This is normally where I say Eaves would help the PK, but it's been good enough without him.
But really Helm and Eaves are both VERY fast and very physical. They will be missed down the stretch. But right now Nashville looks pathetic on the powerplay, so I think we'll be okay.
Nashville's PP looks much more dynamic than ours. We're staying with it and not allowing the low cross-crease pass.
Stuart was not better than E last night. In fact, every time he and Kronwall are out, I expect trouble by our goal.
Stuart was the perfect guy to compliment the Wings during the 2008 cup run. Lidstrom and Rafalski were at the top of their games and Kronwall had his breakout performance.
After that playoff Rafalski started to really break down and the responsibilities grew for the other defensemen. I think Stuart has gotten progressively over his head again on the Wings and is a reason why he could never live up to his draft selection over the years. On SJ they wanted him to be a #1/#2 defensemen, he just isn't that type of defensemen. I think if the Wings still had a healthy Rafalski or if the Wings had a true #2 to slot next to Lidstrom (or where ever) Stuart wouldn't have had to be put in so many situations where he has to do more than what we really traded for.
He's a great #4 and a pretty good #3. If we lose him over the summer it'll be tough, but there's defensemen out there who could fill his role pretty easily.
Helm's positioning is lacking.
His speed is a great asset. but he tends to get running around
Right now, the box has been stationary and they're not giving up many lanes.
It doesn't hurt that Kostisyn and Radulov are snakebit
It's a tale of two PKs with Helm. He's great at using his speed to deny the opposition the zone, get after the opposing D and force turnovers/turn them back, and he's a threat to get an unsuccessful breakaway every time he's on the ice.
When the other team gets into the zone and establishes possession, he's a borderline liability. Really not good in that aspect. Does the benefit of A outweigh the negative of B? Dunno.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SoupNazi
Ericcson is well on his way to establishing himself solidly in the Top-4.
Ericsson is playing with Lidstrom and suddenly looks like an NHLer again. This is my shocked face.
We've seen Lidstrom-fueled stretches like this before from him. They don't last. I'm certainly not going to buy this as permanent at this point. It's also worth pointing out that while it's nice to see him getting chippy with guys around the net and dishing out facewashes and whatnot, that's only nice to see until they send him to the box for some cheap **** like that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Captain Bob
Nashville's PP looks much more dynamic than ours. We're staying with it and not allowing the low cross-crease pass.
The Wings' PPers keep pausing when they receive a pass. There are never any holes in the PK because they get the pass, settle it down, and then look up. By that time the D has shifted and there's nowhere to go with the puck.
Very rarely in recent weeks have we seen the kind of tic-tac-toe passing that makes for really effective PPs. It's pass, pause, pass, pause, pass, pause, skate around, pause, skate around, pause, skate yourself into a corner and dump the puck into the corner. It needs to be pass, pass, pass, pass, shoot.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Captain Bob
It's also pure BS that Ericsson was better than Stuart this year.
Stuart has had a rocky year. Ericsson has been better since coming back from the injury but before that, he was pretty lousy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Heaton
Stuart was the perfect guy to compliment the Wings during the 2008 cup run. Lidstrom and Rafalski were at the top of their games and Kronwall had his breakout performance.
After that playoff Rafalski started to really break down and the responsibilities grew for the other defensemen. I think Stuart has gotten progressively over his head again on the Wings and is a reason why he could never live up to his draft selection over the years. On SJ they wanted him to be a #1/#2 defensemen, he just isn't that type of defensemen. I think if the Wings still had a healthy Rafalski or if the Wings had a true #2 to slot next to Lidstrom (or where ever) Stuart wouldn't have had to be put in so many situations where he has to do more than what we really traded for.
He's a great #4 and a pretty good #3. If we lose him over the summer it'll be tough, but there's defensemen out there who could fill his role pretty easily.
Stuart was the final piece for that 2008 group. He was the guy that would stay back and shut the door while Kronwall stepped up and either destroyed guys or pinched to generate offense. He hasn't been consistently locked down since that first stretch, but that's still the presence they need from him back there if they're going to make a run.
Oddly enough, the current group probably needs another Stuart because having just one still leaves some pretty big holes in the defense a lot of the time.
WTF Stuart has had a Rocky year?
That's simply not true.
He has his best plus minus in his career. He did this despite the fact that his defensive partner was near 0 on the plus/minus scale.
He had the most goals he's had as a red wing.
He has the most points he's had as a Red Wing.
He led the Wings defense in Hits by 40 percent.
He had fewer giveaways than Kronwall, White, and Ericsson.
He was second on the defense in blocked shots.
He was second in takeaways.
Offhand, I can remember 4 goals where he made the save.
It's freakin ridiculous that anyone would compare Ericsson to Stuart this year.
And if you think this was a rocky year for Stuart, then you must be of the opinion that he's been brutal in Detroit
WTF Stuart has had a Rocky year?
That's simply not true.
He has his best plus minus in his career. He did this despite the fact that his defensive partner was near 0 on the plus/minus scale.
He had the most goals he's had as a red wing.
He has the most points he's had as a Red Wing.
He led the Wings defense in Hits by 40 percent.
He had fewer giveaways than Kronwall, White, and Ericsson.
He was second on the defense in blocked shots.
He was second in takeaways.
Offhand, I can remember 4 goals where he made the save.
It's freakin ridiculous that anyone would compare Ericsson to Stuart this year.
And if you think this was a rocky year for Stuart, then you must be of the opinion that he's been brutal in Detroit
His year has some warts on it because he hasn't been able to cover up all of Kronwall's gaffes, that's mostly where I was going with that. He ends up being the only Wing in the picture on a lot of goal-against highlights, so people assume he's screwing up. He can only be in one place at one time though.
His year has some warts on it because he hasn't been able to cover up all of Kronwall's gaffes, that's mostly where I was going with that. He ends up being the only Wing in the picture on a lot of goal-against highlights, so people assume he's screwing up. He can only be in one place at one time though.
The Wings were the best ES team in the league this year and while Stuart had a pretty good year I wouldn't say this was his best year here regardless of what some stats might say.
The Wings were the best ES team in the league this year and while Stuart had a pretty good year I wouldn't say this was his best year here regardless of what some stats might say.
This was is best regular season quite easily, IMO.
His first playoffs was really, really good.
His next season, he and Kronwall strugged.
If I remember right, his next year, he was awesome until about Jan 1, and then the wheels fell off.
Last year was hit and miss.
His year has some warts on it because he hasn't been able to cover up all of Kronwall's gaffes, that's mostly where I was going with that. He ends up being the only Wing in the picture on a lot of goal-against highlights, so people assume he's screwing up. He can only be in one place at one time though.
So why is Ericsson getting all this love for returning from injury and playing solid D for three weeks?
It's because the people who argued in favor of the Ericsson contract also like to point out that he can step into Stuart's spot.
So those same people are now VASTLY overrating Ericsson and trying to denigrate Stuart.
It just message board posturing.
I've said a number of times this year that I've been pleasantly surprised by Ericsson. But my expectations were low. This is a guy who, 15 months ago, was barely ahead of Kindl on the depth chart.
He's managed to limit the number of huge mistakes. But he's still not great positionally. He still lacks defensive IQ. He still lacks physical intensity.
If he worked and battled as hard as Stuart does, Ericsson would be so much more valuable.
Nashville's PP looks much more dynamic than ours. We're staying with it and not allowing the low cross-crease pass.
How could you tell, we only got 2 opportunities. The officiating was so one-sided it was pathetic. Hudler gets Goaltender interference for that trip over Rinne's pad at the edge of the crease but they are allowed to run howard 4 times, 3 while they were on the PP, and nothing was called. And then Franzen got the 2 minutes for bleeding on the ice or maybe it was hindering a Pred with his face.
The NHL deserves a tax-credit for hiring the mentally impaired and giving them striped shirts.
