Jason_R

I just listened to TJ Lang on NFL Radio. He said a few interesting things. first, he talked about Sewell’s move to left tackle. He said he watches Sewell at right tackle and believes that the position is not natural to him. Basically, you would not coach a right tackle to move the ways moves. But he is so physically dominant that he has become a pro bowl player. Lang says left tackle is Sewell’s natural position and he believes he is going to become a dominant left tackle. The other thing he talked about was attention to detail. But it wasn’t so much about the players. It was about Morton. Two different times, he said, “I don’t want to throw shade, but….” one of those times, he pointed out that the play action game was frequently run out of different run actions than they were using in the run game. The example he gave was that they would frequently run outside zone but scheme their play action in gap schemes. Bad attention to detail and defenses picked it up.

Everything I read about Wallinder is underwhelming. Maybe I’m missing something but I’ve just been assuming that he has reached his ceiling. I hate to see ASP languish too long in the AHL, but I also hate to see him fishing the puck out of his own net in the NHL. I wonder if his development plays a role in their decision about whether to offer Faulk an extension.

This raises the question of what the defense will look like next season. Seider and Edvinsson pairing seems set. Faulk will anchor second pairing, but with Chiarot? Albert J? I guess the third line is some grab bag of Johanssons, JBD, Hamonic… and maybe ASP? Will they try to sign Faulk to an extension? Seems like there is some depth developing, but it is too soon to tell about the production we are likely to see.

I don’t buy this at all. Yzerman is not telling players not to defend teammates. Todd is not telling them this. It is unimaginable. Right now, the core of the team is skewed in the favor of small players who rely on skill more than physicality and in the favor of mercenaries. Larkin is not an intimidator. Raymond is not. Kane is not. Debrincat has moxie but he is not going to physically dominate someone. Copp and Compher are just happy to be getting paid. Compher had only one more hit on the season than Kane! Rasmussen too, even though he came up through the system. Appleton hits a little bit, but had half the number of hits that Kasper did in slightly less ice time. Among the mercenaries, only Chiarot hits, but that is what he is paid to do. I’ll say it again, if Yzerman has said anything that can be remotely interpreted as an “Yzerplan,” it is draft high character players, let them play meaningful hockey together in the AHL, and call them up when they are ready. He is doing this. Kasper led the team in hits. Finnie was third (after Chiarot) then Seider and Edvinsson. Mazur and MBN are playing with physicality in the playoffs. They will be in Detroit next year and will make the team harder to play against. So will Carter Bear when he is ready. But I do not believe for a minute that Stevie or Todd are telling the team to abandon their teammates.

1. The tweet you posted is apparently not accurate. 2. it is literally unbelievable that Rod Wood made any decision about scheduling an international game unilaterally. 3. Rod Wood was involved in hiring Spielman, Holmes, and Campbell and in wholly changing the culture of a previously pathetic franchise.

🤷🏻‍♂️

If you go back and read scouting reports on him you will see there is a lot that scouts love about him. He has a lot of traits the Wings lack. He is gritty. He is abrasive. He goes to the net. And it seems like all of those traits have continued to be on display this season and post-season. I don’t know how to handicap him making the NHL roster next season, but he seems to be a more plausible fit to complete the Larkin/Raymond line than Finnie was going into camp last season. He is fast enough to play with them and has skill to finish the play. He will go to the places on the ice they may not. And it seems like he is responsible enough defensively that he could match up against the top lines that Larkin usually draws.

Detroit is coming into next season looking to prove something too. they came into last season with an entitlement mentality. They were coasting on their reputation and came into week one and got embarrassed. Dan Campbell remembers that. Penei Sewell remembers that. Gibbs and Goff and ASB remember that. They are going to come out in week one this year and try to establish their identity as bullies in the run game and precise in the passing game. They want to announce to the league that they are back.

But this one is new. Look at the kids playing some ******* hockey!

I posted that and the page refreshed and there were five new clips from the game!

This made me happy to see.

Don’t like at Chicago and at GB weeks 17 and 18. Let’s clinch before then.

Slump buster.

Yes I get it and agree that there are very few straight up trades in the NHL and I would not expect one to occur in this case. But I don’t think his trade value has collapsed. And I don’t think anyone wants to trade him for anything other than player(s) that make the team better immediately.