Confirmed with Link: Wallinder signs 3 year ELC

[lilidk]

He has already done more than cholowski in a pro league

20 years old Cholowsky had 16 points in 52 games playing for Red Wings

 

[Go Wings]

I'm well aware of the Grigorenko story. Shorter Kovalchuk with a bit of nastiness. He peaced out after 5 games in the AHL. If he can hang in the KHL he could have been an NHLer. Probably not a top liner but a middle six physical goal scorer. Just didn't want to ride buses. Don't really blame him... but not making it is on him.

I respect your opinion but I strongly disagree. I think without that accident we are looking at a top line player in Detroit. He just didn't have the speed after. Not every in the KHL can make it in the NHL there have been numerous stories of that. Yah maybe he wanted to stay home too, almost dieing can change ones priorities. Look at Jigsaw for example

 

[norrisnick]

I respect your opinion but I strongly disagree. I think without that accident we are looking at a top line player in Detroit. He just didn't have the speed after. Not every in the KHL can make it in the NHL there have been numerous stories of that. Yah maybe he wanted to stay home too, almost dieing can change ones priorities. Look at Jigsaw for example

I'm not disputing his pre-accident potential. He should/could have been better than Z or Pavel. He was far better as a teenager.

He didn't have the jump in his step. But he certainly could have been a player. He had plenty of skill. Many a slow player have made the NHL. It's just a bit harder road.

Igor picked the KHL over AHL buses. Again, don't blame him. But he certainly had enough in him to be an NHLer had he stuck with the buses. More than a handful of Griffins got call-ups that season.

Funnily enough the same season that Ryno bailed. Though I think he had a serious SO that didn't come over with him.

 

[AlwaysSunnyInDetroit]

This thread is still about Wallinder signing, right?

 

[norrisnick]

This thread is still about Wallinder signing, right?

Who?

 

[Filppula]

Who?

Some guy who wishes he was Cholowski.

 

[AlwaysSunnyInDetroit]

Who?

William Wallinder. Some old Scottish dude, i think?

 

[MrKriben]

Thats my boy! Best skater we have in our prospect pool. Endless potential. Couldnt be more excited

I've watched pretty much every game Wallinder has played this season and a bunch of them previous year and I don't agree. Albert Johansson is a much better skater, the rest is up for debate but not the skating

 

[jfrank21]

Willy Wally charging into the Grifs dressing room hoping for Simon to get the axe!

 

[Pavels Dog]

I've watched pretty much every game Wallinder has played this season and a bunch of them previous year and I don't agree. Albert Johansson is a much better skater, the rest is up for debate but not the skating

There are far less guys who can skate like Wallinder at that size than there are guys who can skate like Johansson at his size though.

 

[Killerjas]

I've watched pretty much every game Wallinder has played this season and a bunch of them previous year and I don't agree. Albert Johansson is a much better skater, the rest is up for debate but not the skating

Disagree hard on this, but I like Johansson's skating

 

[Henkka]

There are far less guys who can skate like Wallinder at that size than there are guys who can skate like Johansson at his size though.

Have to re-check Johansson, but if he is better than Wallinder (who sometimes showed his Makar-level skating) think Johansson has to be McDavid-level skater (he is not).

Johansson once was better skater, but most probably, people have just missed Wallinder's development. It has gone trough the roof.

 

[jaster]

Who cares about fighting can he play the right side? I know he naturally plays the left but we have a glut of defense and defense prospects on the left side. Not the worst problem to have though.

I did enjoy hearing Mickey discuss during Thursday's broadcast how Yzerman's strong preference is for LHD to play the left side and RHD to play the right side. It's important in today's NHL. As has been discussed around here, there are a lot more LHD than RHD out there, so many teams are often forced to play lefties on the right side. Someone like Wallinder may do it. But it's not ideal, it's not great for a prospect's development, and teams will always be trying to rectify that when they are short a righty.

 

[Frk It]

I did enjoy hearing Mickey discuss during Thursday's broadcast how Yzerman's strong preference is for LHD to play the left side and RHD to play the right side. It's important in today's NHL. As has been discussed around here, there are a lot more LHD than RHD out there, so many teams are often forced to play lefties on the right side. Someone like Wallinder may do it. But it's not ideal, it's not great for a prospect's development, and teams will always be trying to rectify that when they are short a righty.

It is for sure ideal, but unless we sign a top 4 RHD this summer, we are looking at having at least 1 LH/LH pairing next year. And with the amount of lefties you have in the system, I don't know you can expect to have 3 LH/RH pairings in the future. So I don't think it would be terrible to have some of these guys playing their off side. I think you have to be realistic with our situation. I don't want us playing someone like Lindstrom over better options just because he's right handed.

 

[Go Wings]

I did enjoy hearing Mickey discuss during Thursday's broadcast how Yzerman's strong preference is for LHD to play the left side and RHD to play the right side. It's important in today's NHL. As has been discussed around here, there are a lot more LHD than RHD out there, so many teams are often forced to play lefties on the right side. Someone like Wallinder may do it. But it's not ideal, it's not great for a prospect's development, and teams will always be trying to rectify that when they are short a righty.

Sigh well then we have a problem then on our right side. Maybe we pick up a veteran like Cole, Gudas or Rutta to fill the 3rd pairing spot.
As for the left side season next season we have
Wallman
Maata
Edvinsson
Chiarot (who can play the right side)
AJo (might be ready or might not)
Wallinder (needs at least a year in GR)
Sebrango
Etc

 

[Hen Kolland]

Sigh well then we have a problem then on our right side. Maybe we pick up a veteran like Cole, Gudas or Rutta to fill the 3rd pairing spot.
As for the left side season next season we have
Wallman
Maata
Edvinsson
Chiarot (who can play the right side)
AJo (might be ready or might not)
Wallinder (needs at least a year in GR)
Sebrango
Etc

You could also just make Chiarot to play right handed because it probably doesn't really change how ineffective he is. Already under contract, so why not try all options.

 

[jaster]

*Grigorenko commentary*

*Grigorenko commentary*

I was at training camp in 2007 when Grigorenko came over. Somewhere I still have a notebook with extensive notes I took. But the gist of it was that he was still very much physically limited. He couldn't keep up with other players, he was winded very quickly, and was last in any drill having to do with speed. You could certainly see the skill, but he was nowhere near NHL speed. He stuck out like a sore thumb against guys 1/10th as good as him. After that camp, I was pretty sure he'd be going back to Russia. Because even though I didn't see any of those 5 Griffs games, I don't have much doubt that he was falling behind in the AHL as well. It wasn't just his rebuilt leg that hindered him back then, he also had that lung embolism he had to get over.

I've read accounts in the past that it took him another 1-2 years after that camp to get up to reasonable pro hockey pace. And when you look at his stats in Russia, that seems to jive. He really didn't start putting up points until the 2009-10 season. By then he was surely good enough for the AHL and, who knows, maybe could have pushed for an NHL job. But he was 27yo at that point, that ship seemed to have sailed.

Anyway, hopefully Wallinder fairs better in NA

 

[jaster]

It is for sure ideal, but unless we sign a top 4 RHD this summer, we are looking at having at least 1 LH/LH pairing next year. And with the amount of lefties you have in the system, I don't know you can expect to have 3 LH/RH pairings in the future. So I don't think it would be terrible to have some of these guys playing their off side. I think you have to be realistic with our situation. I don't want us playing someone like Lindstrom over better options just because he's right handed.

I'm almost certain Yzerman will acquire a RHD between now and September. Maybe not a sure-fire top-4 guy, but someone better than Lindstrom who can probably be a 2nd/3rd pair tweener. Someone likely to play with Edvinsson down the line next season. And even then, we'll likely still have a LHD-LHD pairing, because I'm really not convinced Lindstrom is anywhere close to guaranteed a spot next year.

Chiarot or Maatta are likely to be square-peg-in-a-round-holed into the right side to start. But I have to believe Yzerman's plan is to have another true top-4 RHD in place by the time this team is actually competitive. Wallinder will be best suited being groomed for the left side, unless he turns out to truly be one of the modern-day unicorns who excels on his off-side.

As for all the lefties in the system, eh, it's not that big of a deal. Not all the kids will make it, and you can move guys. Maatta could be traded as soon as the next trade deadline. Chiarot was a mistake I'm confident Yzerman will reconcile before his contract is up. And I don't think we're ever going to see a lineup that has all of Walman, Edvinsson, Wallinder, and Johansson in it. Lots of time to sort all that out. Acquiring a real good top-4 RHD will be the biggest challenge of the whole thing, I agree.

 

[wingerdinger]

I've been a massive fan of albert johansson from the start. I just get the feeling he will be the odd man out. He not a special enough skater and passer to make up for the fact he's not a stereotypical yzerman defensemen.

 

[jaster]

Sigh well then we have a problem then on our right side. Maybe we pick up a veteran like Cole, Gudas or Rutta to fill the 3rd pairing spot.
As for the left side season next season we have
Wallman
Maata
Edvinsson
Chiarot (who can play the right side)
AJo (might be ready or might not)
Wallinder (needs at least a year in GR)
Sebrango
Etc

I wouldn't be surprised if AlJo is good enough and seasoned enough to break camp with the Wings next season, but unfortunately for him the depth chart is not very favorable, unless Yzerman makes some moves. I suspect him and Wallinder will both be in GR to start the season. I like Sebrango, but he's waiver-exempt for another 2 years, and I don't see him being in the equation until around that point.

Unless Yzerman does make moves, I think our D to start the season is looking like....

Walman-Seider
Maatta - Chiarot
Ed - someone RH who is hopefully good for Ed

Lindstrom will either remain a depth guy who rotates in, or be in another organization.

 

[Frk It]

Maatta - Chiarot

This just pisses me off all over again that we traded Hronek. Thanks, jaster

 

[jaster]

This just pisses me off all over again that we traded Hronek. Thanks, jaster

Sorry bud, I hate it too

 

[Frk It]

Sorry bud, I hate it too

We better find a way to sign a UFA RD or trade for one so that is not our middle pair. Otherwise I will be very grumpy.

 

[Perfect Human]

 

[Tetsuo]

Someone is getting traded in the next year at this rate. Our LHD pipeline is so stacked from the NHL, AHL and even into the ECHL at the moment. I'm not going to say it's going to be anyone in specific, but when you look at how thin RHD is now especially after the Hronek trade something has got to give.