Where did this Athanasiou go?

[YpsiWings]

Just a fan who hates watching us piss away another asset.

Say what you will about Holland, he doesn't piss away assets. Usually late 1st/2nd round picks (where the Wings have been drafting for 25 years) don't hold a lot of value until they prove something in the NHL. Evaluating players too long is a different argument than "pissing away assets."

 

[TheOtherOne]

He's young, he's on a bottom 5 team on a dozen game losing streak, playing for a coach who hates him. I'm not really surprised he's not playing with passion. I just hope he turns it around before we trade him for peanuts, i still think he can be great for this team when we're good again.

 

[Flowah]

Clever.
You should be an NHL coach.

Athanasiou has agency. He's a human being. He can think for himself. He has all the tools an elite player needs. His own actions and work ethic will determine whether he stays a middle 6er, paid like a middle 6er, or whether he gets paid megabucks. He determines whether he is a sought after asset or just another piece in a set of rotating support players. He's literally in a contract year. He's coming up on prime forward years.

You can say a hard working player isn't producing because you can't do it all your own and you need teammates who can get you the puck and also put the puck in the net when you get them the puck. But you can't use the "bad team/coach" excuse for his lack of work ethic. AA is his own worst enemy. Blashill is a distant second.

 

[kliq]

Next year.
We need Rasmussen to pan out as at least a top 6er.
We need one of Hronek or Cholo to be a top 4 guy.
We need to hit at least one homerun and one double in this draft.

And then we get a new coach for next season.
We probably still finish 20-24th or so for another 2 years (and get a couple more top 9-12 picks or so for our pain.)

I don't think we need to be in the basement for 5 years.

We might not be a cup contender, but I think we can be a youngish, up and coming team in the next 2-3 years.

But we need a coach willing to commit to the youth. Not running Zetterberg out there for the 3rd most 5 on 5 minutes in the NHL.

Agreed with the needs. I am just hoping we get lucky and score Dahlin in the draft, landing him would expedite the process.
If we bring back the same team, you are likely right. 20-24th sounds like where we will land.

I hope Blashill is gone before the summer, it will be very interesting to see what another coach can do with this roster.

 

[ricky0034]

Say what you will about Holland, he doesn't piss away assets. Usually late 1st/2nd round picks (where the Wings have been drafting for 25 years) don't hold a lot of value until they prove something in the NHL. Evaluating players too long is a different argument than "pissing away assets."

yeah he generally holds on to assets for far too long if anything(although actually using them properly can be a different story entirely)

unless they show even the slightest hint of being unhappy with their usage and wanting to return home to Sweden

then he freaks the f*** out and gleefully trades them away for pennies on the dollar

 

[Redder Winger]

Agreed with the needs. I am just hoping we get lucky and score Dahlin in the draft, landing him would expedite the process.
If we bring back the same team, you are likely right. 20-24th sounds like where we will land.

I hope Blashill is gone before the summer, it will be very interesting to see what another coach can do with this roster.

Same.
Maybe the next guy does no better.
Maybe Blash is a great coach and I've been all wrong about him.

As for Dahlin... if we get him...as far as I'm concerned, the rebuild is mostly over.
It changes the complexion of the team. It might not immediately change the results, but it changes everything about the immediate future of the team.

 

[turkleton85]

Athanasiou has agency. He's a human being. He can think for himself. He has all the tools an elite player needs. His own actions and work ethic will determine whether he stays a middle 6er, paid like a middle 6er, or whether he gets paid megabucks. He determines whether he is a sought after asset or just another piece in a set of rotating support players. He's literally in a contract year. He's coming up on prime forward years.

You can say a hard working player isn't producing because you can't do it all your own and you need teammates who can get you the puck and also put the puck in the net when you get them the puck. But you can't use the "bad team/coach" excuse for his lack of work ethic. AA is his own worst enemy. Blashill is a distant second.

i know what you are saying, but these are only physical nature. I don't think he has the vision, IQ to be a much better player than he is now. He is like Paul byron, but paul byron is better

But, i agree that AA and especially mantha are their own worst enemies. Of course, the way the wings handled them publicy in the last few years would have influenced everyone and it was something that made me angry about the club. But ultimatley they've got to shake it off somehow, take the high road and compete harder

 

[Henkka]

The original questions was that where did this Atnasiou go.

I have an answer. His conditioning wasn't able to handle bigger 20 minute ice-time for a longer period. He shined with those smaller icetimes (great Goals/60 etc.) but currently can't handle bigger ice-times on a 82-game schedule. He scored a lot on some games, where he did got those huge ice-times, but then did hit a wall. Like Larkin did hit the wall on his rookie season. AA did get exhausted, and when he gets exhausted, his defensive game disappears. Then also disappears the coaches trust, and his ice-time will regress.

So, he got his chance for bigger role, and wasn't able to handle it. Now, he doesn't have to whine about a bigger role, until he works harder to be in better overall shape. He has all the talent, but does he have the WILL to be a great pro?

The injuries have affected on him at earlier seasons. The jaw injury was especially bad, because he lost a lot of weight and muscle on that time. He has to build that back. And I don't know what did he do when he was sitting out at the start of the season. He surely was left behind in game-shape and probably tried some shortcut and now is exhausted.

The jury is still there with him. Just hope that he will get a new contract done soon, without any unneeded battles which could affect on next season. Then he could totally concentrate for summer training by 100% and he knows his place on this universe. IF Blashill will get fired, he probbaly will get more new hope for himself. Even if everything wasn't Blashill's fault, I'm 100% sure AA himself sees the situation like that.

 

[datsyukfan]

To me and I’ve been preaching this for a while but it’s the system, you watch whenever any of our forwards get the puck they are within 5 feet of the opposing defenseman. Pretty hard to get anything going when your getting a high flip to the far blue line and are smothered by a d-man. It’s why all of the forwards have regressed and why we are extremely boring to watch, and why we never generate quality chances off the rush

 

[Bondurant]

He checked out. This team has checked out. I hope Holland and Blashill are gone. I hope AA sticks around.

 

[Flowah]

I don't think he has the vision, IQ to be a much better player than he is now

I disagree. I think he has those tools. I've seen them in games.

The problem is that instead of doggedly chasing down the puck and doing those smart things with it, 90% of the time he's flying the zone and waiting for someone else to get him the puck.

 

[Run the Jewels]

Eh, he's always been a skilled middle 6 guy. He'd have a career similar to Jiri Hudler if he played around that time frame. We have so little talent and play low event hockey to cover up for our glaring weaknesses all over the ice. He's never going to look good in that scenario. Best to trade him before he hits free agency. Maybe wait for his stock to rise a bit more. I can't see him ever staying here if he had any say in the matter.

 

[turkleton85]

I disagree. I think he has those tools. I've seen them in games.

The problem is that instead of doggedly chasing down the puck and doing those smart things with it, 90% of the time he's flying the zone and waiting for someone else to get him the puck.

Isn't this a testament to low hockey IQ?

i don't want to dive into this to much, because i believe that it has a lot to do with blashill and the teams structure. look at shanahan, who is all of a sudden playing solid hockey with solid stats again. AA and mantha might be better players and further developed if they played on a different team - brayden point might also be a bit more talented, but he's benefiting big time from playing on the lightning, i think

 

[kliq]

Isn't this a testament to low hockey IQ?

i don't want to dive into this to much, because i believe that it has a lot to do with blashill and the teams structure. look at shanahan, who is all of a sudden playing solid hockey with solid stats again. AA and mantha might be better players and further developed if they played on a different team - brayden point might also be a bit more talented, but he's benefiting big time from playing on the lightning, i think

Do you mean Sheahan?

 

[turkleton85]

oh yes, sheahan, my bad

 

[kliq]

oh yes, sheahan, my bad

I thought so, and that is a good example of a player who played well under Babs, sucked under Blsahill, and is now playing well again. I dont think we lost anything special in him, but if that isnt a good example of how a coach/system/placement in lineup etc. can hurt a player, I don't know what else is.

I do have a question, does anyone know who Sheahan's linemates are this year? I know there is a site that will say who they have played the most minutes with, but I cant remember the URL.

 

[Redder Winger]

I thought so, and that is a good example of a player who played well under Babs, sucked under Blsahill, and is now playing well again. I dont think we lost anything special in him, but if that isnt a good example of how a coach/system/placement in lineup etc. can hurt a player, I don't know what else is.

I do have a question, does anyone know who Sheahan's linemates are this year? I know there is a site that will say who they have played the most minutes with, but I cant remember the URL.

Riley Sheahan - Teammates - On Ice - Natural Stat Trick

 

[Goalie guy]

Same.
Maybe the next guy does no better.
Maybe Blash is a great coach and I've been all wrong about him.

As for Dahlin... if we get him...as far as I'm concerned, the rebuild is mostly over.
It changes the complexion of the team. It might not immediately change the results, but it changes everything about the immediate future of the team.

What? we are at the very start of a rebuild! We have no number 1 line, no center no # 1 wingers, no 1st line D men. We are a team full of ok 2nd liners, a few 3rd line players mixed in with a LOT of 4th line guys. Our back end is at best all 3rd pairing players on any real team, we have a on the down side of 30 injury prone middle of the pack goalie no NHL ready back up. A coaching staff that lost his locker room a year ago, A GM who refused to rebuild the team for his playoff streak and who looks to be on his way out. The one good thing we had was Mr I, his kid does not care what team he puts on the ice only about the money coming in. in short the Wings are the Lions 2.0 now.

 

[Henkka]

Riley Sheahan - Teammates - On Ice - Natural Stat Trick

So most total icetime with Guentzel and Kessel. Määttä and Letang behind.

At Detroit it was Glendening and one of Booth/Witkowski. And two of Jensen/Ouellet/Ericsson behind.

 

[Ezekial]

Wrong thread.

 

[HIFE]

Good comments. The different points of view really help paint a description of a somewhat puzzling player. I agree with almost all of it: AA's conditioning, his history of a poor work ethic are a factor. He's been overrated to a degree to begin with. Butting heads with Blashill and struggling to create within that style of play. His performance is related to the overall talent of the team. The Wings had a bad season and being eliminate from the PS has brought everybody's compete level down a notch.

Too bad he's not having a strong finish. He does look confused at times, like he's thinking instead of being 100% himself. He's not confident on the ice, probably because if he f's up too bad his time will be slashed.

As said there's a lot of reasons he's not doing great right now.

 

[Shaman464]

He's a 4th round pick, who is a winger, and has had issues with commitment, and attitude. He's likely hit is ceiling, which is as about as good as you can ever expect in this situation. He's not elite, but he's a middle 6 guy. Its what I have been saying ever since they drafted him. Between his IQ and his personal issues, he was never going to be as good as his youtube videos made him look. In the end he's still making more money than most of us to play a game, in the best league in the world. Not such a horrible place to be.

 

[lidstromiscool]

I think on a good team, he would be a real asset in the playoffs, and could cause some matchup nightmares for the other team.

 

[TheMule93]

I think they see the progression Larkin made at C over the course of one off-season and are trying to mold AA in the same way. He is most effective with the puck on his stick, and if he's properly playing center, he's going to have the most opportunity to have the puck.

 

[Redder Winger]

I think they see the progression Larkin made at C over the course of one off-season and are trying to mold AA in the same way. He is most effective with the puck on his stick, and if he's properly playing center, he's going to have the most opportunity to have the puck.

He's 23.
They're wasting his athletic prime.