Zadina

[MBH]

Agree. Holland had picked a butt load of D the previous 2 seasons, so he probably thought he was set at D. Fact of the matter is, you can trade a mediocre defenseman for a top end forward (Hall/Larsson). So it makes more sense to pick a solid D prospect than a winger with questionable skating.

Seems like I always want to pick D at the top, probably because the team hasn't drafted a top pair D since Kronwall, and I thought Cholo was gonna bust after his rookie season.

For me, D and C's are always great picks.
Have too many great defensemen or centers? You're f***ing rich.
Considering our depth charts? It's a f***ing no brainer.

 

[MBH]

At the same time, I think he loses his PP1 spot to Vrana.

And that could be great for him. Vrana is a shooter. I can see Zadina as the zone entry guy on the bumper. Maybe Rasmussen is the center and net front if he can win draws next year, with Larkin running the bumper on the second unit.
Or maybe Larkin takes one of the point shots.

 

[MBH]

Hey, that's just unfair. Everyone knew neither the Wings nor the Oil would see a lot of playoff games during either of those deals.

Bad as that Lucic deal is, whenever I watch a Calgary game, that dude is still a positive player for that team.
He's like Todd Bertuzzi kind of was here in Detroit - but he didn't go soft the way Bert did. Lucic can still mean mug it up and play like a menace.

 

[14ari13]

I don't know if we have to start a new thread, but the moderators can probably do that if bumping this thread is wrong.

Anyhow, Zadina looks unbelievably better now than before the injury. Before the injury he made maybe one good play in 10 games. Now he makes 2/3 good plays every game. I lean to think it is Berggren who makes him look good and inspires him.
Before the injury he handled the puck like the hot potato, now he can make a move, hesitate and try to find the best play like last game when he backhands the pass to Berggren for a beautiful goal. Before the injury he would quickly backhand the shot straight into the goalie's chest.

Does anyone else thinks Zadina has made a small/big step forward in right direction?

It really sucks Rasmussen is out for the season because several of our young players have shown the progress last 5 to 30 games.
I see Berggren as the player who has been our best forward behind Larkin.

 

[Gniwder]

I don't know if we have to start a new thread, but the moderators can probably do that if bumping this thread is wrong.

Anyhow, Zadina looks unbelievably better now than before the injury. Before the injury he made maybe one good play in 10 games. Now he makes 2/3 good plays every game. I lean to think it is Berggren who makes him look good and inspires him.
Before the injury he handled the puck like the hot potato, now he can make a move, hesitate and try to find the best play like last game when he backhands the pass to Berggren for a beautiful goal. Before the injury he would quickly backhand the shot straight into the goalie's chest.

Does anyone else thinks Zadina has made a small/big step forward in right direction?

It really sucks Rasmussen is out for the season because several of our young players have shown the progress last 5 to 30 games.
I see Berggren as the player who has been our best forward behind Larkin.

As the biggest Zadina hater here.....

He has improved considerably during his injury time off. It looks like he actually watched some games and managed to process what he's doing wrong. Maybe Fester put together a video for him, lol.

Up until this season, he'd do the same stupid headfake move from the right side, cut into the middle and get stripped by the second defender. Now he's using his teammates, like the goal with Sunny or cutting to the outside like the feed from Larkin. As for the skills aspect, I think it's Blais that's helping the kids, I know he did wonders for Tom Wilson, and now look at Ras and Zadina.....

Zadina doesn't look like a poor man's Gagner anymore, he looks like a young Gagner with better defensive play. A 40 pt player with good defensive play makes for a solid 3rd liner, which is where he's at right now. I thought he'd wind up in Europe, his issue wasn't "confidence", it's how he processes the game. I'm really glad he got injured, even happier that he re-invented his game. I'll gladly eat crow, I didn't think he had a brain at all.

 

[Barry Amsterdam]

he has 5 points in 12 games since returning? Mostly 4th line averaging 11 minutes a night. With no special teams.

Has played as well as realistically possible

 

[MVPete96]

He looks great! No clue why people still want to get rid of him. Very happy for him and hope he keeps it rolling

 

[norrisnick]

He looks great! No clue why people still want to get rid of him. Very happy for him and hope he keeps it rolling

He hurt their feelings by not being immediately dominant. So they are now mad and holding a grudge and are unwilling to concede that he's made himself a serviceable middle 6 winger with plenty of development left to improve. Had Datsyuk joined the Wings at the age Zadina did he'd have been run out of town before his actual rookie season.

See below for exhibit A. I'm sure Ogee will show up soon for Exhibit B.

 

[Gniwder]

He hurt their feelings by not being immediately dominant. So they are now mad and holding a grudge and are unwilling to concede that he's made himself a serviceable middle 6 winger with plenty of development left to improve. Had Datsyuk joined the Wings at the age Zadina did he'd have been run out of town before his actual rookie season.

No, people hated him because he flat out sucked and wouldn't change his game up until this injury.

He's bottom 6 winger right now, and that is how he's being utilized. Still a disappointment, but at least he's playing at NHL level.

 

[Hen Kolland]

No, people hated him because he flat out sucked and wouldn't change his game up until this injury.

He's bottom 6 winger right now, and that is how he's being utilized. Still a disappointment, but at least he's playing at NHL level.

You are just making his point all the more clearer and accurate, because you really didn’t say anything different than what was said, but you’re doing it in an aggressively pessimistic way.

 

[Henkka]

Quite sure Zadina will be next year's Hronek. After a half-hot season, will be traded.

 

[Spitfire11]

Quite sure Zadina will be next year's Hronek. After a half-hot season, will be traded.

We can only hope

 

[TheOtherOne]

Quite sure Zadina will be next year's Hronek. After a half-hot season, will be traded.

Next year we will all like Zadina like this year we liked Moose.

 

[JediOrderPizza]

And then we trade him while the stock is high! Good thinking.

 

[appiepi]

I think we will get to see what type of player we have in Zadina in the last quarter of the season. Clearing out all those players at the deadline has allowed Zadina to move up the lineup. Hopefully he can get lots of powerplay time.

I think some players have difficulty transitioning to pro because they struggle playing their own game while also playing within a pro system. From experience (not playing pro lol), a lot of dissonance and frustration can arise when you are trying to play a certain way but it feels like you are suppressing your own abilities. It comes off like you are trying too hard to play someone elses game. Confidence plays a big part. Oftentimes, it just takes something to click. I hope things have clicked for Zadina. Gagner comparisons seem fair but I can still see higher potential.

I hope he pans out into a good player just so we don't have to hear about ButtKrak's perfect record being right

 

[Spitfire11]

I think we will get to see what type of player we have in Zadina in the last quarter of the season. Clearing out all those players at the deadline has allowed Zadina to move up the lineup. Hopefully he can get lots of powerplay time.

I think some players have difficulty transitioning to pro because they struggle playing their own game while also playing within a pro system. From experience (not playing pro lol), a lot of dissonance and frustration can arise when you are trying to play a certain way but it feels like you are suppressing your own abilities. It comes off like you are trying too hard to play someone elses game. Confidence plays a big part. Oftentimes, it just takes something to click. I hope things have clicked for Zadina. Gagner comparisons seem fair but I can still see higher potential.

I hope he pans out into a good player just so we don't have to hear about ButtKrak's perfect record being right

Well summarized. This is the perfect opportunity for him, and he should absolutely be given every opportunity to succeed this last part of the season. The effort is there.

 

[Retire91]

It's hard not to give up on Zadina the clock is really ticking on his career. I have no reservations though if he can find a role that will give him some trade value. He doesn't seem to be able to change his game outside of the role he was drafted for though which he doesn't seem to be able to reach at the NHL level. Not holding out high hopes here and just glad the decision points are approaching.

Yzerman probably sees Zadina a lot like his own pick Connolly in Tamapa. Only with even less trade value.

 

[SoupGuru]

I don't really see anything different in his game since coming back from injury. Zadina is a paradox. He works hard, gets to the good places on the ice, is defensively responsible, gets open.... all the things you want from a player and you think to yourself "if he keeps this up, the offense is sure to come". But we're still waiting. The play dies on his stick far too often.

 

[norrisnick]

I don't really see anything different in his game since coming back from injury. Zadina is a paradox. He works hard, gets to the good places on the ice, is defensively responsible, gets open.... all the things you want from a player and you think to yourself "if he keeps this up, the offense is sure to come". But we're still waiting. The play dies on his stick far too often.

You're not looking. Or you're not being honest.

And that's with the lowest icetime except for Erne.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

See below for exhibit A. I'm sure Ogee will show up soon for Exhibit B.

 

[Killerjas]

I don't really see anything different in his game since coming back from injury. Zadina is a paradox. He works hard, gets to the good places on the ice, is defensively responsible, gets open.... all the things you want from a player and you think to yourself "if he keeps this up, the offense is sure to come". But we're still waiting. The play dies on his stick far too often.

So he can't shoot or make plays? Is that what is happening?

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

I don't really see anything different in his game since coming back from injury. Zadina is a paradox. He works hard, gets to the good places on the ice, is defensively responsible, gets open.... all the things you want from a player and you think to yourself "if he keeps this up, the offense is sure to come". But we're still waiting. The play dies on his stick far too often.

Same. There was one point in the Isles game he skated head down with the puck into 3 players and coughed it up when he could have dumped it and gave his linemate a chance. That sums up Zadina for me.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

He hurt their feelings by not being immediately dominant. So they are now mad and holding a grudge and are unwilling to concede that he's made himself a serviceable middle 6 winger with plenty of development left to improve. Had Datsyuk joined the Wings at the age Zadina did he'd have been run out of town before his actual rookie season.

See below for exhibit A. I'm sure Ogee will show up soon for Exhibit B.

I think it's more specifically that Zadina was taken 6th overall, one spot before Quinn Hughes, and was hyped to be a goal scorer.

People are much more understanding with Veleno, I think largely because of where he was drafted. If Zadina were a second round pick people would probably see him for what he is. Not what they hoped he'd be.

As someone who doesn't really follow prospects I never understood how he was so hyped as a goal scorer. Based on one season in the QMJHL?

 

[norrisnick]

I think it's more specifically that Zadina was taken 6th overall, one spot before Quinn Hughes, and was hyped to be a goal scorer.

People are much more understanding with Veleno, I think largely because of where he was drafted. If Zadina were a second round pick people would probably see him for what he is. Not what they hoped he'd be.

As someone who doesn't really follow prospects I never understood how he was so hyped as a goal scorer. Based on one season in the QMJHL?

That's what I said.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

That's what I said.

yeah I think mine was a little less snarky though. lol