End of Season Grades

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Helen St. James handed out end of season grades to the Red Wings, so I figured we'd weigh in with slightly less franchise mouthpiece perspectives.

Detroit Red Wings season grades: Individual highs among the collective low

Grades are based on what was expected of a player. Her explanations are in the article. My grades that are different are in bold next to hers.

Her Grades:

Abdelkader: D F (is there a grade lower than an F? Abby deserves it)
Athanasiou: A
Bernier: C+
Bertuzzi: B+ A (how Bert only warrants a B+ based on his performance vs expectations I don't know)
Bowey: C+ N/A (didn't see enough of Bowey to weigh in)
Daley: C C- (Daley for me is usually barely passable to disappointing.)
De La Rose: C+
Dekeyser: B+ B (Not as bad as many say, but not that close to an A)
Ehn: B
Ericsson: C- C (based on expectations, passing and nothing else)
Frk: C-
Glendening: B+
Green: B
Helm: C- D (she overstates his PK value given the other guys on the team)
Hirose: A N/A (didn't see him play)
Howard: B+
Hronek: B+
Kronwall: B
Kuffner: C N/A (needed to see more of his play)
Larkin: A+
Mantha: A B (finished the season strong but let's not forget the games he disappeared. There's still work to do)
Nielsen: C C- (Barely passable)
Rasmussen: D+ B- (How he warrants the same grade as Abby based on expectations makes no sense. He's a kid playing above his level)
Vanek: B C- (sure he's a "pro" and "great in the locker room." Please don't re-sign this floater)
Witkowski: C+ B+ (thought about giving him an A. Filled in as forward and D. Some huge open ice hits. Stuck up for teammates)

Coaching Staff: B

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[Hammettf2b]

If Helm were making 2 mil less, would he still get the same grade?

 

[obey86]

If Helm were making 2 mil less, would he still get the same grade?

Probably not. But you can really only grade someone in regards to management expectations. And their expectations were that he would be worth ~4M on the ice (or whatever it is he makes) and he's simply not.

 

[Hammettf2b]

Probably not. But you can really only grade someone in regards to management expectations. And their expectations were that he would be worth ~4M on the ice (or whatever it is he makes) and he's simply not.

thats my gripe. everybody except management knows hes not worth 4M. Personally I'm not going to dock his grade just because Holland was giving out horrible contracts. Helm is what he is and always will be.

 

[Flowah]

Probably not. But you can really only grade someone in regards to management expectations. And their expectations were that he would be worth ~4M on the ice (or whatever it is he makes) and he's simply not.

Yeah seriously. Context matters. Salaries and contracts set expectations. The two cannot be separated except in cases of ELC or something. Sure if you're Connor McDavid and just entering the league you're not making $13M but we still expect you to rock it.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

thats my gripe. everybody except management knows hes not worth 4M. Personally I'm not going to dock his grade just because Holland was giving out horrible contracts. Helm is what he is and always will be.

Contract is a part of it for sure but at this point if you could only keep either Glendening or Helm, who would you pick?

Helm isn’t just underachieving for his contract. He’s underachieving at being Helm. Remember the speedy puckhound he used to be? I haven’t seen that guy in a while now. It’s not like I expected him to develop hands, but he’s not even the player he was.

 

[Hammettf2b]

Yeah seriously. Context matters. Salaries and contracts set expectations. The two cannot be separated except in cases of ELC or something. Sure if you're Connor McDavid and just entering the league you're not making $13M but we still expect you to rock it.

You expect Helm to perform like a $3.85m player? What about Abby. Do you expect him to perform like a $4.25m player for the next 4 years? Just because our GM signed these bad contracts doesnt make these expectations realistic.

 

[Hen Kolland]

Mantha: A B (finished the season strong but let's not forget the games he disappeared. There's still work to do)

Even with the games he disappeared, he was statistically on pace with Athanasiou who you were completely okay with an A rating. I don’t care if you want to knock him from a solid A, but when you consider the injury this year, and how he finished the season (over 25% of the season) at a production level that not a single player on the team has been able to show signs of, he doesn’t warrant being knocked a full letter grade.

 

[Shaman464]

Even with the games he disappeared, he was statistically on pace with Athanasiou who you were completely okay with an A rating. I don’t care if you want to knock him from a solid A, but when you consider the injury this year, and how he finished the season (over 25% of the season) at a production level that not a single player on the team has been able to show signs of, he doesn’t warrant being knocked a full letter grade.

I think people don't appreciate how hard it is for a guy with hands like Mantha to come back after a hand injury and not miss a step. Once he recovered and got his confidence back, he looked great.

 

[Hen Kolland]

I think people don't appreciate how hard it is for a guy with hands like Mantha to come back after a hand injury and not miss a step. Once he recovered and got his confidence back, he looked great.

Like other level great. If he can be 75% of the player he was down the stretch, he will hit 30 goals next year fairly easily. This was a good year for him.

 

[SCD]

Most of these high grades are based on the last quarter of the season, not on the entire season. Consistency isn't just about being on the score sheet, it is about being noticable (for the positive) game in and game out.

Larkin needs to work on his penalty minutes. Not that he should strive to be a Lady Bing candidate, but this one category he should not lead. Too many retaliatory penalties. (A)

AA has significantly improved his game, but his stretches of inconsistency would put him at B+/A-.

Mantha would be in the same category as AA. He needs to improve his consistency and avoid fighting. B+

 

[masta8]

Most of these high grades are based on the last quarter of the season, not on the entire season. Consistency isn't just about being on the score sheet, it is about being noticable (for the positive) game in and game out.

Larkin needs to work on his penalty minutes. Not that he should strive to be a Lady Bing candidate, but this one category he should not lead. Too many retaliatory penalties. (A)

AA has significantly improved his game, but his stretches of inconsistency would put him at B+/A-.

Mantha would be in the same category as AA. He needs to improve his consistency and avoid fighting. B+

AA was a lot more consistent then Mantha this year though.

 

[Shaman464]

AA was a lot more consistent then Mantha this year though.

I don't think that's fair to Mantha, because of the hand injury. He was consistent before the injury, and then the last 20 games of the season, it was the period coming back from the injury he was woefully inconsistent.

 

[masta8]

I don't think that's fair to Mantha, because of the hand injury. He was consistent before the injury, and then the last 20 games of the season, it was the period coming back from the injury he was woefully inconsistent.

It wasn't a jab at Mantha because the hand injury certainly played a factor but more about AA playing good hockey throughout the year and not having bad games for long stretches like other years.

 

[SCD]

People forget that AA disappeared for the month of December. He didn't score his first goal until 12/27 and wound up 2g and 4a for the month. He then went another 11 games without a goal from mid-January to mid-February. He was minus 4 during both stretches.

Mantha went without a goal during one 9 game and one 8 game stretch.

Larkin went without a goal during two 5 game stretches.

 

[ricky0034]

People forget that he disappeared for the month of December. He didn't score his first goal until 12/27 and wound up 2g and 4a for the month. He then went another 11 games without a goal from mid-January to mid-February. He was minus 4 during both stretches.

Mantha went without a goal during one 9 game and one 8 game stretch.

Larkin went without a goal during two 5 game stretches.

that Larkin one is getting to the point where you'll have a tough time finding anyone at all without a gap like that

even Ovechkin went without a goal for a 6 game stretch and three 4 game stretches

 

[Lil Bert]

Hronek deserves an A. Waasn't a liability defensively, produced offensively, exceeded everyone's expectations IMO.

 

[SCD]

that Larkin one is getting to the point where you'll have a tough time finding anyone at all without a gap like that

even Ovechkin went without a goal for a 6 game stretch and three 4 game stretches

Completely agree. Larkin had a very consistent year. The few stretches he did not put up points was probably when he was playing hurt.

 

[ricky0034]

Hronek deserves an A. Waasn't a liability defensively, produced offensively, exceeded everyone's expectations IMO.

it's not entirely fair since obviously there's other factors at play but I wouldn't quite give someone that started on the team then got sent down and spent half the season in Grand Rapids an A

 

[Hammettf2b]

Contract is a part of it for sure but at this point if you could only keep either Glendening or Helm, who would you pick?

Helm isn’t just underachieving for his contract. He’s underachieving at being Helm. Remember the speedy puckhound he used to be? I haven’t seen that guy in a while now. It’s not like I expected him to develop hands, but he’s not even the player he was.

That shouldn't factor into a season grade at all imo. Sure Helm has slowed down, but not enough to make me give him a grade of D. He looked pretty decent when he was given a top 6 role because of injuries. he didn't seem out of place or anything. we know hes not a goal scorer so people shouldn't expect that from him. My point is there are reasons why people call certain contracts "bad". Its because that player wont live up to that contract. In this case, Helm has been pretty much doing the same thing throughout his career. He shouldn't be penalized because Holland was handing out such horrible contracts at the time

 

[Lil Bert]

it's not entirely fair since obviously there's other factors at play but I wouldn't quite give someone that started on the team then got sent down and spent half the season in Grand Rapids an A

The reason they sent him down was because of roster space though. He had six assists in eight games leading up to him being sent down. He just wasn't as shiny as Cholo.
He lit up GR with 7-17-24 in 29 games.
Him being sent down is because our management sucks, not because he does.

 

[DetroitRed]

There's only a couple areas where I disagree adamantly with you and her on this list, Howard and Hronek. Hronek is higher (A), Howard is lower (B-/C+).

 

[Flowah]

You expect Helm to perform like a $3.85m player? What about Abby. Do you expect him to perform like a $4.25m player for the next 4 years? Just because our GM signed these bad contracts doesnt make these expectations realistic.

Yes I do. You signed the contract, you set your own expectations. If they don't like being held to such expectations I guess they'll just have to cry themselves to sleep in their enormous house with their millions of dollars.

Whether they are realistic or not hardly matters. What matters is that unless your players play to *at least* their contracts, your team is garbage. And the players that get paid a lot and don't perform as that contract indicates are going to get a lot more shit thrown at them than other players. For the same reason that an underpaid player gets more leeway, an overpaid player gets more scrutiny. That's the way it works.

 

[Hammettf2b]

Yes I do. You signed the contract, you set your own expectations. If they don't like being held to such expectations I guess they'll just have to cry themselves to sleep in their enormous house with their millions of dollars.

Whether they are realistic or not hardly matters. What matters is that unless your players play to *at least* their contracts, your team is garbage. And the players that get paid a lot and don't perform as that contract indicates are going to get a lot more **** thrown at them than other players. For the same reason that an underpaid player gets more leeway, an overpaid player gets more scrutiny. That's the way it works.

I could see your point if Helm were known for having an offensive game but he was never that player so him signing a bad (good for him) contract doesn't all of a sudden make him a goal scorer/playmaker.

 

[Gniwder]

Contract is a part of it for sure but at this point if you could only keep either Glendening or Helm, who would you pick?

Helm isn’t just underachieving for his contract. He’s underachieving at being Helm. Remember the speedy puckhound he used to be? I haven’t seen that guy in a while now. It’s not like I expected him to develop hands, but he’s not even the player he was.

Yeah, I miss the younger Helm. I liked that player. I think injuries and age have caught up to him, and he doesn't have the skills to compensate.

He's not even that good at PK or defensive play anymore. The last game Skinner took him to school (at ES).