Tootoo's ice time

[TheOtherOne]

22 played 13:09/game for NSH in 11/12.
He's playing 9:26/game for us this year. He has the only single digit minutes besides Mursak.

Why doesn't he play more? He's a +2 (tied for 12th out of 27 Red Wings, 21 of which have played at least 11 games). He has 4 points (tied for 13th). He has 30 shots (tied for 9th). I see him with energy every shift, he's very visible and not in a bad way. I don't remember him making stupid mistakes that lead to goals. The team seems to love him, and I always thought Babcock loves that type of player, further evidenced by the fact that he was never scratched yet this year.

So what's the problem?

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[Run the Jewels]

22 played 13:09/game for NSH in 11/12.
He's playing 9:26/game for us this year. He has the only single digit minutes besides Mursak.

Why doesn't he play more? He's a +2 (tied for 12th out of 27 Red Wings). He has 4 points (tied for 13th). He has 30 shots (tied for 9th). I see him with energy every shift, he's very visible and not in a bad way. I don't remember him making stupid mistakes that lead to goals. The team seems to love him, and I always thought Babcock loves that type of player, further evidenced by the fact that he was never scratched yet this year.

So what's the problem?

He doesn't PK and he's a 4th liner. I'd guess against more physical teams his IT would go up but otherwise he's getting 10 or so mins a night. No problem at all, that's about how much IT he should receive.

 

[TheOtherOne]

He doesn't PK and he's a 4th liner. I'd guess against more physical teams his IT would go up but otherwise he's getting 10 or so mins a night. No problem at all, that's about how much IT he should receive.

Why did he play 37% more for Nashville?

And why doesn't he PK? Has he ever?

 

[FlashyG]

He doesn't PK and he's a 4th liner. I'd guess against more physical teams his IT would go up but otherwise he's getting 10 or so mins a night. No problem at all, that's about how much IT he should receive.

I have no problem with him not playing on special teams.

But if 4th liner Abdelkader gets ineffective top 6 minutes why hasn't Tootoo been given a shot?

This is another of Babcock's decisions that puzzles me.

 

[Run the Jewels]

Why did he play 37% more for Nashville?

He was a third liner who ended up moving down to the 4th line and was even a healthy scratch. So I'm guessing it was because the Preds didn't have the depth we had until the trade deadline/KHL hook-up when they picked up Kostitsyn, Radulov and Gaustad.

 

[joe89]

That ice time is right on the money. When we're healthy. Currently I think he should be playing more and take Abdelkader's 5on5 spot.

 

[mindfly]

How come TooToo hasn't learnt how to kill penalties?

 

[RedWingsNow*]

He doesn't PK and he's a 4th liner. I'd guess against more physical teams his IT would go up but otherwise he's getting 10 or so mins a night. No problem at all, that's about how much IT he should receive.

So we spent $2M a year for the lowest-minute guy on the team?

 

[RedWingsNow*]

That ice time is right on the money. When we're healthy. Currently I think he should be playing more and take Abdelkader's 5on5 spot.

I think
Whoever Helm Tootoo should be our third line.

Helm + Tootoo will be a wrecking ball line.

Abs doesn't have the skating ability to be as dynamic as those guys. It's strange to see the Wings rely on him so much whenever there is an injury

 

[wingnutjeff]

Tootoo has impressed me. He works hard and is a better player than I realized. A little more icetime for him would be nice. Just no whistles.

 

[GoAwayDanCleary]

He doesn't PK and he's a 4th liner. I'd guess against more physical teams his IT would go up but otherwise he's getting 10 or so mins a night. No problem at all, that's about how much IT he should receive.

Tootoo is a good 3rd liner, not a 4th liner. He can produce better than anyone in our current bottom-six besides Tatar. Even without PK I think 12 minutes would be better.

 

[14ari13]

I think
Whoever Helm Tootoo should be our third line.

Helm + Tootoo will be a wrecking ball line.

Abs doesn't have the skating ability to be as dynamic as those guys. It's strange to see the Wings rely on him so much whenever there is an injury

Andersson, that would be hell of a line.

 

[Henkka]

Why did he play 37% more for Nashville?

Trotz uses more 4th line. Pretty much that. His 13 minutes were 4th line minutes at Nashville. Babcock uses 4th line typically only 8-9 minutes.

 

[mindfly]

Tootoo is a good 3rd liner, not a 4th liner. He can produce better than anyone in our current bottom-six besides Tatar. Even without PK I think 12 minutes would be better.

I wanna see Tootoo and Tatar with Datsyuk

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Tootoo played on the third line in Nashville until the trade deadline. He also basically had the same amount of fights in all of his games last season that he does through this year. In some of his games his icetime has been reduced because of the time he has spent sitting in the box.

I am a little confused because they talked about him maybe PKing when they signed him and that he wanted more opportunities. We will see what happens when Helm comes back as they make for a good potential line.

 

[Spitfire11]

Abs doesn't have the skating ability to be as dynamic as those guys. It's strange to see the Wings rely on him so much whenever there is an injury

Trying to help him re find his scoring touch? Seriously
what happened to his offense? He was a ppg in college and put up good numbers in his two AHL stints, and now he can't even score playing with Datsyuk.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Trying to help him re find his scoring touch? Seriously
what happened to his offense? He was a ppg in college and put up good numbers in his two AHL stints, and now he can't even score playing with Datsyuk.

Previously when asked to slid up the lineup I have thought Abdelkader has looked decent. But his last 40+ games have really no excuse, he has been poor and I cannot explain it. He was very good at both lower levels and initially looked like a solid second/third tweener, things have really gone off the rails.