Today's presser (notes in #7)

[RedWingsNow*]

You said in a different thread that you don't even want Weiss on this team, and now you're complaining because you don't think Holland will go after him?

There's just no pleasing some.

Why don't you address his comment, instead of looking for the chance to "catch" him in inconsistency.

 

[FlashyG]

I don't mind Lashoff as the #7 guy, but that's only if injuries don't force him into the top 6.

Isn't that the same as saying you don't want Lashoff as a #7 guy?

 

[SportsballChic]

Isn't that the same as saying you don't want Lashoff as a #7 guy?

Not to put words in his mouth, but I don't think that's exactly what he's saying. Seemed more to me like:

"I don't mind Lashoff getting rotation minutes as the spare part guy but if he has to play for an extended period of time we're boned."

I'll wait to get yelled at for how wrong I am; but assume that's what he meant I kinda have to agree with him. If you dump Carlo you're saying "these 6 guys are all going to play 60+ games and we won't have a single season ending injury on Defense" because otherwise Lashoff is an NHL regular and there's no proof he's good enough for that (at least in my mind, no yelling jeeze).

 

[Bench]

no yelling jeeze

I'm not sure how else I'm supposed to communicate my feelings.

 

[SoupNazi]

I'm not sure how else I'm supposed to communicate my feelings.

Talk into this. That should do it.

 

[Bench]

 

[YostisHome]

When you are god-awful to begin with, technically "you will improve". Whatever Lashoff's physical ability is, his awareness score for NHL 2014 will likely be 0.

 

[Fugu]

That's so we still have a full blue line when Holland balks at paying anywhere near market prices like he always does.

Probably. He'll point to this same list and say we're going to let the kids grow into these roles.

Can never have enough NHL defensemen, but Holland really needs to dump Quincey for a true top 4 guy.

Well, unless he finds a way to burn through all that cap space, why dump someone higher on the depth chart?

Let's say he finds that top pairing, top 3 guy... We have:

Kronwall - Ericsson
New Guy - Smith
Kindl - Dekeyser
Quincey, Coca-Cola, Lashoff - as your spare change!

So Cola gets move? Is Lashoff better than Quincey?

 

[silkyjohnson50]

Not to put words in his mouth, but I don't think that's exactly what he's saying. Seemed more to me like:

"I don't mind Lashoff getting rotation minutes as the spare part guy but if he has to play for an extended period of time we're boned."

I'll wait to get yelled at for how wrong I am; but assume that's what he meant I kinda have to agree with him. If you dump Carlo you're saying "these 6 guys are all going to play 60+ games and we won't have a single season ending injury on Defense" because otherwise Lashoff is an NHL regular and there's no proof he's good enough for that (at least in my mind, no yelling jeeze).

Yeah but it seems like a #7 dman is often going to play a significant role at some point throughout the season and/or playoffs due to injury. Lashoff should probably be an 8th defenceman if is he's in the NHL. I'm not comfortable with him as a 7th. Bad things happen when he's on the ice. I still have nightmares about his limited play in the postseason. I thought for sure that Babcock wanted to lose.

 

[Eastopia]

Why don't you address his comment, instead of looking for the chance to "catch" him in inconsistency.

Because that would be a waste of time because of the inconsistency, or more correctly because of what the inconsistency implies. If Holland can do - or not do - precisely what mindfly wants him to do - or not to do - and he still complains about exactly that, then it's indicative that his complaints about Holland are more like excuses or rationalizations of why he dislikes the guy than proper reasons for it.

If he'll complain about anything Holland does, regardless of what it is, there's no reason to take any complaint he has seriously.

 

[Hckytwn]

Which is sad because I'd rather have him than Lashoff or Quincey.

Cola plays better than either, I agree, but he's injured all the time. As much as I hate to say it, Q is the better option.

However, even a better option would be to trade both Cola and Q and bring in someone else... but there is slim pickins for defensemen in this market.

 

[FlashyG]

Not to put words in his mouth, but I don't think that's exactly what he's saying. Seemed more to me like:

"I don't mind Lashoff getting rotation minutes as the spare part guy but if he has to play for an extended period of time we're boned."

Then he should have said that.

To me what he said was like saying I don't mind Lashoff as the #7 guy as long as when an injury happens we play the #8 guy instead.

 

[DRWCountryClub]

Lashoff has pretty poor hockey sense.

He will never be a quality bottom pairing nhler.

 

[Heaton]

Lashoff has pretty poor hockey sense.

He will never be a quality bottom pairing nhler.

Nothing wrong with that, half the league looks for bottom pairing defensemen every year. I think Lashoff in a few years will be a good to very good #6 defensemen who can play some heavy PK minutes. Might not be with the Wings, but with someone.

 

[Heaton]

Well, unless he finds a way to burn through all that cap space, why dump someone higher on the depth chart?

Let's say he finds that top pairing, top 3 guy... We have:

Kronwall - Ericsson
New Guy - Smith
Kindl - Dekeyser
Quincey, Coca-Cola, Lashoff - as your spare change!

So Cola gets move? Is Lashoff better than Quincey?

Lashoff is better than Quincey at not making 3m to be a #7 defensemen. If it were my choice I'd move Quincey and Colaiacovo for a true top 4 defensemen like Lydman. Quincey would be fine in an offensive role in LA or Colorado, but there's no room for him here in that spot. Lydman is 35, but either him or Scuderi could be a nice 2 year stop gap until we either find a legit top 2 guy or our guys develop to the point that they're not needed.

 

[Bench]

If we're going to give Smith a pass for the shortened season, no training camp, should have been up last year, etc...

We probably have to give Lashoff the same, right?

 

[SportsballChic]

If we're going to give Smith a pass for the shortened season, no training camp, should have been up last year, etc...

We probably have to give Lashoff the same, right?

No passes. It wins the Cup or it tastes the lash again. Trade everyone.

(I think the issue is that he doesn't seem to do anything well, the guy just doesn't look like he has much talent. Point conceded though, half the team should benefit from a real training camp imho)

 

[Bench]

I was just playing devil's advocate. I'm pretty indifferent on Lashoff at the moment. At first he looked like a decent crease clearer, but soon it became clear the puck was a hand grenade in his hands.

He's young enough, though, that he could find a nice niche game going for himself. Babcock praised his hockey smarts, so we'll see if he puts them to work in the off-season and returns ready for NHL hockey.

 

[Vladdy84]

I was just playing devil's advocate. I'm pretty indifferent on Lashoff at the moment. At first he looked like a decent crease clearer, but soon it became clear the puck was a hand grenade in his hands.

He's young enough, though, that he could find a nice niche game going for himself. Babcock praised his hockey smarts, so we'll see if he puts them to work in the off-season and returns ready for NHL hockey.

I think Babcock just really likes the names Brian and Daniel a lot

 

[MTU hockey]

My problem with Lashoff is that he isn't even the best defenseman in Grand Rapids so I don't understand why he earned the 3 year contract and a roster spot with the Wings. Almqvist looked much more impressive down in GR this year, but his strength & speed is the only thing that seems to be holding him back from being promoted. If a guy isn't your best defenseman on the AHL team then how is he going to cut it at the NHL level?

 

[Big Poppa Puck]

Lashoff is young and cheap and won't crack the top 6 anyway. Colaiacovo over Quincey? Debateable, but we could do better.

Trade him for a pick? Fine. But I'm not using/wasting a buyout on him.

And then there's Tootoo, if we trade Tootoo because we upgraded at forward and it's just a numbers game then I'm ok with it. Moving Tootoo to keep Sammy and/or Bert is worthy.

 

[Frk It]

How the hell did this turn into a Lashoff thread?

Can we go back to talking about players worth talking about...

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

If we're going to give Smith a pass for the shortened season, no training camp, should have been up last year, etc...

We probably have to give Lashoff the same, right?

I think the difference here is a lot of us didn't like Lashoff from following the Griffins, where he was often a problem on that team. He just doesn't scream NHL talent and the holes people like to pick on in his game and hope develop were just as pronounced at the AHL level. Heck he was our fourth best d-man if you're being nice to him in their playoff run in GR.

 

[zecke26]

if dekeyser can impress people as a 23y old, i hope that nick jensen will be able to do the same.

GR is getting so many interesting young Ds in fall, i think it's legit to hope that at least one of them is ready sooner than expected. and my bet is it's jensen, who simply has the skating to do whatever he wants in the NHL.

lashoff might start as #7, but if everything goes well, he won't be there for long.

 

[SportsballChic]

if dekeyser can impress people as a 23y old, i hope that nick jensen will be able to do the same.

To my understanding Jensen and "defense" aren't on a first name basis; also something about constantly trying to stickhandle through half the team.

(Or so the scouting report at Red Wings Central implies at least)