Tomas Tatar: no more AHL

[Bench]

Nobody is able to cash in on the rebounds the Wings get from shots on net. I have noticed that a lot more this year. I noticed it last year too, but this year is just beyond frustrating to watch.

I don't know who to blame. Is it the shooter not being patient enough waiting for the teammate to get in position, or is it the other players just never being in position?

It has to be more than simple bad luck.

Not enough shots get through, is something I've been noticing. Which isn't surprising when you go from Lidstrom and Rafalski, two of the best ever... to Brunner and Kindl. Kronwall is the only one I trust to get shots on net with any regularity from the point.

It's my hope Kindl keeps developing and Smith finds his stride. But this is one of the reasons myself and a few others around here are dying for an offensive defender in the off-season.

 

[WingedWheel1987]

So it's low hockey IQ from the blue line? That is very shocking.............

A couple posters have mentioned Kindl being decent at getting pucks at the net and I have placed a greater emphasis on the game to watch him and I agree with that assessment.

Smith is having a brutal rookie season. Even In my most negative scenarios, I never envisioned him having this bad of a rookie year. It doesn't really upset me since he was thrown to the wolves, but it makes me wonder what this year could have been for him if he had been given a year to play with Lidstrom.

I still have high hopes for Smith. This season doesn't discourage me.

 

[Bench]

So it's low hockey IQ from the blue line? That is very shocking.............

A couple posters have mentioned Kindl being decent at getting pucks at the net and I have placed a greater emphasis on the game to watch him and I agree with that assessment.

Smith is having a brutal rookie season. Even In my most negative scenarios, I never envisioned him having this bad of a rookie year. It doesn't really upset me since he was thrown to the wolves, but it makes me wonder what this year could have been for him if he had been given a year to play with Lidstrom.

I still have high hopes for Smith. This season doesn't discourage me.

Yeah, I agree with all of this.

I expected Quincey to be better offensively, too. So did the Wings, obviously, based upon his contract.

So we have several guys under-performing. Defensively, most of them have been okay. But it's on the offensive side of the puck that the Wings are sorely lacking punch.

 

[Vladdy84]

So it's low hockey IQ from the blue line? That is very shocking.............

A couple posters have mentioned Kindl being decent at getting pucks at the net and I have placed a greater emphasis on the game to watch him and I agree with that assessment.

Smith is having a brutal rookie season. Even In my most negative scenarios, I never envisioned him having this bad of a rookie year. It doesn't really upset me since he was thrown to the wolves, but it makes me wonder what this year could have been for him if he had been given a year to play with Lidstrom.

I still have high hopes for Smith. This season doesn't discourage me.

Smith has been a pretty big disappointment other than a couple real gud games. He'll get better. Kindl has been looking great out there IMO. Same with Dekeyser. Big E was our best d-man early on. His play has been derailed since being paired with Kronwall.

 

[Run the Jewels]

It's just embarrassing that a guy proves himself at the NHL level on a team that needs legit NHL talent but gets sent down to save some money. That's the only reason. We're supposed to be a "big market" team and we happen to have loads of cap space. We've become the Nashville Predators...well other than trading guys before they walk to get something in return. So we can basically aspire to be the Preds at this point.

Ottawa has 4 of the top 20 rookie scorers in the NHL. The Hawks play a bunch of 20-22 year olds. Anaheim plays quite a few younger guys. And these are all PLAYOFF teams. There's literally no excuse for how we treat our best young players. It's an embarrassment.

 

[WingedWheel1987]

It's just embarrassing that a guy proves himself at the NHL level on a team that needs legit NHL talent but gets sent down to save some money. That's the only reason. We're supposed to be a "big market" team and we happen to have loads of cap space. We've become the Nashville Predators...well other than trading guys before they walk to get something in return. So we can basically aspire to be the Preds at this point.

Ottawa has 4 of the top 20 rookie scorers in the NHL. The Hawks play a bunch of 20-22 year olds. Anaheim plays quite a few younger guys. And these are all PLAYOFF teams. There's literally no excuse for how we treat our best young players. It's an embarrassment.

It would make perfect sense if the kids were being held back because of future HOF players on a cup contending team.

Holland is just stuck in his old ways and refuses to adapt to today's NHL.

 

[GoAwayDanCleary]

It would make perfect sense if the kids were being held back because of future HOF players on a cup contending team.

Holland is just stuck in his old ways and refuses to adapt to today's NHL.

I don't think he refuses to, I think he believes he's doing the right thing.

 

[Vladdy84]

I don't think he refuses to, I think he believes he's doing the right thing.

Who does he think he is, Ned Stark?

 

[WingedWheel1987]

I don't think he refuses to, I think he believes he's doing the right thing.

That is the worst possible scenario.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

The more I think about it, the more I realize what the problem is. The big mistake wasn't made this season, but years ago when Tatar was first drafted. They had the option to send him to the OHL or the AHL, and they picked the AHL. I think if the Wings had sent him back to the OHL, he'd be just as good and much less upset.

It's sort of like if the Wings had sent Nyquist to the AHL instead of letting him go to college. He'd be about as good, but he'd be damn bored of the AHL and feeling like he's paid his dues. Tatar thinks his 4 years has been him paying his dues, but the Wings think it's just been normal development time.

 

[GT500x]

The more I think about it, the more I realize what the problem is. The big mistake wasn't made this season, but years ago when Tatar was first drafted. They had the option to send him to the OHL or the AHL, and they picked the AHL. I think if the Wings had sent him back to the OHL, he'd be just as good and much less upset.

It's sort of like if the Wings had sent Nyquist to the AHL instead of letting him go to college. He'd be about as good, but he'd be damn bored of the AHL and feeling like he's paid his dues. Tatar thinks his 4 years has been him paying his dues, but the Wings think it's just been normal development time.

The problem is -- regardless of time spent in the AHL -- Tatar knows he is ready and it is clear to all that watch him that he is ready yet he is forced to toil away on the Griffins. He is right to examine his situation and speak up. A mind that doesn't question is being wasted, after all.

 

[Bench]

Tatar isn't a savior by any means. I doubt we're anywhere different in the standings even with him getting 17 minutes a game. That's a pro and a con, I guess.

But he's more offensively gifted than half our top 6. On the other hand, Babcock wants to grind out wins with stellar defense and timely goals.

We're all seeing some of the issues here.

 

[PullHard]

Who does he think he is, Ned Stark?

You know nothing, Jon Holland.

 

[dtones520]

Tatar isn't a savior by any means. I doubt we're anywhere different in the standings even with him getting 17 minutes a game. That's a pro and a con, I guess.

But he's more offensively gifted than half our top 6. On the other hand, Babcock wants to grind out wins with stellar defense and timely goals.

We're all seeing some of the issues here.

We would get more production offensively from him. Which would probably have meant two more wins, which puts us up 2 on CBJ with a game at hand.

 

[GoAwayDanCleary]

Tatar isn't a savior by any means. I doubt we're anywhere different in the standings even with him getting 17 minutes a game. That's a pro and a con, I guess.

But he's more offensively gifted than half our top 6. On the other hand, Babcock wants to grind out wins with stellar defense and timely goals.

We're all seeing some of the issues here.

I don't think its crazy to say a guy like Tatar would have helped us win at least one more game than we currently have if he was in for Eaves, Cleary or Miller. He was our third best forward for a good amount of his stint in Detroit (granted Franzen was injured I believe) and made many important plays such as the goal against the Blues. I think with the addition of Nyquist and Tatar over Eaves and Miller would give us at least two more wins since we would actually have some bottom-six production, though it is hard to quantify.

And to those wanting Tatar in for Cleary, I don't agree. I think Cleary has been playing fine when put on the third line (better than Miller and Eaves). He's actually showed quite a bit of chemistry with Tats and Gus when they would play together along with Andersson.

 

[Bench]

Who does he think he is, Ned Stark?

 

[PullHard]

GoT avatar theme would be awesome

 

[DatsyukToZetterberg]

That is the worst possible scenario.

But he can't. If he refuses to play in the AHL the Wings toll his contract and he would still be stuck with us until he becomes a UFA or he plays for us which ever comes first. He wouldn't be able to play ANY form of professional Ice hockey in this time period, so no WC, no Olympics, nothing. He can't go and play oversea because of the transfer agreements in place with the respective leagues. He can pout all he wants and go sign in the KHL when he's an RFA but he HAS to play where ever the Red Wings assign him next year, no questions asked.

In the wikipedia article for Nabokov it says he had to get permission to be able to play in the World Championships, you can be damn sure that if Tatar left the Wings & we tolled his contract he would not get that permission.

The Islanders gave Nabokov permission to play at the IIHF World Championships on the condition that he would not contest them tolling (extending) his contract through the 2011–12 season for his failure to report to the team

The article that the Wiki got it's info from: http://newspepper.su/news/2011/4/25/nabokov-allowed-to-play-at-the-world-championships/

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Tatar for Gleason, not a huge fan of it but Carolina is going to need to shed some salary to fix some of their problems. He would accept a trade here.

I would be interested in McBain too, if he is still available, I know his name has been thrown out there.

One of Gleason, Pitkanen, and McBain will not be on their roster more than likely.

Of course we would have to move Quincey or Cola, but maybe we can exchange some things. Just will be interested in who Carolina ships off their backend.

I would think they would be very interested in Tatar, maybe to the point of adding something to get after him and building a deal off of that.

 

[Run the Jewels]

He can pout all he wants and go sign in the KHL when he's an RFA but he HAS to play where ever the Red Wings assign him next year, no questions asked.
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Now that's some awesome asset management. **** a dude over who proved he has NHL talent and then watch him flip you the bird after you stick his nose in it by making him play in the AHL for another season. I guess the silver lining is all the money Holland will save!

If the guy sucked then by all means tell him to go pound sand. But he's proven he's an NHL talent this season. The Wings just happen to be a team that ****ing sucks at generating offense. Ken Holland has a had a really ****** last year or so and there's nothing to indicate he's learned from his numerous mistakes. Will he change his tune if we miss the playoffs? Hopefully, but he's got a built in excuse with all the injuries.

 

[DatsyukToZetterberg]

Now that's some awesome asset management. **** a dude over who proved he has NHL talent and then watch him flip you the bird after you stick his nose in it by making him play in the AHL for another season. I guess the silver lining is all the money Holland will save!

If the guy sucked then by all means tell him to go pound sand. But he's proven he's an NHL talent this season. The Wings just happen to be a team that ****ing sucks at generating offense. Ken Holland has a had a really ****** last year or so and there's nothing to indicate he's learned from his numerous mistakes. Will he change his tune if we miss the playoffs? Hopefully, but he's got a built in excuse with all the injuries.

I didn't say it would be a smart move to do it, merely that the Wings hold all of the cards in this situation. Tatar is my favorite prospect in the Wings system but I don't think he'll last the summer. I think he's traded with another big piece to pick up a defenceman, either that or he's on the 3rd/4th line to start next year. I think how he plays at this years WC will determine whether or not he's traded, in the NHL or in the AHL.

 

[Adityase]

Glad Tatar said this. He's got great hands and should have stayed up this year if not for the team's insistence on veterans followed by the team being handcuffed by the number of players they had due to injuries and then the limitations on call-ups. Tatar knows that he'd be up here in the absence of those things. But speaking out is great because as another poster noted, there's a difference in keeping kids to overripen because the people on the big club are better vs. because the people on the big club are older. If this is what Holland needs to kick Cleary to the curb so be it.

In my mind, Tatar's ceiling is a 2nd line scoring winger with 1st PP time written all over him. Nyquist also tops out as a 2nd line winger, but if not for his size and corresponding strength on the puck (which maybe he can improve?) he's a 2nd line winger too (on a good club--I'd say Ryan Smith was no better than a 2nd line winger with 1st PP prowess on a good club, but a 1st liner and captain on a bad club).

Bottom line. Tatar deserves to be on the big club next year even if he's on the 3rd or 4th (the lower scoring line rather than grind/energy line). Glad he spoke out. It's time Holland had someone pressuring him.

 

[RedWingsNow*]

Tatar for Gleason, not a huge fan of it but Carolina is going to need to shed some salary to fix some of their problems. He would accept a trade here.

I would be interested in McBain too, if he is still available, I know his name has been thrown out there.

One of Gleason, Pitkanen, and McBain will not be on their roster more than likely.

Of course we would have to move Quincey or Cola, but maybe we can exchange some things. Just will be interested in who Carolina ships off their backend.

I would think they would be very interested in Tatar, maybe to the point of adding something to get after him and building a deal off of that.

Trade Nyquist instead.

 

[RedWingsNow*]

We would get more production offensively from him. Which would probably have meant two more wins, which puts us up 2 on CBJ with a game at hand.

What's our record since Abby has been in the top six. Anyone know?

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Trade Nyquist instead.

Have no interest in that and have said as much. Plus I think it is more likely the Wings move Tatar, at least that is what the front office is giving the impression of.

By the way for the right return I would move both.