Is there any way on this planet Tatar is not on the Red Wings next season

[WingsOverAvs]

I think Tatar would fit better on the 3rd line, but......

 

[Hendricks433]

Per St. James

She responded to me on Twitter and we went back and forth a few times. She didnt like it.

My last response was "He was on pace to score about 20 goals in a 82 gm season on 3rd line and led the Griffins in g's and got MVP of the playoffs."

Him maybe finding a spot on the 4th line is ridiculous. He should be on the 3rd line with out a doubt. If they dont like him then they need to trade him.

 

[WingedWheel1987]

Red Wings beat writers are total morons. It really is that simple.

She talks about "earning it." Brian Lashoff says hello.

 

[WingsOverAvs]

Yeah, no reason he cant play wing on the 3rd line. Even if DET were to trade Emmerton, Tootoo, and Eaves.

Pav - Franzen - FA
Hank - Bert - Nyquist
Helm - Brunner - Tatar
Andersson - Miller - Abdelkader

 

[Henkka]

No 21-year old rookie is a lock for 3rd line at Red Wings. Period.

Tatar will start from the 4th line and if he is enough good, he will rise in the winger hierarchy and will be at higher lines at playoff time. That's how the system works.

 

[Brick Top]

She responded to me on Twitter and we went back and forth a few times. She didnt like it.

My last response was "He was on pace to score about 20 goals in a 82 gm season on 3rd line and led the Griffins in g's and got MVP of the playoffs."

Him maybe finding a spot on the 4th line is ridiculous. He should be on the 3rd line with out a doubt. If they dont like him then they need to trade him.

Nicely done! Completely agree that he's a 3rd line at minimum guy, and the thought of him wasting away on the 4th line with any of the wingers you mentioned playing above him on the 3rd line is absurd.

Helm's health status affects Andersson and Emmerton, but I don't see it being an issue for Tatar at all. Given the guys under contract, it's hard to fathom how the FO could consider him for 4th line duty. And I wonder if St. James has ever had anything approaching an original thought about the Wings, since she's always just toeing the company line all the time.

 

[Brick Top]

No 21-year old rookie is a lock for 3rd line at Red Wings. Period.

Well, taking into account the abundance of 4th line wingers on the roster and the team's need for scoring combined with Tatar's skill and style of play, this 22-year old rookie should be a lock for the 3rd line with the potential to move up the lineup. Semicolon ;

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

With Andersson and Helm we will see something we used to. The better line will play more on any given night. They did this a little this year. They can be that in name only. Helm gets his icetime regardless because of the pk. Would rather Babcock find chemistry on lines and role with the line that is playing better that night anyway or how matchups dictate.

I want a scoring line and a checking line in that 3rd and 4th. Hopefully they both function like 3rd lines anyway.

If you wind up with say:

Miller - Helm - Tootoo/Eaves
Tatar - Andersson - Eaves/Tootoo

You just play the hot hand if you are Babcock, also drives the competition in my opinion.

A lot depends on what they do in the next two weeks in free agency and whether or not Helm is actually healthy. So we have a little time before we get super excited. The real thing with Tatar is he better be on one of the PP units, that is what I worry about.

 

[Hendricks433]

No 21-year old rookie is a lock for 3rd line at Red Wings. Period.

Just old rookies and washed up old guys? Brunner was handed top line RW and he has no defense and hes less tough than Tatar.

Tatar was on pace for almost 20 goals with 3rd line minutes, led the Griffins in goals for the playoffs while winning MVP for the playoffs. He is tough on the puck, shoots the puck and is not terrible defensively. I understand not wanting to just give jobs away but it makes no sense for Tatar to not be on the team next year and for him to be on the 4th line. I'm not demanding top 6.

 

[WingedWheel1987]

St. James doesn't get my sarcasm. I knew i should have included an ellipsis.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

I think the point is that no rookie is guaranteed any spot at all. They can play themselves there, but they're not handed anything. It's more of a semantic issue, but I think the Wings would agree with her.

 

[Henkka]

Well, taking into account the abundance of 4th line wingers on the roster and the team's need for scoring combined with Tatar's skill and style of play, this 22-year old rookie should be a lock for the 3rd line with the potential to move up the lineup. Semicolon ;

Nope. If UFA outsider will come, Tatar will be at 4th line. Just build the lines. There's too much bodies in front of him.

But the role will grow instantly after first injury. On paper, he starts from the 4th line. Just like Datsyuk did and his career was ruined because of it.

No prospect is handed a top role for free. They will take them being great.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

The real thing with Tatar is he better be on one of the PP units, that is what I worry about.

If I remember correctly, he got a fair amount of 2nd unit time in his callup. I'd expect more of that.

 

[Bench]

Red Wings beat writers are total morons. It really is that simple.

She talks about "earning it." Brian Lashoff says hello.

He says hello, alright. From the press box. And only got called into action in the playoffs after injury. Then quickly removed.

I'm sure they'll give Tatar the same consideration.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

If I remember correctly, he got a fair amount of 2nd unit time in his callup. I'd expect more of that.

Hope so, but he and Nyquist will both be there fighting for that spot. So much of our lineup depends on the next couple weeks hard to tell today what that will mean.

Say they sign a Horton, however unlikely, but what does that do to the lineup. While fun a little hard to know what they are going to do. Aside from they make these kids earn their spot, that part is pretty clear in the past, so until camp Tatar isn't going to magically work his way up the lineup except in a lot of fans projections.

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

Yeah, no reason he cant play wing on the 3rd line. Even if DET were to trade Emmerton, Tootoo, and Eaves.

Pav - Franzen - FA
Hank - Bert - Nyquist
Helm - Brunner - Tatar
Andersson - Miller - Abdelkader

Just curious why you have Bert, Brunner and Miller In the Center spots there all Wingers Just wondering why you have all four Centerman in the Wingers position.

 

[kilgoretrout]

It bugs me how much St. James likes Bertuzzi. Questions Tatar's toughness while saying Bertuzzi is somehow still "big and strong." Maybe it's my opinion, but he sure didn't play like it in the playoffs, and with his age and health, his height and weight are just meaningless numbers, and I'm not sure he'll be able to use his big body anymore (let alone full season). I feel like Tatar proved he can play with some physicality, but it is just another case of assuming all European players are as soft as Pavel Bure (who would be a nice winger by the way)

 

[Henkka]

Just curious why you have Bert, Brunner and Miller In the Center spots there all Wingers Just wondering why you have all four Centerman in the Wingers position.

I think that guy had the lines in center-winger-winger -mode.

 

[Brick Top]

I think the point is that no rookie is guaranteed any spot at all. They can play themselves there, but they're not handed anything. It's more of a semantic issue, but I think the Wings would agree with her.

I don't really think that's true, though. Smith was a rookie this season and we all knew he had a top 6 D spot locked down. Brunner had a spot as soon as he was signed for his rookie season, although he was more of a FA pickup.

It's a different situation if it's Tatar looking to break into a really strong Wings lineup, but that's just not the case. Assuming Gus is "handed" a top 6 spot for next season, Tatar becomes the most skilled forward outside of the top 6 by default... AINEC.

 

[WingedWheel1987]

He says hello, alright. From the press box. And only got called into action in the playoffs after injury. Then quickly removed.

I'm sure they'll give Tatar the same consideration.

The point is that she said every player has to earn it. Whatever "it" is. Lashoff didn't earn any of his ice time. You really think he was more qualified to play over Ian White?

I fully support Brendan Smith, but he most certainly didn't earn his ice time.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

Hope so, but he and Nyquist will both be there fighting for that spot. So much of our lineup depends on the next couple weeks hard to tell today what that will mean.

Say they sign a Horton, however unlikely, but what does that do to the lineup. While fun a little hard to know what they are going to do. Aside from they make these kids earn their spot, that part is pretty clear in the past, so until camp Tatar isn't going to magically work his way up the lineup except in a lot of fans projections.

I would hope for both Tatar and Nyquist on there. They have the chemistry. I suppose, like you said, it depends on who gets traded and who they sign. If nobody of particular impact is brought in, it's all the better for Tatar. I'm not sure the Wings like the idea of relying on him much, though.

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

I think that guy had the lines in center-winger-winger -mode.

Yep that must be what happened.

 

[WingsOverAvs]

I think that guy had the lines in center-winger-winger -mode.

I thought it was fairly obvious

 

[Brick Top]

Nope. If UFA outsider will come, Tatar will be at 4th line. Just build the lines. There's too much bodies in front of him.

But the role will grow instantly after first injury. On paper, he starts from the 4th line. Just like Datsyuk did and his career was ruined because of it.

No prospect is handed a top role for free. They will take them being great.

Most early projections have Nyquist in the top 6 in what would be his *GASP* first full season with Detroit. He showed flashes during the season and PO's, but nothing that screamed "here comes the next Selanne-type rookie season."

Yes, there are bodies in front of Tatar. Outside of a couple of the top 6 wingers, those bodies also lack Tatar's skill level, scoring ability, and willingness to consistently go to the net.

Datsyuk's rookie year isn't remotely relevant to Tatar's situation, as Pavel was breaking into a team full of All-Stars and future HOF'ers. The 2013-2014 Red Wings... not so much.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

Most early projections have Nyquist in the top 6 in what would be his *GASP* first full season with Detroit. He showed flashes during the season and PO's, but nothing that screamed "here comes the next Selanne-type rookie season."

Yes, there are bodies in front of Tatar. Outside of a couple of the top 6 wingers, those bodies also lack Tatar's skill level, scoring ability, and willingness to consistently go to the net.

The Datsyuk rookie year thing is meaningless, as he was breaking into a team full of All-Stars and future HOF'ers. The 2013-2014 Red Wings... not so much.

You had a point with Smith, but I think you're wrong on Nyquist. He got a callup, ran with it, and put in an excellent playoff performance. That was good enough an audition.

But even so, I expect him to be on the 3rd line, not in the top 6.