we don't know about for the lack of playing time. He was producing points when healthy, maybe a minor injury or sickness could be the problem?
The ice time dropped when he got back from the shoulder injury. I don't know if that is a coincidence or not.
Dotter
THE ATHLETIC IS GARBAGE
Not sure about running up the score, but I agree there was no need having Weiss play on that PP. he's the most fragile player and probably isn't 100% yet.
I wouldn't look too deep into that game and his ice time.
I'm not sure anyone is 100% at this point. I'm certain everyone has had some sort of ding and scrape. But if he's healthy enough to play and you're looking to get him going a bit, then putting him out for that late powerplay is definitely something that's commonly done. And it's something we've seen in the past with guys moved on and off Z and D's lines at even strength.
I agree about not reading too much into it, but for a team that's had some scoring problems lately, and for a guy who had been a pretty good spark plug before his recent injury, limiting him to ~8 minutes for no real reason is a bit odd. Be interesting if it continues.
joe89
#5
- Apr 30, 2009
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Wings played three lines late last game and Weiss was part of that benched trio(probably deservedly so I'd say) thus the ice time. Still, I would rather see him bumped up to get him going, get him back to where he was pre-injury. He's played like he deserves to be in the top9 and get his 13-15 minutes every night. He can't expect more than that though.
On the one hand he's been getting less minutes lately. On the other hand he's getting 2nd unit PP time and gets flipped with Jurco if the Wings are struggling. I don't think it's a matter of punishing Weiss. If it was, I don't think he'd get PP looks.
I agree. It may be a combo of resting Weiss a bit while he recovers from his shoulder and rewarding Jurco with some top 6 minutes. Though Jurco's production is suspect he does seem to work hard and is accepting of whatever role is given. Babs likes that.
+1. I think Babcock likes his style, I just believe he is protecting him from the injuries. Wiess did say he did not remember the hit he took.
ElysiumAB
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To be clear, I wasn't "guessing" what he was thinking. Weiss was literally standing up and about to jump over the boards when he was told he wasn't going on. He visibly showed frustration and sat back down. I was judging by his appearance, not reading his mind.
Dotter
THE ATHLETIC IS GARBAGE
I remember it and Mickey mentioned it. I didn't think it was a big deal. And still don't think it is a big deal. Wiess didn't look mad, disgruntled or anything. He looked like a good solder and did what his commanding officer told him to do. And that was the end of it.
If Wings were down one goal with 5 minutes left and Babcock told Wiess to sit out during a critical PP, then yes... I'd be concerned (and confused). But Wings were blowing out the opposition, the game was all but over anyhow.
RedWingsDad
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- Jul 30, 2013
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Since Weiss has been producing lately, perhaps his diminished minutes ir our attempt to keep him from getting injured due to us actively using him as trade bait.
Cyborg Yzerberg
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With that injury history and now Babs only using him on the 4th line? Really tantalizing commodity.
RedWingsDad
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- Jul 30, 2013
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12 points in 16 games seems like a decent commodity to me. Compared to the rest of the time we have had Weiss, his stock right now is comparably high. Also, considering it's widely believed we are actively looking to make a trade to bolster defence, it's not unthinkable we are fishing Weiss around.
Now, you could argue how successful we will be, certainly. Feel free to offer your own explanation for why he's playing 4th line minutes. I personally don't think it's because he's playing semi-injured or because Babcock wants to shelter him from further injury.
