Ansar Khan: Luke Witkowski suspended 10 games

[theYman]

Why is Saarjjarvi not a regular in GR, how is that good for his development?

That's what I thought. I thought he was already called up a little while ago.

 

[PelagicJoe]

Good. Tkachuck isn't half the player his father was since we're on the subject.

 

[Konnan511]

Tkachuk got a game, I'd link the twitter but it's been ****ing up my browser.

No problem. These revamped boards give my computer cancer every time I log on to it.

 

[Konnan511]

Good. Tkachuck isn't half the player his father was since we're on the subject.

Pretty bold statement about a 19 year old that is near a PPG this season.

 

[14ari13]

Video of the incident?

 

[Konnan511]

Video of the incident?

Yes.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Pretty bold statement about a 19 year old that is near a PPG this season.

Half is probably a little harsh, but Keith Tkachuk was a really good hockey player. I always wonder what he would have been if he didn't spend the first two months getting in shape each year. Still he was a 1,000 point player, with 500 goals and over 2,000 penalty minutes in the NHL.

It will be hard for any of his boys to pass his accomplishments in my opinion. Time will tell, but they are chasing a significant accomplishment there. They do look like they are going to have long NHL careers in terms of Matthew and Brady.

To me Keith Tkachuk is a fringe HHOF type guy so it is hard to be one of those guys.

 

[Lion Man]

Video of the incident?

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Good. Tkachuck isn't half the player his father was since we're on the subject.

It remains to be seen what kind of player Matthew will be, but he sure isn't half the man is dad was when he played.

Keith rarely hesitated to lay the lumber on guys but he also never hesitated to drop the gloves and fight his own battles. I don't remember Keith pulling any of the cowardly moves Matthew has in his short career.

As someone else mentioned, it's hard not to wonder how much better Keith would've been had he actually trained in the offseason.

 

[Dotter]

Witkowski has risen in my book after seeing his flair. Wings need more of this. I want to see Detroit become a big, mean, fast and nasty team again.

 

[ShelbyZ]

This is a tough one to swallow, especially when you consider a repeat offender like Gudas just got the same punishment for slashing a guy across the neck. And Witkowski's jumping back on seems to be an odd gray area compared to the last couple of times I remember this rule being inforced. IE: Godard jumping on to protect Johnson from Haley during that huge Pens/NYI brawl and then Clarkson jumping on the save Kessel from John Scott in a pre-season game.

Being that Witkowski isn't an every game guy, probably just works out as a perfect way for the league to send a message reinforcing the rule.

After those last couple of games he played on D, I like the Witkowski signing even more. He looks a lot more comfortable dressed as a 7th D than as a 4th line winger, and seems to make safe plays in his own zone. It's also much better that he be the one to send the message after Kulak puts his hands and stick up in the face of a guy that has a history of concussions, and then have the target on HIS back rather than the young guys when the Flames start to run around during a game that is way out of reach for them.

I'll put my flamesuit on, but IMO for the money Witkowski's been a better signing than Daley...

 

[lidstromiscool]

This is a tough one to swallow, especially when you consider a repeat offender like Gudas just got the same punishment for slashing a guy across the neck. And Witkowski's jumping back on seems to be an odd gray area compared to the last couple of times I remember this rule being inforced. IE: Godard jumping on to protect Johnson from Haley during that huge Pens/NYI brawl and then Clarkson jumping on the save Kessel from John Scott in a pre-season game.

Being that Witkowski isn't an every game guy, probably just works out as a perfect way for the league to send a message reinforcing the rule.

After those last couple of games he played on D, I like the Witkowski signing even more. He looks a lot more comfortable dressed as a 7th D than as a 4th line winger, and seems to make safe plays in his own zone. It's also much better that he be the one to send the message after Kulak puts his hands and stick up in the face of a guy that has a history of concussions, and then have the target on HIS back rather than the young guys when the Flames start to run around during a game that is way out of reach for them.

I'll put my flamesuit on, but IMO for the money Witkowski's been a better signing than Daley...

Not sure about your last sentence... but agree with everything else you said.

 

[Wingsfan 4 life]

This is a tough one to swallow, especially when you consider a repeat offender like Gudas just got the same punishment for slashing a guy across the neck. And Witkowski's jumping back on seems to be an odd gray area compared to the last couple of times I remember this rule being inforced. IE: Godard jumping on to protect Johnson from Haley during that huge Pens/NYI brawl and then Clarkson jumping on the save Kessel from John Scott in a pre-season game.

Being that Witkowski isn't an every game guy, probably just works out as a perfect way for the league to send a message reinforcing the rule.

After those last couple of games he played on D, I like the Witkowski signing even more. He looks a lot more comfortable dressed as a 7th D than as a 4th line winger, and seems to make safe plays in his own zone. It's also much better that he be the one to send the message after Kulak puts his hands and stick up in the face of a guy that has a history of concussions, and then have the target on HIS back rather than the young guys when the Flames start to run around during a game that is way out of reach for them.

I'll put my flamesuit on, but IMO for the money Witkowski's been a better signing than Daley...

Witkowski fell under rule 70.6 which is an automatic 10 games for returning to the bench or ice after being ordered to the dressing room. There's really no grey area there. I don't think Godard and Clarkson fell under that rule.

 

[Winger98]

Witkowski fell under rule 70.6 which is an automatic 10 games for returning to the bench or ice after being ordered to the dressing room. There's really no grey area there. I don't think Godard and Clarkson fell under that rule.

The only way around it would have been arguing he wasn't away from the bench yet. It would be pick-a-ninny but it's not like Witkowski came running down the tunnel and chucking a chair into the ring, either.

 

[14ari13]

Thanks

 

[McDonald19]

Eligible to return tonight.

 

[jkutswings]

Using the Nielsen checking line though I think allows him to leverage AA and Larkin better.

Blash's comments last night are basically what half this forum has been begging for. He said last year was about lessons at times. That he was hard on them because he wanted them to grow. Now they have and he is going to give them more responsibility and he is happy with it. He is feeding them big minutes, Mantha should have got a few more last night even before the fight but still. He was doing it against Columbus as well.

Listen Blash is coaching for his job this year. I am not surprised he has gone heavily towards the kids here lately they are playing the best. Nielsen and Z still do some heavy lifting defensively, but again he deployed Larkin against McDavid. He is challenging them and they are rising to that challenge. They look a lot better players this year, it could be some of what he is doing did in fact help these guys in terms of development... I know people will hate that.

It is a known thing at this point. The super friends even asked Zetterberg about it and he was all to happy to give them big props and talk about them driving the team right now.

There are major elements to the current mess that have nothing to do with Blashill. And elements to his sphere of influence, particularly recently, that suggest his overall coaching process might be improving over time.

Having said that, it's my opinion that this franchise needs enough change in the front office, that I'd be much more willing to let a new administration fire him, than roll the dice with another contract for Holland and Company.