Ericsson on waivers, per Freidman

[NickH8]

No man, he's done.

He's finishing out his contract in the minors

I meant playing in general, I thought he was injured and wouldn't hit professional ice again.

 

[TheRatPoisoner]

I meant playing in general, I thought he was injured and wouldn't hit professional ice again.

Ah gotcha.

 

[ManwithNoIdentity]

FINALLY

Should have happened ages ago

 

[Oddbob]

Oddly not a move I suspected I would see, as I thought he was done (LTIR style) but good to see that Steve will make this type of move when the time comes. All in all Ericsson was a very good 7th round, dead last pick and a very solid dman most of his career.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Ok, fair, how would you do it?

Honestly I wouldn't. I don't think you can quantitatively prove someone is the worst in the league and I kinda don't see the point.

Ericsson took a lot more grief from Wings fans over the years than was really deserved. He was overhyped early on from one playoff stint playing next to Lidstrom. I could play next to Lidstrom and look like a good NHL D-man (see: Ian White). And then he turned out to be what he always was, best case scenario. A big, stay at home 4/5 D-man you wish would be more physical but is good at clearing the net and has a decent first pass.

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

Why?

Guy has been good lately. Waiving Abdelkader does not make our team any better.

You don't get it....

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

I’m just happy theirs some fresh eyes on this team finally. Yzerman and his team are good talent evaluators and not scared to make tough decisions. I have a feeling this rebuild hasn’t even begun yet sorry folks. I do not see the pieces Yet to do anything substantial in the future

This is the first year in a massive rebuild. "Oh but wait there's more....." we haven't drafted well either. So most of these prospects we have aren't all that...

 

[WingedWheel1987]

Has Edmonton claimed him yet?

 

[Winger98]

This is the first year in a massive rebuild. "Oh but wait there's more....." we haven't drafted well either. So most of these prospects we have aren't all that...

Depends what you expect to get drafting 6-9.

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

Depends what you expect to get drafting 6-9.

I wanted Brannstrom over Ras for starters. Ras if we are playing basketball though...

 

[kliq]

You don't get it....

Someone having a different perspective then you does not mean they "don't get it". We're not talking some deep perspective here when it pertains to wanting Abby off the team.

 

[kliq]

Has Edmonton claimed him yet?

I get this is just another shot at Holland and rhetorical, but it seems like the right time to say that on the Wings radio broadcast they said E passed waivers unclaimed.

 

[SoupNazi]

Yesterday was a long day and I'm just catching up. Shocking news, but good to see that they aren't keeping him around just to keep him around.

 

[ThankGord]

Honestly I wouldn't. I don't think you can quantitatively prove someone is the worst in the league and I kinda don't see the point.

Ericsson took a lot more grief from Wings fans over the years than was really deserved. He was overhyped early on from one playoff stint playing next to Lidstrom. I could play next to Lidstrom and look like a good NHL D-man (see: Ian White). And then he turned out to be what he always was, best case scenario. A big, stay at home 4/5 D-man you wish would be more physical but is good at clearing the net and has a decent first pass.

I was at the Griffins game tonight and he looked extremely solid around the net. He rotated partners all night and quietly had a strong game. And the Griffins got the shut-out...

 

[2xJack]

Has Edmonton claimed him yet?

I don't think they had the cap space. It's a pretty funny joke, though. I'm sure no GM in the NHL values Big E more than Kenny does.

 

[Mlotek]

Has Edmonton claimed him yet?

No, Holland is waiting for Detroit to retain 50% and take some salary back.

 

[GrGriffins]

Big Rig played pretty well tonight for the Griffins. Did not screen Pickard at all tonight. Pushed guys away from the Griffins net and got into a scuffle in the 2nd period helped out McIlrath. PK was much better and he was into the game. Not bad for his first game in awhile and when he just arrived here in GR after 4 pm and ready for game time at 7 pm.

 

[Oddbob]

Great? He was a serviceable bottom pairing defensive defensemen, a bit of a stretch on the 2nd pair, but during his prime could hold his own there. He's in a class with Mike Commodore, Andreas Lilja, Hal Gill. An overall success story given his where he was drafted, absolutely. But nobody would consider him "great" by any stretch of the imagination.

He was paid way too much for way too long for what he was. That contract is an indictment on the failures of Ken Holland and Red Wings management during the late 2000s until the late 2010s. Ericsson was the best of a crop of drafted defensemen that has included Kyle Quincey, Brendan Smith, Jakub Kindl, Ryan Sproul, Hickets, Marchenko, and Nick Jensen.
That failure to draft any impact defensemen for 10 years is why the Wings have been a bottom feeder for going on 4 years. If Ericsson is your best drafted defensemen in 10 years, you're going to have a really bad time. And here we are.

Those failings are totally on ken Holland and the Red Wings. Ultimately Ericsson had a solid career as NHL hockey player. I wish him in the best in his likely retirement.

Are you kidding? Ericsson was much better than either Lilja or Commodore. Before his hand/wrist injuries and others he was a steady #4 guy who held his own. Once we started the downturn and he was hurt he was asked to play a much larger role than he should have had to, which will make anyone look worse than they really are. Commodore was basically a fill in guy most of his career, usually only getting lots of games when injuries hit the better blueliners the teams he was on had. Also, Hicketts wasn't drafted, he was signed as a free agent, and also has only played a few games on terrible Wings teams, so lumping him in with the rest isn't fair at all.

 

[kliq]

Heard an interview with Blashill on 97.1 tonight. He said that E was send down because he needs to play after such a long layoff (ie. not ready for the NHL), but that he would likely be back at some point when they need him.

 

[TheClap]

Are you kidding? Ericsson was much better than either Lilja or Commodore. Before his hand/wrist injuries and others he was a steady #4 guy who held his own. Once we started the downturn and he was hurt he was asked to play a much larger role than he should have had to, which will make anyone look worse than they really are. Commodore was basically a fill in guy most of his career, usually only getting lots of games when injuries hit the better blueliners the teams he was on had. Also, Hicketts wasn't drafted, he was signed as a free agent, and also has only played a few games on terrible Wings teams, so lumping him in with the rest isn't fair at all.

In his prime, Mike Commodore was a good 2nd pairing defensemen on a Cup winning team, and a solid top pairing 20+ minutes a night defensemen for a Columbus Blue Jackets team that made their first franchise trip to the playoffs. With a career high of 29 points in a season, Commie's highs were higher than Ericsson's. Ericsson's career should have flamed out around the same age Commie's did, but dragged on longer, on account of Ken Holland's dedication to rewarding mediocrity.

Ericsson also has a career -9 relative to Lilja's +32 and Commie's -3. He also had a whopping 487 giveaways relative to Lilja's 245 and Commie's 160. Per game that's .73 giveaways per game compared to .422 and .330. Usually when guys give it away that much they're big risk takers and point producers... not the case with Ericsson, with career highs of 3 goals and 15 points.

So in some ways, you could argue Ericsson was worse than those 2.

But at any rate, yes, they are comparable and all fall into that "solid 10+ year career, bottom pairing defensemen" category.

 

[ShelbyZ]

Heard an interview with Blashill on 97.1 tonight. He said that E was send down because he needs to play after such a long layoff (ie. not ready for the NHL), but that he would likely be back at some point when they need him.

That's kind of what I figured it was the whole time. No way a guy that's played only 18 minutes of a pre-season game in the last 7 months with that salary gets claimed. So just have him pass waivers and send him down as long as he needs instead of having him occupy a roster spot on a conditioning loan.

I can't wait to see the meltdown and subsequent spin from the fan base when Yzerman inevitably recalls him.

 

[Retire91]

That makes more sense to me, there is nothing really gained by waiving him. It would make a statement but its not like he is holding anyone up or creating cap issues. Just let his contract play out

 

[Bench]

Too handsome to ride a bus, IMO

God dammit this comment slayed me. I'm dead. Bye.

 

[Winger98]

I wanted Brannstrom over Ras for starters. Ras if we are playing basketball though...

I'm not sure I'd be holding up a 1 point and -3 in 9 games undersized D as the best counterpoint to drafting Rasmussen here. Still, I like Brannstrom. I think he can be a second pair guy. Just like I think Rasmussen can give us second line quality production (while maybe technically centering the third line while eating some powerplay time). And that's what we should realistically hope to get from drafting in that area.

we can go over draft lists and find some great players in those spots and some duds. But a lot of good players. Until someone we draft comes out as a total dud, I don't see a reason to torch anything for guys being, at worst, pretty much what should be expected from guys drafted there.

 

[NotLeddy]

I wanted Brannstrom over Ras for starters. Ras if we are playing basketball though...

I think I'd rather have Ras than Brannstrom. Necas was the BPA and would've been the guy to advance the rebuild imo, but Ras is fine in his own right.