Abby Gets a Promotion

SCD

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Apr 8, 2018
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With Helm likely going on LTIR, Abby practiced on the first line today. I was hoping Nyquist would go back to playing with Larkin, but it looks like Abby will be given the chance of pulling the piano again.

At least he will be on the ice to take a few punches if anyone misbehaves with Larkin.
 

ChrisReevesLegs

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Nov 5, 2018
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Abdelkader is hated for his contract, not because he's bad at hockey. Leading the team in hits right now, and is the best physical presence we have. Will be good to see if he can add a more physical element to the top line, and maybe he can get some points going too.
 

Ghost of Ethan Hunt

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Jun 23, 2018
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Bert is wasting away on the 3rd line, though LGD has been decent this year, Abby+LGD would be a better fit w/Ras to round out the line in. Bert w/Larkin & Mantha makes sense. The 2nd line shows chemistry & shouldn't be broken up at this time.
 
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Invictus12

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Other lines seem to have some chemistry so it makes sense to create the least disturbance. I missed the last two games so, correct me if the chemistry disappeared..
 

Invictus12

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Bert is wasting away on the 3rd line, though LGD has been decent this year, Abby+LGD would be a better fit w/Ras to round out the line in. Bert w/Larkin & Mantha makes sense. The 2nd line shows chemistry & shouldn't be broken up at this time.

Wasn't Bert playing with AA and Nielsen? I also thought Ras, Nyquist and DLR were doing real well together as well.
 

jkutswings

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Abdelkader is hated for his contract, not because he's bad at hockey. Leading the team in hits right now, and is the best physical presence we have. Will be good to see if he can add a more physical element to the top line, and maybe he can get some points going too.
https://www.foxsports.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings-team-stats?season=2018&category=DEFENSE&time=0

This shows Bertuzzi and LGD as having two more hits than Abdelkader, and have 8 points and 6 points versus his 3. But more importantly, those three players rank 68th, 69th, and 78th in the league in hits. So it's not like anybody in red and white is crushing it out there. (I mean, Sulak threw 18 hits in 6 games, but when you can't play NHL defense while doing so, you're not gonna stay with the big club.)

Abdelkader is nothing special in terms of physicality, and doesn't have the skillset to drive any offense. Yes, I hate the contract more than the player, but I'll still be happy when he's gone, because Detroit already has guys that do what he does and then some.
 
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avssuc

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Abdelkader is hated for his contract, not because he's bad at hockey. Leading the team in hits right now, and is the best physical presence we have. Will be good to see if he can add a more physical element to the top line, and maybe he can get some points going too.


A bit of both actually...

Still, he's been playing well lately, so I don't mind the move.

He's no Helm, but he might add a new dynamic to that line.
 

ChrisReevesLegs

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https://www.foxsports.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings-team-stats?season=2018&category=DEFENSE&time=0

This shows Bertuzzi and LGD as having two more hits than Abdelkader, and have 8 points and 6 points versus his 3. But more importantly, those three players rank 68th, 69th, and 78th in the league in hits. So it's not like anybody in red and white is crushing it out there. (I mean, Sulak threw 18 hits in 6 games, but when you can't play NHL defense while doing so, you're not gonna stay with the big club.)

Abdelkader is nothing special in terms of physicality, and doesn't have the skillset to drive any offense. Yes, I hate the contract more than the player, but I'll still be happy when he's gone, because Detroit already has guys that do what he does and then some.

Fox sports stats are wrong, I suggest a more reputable source like the leagues site.

Bertuzzi would fill that role just as well and has more offensive upside.

I agree. But I'm also ok with spreading the wealth among multiple lines. Abdelkader isn't as god awful as most fans would have you believe.
 

Oddbob

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Jan 21, 2016
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Abdelkader is hated for his contract, not because he's bad at hockey. Leading the team in hits right now, and is the best physical presence we have. Will be good to see if he can add a more physical element to the top line, and maybe he can get some points going too.

Abby has been brutal and wholly ineffective all year long. Leading a non physical team in hits is also nothing special, and most of his "hits" are just minor bumps finishing a check, rather than really nice body checks.

The reason Helm works so well on that line, is he is great getting in after the puck and reads the play pretty well for someone not great in the offensive side of the game, and his speed is a major help here. Abby doesn't have the speed, and despite getting way more PP time than Helm last year and this year, barely outscores him either. Bertuzzi should get the bump up, as he "gets" what needs to be done and is much better than Abby.

Abby's contract sucks, and his play makes it look like trash.
 
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jkutswings

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Fox sports stats are wrong, I suggest a more reputable source like the leagues site.
They were indeed outdated, fair enough. So here are the official ones from the league:

NHL.com - Stats

But while Bertuzzi's hitting has tailed off, I'd still argue that I like his balance of play better. And LGD is only a few hits behind Abdelkader, while providing things that Justin can't do.
 

turkleton85

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Dec 12, 2017
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Abdelkader is really bad this season. not just the non-production, but also so many small and big errors and mistakes that make me question his hockey iq. Would rather see bert on the first line as well
 

ChrisReevesLegs

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Abby has been brutal and wholly ineffective all year long. Leading a non physical team in hits is also nothing special, and most of his "hits" are just minor bumps finishing a check, rather than really nice body checks.

The reason Helm works so well on that line, is he is great getting in after the puck and reads the play pretty well for someone not great in the offensive side of the game, and his speed is a major help here. Abby doesn't have the speed, and despite getting way more PP time than Helm last year and this year, barely outscores him either. Bertuzzi should get the bump up, as he "gets" what needs to be done and is much better than Abby.

Abby's contract sucks, and his play makes it look like trash.

I agree, Helm has been used much the same as how Hyman has been used in Toronto or how Burrows was used in Vancouver. His job is to retrieve pucks and give them to Larkin. He's been fairly successful at this I guess.

Abby's contract certainly "sucks" but that doesn't mean he's a trash hockey player whatsoever. He relies on his linemates for points, as he's mostly only useful for net front duties. I believe he can do that job better than Helm, so I'll be interested in watching him do that on the top line.

And all of that has absolutely nothing to do with Bertuzzi, despite what this board would have one think. This isn't Abby v. Bertuzzi.

They were indeed outdated, fair enough. So here are the official ones from the league:

NHL.com - Stats

But while Bertuzzi's hitting has tailed off, I'd still argue that I like his balance of play better. And LGD is only a few hits behind Abdelkader, while providing things that Justin can't do.

Glad we're on the same page now

Why stop at Bertuzzi and LGD? Shouldn't Nyquist be on the top line? Shouldn't Athanasiou? Maybe even Rasmussen? Are we only comparing Abby to Bertuzzi because they both play a physical brand of hockey? Does that mean you agree we should have a physical on the top line?

Abdelkader supporting the top line is in no way an indicator that he's a better player than Bertuzzi. We do have to play balanced lines.
 
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Sep 28, 2017
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Abdelkader is hated for his contract, not because he's bad at hockey. Leading the team in hits right now, and is the best physical presence we have. Will be good to see if he can add a more physical element to the top line, and maybe he can get some points going too.

I sure hope he can get some points going. He'll be playing with our two best forwards lol. Gonna need to bring more to that line that just physicality.
 

Invictus12

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Abdelkader is really bad this season. not just the non-production, but also so many small and big errors and mistakes that make me question his hockey iq. Would rather see bert on the first line as well

He hasn't been playing that well, I agree but at the same time, fans block out anytime he makes a good play. A couple of games back, when Cholo got the puck on his stick, Abby jumped in front of the goalie and screened him. Cholo shot, and scored. We all praised him for the goal and rightfully so but Abby did make as huge contribution as well. There's nothing flashy about Abdelkader but he can be (and used to be) a very effective player. He was hated before the contract and he's hated after he signed it. So yeah, it's mostly not the contract.
 

ChrisReevesLegs

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I sure hope he can get some points going. He'll be playing with our two best forwards lol. Gonna need to bring more to that line that just physicality.

He's been a decent complimentary player in the past. I believe he could be that again. But then again maybe not too. Who knows till we see, and I am interested to see.

He's certainly a player that is dependent on the production of his line-mates offensively.
 
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Invictus12

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I sure hope he can get some points going. He'll be playing with our two best forwards lol. Gonna need to bring more to that line that just physicality.
It's what he does away from the puck that makes him effective more than what he does with it. I prefer he creates space for Larkin and Mantha.
 
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Steve Yzerlland

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Jul 18, 2018
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Abdelkader is hated for his contract, not because he's bad at hockey. Leading the team in hits right now, and is the best physical presence we have. Will be good to see if he can add a more physical element to the top line, and maybe he can get some points going too.
He is hated for his contract because he isn't good enough to get one like that.
 
Jul 30, 2005
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I mean, what is location, really
This is Abby's chance to grab his hunk of cheese. Hopefully he can play heavy and hard on the puck and create some space, because it's a man's league, and the tie goes to the veteran. Besides, we like our team, and if we get into the playoffs as an 8th seed, anything can happen.

But it's a youth movement, you know. I don't want to say 'rebuild'. I don't like that word. It's a youth movement.
 
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