Trade Rumors and Free Agent TalkTrade rumors, transactions, and free agent talk. Rumors must contain the word RUMOR in post title. Proposals must contain the word PROPOSAL in post title.
No, Red Wings fans wanted Parise, Suter, Doan, Ryan, Schulz and Semin. Instead they got Tootoo, Abdelkdaer, Monster and Colaiacovo.
They are mad.
And the rest of the Central Division is presently thinking of a certain song from Avenue Q that I can't post here 'cause of HF anti-profanity rules...
Sorry, kid, it's human nature / Nothing I can dooo...
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I feel for Abdelkader. He came up and looked so promising and so tenacious. He seems to have hit a slump as I'm very shocked with Detroit fans and their response... but trust them as they see him a lot more than I do. My initial reaction was - not a bad deal if he continues to grow.
As of now, he's a 25-points 4th line C, which is fine, but I see him hitting a 3rd line energy guy who could get 40pts. Not a bad deal for the team's most consistent hitter.
I feel for Abdelkader. He came up and looked so promising and so tenacious. He seems to have hit a slump as I'm very shocked with Detroit fans and their response... but trust them as they see him a lot more than I do. My initial reaction was - not a bad deal if he continues to grow.
I guess he's really tailed off that badly?
In Detroit, if you're not Terry Sawchuk, Steve Yzerman, Pavel Datsyuk or Nick Lidstrom, you better be Bob Probert.
There's no in between with Detroit fans. There's no patience for young guys to evolve, no appreciation for guys maturing in their program. The larger the player, usually the more time it takes to evolve.
That or they're playing way to many video games in Detroit.
When you've chosen no higher than 19th in the draft for 20 years, you need to have some patience with your younger guys.
...Abdelkader can hold down the fourth line center role until Sheahan or Andersson are ready and is pretty good on the wing. For a guy that finished second on the team in hits, second on the team in faceoff percentage, is useful on the PK, plays up the lineup when injuries arrive and pops in the occasional goal I don't understand the hate. Seems people thought he was going to be a stud top 6 guy off his MSU glory. What he is has its uses but it seems he cannot win with half the fan-base.
Having both him and Helm locked up for what they are might be a touch high next season but can be real winning contracts down the line in my opinion.
Having seen a lot of Abdelkader over the years, from High School to college, the Griffins to the Wings, I'd say this is the fairest assessment of him in this thread. I'd love to have him on the Hawks, and a recent "comparable" would be Adam Burish, who some Hawks fans loved. His upside is higher, and Abdelkader has it all over Burish in nearly every facet of the game, as well as his contract (iirc).
His only problem is that he's not a replacement for Draper (but then again neither is Helm, nor was Hudler).
In Detroit, if you're not Terry Sawchuk, Steve Yzerman, Pavel Datsyuk or Nick Lidstrom, you better be Bob Probert.
There's no in between with Detroit fans. There's no patience for young guys to evolve, no appreciation for guys maturing in their program. The larger the player, usually the more time it takes to evolve.
That or they're playing way to many video games in Detroit.
When you've chosen no higher than 19th in the draft for 20 years, you need to have some patience with your younger guys.
Um nope sorry bud you are just flat out wrong on this one.
care to enlighten us Detroit fans for the love of the grind line then??
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Um nope sorry bud you are just flat out wrong on this one.
care to enlighten us Detroit fans for the love of the grind line then??
Not a bad guy to sign imo.
We loved the grind line because Kocur and McCarty would fight, Maltby was good at being a s***-stirrer, and Draper had a motor that wouldn't quit. Also, they were superb penalty-killers.
Why do you think the Wings fans love Helm so much? He's basically a faster, more stone-handy version of Kris Draper. Hell, I guarantee you, if Abby learned how to mix it up with people without committing awful penalties at awful times, Detroit fans would LOVE him. Not just like, but LOVE.
Um nope sorry bud you are just flat out wrong on this one.
care to enlighten us Detroit fans for the love of the grind line then??
Not a bad guy to sign imo.
Very good example. Maybe the greatest 4th line in the history of the game.
God forbid if a guy doesnt meet those expectations. Just like Ericsson. Here's a guy who's really developing into good NHl defenseman but he's still a whipping boy for no reason. The guy was the last pick in the NHL draft and he was a center for god's sake.
With a $1.8M cap hit, he better turn into a 3rd liner at least on the last two years of the deal. Which is possible but not certain. Cap hit matters little for the moment, don't see Detroit being up against the cap next few seasons, but after that we probably will. Anyway, there's not really any risk with the deal, but hard to get excited over it at the same time.
Not sure why Detroit fans are mad at this, Abby was clutch in 2010 against the coyotes. He leads the way in hits and is still young. Plus he is a Michigan born player. Lots to like about this kid.
We loved the grind line because Kocur and McCarty would fight, Maltby was good at being a s***-stirrer, and Draper had a motor that wouldn't quit. Also, they were superb penalty-killers.
Why do you think the Wings fans love Helm so much? He's basically a faster, more stone-handy version of Kris Draper. Hell, I guarantee you, if Abby learned how to mix it up with people without committing awful penalties at awful times, Detroit fans would LOVE him. Not just like, but LOVE.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Petes2424
Very good example. Maybe the greatest 4th line in the history of the game.
God forbid if a guy doesnt meet those expectations. Just like Ericsson. Here's a guy who's really developing into good NHl defenseman but he's still a whipping boy for no reason. The guy was the last pick in the NHL draft and he was a center for god's sake.
You guys missed my point not all the fans think this way. I like abby, and most of our team for that matter. yes I would have liked a better off season but it is what it is. the wings will be fine. if not I will still stick by my team.
This is a great signing for a young energy guy that can hit. He's not amazing at anything but he works hard and reminds me a lot of Maltby.
He's the 4th line center and is ideal for that role. People are acting like he's making 2mil plus, the term and value are very fair.
He can hit, but not to hurt. He doesn't lay guys out. He just finishes his checks. He isn't particularly good defensively. He has average speed. He's pretty bad at fighting, but still tries.
If a guy is going to be a solid 4th grinder, I want him to be good to very good at one of those things.
No, Red Wings fans wanted Parise, Suter, Doan, Ryan, Schulz and Semin. Instead they got Tootoo, Abdelkdaer, Monster and Colaiacovo.
They are mad.
It's not so different for other teams out there. For instance, Canuck fans were sure Shultz was "coming home". And that Doan would sign... Expectations can be murder.
Some teams did absolutely nothing in FA... It all comes down to expectations.
I'm fine with this. Abby brings size and physicality, if only he wouldn't take bad penalties it be even better. Would be nice if he kept improving on face offs and tuned into a Malholtra clone.
I'm fine with this. Abby brings size and physicality, if only he wouldn't take bad penalties it be even better. Would be nice if he kept improving on face offs and tuned into a Malholtra clone.
Max Lapierre a reasonable comparison? Similar point ceiling, similar role; hitting 3rd/4th line centre. I'd take 4 years @ 1.7M for Lappy in an absolute heartbeat.
wow... no middle ground either you love him or you hate him it seems like lol
A very polarizing player in Detroit for some reason. I actually have always chalked it up to him being a Spartan until the love Drew Miller got last year. Thought it was mostly U of M fans that hated him up until that point. I know it sounds weird but the hatred from that rivalry is deep. I think that was a factor initially with how quickly some of them turned on him.
