GDT: Maple Leafs @ Red Wings - 7PM ET (preseason game 8)

[Shaman464]

He's disappeared after that 1-2 year stretch of good hockey, I don't think it's questionable to argue that he's a 2nd-3rd line tweener seeing as he's a complimentary player.

Can't wait for Blashill to mess this one up /s

I think people have become so use to Detroit being anemic offensively that a 40 point/less than 0.5 ppg player does seem like top 6 material.

 

[Pavels Dog]

Calling either of Gus or AA gamebreaking shows how pathetic the Red Wings forward core is. AA does 4-5 times a year what real gamebreakers do nightly. Nyquist is even more laughable, he's a third line winger on a good team.

Like I said, we don't have anyone who does it on the regular.

I think people have become so use to Detroit being anemic offensively that a 40 point/less than 0.5 ppg player does seem like top 6 material.

Or people think top 6 players produce much more than they actually do, especially if they aren't playing with superstars on good teams. Even playing on a bottom 5 team and notching his lowest point total in his career, Nyquist still easily produced like top 6 player from a purely statistical outlook (31 teams x 6 forwards). Now pretend that we have any idea what he can produce when he is playing on a decent team surrounded by more talent and you'll understand why he should be considered top 6.

 

[TatarTangle]

I think people have become so use to Detroit being anemic offensively that a 40 point/less than 0.5 ppg player does seem like top 6 material.

I agree. Good hockey seems like it was ages ago, mostly because it has been haha

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

This is going to be a really good AHL game.

It sure feels like they're not finding out who the best defenseman is, but rather the least worst defenseman available.

 

[Hinterland]

Mistakes are made by all teams. Last few years we've been a team where it's hard to point the finger at any 1 or 2 players being a massive problem but despite that we can't win. Ericsson, Helm, AA and Nyquist make the NHL roster on every team in the league. And in the case of Gus and AA, they are actually responsible for a lot of the gamebreaking offense we actually create. We just don't have any players that we can truly lean on to be differencemakers on a regular basis, so we play pretty evenly with other teams but they end up with the W because of 1 or 2 or 3 great plays made by elite talents.

Try and waive guys like Ericsson or Helm...I'll pretty much guarantee you nobody is gonna claim. Nobody claimed Zack Smith either and he's much better than Helm. You could also easily waive Jensen or Daley and the result would probably be the same. Did somebody here even keep track of Ericsson's own goals last season? I stopped counting after 3 or 4. Never seen anything like it. With a team like that you can add 3,4 "gamechangers" and it wouldn't change a thing. If you don't believe me, go ask Chiarelli. At some point the Wings have to stop playing AHLers. They also have too many turnovermachines.
I'm not questioning the offense guys like Athanasiou or Nyquist bring...the problem is that they're too one dimensional. 90% of the time they they're picking flowers. Nyquist hasn't improved the slightest bit ever since he got caught asleep by Bolland in OT of Game 7 of the Conference semifinals. You'd like to think that after losing a series by himself he'd hit the gym and watch video all summer long to make sure it never happens again. It surely wasn't the case and it's still not. Athanasiou's allround game is even worse and Helm is one of the best turnovermachines leaguewide.

 

[Shaman464]

Like I said, we don't have anyone who does it on the regular.


Or people think top 6 players produce much more than they actually do, especially if they aren't playing with superstars on good teams. Even playing on a bottom 5 team and notching his lowest point total in his career, Nyquist still easily produced like top 6 player from a purely statistical outlook (31 teams x 6 forwards). Now pretend that we have any idea what he can produce when he is playing on a decent team surrounded by more talent and you'll understand why he should be considered top 6.

His PPG is 181st among NHL forwards putting him at the top of the third line. I stand by saying he's a third liner on a good team.

 

[Pavels Dog]

Try and waive guys like Ericsson or Helm...I'll pretty much guarantee you nobody is gonna claim. Nobody claimed Zack Smith either and he's much better than Helm.

That's due to their contract, not their actual ability to play hockey.

This team's problem is NOT that our 4th line and 3rd D pair isn't good enough.

 

[Christien]

All those young kids on D have Jensen sweating

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

That was a really pretty PP.

 

[TheMule93]

Lots of nice passes there

 

[Heaton]

So we think Rasmussen and Cholowski both won spots? We have 1 more spot on D and one more wing available?

 

[obey86]

that would be nice if saarijarvi could turn into an NHL player, even if its just a 3rd pairing, offensive spark plug type.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

So we think Rasmussen and Cholowski both won spots? We have 1 more spot on D and one more wing available?

I think so.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

that would be nice if saarijarvi could turn into an NHL player, even if its just a 3rd pairing, offensive spark plug type.

He has had a strong camp. It looks like he is primed for a good season in Grand Rapids. Lots of gains from last spring by Vili, really great to see.

 

[Hinterland]

That's due to their contract, not their actual ability to play hockey.

This team's problem is NOT that our 4th line and 3rd D pair isn't good enough.

Honestly the NHL should add a new category to their stats...own goals. Ericsson would be unbeatable. Never seen anything like it. The man probably scored more own goals than goals for several years now. I wouldn't even want the guy on my team if he played for free.

 

[Heaton]

That's due to their contract, not their actual ability to play hockey.

This team's problem is NOT that our 4th line and 3rd D pair isn't good enough.

There's more factors than that, Ericsson is slow by today's standards and they're both incredibly injury prone. The fact of the matter is their contracts cannot be injured, they play a major factor into their worth.

 

[Frk It]

I’m still a fan of Saarijarvi.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

That was a really pretty play.

 

[Pavels Dog]

Our future 4th line should be in good hands between Ehn, Turgeon and Smith.

Saarijarvi is gonna have a good year in AHL.

There's more factors than that, Ericsson is slow by today's standards and they're both incredibly injury prone. The fact of the matter is their contracts cannot be injured, they play a major factor into their worth.

Ericsson is fairly mobile still and both have played 70+ games in 3 of the last 4 seasons. They are definitely not AHLers and upgrading in their spot on the roster doesn't do much for us. Upgrading at the top of the roster is what will make the difference. We won the cup with Brett Lebda on our D. Lebda would easily be the worst D on our current roster.

 

[Heaton]

Ericsson is fairly mobile still and both have played 70+ games in 3 of the last 4 seasons. They are definitely not AHLers and upgrading in their spot on the roster doesn't do much for us. Upgrading at the top of the roster is what will make the difference. We won the cup with Brett Lebda on our D. Lebda would easily be the worst D on our current roster.

There's plenty of NHL veterans who won't be getting jobs this year. Ericsson is still considered a top 4 defenseman on this team.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Man that looked pretty brutal for Svech. You have to think he is down for a bit of time

 

[vladdy16]

If there's one spot between Hronek, Hicketts and Sulak, I'm thinking Hronek is looking like the clear choice.

And I don't know how likely it is that Jensen is on the chopping block, but I think it'd be worth prioritizing NHL reps to Hicketts over Jensen though.

 

[theYman]

Yeah I hope Svech is alright. Deja vu all over again like last year.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

If there's one spot between Hronek, Hicketts and Sulak, I'm thinking Hronek is looking like the clear choice.

And I don't know how likely it is that Jensen is on the chopping block, but I think it'd be worth prioritizing NHL reps to Hicketts over Jensen though.

Hicketts doesn't have much a future either in my opinion so not all that worried about reps for him. Hopefully we can pick up a pick or something for Jensen. Custance has said he thinks there is a market several times. So that is good. But we could also wait a month into the season and move him then as well. I am more interested in seeing Sulak than Hicketts at this point. I don't think either guy is going to do well at the NHL level right now though.

I am not seeing the impressive pre-season Fox Sports Detroit and Jeff Blashill are seeing apparently. He looks like the fourth guy to me, really Vili has been pretty impressive but he needs the development time in GR. Hicketts if we are going to rotate him in and out of the lineup will probably be fine though. I think his makeup can handle not playing every night and alternating with Jensen so maybe that is a part of the thought.

 

[TheMule93]

Yikes