News Article: Zetterberg to decide future later in July

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Nut Upstrom

You dirty dog!
Dec 18, 2010
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If it was that bad blash wouldn't have played him 20min a night. This is setting up their excuse for his eventual LTIRetirement.

Good point. Blash rode the hell out of that guy the last few years. If this is just to set up the LTIR scenario then bravo to them for handling it so convincingly. Maybe one last year with Z on the team at reduced ice time, injury issues and more nights off would further help to set up the LTIR scenario. I just want to see him play another season.
 

StargateSG1

Registered User
Nov 26, 2016
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If it was that bad blash wouldn't have played him 20min a night. This is setting up their excuse for his eventual LTIRetirement.
Oh, please, like he had no say in it..
asking to take less minutes on the wing on the 3rd line.
You couldn't pry him off that top line, even when he couldn't hack it there anymore.
 

Pavels Dog

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Feb 18, 2013
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If it was that bad blash wouldn't have played him 20min a night. This is setting up their excuse for his eventual LTIRetirement.
I'm not sure the difference between playing 15 or 18 or 20 minutes is that huge. He's either able to play or he's not. There's not a point where he's healthy enough to play 18 minutes but an extra shift breaks his back.
 
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Winger98

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I'm not sure the difference between playing 15 or 18 or 20 minutes is that huge. He's either able to play or he's not. There's not a point where he's healthy enough to play 18 minutes but an extra shift breaks his back.

It's not just cutting his minutes but changing his responsibilities. I'd be tempted to leave him out there for the whole 2 minutes on power plays, for example, and try to push his PP/TOI up to around 4 minutes a night, while pulling his ES down a bit. Move him down the lineup, and he no longer has to go against the better players on the other team.

Take a few minutes off his TOI every night, give him some easier assignments, and I think that adds up in a good way over the course of a season. Of course, it also just takes one crosscheck in just the wrong spot to send it all to hell anyway.
 

DetroitRed

Crashes the Crease
Apr 7, 2013
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I agree with Kenny that you eventually pay the price for being near or at the top of the league, but I also think there are things you can do to speed your way to the bottom or prolong your stay at the bottom. One of those things is bad contracts, and that's what Kenny doesn't talk about. Maybe it's because he doesn't realize that bad contracts are a thing. I'm not sure, but part of how the Detroit Right Wings have tanked, albeit maybe unwittingly, is through bad contracts. Those haven't stopped during the supposed rebuilding phase, which is why I say 'unwittingly.' So, that's one thing.

Another thing is tanking more properly. To that end, If you have a coach who tries to win and players who give 100%, I don't think of it as tanking regardless of the result, and I think the best winning attitude includes a strategy for putting together a cup team, rather than just putting together the best team for the moment. I think the latter is impatience and probably results in winning a cup later. Granted you have to more than draft low, you have to develop. That's one reason why I'd like to see Zetterberg back.
 

obey86

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Jun 9, 2009
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I agree with Kenny that you eventually pay the price for being near or at the top of the league, but I also think there are things you can do to speed your way to the bottom or prolong your stay at the bottom. One of those things is bad contracts, and that's what Kenny doesn't talk about. Maybe it's because he doesn't realize that bad contracts are a thing. I'm not sure, but part of how the Detroit Right Wings have tanked, albeit maybe unwittingly, is through bad contracts. Those haven't stopped during the supposed rebuilding phase, which is why I say 'unwittingly.' So, that's one thing.

Another thing is tanking more properly. To that end, If you have a coach who tries to win and players who give 100%, I don't think of it as tanking regardless of the result, and I think the best winning attitude includes a strategy for putting together a cup team, rather than just putting together the best team for the moment. I think the latter is impatience and probably results in winning a cup later. Granted you have to more than draft low, you have to develop. That's one reason why I'd like to see Zetterberg back.

What bad contracts has Kenny signed during the rebuilding phase, i.e. the last two seasons?
 

obey86

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Jun 9, 2009
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I'm not sure the difference between playing 15 or 18 or 20 minutes is that huge. He's either able to play or he's not. There's not a point where he's healthy enough to play 18 minutes but an extra shift breaks his back.

It's definitely huge.

20 minus 15 is a 5 minute difference per game (obviously). 5 multiplied by 82 games, that's 410 extra minutes, which is the equivalent of playing 27 extra (410/15) 15 minute games. Also, at his old age, he likely tires out faster than a 25 year old Zetterberg. I'd rather have a full energy Zetterberg for 15 min a game than full energy Zetterberg for 15 minutes and then 5 minutes of a tired/exhausted Zetterberg. He really looks like he struggles to keep up out there at times, he's so slow. Playing among the most minutes in the league probably doesn't help in that regard.

Looking at TOI stats, I believe literally every forward in the league who averaged more TOI than Zetterberg did last year is younger than him. Old forwards across the league don't play the minutes he does and for good reason.
 

Grimm

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Jul 21, 2017
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My big thing was I really wanted Ras and Zadina to learn from and follow Z around. Idc if he only plays 10 mins a night on the wing. Those two could use a guy like him.

I feel the drop-off in leadership along with talent after Z is massive for the vets. Abby? Kronwall? Those guys cannot take over a game. Z actually still can some nights. He's been one of the faces of the franchise with Pav for years, esp. since Nick left. I want a guy as the captain and mentor who can take a game over and get the fire roaring out of these kids. I just don't see it with the others. Larkin will be our captain at some point, but it just might not be quite yet.
 
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Lazlo Hollyfeld

The jersey ad still sucks
Mar 4, 2004
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Evidence like still being there on the top line while not scoring for ~20 games 2 times during the season?
That's not evidence. That's you inventing a reason.

For all you know Zetterberg is begging Blashill to use him less minutes and the coach refuses.
 

Bench

3 is a good start
Aug 14, 2011
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I'd assume Zetterberg still believes he's worth a top line spot, simply because he is on this roster. By a decent margin, too.
 
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Oddbob

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Evidence like still being there on the top line while not scoring for ~20 games 2 times during the season?

He is a play maker, there is more than just goals to be scored. He had a darn good season, on a crappy team, so maybe cut him some slack, will ya!
 
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StargateSG1

Registered User
Nov 26, 2016
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He is a play maker, there is more than just goals to be scored. He had a darn good season, on a crappy team, so maybe cut him some slack, will ya!
If you think this 6 million player had a good season, playing first line minutes and PP, I won't even argue anymore.
 

Lazlo Hollyfeld

The jersey ad still sucks
Mar 4, 2004
28,161
26,454
If you think this 6 million player had a good season, playing first line minutes and PP, I won't even argue anymore.
Because you're argument isn't sound. It's not like they signed him for $6 million this season.

Zetterberg had the second most points as a 37 year old on a team that was 28th in Goals For and 24th on the power play. Yes he's a part of that but the unfortunate reality is even though he's long in the tooth he's still one of the best players on the team.

To be clear, I think Zetterberg should be absolutely playing fewer minutes. But I doubt he's getting them because he's somehow overruling Blashill. Frankly if that were the case then both Blashill and Holland should be fired and they need to trade Z because that is an extremely dysfunctional team and we're in for a long and almost certainly unsuccessful rebuild.
 

JoesuffP

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Feb 3, 2016
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I suspected this from the start they’re just setting up Z’s LTIR for next year. Comes back reluctantly, hits 1,000 points, misses games to end the season. Makes sense financially and honestly if I was another team watching the situation I would want the NHL looking into it. He played 82 games with significant ice time 3 straight seasons and suddenly he’s LTIR after talking about retiring all year.
 

Heaton

Moderator
Feb 13, 2004
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I'm probably missing something, but why do we even care if Z retires and we're hit with the recapture penalty? This team most likely won't be competing in the next couple seasons regardless.
 
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Cyborg Yzerberg

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Nov 8, 2007
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I'm probably missing something, but why do we even care if Z retires and we're hit with the recapture penalty? This team most likely won't be competing in the next couple seasons regardless.

I just want to see Z for one more year, if I'm being honest. I want to see him hit 1000 points. Obviously I want him to do what's best for him and what's best for his health; but I just want to see him for one more year. And I don't care about the recapture at all; if anything, it'd be less money for Holland to waste.
 

Mijatovic

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Jan 23, 2014
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I'm not sure the difference between playing 15 or 18 or 20 minutes is that huge. He's either able to play or he's not. There's not a point where he's healthy enough to play 18 minutes but an extra shift breaks his back.
I totally agree with what you say but I think being trotted out against the oppositions top line on top of playing C up and back constantly on top of those extra 2 shifts might just be enough for 82 games straight might add up.
 

golffuul

Registered User
Oct 24, 2011
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I'm okay with Z stepping away, this year. He deserves to "retire" on his terms. I'm sure he would have rather left with Pavel did, but that wasn't ever going to happen on Kenny's watch. He needed the continuity to keep the room going in the "proper direction".
 
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Richard Moistmaker

Registered User
May 9, 2018
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If Z can't play next year, it would be really cool (but not happening) if Pav came back and captained the team for a couple years until the kids are ready
 

SirloinUB

Registered User
Aug 20, 2010
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I'm okay with Z stepping away, this year. He deserves to "retire" on his terms. I'm sure he would have rather left with Pavel did, but that wasn't ever going to happen on Kenny's watch. He needed the continuity to keep the room going in the "proper direction".

I'd like to see one more year but I guess that's always been the case with legends like Yzerman, Lidstrom, Datsyuk and now Z.

He has given this team a ton and we have been fortunate to watch him. Every game we see is just icing on the cake at this point.
 
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