Dylan Freakin' McIlrath

[Gniwder]

Clears the crease better than anyone, solid on PK etc.

McIlrath has a better GA/60 on PK than BigE, DDK, Nemeth, Hicketts and Hronek. So the stats back up the eye test.

Oddly, Biega has better stats, but only 9 min of PK. Cholo and Green have a couple minutes of PK time without allowing a goal, but we won't count that.

 

[Henkka]

Oddly, Biega has better stats, but only 9 min of PK. Cholo and Green have a couple minutes of PK time without allowing a goal, but we won't count that.

2nd PK pair defenceman almost always have better stats in every team because mostly they win many seconds thanks to flying shift (vs. 1st unit taking it from own zone) and going against lesser PP units.

You really have to doublecheck those minutes are they at 1st pair or 2nd pair role. Difference in PK quality of competition is huge. Really huge. A lot more bigger difference than at even strentgh hockey.

 

[Gniwder]

2nd PK pair defenceman almost always have better stats in every team because mostly they win many seconds thanks to flying shift (vs. 1st unit taking it from own zone) and going against lesser PP units.

You really have to doublecheck those minutes are they at 1st pair or 2nd pair role. Difference in PK quality of competition is huge. Really huge. A lot more bigger difference than at even strentgh hockey.

He's played PK1 recently with all of the injuries, and I wouldn't hesitate to put him on the first PK unit permanently. Think about who the other RHD are.... with Hronek missing a couple of games.

Biega and Bowey aren't getting PK1 duties, and Green doesn't kill penalties at all.

So the swap basically would be McIlrath getting PK1 and Hronek getting PK2.

 

[newfy]

2nd PK pair defenceman almost always have better stats in every team because mostly they win many seconds thanks to flying shift (vs. 1st unit taking it from own zone) and going against lesser PP units.

You really have to doublecheck those minutes are they at 1st pair or 2nd pair role. Difference in PK quality of competition is huge. Really huge. A lot more bigger difference than at even strentgh hockey.

Hes playing 2:43 a game short handed. Nemeth leads at 3:39. McIlrath is playing the most minutes short handed on the team right now. Hes not only playing against second PP units, hes playing against everyone and doing the best.

 

[Go Wings]

I see no reason to send him back down. He is constantly playing well making smart plays and being physical.

 

[MBH]

Man that PK tonight... hammers a guy in front. Goes to the boards and hammers a guy. Comes back out front and blocks a shot. Then he just bowls over a Senator.
And by the way..
Offensively today.
On goal one by Fabbri. McIlrath had a big hit along the Detroit boards on the Sens' zone entry. And then after Fabbri lost control, McIlrath took a hit to make the zone exit pass to AA that eventually led to the Fabbri goal.
On the PK goal, McIlrath just hacks and bodies Logan Brown along the boards to slash the puck off his stick and into the possession of the Red Wings - leading to Filppula's goal.

I don't know what Mc's CF% was or whatever, but I don't know how anyone doesn't watch him and see him as one of Detroit's player's in this game.

 

[newfy]

I see no reason to send him back down. He is constantly playing well making smart plays and being physical.

It seems to me like hes effective because he knows hes a no frills kinda guy. Guys like Bowey try to make some really nice finesse plays but they go to shit because theyre not good enough to actually do them. McIlrath is just a simple first pass or off the glass and out type. Doesnt add any offense to speak of at all but it really minimises the negative plays that you see from other players.

Sounds like the wings might think theres something there to work with based on that Khan article today. Hes going to be with the wings all year I bet unless his play drastically falls off. Even when guys get healthy I bet he plays over some guys who started the year with the team

 

[Gniwder]

Hes going to be with the wings all year I bet unless his play drastically falls off. Even when guys get healthy I bet he plays over some guys who started the year with the team

The team doesn't have a choice because he won't clear waivers.

I'm sure the team will trade Green, even if it's for a bag of peanuts. So they're gonna need an extra RHD. Regardless of the situation, I'd rather see McIlrath over Bowey.

 

[Winger98]

It seems to me like hes effective because he knows hes a no frills kinda guy. Guys like Bowey try to make some really nice finesse plays but they go to **** because theyre not good enough to actually do them. McIlrath is just a simple first pass or off the glass and out type. Doesnt add any offense to speak of at all but it really minimises the negative plays that you see from other players.

Sounds like the wings might think theres something there to work with based on that Khan article today. Hes going to be with the wings all year I bet unless his play drastically falls off. Even when guys get healthy I bet he plays over some guys who started the year with the team

And at 13-14 minutes a night, it doesn't hurt us. He's grown on me this year, he seems to get lost less often in the defensive zone than he was even just last season and he provides a physical edge this team seriously lacks.

 

[wingerdinger]

Daley shouldnt play another game for this team. Wrath should be our permanent 6/7 Dman.

 

[MBH]

And at 13-14 minutes a night, it doesn't hurt us. He's grown on me this year, he seems to get lost less often in the defensive zone than he was even just last season and he provides a physical edge this team seriously lacks.

I had high hopes for him in camp after last season's finish and thought he'd stand a good chance at winning a job. But he was brutal in the exhibition season.
Looks like a new man right now.

 

[Oddbob]

I still don't see what is so great about this guy. Other than he can clear players near the net, he is below average at actual hockey skills. Slow, both skating and making plays, and I legit don't get the love fest for him. Biega and him are very similar as far as shouldn't be in the lineup every night. If we are playing a rough and tough team, dress him as 7th D, otherwise he is nothing special at all.

 

[newfy]

I still don't see what is so great about this guy. Other than he can clear players near the net, he is below average at actual hockey skills. Slow, both skating and making plays, and I legit don't get the love fest for him. Biega and him are very similar as far as shouldn't be in the lineup every night. If we are playing a rough and tough team, dress him as 7th D, otherwise he is nothing special at all.

Theyre not similar on the PK at all.

I think the love fest is because the wings found legitimately one of, if not the toughest guy in the league and hes playing a role really well where he deserves to be in the line up right now. Biega hasnt played as well as McIlrath. McIlrath is doing a lot of things most players on the wings won't do like throw his weight around and especially clear the crease. If youre watching games and dont notice guys on the ice around the wings net when hes on the ice then youre not paying attention. That goal where Biega completely chickened out of going into the corner with Lucic would have never hapened with McIlrath on the ice.

I also think part of the love fest is that he legit seems to be developing (wings management agrees with this assessment). Hes not some 27 year old, journey man who is what he is. Hes a former first round pick that all of a sudden seems to be developing an NHL level game. With experience and some more development he could become an everyday, bottom pairing dman that plays big minutes on the PK and is the toughest player in the league

 

[TCNorthstars]

Theyre not similar on the PK at all.

I think the love fest is because the wings found legitimately one of, if not the toughest guy in the league and hes playing a role really well where he deserves to be in the line up right now. Biega hasnt played as well as McIlrath. McIlrath is doing a lot of things most players on the wings won't do like throw his weight around and especially clear the crease. If youre watching games and dont notice guys on the ice around the wings net when hes on the ice then youre not paying attention. That goal where Biega completely chickened out of going into the corner with Lucic would have never hapened with McIlrath on the ice.

I also think part of the love fest is that he legit seems to be developing (wings management agrees with this assessment). Hes not some 27 year old, journey man who is what he is. Hes a former first round pick that all of a sudden seems to be developing an NHL level game. With experience and some more development he could become an everyday, bottom pairing dman that plays big minutes on the PK and is the toughest player in the league

You are right. He is a 27 year old AHL journeyman.

 

[Gniwder]

I still don't see what is so great about this guy. Other than he can clear players near the net, he is below average at actual hockey skills. Slow, both skating and making plays, and I legit don't get the love fest for him. Biega and him are very similar as far as shouldn't be in the lineup every night. If we are playing a rough and tough team, dress him as 7th D, otherwise he is nothing special at all.

We're talking about a bottom pair or 7D, he's not a great hockey player, but deserves to be on the roster above BigE. Daley, Hicketts, and Biega.

I bet he gets a point before Nielsen does.

 

[newfy]

You are right. He is a 27 year old AHL journeyman.

The wing see him as a guy who is/has been developing. Hes not a finished product yet, journey man type, other teams just didnt unlock his potential it seems or treated him as a journey man when in reality he still had some talent to work with. Hes making the wings right now at the same age Jensen did and Jensen turned into a pretty solid dman. You cant look at his PK numbers and say he isnt playing the penalty kill at an NHL level

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

The wing see him as a guy who is/has been developing. Hes not a finished product yet, journey man type, other teams just didnt unlock his potential it seems or treated him as a journey man when in reality he still had some talent to work with. Hes making the wings right now at the same age Jensen did and Jensen turned into a pretty solid dman. You cant look at his PK numbers and say he isnt playing the penalty kill at an NHL level

Being better than the slapnuts the Wings usually have had on D is not a ringing endorsement. McIlrath is getting love like Ramon Santiago got love as a utility second baseman or Aaron Downey or Stu Grimson or whoever got love as the muscle. Or the want to re-sign or claim off waivers or do whatever with Witkowski.

McIlrath is a physical defenseman on a really crap team. Physical D or forwards get a love fest. Bertuzzi (Todd) got all kinds of love when he was done as a player because he'd get in someone's face. McIlrath is a dime-a-dozen 27 year old journeyman who can skate (slowly) without tripping down to the ice. Sadly, that constitutes a fan favorite in Detroit about now. People right now are ascribing great play to guys who simply aren't hot, flaming feces on the ice. McIlrath isn't developing into some great defenseman. He's a big body too slow for the game. Most of the time on the PK, you don't have to be fast as a defenseman. It's all in-close action.

It's silly to compare him and Jensen as well. Jensen has NHL caliber skating. He had some other weird thing going on that he didn't make it for so long. McIlrath is the same McIlrath he's always been.

 

[RedMenace]

Being better than the slapnuts the Wings usually have had on D is not a ringing endorsement. McIlrath is getting love like Ramon Santiago got love as a utility second baseman or Aaron Downey or Stu Grimson or whoever got love as the muscle. Or the want to re-sign or claim off waivers or do whatever with Witkowski.

McIlrath is a physical defenseman on a really crap team. Physical D or forwards get a love fest. Bertuzzi (Todd) got all kinds of love when he was done as a player because he'd get in someone's face. McIlrath is a dime-a-dozen 27 year old journeyman who can skate (slowly) without tripping down to the ice. Sadly, that constitutes a fan favorite in Detroit about now. People right now are ascribing great play to guys who simply aren't hot, flaming feces on the ice. McIlrath isn't developing into some great defenseman. He's a big body too slow for the game. Most of the time on the PK, you don't have to be fast as a defenseman. It's all in-close action.

It's silly to compare him and Jensen as well. Jensen has NHL caliber skating. He had some other weird thing going on that he didn't make it for so long. McIlrath is the same McIlrath he's always been.

I'd rather have Witkowski... at least he can skate well.

 

[Northwing19]

Could be another Deryk Engelland, perfectly fine with him being in the Witter role this year.

 

[TheOtherOne]

People right now are ascribing great play to guys who simply aren't hot, flaming feces on the ice.

Hey man that's been the bar for the last decade and sadly we haven't seen that many defensemen reach it ):

 

[Gniwder]

I'd rather have Witkowski... at least he can skate well.

Not really. Plus he gets himself out of position by throwing late hits.

 

[lomekian]

I don't think anyone is suggesting that McIlrath is a top 6 D on a good team. Or even that he should be on the team next year. But as things currently stand his play has been good enough comparatively to make him one our current top 6 D. At least he knows his strengths and limitations, and tries to play his game based on those things. Hell, I'll be very surprised if he's still a wing in 2 years time, but right here, right now, he's contributing more than we expected and is earning a spot for the time being.

 

[Gniwder]

I don't think anyone is suggesting that McIlrath is a top 6 D on a good team. Or even that he should be on the team next year. But as things currently stand his play has been good enough comparatively to make him one our current top 6 D. At least he knows his strengths and limitations, and tries to play his game based on those things. Hell, I'll be very surprised if he's still a wing in 2 years time, but right here, right now, he's contributing more than we expected and is earning a spot for the time being.

Even on Cup contenders, the third pair is pretty weak. That's what the salary cap system does. When the Caps won the Cup, they had Brooks Orpik and Christian Djoos playing 16 and 10 minutes respectively. McIlrath (now) isn't any worse than either player. (Keep in mind I'm talking about 37 YO Orpik, not the younger Penguins version.)

If the Wings don't intend to keep him, he'd make a good deadline trade for a team with injuries next season because his salary is cheap ($700k). I'd rather keep him around for a few years as 6/7D. Seider, Hronek, Bowey, McIlrath.... the right side is set for a while, the team just needs to look for LHD.

 

[avssuc]

You are right. He is a 27 year old AHL journeyman.

I'd rather have Witkowski... at least he can skate well.

I'd rather have both. The current roster is pretty bad, might as well be tough when you're this awful.

 

[MBH]

I still don't see what is so great about this guy. Other than he can clear players near the net, he is below average at actual hockey skills. Slow, both skating and making plays, and I legit don't get the love fest for him. Biega and him are very similar as far as shouldn't be in the lineup every night. If we are playing a rough and tough team, dress him as 7th D, otherwise he is nothing special at all.

Watch that PK in the 2nd period last night.
Watch the play leading to the shorthanded goal in the first period.
Watch the play leading to the other goal in the first period.

Biega has ZERO business in the lineup compared to McIlrath.