New Year's Check in of the Wings

[holytoledo]

To me, this kid is smart enough to make use of the space Bert and Larkin create.
Then, he's got a way better shot than I credited him for.
And he knows how to get them the puck.

But to me, he's clearly the complementary guy on the line right now.

That's nothing to sneeze at. Zadina played with Larkin last year and couldn't do shit.

It is kind of expected for him to be more of a complementary player given he is a young rookie playing with two more established players. He might take on a bigger role as he gains more confidence and gets stronger. He is putting up similar numbers to what Mantha was doing with the Wings. Different players obviously but he seems to fit in with Larkin and Bert.

If only the Wings had a decent playmaking center for the 2nd line, they could try more combos. Imagine if Yzerman had traded for Kuznetsov last off-season instead of signing Suter. Vrana comes back and you know he plays well with Kuznetsov so you can mix and match who the 3rd guy on that line will be. Put Veleno as the 3rd center and Ras as the 4th line or just trade him.

Adding a cokehead who is too stupid to hide it to a young team would be a mistake. Without Ovechkin to keep him in line i think his life would spiral out of control.

This group is just getting started with the Wings. There is no need to rush out and start signing patchwork players and free agents to a developing team. Give it a couple years and sign the right players when they come along. Here is no rush, they don't need players with giant warts especially when this team isn't ready to compete. That's how you get to be the Oilers.

The Wings look like they are doing it right. They are being patients and building a good base of players to make his team consistently successful.

The NHL is full of coke heads and this LA Kings won at least one Stanley Cup with them, as did the Caps. In todays NHL teams often win cups while their stars are on their ELCs and first RFA contracts. Bert is 26. Vrana will be 26 next month. Larkin will be 26 next season. Raymond & Seider are on their ELCs. Hronek is 24 and on his RFA deal. Our window is nowish. We need to add a top 6 C and a top 4 LD, get Edvinsson and go for it in the next year or two.

We’re on the verge of being a playoff bubble team and are not likely to draft players that can make an immediate impact. It’s about time to start building the roster out with impact UFAs and trades before we reach the point of becoming a mediocre team like the Jets who are maxed in terms of cap but a player or three away. I don’t think Stevie gets this.

[Pop Zeus]

Steve Yzerman was a cokehead.

[Machine]

Steve Yzerman was a cokehead.

Lol but it was the eighties everyone with money was a cokehead

[holytoledo]

Steve Yzerman was a cokehead.

Lol but it was the eighties everyone with money was a cokehead

Didn’t want to go there, but yeah, especially during the lockout year.

[dcz28]

To me, this kid is smart enough to make use of the space Bert and Larkin create.
Then, he's got a way better shot than I credited him for.
And he knows how to get them the puck.

But to me, he's clearly the complementary guy on the line right now.

That's nothing to sneeze at. Zadina played with Larkin last year and couldn't do shit.

It is kind of expected for him to be more of a complementary player given he is a young rookie playing with two more established players. He might take on a bigger role as he gains more confidence and gets stronger. He is putting up similar numbers to what Mantha was doing with the Wings. Different players obviously but he seems to fit in with Larkin and Bert.

If only the Wings had a decent playmaking center for the 2nd line, they could try more combos. Imagine if Yzerman had traded for Kuznetsov last off-season instead of signing Suter. Vrana comes back and you know he plays well with Kuznetsov so you can mix and match who the 3rd guy on that line will be. Put Veleno as the 3rd center and Ras as the 4th line or just trade him.

Adding a cokehead who is too stupid to hide it to a young team would be a mistake. Without Ovechkin to keep him in line i think his life would spiral out of control.

This group is just getting started with the Wings. There is no need to rush out and start signing patchwork players and free agents to a developing team. Give it a couple years and sign the right players when they come along. Here is no rush, they don't need players with giant warts especially when this team isn't ready to compete. That's how you get to be the Oilers.

The Wings look like they are doing it right. They are being patients and building a good base of players to make his team consistently successful.

From the picture of him doing coke in a hotel room, doesn't look like Ovechkin is keeping him in check. For all we know there could be a few players on this Wings team that do coke and just haven't been caught publicly doing it or arrested for it. Unless you know someone on a team, we don't know what players are up to unless fans see them doing it or the media reports it. What i do know is Kuznetsov would be the best center the Wings had not named Larkin. As long as the Wings don't get a real 1st or 2nd line center, they will struggle and basically be a one line team.

[Zattaman]

Rowney - He's not awful in his role.

What is his role?

It's nitpicking, I know, but his play bothers me.

I guess he's a responsible worm body that can play 11 min a night.

Technically, he doesn't PK (though apparently he averages 21 sec per game). He isn't physical, isn't fast, got zero bite to his game, he is brutal in the face-off circle.

We got a flaccid 4th line. Obviously, if Stephens were healthy, Rowney probably wouldn't play. But, I'd still like to see a good role player on the 4th line, someone who either provides a physical element or PKs.

Guess I miss Glendening...

[holytoledo]

Wings have the 5th best home record in the league and the 2nd worse road record. Pretty huge difference. We’ve played 4 more home games than road games so if that hold true we may slip a little further.

[holytoledo]

Three first round picks.

Player A: 90 GP 32 P = .355 PPG
Player B: 118 GP 47 P = .398 PPG
Player C: 34 GP 29 P = .852 PPG

Player C is clearly head and shoulders above the other 2 players. Players A & B both have pretty marginal and very similar production. Name these players.

[El Jefe]

Three first round picks.

Player A: 90 GP 32 P = .355 PPG
Player B: 118 GP 47 P = .398 PPG
Player C: 34 GP 29 P = .852 PPG

Player C is clearly head and shoulders above the other 2 players. Players A & B both have pretty marginal and very similar production. Name these players.

Player A: Teemu Pulkkinen

Player B: Filip Zadina

Player C: Lucas Raymond

[holytoledo]

Three first round picks.

Player A: 90 GP 32 P = .355 PPG
Player B: 118 GP 47 P = .398 PPG
Player C: 34 GP 29 P = .852 PPG

Player C is clearly head and shoulders above the other 2 players. Players A & B both have pretty marginal and very similar production. Name these players.

Player A: Teemu Pulkkinen

Player B: Filip Zadina

Player C: Lucas Raymond