That's a stretch. Smith has done nothing other than screen Howard and take bad penalties. That's all he contributes.
And Smith looked like garbage in the AHL this year. Too early to call him a bust, but he's def not the "savior" everyone is hoping for. If Holland can trade him for a proven young top 4 dman, I suggest he DO IT!!
Go ahead, it is easier blaming one guy for all the DRWs troubles. To start with, Wings can't score... 4 goals in 3 games?
And, to top it off, the other team's goalies are out playing our goalie. Especially in the Dallas game.
And to me Smith looks like he needs more time in the AHL, he's almost 24 and still can't hang in the NHL. Lashoff on the other hand and has outplayed Smith at the ripe young age of 22...
Quick, blame Quincey. Howard sucks, $15 million 1st line can't score, Babcock looks clueless, but lets blame the guy that was brought here while the rest of the team stinks up the ice...
Still not convinced. Look at Kronwall's stats and then try to make a case for your boy Quincey. Good luck!
The bigger problem I have is the inability to link up in their own end and make easy clearances. The lack of understanding on who should be where and what they are doing. These things do take time, but they don't communicate very well in my opinion. Quincey is not a leader of a pair and he certainly isn't going to listen to what Smith a rookie wants him to do. It puts them both in a very tough position, they need to talk more because they are embarrassing themselves. They both look bad because they cannot get on the same page.
That's spot-on analysis IMO. I'd like to see Smith paired with White. I still don't get how White went from our top pair to the third unit over the offseason. He's better than Q at both ends of the ice and might add a healthy dose of veteran leadership to that pairing. The only downside I can see is that it would leave us with a potentially brutal 3rd pairing unless Lashoff keeps playing well, or one of CC / Kindl step up when they return.
Oh by the way Kronwall has been playing alongside Brian Lashoff. A guy who wasn't even drafted. Good luck guy!!!!
Good, keep him up when the team gets healthy and send Smith back down. He's not ready for the NHL. Even the AHL seems too challenging for him at times.
Quincey has been autrocious. Smith has been decent but can't play to his strengths while being paired with Quincey.
HTT3 has a huge hatred for Smith and thats fine, but I don't get why you're defending Quincey. He's been terrible and to top it off KH gave up a 1st to Tampa, used to pick Vasilevsky, for Quincey. I don't get how you can or want to defend the guy.
Good, keep him up when the team gets healthy and send Smith back down. He's not ready for the NHL. Even the AHL seems too challenging for him at times.
Awww, how do you explain the fact Smith hasn't been nearly as bad as Quincey despite this being Smith's first season the NHL? Smith's plus/minus is -2 while Q's been -4. Why is that?
I wonder if Ken Holland facepalms when he remembers he gave up a first round draft pick to acquire Kyle Quincey. After the Colorado Avalanche refused to trade Q to him.
OK, Ericsson has been in for only a couple of games but I'm willing to bestow the title of "Best Wings Defender" on him.
Quincey and Kronwall have been awful, the kids are doing the best they can, Huskins is solid I guess....
I mean really, Ericsson? sigh....
I've been one of the bigger Ericsson fans here so it's nice to see him start getting his due. I think we can stick a fork in the idea Kindl is going to be a super awesome force on the power play. Let's put Lashoff back into the lineup. I'd like to see as much of E, Lashoff and Huskins in the lineup as possible seeing as we have no real offensive defenseman. Kronner is mediocre and Smith has upside. White can take the other token "offensive d-man" spot. We can keep Q as our 7th.
Kindl and Ericsson have both been better than Kronwall so far IMO.
Kindl has been much better after that first game where he was awful. Big E is rock solid. Our best d-man by far. Mostly everyone not named Quincey has been more reliable than Kronwall. Big disappointment. I loved that the one time he tried to "Kronwall" someone during this game, he got rocked. Who needs Sammy shooting from the point missing the net when you got Kronner?
